The complete text
Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar
Helgi Son of Hjörvarðr and the Valkyrie Sváva
About these two editions
These are complete reading editions of the poem and its accompanying prose, rather than a facsimile of Codex Regius. Bellows sometimes orders, divides, or supplements stanzas differently, so the two editions do not always share stanza numbers. Editorial introductions and footnotes are omitted; follow the source links for that commentary.
Original wording is retained. Obvious transcription errors in stanza numbering have been corrected. Spelling and names differ from the modern retelling.
Tap an underlined name for an explanation. Switch editions above at any time.
Old Norse
Normalized Old Norse · Guðni Jónsson edition · Source ↗
hét konungr. Hann átti fjórar konur. Ein hét Álfhildr. Son þeira hét . Önnur hét Særeiðr. Þeira son hét Humlungr. In þriðja hét Sinrjóð. Þeira son hét Hymlingr.
konungr hafði þess heit strengt at eiga þá konu, er hann vissi vænsta. Hann spurði, at konungr átti dóttur allra fegrsta. Sú hét . Iðmundr hét jarl hans. var hans son, er fór at biðja Sigrlinnar til handa konungi. Hann dvalðist vetrlangt með Sváfni konungi. hét þar jarl, fóstri Sigrlinnar. Dóttir hans hét . Jarlinn réð, at meyjar var synjat, ok fór heim.
jarls son stóð einn dag við lund nökkurn, en fugl sat í limunum uppi yfir hánum ok hafði heyrt til, at hans menn kölluðu vænstar konur þær, er átti. Fuglinn kvakaði, en hlýddi, hvat hann sagði. Hann kvað:
Stanza 1«Sáttu Sváfnis dóttur, mey ina fegrstu í munarheimi? Þó hagligar Hjörvarðs konur gumnum þykkja at Glasislundi.»
kvað:
Stanza 2«Mundu við Iðmundar son, fugl fróðhugaðr, fleira mæla?»
Fuglinn kvað:
«Mun ek, ef mik buðlungr blóta vildi ok kýs ek þats vil ór konungs garði.»
kvað:
Stanza 3«Kjós-at-tu Hjörvarð né hans sonu né inar fögru fylkis brúðir, eigi brúðir þær, er buðlungr á; kaupum vel saman, þat er vina kynni.»
Fuglinn kvað:
Stanza 4«Hof mun ek kjósa, hörga marga, gullhyrnðar kýr frá grams búi, ef hánum sefr á armi ok ónauðig jöfri fylgir.»
Þetta var, áðr færi, en er hann kom heim ok konungr spurði hann tíðenda, hann kvað:
Stanza 5«Höfum erfiði ok ekki örindi, mara þraut óra á meginfjalli, urðum síðan vaða, þá var oss synjat Sváfnis dóttur, hringum gæddrar, er vér hafa vildum.»
Konungr bað, at þeir skyldu fara annat sinn. Fór hann sjálfr. En er þeir kómu upp á fjall, ok sá á Sváfaland landsbruna ok jóreyki stóra. Reið konungr af fjallinu fram í landit ok tók náttból við á eina. helt vörð ok fór yfir ána. Hann fann eitt hús. Fugl mikill sat á húsinu ok gætti, ok var sofnaðr. skaut spjóti fuglinn til bana, en í húsinu fann hann konungs dóttur ok Álofu jarls dóttur ok hafði þær báðar braut með sér.
jarl hafði hamazt í arnar líki ok varit þær fyrir hernum með fjölkynngi. hét konungr, biðill Sigrlinnar. Hann drap Sváfakonung ok hafði rænt ok brent landit. konungr fekk Sigrlinnar, en Álofar.
ok áttu son mikinn ok vænan. Hann var þögull. Ekki nafn festist við hann. Hann sat á haugi. Hann sá ríða valkyrjur níu ok var ein göfugligust. Hon kvað:
Stanza 6«Síð muntu, , hringum ráða, ríkr rógapaldr, né Röðulsvöllum, — örn gól árla, — ef þú æ þegir, þótt þú harðan hug, hilmir, gjaldir.»
kvað:
Stanza 7«Hvat lætr þú fylgja nafni, brúðr bjartlituð, alls þú bjóða ræðr? Hygg þú fyr öllum atkvæðum vel. Þigg ek eigi þat, nema ek þik hafa.»
