Fafnir. After forging a sword for himself out of
the fragments of a blade left by his father Siegmund, he avenged his
father's death and then set out to attack Fafnir. Meeting Woden, he was
advised by the god to dig a ditch in the dragon's path. Encountering
Fafnir, he slew him and the dragon's blood ran into the ditch, without
which he would have been drowned by the flood of gore from the monster.
As the dragon died he warned Sigurd against the treasure and its curse
and against Regin, who, he said, was planning Sigurd's death.

When Regin saw that the dragon was quite dead, he crept from his
hiding-place and quaffed its blood. Then, cutting out the heart, he
begged Sigurd to roast it for him. In this operation Sigurd burnt his
fingers and instinctively thrust them in his mouth, thus tasting of the
dragon's blood, whereupon he was surprised to find that he comprehended
the language of the birds. Hearkening intently to the strange, new
sounds, he learned that if he himself should eat the heart, then he
would be wiser than anyone in the world. The birds further betrayed
Regin's evil intentions, and advised Sigurd to kill him. Seeing his
danger, Sigurd went to where Regin was and cut off his head and ate
Fafnir's heart. Following once again the advice of the birds, he
brought the treasure from the cave and then journeyed to the mountain
Hindarfjall, where he rescued the sleeping Valkyr, Brynhild or Brunhild,
who had been pierced by the sleep-thorn of Woden and lay in slumber clad
in full armour within a castle, surrounded by a hedge of flame. Mounting
his horse Grani, Sigurd rode through the fiery obstacle to the gate
of the castle. He entered it, and, finding the maiden asleep, cut the
armour from her with his sword--for during her long slumber it had
become very tight upon her. Brunhild hailed him with joy, for she had
vowed never to marry a man who knew fear. She taught Sigurd much wisdom,
and finally they pledged their troth. He then departed, after promising
to remain faithful to her.

On his travels he arrived at the court of Giuki or Gibicho, a king whose
domains were situated on the Lower Rhine. Three sons had he, Gunnar,
Hogni, and Gutthorm, and a daughter Gudrun, a maiden of exquisite
beauty. His queen bore the name of Grimhild, and was deeply versed in
magical science, but was evil of nature.

They received Sigurd with much honour. Grimhild knew of his relations
with Brunhild, and gave him a potion which pro