Alfaleith.org - Rydberg's Teutonic Mythology

The first strophes of the first song of Helgi Hundingsbani distinguish themselves in tone and character and broad treatment from the continuation of the song, and have clearly belonged to a genuine old mythic poem about Halfdan, and without much change the compiler of the Helgi Hundingsbani song has incorporated them into his poem. They describe Halfdan's ("Helgi Hundingsbani's") birth. The real mythic names of his parents, Borgar and Drott [dubious, see below], have been retained side by side with the names given by the compiler, Sigmund and Borghild.

Ár var alda
það er arar gullu,
hnigu heilög vötn
af Himinfjöllum;
þá hafði Helga
inn hugumstóra
Borghildur borið
í Brálundi.

Nótt varð í bæ,
nornir kómu,
þær er öðlingi
aldur um skópu;
þann báðu fylki
frægstan verða
og buðlunga
beztan þykja.

Sneru þær af afli
örlögþáttu,
þá er borgir braut
í Brálundi;
þær um greiddu
gullin símu
og und mána sal
miðjan festu.

Þær austur og vestur
enda fálu,
þar átti lofðungur
land á milli;
brá nift Nera
á norðurvega
einni festi,
ey bað hún halda.

Eitt var að angri
Ylfinga nið
og þeirri meyju
er munúð fæddi:
hrafn kvað að hrafni,
sat á hám meiði,
andvanur átu,
"Eg veit nokkuð!"

"Stendur í brynju
bur Sigmundar
dægurs eins gamall,
nú er dagur kominn;
hvessir augu
sem hildingar,
sá er varga vinur,
við skulum teitir."

Drótt þótti sá
döglingur vera,
kváðu með gumnum
góð ár komin;
sjáfur gekk vísi
úr vígþrimu
ungum færa
íturlauk grami.

It was time's morning,
eagles screeched,
holy waters fell
from the heavenly mountains;
Then was the mighty
Helgi born
by Borghild
in Bralund.

It was night,
norns came,
they who did shape
the fate of the nobleman;
they proclaimed him
best among the Budlungs,
and most famed
among princes.

With might the strands
of fate they twisted,
when Borgar settled [sic!]
in Bralund;
they arranged
the golden thread,
and fastened it directly
'neath the moon's hall.

In the east and west
they hid the ends,
there between
the chief should rule;
Neri's kinswoman [one of the norns]
northward sent
one thread and bade it
hold forever.

One cause there was
of alarm to the Ylfing [Sigmund=Borgar]
and also for her
who bore the loved one;
hungry cawed
one raven to another
in the high tree:
"Hear what I know!"

"In a coat of mail
stands Sigmund's son,
one day old,
now the day is come;
his eyes are sharp
like those of the Hildings,
he is a friend of wolves:
We shall thrive!"

Drott thought she saw [sic!]
in him a "dayling", [bright son of day or light]
the people expected
plentiful harvests;
the chief himself
left the battle
to give the noble "leek"
to the young lord.

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