took Siegfried into his confidence. He said:

"There is a powerful knight in Burgundy who has challenged every
smith of my country to make a weapon strong enough to pierce his coat
of mail.

"I long to try," Mimer went on, "but I am now old and have not
strength enough to use the heavy hammer."

At these words Siegfried jumped up in great excitement.

"I will make the sword, dear master," he cried. "Be of good cheer.
It shall be strong enough to cut the knight's armour in two."

Early the next morning, Siegfried began his work. For seven days and
seven nights the constant ringing of his hammer could be heard. At
the end of that time Siegfried came to his master with a sword of the
finest steel in his right hand.

Mimer looked it all over. He then held it in a stream of running
water in which he had thrown a fine thread. The water carried the
thread against the edge of the sword, where it was cut in two.

"It is without a fault," cried Mimer with delight.

"I can do better than that," answered Siegfried, and he took the
sword and broke it into pieces.

Again he set to work. For seven more days and seven more nights he
was busy at his forge. At the end of that time he brought a polished
sword to his master.

Mimer looked it over with the greatest care and made ready to test it.

He threw the fleeces of twelve sheep into the stream. The current
carried them on its bosom to Siegfried's sword. Instantly, each
piece was divided as it met the blade. Mimer shouted aloud in his
Joy.

"Balmung" (for that was the name Siegfried gave the sword) "is the
finest weapon man ever made," he cried.

Siegfried was now prepared to meet the proud knight of Burgundy.

The very first thrust of the sword, Balmung, did the work. The head
and shoulders of the giant were severed from the rest of the body.
They rolled down the hillside and fell into the Rhine, where they can
be seen even now, when the water is clear. At least, so runs the
story. The trunk remained on the hilltop and was turned to stone.

Soon after this Mimer found that Siegfried longed to see the world
and make himself famous. So he bound the sword Balmung to the young
prince's side, and told him to seek a certain person, who would give
him a fine war-horse.

Siegfried went to this man, from whom he obtained a matchless steed.
In fact it had descended from the great god Odin's magic horse.
Siegfried, you can see, must have lived in a time when m