ory was soon won. The monster stopped
short, while but half of his long body had glided over the pit; for
sudden death had overtaken him. His horrid head fell lifeless upon
the ground; his cold wings flapped once, and then lay, quivering and
helpless, spread out on either side; and streams of thick black blood
flowed from his heart, through the wound beneath, and filled the trench
in which Siegfried was hidden, and ran like a mountain-torrent down the
road towards the river. Siegfried was covered from head to foot with the
slimy liquid, and, had he not quickly leaped from his hiding-place, he
would have been drowned in the swift-rushing, stream.[EN#11]

The bright sun rose in the east, and gilded the mountain-tops, and fell
upon the still waters of the river, and lighted up the treeless plains
around. The south wind played gently against Siegfried's cheeks and in
his long hair, as he stood gazing on his fallen foe. And the sound of
singing birds, and rippling waters, and gay insects,--such as had not
broken the silence of the Glittering Heath for ages,--came to his ears.
The Terror was dead, and Nature had awakened from her sleep of dread.
And as the lad leaned upon his sword, and thought of the deed he had
done, behold! the shining Greyfell, with the beaming, hopeful mane,
having crossed the now bright river, stood by his side. And Regin, his
face grown wondrous cold, came trudging over the meadows; and his heart
was full of guile. Then the mountain vultures came wheeling downwards
to look upon the dead dragon; and with them were two ravens, black as
midnight. And when Siegfried saw these ravens he knew them to be Odin's
birds,--Hugin, thought, and Munin, memory. And they alighted on the
ground near by; and the lad listened to hear what they would say. Then
Hugin flapped his wings, and said,--

"The deed is done. Why tarries the hero?"

And Munin said,--

"The world is wide. Fame waits for the hero."

And Hugin answered,--

"What if he win the Hoard of the Elves? That is not honor. Let him seek
fame by nobler deeds."

Then Munin flew past his ear, and whispered,--

"Beware of Regin, the master! His heart is poisoned. He would be thy
bane."

And the two birds flew away to carry the news to Odin in the happy halls
of Gladsheim.

When Regin drew near to look upon the dragon, Siegfried kindly accosted
him: but he seemed not to hear; and a snaky glitter lurked in his eyes,
and his mouth was set and dry, and he