86. "Still more would I seek | to slay thee thyself,
Enough ill comes seldom | to such as thou art;
Thou didst folly of old, | such that no one shall find
In the whole world of men | a match for such madness.
Now this that of late | we learned hast thou added,
Great evil hast grasped, | and thine own death feast made."

Atli spake:

87. "With fire shall they burn thee, | and first shall they stone thee,
So then hast thou earned | what thou ever hast sought for."

Guthrun spake:

"Such woes for thyself | shalt thou say in the morning,
From a finer death I | to another light fare."

88. Together they sat | and full grim were their thoughts,
Unfriendly their words, | and no joy either found;
In Hniflung grew hatred, | great plans did he have,
To Guthrun his anger | against Atli was told.

89. To her heart came ever | the fate of Hogni,
She told him 'twere well | if he vengeance should win;
So was Atli slain,-- | 'twas not slow to await,-- Hogni's son slew him, | and Guthrun herself.

90. Then the warrior spake, | as from slumber he wakened,
Soon he knew for his wounds | would the bandage do nought:
"Now the truth shalt thou say: | who has slain Buthli's son?
Full sore am I smitten, | nor hope can I see."

[86. The manuscript does not indicate the speaker. Lines 1-2 may be the remains of a separate stanza; Grundtvig adds: "Thou wast foolish, Atli, | when wise thou didst feel, / Ever the whole | of thy race did I hate." The Volsungasaga paraphrase, however, indicates no gap. Many editions make a separate stanza of lines 3-6, which, in the Volsungasaga, are paraphrased as a speech of Atli's. Lines 5-6 may be spurious.

87. The manuscript does not indicate the speakers. Many editions make two separate stanzas of the four lines. Another light: a fairly clear indication of the influence of Christianity; cf. Introductory Note.

88. The manuscript marks line 3 as the beginning of a new stanza. Hniflung: the Volsungasaga says that "Hogni had a son who was called Hniflung," but the name appears to be nothing more than the familiar "Niflung" applied in general to the sons of Gjuki and their people. On the spelling cf. note on stanza 47. This son of Hogni appears in later versions of the story. In the Thithrekssaga he is called Aldrian, and is begotten by Hogni the night before his death. Aldrian grows up and finally shuts Attila in a cave where he starves to death. The poet here has incorporated the idea, which finds no parallel in the Atlakvitha, without troubling himself to straighten out the chronology.

89. Line 4 may be in Fornyrthislag, and from another poem.

90. The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza.

The Volsungasaga makes line 2 part of Atli's speech.]

86. "Vili mér enn vćri at vega ţik sjalfan,
fátt er fullilla farit viđ gram slíkan;
drýgt ţú fyrr hafđir ţat, er menn dćmi vissu-t til,
heimsku, harđrćđis í heimi ţessum;
nú hefir ţú enn aukit, ţat er áđan frágum;
greipt glćp stóran, gört hefir ţú ţitt erfi."

Atli kvađ:

87. "Brennd muntu á báli ok bariđ grjóti áđr,
ţá hefir ţú árnat ţatstu ć beiđisk."

Guđrún kvađ:

"Seg ţér slíkar sorgir ár morgin,
fríđra vil ek dauđa fara í ljós annat."

88. Sátu samtýnis, sendusk fárhugi,
hendusk heiftyrđi, hvártki sér unđi;
heift óx Hniflungi, hugđi á stórrćđi,
gat fyr Guđrúnu, at hann vćri grimmr Atla.

89. Kómu í hug henni Högna viđfarar,
talđi happ hánum, ef hann hefnt ynni.
Veginn var ţá Atli, var ţess skammt bíđa,
sonr vá Högna ok sjalf Guđrún.

90. Röskr tók at rćđa, rakđisk ór svefni,
kenndi brátt benja, bands kvađ hann ţörf enga:
"Segiđ it sannasta, hverr vá son Buđla,
emk-a ek lítt leikinn, lífs tel ek ván enga."