The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs | Page 6

be free, And then shall we twain together roof
over the glass-green sea With the sides of our golden dragons; and our
war-hosts' blended shields
Shall fright the sea-abiders and the folk of
the fishy fields."
Answered the smooth-speeched Siggeir: "I thank thee well for this,
And thy bidding is most kingly; yet take it not amiss
That I wend my
ways in the morning; for we Goth-folk know indeed That the sea is a
foe full deadly, and a friend that fails at need, And that Ran who dwells
thereunder will many a man beguile: And I bear a woman with me; nor
would I for a while
Behold that sea-queen's dwelling; for glad at heart
am I Of the realm of the Goths and the Volsungs, and I look for long to
lie In the arms of the fairest woman that ever a king may kiss. So I go
mine house to order for the increase of thy bliss, That there in nought
but joyance all we may wear the days And that men of the time
hereafter the more our lives may praise."
And for all the words of Volsung e'en so must the matter be, And
Siggeir the Goth and Signy on the morn shall sail the sea. But the feast
sped on the fairer, and the more they waxed in disport And the glee that
all men love, as they knew that the hours were short. Yet a boding heart
bare Sigmund amid his singing and laughter; And somewhat Signy

wotted of the deeds that were coming after; For the wisest of women
she was, and many a thing she knew; She would hearken the voice of
the midnight till she heard what the Gods would do,
And her feet
fared oft on the wild, and deep was her communing With the heart of
the glimmering woodland, where never a fowl may sing.
So fair sped on the feasting amid the gleam of the gold, Amid the wine
and the joyance; and many a tale was told To the harp-strings of that
wedding, whereof the latter days Yet hold a little glimmer to wonder at
and praise.
Then the undark night drew over, and faint the high stars
shone, And there on the beds blue-woven the slumber-tide they won;
Yea while on the brightening mountain the herd-boy watched his sheep.
Yet soft on the breast of Signy King Siggeir lay asleep.
_How the Volsungs fared to the Land of the Goths, and of the fall of
King Volsung._
Now or ever the sun shone houseward, unto King Volsung's bed Came
Signy stealing barefoot, and she spake the word and said: "Awake and
hearken, my father, for though the wedding be done, And I am the wife
of the Goth-king, yet the Volsungs are not gone. So I come as a dream
of the night, with a word that the Gods would say, And think thou
thereof in the day-tide, and let Siggeir go on his way With me and the
gifts and the gold, but do ye abide in the land, Nor trust in the guileful
heart and the murder-loving hand, Lest the kin of the Volsungs perish,
and the world be nothing worth."
So came the word unto Volsung, and wit in his heart had birth; And he
sat upright in the bed and kissed her on the lips; But he said: "My word
is given, it is gone like the spring-tide ships: To death or to life must I
journey when the months are come to an end. Yet my sons my words
shall hearken, and shall nowise with me wend."
Then she answered, speaking swiftly: "Nay, have thy sons with thee;
Gather an host together and a mighty company,
And meet the guile
and the death-snare with battle and with wrack."

He said: "Nay, my troth-word plighted e'en so should I draw aback: I
shall go a guest, as my word was; of whom shall I be afraid? For an
outworn elder's ending shall no mighty moan be made."
Then answered Signy, weeping: "I shall see thee yet again When the
battle thou arrayest on the Goth-folks' strand in vain. Heavy and hard
are the Norns: but each man his burden bears; And what am I to fashion
the fate of the coming years?"
She wept and she wended back to the Goth-king's bolster blue, And
Volsung pondered awhile till slumber over him drew; But when once
more he wakened, the kingly house was up, And the homemen gathered
together to drink the parting cup: And grand amid the hall-floor was the
Goth king in his gear, And Signy clad for faring stood by the Branstock
dear
With the earls of the Goths about her: so queenly did she seem,
So calm and ruddy coloured, that Volsung well might deem That