s
named Alfhild, their son was named Hedin; the second was named Saereid,
their son was Humlung; the third was named Sinriod, their son was
Hymling. King Hiorvard made a vow that he would have to wife the most
beautiful woman he knew of, and was told that King Svafnir had a
daughter of incomparable beauty, named Sigrlinn. He had a jarl named
Idmund, whose son Atli was sent to demand the hand of Sigrlinn for the
king. He stayed throughout the winter with King Svafnir. There was a
jarl there named Franmar, who was the foster-father of Sigrlinn, and
had a daughter named Alof. This jarl advised that the maiden should be
refused, and Atli returned home. One day when the jarl's son Atli was
standing in a grove, there was a bird sitting in the boughs above him,
which had heard that his men called the wives which King Hiorvard had
the most beautiful. The bird talked, and Atli listened to what it
said. The bird said:

1. Hast thou seen Sigrlinn, Svafnir's daughter, of maidens fairest,
in her pleasant home? though fair the wives of Hiorvard seem to men in
Glasis-lund.

_Atli._

2. With Atli, Idmund's son, sagacious bird! wilt thou further speak?

_Bird._

I will if the prince will offer to me, and I may choose what I will
from the king's court.

_Atli._

3. Choose not Hiorvard nor his sons, nor the fair daughters of that
prince, nor the wives which the king has. Let us together bargain;
that is the part of friends.

_Bird._

4. A fane I will chose, offer steads many, gold-horned cows from the
chief's land, if Sigrlinn sleep in his arms, and unconstrained with
that prince shall live.

This took place before Atli's journey; but after his return, when the
king asked his tidings, he said:

5. Labour we have had, but errand none performed; our horses failed
us in the vast fell; we had afterwards a swampy lake to ford; then was
denied us Svafnir's daughter with rings adorned, whom we would obtain.

The king commanded them to go a second time, and also went himself.
But when they had ascended a fell, and saw in Svavaland the country on
fire, and a great reek from the horses of cavalry, the king rode down
the fell into the country, and took up his night-quarters by a river.
Atli kept watch, and crossed the river, and came to a house, on which
sat a great bird to guard it, but was asleep. Atli shot the bird dead
with an arrow. In the house he found the king's daughter Sigrlinn, and
Alof daughter of Franmar, and brought t