Guðrúnarkviða III

Guðrúnarkviða III, The Third Lay of Gudrun, is a short Old Norse poem that is part of the Poetic Edda. It has not left any traces in Völsunga saga and was probably not known by its compilers.

It is dated to the early 11th century, because that was the time when the ordeal by boiling water made its appearance in Scandinavia and the poet speaks of it as a practice of foreign origin. According to Henry Adams Bellows, the poem is based on material that came from northern Germany, where the ordeal by boiling water had long been current. He adds that it has so little local colour that it was probably composed based on a story that the poet had heard from a German.

The Guðrún lays show that the hard-boiled heroic poetry of the Poetic Edda also had a place for the hardships of women.^[1]

Synopsis

Herkja,^[2] one of Atli's former concubines, was serving as a maid at his court. She reported to Atli that she had seen Guðrún together with King Þjóðrekr, which made Atli very angry. He approached Guðrún and she asked him what was the matter.

1. "Hvat er þér, Atli, æ, Buðla sonr? Er þér hryggt í hug? Hví hlær þú æva? Hitt mundi æðra jörlum þykkja, at við menn mæltir ok mik sæir." Atli kvað: 2. "Tregr mik þat, Guðrún Gjúka dóttir, mér í höllu Herkja sagði, at þit Þjóðrekr und þaki svæfið ok léttliga líni verðið."[3]

1. "What thy sorrow, Atli, Buthli's son? Is thy heart heavy-laden? Why laughest thou never? It would better befit the warrior far To speak with men, and me to look on." Atli spake: 2. "It troubles me, Guthrun, Gjuki's daughter, What Herkja here in the hall hath told me, That thou in the bed with Thjothrek liest, Beneath the linen in lovers' guise."[4]

Guðrún answered that she was innocent and could swear on the sacred white stone^[5] that she had not been with Þjóðrekr in that way. She had only talked with Þjóðrekr about their sorrows in secret. Þjóðrekr had arrived with thirty warriors and he had lost all of them,^[6] while Atli, her husband, had murdered all her brothers and all the men of her people. Gunnarr could no longer come, and she could no longer greet Högni. She had lost both her beloved brothers and she would like to avenge Högni with her sword. She declared that she wanted payment for her sorrows and she suggested the ordeal of boiling water, for which Atli should summon Saxi, the king of the Southrons, who could hallow the kettle.^[7] Then, the poem passes to the execution of the ordeal and what happened to Herkja:

Brá hon til botns björtum lófa ok hon upp of tók jarknasteina: "Sé nú, seggir, sykn em ek orðin heilagliga, hvé sá hverr velli." Hló þá Atla hugr í brjósti, er hann heilar sá hendr Guðrúnar: "Nú skal Herkja til hvers ganga, sú er Guðrúnu grandi vændi." Sá-at maðr armligt, hverr er þat sá-at, hvé þar á Herkju hendr sviðnuðu; leiddu þá mey í mýri fúla. Svá þá Guðrún sinna harma.[3]

8. To the bottom she reached with hand so bright, And forth she brought the flashing stones: "Behold, ye warriors, well am I cleared Of sin by the kettle's sacred boiling." 9. Then Atli's heart in happiness laughed, When Guthrun's hand unhurt he saw; "Now Herkja shall come the kettle to try, She who grief for Guthrun planned." 10. Ne'er saw man sight more sad than this, How burned were the hands of Herkja then; In a bog so foul the maid they flung, And so was Guthrun's grief requited.[4]