33.  This I thee counsel ninthly:  that thou corpses bury, wherever on the earth thou findest them, whether from sickness they have died, or from the sea, or are from weapons dead.

34.  Let a mound be raised for those departed; let their hands and head be washed, combed, and wiped dry, ere in the coffin they are laid:  and pray for their happy sleep.

35.  This I thee counsel tenthly:  that thou never trust a foe’s kinsman’s promises, whose brother thou hast slain, or sire laid low. there is a wolf in a young son, though he with gold be gladdened.

36.  Strifes and fierce enmities think not to be lulled, no more than deadly injury.  Wisdom and fame in arms a prince not easily acquires, who shall of men be foremost.

37.  This I counsel thee eleventhly:  that thou at evil look, what course it may take.  A long life, it seems to me the prince may [not] enjoy;—­fierce disputes will arise.

Sigurd said:  “A wiser mortal exists not, and I swear that I will possess thee, for thou art after my heart.”  She answered:  “Thee I will have before all others, though I have to choose among all men.”  And this they confirmed with oaths to each other.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 67:  The original words, hrafns hraelundir, the raven’s corpse-trees. So Grimm understands the line; because that bird hops about upon the armour as upon a tree.]

[Footnote 68:  The superstition of the healing hand is not yet extinct In Iceland.  Dr. Maurer relates a story of a man in Reykjavlk to whom it would seem to have been communicated by an elfin, in a dream.]

[Footnote 69:  Literally apple-tree.]

[Footnote 70:  The name of a rune.]

[Footnote 71:  Literally beech- (book-) runes, from being used for book writing or graving on thin leaves of beech (bok), whence our book.  Bok also signifies acupictile, vel acupictum (velum, auloeum).]

[Footnote 72:  An allusion to Sigurd’s unhappy end.]

FRAGMENTS OF THE LAY OF SIGURD AND BRYNHILD.[73]

[Sigurd then rides away from Hindarfiall, and journeys on till he comes to the habitation of Heimir, who was married to Beckhild, Brynhild’s sister.  Alsvid, Heimir’s son, who was at play when Sigurd arrived at the mansion, received him kindly, and requested him to stay with him.  Sigurd consented, and remained there a short time.  Brynhild was at that time with Heimir, and was weaving within a gold border the great exploits of Sigurd.