The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs. William Morris

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      So is Sigurd now with Regin, and he learns him many things;

       Yea, all save the craft of battle, that men learned the sons of kings:

       The smithying sword and war-coat; the carving runes aright;

       The tongues of many countries, and soft speech for men's delight;

       The dealing with the harp-strings, and the winding ways of song.

       So wise of heart waxed Sigurd, and of body wondrous strong:

       And he chased the deer of the forest, and many a wood-wolf slew,

       And many a bull of the mountains: and the desert dales he knew,

       And the heaths that the wind sweeps over; and seaward would he fare,

       Far out from the outer skerries, and alone the sea-wights dare.

      On a day he sat with Regin amidst the unfashioned gold,

       And the silver grey from the furnace; and Regin spake and told

       Sweet tales of the days that have been, and the Kings of the bold and wise;

       Till the lad's heart swelled with longing and lit his sunbright eyes.

      Then Regin looked upon him: "Thou too shalt one day ride

       As the Volsung Kings went faring through the noble world and wide.

       For this land is nought and narrow, and Kings of the carles are these.

       And their earls are acre-biders, and their hearts are dull with peace."

      But Sigurd knit his brows, and in wrathful wise he said:

       "Ill words of those thou speakest that my youth have cherished.

       And the friends that have made me merry, and the land that is fair and good."

      Then Regin laughed and answered: "Nay, well I see by thy mood

       That wide wilt thou ride in the world like thy kin of the earlier days:

       And wilt thou be wroth with thy master that he longs for thy winning the praise?

       And now if the sooth thou sayest, that these King-folk cherish thee well,

       Then let them give thee a gift whereof the world shall tell:

       Yea hearken to this my counsel, and crave for a battle-steed."

      Yet wroth was the lad and answered: "I have many a horse to my need,

       And all that the heart desireth, and what wouldst thou wish me more?"

      Then Regin answered and said: "Thy kin of the Kings of yore

       Were the noblest men of men-folk; and their hearts would never rest

       Whatso of good they had gotten, if their hands held not the best.

       Now do thou after my counsel, and crave of thy fosterers here

       That thou choose of the horses of Gripir whichso thine heart holds dear."

      He spake and his harp was with him, and he smote the strings full sweet,

       And sang of the host of the Valkyrs, how they ride the battle to meet,

       And the dew from the dear manes drippeth as they ride in the first of the sun,

       And the tree-boughs open to meet it when the wind of the dawning is done:

       And the deep dales drink its sweetness and spring into blossoming grass,

       And the earth groweth fruitful of men, and bringeth their glory to pass.

      Then the wrath ran off from Sigurd, and he left the smithying stead

       While the song yet rang in the doorway: and that eve to the Kings he said:

       "Will ye do so much for mine asking as to give me a horse to my will?

       For belike the days shall come, that shall all my heart fulfill,

       And teach me the deeds of a king."

      Then answered King Elf and spake:

       "The stalls of the Kings are before thee to set aside or to take,

       And nought we begrudge thee the best."

      Yet answered Sigurd again;

       For his heart of the mountains aloft and the windy drift was fain:

       "Fair seats for the knees of Kings! but now do I ask for a gift

       Such as all the world shall be praising, the best of the strong and the swift

       Ye shall give me a token for Gripir, and bid him to let me choose

       From out of the noble stud-beasts that run in his meadow loose.

       But if overmuch I have asked you, forget this prayer of mine,

       And deem the word unspoken, and get ye to the wine."

      Then smiled King Elf, and answered: "A long way wilt thou ride,

       To where unpeace and troubles and the griefs of the soul abide,

       Yea unto the death at the last: yet surely shalt thou win

       The praise of many a people: so have thy way herein.

       Forsooth no more may we hold thee than the hazel copse may hold

       The sun of the early dawning, that turneth it all unto gold."

      Then sweetly Sigurd thanked them; and through the night he lay

       Mid dreams of many a matter till the dawn was on the way;

       Then he shook the sleep from off him, and that dwelling of Kings he left

       And wended his ways unto Gripir. On a crag from the mountain reft

       Was the house of the old King builded; and a mighty house it was,

       Though few were the sons of men that over its threshold would pass:

       But the wild ernes cried about it, and the vultures toward it flew,

       And the winds from the heart of the mountains searched every chamber through,

       And about were meads wide-spreading; and many a beast thereon,

       Yea some that are men-folk's terror, their sport and pasture won.

      So into the hall went Sigurd; and amidst was Gripir set

       In a chair of the sea-beast's tooth; and his sweeping beard nigh met

       The floor that was green as the ocean, and his gown was of mountain-gold,

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