WOMEN IN THE GERMANIC HERO-SAGAS 143 



mund, and when the time came, he helped Sigmund to set fire to the 

 hall of Siggeir in the night, guarding it so that no one could escape. 

 Sigmund called to his sister to come out to them and be saved, promis- 

 ing her great honor and full atonement for all her sufferings. But 

 Signy, mindful of the duty of a woman to her husband, as well as 

 of the respect which she owed to her own womanhood, made this 

 answer: "Now shalt thou know whether I have remembered how 

 Waelsung the king was murdered by Siggeir. I had my two sons 

 killed because they showed themselves unfit for the work of vengeance. 

 I have done such deeds for the sake of revenge that it is not possible 

 for me to five longer. Forced to abide with Siggeir in life, I now go 

 with him willingly in death." Then Signy kissed Sigmund, her 

 brother, and Sinfjotli, her son, and went back into the flames. 



There are three women in the sagas, whose fidelity to a lover 

 raises them to the rank of a hero : Gudrun, Signi and Sigrun. Gudrun 

 is the heroine of a love story with a happy ending. Signi and Sigrun 

 are tragic heroines. Gudrun's fidelity to her betrothed lover cost 

 her many years of hardship and suffering. Fair words, threats and 

 deeds of violence alike availed nothing to turn her from her purpose. 

 She endured much and long, but the fates were on her side. And she 

 lived to see the end of her troubles. Sigrun 1 and Signi 2 are different. 

 Sigrun was a Valkyrie. Riding through the air one time with her 

 companions she met the man Helgi on his return from a successful 

 battle. She bemoaned to him her fate that she had been pledged by 

 her father to HoSbrodd, the grim son of Granmarr, "Though I have 

 said, Helgi," she added, "that this HoSbrodd is no better than the 

 son of a cat. One splendid like thee have I wished as my spouse. 

 And now do I fear the wrath of my kinsmen, because I oppose the 

 will of my father." Helgi came to the aid of the woman in distress, 

 raised an army and went out to meet HoSbrodd in battle. He was 

 victorious, but more men fell in the fight than he himself wished. 

 And to Sigrun must he announce not only the death of the hated wooer, 

 but the fall of her brothers and father as well. Sigrun wept when 

 she heard this, and said, "Fain would I wish them back again, these 



1 "Helga Kvi5a II," Edda, p. 256. ' Saxonis, Lib., VII, pp. 230 ff. 



