Þiðreks saga af Bern

En þa er Atila konongr ꝩann ꝩndir sik allt rikit

But when King Attila had won all the realm for himself,

þa

then

sætti hann sinn hafuðstað i Susat ok þæss hæꝩir

he set his capital in Susat, and from that

hon lenge notet

it has long benefited

siðan. þui at hann hafðe. ok bygði

since, because he held and built

sinv ríci.

his kingdom.

um Sigurð sueín.

Of Sigurd the boy.

Þetta sama glerker rækr æptir

This same glass vessel drifts down

anni til sævar. oc er þat æigi ævar langt. oc er

the river to the sea, and that is not very far. And it is

nu uttfall sæuar. Nv rekr

now ebb tide. Now there drifts

keret a æina œyrí. Nu

the vessel onto a sandbank. Now

fellr seoren af sua at þar er allt þvrt er

the sea falls away, so that it is all dry where

keret liɢr.

the vessel lies.

Nv hævir sveininn nockot vaxít. oc er keret rœrir

Now the boy has grown somewhat, and when the vessel knocks

ꝩið œyrina þa

against the sandbank, then

brotnar þat ísundr oc grætr barnit.

it breaks apart, and the child cries.

Nv kom þar at æín hínd oc tecr

Now a hind came there and takes

barnít í munn ser

the child in her mouth

oc berr heim til sins bœlis þar atti hon .íj́. born.

and carries it home to her lair. There she had two young.

þar leɢr

There she lays

hon sveinen niðr. oc lætr sveínen drecka

the boy down and lets the boy suck

sic. oc þar fœðir hon han sem

from her, and there she rears him as

sín born. oc er han

her own young. And he is

þar með hinðinni .xíj́. manaði. nv er han sva stercr

there with the hind twelve months. Now he is as strong

oc mikill. sem œnnur born .íííj́. ꝩetra gomvl.

and big as other children four winters old.

um mími oc regín

Of Mimir and Regin.

Ein maðr het mímir han er smíðr

A man was called Mimir. He is a smith

sua frægr. oc sva hagr. at nalega

so famous and so skilful that hardly

var ængi hans

was there any

maki at þeirí iðn han hævir marga sueina með ser.

equal to him in that craft. He has many lads with him

er honum þíona. hann a ser konu oc a þeím .íx.

who serve him. He has a wife, and in the nine

vetrum siðan er han

winters since he

feck hana mægu þau æcki

married her they have not been able

barn fa. oc þat harmar han mioc. hann

to have a child, and that grieves him much. He

hevir at

has

ser æín broður er het reginn hann uar mikill firir

a brother who was called Regin. He was formidable

ser oc allra

in his own right, and of all

manna verstr. oc honum uar þat oc

men the worst, and he was also

golldit. at han feck sua miklar

repaid for that, in that he got such great

gerningar oc kynzl

spells and sorcery

at hann uarð at ormí. oc nu gerðiz sua at han

that he turned into a serpent. And now it came about that he

var

was

allra orma mestr oc verstr. oc nv vill hann huern

of all serpents the greatest and worst. And now he means to kill every

mann drepa

man

næma vel er hann við broður sín. oc

except that he is good to his brother. And

nu er hann allra stercastr oc nu ꝩeít

now he is the strongest of all, and now

ængi maðr

no man knows

bœli hans næma broðir hans mímir.

his lair except his brother Mimir.

um mímí oc. Sigurð suein.

Of Mimir and Sigurd the boy.

Nv er þat æín dag at mímir ætlar

Now it happens one day that Mimir means

at fara i skog oc brenna kol. oc

to go into the forest and burn charcoal, and

ætlar at vera þar

he means to be there

þria daga. oc er hann kemr i skogín þa gera þeir

three days. And when he comes into the forest, they make

stora ællða. oc er hann er stadðr við ælldín æínn

big fires. And when he is standing by the fire all

saman. þa kemr

alone, then there comes

þar at honum æinn sueín. sa var

up to him a boy. He was

ven oc rennr til hans hann spyʀ hvat

handsome, and runs to him. He asks what

sueína han

kind of boy he

se. en sa sueín kann ækci mæla. en þo tecr mímir

might be. But the boy cannot speak. But still Mimir takes

hann til

him to

sín oc sætr han a kne ser. oc leɢr klæði yuir

himself and sets him on his knee and lays clothes over

han. þvi at hann hævir

him, because he had

æcki klæði aðr. oc þa kemr

no clothes before. And then there comes

þar .í. hind rænnandi. oc gengr at kniam

a hind running there, and goes up to the knees

honum mímí

of Mimir

oc sleikir um andlitit oc haufvð barnínv. oc at þvi

and licks the face and head of the child all over. And from that

þikciz mimir víta at hindín mann hava fostrað

Mimir thinks he knows that the hind must have fostered

barnít. oc firir því vill

the child, and for that reason he will

han æigi tortíma híndíní.

