round Iberia they sailed
Ere passing through the pillared gate.
The Africans were soon assailed
And fell beneath the Vikings' weight.

Across the waves their keel still rode
To Carthage and to Cairo's lands.
They sacked a noble king's abode
And traded with a pharaoh-man.

They headed north then back to east
To plunder some and trade yet more,
For e'en the greatest water-beast
Would creak and moan beneath that store.

They landed on Phoenicia's coast,
Ere passing Troy's now-ruined walls.
In Ithaca their honored host,
The king, talked long within his hall.

There Signar learned of archer's shafts
And practiced with the king's own bow.
Their host taught Thorvald kingly craft,
For there was much he did not know.

In Alba Longa, further on,
They feasted with some men of Troy
While trading tales of cities gone
And warlike deeds of dreadful joy.

They passed the breach a second time,
Ere landing on a Celtic isle.
A winter passed with dreary clime
That chilled their blood and stanched their bile.

With winter's pass, they took to sea.
Their oars would creak with every stroke.
The water-horse was laden deep --
And groans were all that beast e'er spoke.

The sight of land! The massive fjords!
Return from whence they'd gone to roam!
Embraces met those men on shore,
Yet Signar thought of island home.

As cartload after cartload went
To Thorgeir, giver of the rings,
Norwegians gaped at what was sent
To be divided by the king.

Those baubles and those trinkets bore
The signs and seals of far-flung lands
Alongside ornate tools of war
And purple cloaks and serpent bands.

Such majesty! Such richness there!
Each raider praised and praised by all!
The plaudits rang above compare
From landing up to Thorgeir's hall.

The raiders met their lord and king
To offer up the spoils won
And tell the king of everything
Each man among that host had done.

The king ensured each man received
The spoils accorded by his share,
And then allowed each one his leave
'Til only Signar waited there.

The king then spake to Signar thus,
"You far surpass my greatest dreams
And well acquit my faith and trust.
Indeed, you're far more than you seem.

"I paid your wergild¹ when you'd gone
In hopes you'd make it good to me.
Succeeding that, you still went on
To gather fame most admirably.

"The faith of those you fought beside
Does credit that is unsurpassed,
Such that a quittance is applied --
No more of you could one man ask.

"But come, I sense a strong desire
That you have not yet voiced to me."
And Signar said, "Remember, sire,
My mother living 'cross the sea?

"The two years' time is closing fast
And, waiting on my quick return,
My mother counts each day that's passed,
And she is now my sole concern."

The king replied, "I've not forgot.
A ship is waiting on the strand,
Indeed, upon the very spot,
Your feet first met Norwegian land.

"Now set upon the whale-plied road,
We long to see her lovely face."
With Signar given leave to go,
He set out with a quickened pace.

He gained the beach and he saw the craft
All fitted out and well supplied.
Its watered half set worthy draft,
Each oar was manned by two beside.

He gave the bark a mighty shove,
Not breaking stride ere leaving land.
He sent her out and climbed above,
To set the course with knowing hands.

Across the sea! Across the waves!
They plied the course with greatest haste!
For Signar knew the passing days
Could not be put to idle waste.

The island nears! The island nears!
The oarsmen pulled with all their strength!
It's fin'lly here! The island's here!
The craft crawled well nigh up its length!

The bark was beached and Signar leapt --
Exuberance could not be stayed --
The limit of his sojourn kept,
It ended two years to the day.

The house was easily in sight,
He ran to reach his mother's side!
He quickly topped that rocky height,
The door he met and threw aside!