concerned her, so the king took such rede (1) that he gave her to
him, and she was betrothed to King Siggeir; and for the
fulfilling of the feast and the wedding, was King Siggeir to come
to the house of King Volsung. The king got ready the feast
according to his best might, and when all things were ready, came
the king's guests and King Siggeir withal at the day appointed,
and many a man of great account had Siggeir with him.

The tale tells that great fires were made endlong the hall, and
the great tree aforesaid stood midmost thereof, withal folk say
that, whenas men sat by the fires in the evening, a certain man
came into the hall unknown of aspect to all men; and suchlike
array he had, that over him was a spotted cloak, and he was bare-
foot, and had linen-breeches knit tight even unto the bone, and
he had a sword in his hand as he went up to the Branstock, and a
slouched hat upon his head: huge he was, and seeming-ancient, and
one-eyed. (2) So he drew his sword and smote it into the tree-
trunk so that it sank in up to the hilts; and all held back from
greeting the man. Then he took up the word, and said --

"Whoso draweth this sword from this stock, shall have the same as
a gift from me, and shall find in good sooth that never bare he
better sword in hand than is this."

Therewith out went the old man from the hall, and none knew who
he was or whither he went.

Now men stand up, and none would fain be the last to lay hand to
the sword, for they deemed that he would have the best of it who
might first touch it; so all the noblest went thereto first, and