draught from the fountain of
Mimir, the source of all wisdom.

CHAPTER IV. How King Siggeir wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his
son to Gothland.

Now it is to be told that Siggeir goes to bed by Signy that night, and
the next morning the weather was fair; then says King Siggeir that he
will not bide, lest the wind should wax, or the sea grow impassable;
nor is it said that Volsung or his sons letted him herein, and that the
less, because they saw that he was fain to get him gone from the feast.
But now says Signy to her father--

"I have no will to go away with Seggeir; neither does my heart smile
upon him, and I wot; by my fore-knowledge, and from the fetch (1) of our
kin, that from this counsel will great evil fall on us if this wedding
be not speedily undone."

"Speak in no such wise, daughter!" said he, "for great shame will it be
to him, yea, and to us also, to break troth with him, he being sackless;
(2) and in naught may we trust him, and no friendship shall we have of
him, if these matters are broken off; but he will pay us back in as evil
wise as he may; for that alone is seemly, to hold truly to troth given."

So King Siggeir got ready for home, and before he went from the feast he
bade King Volsung, his father-in-law, come see him in Gothland, and all
his sons with him, whenas three months should be overpast, and to bring
such following with him, as he would have; and as he deemed meet for his
honour; and thereby will Siggeir the king pay back for the shortcomings
of the wedding-feast, in that he would abide thereat but one night only,
a thing not according to the wont of men. So King Volsung gave word to
come on the day named, and the kinsmen-in-law parted, and Siggeir went
home with his wife.

ENDNOTES:
(1) Fetch; wraith, or familiar spirit.
(2) Sackless (A.S. "sacu", Icel. "sok".) blameless.

CHAPTER V. Of the Slaying of King Volsung.

Now tells the tale of King Volsung and his sons that they go at the time
appointed to Gothland at the bidding of King Siggeir, and put off from
the land in three ships, all well manned, and have a fair voyage, and
made Gothland late of an evening tide.

But that same night came Signy and called her father and brothers to a
privy talk, and told them what she deemed King Siggeir was minded to do,
and how that he had drawn together an army no man may meet. "And," says
she, "he is minded to do guilefully by you; wherefore I bid you ge