ther Sigi to await the wood-beasts. Then came
midnight, and one of the wolves fell upon Sigi and the other turned
on me. But I met it with snarling like its own, and my teeth gripped
its throat, and my hands strove with the fetters till they burst. So
I slew the beast with my irons, but when I looked, Sigi lay dead, and
the other wolf had fled again to the thicket. Then I lay hid till
Siggeir's woodmen had looked on the place and departed with their
tidings, and as I beheld them I knew that pity was killed in my
heart, and that henceforward I should live but to avenge me on him
who hath so set the gods at nought." Then Signy spake noble words of
comfort, saying: "I wot well that Siggeir shall pay the due price of
his deeds, though the vengeance may tarry long, and I wot also that
thy life shall yet know gladness. Bear a stout heart, therefore, to
meet the waiting time, and make thee a lair in the woods whence thou
mayest fall on men of the Goth-folk, and win what thy life needeth.
As for me, I will see thy face once again ere many days are past to
wot where thou dwellest and then must we meet no more."

And so saying, she kissed him and departed, but Sigmund turned in the
dawn-light, and sought a wood-lair as she had bidden him.

_Of the fostering of Sinfiotli, Signy's son, and of the slaying of
Siggeir the Goth-king._

So wrought is the will of King Siggeir, and he weareth Odin's sword
And it lies on his knees in the council and hath no other lord:
And he sendeth earls o'er the sea-flood to take King Volsung's land,
And those scattered and shepherdless sheep must come beneath his hand.
And he holdeth the milk-white Signy as his handmaid and his wife,
And nought but his will she doeth, nor raiseth a word of strife;
So his heart is praising his wisdom, and he deems him of most avail
Of all the lords of the cunning that teacheth how to prevail.

Now Sigmund dwelt long in the wild-wood, abiding in a strong cave deep
hidden in a thicket by the river-side.

And now and again he fell upon the folk of Siggeir as they journeyed,
and slew them, and thus he had war-gear and gold as much as he would.
Also he became a master of masters in the smithying craft, and the
folk who beheld the gleam of his forge by night, deemed that a king
of the Giants was awakened from death to dwell there, and they durst
not wander near the cavern.

So passed the years till on a springtide morning Signy sent forth to
Sigmund a