Asatru Folk Assembly - Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, a reading

00:00:00.000 Helge Kvitha, Hundingsbanner II, the second lay of Helge Hundingsbann.

00:00:30.000 As the general nature of the Helgi tradition has been considered in the introductory note to Helgeskvitte Hjärvårdstånar,

00:00:38.980 it is necessary to discuss only the characteristics of this particular poem.

00:00:44.200 The second Helgi Hundingsbeinle is, in most respects, the exact opposite of the first one.

00:00:51.360 It is in no sense consecutive, and it is not a narrative poem,

00:00:56.080 and all or most of it is evidence of relatively early composition,

00:01:01.520 its origin probably going well back into the 10th century.

00:01:05.580 It is frankly nothing but a piece of, in the main, very clumsy patchwork,

00:01:12.520 made up of eight distinct fragments,

00:01:14.580 pieced together awkwardly by the annotator with copious prose notes.

00:01:19.580 One of these fragments, Stanza's 13 through 16,

00:01:23.740 is specifically identified as coming from the old Wolfsungle.

00:01:29.480 What was that poem, and how much more of the extant Helgele compilation was taken from it,

00:01:35.860 and did the annotator know more of it than he included in this patchwork?

00:01:41.680 Conclusive answers to these questions have baffled scholarship, and probably always will do so.

00:01:47.560 My own guess is that the annotator knew little or nothing more than he wrote down.

00:01:52.480 Having got the first Helgi Hundings Benle, which was obviously in fairly good shape,

00:01:57.840 out of the way, he proceeded to assemble all the odds and ends of verse about Helgi which

00:02:03.320 he could get a hold of, putting them together on the basis of the narrative told in the

00:02:07.200 first Helgi Le, and of such stories as his knowledge of prose sagas may have yielded.

00:02:13.980 Section 1, stanzas 1-4 deals with the early adventures of Helgi, in which he narrowly

00:02:20.080 escapes capture when he ventures into Hunding's home in the skies.

00:02:24.360 Section 2 stands as 5-12 is a dialogue between Helgi and Sigrun at their first meeting.

00:02:32.200 Section 3 stands as 13-16 is another dialogue between Helgi and Sigrun when she

00:02:41.560 invokes his aid to save her from Hothbrod.

00:02:45.640 Section 4, stanzas 17-20, which may well have been from the same poem as section 3, is made

00:02:52.460 up of speeches by Helgi and Sigrun after the battle in which Hothbrod was killed.

00:02:58.720 Stanza 21, however, is certainly an interpolation from another poem, as it is in a totally

00:03:03.720 different meter.

00:03:07.040 Section 5, stanzas 22-27 is the dispute between Sinfjalti and Gothmund, evidently, in an older

00:03:14.960 formed in the one included in the first Helgi Hunding's bane lay.

00:03:19.580 Section 7 gives dog speech to his sister, Sigrun, telling of Helgi's death, her curse

00:03:28.060 on her brother, and her lament for her slain husband.

00:03:32.300 Section 7 is the remnant of the dispute between Helgi and Hunding, here inserted absurdly out

00:03:39.340 of place.

00:03:41.980 8, stanzas 39-50, deals with the return of the dead Helgi and Sigrun's visit to him

00:03:48.980 in the burial hill. Siamans maintains that sections 1 and 2 are fragments of the Chara

00:03:56.220 Lay mentioned by the annotator in his concluding prose note, and that sections 4, 6 and 8 are

00:04:03.220 from a lost Helgi Sigrun poem, while sections 3 comes from, of course, the old Volsung Lay.

00:04:11.520 This seems as good as a guess as any other, conclusive proof being quite out of the question.

00:04:17.180 Were it not for sections 6 and 8, the poem would be little more than a battleground for

00:04:22.400 scholars, but those two sections are in many ways as fine as anything in Old Norse poetry.

00:04:29.420 Sigrun's curse of her brother for the slaying of Hergi and her lament for her dead husband,

00:04:35.060 and the extraordinary vividness of the final scene in the burial hill, have a quality which

00:04:40.560 fully offsets the baffling confusion of the rest of the poem.

