The Book of Were-Wolves | Page 6

and he wished first to test his powers; so during the
summer they plunged deep into the wood and slew men for their goods,
and Sigmund saw that he was quite of the Völsung stock. . . . Now it
fell out that as they went through the forest, collecting monies, that they
lighted on a house in which were two men sleeping, with great gold
rings an them; they had dealings with witchcraft, for wolf-skins hung
up in the house above them; it was the tenth day on which they might
come out of their second state. They were kings' sons. Sigmund and
Sinfjötli got into the habits, and could not get out of them again, and
the nature of the original beasts came over them, and they howled as
wolves--they learned "both of them to howl. Now they went into the
forest, and each took his own course; they made the agreement together
that they should try their strength against as many as seven men, but
not more, and. that he who was ware of strife should utter his wolf's
howl.
"'Do not fail in this,' said Sigmund, 'for you are young and daring, and
men would be glad to chase you.' Now each went his own course; and
after that they had parted Sigmund found men, so he howled; and when
Sinfjötli heard that, he ran up and slew them all-then they separated.
And Sinfjötli had not been long in the wood before he met with. eleven
men; he fell upon them and slew them every one. Then he was tired, so
he flung himself under an oak to rest. Up came Sigmund and said,
'Why did you not call out?' Sinfjötli replied, 'What was the need of
asking your help to kill eleven men?'
"Sigmund flew at him and rent him so that he fell, for he had bitten
through his throat. That day they could not leave their wolf-forms.
Sigmund laid him on his back and bare him home to the hall, and sat
beside him, and said, 'Deuce take the wolf-forms!"'--Völsung Saga, c.
8.
There is another curious story of a were-wolf in the same Saga, which I
must relate.

"Now he did as she requested, and hewed down a great piece of timber,
and cast it across the feet of those ten brothers seated in a row, in the
forest; and there they sat all that day and on till night. And at midnight
there came an old she-wolf out of the forest to them, as they sat in the
stocks, and she was both huge and grimly. Now she fell upon one of
them, and bit him to death, and after she had eaten him all up, she went
away. And next morning Signy sent a trusty man to her brothers, to
know how it had fared with them. When he returned he told her of the
death of one, and that grieved her much, for she feared it might fare
thus with them all, and she would be unable to assist them.
"In short, nine nights following came the same she-wolf at midnight,
and devoured them one after another till all were dead, except Sigmund,
and he was left alone. So when the tenth night came, Signy sent her
trusty man to Sigmund, her brother, with honey in his hand, and said
that he was to smear it over the face of Sigmund, and to fill his mouth
with it. Now he went to Sigmund, and did as he was bid, after which he
returned home. And during the night came the same she-wolf, as was
her wont, and reckoned to devour him, like his brothers.
"Now she snuffed at him, where the honey was smeared, and began to
lick his face with her tongue, and presently thrust her tongue into his
mouth. He bore it ill, and bit into the tongue of the she-wolf; she sprang
up and tried to break loose, setting her feet against the stock, so as to
snap it asunder: but he held firm, and ripped the tongue out by the roots,
so that it was the death of the wolf. It is the opinion of some men that
this beast was the mother of King Siggeir, and that she had taken this
form upon her through devilry and witchcraft."--(c. 5.)
There is another story bearing on the subject in the Hrolfs Saga Kraka,
which is pretty; it is as follows:--
"In the north of Norway, in upland-dales, reigned a king called Hring;
and he had a son named Björn. Now it fell out that the queen died,
much lamented by the king, and by all. The people advised him to
marry again, and so be sent men south to get him a wife. A gale and