[22]. With this stanza begins the dispute between Gothmund and Sinfjotli which, together with Helgi’s rebuke to his half-brother, appears at much greater length in Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 33–48. It is introduced here manifestly in the wrong place. The version here given is almost certainly the older of the two, but the resemblance is so striking, and in some cases (notably in Helgi’s rebuke) the stanzas are so nearly identical, that it seems probable that the composer of the first Helgi Hundingsbane lay borrowed directly from the poem of which the present dialogue is a fragment. Flag: the banner (“gunnfani,” cf. “gonfalon”) here serves as the signal for war instead of the red shield mentioned in Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 34. Battle-light: perhaps the “northern lights.”
[23]. Lines 3–4 are obscure, and in the manuscript show signs of error. Helgi had not at this time, so far as we know, conquered any of Hothbrodd’s land. The realm of the fishes, in line 4, presumably means the sea, but the word here translated “fishes” is obscure, and many editors treat it as a proper name, “the realm of the Fjorsungs,” but without further suggestion as to who or what the Fjorsungs are. [[322]]
[24]. The word here translated swords is a conjectural emendation; the manuscript implies merely an invitation to continue the quarrel at Frekastein. Hothbrodd: apparently he is here considered as present during the dispute; some editors, in defiance of the meter, have emended the line to mean “Time is it for Hothbrodd | vengeance to have.”
[26–27]. Cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 47–48, which are nearly identical. Stanza 27 in the manuscript is abbreviated to the first letters of the words, except for line 5, which does not appear in the other poem, and which looks like an interpolation. [[323]]
[Prose]. Here begins a new section of the poem, dealing with Helgi’s death at the hands of Dag, Sigrun’s brother. The note is based wholly on stanzas 28–34, except for the introduction of Dag’s name (cf. note on prose following stanza 16), and the reference to Othin’s spear, the weapon which made victory certain, and which the annotator brought in doubtless on the strength of Dag’s statement that Othin was responsible for Helgi’s death (stanza 33). Fjoturlund (“Fetter-Wood”): mentioned only here and in stanza 28.
[28]. Line 5 looks like an interpolation.
[29]. Leipt: this river is mentioned in Grimnismol, 28. Uth: a [[324]]daughter of the sea-god Ægir; regarding her sacred stone we know nothing. According to the annotator, Dag’s life had been spared because he swore loyalty to Helgi.
[31]. No gap indicated in the manuscript, but most editors have assumed that either the first or the last two lines have been lost. Bugge adds a line: “The shield shall not help thee | which thou holdest.”
[34]. Vandilsve (“Vandil’s Shrine”): who Vandil was we do not [[325]]know; this and Vigdalir (“Battle-Dale”) are purely mythical places.
[35]. Line 5 may be spurious. Vigblær (“Battle-Breather”): Helgi’s horse.