Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/67

Rh Regin make a new sword. When the sword was finished Sigurd cleft the anvil from top to bottom with it.

Then he went to a river and held the sword in the water. A piece of wool floated against it and was cut in twain.

Sigurd mounted Gran, and taking the wonderful sword, rode to Gnita Heath where lay the dragon.

When Fafner heard him coming, he tried to creep away into the water, but Sigurd lay in a hollow in the ground and pierced him with the sword as he passed over

Then Regin came and refused to share the gold with Sigurd as he had promised. When Sigurd demanded his share, Regin spoke smoothly, but in his heart he meant to kill him.

Regin bade the Volsung roast the dragon's heart for him. While Sigurd was roasting the heart he burned his fingers. Putting them into his mouth, some of the dragon's blood touched his tongue. At once he understood the songs of birds. "Regin means to kill you," sang the birds in the tree-tops. "Cut off his head and eat the dragon's heart yourself."

Then Sigurd killed Regin and ate the heart. Immediately he heard two eagles overhead talking together.