J. F. Campbell Collection > Völsunga saga

1 8 THE STORY OF THE
but one bed that night ; she nowise turned away there-
from, and so for three nights together he laid her in bed
by him.
Thereafter she fared home, and found the witch-wife,
and bade her change semblances again, and she did
so.
Now as time wears, Signy brings forth a man-child,
who was named Sinfjotli, and when he grew up he was
both big and strong, and fair of face, and much like
unto the kin of the Volsungs, and he was hardly yet ten
winters old when she sent him to Sigmund's earth-house;
but this trial she had made of her other sons or ever she
had sent them to Sigmund, that she had sewed gloves on
to their hands through flesh and skin, and they had
borne it ill and cried out thereat ; and this she now did
to Sinfjotli, and he changed countenance in nowise
thereat. Then she flayed off" the kirtle so that the skin
came off" Avith the sleeves, and said that this would be
torment enough for him ; but he said —
" Full little would Volsung have felt such a smart
as this."
So the lad came to Sigmund, and Sigmund bade him
knead their meal up, while he goes to fetch firing ; so
he gave him the meal-sack, and then went after the
wood, and by then he came back had Sinfjotli made an
end of his baking. Then asked Sigmund if he had
found nothing in the meal.
" I misdoubted me that there was something quick
in the meal when I first fell to kneading of it, but I
have kneaded it all up together, both the meal and that
which was therein, whatsoever it was."
Then Sigmund laughed out, and said —