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Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I

A sea-sentry was he,  skilled to speak,
And in words with princes  well to strive.

35.[1] "Say tonight  when you feed the swine,
And send your bitches  to seek their swill,
That out of the East  have the Ylfings come,
Greedy for battle,  to Gnipalund.

36.[2] "There will Hothbrodd  Helgi find,
In the midst of the fleet,  and flight he scorns;
Often has he  the eagles gorged,
Whilst thou at the quern  wert slave-girls kissing."

  Gothmund spake:
37.[3] "Hero, the ancient  sayings heed,
And bring not lies  to the nobly born.
..............
..............

38.[4] "Thou hast eaten  the entrails of wolves,
And of thy brothers  the slayer been;
Oft wounds to suck  thy cold mouth sought,
And loathed in rocky  dens didst lurk."

  1. ↑ Ylfings: cf. stanza 5 and note.
  2. ↑ Quern: turning the hand mill was, throughout antiquity, the task of slaves.
  3. ↑ The manuscript does not name the speakers in this dialogue. No gap indicated in the manuscript, and editors have attempted various combinations of stanzas 37 and 38.
  4. ↑ Wolves: the Volsungasaga tells that Sigmund and Sinfjotli lived in the woods for a time as werewolves. Brothers:

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