J. F. Campbell Collection > Völsunga saga

VOLSUNGS AND NIB LUNGS. 21
wild-wood, and each went his way; and a word they
made betwixt them, that they should risk the onset of
seven men, but no more, and that he who was first to be
set on should howl in wolfish wise : " Let us not depart
from this," says Sigmund, " for thou art young and over-
bold, and men will deem the quarry good, when they
take thee."
Now each goes his way, and when they were parted,
Sigmund meets certain men, and gives forth a wolf's
howl ; and when Sinfjotli heard it, he went straightway
thereto, and slew them all, and once more they parted.
But ere Sinfjotli has fared long through the woods,
eleven men meet him, and he wrought in such wise that
he slew them all, and was awearied therewith, and
crawls under an oak, and there takes his rest. Then
came Sigmund thither, and said —
" Why didst thou not call on me ? "
Sinfjotli said, " I was loth to call for thy help for the
slaying of eleven men."
Then Sigmund rushed at him so hard that he stag-
gered and fell, and Sigmund bit him in the throat.
Now that day they might not come out of their wolf-
skins : but Sigmund lays the other on his back, and
bears him home to the house, and cursed the wolf-gears
and gave them to the trolls. Now on a day he saw
where two weasels went, and how that one bit the other
in the throat, and then ran straightway into the thicket,
and took up a leaf and laid it on the wound, and
thereon his fellow sprang up quite and clean whole ; so
Sigmund went out and saw a raven flying with a blade
of that same herb to him ; so he took it and drew it
over Sinfjotli's hurt, and he straightway sprang up as