[49]. In place of “as so she spake” in line 1 the manuscript has [[436]]“of their plans they thought,” which involves a metrical error.
[51]. No gap indicated in the manuscript; many editions place it between lines 3 and 4. Menja’s wealth: gold; the story of the mill Grotti, whereby the giantesses Menja and Fenja ground gold for King Frothi, is told in the Grottasongr.
[52]. With this stanza begins Brynhild’s prophesy of what is to befall Gunnar, Guthrun, Atli, and the many others involved in their fate. Line 3 is a proverbial expression meaning simply “your troubles are not at an end.”
[53]. No gap is indicated in the manuscript; one suggestion for line 2 runs: “Grimhild shall make her | to laugh once [[437]]more.” Gering suggests a loss of three lines, and joins lines 3–4 with stanza 54.
[54]. Probably a line has been lost from this stanza. Grundtvig adds as a new first line: “Her shalt thou find | in the hall of Half.” Some editions query line 3 as possibly spurious. Svanhild: the figure of Svanhild is exceedingly old. The name means “Swan-Maiden-Warrior,” applying to just such mixtures of swan-maiden and Valkyrie as appear in the Völundarkvitha. Originally part of a separate tradition, Svanhild appears first to have been incorporated in the Jormunrek (Ermanarich) story as the unhappy wife of that monarch, and much later to have been identified as the daughter of Sigurth and Guthrun, thus linking the two sets of legends.
[55]. Line 2 in the original is almost totally obscure. Line 4 should very possibly precede line 2, while line 5 looks like an unwarranted addition.
[56]. This stanza probably ought to follow stanza 52, as it refers solely to the winning of Brynhild by Gunnar and Sigurth. Müllenhoff regards stanzas 53–55 as interpolated. The manuscript indicates no gap after line 3. [[438]]
[57]. Stanzas 57–58 seem to be the remains of two stanzas, but the Volsungasaga paraphrase follows closely the form here given. Line 3 may well be spurious; line 5 has likewise been questioned. Oddrun: this sister of Atli and Brynhild, known mainly through the Oddrunargratr, is a purely northern addition to the cycle, and apparently one of a relatively late date. She figures solely by reason of her love affair with Gunnar.
[58]. Possibly two lines have been lost; many editions combine the two remaining lines with lines 1–3 of stanza 59. Concerning the manner of Gunnar’s death cf. Drap Niflunga.
[59]. Line 3 may well be spurious, as it is largely repetition. The manuscript has “sofa” (“sleep”) in place of “sona” (“sons”), but the Volsungasaga paraphrase says clearly “sons.” The slaying of Atli by Guthrun in revenge for his killing of her brothers is told in the two Atli lays. The manuscript marks line 4 as the beginning of a new stanza, and some editions make a separate stanza out of lines 4–5, or else combine them with stanza 60.