not destroy the hind.

oc tecr sueínenn oc varðveitir. oc hævir heim

And he takes the boy and keeps him, and takes [him] home

með

with

ser oc ætlar nu upp at fœða ser til sonar oc gefr

him, and now means to raise him as his son, and gives

nafn oc kallar

[him] a name, and calls [him]

Sigfrœð. nu vex sa svein þar upp

Sigfrod. Now that boy grows up there

til þess er han er .íx. vetra gamall oc

until he is nine winters old, and

er han nv

he is now

sva mikill oc sterkr at hans maka sa ængi maðr.

so big and strong that no man saw his equal.

han er sua

He is so

illr viðræignar at han beʀ oc brytr

hard to deal with that he beats and knocks about

sveina mímís sva at varla þickir

Mimir's lads, so that it hardly seems

vært hia honum.

bearable to be near him.

um Sigurð oc æckiharð.

Of Sigurd and Ekkihard.

Ein sueinn heitir æckiharð.

One lad is called Ekkihard.

eða illa

or ill.

er Sigurðr drepr ʀegin.

When Sigurd kills Regin.

Nv gerir mímír sítt rað. oc ser nv

Now Mimir makes his plan, and sees now

at af þessum sueíní man honum standa mikit ohapp.

that great misfortune will come to him from this lad,

oc nu vill hann

and now he wants

raðit honum bana ef sva fœri sem han hugði at

plotted his death, if it went as he thought

vera skylldi. oc þessi

it should. And this

ormr var broðir mímís. Oc

serpent was Mimir's brother. And

ef han vill æigi drepa mímí. þa man

if he will not kill Mimir, then

han hæfna

he will avenge

broður sins oc drepa sueínín. nv tekr han sueita

his brother and kill the boy. Now he takes the blood

ormsíns

of the serpent

oc ríðr a síc oc hænðr ser oc allt þar sem

and smears it on himself and his hands, and everywhere that

a kom. er æptir sem horn

it came on is afterwards as though horn

se. oc nu feʀ han af

it were. And now he takes off

sinum klæðum oc riðr a sic allan bloðínu þar.

his clothes and smears the blood all over himself, everywhere

sem

that

í sín klæði. oc feʀ heím síðan oc

into his clothes, and then goes home, and

hævir hofut ormsíns i hændi ser.

has the serpent's head in his hand.

Sigurðr drepr mimi fostra sinn.

Sigurd kills Mimir, his foster-father.

Nv er æckiharð vtí oc ser hvar

Now Ekkihard is outside and sees where

Sigvrðr feʀ oc gengr til meistara síns. oc mællti ía

Sigurd is going, and goes to his master and said: Yes,

herra nu feʀ

lord, now there comes

oc eru allra uapna bæzt. oc æínn hæst uil ek geua

and they are the best of all weapons. And a horse I will give

þer er heitir

you, which is called

graní. sa er i stoði brynilldar. oc æítt

Grani; it is in Brynhild's stud. And a

suerð er heitir gramr þat

sword which is called Gram, which

er allra suerða bazt. Nu

is the best of all swords. Now

mælír brynílldr ef þv

Brynhild says: If you

veítz æigi at sægia mer. þa kan ec at sægia þer

do not know how to tell me, then I can tell you

at þv ert Sigurdr Sígmunðar son konungs. oc sisibe.

that you are Sigurd, son of King Sigmund and of Sisibe.

oc skall tu vera her velkomín

And you shall be welcome here

med oss. eða hvertrhvert hevir þv

with us. But where have you

Fra Gunnari konungi oc hans broðrvmbrœðrvm.

Of King Gunnar and his brothers.

