To the stead of Thegn Brightnoth
Came a seeking small war band
Lytelman the silver giver
Four friends at hand
Herewulf the bow-wise
Eawulf Galdor
Stigand the stout heart
Nothgyth the Brave
By boat to the wild
and onward they went
up narrowing gulley
till marchday was spent
in darkness the sentinels
denizens heard
and come the new daylight
saw spoor of the wight
steep now and strait
the route of their trek
hemmed in by bluffs
go forward their fate
Horn-blast of Nothgyth
sounded alarm
and ran they at speed
to keep her from harm
strongly they hewed
and ground grimly held
till Eawulf with galdor
set pukels to flight
Braver their wight kin
stood at cliff edge
made a fell rock-rain
their foe to dislodge
out from the pool came
forth a nicor
ghastly beast mongrel
scion of boar
bitter the wounding
Stigand sore hurt
pukelmen cleaving
the shielded burg
Wulfs Ea and Here
the Nicor attack
with fire of Thunor
and hatred of Axe
Hard now the ironplay
Fire-hot the bane
Pukelmen leader
and all his band slain
Battered the heroes
enter the cave
find captive a Sweon
kept as a slave
Bound by a common
Hatred of Witch
Freed giant Sweyn
to Geats now attached
ere dawn on the morrow
at Gefnhame stead
a band bent on vengeance
the witches hall tread
Fair faced evil bade them enter
sending forth her creatures vile
honeyed words and restless deadmen
on them would no smithwork bite
wise to wiles the noble Sweon
flesh did sear her bonds to break
fire and stone of old between them
lich destroy and spellcraft break
then did flee the beaten Haegtesse
mangled heroes paused withall
made a time for rest and counsel
Draught and magecraft free to all
Newly fit they hurried onward
Final last revenge to take
sharp like steel and hard their valour
Time had come to scotch a snake
From the mere pool rose in ambush
Toad of terror whipping tongue
Lytelman its dainty morsel
East Geat Dinner-Geat had become
All stood forth with bow and weapon
Eawulf aid of Thunor seeks
cunning Nicor strike evaded
at the cost of ruined breeks
Toads o’ercome, the final hurdle
evil priestess there await
Lytelman careless of danger
bears the witch into the lake
Nothgyth Eawulf champion swimmers
reached the island of the mere
Cast them down the baneful fetish
Ended reign of terror there
freed the fairest Goddess Gefion
healed all hurts and rule restored
Scars of Nothgyth made to vanish
Walcyrie as new reborn.