rough
the Dragon's neck. The Dragon reared up as though to fling himself down
on Sigurd with all his crushing bulk and dread talons, with his fiery
breath and his envenomed blood. But Sigurd leaped aside and ran far off.
Then did Fafnir scream his death scream. After he had torn up rocks with
his talons he lay prone on the ground, his head in the pit that was
filled with his envenomed blood.

Then did Regin, hearing the scream that let him know that Fafnir was
slain, come down to where the battle had been fought. When he saw that
Sigurd was alive and unharmed he uttered a cry of fury. For his plan had
been to have Sigurd drowned and burnt in the pit with the stream of
Fafnir's envenomed blood.

But he mastered his fury and showed a pleased countenance to Sigurd.
"Now thou wilt have renown," he cried. "Forever wilt thou be called
Sigurd, Fafnir's Bane. More renown than ever any of thy fathers had wilt
thou have, O Prince of the Volsungs."

So he spoke, saying fair words to him, for now that he was left alive
there was something he would have Sigurd do.

"Fafnir is slain," Sigurd said, "and the triumph over him was not
lightly won. Now may I show myself to King Alv and to my mother, and the
gold from Fafnir's hoard will make me a great spoil."

"Wait," said Regin cunningly. "Wait. Thou hast yet to do something for
me. With the sword thou hast, cut through the Dragon and take out his
heart for me. When thou hast taken it out, roast it that I may eat of it
and become wiser than I am. Do this for me who showed thee how to slay
Fafnir."

Sigurd did what Regin would have him do. He cut out the heart of the
Dragon and he hung it from stakes to roast. Regin drew away and left
him. As Sigurd stood before the fire putting sticks upon it there was a
great silence in the forest.

He put his hand down to turn an ashen branch into the heart of the fire.
As he did a drop from the roasting Dragon-heart fell upon his hand. The
drop burnt into him. He put his hand to his mouth to ease the smart, and
his tongue tasted the burning blood of the Dragon.

He went to gather wood for the fire. In a clearing that he came to there
were birds; he saw four on a branch together. They spoke to each other
in birds' notes, and Sigurd heard and knew what they were saying.

Said the first bird: "How simple is he who has come into this dell! He
has no thought of an enemy, and yet he who was with him but a while ago
has gone away that he may brin