Valkyrja kvað:
Stanza 8«Sverð veit ek liggja í Sigarsholmi fjórum færi en fimm tögu; eitt er þeira öllum betra vígnesta böl ok varit gulli.
Stanza 9Hringr er í hjalti, hugr er í miðju, ógn er í oddi þeim er eiga getr; liggr með eggju ormr dreyrfáiðr, en á valböstu verpr naðr hala.» hét konungr. Dóttir hans var . Hon var valkyrja ok reið loft ok lög. Hon gaf nafn þetta ok hlífði hánum oft síðan í orrostum. kvað:
Stanza 10«Ert-at-tu, heilráðr konungr, folks oddviti, þótt þú frægr séir; léztu eld eta jöfra byggðir, en þeir angr við þik ekki gerðu.
Stanza 11En skal hringum ráða, þeim er áttu órir niðjar; sá sésk fylkir fæst at lífi, hyggsk aldauða arfi at ráða.»
svarar, at hann mundi fá lið , ef hann vill hefna móðurföður síns. Þá sótti sverðit, er vísaði hánum til. Þá fór hann ok ok felldu Hróðmar ok unnu mörg þrekvirki. Hann drap Hata jötun, er hann sat á bergi nökkuru. ok lágu skipum í Hatafirði. helt vörð inn fyrra hluta nætrinnar. Hatadóttir kvað: [Hrímgerðarmál]
Stanza 12«Hverir ro hölðar í Hatafirði? Skjöldum er tjaldat á skipum; fræknliga látið, fátt hygg ek yðr séask, kennið mér nafn konungs.»
kvað:
Stanza 13« hann heitir, en þú hvergi mátt vinna grand grami; járnborgir ro of öðlings flota; knegu-t oss fálur fara.»
kvað:
Stanza 14«Hvé þik heitir, halr inn ámáttki, hvé þik kalla konir? Fylkir þér trúir, er þik í fögrum lætr beits stafni búa.»
kvað:
Stanza 15« ek heiti, atall skal ek þér vera, mjök em ek gífrum gramastr; úrgan stafn ek hefi oft búit ok kvalðar kveldriður.
Stanza 16Hvé þú heitir, hála nágráðug? Nefndu þinn, fála, föður; níu röstum er þú skyldi neðar vera ok vaxi þér á baðmi barr.»
kvað:
Stanza 17« ek heiti, hét minn faðir, þann vissa ek ámáttkastan jötun; margar brúðir hann lét frá búi teknar, unz hann hjó.»
kvað:
Stanza 18«Þú vart, hála, fyr hildings skipum ok látt í fjarðar mynni fyrir; ræsis rekka er þú vildir gefa, ef þér kæmi-t í þverst þvari.»
kvað:
Stanza 19«Duliðr ertu nú, , draums kveð ek þér vera, síga lætr þú brýnn fyr bráar; móðir mín lá fyrir mildings skipum; ek drekkða Hlövarðs sonum í hafi.
Stanza 20Gneggja myndir þú, , ef þú geldr né værir, brettir sinn hala; aftarla hjarta, hygg ek, at þitt, , sé, þótt hafir reina rödd.»
kvað:
Stanza 21«Reini mun þér ek þykkja ef þú reyna knátt, ok stíga ek á land af legi, öll muntu lemjask, ef mér er alhugat, ok sveigja þinn, , hala.»
kvað:
Stanza 22«, gakk þú á land, ef afli treystisk, ok hittumk í vík Varins; rifja rétti er þú munt, rekkr, fáa, ef þú mér í krummur kemr.»
kvað:
Stanza 23«Munk-a ek ganga, áðr gumnar vakna ok halda of vísa vörð; er-a mér örvænt, nær óru kemr skass upp undir skipi.»
