Held my lord’s heart, till Heorrenda came,
40 The skillful singer, and received the land-right
That the proud helm of earls had once promised to me!
That has passed over: so this may depart!
[1.] Weland, or Wayland; the blacksmith of the Norse gods. He is represented as being the son of Wada (see [Widsith, v. 22, note]).
[8.] Beadohild was violated by Weland, and this stanza refers to the approaching birth of her son Widia (or Wudga). (See [Widsith, vv. 124, 130], and [Waldhere, B, vv. 4-10].)
[14.] The exact meaning of the third strophe as here translated is not clear. To make it refer to the story of Nithhad and Weland, it is necessary to make certain changes suggested by Professor Tupper (Modern Philology, October, 1911; Anglia, xxxvii, 118). Thus amended, this stanza would read: “Of the violation of (Beadu)hild many of us have heard. The affections of the Geat (i.e., Nithhad) were boundless, so that sorrowing love deprived him of all sleep.” This grief of Nithhad would be that caused by the killing of his sons and the shame brought on his daughter. Thus the first three stanzas of the poem would refer to (1) Weland’s torture, (2) Beadohild’s shame, and (3) Nithhad’s grief.
[18.] Strophe four refers to Theodoric the Goth (see [Widsith, v. 115], and [Waldhere, B, v. 4, note]). He was banished to Attila’s court for thirty years.
[19.] Mærings: a name applied to the Ostrogoths.
[21.] Eormanric was king of the Goths and uncle to Theodoric. He died about 375 A.D. He put his only son to death, had his wife torn to pieces, and ruined the happiness of many people. For an account of his crimes see the [notes to Widsith, v. 8].