The Story of Sigurd the Volsung

he, though he wondered much what all this betokened, and what the land was whereto he was wending, he was no man to fear an unboded peril; and he said to himself that whatever el

elder said. So wore the day and still the wind held fair, though it was light; and the sun set in a sky nigh cloudless, and there was nowhere any forecast of peril. But when night was come, Hallblith

es were little, the sky had but few clouds, the sun

ere wrinkled over his bleared old eyes, the long white hair dangled forlorn from his gaunt head: yet was his face smil

the sooner had thine heart been gladdened. Go forwar

" said Hallblithe, "what good

y; "there are no longer tears in this ol

o meet some one who shall make the

orsooth some one indeed! Yea, the great warrior of the Wasters of the Shore; the Sea-eagle who bore the sword and the torch and the ter

bing up it. Then again the old man fell back on his bed and muttered: "What fool's work is this! that thou wilt draw me on to talk loud, and wa

hough he had caught glimpses of it, as the bows of the round-ship fell downward into the hollow of the sea. The wind was but light, as hath been said, and

h voice: "Why standest thou staring at me? why hast thou not gone forw

dering at thy words, which are exceeding marvellous;

tell it thee? ask of the mariners.

re carrying to sell to the next mighty man they may hap on. Or tell me, thou old man," said he fiercely, "is it perchance a thrall-

he land whereto we are bound. As to thine other word, that these men have no fellowship with thee, it is true: thou

id: "The sun grows hot, the wind failet

eld the mariners handling the sweeps, and settling themselves on the rowin

Then he fell back again, and said in a weak voice: "Make no more delay, guest, but go forward and look upon the land, and come back and tell me thereof, and then the tale may flow from me. Haste, haste!" So Hallblithe went down from the poop, and in to the waist, where now the rowers were bending to their oars, and crying out fi

is no snow on them; and though they be blue they are not blue like the mountains of the Isle of Ransom. Also it

ell me what thou seest; and may happen then thou shalt have my tale!" And he laid him down therewith and seemed to be asleep at once. And Hallblithe might not amend it;

d himself about and sai

w them are hills dark with wood, and betwixt them and the s

a rocky skerry rising high ou

here be, it is all blended wi

gain. But Hallblithe abided, and when the hour was worn, he went forward and stood on the forecastle. And this was the third shift of the rowers, and

leep; so he took him by the shoulder, and shook him an

up and said: "Wha

below them are hills green with grass and dark with woods, and thence stretch s

e skerry?" said

m out the sea about a mile from the yellow strand; but it

sat leaning against the pillows; and he looked not on Hallblithe, but on the bows of the ship, which now pitched but a lit

abide here the Gloom of the Gods. But none of us all may come to the Glittering Plain and the King Undying without turning the back for the last time on the Isle of Ransom: nor may any men of the Isle come hither save those who are of the House of the Sea-eagle, and few of those, save the chieftains of the House, such as are they who sat by thee on the high-seat that even. Of these once in a while is chosen one of us, who is old a

d he said: "And what am I in all this story

t we should bring thee hither alive and well, if so be thou camest to the Isle

that gift of undying youth, and life w

long as thou abidest on the Glittering Plain;

hat ill at ease, and stood and pondered a little. At last he said: "Is t

-plight maiden there all thou wilt. Or thou mayst pray the Undying King to have her thither to thee. What know I? At least, it is like th

said Ha

elder, "must it b

," said H

assure thee but that the land of the Glittering Plain shall chan

n that I shall find the Hostage there; for then shall we be of one mind

l be well ere long,"

they were but a bowshot from the shore, and the ship swung with the tide and lay side-lon

eem, and there is no great space of it betwixt the sea and the flowery grass; and a

r their long gowns flutter in the wind. And one of these is clad in saffron colour, and another in white, and another in watchet; but the carle is clad

have not made ready the skiff? Swillers and belly-gods

heed of him; but he caught up his spear, and followed them and stood by as they lowered the old man into the boat. Then he set his foot on the gunwale of the ship and leapt down lightly into the boat, and none hindered or helped him; and he stood upright in the