Page:The Elder Edda and the Younger Edda - tr. Thorpe - 1907.djvu/196

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THE ELDER EDDA OF SAEMUND

drew forth the ring "Andvara-naut," and covered the hair. Loki said:

6. There is gold for thee, and thou hast a great redemption for my life. For thy son no blessing is decreed; of both it shall prove the bane.

Hreidmar.

7. Gifts thou hast given, friendly gifts thou hast given not; with a kind heart thou hast not given. Of your lives ye should have been deprived, had I foreknown that peril.

8. But that is worse, what I seem to know,—a strife of kinsmen for a woman. Princes yet unborn I think them to be, for whose hate that gold is destined.

9. The red gold, I trust, I shall possess while I am living: of thy threats I entertain no fear; so take yourselves hence home.

Fafnir and Regin demanded of Hreidmar their share of the blood-fine for their slain brother Otr, which he refused, and Fafnir stabbed his father with a sword while sleeping. Hreidmar called out to his daughters:

10. Lyngheid and Lofnheid! Know my life is departing. To many things need compels.[1]

Lyngheid.

Few sisters will, although they lose a father, avenge a brother's crime.

Hreidmar.

11. Then bring forth a daughter, wolf-hearted fury!


  1. To wit, to avenge my death on your brothers.

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