The Story of Sigurd the Volsung

cast eyes and said at last: "Have ye a mind to

yest about the Isle, when I have set a mark on thee and given thee a token: nor wilt thou be hindered if thou hast a mind to leave the Isle, if t

leave this Isle?

ghed: "In a s

ithe, "shall I find a s

e was silent a while, thinking what answer he should make; th

folk are short of temper and thou knowest there is no might against many. Indeed it is not unlike that they will not speak one word to thee, and if that be so, thou hast no need to open thy mouth to them. And now I will tell thee that it is good that thou hast chosen to go to the Glittering Plain. For if thou wert otherwise min

e, "art thou wending t

and the mariners that waft us; and they forsooth shall not go aland

en thou art come aland t

it is long past noon, go forth into the hall, and leave me to sleep, that I may be as sound as eld will let me to-morrow. And as for thee, folk, both men and women, shall presently come into the hall, and I deem not that any shall meddle with thee; but if so be that any challeng

one thing he marvelled, that whereas he was in an island of the strong-thieves of the waters, and in their very home and chiefest habitation, there were no ships or seas pictured in that imagery, but fair groves and gardens, with flowery grass and fruited trees all about. And there were fair women abiding therein, and lovely young men, and warriors, an

out of talking and laughter, and presently the pattering of feet therewith, and then women came into the hall, a score or more, some young

ased their talking and laughter, and drew round about him, and gazed at him; but none said aught til

his peace; and she spake again: "Whit

lblithe: "The Hou

p to the dais, and set him next to the midmost high-seat. Then she made as if she would do off his war-gear, and he would not gainsay her, though he deemed that foes might be anear; for i

l save the spear, which she laid on the wall-pins above; and she made signs to him that therein he was to lie; but she spake no word to him. Then sh

the chests and brought out the rich hangings, the goodly bankers and dorsars, and did them on the walls: some bore in the stoups and horns and beakers, and some went their ways and came not back a while, for they were busied about the

t of the dais, and stood there in a row. And Hallblithe deemed their war-gear exceeding good; they were all clad in ring-locked byrnies, and had steel helms on their heads with garlands of gold wrought about them and they bore spears in their hands, and white shields hung at their backs. Now came the women to them and unarmed them; and under their armour their raiment was black; but they had gold rings on their arm

eir places on the end-long benches up and down the hall; with these came women also, who most of them sat amongst the men, bu

f the best. Hallblithe was duly served like the others, but still none spake to him or even looked on hi

nd emptied their horns and cups to that health. Then stood up the man furthest on the left and cried out, "Drink a health to the Undying King!" And again all men rose up and shouted ere they drank. Other healths they drank, as the "Cold Keel," the "Windworn Sail," the "Quivering Ash" and the "Furrowed Beach." And the wine and mead flowed like r

t: "Now let man dance with maid, and be we merry! Music, strike up!" Then flew the fiddle-bows and twanged the harps, and the carles and queens stood forth on the floor; and all the women were clad in black raiment, albeit embroidered with knots and wreaths of flowers. A while the

ad all in black armour with naked swords in their hands, and stood amidst the hall-floor, somewhat on o

s left side, but no sword was there; so he sat down again,

olk, with the image of the Raven on their helms and shields. So Hallblithe refrained him, for besides that this see

fter another before the Wild Men, and folk drew them by the heels out into the buttery. Then arose great laughter and jeering, and exceeding wroth was Hallblithe; howbeit he refrained him

doors, and folk pressed forward to see, and, lo, there came forward a string of women, led in by two weaponed carles; and the women were a score in number, and they were barefoot and their h

no man spake in the hall. But the Hostage was not amongst them; nay forsooth, they none of them favoured of the daughters of his people, though they were comely and fair; so that again Hallblithe doubte

how that he had done according to his bidding, so that he deemed the gain was his. So sprang up talk in the hall betwixt man and man, and folk drank about and were merry, till the chiefta

minstrel; and the harpers smote their harps so that the roof rang therewith, and the noise, though it was great, was tuneable,

nd lie

inter'

nd blo

ield an

lk are

weaving

to finger the sh

the singer look

the story of

heaves hoary rip

e maide

ght-hu

shuttl

blue we

hand i

carles th

measure the fid

et treasure the

-hearkening the bl

a-darkening more

afe in

less t

roof o

valiant

hands th

olden

torm's roaring the

t of warring, but

aiden, their feet

are unladen of al

winds are

heart of

as are

undoomed

ht and d

haven

the flurry of st

moon worry, but l

before us! the

arkens o'er us, bi

ateth

oot-smit

ests ar

ver th

ield an

r greeti

ce ended! Lo, m

s blended! Lo, b

ho dieth? O m

olk crieth; our

dale l

dawn

ir fee

wind-wo

turn ba

oof of o

e oaken-floored

yet unbroken; s

e abiding unw

riding the ste

lled out loudly for the good-night cup, and it went round and all men drank. Then the horn blew for bed, and the chieftains went to their chambers, and the others went to the out-bowers or laid the