"
42. "There will warriors[88] round thy couch converse, and of the
white-locked ones take off the head; death-doomed they are within a
few nights, a little ere day: thy court will eat of them."
43. "Lie down I would not,[89] nor sleep after, obstinate in my
fate--That I will execute!"
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 82: That is the long fish of the heath, or Ung, a snake or
serpent.]
[Footnote 83: Soot.]
[Footnote 84: Atli: Grimhild speaks.]
[Footnote 85: Atli speaks.]
[Footnote 86: Gudrun answers.]
[Footnote 87: Atli speaks.]
[Footnote 88: Gudrun answers.]
[Footnote 89: Atll speaks.]
THE THIRD LAY OF GUDRUN.
Atli had a serving-woman named Herkia,[90] who had been his concubine.
She informed Atli that she had seen Thiodrek and Gudrun together;
whereat Atli was much afflicted. Then Gudrun said:
1. What ails thee ever, Atli! Budli's son! Hast thou sorrow in thy
heart? Why never laughest thou? To thy jarls it would seem more
desirable, that thou with men wouldst talk, and on me wouldst look.
_Atli_.
2. It grieves me, Gudrun! Giuki's daughter! that in my palace here,
Herkia has said, that thou and Thiodrek have under one covering slept,
and wantonly been in the linen wrapt.
_Gudrun_.
3. For all this charge I will give my oaths by the white sacred
stone, that with me and Thiodrek nothing has passed, which to man and
wife only belongs;
4.
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