142 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



The towering figure in this group, one unsurpassed, indeed, in 

 all the sagas for tragic effect, is Signy, the Waelsung daughter. 

 Married by her father to a man whom she hated and mistrusted 

 from the first moment, she never once lost courage, but was always 

 master of the situation, and superior to her surroundings. Signy 

 is a real hero, but a woman, too, from first to last. She makes her 

 entrance as an actor in the story on the day after her wedding-day. 

 As she bids her father farewell, she says to him, "I did not wish to be 

 wedded to Siggeir, nor does my heart go out to him. I have a fore- 

 boding, too, that much ill will come to us from this union." Then 

 they separated, and Signy went home with Siggeir. We next see her 

 three months later, standing at nightfall on the shore of Siggeir's 

 land, imploring her father and brothers not to set foot in her husband's 

 territory. "Do not run into danger, I beg you, for there will be no 

 way of escaping. Siggeir, the king, has collected a great army, 

 and means to fall upon you without mercy." But her warning was 

 unheeded, the men refusing to run away from an enemy, and Signy 

 left her kinsmen to their fate, and went home weeping bitterly. The 

 next morning a battle took place, and King Waelsung fell with all 

 his following, except his ten sons. These were taken prisoners, but, 

 at Signy's request, were set in the stocks instead of being put to death 

 at once. With the aid of a trusty servant, Signy saved the life of 

 one of them, Sigmund, and he made his escape to five in the woods 

 until the time of vengeance should come. One at a time, when they 

 were ten winters old, Signy sent her two sons out to Sigmund to be 

 tested. They both showed fear, and she ordered them to be killed 

 because they were unfit for the work of avenging her father's death. 

 Then Signy knew that only a pure Waelsung would be brave enough 

 to assist in carrying out the revenge. Her resolution was quickly 

 made. In the guise of a witch she went to Sigmund's cave in the 

 woods, and dwelt there with him for the space of three days. In 

 due time she bore a son, whom she named Sinfjotli. When he was 

 sent to Sigmund, he withstood the test, proving himself a true Wael- 

 sung, son's son and daughter's son, and Signy knew now that her 

 plans would be carried out. The boy grew up in the woods with Sig- 



