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Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I

A sea-sentry was he,  skilled to speak,And in words with princes  well to strive.
35.[1] "Say tonight  when you feed the swine,And send your bitches  to seek their swill,That out of the East  have the Ylfings come,Greedy for battle,  to Gnipalund.
36.[2] "There will Hothbrodd  Helgi find,In the midst of the fleet,  and flight he scorns;Often has he  the eagles gorged,Whilst thou at the quern  wert slave-girls kissing."
  Gothmund spake:37.[3] "Hero, the ancient  sayings heed,And bring not lies  to the nobly born.............................
38.[4] "Thou hast eaten  the entrails of wolves,And of thy brothers  the slayer been;Oft wounds to suck  thy cold mouth sought,And loathed in rocky  dens didst lurk."
  1. ↑ Ylfings: cf. stanza 5 and note.
  2. ↑ Quern: turning the hand mill was, throughout antiquity, the task of slaves.
  3. ↑ The manuscript does not name the speakers in this dialogue. No gap indicated in the manuscript, and editors have attempted various combinations of stanzas 37 and 38.
  4. ↑ Wolves: the Volsungasaga tells that Sigmund and Sinfjotli lived in the woods for a time as werewolves. Brothers:

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