By long roads rides Sigurd, till he comes at the last up on to Hindfell, and wends his way south to the land of the Franks; and he sees before him on the fell a great light, as of fire burning, and flaming up even unto the heavens; and when he came thereto, lo, a shield hung castle before him, and a banner on the topmost thereof: into the castle went Sigurd, and saw one lying there asleep, and all-armed. Therewith he takes the helm from off the head of him, and sees that it is no man, but a woman; and she was clad in a byrny as closely set on her as though it had gown to her flesh; so he rent it from the collar downwards; and then the sleeves thereof, and ever the sword bit on it as if it were cloth. Then said Sigurd that over-long had she lain asleep; but she asked--

"What thing of great might is it that has prevailed to rend my byrny, and draw me from my sleep?"

Even as sings the song¹

"What bit on the byrny,
Why breaks my sleep away,
Who has turned from me
My wan tormenting?"

"Ah, is it so, that here is come Sigurd Sigmundson, bearing Fafnir's helm on his head and Fafnir's bane in his hand?"

Then answered Sigurd--

"Sigmund's son
With Sigurd's sword
E'en now rent down
The raven's wall."

"Of the Volsung's kin is he who has done the deed; but now I have heard that thou art daughter of a mighty king, and folk have told us that thou wert lovely and full of lore, and now I will try the same."

Then Brynhild sang--

"Long have I slept
And slumbered long,
Many and long are the woes of mankind,
By the might of Odin
Must I bide helpless
To shake from off me the spells of slumber.
"Hail to the day come back!
Hail, sons of the daylight!
Hail to thee, dark night, and thy daughter!
Look with kind eyes a-down,
On us sitting here lonely,
And give unto us the gain that we long for.
"Hail to the Aesir,
And the sweet Asyniur!²
Hail to the fair earth fulfilled of plenty!
Fair words, wise hearts,
Would we win from you,
And healing hands while life we hold."

Then Brynhild speaks again and says, "Two kings fought, one hight Helm Gunnar, an old man, and the greatest of warriors, and Odin had promised the victory unto him; but his foe was Agnar, or Audi's brother, and so I smote down Helm Gunnar in the fight; and Odin, in vengeance for that deed, stuck the sleep-thorn into me, and said that I should never again have the victory, but should be given away in marriage; but there against I vowed a vow, that never would I wed one who knew the name of fear."

Then said Sigurd, "Teach us the lore of mighty matters!"

She said, "Belike thou cannest more skill in all than I; yet will I teach thee; yea, and with thanks, if there be aught of my cunning that will in anywise pleasure thee, either of runes or of other matters that are the root of things; but now let us drink together, and may the Gods give to us twain a good day, that thou mayst win good help and fame from my wisdom, and that thou mayst hereafter mind thee of that which we twain speak together."

Then Brynhild filled a beaker and bore it to Sigurd, and gave him the drink of love, and spake--

"Beer bring I to thee,
Fair fruit of the byrnies' clash,
Mixed is it mightily,
Mingled with fame,
Brimming with bright lays
And pitiful runes,
Wise words, sweet words,
Speech of great game.

"Runes of war know thou,
If great thou wilt be!
Cut them on hilt of hardened sword,
Some on the brand's back,
Some on its shining side,
Twice name Tyr therein.

"Sea-runes good at need,
Learnt for ship's saving,
For the good health of the swimming horse;
On the stern cut them,
Cut them on the rudder-blade
And set flame to shaven oar:
Howso big be the sea-hills,
Howso blue beneath,
Hail from the main then comest thou home.

"Word-runes learn well
If thou wilt that no man
Pay back grief for the grief thou gavest;
Wind thou these,
Weave thou these,
Cast thou these all about thee,
At the Thing,
Where folk throng,
Unto the full doom faring.

"Of ale-runes know the wisdom
If thou wilt that another's wife
Should not bewray thine heart that trusteth:
Cut them on the mead-horn,
On the back of each hand,
And nick an N upon thy nail.