kvað:
Stanza 24«Vaki þú, , ok bæt við Hrímgerði, er þú lézt höggvinn Hata; eina nótt kná hon hjá jöfri sofa, þá hefr hon bölva bætr.»
kvað:
Stanza 25«Loðinn heitir, er þik skal eiga, leið ertu mannkyni, sá býr í Þolleyju þurs, hundvíss jötunn, hraunbúa verstr, sá er þér makligr maðr.»
kvað:
Stanza 26«Hina vildu heldr, , er réð hafnir skoða fyrri nótt með firum; marggullin mær mér þótti afli bera; hér sté hon land af legi ok festi svá yðvarn flota; hon ein því veldr, er ek eigi mák buðlungs mönnum bana.»
kvað:
Stanza 27«Heyr nú, , ef ek bæti harma þér, segðu görr grami: sú ein vættr, er barg öðlings skipum, eða fóru þær fleiri saman?»
kvað:
Stanza 28«Þrennar níundir meyja, þó reið ein fyrir hvít und hjalmi mær; marir hristusk, stóð af mönum þeira dögg í djúpa dali, hagl í háva viðu; þaðan kemr með öldum ár, allt var mér þat leitt, er ek leitk.»
kvað:
Stanza 29«Austr líttu nú, , ef þik lostna hefr helstöfum; á landi ok á vatni borgit er lofðungs flota ok siklings mönnum it sama.»
kvað:
Stanza 30« er nú, , en þik dvalða hefr til aldrlaga; hafnarmark þykkir hlægligt vera, þars þú í steins líki stendr.»
konungr var allmikill hermaðr. Hann kom til konungs ok bað dóttur hans. Þau ok veittust várar ok unnust furðu mikit. var heima með feðr sínum, en í hernaði. valkyrja enn sem fyrr.
var heima með föður sínum, Hjörvarði konungi, í Nóregi.
fór einn saman heim ór skógi jólaaftan ok fann trollkonu. Sú reið vargi ok hafði orma at taumum ok bauð fylgð sína Heðni.
«Nei,» sagði hann.
Hon sagði: «Þess skaltu gjalda at bragarfulli.» Um kveldit óru heitstrengingar. fram leiddr sónargöltr. Lögðu menn þar á hendr sínar ok strengðu menn þá heit at bragarfulli. strengði heit til Eylimadóttur, unnustu , bróður síns, ok iðraðisk svá mjök, at hann gekk á braut villistígu suðr á lönd ok fann bróður sinn. kvað:
Stanza 31«Kom þú heill, , hvat kanntu segja nýra spjalla ór Nóregi? Hví er þér, stillir, stökkt ór landi ok ert einn kominn oss at finna?»
kvað:
Stanza 32«[Erumk-a, stillir, stökkt ór landi], mik hefr miklu glæpr meiri sóttan: Ek hefi körna ina konungbornu brúði þína at bagarfulli.»
kvað:
Stanza 33«Sakask eigi þú, sönn munu verða ölmál, , okkur beggja. Mér hefir stillir stefnt til eyrar, þriggja nátta skylak þar koma; if er mér á því, at ek aftr koma; þá má at góðu gerask slíkt, ef skal.»
kvað:
Stanza 34«Sagðir þú, , at væri góðs verðr frá þér ok gjafa stórra; þér er sæmra sverð at rjóða, en frið gefa fjándum þínum.» Þat kvað , því at hann grunaði um feigð sína ok þat, at fylgjur hans höfðu vitjat Heðins, þá er hann sá konuna ríða varginum. hét konungr, son Hróðmars, er hafði völl haslaðan á Sigarsvelli á þriggja nátta fresti. Þá kvað :
Stanza 35«Reið á vargi, er rökvit var, fljóð eitt, er fylgju beiddi; hón vissi þat, at veginn myndi Sigrlinnar sonr á Sigarsvöllum.» Þar var orrosta mikil, ok fekk þar banasár.
