Asatru Folk Assembly - January 30, 2024


Guðrúnarkviða II Hin Forna, a reading

Hosted by
Steve McNallen
Mentioned
Grimhild Hogni Sigurd Till Sigurth Gunnar Sigmund Grani Inforna King Theothraek Hellwraith Brynhildar Guthrunarkvitha II Till Gyuki Yarazleth Atleleys Grimherd Gutherin Brynhild Gutheran Regius Erever Beholf and 13 more
Dráp Niflunga, a reading Guðrúnarkviða III, a reading

Episode Stats


Length

17 minutes

Words per minute

101.35

Word count

1,814

Sentence count

86

Harmful content

Misogyny

2

sentences flagged

Hate speech

14

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Guthrunarkvitha II in Forna, the Second or Old Lament of Guthrun, is one of the most famous poems in the saga of Sigurd. It tells the tale of the death of the king, Atli, and the grief of his wife, Guthrin.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Misogyny classifications generated with MilaNLProc/bert-base-uncased-ear-misogyny .
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
Hosts, guests, and mentioned names generated with spaCy (en_core_web_sm), reconciled against Wikidata.
00:00:00.000 Guthrunarkvitha II in Forna, the second or old lay of Guthrun.
00:00:30.000 It has already been pointed out, introductory note to Guthrun Articula 1, that the tradition
00:00:37.460 of Guthrun's laments was known wherever the Sigurd's story existed, and that this lament
00:00:43.780 was probably one of the earliest parts of the legend to assume verse form.
00:00:48.960 Whether it reached the Norse as verse cannot, of course, be determined, but it is at least
00:00:55.720 possible that this was the case, and in any event, it is clear that by the 10th and 11th centuries
00:01:03.460 there were a number of Norse poems with Guthrun's laments as the central theme.
00:01:09.660 Two of these are included in the Edict collection, the second one being unquestionably much the older.
00:01:17.660 It is evidently the poem referred to by the annotator in the prose note following the Brot
00:01:23.280 as the old Guthrun lay,
00:01:26.880 and his character and state of preservation
00:01:29.760 have combined to lead most commentators
00:01:32.440 to date it as early as the first half of the 10th century,
00:01:37.200 whereas Guthrun Ark 501 belongs a hundred years later.
00:01:42.720 The poem has evidently been preserved in rather bad shape,
00:01:47.580 with a number of serious omissions and some interpolations,
00:01:51.440 But in just this form, it lay before the compilers of the Volsunga Saga, who paraphrased it faithfully and quoted five of its stanzas.
00:02:03.440 The interpolations are, on the whole, unimportant.
00:02:07.800 The omissions, while they obscure the sense of certain passages, do not destroy the essential continuity of the poem,
00:02:15.960 in which Guthrin reviews her sorrows from the death of Sigurd
00:02:20.200 through the slaying of her brothers to Atli's dreams
00:02:23.840 foretelling the death of their sons.
00:02:26.920 It is indeed the only Norse poem of the Sigurd cycle
00:02:30.760 anticipating the year 1000
00:02:33.080 which has come down to us in anything approaching complete form.
00:02:38.400 The Regensmal, Fafnismal, and Sigurdfummal
00:02:41.920 are all collections of fragments,
00:02:44.300 Only a short bit of the long Sigurdlae remains, and others, Grpispah, Guthronarkvitha I and III, Sigurdarkvitha in Skama, Helrath Brindhildar, Odrunagrater, Guthronarkovot, Hamthismal, and the two Atleleys are all generally dated from the 11th and even the 12th centuries.
00:03:11.700 An added reason for believing that Guthronokvitha II traces its origins to a lament which reached
00:03:21.120 the north from Germany in verse form is the absence of most characteristic Norse additions
00:03:27.760 to the narrative, except in minor details. Sigurð is slain in the forest, as German men say.
00:03:37.180 See Bröt, concluding prose.
00:03:39.200 The urging of Guthrin by her mother, second brothers, to become Atli's wife
00:03:45.680 The slaying of the Gjöckings, here only intimated, for at that point something seems to have been lost
00:03:53.520 And Guthrin's perspective of revenge on Atli
00:03:57.840 All belong directly to the German tradition
00:04:01.660 See introductory note to Grapispa
00:04:04.000 In the Codex Regius, the poem is entitled simply Guðrnarkvitha.
