1. Líðr svá nú sumarit, at Gísli er í jarðhúsum sínum, ok er varr um sik ok ætlar hann nú ekki í brott; þykkir hánum nú fokit1 vera í ǫll skjól, nú eru ok liðnir draumavetr hans gǫrvallir. 2. Þat berr enn til einhverja nótt um sumarit, at Gísli lætr illa í svefni; en er hann vaknar, spyrr Auðr, hvat hann hefði dreymt. 3. Hann segir, at nú kom at hánum draumkonan sú en verri ok mælti svá: “Nú skal ek því ǫllu bregða, er hin betri draumkonan mælti við þik; ok skal ek þess ráðandi, at þér skal þess ekki2 at gagni verða, er hón hefr mælt.”
4. Þá kvað Gísli vísu:
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Skoloþa it, kvaþ skorþa
skapkers, saman verþa,
svá hefr ykr til ekka
eitr goþ munar leitat;
allvaldr hefr aldar
erlendis þik sendan
einn ór yþro ranne
annan heim at kanna.3
5. “Þat dreymði mik enn,” sagði Gísli, “at sjá kona kom til mín ok batt á hǫfuð mér dreyruga húfu, ok þó áðr hǫfuð mitt í blóði ok jós á mik allan, svá at ek varð alblóðugr.”
6. Gísli kvað vísu:
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Þvá hugðak mér Þrúþe
þremja hlunns ór brunne
Óþens elda lauþre
auþs mína skǫr rauþa
ok (hraun kveifar) hreife
hǫnd være því bande
báls í benja éle
(blóþ rauþ) vala slóþar.4
7. Ok enn kvað hann:
30
Hugþak geyme-Gǫndol
gunnǫlda mér falda
of rakskorenn reikar
rúf dreyrugre húfo,
være hendr á henne
í hjǫrregne þvegnar;
svá vakþe mik Sága
saums ór mínom draume.5
8. Nú gerðiz svá mikit um drauma Gísla, at hann gerir svá myrkhræddan,6 at hann þorir hvergi einn saman at vera; ok þegar er hann leggr sín augu saman,7 þá sýniz hánum en sama kona. 9. Þat var enn eina nótt, at Gísli lét raunlítt í svefni. Auðr spurði, hvat fyrir hann bæri.8
10. “Þat dreymði mik,” segir Gísli, “at menn kœmi at oss, ok væri Eyjólfr í fǫr ok mart annarra manna, ok hittumz vér, ok vissi ek, at áburðir9 urðu með oss. 11. Einn10 þeirra fór fyrstr, grenjandi mjǫk, ok þóttumz ek hǫggva hann sundr í miðju, ok þótti mér vera á hánum vargs hǫfuð. Þá sóttu margir at mér; ek þóttumz hafa skjǫldinn í hendi mér ok verjaz lengi.” 12. Gísli kvað þá vísu:
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Vissak fjandr at funde,
(fekk ek inne liþ minna)
ár, þótt eige værak
andaþr, at mér standa;
gǫ́tom vér) en være
(valtafn í mun hrafne)
fríþr í fǫgro blóþe
faþmr þínn roþenn míno.11
13. Ok enn kvað hann:
32
Mǫ́ttut skilde skalde,
skjǫldr kom mér at halde
(gǫ́tum hug) viþ hneite,
hjǫr gellanda bella,
áþr an mik þeirs míno
mono aldrlage valda,
gnýr vas hjǫrs at heyra
hǫ́r, ofrliþi bǫ́ro.12
14. Ok enn kvað hann:
33
Sték of einn, áþr ynne
árflognes mik sáran,
hrælœkjar gafk hauke
huggendr, Munens tuggo;
sneiþ at síno ráþe
sverþs egg í tvau legge,
misti menja leste r,
(manns bót vas þat) fóta.13
15. Nú líðr á haustit, ok minkar ekki draumana, ok heldr er vaxandi gangr at þeim. Þat var eina nótt, er Gísli lét enn illa í svefni; Auðr spurði þá enn, hvat fyrir hann bæri. 16. Gísli kvað vísu:
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Hugþak, brúþr! of báþar
benvíþe mér síðor
(þann hǫfom vér at vinna
vílsinn) ofan rinna;
slíkt dreymir mik, seima,
sekr emk viþ her nekkvat,
(bíðom brodda hríþar)
blíþ Lofn! þegars sofnak.14
17. Ok enn kvað hann vísu:
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Hugþak blóþ of báðar
baug-Hlín Gnáar mínar
herþar hvǫsso sverþe
hjǫrnets Regin setja,
ok (váss) mærar være,
Vǫ́r, af miklo fáre,
(líkn reynom svá) lauka,
lífs váner mér gránar.15
18. Ok enn kvað hann:
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Hugþak hlífar flagþa
hristendr af mér kvista
(stór fingom ben) brynjo
báþar hendr meþ vende,
enn fyr mækes munne
minn hugþak, Syn tvinna,
(oss gein hjǫrr of hjassa)
hjalmstofn ofan klofna.16
19. Ok enn kvað hann vísu:
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Hugþak Sjǫfn í svefne
silfrbands of mér standa,
Gerðr hafðe sú gerðo,
grátande, brǫ́ váta;
ok eld-Njǫron ǫldo
allskyndela bynde
(hvat hyggr mér) en mæra
mín sǫ́r (und því vǫ́ro).17
1: fokit and here, “covered in snow.” ↩
2: þess ekki, “none of that.” ↩
3: Str. 28. Prose word order: It skoloþa [AM: skulu þo it kvaþ] verþa saman, kvaþ skapkers skorþa; svá hefr goþ leitat ykkr munar eitrs viþ ekka; allvaldr aldar hefr of sendan þik einn ór yþro ranne erlendes at kanna annan heim.
