Now waxeth the son of Sigmund in might and goodliness,
  And soft the days win over, and all men his beauty bless. 
  But amidst the summer season was the Isle-queen Hiordis wed
  To King Elf the son of the Helper, and fair their life-days sped. 
  Peace lay on the land for ever, and the fields gave good increase,
  And there was Sigurd waxing mid the plenty and the peace. 
  Now hath the child grown greater, and is keen and eager of wit
  And full of understanding, and oft hath he joy to sit
  Amid talk of weighty matters when the wise men meet for speech;
  And joyous he is moreover and blithe and kind with each. 
  But Regin the wise craftsmaster heedeth the youngling well,
  And before the Kings he cometh, and saith such words to tell.

  “I have fostered thy youth, King Elf, and thine O Helper of men,
  And ye wot that such a master no king shall see again;
  And now would I foster Sigurd; for, though he be none of thy blood,
  Mine heart of his days that shall be speaketh abundant good.”

  Then spake the Helper of men-folk:  “Yea, do herein thy will: 
  For thou art the Master of Masters, and hast learned me all my skill: 
  But think how bright is this youngling, and thy guile from him withhold;
  For this craft of thine hath shown me that thy heart is grim and cold,
  Though three men’s lives thrice over thy wisdom might not learn;
  And I love this son of Sigmund, and mine heart to him doth yearn.”

  Then Regin laughed, and answered:  “I doled out cunning to thee;
  But nought with him will I measure:  yet no cold-heart shall he be,
  Nor grim, nor evil-natured:  for whate’er my will might frame,
  Gone forth is the word of the Norns, that abideth ever the same. 
  And now, despite my cunning, how deem ye I shall die?”

  And they said he would live as he listed, and at last in peace should lie
  When he listed to live no longer; so mighty and wise he was.

  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.

One day did Regin tell Sigurd of deeds done in the past by kings both bold and wise, and the lad longed, too, to do the like, and his bright eyes glowed with desire.  And Regin told him that he should follow his Volsung fathers and roam far and wide, leaving the peace-lovers and home-abiders who had cherished his youth.