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Chapter III
Chapter III
Of the Sword That Sigmund, Volsung`s son, drew from the Branstock
There was a king called Siggeir, who ruled over Gothland, a mighty king
and of many folk; he went to meet Volsung, the king, and prayed him for Signy
his daughter to wife; and the king took his talk well, and his sons withal,
but she was loth thereto, yet she bade her father rule in this as in all other
things that concerned her; so the king took such rede^1 that he gave her to
him, and she was betrothed to King Siggeir; and for the fulfilling of the
feast and the wedding, was King Siggeir to come to the house of King Volsung.
The king got ready the feast according to his best might, and when all things
were ready, came the king`s guests and King Siggeir withal at the day
appointed, and many a man of great account had Siggeir with him.
[Footnote 1: Rede (A.S. raed), counsel, advice, a tale or prophecy.]
The tale tells that great fires were made endlong the hall, and the great
tree aforesaid stood midmost thereof; withal folk say that, whenas men sat by
the fires in the evening, a certain man came into the hall unknown of aspect
to all men; and suchlike array he had, that over him was a spotted cloak, and
he was bare - foot, and had linen - breeches knit tight even unto the bone,
and he had a sword in his hand as he went up to the Branstock, and a slouched
hat upon his head: huge he was, and seeming - ancient, and one - eyed.^2 So he
drew his sword and smote it into the tree - trunk so that it sank in up to the
hilts; and all held back from greeting the man. Then he took up the word, and
said -
[Footnote 2: The man is Odin, who is always so represented, because he gave
his eye as a pledge for a draught from the fountain of Mimir, the source of
all wisdom.]
"Whoso draweth this sword from this stock, shall have the same as a gift
from me, and shall find in good sooth that never bare he better sword in hand
than is this.,"
Therewith out went the old man from the hall, and none knew who he was or
whither he went.
Now men stand up, and none would fain be the last to lay hand to the
sword, for they deemed that he would have the best of it who might first touch
it; so all the noblest went thereto first, and then the others, one after
other; but none who came thereto might avail to pull it out, for in nowise
would it come away howsoever they tugged at it; but now up comes Sigmund, King
Volsung`s son, and sets hand to the sword, and pulls it from the stock, even
as if it lay loose before him; so good that weapon seemed to all, that none
thought he had seen such a sword before, and Siggeir would fain buy it of him
at thrice its weight of gold, but Sigmund said -
"Thou mightest have taken the sword no less than I from there whereas it
stood, if it had been thy lot to bear it; but now, since it has first of all
fallen into my hand, never shalt thou have it, though thou biddest therefor
all the gold thou hast."
King Siggeir grew wroth at these words, and deemed Sigmund had answered
him scornfully, but whereas he was a wary man and a double - dealing, he made
as if he heeded this matter in nowise, yet that same evening he thought how he
might reward it, as was well seen afterwards.
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