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Poetic Edda

For long have I wished  your lives to steal from you."
  The boys spake:"Slay thy boys as thou wilt,  for no one may bar it,Short the angry one's peace  if all thou shalt do."
74.[1] Then the grim one slew both  of the brothers young,Full hard was her deed  when their heads she smote off;Fain was Atli to know  whither now they were gone,The boys from their sport,  for nowhere he spied them.
  Guthrun spake:75.[2] "My fate shall I seek,  all to Atli saying,The daughter of Grimhild  the deed from thee hides not;No joy thou hast, Atli,  if all thou shalt hear,Great sorrow didst wake  when my brothers thou slewest.

    The manuscript does not name the speakers. It indicates line 3 as beginning a new stanza, in which it is followed by many editions. The Volsungasaga paraphrases line 4 thus: "But it is shameful for thee to do this." Either the text of the line has been changed or the Volsungasaga compilers misunderstood it. The angry one: Atli.

  1. ↑ The manuscript indicates line 3 as beginning a new stanza.
  2. ↑ The manuscript does not name the speaker.

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