“With this hand, wherewith I cut off thy twin sons, I will take my last taste, yea the draught of the last drink.

“Now not unavenged shall I go to the Elysian regions, not unchastising to the stern ghosts.  For these men have first been shut in the dens of Tartarus by a slaughter wrought by my endeavours.  This right hand was wet with blood that was yours, this hand robbed thy children of the years of their youth, children whom thy womb brought to light; but the deadly sword spared it not then.  Infamous woman, raving in spirit, hapless, childless mother, no years shall restore to thee the lost, no time and no day whatsoever shall save thy child from the starkness of death, or redeem him!”

Thus he avenged the queen’s threats of death by taunting her with the youths whom he had slain; and, flinging back the cup at her, drenched her face with the sprinkled wine.

Meantime Signe asked her weeping women whether they could endure to bear her company in the things which she purposed.  They promised that they would carry out and perform themselves whatsoever their mistress should come to wish, and their promise was loyally kept.  Then, drowned in tears, she said that she wished to follow in death the only partner of her bed that she had ever had; and ordered that, as soon as the signal had been given from a place of watch, torches should be put to the room, then that halters should be made out of their robes; and to these they should proffer their throats to be strangled, thrusting away the support to the feet.  They agreed, and that they might blench the less at death, she gave them a draught of wine.  After this Hagbard was led to the hill, which afterwards took its name from him, to be hanged.  Then, to test the loyalty of his true love, he told the executioners to hang up his mantle, saying that it would be a pleasure to him if he could see the likeness of his approaching death rehearsed in some way.  The request was granted; and the watcher on the outlook, thinking that the thing was being done to Hagbard, reported what she saw to the maidens who were shut within the palace.  They quickly fired the house, and thrusting away the wooden support under their feet, gave their necks to the noose to be writhen.  So Hagbard, when he saw the palace wrapped in fire, and the familiar chamber blazing, said that he felt more joy from the loyalty of his mistress than sorrow at his approaching death.  He also charged the bystanders to do him to death, witnessing how little he made of his doom by a song like this: 

“Swiftly, O warriors!  Let me be caught and lifted into the air.  Sweet, O my bride!  Is it for me to die when thou hast gone.

“I perceive the crackling and the house ruddy with flames; and the love, long-promised, declares our troth.

“Behold, thy covenant is fulfilled with no doubtful vows, since thou sharest my life and my destruction.

“We shall have one end, one bond after our troth, and somewhere our first love will live on.