The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs | Page 6

And I bear a woman with me; nor would I for a while?Behold that sea-queen's dwelling; for glad at heart am I Of the realm of the Goths and the Volsungs, and I look for long to lie In the arms of the fairest woman that ever a king may kiss. So I go mine house to order for the increase of thy bliss, That there in nought but joyance all we may wear the days And that men of the time hereafter the more our lives may praise."
And for all the words of Volsung e'en so must the matter be, And Siggeir the Goth and Signy on the morn shall sail the sea. But the feast sped on the fairer, and the more they waxed in disport And the glee that all men love, as they knew that the hours were short. Yet a boding heart bare Sigmund amid his singing and laughter; And somewhat Signy wotted of the deeds that were coming after; For the wisest of women she was, and many a thing she knew; She would hearken the voice of the midnight till she heard what the Gods would do,?And her feet fared oft on the wild, and deep was her communing With the heart of the glimmering woodland, where never a fowl may sing.
So fair sped on the feasting amid the gleam of the gold, Amid the wine and the joyance; and many a tale was told To the harp-strings of that wedding, whereof the latter days Yet hold a little glimmer to wonder at and praise.?Then the undark night drew over, and faint the high stars shone, And there on the beds blue-woven the slumber-tide they won; Yea while on the brightening mountain the herd-boy watched his sheep. Yet soft on the breast of Signy King Siggeir lay asleep.
_How the Volsungs fared to the Land of the Goths, and of the fall of King Volsung._
Now or ever the sun shone houseward, unto King Volsung's bed Came Signy stealing barefoot, and she spake the word and said: "Awake and hearken, my father, for though the wedding be done, And I am the wife of the Goth-king, yet the Volsungs are not gone. So I come as a dream of the night, with a word that the Gods would say, And think thou thereof in the day-tide, and let Siggeir go on his way With me and the gifts and the gold, but do ye abide in the land, Nor trust in the guileful heart and the murder-loving hand, Lest the kin of the Volsungs perish, and the world be nothing worth."
So came the word unto Volsung, and wit in his heart had birth; And he sat upright in the bed and kissed her on the lips; But he said: "My word is given, it is gone like the spring-tide ships: To death or to life must I journey when the months are come to an end. Yet my sons my words shall hearken, and shall nowise with me wend."
Then she answered, speaking swiftly: "Nay, have thy sons with thee; Gather an host together and a mighty company,?And meet the guile and the death-snare with battle and with wrack."
He said: "Nay, my troth-word plighted e'en so should I draw aback: I shall go a guest, as my word was; of whom shall I be afraid? For an outworn elder's ending shall no mighty moan be made."
Then answered Signy, weeping: "I shall see thee yet again When the battle thou arrayest on the Goth-folks' strand in vain. Heavy and hard are the Norns: but each man his burden bears; And what am I to fashion the fate of the coming years?"
She wept and she wended back to the Goth-king's bolster blue, And Volsung pondered awhile till slumber over him drew; But when once more he wakened, the kingly house was up, And the homemen gathered together to drink the parting cup: And grand amid the hall-floor was the Goth king in his gear, And Signy clad for faring stood by the Branstock dear?With the earls of the Goths about her: so queenly did she seem, So calm and ruddy coloured, that Volsung well might deem That her words were a fashion of slumber, a vision of the night. But they drank the wine of departing, and brought the horses dight, And forth abroad the Goth-folk and the Volsung Children rode, Nor ever once would Signy look back to that abode.
So down over acre and heath they rode to the side of the sea, And there by the long-ships' bridges was the ship-host's company. Then Signy kissed her brethren with ruddy mouth and warm, Nor was there one of the Goth-folk but blessed her from all harm; Then sweet she kissed her father and hung about his neck,