by their
intercourse with Roman and Byzantine Christianity." These records,
carefully collected by Saemund the learned, form the Elder Edda, the
most precious relic of ancient Northern literature, without which we
should know comparatively little of the religion of our forefathers.

The sagas relate that the first settlements in Greenland and Vinland
were made in the same way,--the Norsemen piously landing wherever
their household gods drifted ashore.

CHAPTER XXVI: THE SIGURD SAGA

The Beginning of the Story

While the first part of the Elder Edda consists of a collection
of alliterative poems describing the creation of the world, the
adventures of the gods, their eventual downfall, and gives a complete
exposition of the Northern code of ethics, the second part comprises a
series of heroic lays describing the exploits of the Volsung family,
and especially of their chief representative, Sigurd, the favourite
hero of the North.

The Volsunga Saga

These lays form the basis of the great Scandinavian epic, the Volsunga
Saga, and have supplied not only the materials for the Nibelungenlied,
the German epic, and for countless folk tales, but also for Wagner's
celebrated operas, The Rhinegold, Valkyr, Siegfried, and The Dusk of
the Gods. In England, William Morris has given them the form which
they will probably retain in our literature, and it is from his great
epic poem, by the courteous permission of his trustees, and of his
publishers, Messrs. Longmans, Green and Co., that almost all the
quotations in this section are taken in preference to extracts from
the Edda.

Sigi

The story of the Volsungs begins with Sigi, a son of Odin, a powerful
man, and generally respected, until he killed a man from motives
of jealousy, the latter having slain more game when they were out
hunting together. In consequence of this crime, Sigi was driven from
his own land and declared an outlaw. But it seems that he had not
entirely forfeited Odin's favour, for the god now provided him with
a well-equipped vessel, together with a number of brave followers,
and promised that victory should ever attend him.

Thus aided by Odin, the raids of Sigi became a terror to his foes,
and in the end he won the glorious empire of the Huns and for many
years reigned as a powerful monarch. But in extreme old age his
fortune changed, Odin forsook him, his wife's kindred fell upon him,
and he was slain in a treacherous encounter.