00:04:10.920 The numeral has been added in nearly all editions to distinguish this poem from the other two Guðrn lays.
00:04:17.820 And the phrase, the old, is borrowed from the annotator's comment in the prose note at the end of the Brot.
00:04:28.480 Guðrnarkvitha II, Inforna
00:04:31.100 King Theothraek was with Atri and had lost most of his men.
00:04:38.020 Theothraek and Guthrun lamented their griefs together.
00:04:42.280 She spoke to him, saying,
00:04:45.100 A maid of maids my mother bore me,
00:04:48.580 Bride to my bower, my brothers I loved,
00:04:51.800 Till Gyuki dowered me with gold,
00:04:55.600 Dowered with gold, and to Sigurth gave me.
00:04:58.760 So cigarettes rose o'er geeky suns, As the leek grows green above the grass,
00:05:07.520 O'er the stag o'er all the beasts doth stand, Or as glow-red gold above silver-grey.
00:05:16.580 Till my brothers let me no longer have The best of heroes my husband-to-be,
00:05:23.420 Sleep they could not or quarrel settle, Till Sigurth they at last had slain.
00:05:30.960 From the thing run Grani with thundering feet, But thence did Sigurth himself come nether,
00:05:38.800 Covered with sweat was the saddle-bearer, Won't the warriors wait to bear?
00:05:44.800 Weeping I sought with Grani to speak, With tear-wet cheeks for the tale I asked.
00:05:53.400 The hud of Grani was bowed to the grass, The steed knew well his master was slain.
00:06:01.460 Long I waited and pondered well, Erever the king for tidings to ask.
00:06:10.600 His head bowed Gunnar, but Hogni told, The nooseful sore of Sigurd's slain.
00:06:17.400 Here to death, at our hands he lies, Gothworm's slayer given to wolves.
00:06:26.540 On the southern road, thou shalt Sigurd see, Where hear thou canst the ravens cry. 0.91
00:06:34.720 The eagles cry as food they crave, And about thy husband wolves are howling. 0.86
00:06:41.520 Why dost thou, Hogni, such a horror? Let me hear all joyless left. Ravens ye let, thy 0.99
00:06:51.680 heart shall rend, In a land that never thou hast known.
00:06:59.280 Few the words of Hogni were, Bitter his heart from heavy sorrow.
00:07:06.440 Dear Guthrum, thy grief shall be, If the raven's soul my heart shall rend.
00:07:15.060 From whom he spake I turned me soon, In the woods to find what thy wolves had left.
00:07:22.540 Tears I had not nor wrung my bonds, Nor wailing went as other women,
00:07:29.440 When by cigarette slain I sat.
00:07:34.160 Ever so black had seemed the night, As when in sorrow, by cigarettes I set,
00:07:41.600 The Wolves.
00:07:47.320 Best of all me thought would be, If I my life could only lose,
00:07:54.320 Or like to birch wood burned my bee, From the mountain forth five days I fared,
00:08:01.900 Beholf's Hall, so high I saw.
00:08:06.800 Seven half years with Dora I stayed, Håkon's daughter in Denmark then.
00:08:14.080 With gold she broidered to me bring joy, Southern Halls and Danish swans.
00:08:21.780 On the tapestry wove we warriors' deeds, And the heroes' things on our handiwork.
00:08:30.240 flashing shields and fighters armed, sword throng, helm throng, the host of the king.
00:08:39.140 Sigmund's ship by the land was sailing, gold in the figurehead gave the beaks.
00:08:46.280 On board we wove the warriors faring, Sigar and Sigir south to Fjong.
00:08:54.320 Grimherd asked the Gothic queen whether willingly would I.
00:09:03.440 Her needlework cast she aside and called, her sons to ask with stern resolve, who amends
00:09:11.600 to their sister would make for her son, or the wife requite for her husband killed.
00:09:20.400 Steady was Gunnar, gold to give, Amends for my heart, and Hogni, too.
00:09:27.260 Then would she know who now would go, The horse to saddle, the wagon to harness,
00:09:33.800 The horse to ride, the hawk to fly, And shafts from bows of ewe to shoot.
00:09:41.520 Maldar, king of the Danes, was come, with Yarazleth, Aymoth, and Yarazcar.
00:09:50.520 In like princes came they all, the long-beardmen with mantles red.
00:09:57.720 Short with mailcoats, mightied their helms, swords at their belts, and browned their hair.
00:10:05.560 Speech to give me gifts was fain, Gifts to give and goodly speech.
00:10:12.480 Comforts though, for my sorrows great, To bring they tried, but I trusted them not.
00:10:20.380 A draught did Grimhild give me to drink, Bitter and cold I forgot my cares,
