Northern mythology

NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY. 107
the will of Gudrun. As they were sailing home, Biki
instigated Randve to speak in terms of tenderness to
Svanhild, saying it was more suitable for a young man
than for the old king to possess so fair a maiden. After
their arrival Biki told the king that Svanhild was Randve's
mistress; whereupon the king ordered Bandve to
be hanged. When led to the gallows he plucked some
feathers from a hawk and sent them to his father, who
understanding them to signify that he had parted with
his honour, commanded his son to be taken down ; but
Biki had so contrived that he was already dead.
At Biki^s
instigation, Svanhild was also condemned to an ignominious
death. She was placed bound at the city gate, to be
trampled to death by horses. When she turned her eyes
on them, they refused to tread on her ;
sack to be drawn over her head,
but Biki caused a
and thus terminated her
existence ^
Gudrun urged her sons, Sorli and Hamdir, to avenge
their sister, and poured forth loud lamentations over her
unhappy fate. The sons departed cased in mail that no
steel could penetrate, but their mother warned them to
beware of stone. On the way they met their brother
Erp, whom they asked what help he would afford ? He
answered, he would so help them as the hand helps the
hand and the foot the foot. At this they were dissatisfied
According to Saxo (edit. MUller, 414), Jarmericas was a king of Denmark
'
and Sweden. His story differs widely from that in the Eddas and
Volsunga Saga. Of Svanhild (whom he calls Swavilda) he says, " Hanc
tantae fuisse pulchritudinis fama est, ut ipsis quoque jumentis horrori foret
artus eximio decore prseditos sordidis lacerare vestigiis. Quo argumento
rex innocentiam conjugis declarari conjectans, accedente erroris pcenitentia,
falso notatam festiuat absolvere. Advolat interea Bicco, qui supinam
jumenta diris deturbare carminibus nee nisi pronam obteri posse firmaret.
Quippe eaui formae suae beneficio servatam sciebat. In hunc modum collocatum
reginae corpus adactus jumentorum grex crebris alte vestigiis fodit.
Hie Swavildae exitus fuit."