ws no fear may claim you for his bride."

Then Wotan kissed Brunhilde upon each eyelid, and she fell fast asleep.

Gently he bore her to a mossy mound beneath a spreading fir tree.

Laying her down, he looked long and lovingly upon her sweet, brave face.

He drew her helmet close over her eyes, and laid her shield upon her
breast.

The flowers went to sleep.

Brunhilde's noble steed lay down and slept.

"Farewell, my child, most brave and beautiful!
Thou life and light of all my heart, farewell!
Pride of my soul, farewell, a long farewell!"

THE MAGIC FIRE

Wotan strode a few steps away from where Brunhilde slept, then struck
the rock with his mighty spear.

Red flames shot up, leaping almost to the sky. They were magic flames
and would not harm any one.

But they looked like real fire, and none but a hero would dare go into
them.

They would frighten away all cowards.

Wotan walked around the peak, drawing a line with his spear.

From every place the spear touched the fire burst forth, until at length
the mound where Brunhilde slept was entirely encircled by lurid flames.

Great Wotan looked upon his work. Then he turned and called to all the
mountains and the valleys below:--

"Whoso dareth Wotan's spear,
Whoso knoweth naught of fear,
Let him burst these flames of war,
Let him leap this fiery bar!"

SIEGFRIED

THE MISSING MIMI

The cunning Mimi secretly longed to steal out into the world and find
that magic ring.

One night when all the other little Nibelungs were asleep, he slipped
stealthily to his forge.

He gathered up his best tools.

Making sure that all were soundly sleeping, he stole quietly out.

What surprise and excitement there must have been the next morning when
the little black Nibelungs found that Mimi had run away and had taken
all of his best tools with him!

How they must have rushed about, each anxious to tell another the news
of the missing Mimi!

Of course, Alberich guessed very quickly for what purpose his brother
had gone.

And how Alberich must have raged when he thought of what a sad day it
would be for him should Mimi become owner of that ring!

Mimi was strangely clever.

He said to himself: "That ring is hidden somewhere in the forest. I will
go there and search until I know who has it. Then I will find some way
of getting it."

On he went, until he came to the darkest place in the woods.

The boughs overlapped each other,