in the fire with her
husband and his men.

Sigmund and Sinfiotli now gathered together folk and ships and
returned to the land of the Volsungs, where they were warmly welcomed.

And thus ended the great feud between the Volsungs and the Goths.

CHAPTER XVI

How Sigmund Fought His Last Battle

_This is the tale the Northmen tell of how Sigmund took
Hiordis to wife, and was slain of the might of Odin._

Now Sigmund in course of time became the greatest king of all the
Volsungs; and Sinfiotli was the captain of his host.

And it came to pass that Sinfiotli loved a fair woman and desired to
have her for his wife; but the brother of Sigmund's queen was also in
love with her. So they fought together in a distant land, and
Sinfiotli slew his rival.

Many another battle did he fight, until he had become renowned above
all men; and in the autumn-tide he turned home again.

And when he had told all his news to King Sigmund he went to the
queen, and told how he had slain her brother in fair fight. Now when
she heard this the queen was wroth, and bade him begone from the
kingdom, nor would she listen to his words about the quarrel. But
Sigmund forbade him to depart, and, declaring that her brother had
been slain in fair fight, offered to his wife much gold in atonement
for the unhappy deed.

Then the queen, seeing that her will was not likely to prevail, bowed
her head, and said: "Have thy way in this matter, my lord, for it is
right that so it should be."

But in her heart she harboured evil thoughts against Sinfiotli. Then
she held a funeral feast for her dead brother, and bade thither many
great men.

And at that feast, as was the custom in those days, the queen carried
horns of mead to the chief guests. And when she came to Sinfiotli in
his turn she put the mighty horn into his hands, saying, with a smile:
"Come now and drink, fair nephew."

But Sinfiotli looked therein and said: "Nay; for there is a charm
within the mead."

"Give it to me," quoth Sigmund, when he heard those words. And he took
the horn and drank off the mead.

But the queen's face darkened, and she taunted Sinfiotli, saying:
"Must other men quaff thy drink for thee?"

And she came a second time and gave the horn into his hands, saying:
"Art thou a coward after all? Come now and drink."

But he looked into the horn, and lo: "Guile is in the drink," said he.

Sigmund again seized the vessel, saying: "Give it then to me," and
dra