"Ale have thou heed
To sign from all harm
Leek lay thou in the liquor,
Then I know for sure
Never cometh to thee,
Mead with hurtful matters mingled.

"Help-runes shalt thou gather
If skill thou wouldst gain
To loosen child from low-laid mother;
Cut be they in hands hollow,
Wrapped the joints round about;
Call for the Good-folks' gainsome helping.

"Learn the bough-runes wisdom
If leech-lore thou lovest;
And wilt wot about wounds' searching
On the bark be they scored;
On the buds of trees
Whose boughs look eastward ever.

"Thought-runes shalt thou deal with
If thou wilt be of all men
Fairest-souled wight, and wisest,
These areded
These first cut
These first took to heart high Hropt.

"On the shield were they scored
That stands before the shining God,
On Early-waking's ear,
On All-knowing's hoof,
On the wheel which runneth
Under Rognir's chariot;
On Sleipnir's jaw-teeth,
On the sleigh's traces.

"On the rough bear's paws,
And on Bragi's tongue,
On the wolfs claws,
And on eagle's bill,
On bloody wings,
And bridge's end;
On loosing palms,
And pity's path:

"On glass, and on gold,
And on goodly silver,
In wine and in wort,
And the seat of the witch-wife;
On Gungnir's point,
And Grani's bosom;
On the Norn's nail,
And the neb of the night-owl.

"All these so cut,
Were shaven and sheared,
And mingled in with holy mead,
And sent upon wide ways enow;
Some abide with the Elves,
Some abide with the Aesir,
Or with the wise Vanir,
Some still hold the sons of mankind.

"These be the book-runes,
And the runes of good help,
And all the ale-runes,
And the runes of much might;
To whomso they may avail,
Unbewildered unspoilt;
They are wholesome to have:
Thrive thou with these then.
When thou hast learnt their lore,
Till the Gods end thy life-days.

"Now shalt thou choose thee
E'en as choice is bidden,
Sharp steel's root and stem,
Choose song or silence;
See to each in thy heart,
All hurt has been heeded."

Then answered Sigurd--

"Ne'er shall I flee,
Though thou wottest me fey;
Never was I born for blenching,
Thy loved rede will I
Hold aright in my heart Even as long as I may live."

Sigurðr ríðr nú langar leiðir ok allt til þess, er hann kemr upp á Hindarfjall, ok stefndi á leið suðr til Frakklands. Á fjallinu sá hann fyrir sér ljós mikit, sem eldr brynni, ok ljómaði af til himins. En er kom at, stóð þar fyrir honum skjaldborg ok upp ór merki. Sigurðr gekk í skjaldborgina ok sá, at þar svaf maðr ok lá með öllum hervápnum. Hann tók fyrst hjálminn af höfði honum ok sá, at þat var kona. Hún var í brynju, ok var svá föst sem hún væri holdgróin. Þá reist hann ofan ór höfuðsmátt ok í gegnum niðr ok svá út í gegnum báðar ermar, ok beit sem klæði. Sigurðr kvað hana helzti lengi sofit hafa. Hún spurði, hvat svá var máttugt, er beit brynjuna --

"ok brá mínum svefni, eða mun hér kominn Sigurðr Sigmundarson, er hefir hjálm Fáfnis ok hans bana í hendi?"

Þá svarar Sigurðr:

"Sá er Völsunga ættar, er þetta verk hefir gert, ok þat hefi ek spurt, at þú ert ríks konungs dóttir, ok þat sama hefir oss sagt verit frá yðrum vænleik ok vitru, ok þat skulu vér reyna."

Brynhildr segir, at tveir konungar börðust. Hét annarr Hjálmgunnarr. Hann var gamall ok inn mesti hermaðr, ok hafði Óðinn honum sigri heitit, en annarr Agnarr eða Auðabróðir. "Ek fellda Hjálmgunnar í orrostu, en Óðinn stakk mik svefnþorni í hefnd þess ok kvað mik aldri síðan skyldu sigr hafa ok kvað mik giftast skulu. En ek strengda þess heit þar í mót at giftast engum þeim, er hræðast kynni."

