Ett sista farväl

 

“Although most fornaldarsagor are dealing with battle-hardened themes there are also scenes and passages in the sagas that highlight completely different themes. “A final farewell” is based on Völsungasagan (Völsunga saga) and the love story between Helge Hundigsbane and his wife Sigrun. Helge is assassinated by Odin’s lent spear and travels to Valhalla, but for one single night he returns to his tomb and to the realm of the living. Bloody, and with frost in his hair, he meets his wife Sigrun who accompanies her dead husband back to the tomb, just to spend one last night together. At dawn Helge must return to Valhalla and once again leave his wife, who a short time thereafter dies because of grief.”

 

Lyric :

Brynjan din bär blod, rimfrost höljer ditt hår

Händer kalla mist sitt liv.

Jag gläds av att dig se, likt korp vid valplats fröjd

Säg hur kan jag bota dig ?

 

Blott du som vållat det, du viv från Sävafjäll,

En färd i sorgens dagg

På sporrad häst nu här, till livet endast gäst,

För att möta dig igen.

 

Du gråter, Solvit, grymma tårar faller

Var tår faller blodig på likets bröst

Du som är i livet, följ mig in i gravens mörker

På den dödes arm, du sorglös vila får.

 

Dräpt av ett spjut, i lönndomens svek

Fejdrunor skilde oss åt

Ett sista farväl, min Skjöldungadis

Av ångestens tyngande vände jag hit.

 

Nu måste jag fara, nu skall jag giva mig av,

Rida med följe över himlens rand.

Jag skall vara i väster, åter till Allfaders hall

Innan salens hane galer dag

 

Dräpt av ett spjut, i lönndomens svek

Fejdrunor skilde oss åt

Ett sista farväl, min Skjöldungadis

Av ångestens tyngande vände jag hit.

 

Vänd aldrig dit, till dödas hus, när örnarna

somnat på askens gren.

Hon föll snart död, min Skjöldungadis

Saknaden bragde hennes liv.

 

English translation :

Your chainmail is covered in blood, rime casing your hair

Hands so cold have lost all life.

I cheer at the sight of you, like a raven’s delight at a battleground

Tell me, how can I heal you ?

 

Only you who caused it, wife from Sävafjäll,

a voyage in the dew of sorrow.

On spurred horse I ride, but alas only as life’s guest

To meet you once again.

 

You weep, Solvit, cruel tears are falling.

Each tear falls bloody on the body’s chest.

You who are alive, follow me into the darkness of the tomb,

In the arms of the dead, you will rest serenely.

 

Slain by a spear, in clandestine betrayal

Runes of feud kept us apart

A final farewell, my Skjöldungadis,

By the burden of anxiety, I returned.

 

Now I must go, I must leave,

To ride with my companions over the verge of the sky.

I will settle in the West, once again in Allfader’s hall

Before the rooster of the hall welcomes the day.

 

Slain by a spear, in clandestine betrayal

Runes of feud kept us apart

A final farewell, my Skjöldungadis,

By the burden of anxiety, I returned.

 

Never venture into the houses of the dead,

when the Eagles have fallen asleep on the branches of the ash tree

She soon perished, my Skjöldungadis

The loss snuffed out her life.

 

Illustration by Kris Verwimp

Source : Månegarm