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~ By Courtesy of Others ~
The
Song of the Nuthatches Sigurd took Fafnir’s heart and
roasted it on a spit. When he
thought it was done and the juices were dripping, he poked it with a finger to
test it. He burned his finger and stuck it into his mouth.
But when Fafnir’s heart’s-blood touched his tongue, he understood the
speech of birds. He overheard some
nuthatches twittering in the bushes. “Blood
soaked, there Sigurd
sits; A second spoke: “There
Regin lies, and lays a plan A third spoke: “Cut
off the head of the hoary wretch, The first spoke: “Wise
were he if heed he took The second spoke: “Less
wise to me the warrior seems, The third spoke: “A
fool is he if he should
spare “The
frost-cold jotun free of his head, Sigurd spoke: “Regin’s
fate
so fair is not, Sigurd
cut off Regin’s head, then ate Fafnir’s heart and drank his blood and
Fafnir’s. “Gather,
Sigurd, the golden rings; “Green
is the track to Giuki’s hall, Another spoke: “There
stands a hall on Hindarfiall “A
valkyrie sleeps on the summit there; “There
will you find the maiden helmed, Sigurd followed Fafnir’s track to his lair and found it open. The door and doorposts were iron, and all the posts inside the house which was partly underground. There Sigurd found much gold. He filled two chests and took the helm of terror, a gold mail shirt, the sword Hrotti, and many other priceless things. He loaded them on Grani, but the horse would not move until he had climbed onto his back as well. © Jack Hart Meadhall: Asatru Jack´s site, including the medieval rune poems and modern rune poems by various authors. Notes: As in the original, both Old Meter (Fornyrdhislag) and Song Meter (Ljodhahattr) are used, interspersed with prose. Images: 13th century woodcarvings from the portal of the stave church in Hylestad (which was pulled down; portals now in Oslo museum). |