61. Then did Beiti speak, | he was Atli's steward:
"Let us seize now Hjalli, | and Hogni spare we!
Let us fell the sluggard, | he is fit for death,
He has lived too long, | and lazy men call him."
62. Afraid was the pot-watcher, | he fled here and yon,
And crazed with his terror | he climbed in the corners:
"Ill for me is this fighting, | if I pay for your fierceness,
And sad is the day | to die leaving my swine
And all the fair victuals | that of old did I have."
63. They seized Buthli's cook, | and they came with the knife,
The frightened thrall howled | ere the edge did he feel;
He was willing, he cried, | to dung well the court yard,
Do the basest of work, | if spare him they would;
Full happy were Hjalli | if his life he might have.
64. Then fain was Hogni-- | there are few would do thus--
To beg for the slave | that safe hence he should go;
"I would find it far better | this knife-play to feel,
Why must we all hark | to this howling longer?"
65. Then the brave one they seized; | to the warriors bold
No chance was there left | to delay his fate longer;
Loud did Hogni laugh, | all the sons of day heard him,
So valiant he was | that well he could suffer.
[61. Beiti: not elsewhere mentioned. The Atlakvitha version of this episode (stanzas 25-28) does not mention Beiti, and in the
Volsungasaga the advice to cut out Hjalli's heart instead of Hogni's is given by an unnamed "counsellor of Atli." In the
Atlakvitha Hjalli is actually killed; the Volsungasaga combines the two versions by having Hjalli first let off at Hogni's
intercession and then seized a second time and killed, thus introducing the Atlakvitha episode of the quaking heart (stanza 26).
The text of the first half of line 3 is obscure, and there are many and widely varying suggestions as to the word here rendered
"sluggard."
63. Cook: the original word is doubtful. The Volsungasaga does not paraphrase lines 3-5; the passage may be a later addition, and
line 5 is almost certainly so.
65. It is probable that a stanza describing the casting of Gunnar into the serpents' den has been lost after this stanza. Sons of
day: the phrase means no more than "men."]
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61. Beiti ţat mćlti, bryti var hann Atla:
"Tökum vér Hjalla, en Högna forđum,
högum vér halft yrkjum, hann er skapdauđi,
lifir-a svá lengi, löskr mun hann ć heitinn."
62. Hrćddr var hvergćtir, helt-a in lengr rúmi,
kunni klökkr verđa, kleif í rá hverja;
vesall lézk vígs ţeira, er skyldi váss gjalda,
ok sinn dag dapran at deyja frá svínum,
allri örkostu, er hann áđr hafđi.
63. Tóku ţeir brás Buđla ok brugđu til knífi,
ćpđi illţrćli, áđr odds kenndi,
tóm lézk at eiga teđja vel garđa,
vinna it vergasta, ef hann viđ rétti,
feginn lézk ţó Hjalli, at hann fjör ţćgi.
64. Gćttisk ţess Högni - gerva svá fćri -,
at árna ánauđgum, at undan gengi:
"Fyrir kveđ ek mér minna at fremja leik ţenna.
Hví mynim hér vilja heyra á ţá skrćktun?"
65. Ţrifu ţeir ţjóđgóđan, ţá var kostr engi
rekkum rakklátum ráđ enn lengr dvelja;
hló ţá Högni, heyrđu dagmegir,
keppa hann svá kunni, kvöl hann vel ţolđi.
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