first on the one side, then on the other, till but one hair was uncovered. And my father spake, "There is yet one hair showing."

The gods looked upon one another; then Odin 5 drew the ring from his finger and cast it upon the skin, so that the hair was hidden. And the gods departed.

Then Fafnir, my brother, looking covetously on the gold, slew our father for it, and me, being weak, he drove 10 away; and, taking it to a secret place, in the Desolate Land, he changed himself into an awful dragon, the better to guard it; and there is no serpent like unto him, for he is made up of sin and evil. So I have no part in that which is rightfully mine, and I would that thou 15 shouldst win it for thyself, O Siegfried.

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Then up sprang Siegfried and cried, "Forge thou me a sword of power, and when my father is avenged, even then will I go up with thee against thy brother, and get thee the gold thou cravest."

And Regin rejoiced that his plan worked, and they went back to the hall of the kings, speaking of the sword that should be forged. After some days he put a sword into the hands of Siegfried, and the lad, looking at it, laughed in mirth.

25 "Why dost thou laugh?" asked the master.

"Because thy hand hath lost its skill. See!" and

Siegfried smote the sword upon the anvil so that it flew in pieces.

and smote it upon the 5 Then he looked keenly

Then Regin forged yet another, and said, "Hard art thou to please. Mayhap this may be to thy mind." And Siegfried looked at it, anvil, so that it split in half. upon Regin and frowned, saying: "Mayhap thou also art a traitor like thy kin. Is it thy will that Fafnir should slay me, and so thou forgest me swords of wood? Canst thou do no better than that?" And he turned 10 from the smithy and went to his mother; but Regin was angered at his words and hated him.

The Queen sat broidering with her maidens, when her son cast himself down by her side, and seeing that he spoke not, she said: "What ails my son? Needs he 15 aught that the King and I can give him?"

"All love and much honor have I ever from thee, mother mine, and for this I owe thee all thanks and obedience. Yet one thing I lack. Have I heard aright that thou hast the pieces of the sword that my father, 20 Sigmund, gave thee at his death?"

"It is true," the Queen said, but her heart was sad, for she knew that their parting time had come.

"Fain would I have them, for with no sword but Gram can I do my life's work."

Then she led him to her treasure chamber, and from its silken coverings in the old oak chest she drew the

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pieces of the sword, glittering and bright as in the day that the Wanderer smote it into the Branstock, and she gave them to Siegfried with a kiss.

Blithely went the lad forth, but his mother looked 5 after him, wistful, yet rejoicing because the prophecies of Sigmund were to be fulfilled, and her son, with the eyes like stars, should be the hero of all the ages.

At the smithy door Regin met him, frowning. "Will naught serve thee but Gram?" he asked, in wrath.

"Naught but Gram!" Siegfried said, and laughed. "Gram shall slay the serpent; take it and do thy best."

Regin took it and shut himself for many days in the smithy with his men, and, after much labor, the sword was wrought; but the smiths told how, as Regin bore it 15 from the forge, fire ran adown its edge. To Siegfried,

waiting at the smithy door, he gave the sword, saying sullenly, "If this be not good, then indeed is my craft gone."

Then Siegfried took the sword and smote the anvil, to 20 test its strength, and the anvil broke in pieces, but the

sword held firm. Then ran he joyfully down to the stream and cast therein a lock of wool, and, as it floated down, it met the edge of Gram, and the lock became two, and Siegfried laughed again.

25 Then said Regin, "Bethink thee, now thou hast a sword to thy mind, of thy promise to go up against Fafnir!"

"That will I gladly do when I have avenged my father on the Hundings," said the lad.

Then the kings made ready many ships, and Siegfried was chief over them, and they sailed to the land of the Volsungs, and in a great battle he overthrew his father's 5 enemies and won the kingdom. And ever in the thickest of the battle gleamed Gram.

KATHERINE F. BOULT: Heroes of the Norselands.

HELPS TO STUDY

1. Where was Siegfried born? 2. Tell how he was educated. 3. Why was he unusually fond of fighting? 4. Tell how he got his horse. 5. What did the Volsungs live for, according to Siegfried? 6. Tell fully the story of Fafnir and the Rhine maidens. 7. What prophecy about the treasure did Andvari make? 8. Was Regin a human being like Siegfried? 9. Describe the swords made by Regin. 10. How did Siegfried at last get a good sword? 11. Where did he use the sword?

For Study with the Glossary. Proper Names: Siegfried, Volsung, Sigmund, Regin, Busilwater, Fafnir, Andvari, Hundings. Other Words: avenger, woodcraft, shipcraft, lore, blithely, mayhap, fain, wistful.

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SIEGFRIED AND BRYNHILD

Now, when he had been at home some time, Siegfried grew weary of quiet, and Gram rattled in its sheath, as it hung on the wall over his seat. So he went to Regin, who sat wearily by the smithy fire, and, drawing up a 5 stool, sat by him. After a while the lad spoke. "Tomorrow will I ride with thee to the Waste, Regin, if thou wilt; maybe I shall slay thy brother."

"Two shall go forth," said Regin gloomily, "but neither shall return."

"No matter," quoth Siegfried, "we will try our best for the Hoard!"

Ere the dawn Siegfried arose, and, going silently, he went to his mother and kissed her gently, for he knew he should see her no more; then, saddling Grane, he rode 15 forth to the Lonesome Waste, with Regin at his side. Ever inland and upward they rode as the days went by, leaving meadows, trees, and all green things behind. At last they came out upon the Waste beside a mountain torrent, where Fafnir was wont to drink, and 20 Siegfried traced the broad band of slime that he made as he crawled back and forth. "Surely," said he, "this dragon brother of thine is greater than all other serpents, from the breadth of his track?"

"Yea," said Regin. "But dig thou a pit in his path