The Story of Sigurd the Volsung

not up, but said to himself, "It is but the lads bringing back the teams from the a

p and saw over the turf wall of the garth

ing back from the sea-shore

she has come from among them, and leapt off her horse, and cast her arms about my neck as her wont is; and it will rejoice her then to mock me with hard words and kind voice an

which was contrary to their wont; and his heart fell, and it was as if instead of the maidens' laughte

ithe stood aghast while one who had gotten off her horse (and she was the daughter of his own mother) ran past him into the hall, looking not at him, as if she durst not: and another rode off swiftly to the horse-stalls. But the others, leaving their

me, sisters, what evil hath befallen us, even if it be the de

s, and thought no harm thereof, but went on running and playing amidst the little waves that fell on the sand, and the ripples that curled around our feet. At last there came a small boat from the side of the round-ship, and rowed in toward shore, and still we feared not, though we drew a little aback from the surf and let fall our gown-hems. But the crew of that boat beached her close to where we stood, and came hastily wading the surf towards us; and we saw that t

r defilement at their hands than for death; for they were evil-looking men exceeding foul of fa

'Choose ye then whether we shall take one, or all of you across the waters in our blac

n, and not all; for

e us sure thereof?'

proudly and said:

u swear it

the House wherein I shall wed; by the wings

nd move not till we have made way on our ship, unless ye would feel the point of

nd how of the mariners as they drew up the anchor and sheeted home; and then the sweeps came out and the ship began to move over the sea. And one of those evil-minded men bent his bow and shot a shaft at us, but it fell far short

s thereby, and clenched the nail on the other side. Then he looked about, and saw that the other damsel had brought him his coal-black war-horse ready saddled and bridled; then he did on his armour, and girt his sword to his side and leapt into the saddle, and took his new-shafted spear in hand and shook the rein. But none of all those dams