EN þa er jrungr konungr fellr ifra. þa

But when King Irung passes away, then

tecr Gunnaʀ sun hans

his son Gunnar takes,

hinn ællzti ꝩið rikínu. oc

the eldest, over the kingdom, and

þui verðr hann hallzi. þiðrecr konungr hæuir sanna

so he becomes its holder. King Thidrek has true

sínn alldr mæðan hann vill þat.

his life, as long as he wishes.

kuanfang þeira Sigurðar oc Gunnars.

The marriage of Sigurd and Gunnar.

Nv er þiðrecr konungr oc allir hans

Now King Thidrek and all his

menn hava rœynt sic

men have proved themselves

at þvi at ængi maðr iuerolldu

in this, that no man in the world

gort er siðan er orðit hardla frægt. at Sigurðr

made which has since become very famous: that Sigurd

sueínn skal ganga

Svein shall go

at æíga Grimilldi systur Gunnars

and marry Grimhild, the sister of Gunnar

konungs oc hœgna. oc taca með henní halft

the king and of Hogni, and take with her half

riki Gunnars konungs. oc nu er þar fengit at

of King Gunnar's kingdom. And now there is made ready

er hon vm fram allar aðrar konur

she is beyond all other women

at vitrleic oc kurteisi oc allri speci. oc skœrungs-skap

in intelligence and courtliness and all wisdom, and in nobility of spirit

oc storraða. en su heitir brynilldr. hon ræðr

and high ambition. And she is called Brynhild. She rules

firir þeiʀi borg er heitir segarðr. þessa ko-nu

over the stronghold which is called Segard. This woman

skylldir þv fa til æigínkonu oc ma ec þvi þar

you should take as your wife, and in this I can be

greto enn med nyio hennar dauða.

wept again, anew, at her death.

hær hæfr vpp sagu Niflunga oc fra ꝩidskiptum þæira Sigurðar svæins oc haugna oc gunnars konungs oc af bardaganom i susat. oc hverso grimilldr hæfdihæfndi sinnar osæmðar er henni var gor at saclauso i fyrstunni oc hæfr her vpp capitula

Here begins the saga of the Niflungs, and of the dealings between Young Sigurd and Hogni and King Gunnar, and of the battle in Susat, and how Grimhild avenged her dishonour, which was done to her without cause in the beginning; and here begin the chapters.

A þæssum tima i niflungalandi i

At this time in the land of the Niflungs, in

þæirri borg

that city

er hæitir verniza þar ræðr firir Gunnaʀ

which is called Verniza, there rules Gunnar,

konungr oc með honom hans

the king, and with him his

broðir haugni oc hinn

brother Hogni and the

manna.

men's.

Fra Grimilldi oc brynilldi.

Of Grimhild and Brynhild.

Nv er þat æit sinn at drotningin

Now it happens one time that Queen

brynilldr gengr

Brynhild goes

i sina holl oc þar sitr firir henni

into her hall, and there before her sits

grimhilldr systir Gunnars konungs

Grimhild, King Gunnar's sister,

oc þa er brynilldr

and when Brynhild

kemr til sins sætis. þa mælti hon til grimilldar

comes to her seat, she spoke to Grimhild:

nu æcki hæima þæssirþæssar riðir.

not at home now for this while.

um Hœgna oc Sigurð suein.

Of Hogni and Sigurd Svein.

Fam dogom siðaʀ at kvælldi kemr

A few days later, in the evening, there comes

hæim Sigurðr svæin með sinom

home Sigurd Svein with his

monnom oc er

men, and when

hæfir talat ꝩið

has talked with

drotningu brynilldi langa rið. oc

Queen Brynhild a long while, and

i þæira æínmæli er þætta at brynildr biðr

in their private talk it is this, that Brynhild asks

haugna at sua skal hann til haga at Sigurðr

Hogni to arrange it so that Sigurd

svæinn skal æigi hæim koma

Svein shall not come home

Sigurðr svæínn oc slæzt

Sigurd Svein, and throws himself

þægar niðr at bæckinom

down at once by the brook

sem aðrer þæir. Oc þa stendr upp haugni

like the others. And then Hogni stands up

er

when

hann hæfir drukkit oc tækr sítt spiot baðom hondom

he has drunk, and takes his spear in both hands

oc læggr milli

and thrusts [it] between

hærða Sigurði svæin sua at

the shoulders of Sigurd Svein, so that [it]

stendr i gognom hans hiarta oc vt um brios-tið

stands right through his heart and out through the breast.

