But again he laughed and answered:  “One day it shall come to pass,
    That a beardless youth shall slay me:  I know the fateful doom;
    But nought may I withstand it, as it heaves up dim through the gloom.”

    So is Sigurd now with Regin, and he learns him many things;
    Yea, all save the craft of battle, that men learned the sons of kings: 
    The smithying sword and war-coat; the carving runes aright;
    The tongues of many countries, and soft speech for men’s delight;
    The dealing with the harp-strings, and the winding ways of song. 
    So wise of heart waxed Sigurd, and of body wondrous strong: 
    And he chased the deer of the forest, and many a wood-wolf slew,
    And many a bull of the mountains:  and the desert dales he knew,
    And the heaths that the wind sweeps over; and seaward would he fare,
    Far out from the outer skerries, and alone the sea-wights dare.

    On a day he sat with Regin amidst the unfashioned gold,
    And the silver grey from the furnace; and Regin spake and told
    Sweet tales of the days that have been, and the Kings of the bold
      and wise;
    Till the lad’s heart swelled with longing and lit his sunbright eyes.

    Then Regin looked upon him:  “Thou too shalt one day ride
    As the Volsung Kings went faring through the noble world and wide. 
    For this land is nought and narrow, and Kings of the carles are these. 
    And their earls are acre-biders, and their hearts are dull with peace.”

    But Sigurd knit his brows, and in wrathful wise he said: 
    “Ill words of those thou speakest that my youth have cherished. 
    And the friends that have made me merry, and the land that is fair
      and good.”

    Then Regin laughed and answered:  “Nay, well I see by thy mood
    That wide wilt thou ride in the world like thy kin of the earlier days: 
    And wilt thou be wroth with thy master that he longs for thy winning
      the praise? 
    And now if the sooth thou sayest, that these King-folk cherish thee
      well,
    Then let them give thee a gift whereof the world shall tell: 
    Yea hearken to this my counsel, and crave for a battle-steed.”

    Yet wroth was the lad and answered:  “I have many a horse to my need,
    And all that the heart desireth, and what wouldst thou wish me more?”

    Then Regin answered and said:  “Thy kin of the Kings of yore
    Were the noblest men of men-folk; and their hearts would never rest
    Whatso of good they had gotten, if their hands held not the best. 
    Now do thou after my counsel, and crave of thy fosterers here
    That thou choose of the horses of Gripir whichso thine heart holds
      dear.”