Sigurðr mælti: "Kenn oss ráð til stórra hluta."

Hún svarar: "Þér munuð betr kunna, en með þökkum vil ek kenna yðr, ef þat er nokkut, er vér kunnum, þat er yðr mætti líka, í rúnum eða öðrum hlutum, er liggja til hvers hlutar, ok drekkum bæði saman, ok gefi goðin okkr góðan dag, at þér verði nyt ok frægð at mínum vitrleik ok þú munir eptir, þat er vit ræðum."

Brynhildr fylldi eitt ker ok færði Sigurði ok mælti:

"Bjór færik þér,
brynþings apaldr,
magni blandinn
ok megintíri;
fullr er ljóða
ok líknstafa,
góðra galdra
ok gamanrúna.

Sigrúnar skaltu kunna,
ef þú vilt snotr vera,
ok rísta á hjalti hjörs,
á vettrimum
ok á valböstum
ok nefna tysvar Tý.

Brimrúnar skaltu gera,
ef þú vilt borgit hafa
á sundi seglmörum.
Á stafni skal þær rísta
ok á stjórnar blaði
ok leggja eld í ár.
Fellrat svá brattr breki
né blár unnir,
þó kemstu heill af hafi.

Málrúnar skaltu kunna,
ef þú vilt, at manngi þér
heiptum gjaldi harm.
Þær um vindr,
þær um vefr,
þær um setr allar saman
á því þingi,
er þjóðir skulu
í fulla dóma fara.

Ölrúnar skaltu kunna,
ef þú vilt, at annars kván
vélit þik í tryggð, ef þú trúir.
Á horni skal þær rísta
ok á handarbaki
ok merkja á nagli nauð.

Full skaltu signa
ok við fári sjá
ok verpa lauk í lög.
Þá ek þat veit,
at þér verðr aldri
meinblandinn mjöðr.

Bjargrúnar skaltu nema,
ef þú vilt borgit fá
ok leysa kind frá konu.
Á lófa skal þær rísta
ok um liðu spenna
ok biðja dísir duga.

Limrúnar skaltu kunna,
ef þú vilt læknir vera
ok kunna sár at sjá.
Á berki skal þær rísta,
ok á barri viðar
þess, er lúti austr limar.

Hugrúnar skaltu nema,
ef þú vilt hverjum vera
geðhorskari guma.
Þær of réð,
þær of reist,
þær of hugði Hroptr.

Á skildi váru ristnar,
þeim er stendr fyr skínanda guði,
á eyra Árvakrs
ok á Alsvinns hófi
ok á því hveli, er stendr
undir reið Rögnis,
á Sleipnis tönnum
ok á sleða fjötrum,
á bjarnar hrammi
ok á Braga tungu,
á úlfs klóm
ok á arnar nefi,
á blóðgum vængjum
ok á brúar sporði,
á lausnar lófa
ok á líknar spori,
á gleri ok á gulli
ok á góðu silfri,
í víni ok í virtri
ok á völu sessi,
í guma holdi,
á Gungnis oddi
ok á gýgjar brjósti,
á nornar nagli
ok á nefi uglu.

Allar váru af skafnar,
þær er á váru ristnar,
ok hrærðar við inn helga mjöð
ok sendar á víða vegu.
Þær eru með álfum,
sumar með Ásum
ok með vísum Vönum.
Sumar hafa mennskir menn.

Þat eru bókrúnar
ok bjargrúnar
ok allar ölrúnar
ok mærar meginrúnar,
hverjum, er þær kná
óvilltar ok óspilltar
sér at heillum hafa.
Njóttu, ef þú namt,
unz rjúfast regin.

Nú skaltu kjósa,
alls þér er kostr of boðinn,
hvassra vápna hlynr.
Sögn eða þögn
haf þú þér sjálfr of hug.
Öll eru mál of metin."

Sigurðr svarar:

"Munkat ek flæja,
þótt mik feigan vitir.
Emkat ek með bleyði borinn.
Ástráð þín
vil ek öll of hafa,
svá lengi sem ek lifi."