6. Forth did Kostbera, | wife of Hogni, then come,
Full kindly she was, | and she welcomed them both;
And glad too was Glaumvor, | the wife of Gunnar,
She knew well to care | for the needs of the guests.
7. Then Hogni they asked | if more eager he were,
Full clear was the guile, | if on guard they had been;
Then Gunnar made promise, | if Hogni would go,
And Hogni made answer | as the other counseled.
8. Then the famed ones brought mead, | and fair was the feast,
Full many were the horns, | till the men had drunk deep;
. . . . . . . . . .
Then the mates made ready | their beds for resting.
9. Wise was Kostbera, | and cunning in rune-craft,
The letters would she read | by the light of the fire;
But full quickly her tongue | to her palate clave,
So strange did they seem | that their meaning she saw not.
10. Full soon then his bed | came Hogni to seek,
. . . . . . . . . .
The clear-souled one dreamed, | and her dream she kept not,
To the warrior the wise one | spake when she wakened:
[6. Some editions place this stanza between stanzas 7 and 8. Kostbera ("The Giver of Food") and Glaumvor ("The Merry"): presumably creations of the poet.
Both: Atli's two emissaries, Vingi and the one here unnamed (Knefröth?).
7. It is altogether probable that a stanza has been lost between stanzas 6 and 7, in which Gunnar is first invited, and replies doubtfully. Made promise:
many editions emend the text to read "promised the journey." The text of line 4 is obscure; the manuscript reads "nitti" ("refused"), which many editors
have changed to "hlitti," which means exactly the opposite. 8. No gap is indicated in the manuscript; Bugge adds (line [fp. 503] 3): "Then the warriors
rose, | and to slumber made ready." The manuscript indicates line 4 as beginning a new stanza, and some editions make a separate stanza out of lines 1-2.
Others suggest the loss of a line after line 4
9. The manuscript does not indicate line 1 as the beginning of a stanza; cf. note on stanza 8.
10. Some editions combine this stanza with lines 1-2 of stanza 11. The manuscript indicates no gap. Grundtvig adds (line 2)
"But sleep to the woman | so wise came little."]
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6. Kom ţá Kostbera, kvćn var hon Högna,
kona kapps gálig, ok kvaddi ţá báđa;
glöđ var ok Glaumvör, er Gunnarr átti,
fellsk-at sađr sviđri, sýsti of ţörf gesta.
7. Buđu ţeir heim Högna, ef hann ţá heldr fćri,
sýn var svipvísi, ef ţeir sín gćđi;
hét ţá för Gunnarr, ef Högni vildi,
Högni ţví nítti-t, er hinn of réđi.
8. Báru mjöđ mćrar, margs var alls beini;
fór ţar fjölđ horna, unz ţótti fulldrukkit.
9. Hjú gerđu hvílu sem ţeim hćgst ţótti;
kennd var Kostbera, kunni hon skil rúna,
innti orđstafi at eldi ljósum;
gćta varđ hon tungu í góma báđa,
váru svá villtar, at var vant at ráđa.
10. Sćing fóru síđan sína ţau Högni;
dreymđi dróttláta, dulđi ţess vćtki,
sagđi horsk hilmi, ţegars hon réđ vakna:
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