SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

The Lay of Attila 3
With this cryptic vision, the first act ends. The pace
changes to the verbal slowness of stanza 12, the lacrymose
farewell of Gunnarr's people. Then, with the relief of
speed, as if glad to turn from tears to movement, Gunnarr
and Hogni gallop across mountain and forest, whipping
their horses -- vannstyggva - through the green plains of
Hunmark.
The second act opens as they see Atli's towering
shield-girt fortress. Gubrun, desperate, meets them as
they enter and orders them out of the hall, to save their
lives. She castigates their folly: why come so defenceless
into danger? - and breaks into a flood of hate against the
Huns, whom she longs to see subjugated. Gently,
resignedly, in contrast to her wildness, Gunnarr tells her
that it is too late for such hopes - Seinat er mi, systir, at
samna Niflungom. They set him in fetters - he makes
no resistance - while Hogni fights and slaughters before
he is held. They offer Gunnarr his life if he will give them
his treasure, and he bargains: first he must know that
Hogni is dead, see, as proof, the heart cut from his breast.
The Huns do not question his demand: no doubt they
assume that he would be ashamed to betray his secret
while his brave brother lived, for, after all, Gunnarr did
not struggle when they seized him. But first, as if they
suspected him of duplicity, they bring him the heart of
a cowardly menial, which trembles on the platter it lies
on. Gunnarr brushes it aside - that is not his brother's
heart. When they cut out Hogni's heart, he laughs at
the pain, mocking all their tyranny. When they bring
this heart to Gunnarr, he recognises it lovingly as it lies
unflinching on the platter: "It trembled not even so much
when it lay in his breast."
Now Gunnarrs moment has come. He has reserved
for himself the final joy of cheating the Huns. Now he is
the only one who knows the secret of the treasure, and he
will never reveal it. He has teased the Huns, made them
play into his hands, let them capture him so that he shall