00:05:10.560 king, and Hunmund is named from him. He was a mighty warrior, and had minty sons with

00:05:17.440 him on his campaigns. There was enmity and strife between these two, King Hunding and

00:05:24.240 King Sigmund, and each slew the other's kinsmen. King Sigmund and his father were called Wolsungs

00:05:32.440 and Irfungs. Helgi went as a spy to the home of King Hunding in disguise. Heiming, a son

00:05:40.540 of king hunding was at home when helgi went forth then he met a young herdsman and said

00:05:48.540 say to hymen that helgi knows whom the heroes in armor hid a gray wolf had they within their hall

00:05:56.380 whom king hunding hamel thought hammer was the name of hargil's son king hunding sent men to

00:06:04.300 Hargil to help seek Helgi, and Helgi could not save himself in any other way, so he put

00:06:10.760 on the clothes of a bondwoman, and set to work at the mill.

00:06:14.920 They sought Helgi, but found him not. 0.71

00:06:19.420 Then Blin spake out, the evil-minded, Of Hargil's bondwoman, bright are the eyes! 0.56

00:06:27.380 comes not of churls who stand at the quern the millstones break the boards are shattered

00:06:34.820 the hero has the doomful hard that barley now he needs been screened better befits his hand

00:06:42.980 to feel the hilt of the sword in the millstone's handle hoggle answered and said small is the wonder

00:06:51.940 if boards are splintered, by a monarch's daughter the mill is turned.

00:06:57.460 Once through clouds she was wont to ride, and battles fought like fighting men,

00:07:03.540 till Helgi, a captive, held her fast. Sister she was of Siggar and Hogni,

00:07:09.940 thus brighter the eyes of the Ilfing's maid. Helgi escaped and went to the fighting ship.

00:07:17.620 He slew King Hunding, and henceforth was called Helgi Hunding's bane.

00:07:21.940 He lay with his host in Brunnavagar, and they had there a strand slaughtering, and ate the flesh raw.

00:07:31.980 Hogni was the name of a king, his daughter of Sigrun.

00:07:35.740 She was a Valkyrie, and rode air and water.

00:07:39.420 She was Svava-born.

00:07:42.420 Sigrun rode to Helgi's ship, and said, 1.00

00:07:45.760 Who rules the ship by the shore so steep?

00:07:49.440 where is the home ye warriors have why do you bid in Brunavagar or what the way that ye wish to try

00:07:59.560 Helgi spake hummels the ship by the shore so steep our home in Hlesi do we have

00:08:08.520 for fair wind bid we in Brunavagar eastward the way that we wish to try

00:08:15.060 Sigrun spake, where hast thou warrior, battle weakened, or gourged the birds of the sisters

00:08:24.240 of Guth?

00:08:26.420 Why is thy bernie spattered with blood?

00:08:29.840 Why helmst thou thus feast, uncooked on food?

00:08:35.940 Helgi spake, latest of all the Ilfing sun, on the western sea, if know thou wilt, captured

00:08:43.300 bears in Bragalund, and fed the eagles with edge of sword.

00:08:48.900 Now is it shown why her shirts are bloody, and little of food with fire is cooked. 0.63

00:08:56.340 Sigrun spake, Of battle thou tellest, and there was bent,

00:09:01.860 Hunding the king before Helgi down.

00:09:05.300 There was carnage when thou didst avenge thy kin, and blood flowed fast on the blade

00:09:11.060 of the sword helgi spake how didst thou know that now our kin made and wise we have well avenged 0.83

00:09:23.540 many there are of the sons of the mighty who share alike are off the race sigrin spake

00:09:33.220 not far was i from the lord of the folk yestermorn when the monarch was slain

00:09:39.380 Though crafty the son of Sigmund, methinks, When he speaks of the fight and slaughter-runes.

00:09:48.660 On the long ship once I saw thee well, When the blood-stained bow thou wast,

00:09:55.100 And round the icy waves were raging.

00:09:58.600 Now would the hero hide from me, But to Hogni's daughter is Helgi none.

00:10:05.620 Gronmar was the name of a mighty king who dwelt at Svarin's Hill.

00:10:11.240 He had many sons.

00:10:12.980 One was named Hothbrod, another Gothmund, a third Starkoth.

00:10:19.000 Hothbrod was in a king's meeting, and he won the promise of having Sigrun, Hogni's

00:10:25.060 daughter, for his wife.

00:10:26.700 But when she heard this, she rode with the Valkyries over air and sea to seek Helgi.

00:10:34.960 Ergi was then at Hologafjör, and had fought with wounding sons.