00:10:28.380 For mingled therein was magic earth, Ice-cold sea, and the blood of swine.
00:10:36.700 In the cup were runes of every kind, Written and reddened, I could not read them,
00:10:43.600 A heather-fish from the Hodding's land, A ear uncut, and the entrails of beasts.
00:10:51.900 Which evil was brewed within the bier, Blossoms of trees and acorns burned,
00:10:58.900 Dew of the hearths and holy entrails, The liver of swine all grief to allay.
00:11:08.500 Then I forgot when the draught they gave me, There in the hall my husband slain,
00:11:15.960 On their knees the kings all three did kneel, As she herself to speak began.
00:11:23.200 Guthra and gold, to thee I give The wealth that once thy fathers was,
00:11:31.920 The reigns to have in Hlothver's halls, And the hangings all that the monarch had.
00:11:41.140 Hanish woman, skilleted in weaving, Who gold make fair to give thee joy,
00:11:48.900 And the wealth of Boothli thine shall be, Gold-decked one as Otli's wife. 1.00
00:11:56.900 Gutherin spake, A Hanish now I will not have, 0.99
00:12:03.180 Nor wife of Brynhild's brother be, It beseems me not with Boothli's sons,
00:12:10.980 Happy to be, and heirs to bear. 0.60
00:12:15.540 Grimhild spake, Speak not on women,
00:12:19.960 To avenge thy sorrows, Though the blame at first with us hath been.
00:12:28.080 Happy shalt be, as if both shalt live, Sigurd and Sigmund, if sons thou bearest.
00:12:37.780 Guthrun spake, Grimhild I may not gladness find,
00:12:45.520 Nor hold forth hopes to heroes now, Since once the raven and ravening wolf,
00:12:54.240 Sigurd's heart's blood hungrily lapped.
00:12:58.880 Grimhild spake, Noblest of birth is the ruler now,
00:13:05.440 I have found of thee, and foremost of all, Him shalt thou have, while life thou hast,
00:13:14.060 Or husbandless be, if him thou wilt choose not, Guthrun spake. 0.97
00:13:22.860 Seek not so eagerly me to send, To be a bride of yon baneful race. 0.99
00:13:29.720 And Gunnar first his wrath shall fall, And the heart will be teared from Hogni's breast. 1.00
00:13:38.600 Weeping Grimhild heard the words, The fateful sore for her sons foretold,
00:13:45.640 And mighty woe for them should work.
00:13:49.600 Lanz I give thee, with all that live there,
00:13:55.000 Vingborg is thine, and Vobjorg too. Have them forever, but hear me, daughter.
00:14:04.840 So must I do as the kings besought, And against my will for my kinsmen wed.
00:14:12.520 Ne'er with my husband joy I had, And my sons by my brothers fate were saved not.
00:14:19.320 I could not rest till of life I had robbed, The warrior bold, the maker of battles. 0.94
00:14:30.560 Soon on horseback each hero was, And the foreign women in wagons faring, 0.95
00:14:37.600 A week through lawns so cold we went, And a second week the waves we smote, 0.98
00:14:45.040 And a third through lawns the water locked.
00:14:49.600 The warders now on the lofty walls, Open the gates and in we rode.
00:14:59.960 Otley woke me forever I seemed, Of bitterness full for my brother's death.
00:15:08.220 Otley spake,
00:15:11.620 Now from sleep the Norris have waked me, With visions of terror to thee will I tell
00:15:18.120 them, Bethought thou Guthrun, Gyrki's daughter, With poison-blade disperce my body.
00:15:27.840 Guthrun spake, Fire a dream of steel shall follow, 0.94
00:15:33.780 And willful pride one of women's wrath, A baneful sore I shall burn from thee,
00:15:41.580 Tend and heal thee, though hated thou am. 0.99
00:15:47.020 Oughty spake.
00:15:49.140 Of plants I dreamed in the garden drooping, That vain would I have for high to grow,
00:15:56.820 Plucked by the roots and red with blood, They brought them hither and bade me eat.
00:16:04.480 I dreamed my hawks from my hand had flown, Eager for food to an evil house,
00:16:11.580 I dreamed their hearts with honey I ate, Soaked in blood, and heavy my sorrow.
00:16:19.960 Hounds I dreamed from my hand are loosed, Loud in hunger and pain they howled.
00:16:27.760 Their flesh, methought, was eagerness food, And their bodies now I needs must eat.
00:16:35.620 Gutheran spake, Men shall soon of sacrifice speak,
00:16:41.900 And off the heads of beasts shall hew, Die they shall ere day is dawned,
00:16:49.300 A few nights hence, and the folk shall have them.
00:16:53.940 Otley spake.
00:16:58.260 On my bed I sank, nor slumber sought, wary with woe, for well I remember.
00:17:23.940 Thank you.