Page:Norse mythology or, the religion of our forefathers, containing all the myths of the Eddas, systematized and interpreted with an introduction, vocabulary and index.djvu/164

SIGURD:

Sigmund's son
(Recently did the raven
Feed on carrion)^[1]
And Sigurd's sword.

SHE:

2. Long have I slept,
    Long been with sleep oppressed,
    Long are mortals' sufferings!
    Odin is the cause
    That I have been unable
    To cast off torpor.

Sigurd sat down and asked her name. She then took a horn filled with mead, and gave him the minnis-cup (cup of memory).

SHE:

3. Hail to Day!
    Hail to the sons of Day!
    To Night and her daughter, hail!
    With placid eyes
    Behold us here,
    And here sitting give us victory.

4. Hail to the gods!
    Hail to the goddesses!
    Hail to the bounteous earth!
    Words and wisdom
    Give to us noble twain,
    And healing hands while we live.

She was named Sigdrifa, and was a valkyrie. She said that two kings had made war on each other, one of whom was named Hialmgunnar; he was old and a great warrior, and Odin had promised him victory. The other was Agnar, a brother of Aud, whom no divinity would patronize. Sigdrifa overcame Hialmgunnar in battle; in revenge for which Odin pricked her with a

1. The parenthesis refers to Fafner's death.