ies back to his island home. The
last time, he brought this treasure with him; but, as we have said, it
is not clear how he obtained it. We have heard men say that it was the
Hoard of Andvari, and that when Fafnir, the dragon who watched it, was
slain, the hero who slew him left it to be taken again by the swarthy
elves who had gathered it; but because of a curse which Andvari had
placed upon it, no one would touch it, until some man would assume its
ownership, and take upon himself the risk of incurring the curse. This
thing, it is said, our father did. And the dwarf Alberich undertook to
keep it for him; and he, with the help of the ten thousand elves who
live in these caverns, and the twelve giants whom you see standing on
the mountain-peaks around, guarded it faithfully so long as our father
lived. But, when he died, we and our thralls fetched it forth from the
cavern, and spread it here on the ground. And, lo! for many days we have
watched and tried to divide it equally. But we cannot agree."

"What hire will you give me if I divide it for you?" asked Siegfried.

"Name what you will have," answered the princes.

"Give me the sword which lies before you on the glittering heap."

Then Niblung handed him the sword, and said, "Right gladly will we give
it. It is a worthless blade that our father brought from the South-land.
They say that he found it also on the Glittering Heath, in the trench
where Fafnir was slain. And some will have it that it was forged by
Regin, Fafnir's own brother. But how that is, I do not know. At any
rate, it is of no use to us; for it turns against us whenever we try to
use it."

Siegfried took the sword. It was his own Balmung, that had been lost so
long.

Forthwith he began the task of dividing the treasure; and the two
brothers, so faint from hunger and want of sleep that they could
scarcely lift their heads, watched him with anxious, greedy eyes. First
he placed a piece of gold by Niblung's side, and then a piece of like
value he gave to Schilbung. And this he did again and again, until no
more gold was left. Then, in the same manner, he divided the precious
gem-stones until none remained. And the brothers were much pleased; and
they hugged their glittering treasures, and thanked Siegfried for his
kindness, and for the fairness with which he had given to each his
own. But one thing was left which had not fallen to the lot of either
brother. It was a ring of curious workmanship,--a s