Old Norse facing a living language
Frá Borgnýu ok Oddrúnu.Heiðrekr hét konungr. Dóttir hans hét Borgný. Vilmundr hét sá, er var friðill hennar. Hon mátti eigi fæða börn, áðr til kom Oddrún Atlasystir. Hon hafði verit unnusta Gunnars Gjúkasonar. Um þessa sögu er hér kveðit:Heyrða ek segjaí sögum fornumhvé mær of komtil Mornalands;engi máttifyr jörð ofanHeiðreks dótturhjalpir vinna.
About Borgny and Oddrun. Heidrek was the name of a king. His daughter was called Borgny. Vilmund was the name of the man who was her lover. She could not give birth until Oddrun, Atli's sister, came to her. She had once been promised to Gunnar, son of Gjuki. This is the story told here:I have heard it toldin old taleshow a girl once cameto Mornaland;no one aliveanywhere on earthcould bring helpto Heidrek's daughter.
Þat frá OddrúnAtla systirat sú mær hafðimiklar sóttir;brá hon af stallistjórnbitluðumok á svartansöðul of lagði.
Oddrun, Atli's sister,learned of this —that the girlwas gripped by great pain;she led from its stallthe steering-bridled horseand threw a saddleon the black one's back.
Lét hon mar faramoldveg sléttanunz at hári komhöll standandi;svipti hon söðliaf svöngum jóok hon inn of gekkendlangan salok hon þat orðaalls fyrst of kvað:
She let the horse runthe flat earth roaduntil she reachedthe high standing hall;she swept the saddleoff the tired horseand walked the lengthof the halland this was the firstword she spoke:
"Hvat er frægsthér á foldueða hvat er hléztHúnalands?"Ambótt kvað:"Hér liggr Borgnýof borin verkjumvina þín, Oddrúnvittu, ef þú hjalpir."Oddrún kvað:
"What's talked ofhere on earth,or what's the whisperout of Hunland?" The servant-woman said: "Here lies Borgny,broken by labor-pains,your friend, Oddrun —know this, if you can help." Oddrun said:
"Hverr hefir vísirvamms of leitat?Hví eru Borgnýjarbráðar sóttir?"Ambótt kvað:
"What manbrought her this shame?Why has Borgny's paincome on so fast?" The servant-woman said:
"Vilmundr heitirvinr haukstaldahann varði meyvarmri blæjufimm vetr allasvá hon sinn föður leyndi."
"Vilmund is his name —a friend to falconers.He kept her warmunder one blanketfor five whole winters,so she hid it from her father."
Þær hykk mæltuþvígit fleiragekk mild fyr knémeyju at sitja;ríkt gól Oddrúnrammt gól Oddrúnbitra galdraat Borgnýju.
No more, I think,did they say to each other;gently she kneltby the girl's side;hard Oddrun chanted,strong Oddrun chanted,bitter charmsfor Borgny.
Knátti mær ok mögrmoldveg spornabörn þau in blíðuvið bana Högna;þat nam at mælamær fjörsjúkasvá at hon ekki kvaðorð it fyrra:
A girl and a boycould tread the earth then —those gentle childrenof Hogni's slayer;then the woman,sick to death,began to speak —she'd said no word before:
"Svá hjalpi þérhollar véttirFrigg ok Freyjaok fleiri goðsem þú feldir mérfár af höndum."Oddrún kvað:
"May the kind spirits help you —Frigg and Freyjaand the gods besides —as you have liftedthis danger from my hands." Oddrun said:
"Hnék-at ek af þvítil hjalpar þérat þú værir þessverð aldregi;hét ek ok efndaker ek hinig mæltaat ek hvívetnahjalpa skyldakþá er öðlingararfi skiptu."Borgný kvað:
"I didn't come hereto help youbecause you'd ever earned it;I swore, and I kept it,when I spoke those words once —that I would helpanyone in need,on the daythe princes split their inheritance." Borgny said:
Ær ertu, Oddrúnok örvitaer þú mér af fáriflest orð of kvatten ek fylgðak þérá fjörgynjusem vit bræðrum tveimof bornar værim."Oddrún kvað:
"You're raving, Oddrun,out of your mind,to say such spiteful thingsto me now;yet I stood by youacross the land,as if the two of uswere born of brothers." Oddrun said:
"Man ek, hvat þúmæltir enn um aftanþá er ek Gunnarigerðak drekku;slíks dæmi kvað-at-tusíðan mundumeyja verðanema mér einni."
"I remember what you saidone evening,when I mixed the drinkfor Gunnar;you said no maidenwould ever againdo such a thing —none but me."
Þá nam at setjasksorgmóð konaat telja bölaf trega stórum:
Then the woman,heavy with grief,sat downto tell her sorrows,out of deep pain:
"Var ek upp aliní jöfra sal- flestr fagnaði -at fira ráði;unða ek aldriok eign föðurfimm vetr einasvá at minn faðir lifði.
"I was raisedin a lordly hall —most were glad of it —under a father's care;I lived content,secure in his wealth,five whole winters,while my father lived.
Þat nam at mælamál ið efstasjá móðr konungráðr hann sylti:mik bað hann gæðagulli rauðuok suðr gefasyni Grímhildar.
"These were the last wordsthe tired king spoke,before he died:he asked that I be givenred gold to wear,and sent southto Grimhild's son.
