They loved one another, and
Sigurd gave her a ring from the dragon's treasure, promising to
return and marry her.
Then the curse led him to join with the fierce and treacherous
Niblungs or Cloudy People. Their king and his mother grew jealous
when they saw Sigurd more mighty and more beloved than themselves,
and by enchantments they caused him to forget Brynhild, to wed the
princess Gudrun, and at last to aid the Niblung king, Gunnar, to win
Brynhild for his own wife.
Then the curse of the gold brought death to many, for Sigurd and
Brynhild discovered all the treachery of the Niblungs, who, in their
anger, slew Sigurd, and Brynhild killed herself that she might not
live and sorrow for him.
Such is the story of Sigurd as it was told a thousand years ago in
distant Iceland, and as it is retold in this poem by William Morris.
THE STORY OF
SIGURD THE VOLSUNG.
BOOK I.
SIGMUND.
_Of the dwelling of King Volsung, and the wedding of Signy his
daughter._
There was a dwelling of Kings ere the world was waxen old;
Dukes were the door-wards there, and the roofs were thatched with gold:
Earls were the wrights that wrought it, and silver nailed its doors;
Earls' wives were the weaving-women, queens' daughters strewed its floors,
And the masters of its song-craft were the mightiest men that cast
The sails of the storm of battle adown the bickering blast.
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