“You shall not live together, said the woman; the god has afflicted you with the poison of the joy of love; the lord of humanity has sent you alone (without her) out of the home to seek another world.”
4: Str. 29. Prose word order: Hugþak auþs þrúþe þvá mér mína skǫr rauþa Óþens elda lauþre ór þremja hlunns brunne, ok hǫnd væri því vala hreifi-slóþar báls band í benja éle; blóþ rauþ kveifar hraun.
“I dreamed that the woman washed my red head with the blood from the well of the sword; and that the hand of the woman in would be (bloody) in the gore; the blood colored my head.”
5: Str. 30. Prose word order: Hugþak geyme-Gǫndol gunnǫldo falda mér dreyrugre húfo of rakskorenn reikar rúf, være hendr á henne þvegnar í hjǫrregne; svá vakþe Sága saums mik ór mínom draum.
“I dreamed the Valkyrie put a bloody hood on my newly cut hair, that her hands were bloodstained; the woman awakened me from my sleep this way.”
6: myrkhrœddr, “dreading the darkness.” ↩
8: bœri, plusquamperfect: “what had appeared to him.” ↩
9: áburðir, “mutual attacks,” c.f. bera vápn á. ↩
10: Einn, that is, Njósnar-Helgi, s.c. 33. ↩
11: Str. 31, Prose Word Order: Visak ár fjandr standa at mér at funde, þótt eige værak andaþr; ek fekk inne minna liþ, en þínn fríþr faþmr være roþenn í míno fǫgro blóþe; vér gǫ́tom valtafn í mun hrafne.
“Then I saw in the morning, although I was not dead, the enemies attacked me; I had much fewer at my side, and that your beautiful breasts would be colored red by my bright blood; I [somehow] managed to give an offering of the slain to the delight of the raven.”
12: Str. 32. Prose word order: Mǫ́ttot bella skilde skalde gellanda hjǫr; skjǫldr kom mér at halde viþ hneite – gǫtom hug –, áþr an þeir, es mono vala aldrlage míno, bǫ́ro mik ofrliþe; hjǫrs gnýr vas hǫ́r at heyra.
“They could not break the poet’s shield with a clanging sword, the shield protected me against sword–I was brave–until the people who were to bring about my death overwhelmed me, then there was a loud chorus of swords.” ↩
13: Str. 33. Prose word order: Sték of einu, áþr huggendr árflognes ynne mik sáran; gafk hrælœjar hauke tuggo Munens; sverþs egg sneiþ at síno ráþe legge í tvan; menja lester miste fóta; þat vas manns bót.
“I overcame one [of them] before the warriors could hurt me; I gave Munin’s food to the raven; the sword cutting cleanly through both thighs; the man lost his legs; that was the man’s offering.”
14: Str. 34. Prose word order: Hugþak, brúþr! benvíþe rinna mér ofan of báþar síþor; þann vílsinn hǫfom vér at vinna; slíkt dreymer mik, blíþ seima Lofn! þegars sofnak; emk nekkvat sekr viþ her; bíþom brodda hríþar.
“I dreamed, woman! that blood was pouring down on both sides; so much I have to endure; I have not spared the people; I expect a fight.”
15: Str. 35. Prose word order: Hugþak hjǫrnets Gnáar Regen setja blóþ of báþar herþar mínar hvǫsso sverþe, bauga-Hlín; ok mærar lífs váner være mér gránar af miklo fáre, lauka Vǫ́r; svá reynom líkn váss.
“I dreamed that the warrior, with his sword (with a sword strike), bled blood over my two shoulders, O woman!; and that the wonderful hopes of life were dimmed by this evil thing, woman; but by doing this I will experience relief (the end) of misery.”
16: Str. 36. Prose word order: Hugþak hlífar flagþa hristendr kvista af mér báþar hendr meþ brynjo vende; fingom stór ben; enn hugþak minn hjalmstofn klofna ofan fyr mækes munne, Syn tvinna; hjǫrr gein oss of hjassa.
“I dreamed that the warriors cut off both of my arms with sword; I received great wounds; I continued to dream that my head was shattered completely by the sword-cutting edge, woman; the sword gaped over my head.”
17: Str. 37. Prose word order: Hugþak í svefne Sjǫfn silfrbands standa of mér grátande; sú gerþo Gerþr hafþe váta brǫ́, ok en mæra ǫldu eld-Njǫron bynde allskyndela sǫ́r mín; hvat hyggr mér vǫ́ro und því?
“I saw the woman crying while standing over me; this woman had wetness brewing; and (I dreamed) that the glorious woman soon bandaged my wounds; what meaning, do you think, this has for me?”