Stanza 36Sendi at ríða eftir eingadóttur; «Bið bráðliga búna verða, ef hon vill finna fylki kvikvan.»
kvað:
Stanza 37«Mik hefr hingat sendan við þik, , sjalfa at mæla; þik kvaðsk hilmir hitta vilja, áðr ítrborinn öndu týndi.»
kvað:
Stanza 38«Hvat varð Hjörvarðs syni? Mér er harðliga harma leitat, ef hann sær of lék eða sverð of beit, þeim skal ek gumna grand of vinna.»
kvað:
Stanza 39«Fell hér í morgun at Frekasteini, buðlungr, sá er var, baztr und sólu; mun sigri öllum ráða, þótt þetta sinn þörfgi væri.»
kvað:
Stanza 40«Heil vertu, , hug skaltu deila, sjá mun í heími hinztr fundr vera; téa buðlungi blæða undir, mér hefir hjörr komit hjarta it næsta.
Stanza 41Bið ek þik, , — brúðr grát-at-tu —, ef þú vill mínu máli hlýða, at þú Heðni hvílu gervir ok jöfur ungan ástum leiðir.»
kvað:
Stanza 42«Mælt hafða ek þat í munarheimi, þá er mér hringa valði, myndig-a ek lostig at liðinn fylki jöfur ókunnan armi verja.»
kvað:
Stanza 43«Kysstu mik, , kem ek eigi áðr Rogheims á vit né Röðulsfjalla, áðr ek hefnt hefik Hjörvarðs sonar, þess er buðlungr var beztr und sólu.» ok , er sagt, at væri endrborin.
English translation
Henry Adams Bellows · First published 1923 · Source & commentary ↗
was the name of a king, who had four wives: one was called , and their son was named ; the second was called , and their son was named ; the third was called , and their son was named . King had made a great vow to have as wife whatsoever woman he knew was fairest. He learned that King had a daughter fairer than all others, whose name was . was the name of one of his jarls; he had a son called , who went to woo on behalf of the king. He dwelt the winter long with King . There was a jarl called , 's foster-father; his daughter was named .
The jarl told him that the maiden's hand was denied, and went home. , the jarl's son, stood one day in a certain wood; a bird sat in the branches up over him, and it had heard that his men called 's wives the fairest of women. The bird twittered, and hearkened to what it spoke. It said:
Stanza 1"Sawest thou , | 's daughter, The fairest maid | in her home-land found? Though Hjorvath's wives | by men are held Goodly to see | in 's wood."
spake:
Stanza 2"Now with , | 's son, Wilt thou say more, | thou bird so wise?"
The bird spake:
"I may if the prince | an offering makes, And I have what I will | from the house of the king."
spake:
Stanza 3"Choose not , | nor sons of his, the wives so fair | of the famous chief; not the brides | that the prince's are; Fair let us deal | in friendly wise."
The bird spake:
Stanza 4"A fane will I ask, | and altars many, Gold-horned cattle | the prince shall give me, If yet | shall sleep in his arms, Or free of will | the hero shall follow."
This was before went on his journey; but when he came home, and the king asked his tidings, he said:
Stanza 5"Trouble we had, | but tidings none, Our horses failed | in the mountains high, The waters of | we needs must wade; 's daughter, | with rings bedecked, She whom we sought, | was still denied us."
The king bade that they should go another time, and he went with them himself, But when they came up on the mountain, they saw burning and mighty dust-clouds from many steeds. The king rode from the mountain forward into the land, and made a night's stay hard by a stream. kept watch and went over the stream; he found there a house. A great bird sat on the housetop to guard it, but he was asleep.
hurled his spear at the bird and slew it, and in the house he found the king's daughter and the jarl's daughter, and he brought them both thence with him. Jarl had changed himself into the likeness of an eagle, and guarded them from the enemy host by magic. was the name of a king, a wooer of ; he slew the king of and had plundered and burned his land. King took , and took .
