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Chapter IV
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 Siggeir, 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."
[Footnote 1: Wraith, or familiar spirit.]
"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."
[Footnote 2: Blameless.]
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 his word to come on the day
named, and the kinsmen-in-law parted, and Siggeir went home with his wife.
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