Weather Clears

Now Sigurđ went to the kings Álf and Hjálprek and said, “I have been
here a while, and I owe you both love and great honor. But now I
wish to leave and find the sons of Hunding, and I want them to know
that not all the Volsungs are dead. I would like to have your support
in this.”

The kings said that they would give him everything he asked for.

Now a great army was assembled and outfitted well with ships and
armor so that Sigurđ would travel even more honorably than before.
Sigurđ captained one longship which was the longest and best of all.
The sails were beautifully fashioned and impressive to see. They set sail
with a favorable wind, but when a few days had passed, a huge storm
came upon them, and the sea was like blood to look upon. Sigurđ did
not order his men to reef the sails, even though they were ripping, but
instead he ordered them set even higher.

And when they sailed past a certain peninsula, a man called up to the
ship and asked who was in charge of this fleet. He was told that Sigurđ
Sigmundsson was their chieftain, and that he was the foremost of all
young men.

The man said, “Everyone says the same thing about him, that there is
no king’s son to equal him. I would like you to take in the sails on one
of those ships and let me have a ride.”

They asked him what his name was, and the man replied:

“They called me
Battle-Stirrer,
when young Volsung
set a table for the ravens.
You can call me
‘Man on the Rock,’
or ‘Burden’ or ‘Spellcaster.’
I want a ride.”

They went to land and the man came aboard, and the weather immediately
improved. They sailed until they came to land in the realm of
King Hunding’s sons. Then Spellcaster disappeared. They attacked the
land with fire and iron, killing men and burning towns, and destroying
every place they visited. Some men escaped into the protection of King
Lyngvi and told him that a great army had come to the land and was
destroying everything and showing more ferocity than had ever been
seen. They said that Hunding’s sons had not been far-sighted when they
claimed that they had nothing to fear from the Volsungs, since it was
Sigurđ Sigmundsson who led this army.


- Volsunga Saga, Chapter 17