00:10:41.040 There he killed Alf and Eilf, Hjörvarth and Hjörvarth.

00:10:46.300 He was all wary with battle, and sat under the eagle stone.

00:10:50.900 There Sigrun found him, and ran to throw her arms about his neck, and kissed him, and told

00:10:57.720 him of her tidings, as is set forth in the old Volsong lay.

00:11:06.040 Sigrun the joyful chieftain sought, forthwith Helgi's hand she took.

00:11:12.400 She greeted the hero, helmed and kissed him, the warrior's heart to the woman turned.

00:11:19.380 From her heart the daughter of Hogni spake, Dear with Helgi, she said to her, Long with

00:11:26.820 all my heart I loved, Sigmund's son, ere ever I saw him. At the meeting to Hothbrod, mated

00:11:35.180 I was, but another hero I fain would have, though king the wrath of my kin I fear, since

00:11:42.900 I broke my father's fairest wish. Helgi spake, fear not ever Hogni's anger, not yet thy kinsman's

00:11:52.940 cruel wrath. Maiden thou with me shall live. Thy kindred fair one I shall not feel.

00:12:03.180 Hergi then assumed a great sea host and went to Thrakastin. On the sea he met a perilous storm. 0.89

00:12:12.280 Lightning flashed overhead and the bolts struck the ship. They saw in the air that nine Valkyries

00:12:18.760 were riding, and recognized Sigrun among them. Then the storm abated, and they came safe and

00:12:25.400 sound to Lland. Grandma's sons sat at a certain mountain as the ships sailed towards the Lland.

00:12:33.480 Gothman leaped on a horse and rode for news to a promontory near the harbor. 0.85

00:12:39.220 The Volsungs were leaving there, lowing their sails. Then Gothman said, as is written before,

00:12:45.880 and the Helgi lay. 0.96

00:12:49.220 Who is the king

00:12:50.740 whose captains the fleet

00:12:52.300 and to the land

00:12:53.640 the warriors leads?

00:12:56.840 Sinfjotsli,

00:12:57.920 Sigrun's son,

00:12:58.820 answered him 0.76

00:12:59.520 and then

00:13:00.040 that too is written.

00:13:03.320 Gothman rode home

00:13:04.500 with his tidings of the host.

00:13:07.040 Then Grandmar's son

00:13:08.560 summoned an army.

00:13:10.540 Many kings came there.

00:13:11.900 There were Hogni,

00:13:12.860 Sigrun's father,

00:13:13.980 and his sons,

00:13:14.540 Bragi and Dag. There was a great battle, and all Granmar's sons were slain and all their allies.

00:13:22.380 Only Dag, Hogni's son, was spared, and he swore loyalty to the Volsungs. Sigrun went among the 0.98

00:13:29.820 dead and found Hothbrod at the coming of death. She said, Never shall Sigrun from Sevafjörl,

00:13:37.660 Hoth broad king beheld in thine arms

00:13:41.660 Grandmother's sons full cold have grown

00:13:45.140 And the giant steeds gray on corpse's gorge

00:13:49.240 Then sought she out Helgi

00:13:52.840 And was full of joy

00:13:54.500 He said, Made not fair is all thine fortune

00:13:59.340 The Norris I blame for this should be

00:14:02.820 This morn there fell a fracostine

00:14:05.780 Bragi and Hogni beneath my hand 1.00

00:14:09.760 At Hel-Bjord fell the sons of Zralong 0.52

00:14:13.840 Starkoth the king at Styr-Klefar

00:14:18.180 Fighters more noble never I saw

00:14:21.660 The body fought when the head had fallen

00:14:25.040 On the ground full low the slain are lying

00:14:28.900 Most are there of the men of thy race

00:14:32.280 Not hast thou won for thy fate it was

00:14:35.640 brave men to bring to the battlefield.

00:14:40.680 Then Sigrun wept.

00:14:44.400 Hergis said,

00:14:45.920 Grieve not, Sigrun, the battle is gained.

00:14:49.920 The fighters can shun not his fate.

00:14:53.200 Sigrun spake, 1.00

00:14:55.200 To life would I call them who slaughtered lie, 1.00

00:14:58.060 if safe on thy breast I might be.

00:15:00.540 This Gothmund, the son of Granmar, spoke.

00:15:07.480 What hero great is guiding the ships?

00:15:10.460 A golden flag on the stern he flies.

