[28]. Perhaps a line has been lost before line 1; Grundtvig supplies: “Gunnar and Hogni, | the heirs twain of Gjuki.” Snævar (the manuscript here has “Snevar”), Solar and Orkning [[510]]appear only in this poem and in the prose narratives based on it. Lines 2–3 may have been expanded out of one line, or possibly line 3 is spurious. The manuscript indicates line 4 as beginning a new stanza, and many editions make a separate stanza out of lines 4–5, many of them assuming the loss of two lines. Shield-tree: warrior (Orkning), here identified as Kostbera’s brother. Fair-decked ones: women, i.e., Glaumvor and Kostbera. Fjord: perhaps specifically the Limafjord mentioned in stanza 4.
[30]. The manuscript indicates no gap. Grundtvig inserts (line 2): “The evil was clear | when his words he uttered.”
[31]. Bera: Kostbera; the first element in compound feminine [[511]]proper names was not infrequently omitted; cf. Hild for Brynhild (Helreith Brynhildar, 6). The manuscript indicates no gap; Grundtvig inserts (line 2): “And clear was her cry | to her kinsmen dear.”
[32]. Hogni’s method of cheering his wife and sister-in-law is somewhat unusual, for the meaning of lines 3–4 is that good wishes and blessings are of little use in warding off danger.
[33]. Perhaps two lines have been lost after line 2; Grundtvig supplies: “Then weeping did Glaumvor | go to her rest-bed, / And sadly did Bera | her spinning wheel seek.”
[34]. Keel, etc.: in the Nibelungenlied, and presumably in the older German tradition, Hagene breaks his oar steering the Burgundians across the Danube (stanza 1564), and, after all have landed, splinters the boat (stanza 1581) in order that there may be no retreating. The poet here seems to have confused the story, [[512]]connecting the breaking of the ship’s keel with the violence of the rowing, but echoing the older legend in the last line, wherein the ship is allowed to drift away after the travellers have landed. Oar-loops: the thongs by which the oars in a Norse boat were made fast to the thole-pins, the combination taking the place of the modern oarlock.
[35]. The manuscript indicates line 4 as beginning a new stanza, and many editions combine it with stanza 36, some of them assuming the loss of a line from stanza 35. In the Volsungasaga paraphrase the second half of line 4 is made a part of Vingi’s speech: “Better had ye left this undone.”
[36]. Cf. note on preceding stanza; the manuscript does not indicate line 1 as beginning a stanza. Line 3 may be spurious.
[37]. In the Volsungasaga paraphrase the second half of line 1 and the first half of line 2 are included in Hogni’s speech. [[513]]
[38]. Possibly two lines have been lost after line 2.