The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-29
vOLSUNGA SAGA.


translation of the ancient "volsunga Saga; or
the Story of the volsungs and Niblungs, {"
translated from the Icelandsh by William
Morris and Eirikr Magnusson, gives the fol-
lowing abstract of the story, which those
who are familiar with the famous German
epic "Nibelungen Lied" will recognize as a
variation of the same theme
The story, as here given to us, is in forty
three chapters, of which the first twelve may
be considered as Introductory. The thirteenth
tells of ''the Birth and Waxing" of Sigurd
(the Siegfried of the 'Nibelungen Lied), the
hero, the Achilles, of the tale. His foster-father,
Regin, teaches him ''all manner of arts, the
chess-play, and the lore of runes, and the
talking of many tongues, even as the wont
was with kings sons in those days, and helps
him in the choosing of horse, 'Grani, the
best of all the horses of the world" One day
Regin tells young Sigurd of a great treasure
of gold, guarded by man turned into the
shape Of dragon, land Fafnir is his name,
and RegiR, after several trials makes Sigurd
q sword, which is called Gram, able to shear
floating lock of wool, and to cleave an anvil
in twain, and with this Sigurd slays the great
and evil "worm, the man-dragon, called
Fafnir, and takes the heap of gold. Sigurd
drinks of the blood of Fafnir and eats of his
heart, and straightway knows ''the voice of
all fowls" and what they speak of; from which
he learns many things. After this, going
forth upon adventures,
'By long roads rides Sigurd, till he comes
at the last up on to Hindfel and wends his
way south to the land of the Franks; and he
sees before him on the fell great light, as of
fire burning, and flaming up even unto the
heavens; and when he came thereto, 10,
shield-hung castle before him, and a banner
on the topmost thereof: into the castle went
Sigurd, and saw one lying there asleep, and
all armed. Herewith he takes the helm
from off the head of him, and sees that it is
no man, but woman"
This is the noble Brynhild, the beautiful
warrior maid, who is also full of wisdom; and
after some grave talk they come to an inter-
esting personal subject with praiseworthy di-
Tectness-
''Sigurd spake, None among the sons of
men can be found wiser than thou; and
thereby swear l, that thee will have as mine
own, for near to nay heart thou lest She
answers, thee would fainest choose, though
/ had all mems sons to choose from And
thereto they plighted troth both of them"
There is fine simple dignity in this, As
to the hero's looks
Now the hair of this Sigurd was golden
red of hue, fair of fashion, and falling down
in great locks; thick and short was his beard,
and Of no other color high-nosed he was,
broad and high boned of face; so keen were
brows OF him; his shoulders we're as broad to
look on as the shoulders of two; most duly
was his body fashioned betwixt height
and breadth, and in such wise as was SEEM
Lest; and this is the sign told of his height,
that when he was girt with his sword Gram,
which same was seven spans long, as he
went through the full-grown rye-felds, the
dew-shoe of the said sword smote the ears of
the standing corn and for all that greater
was his strength than his growth we'll could
he WELD sword, and cast forth spear, shoot
shaft, and hold shield, bend bow, back horse
and do all the goodly deeds that he learned
in his youths days. Wise he was to know
things yet undone; and the voice of all fowls
he knew, wherefore few things fell on him
unawares. OF many words he was, and so
fair of speech withal, that whensoever he
made it his business to speak, he never left
speaking before that to all men it seemed full
sure that no otherwise must the matter be
than as he said. His sport and pleasure it
was to give aid to his own folk and to prove
himself in mighty matters, to take wealth
from his unfriends and give them to his
friends. Never did he lose heart, and of
naught was he adrad.
Again met Sigurd and Brynhild, and their
love waxed ever deeper and stronger, and
Sigurd said, II swear by the gods that thee
shall have for mine own, or no woman else;"
but Brynhild, having gift of foreboding, said
sadly, ''Thou shalt wed Gudrun, the daughter
Of Giuki." And even SO it befell; for Sigurd
coming to the realm of King Giuki, the Queen
Grimchild gives him one day unaware GER
tain drink, whereby he forgets Brynhild, and
consents to marry the fair Gudrun; and after
Queen Grimchild, who is an inveterate match
maker, advises her son Gunnar to WOO the
famous Brynchild, and takes Sigurd with him
on the expedition. The two princes reach
Brynhilds castle, and after strange adventures,
wherein Sigurd's powers enable Gunnar to
overcome the trials put in his way, the war
like maiden is forced to own herself con-
quered, and submits, though with deep mis-
givings, to be Gunnar's wife.
But when Brynhild and Gudrun, the wife
Of Sigurd, meet then woe begins. They are
envious and jealous of each other, and it soon
rises to an angry quarrel with bitter words.
Brynhild learns that it was only through
Sigurd's help that Gunnar won her hand, and
her fury against Sigurd, whom she has loved,
nay, whom she still loves passionately, is be-
yond all control. She persuades Guttorm,
her husbands brother, to slay Sigurd:-
''But of these evil wiles naught at all knew
Sigurd, for he might not deal with his shapen
fate, nor the measure of his life-days, nei-
ther deemed he that he was worthy of such
things at their hands. So Guttorm went in
to Sigurd the next morning as he lay upon
his bed, yet burst he not do aught against
him, but shrank back out again; yea, and
even so he Jared second time, for so bright
and eager were the eyes of Sigurd that few
burst look upon him. But the third time he
went In, and there lay Sgurd asleep; then
Guttorrn drew his sword and thrust Sigurd
through in such wise that the sword-point
smote into the bed beneath him; then
Sigurd awoke with that wound and Guttorm