11. "The wolves then shall rule | the wealth of the Niflungs,
Wolves aged and grey-hued, | if Gunnar is lost,
And black-coated bears | with rending teeth bite,
And make glad the dogs, | if Gunnar returns not."
12. A following gallant | fared forth with the ruler,
Yet they wept as their home | with the hero they left;
And the little heir | of Hogni called loudly:
"Go safe now, ye wise ones, | wherever ye will!"
13. Then let the bold heroes | their bit-champing horses
On the mountains gallop, | and through Myrkwood the secret;
All Hunland was shaken | where the hard-souled ones rode,
On the whip-fearers fared they | through fields that were green.
14. Then they saw Atli's halls, | and his watch-towers high,
On the walls so lofty | stood the warriors of Buthli;
The hall of the southrons | with seats was surrounded,
With targets bound | and shields full bright.
15. Mid weapons and lances | did Atli his wine
In the war-hall drink, | without were his watchmen,
For Gunnar they waited, | if forth he should go,
With their ringing spears | they would fight with the ruler.
[11. Myrkwood: cf. stanza 3 and note; the journey is here made by land, whereas in the Atlamol it is made partly by boat; cf. Atlamol, 37 and note.
Whip-fearers: horses, but there is some uncertainty as to the word.
13. In line 1 the manuscript has "land" instead of "halls," which involves a metrical error. Watch-towers: the word used is identical with the name
of Othin's watch-tower, Hlithskjolf (cf. Grimnismol, introductory prose). Buthli: the manuscript has "Bikki," which has. led some editors to transfer
this stanza to [fp. 488] the Hamthesmol, placing it between stanzas 16 and 17; it seems more likely, however, that "Bikki" was a scribal error for
"Buthli." Regarding Bikki cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 63 and note. Line 4 is apparently in Fornyrthislag.
15. Line 1 in the manuscript is apparently incorrectly copied, and some editions omit "Mid weapons and lances" and assume a gap in either line 1 or line 3.]
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11. Ulfr mun ráða arfi Niflunga,
gamlir, gránvarðir, ef Gunnars missir,
birnir blakkfjallir bíta þreftönnum,
gamna greystóði, ef Gunnarr né kemr-at."
12. Leiddu landrögni lýðar óneisir,
grátendr gunnhvata ór garði húna.
Þá kvað þat inn æri erfivörþr Högna:
"Heilir farið nú ok horskir,
hvars ykkr hugr teygir!"
13. Fetum létu fræknir um fjöll at þyrja
mari ina mélgreypu Myrkvið inn ókunna;
hristisk öll Húnmörk þar er harðmóðgir fóru,
ráku þeir vandstyggva völlu algræna.
14. Land sáu þeir Atla ok liðskjalfar djúpa,
Bikka greppar standa á borg inni háu,
sal of suðrþjóðum sleginn sessmeiðum,
bundnum röndum, bleikum skjöldum,
dafar darraðar; en þar drakk Atli
vín í valhöllu, verðir sátu úti
at varða þeim Gunnari, af þeir hér vitja kvæmi
með geiri gjallanda at vekja gram hildi.
15. Systir fann þeira snemst, at þeir í sal kómu
bræðr hennar báðir, - bjóri var hon lítt drukkin:
"Ráðinn ertu nú, Gunnarr. Hvat muntu, ríkr, vinna
við Húna harmbrögðum? Höll gakk þú ór snemma.
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