The Story of the Volsungs

CHAPTER VI. Of how Signy sent the Children of her and...

Now whenas Sig­mund is loosed and the stocks are bro­ken, he dwells in the woods and holds him­self there; but Signy sends yet again to wot of the tid­ings, whether Sig­mund were alive or no; but when those who were sent came to him, he told them all as it had betid, and how things had gone be­twixt him and the wolf; so they went home and tell Signy the tid­ings; but she goes and finds her broth­er, and they take coun­sel in such wise as to make a house un­der­ground in the wild-​wood; and so things go on a while, Signy hid­ing him there, and send­ing him such things as he need­ed; but King Siggeir deemed that all the Vol­sungs were dead.

Now Siggeir had two sons by his wife, where­of it is told that when the el­dest was ten win­ters old, Signy sends him to Sig­mund, so that he might give him help, if he would in any wise strive to avenge his fa­ther; so the youngling goes to the wood, and comes late in evening-​tide to Sig­mund’s earth-​house; and Sig­mund wel­comed him in seem­ly fash­ion, and said that he should make ready their bread; “But I,” said he, “will go seek fire­wood.”

There­with he gives the meal-​bag in­to his hands while he him­self went to fetch fir­ing; but when he came back the youngling had done naught at the bread-​mak­ing. Then asks Sig­mund if the bread be ready –

Says the youngling, “I durst not set hand to the meal sack, be­cause some­what quick lay in the meal.”

Now Sig­mund deemed he wot­ted that the lad was of no such heart as that he would be fain to have him for his fel­low; and when he met his sis­ter, Sig­mund said that he had come no nigher to the aid of a man though the youngling were with him.

Then said Signy, “Take him and kill him then; for why should such an one live longer?” and even so he did.

So this win­ter wears, and the next win­ter Signy sent her next son to Sig­mund; and there is no need to make a long tale there­of, for in like wise went all things, and he slew the child by the coun­sel of Signy.