SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

2 Saga-Book oj the Viking Society
wastes no words on affection or kinship - he tempts others
by what tempts himself. Gunnarr does not reply at once.
With deliberation - hpfrJi vatt Gunnarr - he turns his
eyes from the messenger to HQgni his brother and asks
what he would advise, noting laconically an absurdity in
the invitation: why does Atli offer wealth to the wealthiest
men in the world, owners of the Niflung hoard? And
with leisurely pride he enumerates his own riches, as fine
an inventory as Atli's. The decision is in balance: the
Burgundians despise Atli's offer; is there any reason why
they should accept? Hogni provides the reason. He has
seen a wolf's hair twisted in the ring their sister has sent
them: "The way is wolfish if we ride on this journey."
The invitation is no longer an invitation but a challenge.
Now that danger is certain, Gunnarr cannot refuse.
And it is their sister's warning, her officious fears, that
have made them accept. The tension, the sense of
ill-omen, that were momentarily dispelled by the lavish
invitation and Gunnarr's easy irony, have returned: the
Huns are to be feared. Gunnarr decides promptly - "as
a king should" - and orders the cups to be filled again,
turns the taciturn drinking that greeted the coming of the
messenger into a reckless celebration of their fatal going,
the drinking of their own funeral ale. Savagely Gunnarr
prophesies:
"The wolf will rule
with its old, grey packs
the inheritance of the Niflungar,
if Gunnarr is lost.
The dark-furred bears
will bite with wrangling teeth,
bring sport to the troop of curs,
if Gunnarr does not come back."2
, I read, line 3, granferoir. I have preferred to relate pref-, line 6, to Mod.
Ieel. prefa 'to wrangle', OE preeft 'quarrelsomeness', rather than to prifa 'to
grasp', since this gives a closer parallel to vigtQnn, Hilditonn, In greyst6i'Ji
line 7, I have preferred to interpret grey- literally (ef. ulfr, birnir) even
though stoo is elsewhere in OIeel used only of horses.