his forge flew briskly, from morning till night.

And a wonderful smith he became. No one could do more work than he, and
none wrought with greater skill. The heaviest chains and the strongest
bolts, for prison or for treasure-house, were but as toys in his stout
hands, so easily and quickly did he beat them into shape. And he was
alike cunning in work of the most delicate and brittle kind. Ornaments
of gold and silver, studded with the rarest jewels, were fashioned
into beautiful forms by his deft fingers. And among all of Mimer's
apprentices none learned the master's lore so readily, nor gained the
master's favor more.[EN#1]

One morning the master, Mimer, came to the smithy with a troubled look
upon his face. It was clear that something had gone amiss; and what it
was the apprentices soon learned from the smith himself. Never, until
lately, had any one questioned Mimer's right to be called the foremost
smith in all the world; but now a rival had come forward. An unknown
upstart--one Amilias, in Burgundy-land--had made a suit of armor, which,
he boasted, no stroke of sword could dint, and no blow of spear could
scratch; and he had sent a challenge to all other smiths, both in the
Rhine country and elsewhere, to equal that piece of workmanship, or else
acknowledge themselves his underlings and vassals. For many days had
Mimer himself toiled, alone and vainly, trying to forge a sword whose
edge the boasted armor of Amilias could not foil; and now, in despair,
he came to ask the help of his pupils and apprentices.

"Who among you is skilful enough to forge such a sword?" he asked.

One after another, the pupils shook their heads. And Veliant, the
foreman of the apprentices, said, "I have heard much about that
wonderful armor, and its extreme hardness, and I doubt if any skill can
make a sword with edge so sharp and true as to cut into it. The best
that can be done is to try to make another war-coat whose temper shall
equal that of Amilias's armor."

Then the lad Siegfried quickly said, "I will make such a sword as you
want,--a blade that no war-coat can foil. Give me but leave to try!"

The other pupils laughed in scorn, but Mimer checked them. "You hear how
this boy can talk: we will see what he can do. He is the king's son, and
we know that he has uncommon talent. He shall make the sword; but if,
upon trial, it fail, I will make him rue the day."

Then Siegfried went to his task. And for seven days and seven ni