geir had gathered, but
she knew that the Volsungs never harkened to talk of odds. She spoke no
more, but bowed her head and went back to King Siggeir's hall.

Siggeir knew that Signy had been to warn her father and her brothers. He
called the men he had gathered and he posted them cunningly in the way
the Volsungs would come. Then he sent one to the ship with a message of
welcome.

As they left their ship the army of King Siggeir fell upon the Volsungs
and their followers. Very fierce was the battle that was waged on the
beach, and many and many a one of King Siggeir's fierce fighters went
down before the fearless ones that made Volsung's company. But at last
Volsung himself was slain and his eleven sons were taken captive. And
Gram, his mighty sword, was taken out of Sigmund's hands.

They were brought before King Siggeir in his hall, the eleven Volsung
princes. Siggeir laughed to see them before him. "Ye are not in the Hall
of the Branstock now, to dishonor me with black looks and scornful
words," he said, "and a harder task will be given you than that of
drawing a sword out of a tree-trunk. Before set of sun I will see you
hewn to pieces with the sword."

Then Signy who was there stood up with her white face and her wide eyes,
and she said: "I pray not for longer life for my brothers, for well I
know that my prayers would avail them nought. But dost thou not heed the
proverb, Siggeir--'Sweet to the eye as long as the eye can see'?"

And Siggeir laughed his evil laugh when he heard her. "Aye, my Queen,"
he said, "sweet to the eye as long as the eye may see their torments.
They shall not die at once nor all together. I will let them see each
other die."

So Siggeir gave a new order to his dastard troops. The order was that
the eleven brothers should be taken into the depths of the forest and
chained to great beams and left there. This was done with the eleven
sons of Volsung.

The next day one who had watched and who was faithful to Signy came, and
Signy said to him: "What has befallen my brothers?"

And the watcher said: "A great wolf came to where the chained men are,
and fell upon the first of them and devoured him."

When Signy heard this no tears came from her eyes, but that which was
hard around her heart became harder. She said, "Go again, and watch what
befalls."

And the watcher came the second time and said: "The second of your
brothers has been devoured by the wolf." Signy shed no tears this time