Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/94

88 show the way. As they came to the entrance to the dragon's realm, they saw a giant, whose duty it was to guard the gateway.

Siegfried fought with the giant and overcame him and forced him to show the way to the castle. There the giant sprang upon him and wounded him. But Siegfried threw the giant over a steep rock and killed him.

Then he entered the castle and found Kriemhild weeping. But the maiden dried her tears when she saw Siegfried's broad shoulders and brave face. Then she gave him a sword which the dragon kept hidden. This was the only sword in the world that the monster feared.

Just as they were ready to go, a roar was heard. The mountain trembled, and the dragon appeared breathing out fire and smoke.

Siegfried seized the sword and sprang at the monster. The dragon breathed out fire until the rocks were red hot.

After a long fight the dragon's horny skin grew soft with the heat and the blows from the sword, and Siegfried hewed him to pieces.

Dipping his finger into the melted skin, Siegfried found that it grew horny and hard like the dragon.

Then he bathed himself in the melted skin so that no sword might cut him. But a leaf fell