his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame. But Giuki
had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife.

Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty
though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli
was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet
noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors. Grimhild was
a fierce-heart woman.

Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of
those children, so far before the sons of men.

On a day Gudrun says to her mays that she may have no joy of
heart; then a certain woman asked her wherefore her joy was
departed.

She answered, "Grief came to me in my dreams, therefore is there
sorrow in my heart, since thou must needs ask thereof."

"Tell it me, then, thy dream," said the woman, "for dreams oft
forecast but the weather."

Gudrun answers, "Nay, nay, no weather is this; I dreamed that I
had a fair hawk on my wrist, feathered with feathers of gold."

Says the woman, "Many have heard tell of thy beauty, thy wisdom,
and thy courtesy; some king's son abides thee, then."

Gudrun answers, "I dreamed that naught was so dear to me as this
hawk, and all my wealth had I cast aside rather than him."