Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/68

62 They spoke of a castle on a mountain-top surrounded by blazing flames.

Within the castle slept a maiden whom Odin had pricked with the magic sleep thorn. "No horse but Gran," they said, "will go through the fire wall, and no man but Sigurd is allowed to wake the maiden."

Sigurd followed the dragon's track until he came to its den. There he found the treasure in two chests. He put the chests on Gran's back, but Gran would not move until Sigurd mounted him.

Sigurd rode until he came to a mountain. At the top was a flickering light as of fire, and the flames shone upon the sky.

As Sigurd rode through the flame wall he saw a castle. He went into the castle and there lay an armed knight asleep. When he took off the helmet he saw that the knight was a woman. Then, with his wonderful sword, he cut off the maiden's armor.

She awoke and said, "Who is this who dares to wake me from the magic sleep?"

Sigurd told his name, and the maiden said she was Brynhilda. Sigurd stayed three days. When he left he gave Brynhilda Andvare's golden ring, not knowing there was a curse upon it.

Then he traveled southward with the treasure