00:15:13.840 I find not peace in the van of your foaring, and round the fighters is battle-white red.

00:15:21.340 Sin shortly spake, Here now may Hothbrod Helgi find,

00:15:27.540 A hater of flight in the midst of the fleet.

00:15:30.960 The home of all thy race he has,

00:15:33.400 And over the realm of the fishes he rules. 0.94

00:15:37.440 Gothman spake. 0.78

00:15:39.840 First shall swords at Threkestine

00:15:43.200 Prove our worth in the place of words. 0.96

00:15:47.140 Time is it, Hothbrod, vengeance to have.

00:15:50.960 If in battle worse did once we were. 0.84

00:15:55.460 Synthiotly spake. 0.94

00:15:56.760 Battle Gothmon to tender goats 1.00

00:16:00.140 And climb the rocks of the mountain cliffs

00:16:02.900 A hazel switch to hold in thy hand

00:16:06.260 More seemingly were thou hilt of the sword

00:16:10.760 Helgi spake

00:16:14.440 Butters and fiotly

00:16:16.980 Thee twould be seen

00:16:18.860 Battles to give and eagles to gladden

00:16:21.980 Then vang and nifty speech-totter

00:16:26.520 The war is oft when words do strive.

00:16:30.320 Good if I not the sons of Gronmar.

00:16:33.800 But for heroes, tis seemly the truth to speak.

00:16:37.580 And Moin Shimeh, prove the men that hearts for the wielding of swords they had,

00:16:43.820 and ever brave the warriors are.

00:16:48.560 Helgi took Sigrun to wife, and they had sons.

00:16:53.080 Helgi did not reach old age.

00:16:55.660 Dag, the son of Hogni, offered sacrifice to Odin to be avenged for his father's death.

00:17:02.540 Odin gave Dag his spear.

00:17:06.280 Dag found Helgi, his brother-in-law, at a place which is called Fjordturond.

00:17:12.720 He thrust the spear through Helgi's body.

00:17:16.060 Then Helgi fell, and Dag rode to Sevafjord, and told Sigrun the tidings.

00:17:22.940 Sodom I, sister, sorrow to tell thee, Woe to my kin, unwilling I worked!

00:17:31.880 In the morn there fell at Fjotorlund, The noblest prince the world has ever known,

00:17:39.600 And his heel he set on a hero's necks. 0.97

00:17:43.960 Sigrun spake, Now may ever, Oth thee, bite, 0.99

00:17:50.440 That with Helgi sworn thou hast, By the water bright of Lett, 1.00

00:17:55.960 And the ice-cold stone of Urth.

00:17:59.120 The ship shall not sail, In which thou sailest,

00:18:04.020 Thou a favouring wind shall follow after.

00:18:08.740 The horse shall not run, Whereon thou ridest,

00:18:13.120 Though fain thou art thy foe to flee.

00:18:17.180 The sword shall not bite which thou barest, Till thy head itself it sings about.

00:18:24.620 Vengeance were mine for Helgi's murder, Wirt thou a wolf in the woods without,

00:18:31.620 Possessing not and knowing no joy, Having no food save corpses to feed on.

00:18:39.180 Dog spake, Mad art thou, sister, and wild of mind,

00:18:45.220 Such a curse on thy brother to cast, Odin is ruler of every ill, who sunders kin with

00:18:52.140 runes of spite.

00:18:54.680 Thy brother rings, so red would I give thee, Alvan del Sif and Vigdalil.

00:19:02.600 Take half my land to pay the harm, ring-decked maid, and as mead for thy sons.

00:19:10.680 grun spake i shall sit not happy at seve fjall early or late my life to love if the light cannot 0.79

00:19:20.360 show in the leader's bond wieg bleier bearing him back to his home the golden bitted i shall

00:19:29.240 greet him never such the fear that helgi's foes ever felt and all their kin as makes the goats

00:19:38.840 would terror mad run from a wolf among the rocks. Helgi rose above heroes all, like the

00:19:47.840 lofty ash above lowly thorns, where the noble stag would dew besprinkled, bearing his head

00:19:56.460 above all beasts, and his horns gleamed bright to heaven itself.

00:20:04.620 A hill was made in Helgi's memory, and when he came to Valhall, then Óðinn bade him

00:20:11.700 brule over everything with himself.

