ow will I away
from the land and go meet the sons of Hunding, and do them to wit that
the Volsungs are not all dead; and your might would I have to strengthen
me therein."

So the kings said that they would give him all things soever that
he desired, and therewith was a great army got ready, and all things
wrought in the most heedful wise, ships and all war-gear, so that his
journey might be of the stateliest: but Sigurd himself steered the
dragon-keel which was the greatest and noblest; richly wrought were
their sails, and glorious to look on.

So they sail and have wind at will; but when a few days were overpast,
there arose a great storm on the sea, and the waves were to behold even
as the foam of men's blood; but Sigurd bade take in no sail, howsoever
they might be riven, but rather to lay on higher than heretofore. But
as they sailed past the rocks of a ness, a certain man hailed the ships,
and asked who was captain over that navy; then was it told him that the
chief and lord was Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, the most famed of all the
young men who now are.

Then said the man, "Naught but one thing, certes, do all say of him, that
none among the sons of kings may be likened unto him; now fain were I
that ye would shorten sail on some of the ships, and take me aboard."

Then they asked him of his name, and he sang--

"Hnikar I hight,
When I gladdened Huginn,
And went to battle,
Bright son of Volsung;
Now may ye call
The carl on the cliff top,
Feng or Fjolnir:
Fain would I with you."

They made for land therewith, and took that man aboard.

Then quoth Sigurd,(1) as the song says--

"Tell me this, O Hnikar,
Since full well thou knowest
Fate of Gods, good and ill of mankind,
What best our hap foresheweth,
When amid the battle
About us sweeps the sword edge."

Quoth Hnikar--

"Good are many tokens
If thereof men wotted
When the swords are sweeping:
Fair fellow deem I
The dark-winged raven,
In war, to weapon-wielder.

"The second good thing:
When abroad thou goest
For the long road well arrayed,
Good if thou seest
Two men standing,
Fain of fame within the forecourt.

"A third thing:
Good hearing,
The wolf a howling
Abroad under ash boughs;
Good hap shalt thou have
Dealing with helm-staves,
If tho