d witless, praying thus for more bale for thy
brothers than their present slaying; yet this will I grant thee, for the
better it likes me the more they must bear, and the longer their pain is
or ever death come to them."

Now he let it be done even as she prayed, and a mighty beam was brought
and set on the feet of those ten brethren in a certain place of the
wild-wood, and there they sit day-long until night; but at midnight, as
they sat in the stocks, there came on them a she-wolf from out the wood;
old she was, and both great and evil of aspect; and the first thing she
did was to bite one of those brethren till he died, and then she ate him
up withal, and went on her way.

But the next morning Signy sent a man to the brethren, even one whom she
most trusted, to wot of the tidings; and when he came back he told her
that one of them was dead, and great and grievous she deemed it, if they
should all fare in like wise, and yet naught might she avail them.

Soon is the tale told thereof: nine nights together came the she-wolf
at midnight, and each night slew and ate up one of the brethren, until
all were dead, save Sigmund only; so now, before the tenth night came,
Signy sent that trusty man to Sigmund, her brother, and gave honey into
his hand, bidding him do it over Sigmund's face, and set a little deal
of it in his mouth; so he went to Sigmund and did as he was bidden, and
then came home again; and so the next night came the she-wolf according
to her wont, and would slay him and eat him even as his brothers; but
now she sniffs the breeze from him, whereas he was anointed with the
honey, and licks his face all over with her tongue, and then thrusts
her tongue into the mouth of him. No fear he had thereof, but caught
the she-wolf's tongue betwixt his teeth, and so hard she started back
thereat, and pulled herself away so mightily, setting her feet against
the stocks, that all was riven asunder; but he ever held so fast that the
tongue came away by the roots, and thereof she had her bane.

But some men say that this same she-wolf was the mother of King
Siggeir, who had turned herself into this likeness by troll's lore and
witchcraft.

CHAPTER VI. Of how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to
Sigmund.

Now whenas Sigmund is loosed and the stocks are broken, he dwells in the
woods and holds himself there; but Signy sends yet again to wot of the
tidings, whether Sigmund were alive or no; but when those who w