En hann Brynhildibað hjalm getahana kvað hann óskmeyverða skyldu;kvað-a hann ina æðrialna mundumey í heiminema mjötuðr spillti.
"But for Brynhildhe asked a helm —he said she would becomea chosen maid;he said no woman bornwould ever be noblerin all the world,unless fate cut her down.
Brynhildr í búriborða rakðihafði hon lýðiok lönd um sik;jörð dúsaðiok upphiminnþá er bani Fáfnisborg of þátti.
"Brynhild sat in her bower,weaving at the loom,with people and landsall around her;earth fell still,and heaven above it,when Fafnir's slayercaught sight of the fortress.
Þá var víg vegitvölsku sverðiok borg brotinsú er Brynhildr átti;var-a langt af þvíheldr válítitunz þær vélarvissi allar.
"Then a fight was foughtwith a foreign sword,and the fortress brokenthat was Brynhild's;it wasn't long after —only a little while —before she knewthe whole deceit.
Þess lét hon harðarhefndir verðasvá at vér öll höfumærnar raunir;þat mun á hölðahvert land faraer hon lét sveltaskat Sigurði.
"For that she broughta harsh revenge,and all of ushave suffered for it;word of it will reachevery land of men —how she let herself diefor Sigurd's sake.
En ek Gunnarigatk at unnabauga deilisem Brynhildr skyldi.
"But I came to loveGunnar, ring-giver,just as Brynhildwas meant to.
Buðu þeir árlabauga rauðaok bræðrum mínumbætr ósmáar;bað hann enn við mérbú fimmtíanhliðfarm Granaef hann hafa vildi.
"They offered earlyrings of red gold,and to my brothersno small payment;he offered besidesfifteen farmsteads,and Grani's whole burden of gold,if he could have me.
En Atli kvaðskeigi viljamund aldrigiat megi Gjúka;þeygi vit máttumvið munum vinnanema ek helt höfðivið hringbrota.
"But Atli saidhe would never takebride-pricefrom Gjuki's son;yet we couldn't masterour own longing —I stayed true,whatever came,to the ring-breaker.
Mæltu margirmínir niðjarkváðusk okkr hafaorðit bæði;en mik Atli kvaðeigi mundulýti ráðané löst gera.
"Many of my kinsmenspoke of it —said they had seenthe two of us together;but Atli saidI would neverdo wrong,or bring shame on us.
En slíks skylisynja aldrimaðr fyr annanþar er munúð deilir.
"But no oneshould ever denysuch a thing for another,where desire is the judge.
Sendi Atliáru sínaum myrkvan viðmín at freista;ok þeir kómu þarer þeir koma né skyldu-tþá er breiddum vitblæju eina.
"Atli sent his menthrough the dark woodto spy on me;and they camewhere they shouldn't have come —when the two of uslay under one blanket.
Buðum vit þegnumbauga rauðaat þeir eigitil Atla segðien þeir hvatligaheim skunduðuok óligaAtla sögðu.
"We offered the menrings of red gold,so they wouldn't tell Atli;but they hurried homeat once,and told Atli everything,eager to.
En þeir Guðrúnugörla leyndu þvíat hon heldr vitahalfu skyldi.
"But it was Gudrunthey hid it from completely —though she, of all people,should have known it first.
Hlymr var at heyrahófgullinnaþá er í garð riðuGjúka arfar;þeir ór Högnahjarta skáruen i ormgarðannan lögðu.
"There was a clatterof gold-shod hooveswhen Gjuki's sonsrode into the yard;they cut the heartout of Hogni,and threw the otherinto the snake-pit.
Var ek enn farineinu sinnitil Geirmundargerva drykkju;nam horskr konungrhörpu sveigjaþví at hann hugði miktil hjalpar sérkynríkr konungrof koma mundu.
"Once more I had gone,another time,to Geirmund's hall,to prepare the feast;the wise kingbegan to play the harp —for he, the high-born king,believedthat I would cometo help him.
Nam ek at heyraór Hléseyjuhvé þar af stríðumstrengir gullu;bað ek ambáttirbúnar verðavilda ek fylkisfjörvi bjarga.
"From HleseyI began to hearhow the harp-stringscried out in pain;I told my womento make ready —I meant to savethe king's life.
Létum fljótafar sund yfirunz ek alla sákAtla garða.
"We let the boatcross the strait,until I sawall of Atli's halls.
Þá kom in armaút skævandimóðir Atla- hon skyli morna -ok Gunnarigróf til hjartasvá at ek máttig-a-kmærum bjarga.
"Then out she came,the wretched one, striding —Atli's mother —may she rot for it! —and she dug into Gunnar's heart,so that I could notsave the glorious one.
Oft undrumk þathví ek eftir máklinnvengis Billífi halda;er ek ógnhvötumunna þóttumksverða deilisem sjalfri mér.
"Often I wonderwhy I, gold-decked woman,go onholding to life;when I thought I lovedthat fierce warrior,that giver of swords,as much as myself.
Sattu ok hlýddirmeðan ek sagðak þérmörg ill of sköpmín ok þeira;maðr hverr lifirat munum sínum;nú er of genginngrátr Oddrúnar."
"You sat and listenedwhile I told youthe many hard fates —mine, and theirs;every man livesby his own desires;now Oddrun's lamenthas come to its end."