(II) and had a son, mighty and of noble stature; he was a silent man, and no name stuck fast to him. He sat on a hill, and saw nine riding; one of them was the fairest of all. She spake:
Stanza 6"Late wilt thou, , | have hoard of rings, Thou battle-tree fierce, | or of shining fields,-- The eagle screams soon,-- | if never thou speakest, Though, hero, hard | thy heart may cry."
spake:
Stanza 7"What gift shall I have | with 's name, Glorious maid, | for the giving is thine? All thy words | shall I think on well, But I want them not | if I win not thee."
The spake:
Stanza 8"Swords I know lying | in , Fifty there are | save only four; One there is | that is best of all, The shield-destroyer, | with gold it shines.
Stanza 9"In the hilt is fame, | in the haft is courage, In the point is fear, | for its owner's foes; On the blade there lies | a blood-flecked snake, And a serpent's tail | round the flat is twisted."
was the name of a king, whose daughter was ; she was a , and rode air and sea. She gave this name, and shielded him oft thereafter in battle. spake:
Stanza 10", king, | unwholesome thy counsels, Though famed thou art | in leading the folk, Letting fire the homes of heroes eat, Who evil deed had never done thee.
Stanza 11"Yet still the hoard doth hold, The wealth that once our kinsmen wielded; Full seldom care the king disturbs, Heir to dead men he deems himself."
answered that he would give a following if he fain would avenge his mother's father. Then got the sword that had told him of. So he went, and with him, and they slew , and they did many great deeds.
(III) He slew the giant , whom he found sitting on a certain mountain. and lay with their ships in . kept watch during the first part of the night. , 's daughter, spake:
Stanza 12"Who are the heroes | in ? The ships are covered with shields; Bravely ye look, | and little ye fear, The name of the king would I know."
spake:
Stanza 13" his name, | and never thou mayst Harm to the hero bring; With iron is fitted | the prince's fleet, can witches work us ill."
spake:
Stanza 14"Who now, thou mighty | man, art thou? By what name art thou known to men? He trusts thee well, | the prince who wills That thou stand at the stem of his ship."
spake:
Stanza 15" am I, | and ill shalt thou find me, Great hate for witches I have; Oft have I been | in the dripping bows, And to dusk-riders death have brought.
Stanza 16"Corpse-hungry giantess, | how art thou called? Say, witch, who thy father was! Nine miles deeper | down mayst thou sink, And a tree grow tall on thy bosom."
spake:
Stanza 17" am I, | my father was , Of giants the most in might; Many a woman | he won from her home, Ere hewed him down."
spake:
Stanza 18"Witch, in front | of the ship thou wast, And lay before the fjord; To wouldst have given | the ruler's men, If a spear had not stuck in thy flesh."
spake:
Stanza 19"Dull art thou, , | thou dreamest, methinks, The lids lie over thine eyes; By the leader's ships | my mother lay, 's sons on the sea I slew.
Stanza 20"Thou wouldst neigh, , | but gelded thou art, See, hoists her tail; In thy hinder end | is thy heart, methinks, Though thy speech is a stallion's cry."
spake:
Stanza 21"A stallion I seem | if thou seekest to try me, And I leap to land from the sea; I shall smite thee to bits, | if so I will, And heavy sinks 's tail."
spake:
Stanza 22"Go ashore then, , | if sure of thy might, Let us come to 's cove; Straight shall thy rounded | ribs be made If thou comest within my claws."
spake:
Stanza 23"I will not go | till the warriors wake, Again their chief to guard; I should wonder not, | foul witch, if up From beneath our keel thou shouldst come."
spake:
Stanza 24"Awake now, , | and requite, That to death thou didst hew; If a single night | she can sleep by the prince, Then requited are all her ills."
spake:
Stanza 25" 'Tis shall have thee,-- | thou'rt loathsome to men,-- His home in he has; Of the wild-dwellers worst | is the giant wise, He is meet as a mate for thee."
