Then arose the cry of the people, and that Duke of Atli spake: "We bless thee, O mighty Gunnar, for the Eastland Atli's sake, And his kingdom as thy kingdom, and his men as thy men shall be, And the gold in Atli's treasure is stored and gathered for thee."
So spake he amid their shouting, and the Queen from the high-seat stept, And Gudrun stood with the strangers, and there were women who wept, But she wept no more than she smiled, nor spake, nor turned again To that place in the ancient dwelling where once lay Sigurd slain. But she mounteth the wain all golden, and the Earls to the saddle leap, And forth they ride in the morning, and adown the builded steep That hath no name for Gudrun, save the place where Sigurd fell, The strong abode of treason, the house where murderers dwell.
Three days they ride the lealand till they come to the side of the sea: Ten days they sail the sea-flood to the land where they would be: Three days they ride the mirk-wood to the peopled country-side, Three days through a land of cities and plenteous tilth they ride; On the fourth the Burg of Atli o'er the meadows riseth up, And the houses of his dwelling fine-wrought as a silver cup.
Far off in a bight of the mountains by the inner sea it stands, Turned away from the house of Gudrun, and her kindred and their lands. Then to right and to left looked Gudrun and beheld the outland folk, With no love nor hate nor wonder, as out from the teeth she spoke To that unfamiliar people that had seen not Sigurd's face. There she saw the walls most mighty as they came to the fencèd place: But lo, by the gate of the city and the entering in of the street Is an host exceeding glorious, for the King his bride will greet: So Gudrun stayeth her fellows, and lighteth down from the wain, And afoot cometh Atli to meet hers and they meet in the midst, they twain, And he casteth his arms about her as a great man glad at heart; Nought she smiles, nor her brow is knitted as she draweth aback and apart, No man could say who beheld her if sorry or glad she were; But her steady eyes are beholding the King and the Eastland's Fear, And she thinks: Have I lived too long? how swift doth the world grow worse, Though it was but a little season that I slept, forgetting the curse!