ried the finished sword from out the forge, it seemed to his
helpers that fire burned along its edges.

"Take thy sword," said the old man, "and if this fails, I have lost my
skill in sword-making."

This time when Sigurd smote upon the anvil the keen steel clove into
the metal right up to the hilt, and he pulled it out unhurt. Then he
went to the river and flung up-stream a tuft of wool, and when the
tide carried the wool against the edge of the sword it was cut in two.
And then was Sigurd satisfied and his heart rejoiced.

Upon his return Regin met him. "Now that I have made thee this good
sword," said he, "wilt thou, for thy part, keep thy word, and go
against Fafnir the dragon?"

"Surely will I do that thing," said Sigurd, "but first I must avenge
my father."

So he went to the king, and bowing before him said: "Here have I now
lived all my lifetime, and thanks and gratitude are owing from me to
you, with all due honour. But now will I go hence to meet the sons of
Hunding, that they may know that the Volsungs are not all dead; and I
would have your goodwill go with me upon the journey."

The king approved of Sigurd's spirit, and said he would give him
whatsoever he desired; and therewith a great army was prepared, with
ships and weapons, so that he might proceed on his journey in due
state and power. And Sigurd himself steered the ship with the dragon's
head, which was the finest of the fleet.

At first they ran before a fair wind; but after a few days there arose
a great storm, and the sky and sea were red like blood. And as they
sailed close along the shore, a certain man hailed them and asked who
was captain of that array; and they told him that their chief was
Sigurd, son of Sigmund, on his way to win fame for himself.

And the stranger said: "There is none like Sigurd, son of Sigmund, on
this earth; so now, I pray thee, take me on board."

So they made for land and took the man aboard. Old he was and
one-eyed; and his grey hat was slouched far over his face. And Sigurd
saw that he was no ordinary traveller, and asked therefore if he could
tell, before ever they reached land, what their fate would be on those
stormy waters and in the battle that was to come.

Then said the Traveller: "Thou shalt land safe and sound, and victory
shall be thine in the fight if thou shalt see these signs: First, a
raven sitting on a tree; next, two warriors coming into the courtyard
to meet thee, when the tramp of thy f