m." So Loge and Froh
fell to heaping the gold about the staff, while the Giants stood by
and watched. When it all was piled, Fafner peered through the heap to
see if there was an unfilled chink.

"Not enough," he cried; "I can still see the gleam of Freia's
hair--which is finer than gold. Throw on that trinket at thy belt," he
signified the Tarnhelm which hung at the girdle of Loge. Loge threw it
contemptuously upon the heap. Then Fafner peeped again. "Ah! I still
can see her bright eyes--more gleaming than gold. Until every chink is
closed so that I may no longer see the Goddess and thus behold what I
have sacrificed for the treasure, it will not do. Throw on that ring
thou wearest on thy finger," he called to Wotan.

At that Wotan became furious.

"The ring. Thou shalt never have the ring--not if thou shouldst carry
away the Eternals, themselves." Fafner seized Freia as if to make off
with her.

"What, thou cruel God! Thou art going to let them have our sister,"
Fricka screamed, mingling her shrieks with Freia's. Donner and Froh
added their rage to hers, and assailed Wotan.

"I'll keep my ring," Wotan shouted, being overcome with the power it
would give to him, and determined rather to lose his life.

"Thou wretched God! Thy wickedness means the doom of the Eternals,"
Fricka again screamed, beside herself with the shrieks of Freia. As
the Gods were about to curse Wotan, a bluish light glowed from a
fissure in the earth.

"Look," cried Loge, and all turned to see, while Fafner, certain of
one treasure or the other, looked and waited.

The bluish light grew and grew, and slowly from the ground rose a
frost-covered woman, her glittering icy hair flowing to her waist, the
blue light about her causing her garments of frost to glance and
shimmer and radiate sparkles all about her.

"Wotan," she spoke, "give up thy ring." All were silent, the Gods and
Giants dumb with amazement.

Again she spoke: "It is Erda, she who knows the past, present, and the
future. Thy ring is accursed. Ruin and disaster follow its possession.
Give up thy ring!"

"Who art thou?" Wotan asked in amazement.

"I am mother of the three Fates--of her who weaves--her who
watches--and her who cuts the cord of life. They are my daughters. Thy
fate is spread out before me; give up thy ring." The Gods trembled
before one who knew both good and evil. Erda had sunk into the earth
as far as her breast.

"Give up thy ring," she sighed again, and