Part 22 (1/2)
”Gold enow, gold enow, A great treasure hast thou, That our heads on our necks we may hold, But thou and thy son, Are now both undone, For a curse has been placed on the gold.”
”Now scarcely had the Asas departed than the curse began to work. For though Hreidmar watched night and day over the treasure, it was plain that Fafnir coveted it. At last he slew his father, and having thus obtained possession of the h.o.a.rd he donned the Helmet of Dread and the glittering breastplate, and,” said Regin, ”he drove me out when I came to claim my share, and bade me get my bread as best I could.
”And so evil did Fafnir grow with gloating over the treasure, begrudging any man a share in his wealth, that he took the shape of a vile dragon, and to this day he lies brooding over his h.o.a.rd.
”As for me, I went to the king, who made me master smith.”
”Hast thou hearkened, Sigurd? Wilt thou help a man that is old To avenge him for his father? Wilt thou win the treasure of gold And be more than the kings of the earth? Wilt thou rid the earth of a wrong And heal the woe and the sorrow my heart hath endured o'er long?”
Then Sigurd answered: ”Much wrong has been thine and exceeding evil has thy kinsman been to thee. Make me, therefore, a sword by thy craft, such as none has ever been made before; and with it I will go forth to slay this mighty dragon.”
”Trust me well in that task,” said Regin, ”and with that same sword shalt thou slay Fafnir.”
CHAPTER XVIII
How Sigurd Slew the Dragon
_This is the tale the Northmen tell of how Sigurd slew Fafnir and Regin with the Magic Sword._
Regin set to work, and exercising all his skill as a cunning worker in metals he fas.h.i.+oned a sword, very fine and keen and strong, and this he brought to Sigurd.
Sigurd received it with joy, but the weapon which was to slay Fafnir must be severely tested; and, raising it aloft, the youth smote with all his might upon the iron anvil, and the sword broke in pieces.
”Behold thy sword, O Regin!” he laughed.
Then Regin forged another sword and said: ”Surely thou wilt be content with this, though thou be hard to please in the matter of a weapon.”
But again Sigurd struck upon the anvil, and again the sword fell to pieces. Then he turned wrathfully to Regin: ”Art thou also a liar and a traitor like thy father and brother?”
And thus saying he went to his mother, and seating himself at her feet, he began: ”Is it true, my mother, that Sigmund, my father, gave thee the Magic Sword of Odin in two pieces?”
”That is true enough,” said she.
Then Sigurd entreated: ”Give them then to me, I pray thee, for only in such wise shall I get a sword to my mind.”
Then the queen knew that he looked to win great fame with that weapon, and she gave him the pieces; and he took them to Regin and bade him make a sword therefrom.
And though Regin's evil heart was wroth because of the words that the youth had spoken, he dared not refuse. So he set to work, and when he carried the finished sword from out the forge, it seemed to his helpers that fire burned along its edges.
”Take thy sword,” said the old man, ”and if this fails, I have lost my skill in sword-making.”
This time when Sigurd smote upon the anvil the keen steel clove into the metal right up to the hilt, and he pulled it out unhurt. Then he went to the river and flung up-stream a tuft of wool, and when the tide carried the wool against the edge of the sword it was cut in two.
And then was Sigurd satisfied and his heart rejoiced.
Upon his return Regin met him. ”Now that I have made thee this good sword,” said he, ”wilt thou, for thy part, keep thy word, and go against Fafnir the dragon?”
”Surely will I do that thing,” said Sigurd, ”but first I must avenge my father.”