hans gialld. Þa

his requital. Then

svarar haugni. Æigi var hann

Hogni answers: "He was not

myrðr. Ver ælltom æínn villigolt oc sa hin sami

murdered. We hunted a wild boar, and that same

ꝩilligaultr vættivæitti honom banasár. Þa svarar Grimillðr

wild boar gave him his death-wound." Then Grimhild answers:

. Sa sami ꝩilli-gaulltr

"That same wild boar

hæfir þu ꝩærit haugni

you have been, Hogni,

hærtnið konungi mikill hęr. oc hans kona

King Hertnid a great army. And his wife,

ostacia

Ostacia,

fæʀ út oc rærði sinn gauðgand. þat kollom ꝩer at hon

goes out and stirred up her gauðgandr [sorcery]. We call it that she

færi

went

at sæiða sua sem gort ꝩar i forneskio at fiolkungar

to work seiðr [spell-magic], as was done in olden times, that sorcerous

konor þær

women, those

er ver kollom ꝩolor skylldo

whom we call völur [seeresses], had to

sæiða honom sæið. Sua mikit gerði hon af ser

work spells for him. So much did she make of herself

i

in

fiolkyngi oc trollskap at hon sæiddi til sín margskonar

sorcery and witchcraft that she drew to herself by spells many kinds of

dyr leona

beasts: lions

or biorno oc flugdræka stora

and bears and great flying dragons;

hon tamði þa alla þar til at

she tamed them all, until

þæir lyddo hænne oc

they obeyed her and

hon matti ꝩisa þæim a hændr sinom uꝩinom.

she could direct them against her enemies.

Sua sægir

So it says

i kvæðom þyðærskom at hænnar hæʀ

in German poems that her army

i þessare

in this

frasogn

account.

kuanfang Attila konungs er hann fecc Grimilldi

The marriage of King Attila, when he got Grimhild.

Attila konungr af Susa spyrr at

King Attila of Susa learns that

dauðr er Sigurðr sveinn.

Sigurd Svein is dead,

mínír menn sin

my men take their

vopn. oc verð ec nu beriaz við

weapons, and I must now fight against

níflunga. Nu gengr þiðrecr ovan

the Niflungs. Now Thidrek goes down

a strœtit. oc sua

into the street. And so

er sagt. i þyðeskum kueðum. at þar ꝩar blauðum

it is said in German poems that there no cowardly

manne ei ꝩęrt. er saman komo i ꝩig þiðrecr. oc

man could stay, when there met in battle Thidrek and

niflungar. oc sua ꝩiða

the Niflungs. And so widely

Nu

Now

sœkir þiðrecr sua hart fram með sina men.

Thidrek presses forward so hard with his men

at goðe drengr hogni af

that the good warrior Hogni of

troia feʀ nu vndan

Troia now gives way

með sitt huassa suerð. þar er oc ínní gislher

with his sharp sword. In there too is Gislher,

oc

and

en

than

dioꝩolsins sialfs. Oc nu ꝩerðr þiðrecr konungr

the devil himself. And now King Thidrek becomes

sua reiðr at elldr flygr af hans

so angry that fire flies from his

munne. oc

mouth, and

þar af uerðr sua heit brynia hogna. at hann breðr

from that Hogni's mail-coat grows so hot that he burns

af. oc hon

from it, and it

hanum oc nykir

him, and pulls

af hanum brynionne. Oc

the mail-coat off him. And

nu gengr Grimhilldr oc tecr einn mikinn brand

now Grimhild goes and takes a great brand

þar er husid hafði brunnit. oc gengr at gernoz sinum

from where the house had burned, and goes to Gernoz, her

broðor. oc

brother, and

stingr brandenum loganda imunn

thrusts the burning brand into the mouth

honum. oc ꝩill ꝩita huart hann er davðr

of him, and wants to know whether he is dead

eða líuande

or alive.

