in of finding him, for his game and his joy it is to fight and win
fame, while thou art kissing the handmaids by the fire-side."

Then answered Granmar, "In nowise knowest thou how to speak seemly
things, and to tell of matters remembered from of old, whereas thou
layest lies on chiefs and lords; most like it is that thou must have
long been nourished with wolf-meat abroad in the wild-woods, and has
slain thy brethren; and a marvel it is to behold that thou darest to
join thyself to the company of good men and true, thou, who hast sucked
the blood of many a cold corpse."

Sinfjotli answered, "Dim belike is grown thy memory now, of how thou
wert a witch-wife on Varinsey, and wouldst fain have a man to thee, and
chose me to that same office of all the world; and how thereafter thou
wert a Valkyria (1) in Asgarth, and it well-nigh came to this, that for
thy sweet sake should all men fight; and nine wolf whelps I begat on thy
body in Lowness, and was the father to them all."

Granmar answers, "Great skill of lying hast thou; yet belike the father
of naught at all mayst thou be, since thou wert gelded by the giant's
daughters of Thrasness; and lo thou art the stepson of King Siggeir, and
were wont to lie abroad in wilds and woods with the kin of wolves; and
unlucky was the hand wherewith thou slewest thy brethren, making for
thyself an exceeding evil name."

Said Sinfjotli, "Mindest thou not then, when thou were stallion Grani's
mare, and how I rode thee an amble on Bravoll, and that afterwards thou
wert giant Golnir's goat-herd?"

Granmar says, "Rather would I feed fowls with the flesh of thee than
wrangle any longer with thee."

Then spake King Helgi, "Better were it for ye, and a more manly deed, to
fight, rather than to speak such things as it is a shame even to hearken
to; Granmar's sons are no friends of me and of mine, yet are they hardy
men none the less."

So Granmar rode away to meet King Hodbrod, at a stead called Sunfells,
and the horses of the twain were named Sveipud and Sveggjud. The
brothers met in the castle-porch, and Granmar told Hodbrod of the
war-news. King Hodbrod was clad in a byrny, and had his helm on his
head; he asked--

"What men are anigh, why look ye so wrathful?"

Granmar says, "Here are come the Volsungs, and twelve thousand men of
them are afloat off the coast, and seven thousand are at the island
called Sok, but at the stead called Grindur is the greatest company of
all, and now I