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war, shouldst have the heart to set on me, for few among and the Aesir mix and mingle the water of the sword?
bondsmen have heart for the fight. Unshapen is that holm hight, said Fafnir.
Said 8igurd, Wilt thou then cast it in my teeth that I am And yet again he said, Regin, my brother, has brought about
far away from my kin? Albeit I was a bondsman, yet was I my end, and it gladdens my heart that thine too he bringeth
never shackled. God wot thou hast found me free enow. about; for thus will things be according to his will.
Fafnir answered, In angry wise dost thou take my speech; And once again he spake, A countenance of terror I bore up
but hearken, for that same gold which I have owned shall be before all folk, after that I brooded over the heritage of my
thy bane too. brother, and on every side did I spout out poison, so that none
Quoth Sigurd, Fain would we keep all our wealth til that durst come anigh me, and of no weapon was I adrad, nor ever
day of days; yet shall each man die once for all. had I so many men before me, as that I deemed myself not
Said Fafnir, Few things wilt thou do after my counsel, but stronger than all; for all men were sore afeard of me.
take heed that thou shalt be drowned if thou farest unwarily Sigurd answered and said, Few may have victory by means
over the sea; so bide thou rather on the dry land for the com- of that same countenance of terror, for whoso comes amongst
ing of the calm tide. many shall one day find that no one man is by so far the
Then said Sigurd, Speak, Fafnir, and say, if thou art so mightiest of all.
exceeding wise, who are the Norns who rule the lot of all
(3) Surt; a fire-giant, who will destroy the world at the
Ragnarok, or destruction of all things. Aesir; the gods.
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The Volsunga Saga
Then says Fafnir, Such counsel I give thee, that thou take CHAPTER XIX
thy horse and ride away at thy speediest, for ofttimes it fails
out so, that he who gets a death-wound avenges himself none Of the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar
the less.
Sigurd answered, Such as thy redes are I will nowise do HEREAFTER CAME Regin to Sigurd, and said, Hail,
after them; nay, I will ride now to thy lair and take to me that lord and master, a noble victory hast thou won in
great treasure of thy kin. Tthe slaying of Fafnir, whereas none durst hereto-
Ride there then, said Fafnir, and thou shalt find gold fore abide in the path of him; and now shall this deed of fame
enow to suffice thee for all thy life-days; yet shall that gold be be of renown while the world stands fast.
thy bane, and the bane of every one soever who owns it. Then stood Regin staring on the earth a long while, and
Then up stood Sigurd, and said, Home would I ride and presently thereafter spake from heavy-mood: Mine own
lose all that wealth, if I deemed that by the losing thereof I brother hast thou slain, and scarce may I be called sackless of
should never die; but every brave and true man will fain have the deed.
his hand on wealth till that last day that thou, Fafnir, wallow Then Sigurd took his sword Gram and dried it on the earth,
in the death-pain til Death and Hell have thee. and spake to Regin
And therewithal Fafnir died. Afar thou faredst when I wrought this deed and tried this
sharp sword with the hand and the might of me; with all the
might and main of a dragon must I strive, while thou wert laid
alow in the heather-bush, wotting not if it were earth or heaven.
Said Regin, Long might this worm have lain in his lair, if
the sharp sword I forged with my hand had not been good at
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The Volsunga Saga
need to thee; had that not been, neither thou nor any man And another spake: There lies Regin, minded to beguile
would have prevailed against him as at this time. the man who trusts in him.
Sigurd answers, Whenas men meet foes in fight, better is But yet again said the third, Let him smite the head from
stout heart than sharp sword. off him then, and be only lord of all that gold.
Then said Regin, exceeding heavily, Thou hast slain my And once more the fourth spake and said, Ah, the wiser
brother, and scarce may I be sackless of the deed. were he if he followed after that good counsel, and rode there-
Therewith Sigurd cut out the heart of the worm with the after to Fafnir s lair, and took to him that mighty treasure
sword called Ridil; but Regin drank of Fafnir s blood, and that lieth there, and then rode over Hindfell, whereas sleeps
spake, Grant me a boon, and do a thing little for thee to do. Brynhild; for there would he get great wisdom. Ah, wise he
Bear the heart to the fire, and roast it, and give me thereof to were, if he did after your redes, and bethought him of his
eat. own weal; for where wolf s ears are, wolf s teeth are near.
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