ods, and know not whither I am going."

So he said she might abide, and that he would not refuse harbour to one
lone woman, deeming that she would scarce pay back his good cheer by
tale-bearing: so she came into the house, and they sat down to meat,
and his eyes were often on her, and a goodly and fair woman she seemed
to him; but when they are full, then he says to her, that he is right
fain that they should have but one bed that night; she nowise turned
away therefrom, and so for three nights together he laid her in bed by
him.

Thereafter she fared home, and found the witch-wife and bade her change
semblances again, and she did so.

Now as time wears, Signy brings forth a man-child, who was named
Sinfjotli, and when he grew up he was both big and strong, and fair of
face, and much like unto the kin of the Volsungs, and he was hardly yet
ten winters old when she sent him to Sigmund's earth-house; but this
trial she had made of her other sons or ever she had sent them to
Sigmund, that she had sewed gloves on to their hands through flesh and
skin, and they had borne it ill and cried out thereat; and this she now
did to Sinfjotli, and he changed countenance in nowise thereat. Then she
flayed off the kirtle so that the skin came off with the sleeves, and
said that this would be torment enough for him; but he said--

"Full little would Volsung have felt such a smart this."

So the lad came to Sigmund, and Sigmund bade him knead their meal up,
while he goes to fetch firing; so he gave him the meal-sack, and then
went after the wood, and by then he came back had Sinfjotli made an end
of his baking. Then asked Sigmund if he had found nothing in the meal.

"I misdoubted me that there was something quick in the meal when I first
fell to kneading of it, but I have kneaded it all up together, both the
meal and that which was therein, whatsoever it was."

Then Sigmund laughed out, he said--

"Naught wilt thou eat of this bread to-night, for the most deadly of
worms (1) hast thou kneaded up therewith."

Now Sigmund was so mighty a man that he might eat venom and have no hurt
therefrom; but Sinfjotli might abide whatso venom came on the outside of
him, but might neither eat nor drink thereof.

ENDNOTES:
(1) Serpents.

CHAPTER VIII. The Death of King Siggeir and of Signy.

The tale tells that Sigmund thought Sinfjotli over young to help him to
his revenge, and will first of all harden him with manly deeds; so