spake:
Stanza 26"More thou lovest her | who scanned the harbor, Last night among the men; (The gold-decked maid | bore magic, rnethinks, When the land from the sea she sought, And fast she kept your fleet;) She alone is to blame | that I may not bring Death to the monarch's men."
spake:
Stanza 27", mark, | if thy hurts I requite, Tell now the truth to the king; Was there one who the ships | of the warrior warded, Or did many together go?"
spake:
Stanza 28"Thrice nine there were, | but one rode first, A helmed maid white of hue; Their horses quivered, | there came from their manes Dew in the dales so deep, (Hail on the woods so high, Thence men their harvest have, But ill was the sight I saw.)"
spake:
Stanza 29"Look eastward, , | for has struck thee Down with the of death; Safe in harbor floats | the prince's fleet, And safe are the monarch's men."
spake:
Stanza 30"It is day, , | for held thee Till now thy life thou must lose; As a harbor mark | men shall mock at thee, Where in stone thou shalt ever stand." (IV)
King was a mighty warrior. He came to King and sought the hand of his daughter, . Then and exchanged vows, and greatly they loved each other. was at home with her father, while was in the field; was still a as before.
was at home with his father, King , in . was coming home alone from the forest one , and found a troll-woman; she rode on a wolf, and had snakes in place of a bridle. She asked for his company. "Nay," said he. She said, "Thou shalt pay for this at the king's toast." That evening the great vows were taken; the sacred boar was brought in, the men laid their hands thereon, and took their vows at the king's toast.
vowed that he would have , 's daughter, the beloved of his brother ; then such great grief seized him that he went forth on wild paths southward over the land, and found , his brother. said:
Stanza 31"Welcome, ! | what hast thou to tell Of tidings new | that from come? Wherefore didst leave | thy land, O prince, And fared alone | to find us here?"
spake:
Stanza 32"A deed more evil | I have done Than, brother mine, | thou e'er canst mend; For I have chosen | the child of the king, Thy bride, for mine | at the monarch's toast."
spake:
Stanza 33"Grieve not, , | for true shall hold The words we both | by the beer have sworn; To the isle a warrior | wills that I go, (There shall I come | the third night hence;) And doubtful must be | my coming back, (So may all be well, | if fate so wills.)"
spake:
Stanza 34"Thou saidst once, , | that was A friend full good, | and gifts didst give him; More seemly it were | thy sword to redden, Than friendship thus | to thy foe to-give."
spoke thus because he foresaw his death, for his following-spirits had met when he saw the woman riding on the wolf. was the name of a king, the son of , who had marked out a battle-place with
at after a stay of three nights. Then spake:
Stanza 35"On a wolf there rode, | when dusk it was, A woman who fain | would have him follow; Well she knew | that now would fall 's son | at ." There was a great battle, and there got a mortal wound.
Stanza 36 riding | did send To seek out 's | only daughter: "Bid her swiftly | ready to be, If her lover | alive she would find."
spake:
Stanza 37"Hither now | has sent me, With thee, , | thyself to speak; The hero said | he fain would see thee Ere life the nobly | born should leave."
spake:
Stanza 38"What chanced with , | 's son? Hard to me | is harm now come; If the sea smote him, | or sword bit him, Ill shall I bring | to all his foes."
spake:
Stanza 39"In the morn he fell | at , The king who was noblest | beneath the sun; has the joy | of victory all, Though need therefor | is never his."
spake:
Stanza 40"Hail to thee, ! | thy sorrow rule, Our meeting last | in life is this; Hard the wounds | of the hero bleed, And close to my heart | the sword has come.
Stanza 41"I bid thee, ,-- | weep not, bride,-- If thou wilt hearken | to these my words, The bed for | have thou ready, And yield thy love | to the hero young."
spake:
Stanza 42"A vow I had | in my dear-loved home, When sought | with rings to have me, That not of my will, | if the warrior died, Would I fold in my arms | a man unfamed."
spake:
Stanza 43"Kiss me, , | I come not back, to see, | or , Till vengeance I have | for the son of , The king who was noblest | beneath the sun." Of and it is said that they were born again.