. En gernoz er at ꝩisu dáuðr. oc nu gengr

But Gernoz is certainly dead. And now she goes

hon at gislher.

to Gislher

oc stingr elldibrandenum i munn

and thrusts the firebrand into the mouth

hanum hann uar eigi áðr dáuðr. oc af þessu

of him. He was not dead before, and of this

dœyr

dies

gislher. Nu ser þiðrecr konungr af bern huat

Gislher. Now King Thidrek of Bern sees what

grimhilldr gerer. oc mellte

Grimhild is doing, and spoke

til attila konungs.

to King Attila:

Se huersu dioꝩollin Grimhilldr þin kona kuellr

See how the devil Grimhild, your wife, torments

brœðr sina

her brothers,

goða drengi. oc huersu margr maðr

good warriors, and how many a man

hever latit sitt lif fyr hennar saker.

has lost his life for her sake,

oc huerso

and how

morgum goðum monnum hon heuer spillt. hunum

many good men she has destroyed, Huns

oc aumlongum. ok

and Amelungs and

niflungum oc slict sama

Niflungs; and in just the same way

ꝩilldi hon koma þer i hel. oc mer ef þat

she would bring you to your death, and me, if it

mette

were possible

hun. þa mellte attila konungr. vist er hon diaꝩoll.

for her. Then King Attila said: Truly she is a devil.

oc drep þu hana.

Kill her.

oc þat ꝩere gott verc ef þu

And that would have been a good deed, if you

hefðer þat gort nottom fyr.

had done it nights ago.

þa veri margr

Then many a

dyrligr drendrengr sa heill er nu er dauðr. Nu

splendid warrior would be whole who now is dead. Now

lœprlœypr þiðrecr

King Thidrek leaps

konungr ad grimhilldi oc hogr

at Grimhild and hews

hana isundr imiðio. Nu gengr þiðrecr konungr

her asunder at the middle. Now King Thidrek goes

til

to

hogna. oc spyʀ ef hann muni ꝩera grœðande

Hogni and asks whether he can be healed.

. Hogni seger at hann man

Hogni says that he will

liva nokora

live some

daga. En engi ꝩon er at ei man hann dœyia af

days, but there is no hope that he will not die of

þessum

these

sarum. Nu letr þiðrecr konungr bera

wounds. Now King Thidrek has [men] carry

hogna heim i sina holl oc binda

Hogni home into his hall and bind

sar hans. Herrað

his wounds. Herrad

het frœnkona þiðrecs konungs. hana fœr hann til

was the name of a kinswoman of King Thidrek. He gets her

at binda

to bind

sar hans. oc um kuelldit melir hogni ꝩið

his wounds. And in the evening Hogni says to

piðrec konung at hann fae hanum

King Thidrek that he should get him

konu. oc segir

a woman, and says

at hann ꝩill soꝩa með um nottina. oc sua gerer

that he wants to sleep with [her] in the night. And so does

þiðrecr

Thidrek.

Oc at morni meler hogni ꝩið þessa

And in the morning Hogni says to this

konu. Nu kan ꝩera þa er he-ðan

woman: Now it may be, when from now

liða nokorar

some

stunder. at þu munt eiga son ꝩið mer oc skal

time has passed, that you will have a son by me, and

sa

that

suein heita aldrian. Oc her eru lyclar er þu skallt

boy shall be called Aldrian. And here are keys which you shall

ꝩarðꝩeita.

keep

oc fa þeim sueíni er hann ꝩerðr roskinn.

and give to that boy when he is grown.

þessir lyclar ganga at sigis froð kiallara

These keys fit Sigfrod's cellar,

er í er

in which is

hirðr niflunga skattr. Oc her epter dœyr hogni.

stored the Niflungs' treasure. And after this Hogni dies.

Oc nv

And now

er lokit œꝩe niflunga. oc sua allra enna

the life of the Niflungs is ended, and so of all the

rikustu manna. i huna

most powerful men in the land of the

lande. nema. attila konungs

Huns, except King Attila

kvangaðez i niflungaland. her ma nu hæyra

married in Niflungaland. Here one may now hear

frasogn þyðærskra manna huærso farit hafa þæssi

the account of German men, how these

tidinde

events went,

þæira nockorra er fæddir hafa ꝩærit

certain of whom were born

i susat þar er þæssir atburdir

in Susat, where these happenings

hafa orðit oc

took place, and

margan dag hafa set staðina en obrugðna

for many a day have seen the places still unchanged,

somo er tiðindin urðo huar haugni fell eða Jrungr

the same as when the events took place: where Hogni fell, or Irung

ꝩar

was

ꝩæginn eða ormaturninn er gunnar

slain, or the serpent tower where Gunnar

konungr fecc bana oc garðinn

the king met his death, and the yard

er enn er kallaðr

which is still called

niflunga garðr oc stændr valltallt a somu læið sem

the Niflungs' Yard; and it stands entirely in the same way as