Now tells the tale of Gunnar, that in the same wise it fared with him; for when they awoke, Glaumvor his wife told him many dreams which seemed to her like to betoken guile coming; but Gunnar areded them all in other wise.

"This was one of them," said she; "methought a bloody sword was borne into the hall here, wherewith thou wert thrust through, and at either end of that wolves howled."

The king answered, "Our dogs shall bite me belike; blood-stained weapons oft betoken dogs' snappings."

She said, "Yet again I dreamed--that women came in, heavy and drooping, and chose thee for their mate; may-happen these would be thy fateful women."

He answered, "Hard to arede is this, and none may set aside the fated measure of his days, nor is it unlike that my time is short."¹

So in the morning they arose, and were minded for the journey, but some letted them herein.

Then cried Gunnar to the man who is called Fjornir--

"Arise, and give us to drink goodly wine from great tuns, because may happen this shall be very last of all our feasts; belike if we die the old wolf shall come by the gold, and that bear shall nowise spare the bite of his war-tusks."

Then all the folk of his household brought them on their way weeping.

The son of Hogni said--

"Fare ye well with merry tide."

The more part of their folk were left behind; Solar and Gnoevar, the sons of Hogni, fared with them, and a great champion, named Orkning, who was the brother of Kostbera.

So folk followed them down to the ships, and all fetted them of their journey, but attained to naught therein.

Then spake Glaumvor, and said--

"O Vingi, most like that great ill hap will come of thy coming, and mighty and evil things shall betide in thy travelling."

He answered, "Hearken to my answer; that I lie not aught: and may the high gallows and all things of grame have me, if I lie one word!"

Then cried Kostbera, "Fare ye well with merry days."

And Hogni answered, "Be glad of heart, howsoever it may fare with us!"

And therewith they parted, each to their own fate. Then away they rowed, so hard and fast, that well-nigh the half of the keel slipped away from the ship, and so hard they laid on to the oars that thole and gunwale brake.

But when they came aland they made their ship fast, and then they rode awhile on their noble steeds through the murk wild-wood.

And now they behold the king's army, and huge uproar, and the clatter of weapons they hear from thence; and they see there a mighty host of men, and the manifold array of them, even as they wrought there: and all the gates of the burg were full of men.

So they rode up to the burg, and the gates thereof were shut; then Hogni brake open the gates, and therewith they ride into the burg.

Then spake Vingi, "Well might ye have left this deed undone; go to now, bide ye here while I go seek your gallows-tree! Softly and sweetly I base you hither, but an evil thing abode thereunder; short while to bide ere ye are tied up to that same tree!"

Hogni answered, "None the more shall we waver for that cause; for little methinks have we shrunk aback whenas men fell to fight; and naught shall it avail thee to make us afeard,--and for an ill fate hast thou wrought."

And therewith they cast him down to earth, and smote him with their axe-hammers till he died.

Nú er at segja frá Gunnari, at þar er sams dæmi, er þau vakna, at Glaumvör, kona Gunnars, segir drauma sína marga, þá er henni þóttu líkligir til svika, en Gunnarr réð alla því á móti.

"Þessi var einn af þeim," sagði hún, "at mér þótti blóðugt sverð borit hér inn í höllina, ok vartu sverði lagðr í gegnum, ok emjuðu úlfar á báðum endum sverðsins."

Konungrinn svarar: "Smáir hundar vilja oss þar bíta, ok er opt hundagnöll fyrir vápnum með blóði lituðum."

Hún mælti: "Enn þótti mér hér inn koma konur, ok váru daprligar, ok þik kjósa sér til manns. Má vera, at þínar dísir hafi þat verit."

Hann svarar: "Vant gerist nú at ráða, ok má ekki forðast sitt aldrlag, en eigi ólíkt, at vér verðum skammæir."

Ok um morgininn spretta þeir upp ok vilja fara, en aðrir löttu.

Síðan mælti Gunnarr við þann mann, er Fjörnir hét:

"Statt upp ok gef oss at drekka af stórum kerum gott vín, því at vera má, at sjá sé vár in síðasta veizla, ok nú mun inn gamli úlfrinn komast at gullinu, ef vér deyjum, ok svá björninn mun eigi spara at bíta sínum vígtönnum."

Síðan leiddi liðit þá út með gráti.

Sonr Högna mælti:

"Farið vel ok hafið góðan tíma."

Eptir var meiri hlutr liðs þeira. Sólarr ok Snævarr, synir Högna, fóru ok einn kappi mikill, er Orkningr hét. Hann var bróðir Beru.

Fólkit fylgdi þeim til skipa, ok löttu allir þá fararinnar, en ekki tjóaði.

Þá mælti Glaumvör:

"Vingi, segir hún, "meiri ván, at mikil óhamingja standi af þinni kvámu, ok munu stórtíðendi gerast í för þinni."

Hann svarar: "Þess sver ek, at ek lýg eigi, ok mik taki hár gálgi ok allir gramir, ef ek lýg nakkvat orð."

Ok lítt eirði hann sér í slíkum orðum.

Þá mælti Bera: "Farið vel ok með góðum tíma."

Högni svarar: "Verið kátar, hversu sem með oss ferr."

Þar skiljast þau með sínum forlögum. Síðan reru þeir svá fast ok af miklu afli, at kjölrinn gekk undan skipinu mjök svá hálfr. Þeir knúðu fast árar með stórum bakföllum, svá at brotnuðu hlumir ok háir. Ok er þeir kómu at landi, festu þeir ekki skip sín.

Síðan riðu þeir sínum ágætum hestum myrkvan skóg um hríð.

Nú sjá þeir konungsbæinn. Þangat heyra þeir mikinn gný ok vápnabrak ok sjá þar mannfjölda ok mikinn viðrbúnað, er þeir höfðu, ok öll borgarhlið váru full af mönnum.

Þeir ríða at borginni, ok var hún byrgð. Högni braut upp hliðit, ok ríða nú í borgina.

Þá mælti Vingi: "Þetta mættir þú vel ógert hafa, ok bíðið nú hér, meðan ek sæki yðr gálgatré. Ek bað yðr með blíðu hér koma, en flátt bjó undir. Nú mun skammt at bíða, áðr þér munuð upp festir."

Högni svarar: "Eigi munu vér fyrir þér vægja, ok lítt hygg ek, at vér hrykkim þar, er menn skyldu berjast, ok ekki tjóar þér oss at hræða, ok þat mun þér illa gefast."

Hrundu honum síðan ok börðu hann öxarhömrum til bana.