00:20:16.900 Helgi said, Thou shalt, Húning, of every hero, wash the feet and kindle the fire,

00:20:25.260 Tie up dogs, and tin the horses, and feed the swine, ere to sleep thou goest.

00:20:35.720 One of Sigrun's maidens went one evening to Helgi's hill, and saw that Helgi rode to 0.74

00:20:41.580 the hill with many men.

00:20:44.240 The maidens said, Is this a dream, that methinks I see you're the doom of the gods the dead

00:20:51.320 men re-eyed, and hithersparing urged your steeds, O is homecoming now to the heroes granted.

00:21:00.560 Helgi spake, No dreaming is this, that thou thinkest to see, nor the end of the world

00:21:09.500 thou hast beholdest.

00:21:11.860 And hithersparing we urge our steeds, nor is homecoming now to the heroes granted.

00:21:20.240 The maiden went home, and said to Sigrun, Go forth, Sigrun, from Severfjall, if thine

00:21:27.420 the lord of the folk wast find.

00:21:30.680 The hill is open, Helgi is come.

00:21:33.900 The sword tracks bleed, the monarch bade, that thou his wounds shouldst now make well.

00:21:41.180 Sigrun went in the hill to Helgi, and said, Now am I glad of our meeting together, as

00:21:49.480 With Odin's hawks so eager for prey, When slaughter and flesh shall warm they scent,

00:21:56.440 Or dew at sea the red of day.

00:21:59.800 First will I kiss the lifeless king, Ere of the bloody bernie thou cast. 0.54

00:22:06.400 With frost thy hair is heavy held ye, And damp thou art with the dew of kith. 0.94

00:22:13.800 Ice-cold hounds has Hogni's kinsmen.

00:22:17.000 What prince can I to ease thee bring?

00:22:22.040 Helgi spake. 0.88

00:22:23.960 Thou alone, Sigrun of Severfjall,

00:22:27.460 Art's cause that Helgi would do is heavy.

00:22:31.140 Gold-decked maid, thy tears are grievous.

00:22:35.060 Sun-bright south maid, ere thou sleepest.

00:22:40.440 Each falls like blood on the hero's breast.

00:22:43.800 burned out cold and crushed with care well shall we drink a noble draught though

00:22:54.120 love and lands are lost to me no man a song of sorrow shall sing though

00:23:01.120 bleeding wounds are on my breast now in the hill our brides we hold the heroes

00:23:09.040 Lovs by their husbands dead.

00:23:14.140 Sigrun made ready a bed in the hill. 0.92

00:23:17.920 Here a bed I have made for thee, Helgi, to wrest thee from care, thou kin of the earthings.

00:23:27.220 I will make thee sink to sleep in my arms, as once I lay with the living king.

00:23:34.800 Ergi spake, now do I say that in Sevifjall a lot may happen early or late, since thou

00:23:43.260 sleepest clasped in corpses' arms so fair in the hill, the daughter of Hogni, living

00:23:51.540 thou comest a daughter of kings.

00:23:55.860 Now must I ride the reddened ways, and my bay's steed set to tread the sky, westward

00:24:02.720 I go, to Windhelm's bridges, ere Sogafnir wakes the warrior throng.

00:24:11.320 Then Helgi and his followers rode on their way, and the women went home to the dwelling.

00:24:18.400 Another evening Sigrun bade the maiden keep watch at the hill, and at sunset when Sigrun

00:24:24.640 went to the hill, she said.

00:24:29.420 Now where he come, if come he might, Sigmund's son from Odin's seat?

00:24:36.220 Hope grows dim of the hero's return, when eagles sit on the ash-tree boughs, and men

00:24:42.980 are seeking the meeting of dreams.

00:24:47.360 the maiden said, Mad thou wouldst seem, alone to seek,

00:24:53.780 Daughter of heroes, the house of the dead, Ther mightier now at night are all,

00:25:01.060 The ghosts of the dead, than when day is bright.

00:25:07.260 Sigrun was early dead of sorrow and grief.

00:25:10.720 It was believed in olden times that people were born again, but that is now called old

00:25:16.720 wives' folly. Of Helgi and Sigrun it is said that they were born again. He became Helgi

00:25:24.920 Haring Skiati, and she Kara, the daughter of Hafdan. As is told in the lay of Kara,

00:25:33.840 and she was a Valkyrie.

00:25:46.720 Thank you.

Asatru Folk Assembly - January 14, 2024

Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, a reading

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