The Poetic Edda

Regin: 'The falls of Andvari
frothed and spouted
with fish teeming
in foaming pools.
There Otr sported,
mine own brother;
to snare salmon
sweet he thought it.

With stone smote him,
stripped him naked,
a robber roving
ruthless-handed;
at Hreidmar's house
hailed my father.
that fairest fell
for food offered.

There wrought Regin
by the red embers
rough iron hewing
and runes marking;
there Fáfner lay
by the fire sleeping,
fell-hearted son,
fiercely dreaming.

Hreidmar: "Redgolden rings,
ransom costly,
this fell must fill,
this fur cover."
From the foaming force
as a fish netted
was Dwarf Andvari
dragged and plundered.

All must Andvari,
all surrender,
light rings and heavy,
or life itself.
In Hreidmar's house
heaped he laid them,
gold ring on gold,
a great weregild.

Regin & Fáfner: "Shall not brethren share
in brother's ransom
their brief to gladden? -
gold is healing."
Hreidmar: "The wreathéd rings
I will rule alone,
as long as life is
they leave me never!"

Then Fáfner's heart
fiercely stung him;
Hreidmar he hewed
in his house asleep.
Fáfner's heart
as a fire burneth:
part nor portion
he pays to Regin.

In dragon's likeness
darkling lies he;
deep his dungeons,
and dread he knows not.
A helm of horror
his head weareth
on Gnitaheiði
grimly creeping.'

 —J.R.R. Tolkien, The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, V Regin.

2 comments:

  1. Wow. I must say, you've developed a taste for poetry! That's impressive. It is hard for me to follow, but I think it is a good thing for you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maybe. Part of the reason I posted it was because it was hard to comprehend.

    ReplyDelete