(2) Sackless (A.S. "sacu", Icel. "sok".) blameless.
CHAPTER V.
Of the Slaying of King Volsung.
Now tells the tale of King Volsung and his sons that they go at
the time appointed to Gothland at the bidding of King Siggeir,
and put off from the land in three ships, all well manned, and
have a fair voyage, and made Gothland late of an evening tide.
But that same night came Signy and called her father and brothers
to a privy talk, and told them what she deemed King Siggeir was
minded to do, and how that he had drawn together an army no man
may meet. "And," says she, "he is minded to do guilefully by
you; wherefore I bid you get ye gone back again to your own land,
and gather together the mightiest power ye may, and then come
back hither and avenge you; neither go ye now to your undoing,
for ye shall surely fail not to fall by his wiles if ye turn not
on him even as I bid you."
Then spake Volsung the king, "All people and nations shall tell
of the word I spake, yet being unborn, wherein I vowed a vow that
I would flee in fear from neither fire nor the sword; even so
have I done hitherto, and shall I depart therefrom now I am old?
Yea withal never shall the maidens mock these my sons at the
games, and cry out at them that they fear death; once alone must
all men need die, and from that season shall none escape; so my
rede is that we flee nowhither, but do the work of our hands in
as manly wise as we may; a hundred fights have I fought and
whiles I had more, and whiles I had less, and yet even had I the
victory, nor shall it ever be heard tell of me that I fled away
or prayed for peace.
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