and the Helper's
youth thereto,
Yea and his father's father's: the lore of all men he knew,
And was deft in every cunning, save the dealings of the sword:
So sweet was his tongue-speech fashioned, that men trowed his
every word;
His hand with the harp-strings blended was the mingler of delight
With the latter days of sorrow; all tales he told aright;
The Master of the Masters in the smithying craft was he;
And he dealt with the wind and the weather and the stilling of
the sea;
Nor might any learn him leech-craft, for before that race was made,
And that man-folk's generation, all their life-days had he
weighed."

Under this tutor Sigurd grew daily in wisdom until few could surpass
him. He mastered the smith's craft, and the art of carving all manner
of runes; he learned languages, music, and eloquence; and, last but
not least, he became a doughty warrior whom none could subdue. When he
had reached manhood Regin prompted him to ask the king for a war-horse,
a request which was immediately granted, and Gripir, the stud-keeper,
was bidden to allow him to choose from the royal stables the steed
which he most fancied.

On his way to the meadow where the horses were at pasture, Sigurd met
a one-eyed stranger, clad in grey and blue, who accosted the young
man and bade him drive the horses into the river and select the one
which could breast the tide with least difficulty.

Sigurd received the advice gladly, and upon reaching the meadow he
drove the horses into the stream which flowed on one side. One of the
number, after crossing, raced round the opposite meadow; and, plunging
again into the river, returned to his former pasture without showing
any signs of fatigue. Sigurd therefore did not hesitate to select this
horse, and he gave him the name of Grane or Greyfell. The steed was
a descendant of Odin's eight-footed horse Sleipnir, and besides being
unusually strong and indefatigable, was as fearless as his master.

One winter day while Regin and his pupil were sitting by the fire,
the old man struck his harp, and, after the manner of the Northern
scalds, sang or recited in the following tale, the story of his life:

The Treasure of the Dwarf King

Hreidmar, king of the dwarf folk, was the father of three sons. Fafnir,
the eldest, was gifted with a fearless soul and a powerful arm; Otter,
the second, with snare and net, and the power of changing his form
at wil