Gríðr svarar: "Engan eld fær þú af mér, nema þú mælir þrjú sannyrði, ok ef þú gerir þetta skjótt, þá skaltu liggja hjá dóttur minni, en ef þú vilt eigi þenna kost, þá hirði ek eigi, þó at Björn kali til dauðs." 

Gridr answers: "You would not get any fire from me, except you speak 3 true-words, and if you do this quickly, you shall lie next to my daughter, but if you didn't want this choice, then I would not mind, although Bjorn would freeze to death.

Illugi segist þetta vilja.

Illugi said for himself to want this.

Eptir þetta gengr fram ein kona. 

After this a woman steps forward. 

Hún er svá fríð, at Illugi þóttist enga fríðari sét hafa. 

She was so beautiful that Illugi thought to himself to have seen no one more beautiful.

Ok þegar er hann sá hana, felldi hann mikla ást til hennar. 

And immediately when he saw her, he fell greatly in love toward her.

Hún var hljóð ok fáræðin. 

She was silent and chary of words.

Illugi tók þá til máls: "Mér mun mál," segir hann, "at fá sannyrðin: Hellir þínn er hár ok breiðr, at ek hefi eigi sét hús meira né sterkara. 

Illugi then began to speak: "To me the matter will," he says "to get the true-words: Your cave is high and broad, that I haven't seen a larger or stronger house.

Svá er ok nefit á þér mikit, at ek hefi eigi sét meira skrípi en þú ert, ok svá svört, at fagrt er gólfit hjá þér, ok enga hefi ek ámátligri sét en þik, ok víst er dóttir þín fegri, ok ykkar hefi ek sét mestan mun, ok svá munu allir segja, er ykkr sjá." 

So it is also to you a big nose (i.e., you have a big nose), that I have not seen a more grotesque monster than you are, and so black that the floor is beautiful beside you, and I have seen no one more loathsome than you, and certainly your daughter is more beautiful, and of you two I have seen the greatest difference, and so all will say who see you two."

Gríðr mælti þá: "Víst er þat," segir hún, "at hvárki viltu lofa mik né hæla mér, ok ekki lízt þér svá illa á mik sem þú lætr, en þat þykki mér nú ráð, at þú farir í hvílu með dóttur minni, ok leik allt þat, er þik lystir, því at þér lízt betr á dóttur mína en á mik. 

Gridr then spoke: "It is certain," she says, "that you will neither praise me nor flatter me, and it doesn't appear for you so bad to me if you would lose, but it seemed to me now advisable that you go to bed with my daughter, and perform all that which you desire, because my daughter seems better to you than me.

Nú mun skjótt at öllu farit," segir Gríðr, "ok þarf ekki lengi lýsingar." 

Soon all will (be) gone," says Gridr, "and bans of marriage are needed no longer."

Illugi segir svá vera skyldu. 

Illugi says it should be so.

Gengr hann at hvílunni ok kastar klæðum, en kerling þjónar dóttur sinni, ok kómu þau í eina hvílu bæði. 

He goes to bed and casts off his clothes, and the woman serves her daughter, and they both come to bed.

Illugi snýst at henni ok gerir sik blíðan, en hún gerir enga gleði af sér. 

It seemed to Illugi that she herself acts friendly, but she doesn't act glad about him.

Þrífr Gríðr þá í hár Illuga ok kippir honun fram á stokkinn, en annarri hendi brá hún björtu saxi ok mjök bitrligu ok reiddi at höfði honum, en Illugi lá kyrr ok hrærði hvergi á sér.

Gridr then suddenly takes hold of Illigi's hair and pulls him forward to the board along the front of the bed, but the other hand she drew a bright, short, and very sharp one-edged sword and attacked his head, but Illugi lay quiet and stirred himself not at all.