at once he set them in his mouth to soothe the smart.
And the moment the heart-blood of Fafnir touched his tongue his ears
were open to the voices of the birds, and he understood the meaning of
their songs in the bushes hard by.

And this was what the woodpeckers sang, chuckling all the time: "There
thou sittest, Sigurd, roasting the heart of Fafnir for another,
whereas if thou ate it thyself thou wouldst become wisest of men."

And the swallows twittered: "See where lies Regin, who is in mind to
kill the man who trusts in him."

And the raven croaked: "Let Sigurd then cut off his head and so have
all the gold-hoard for his own."

And the eagle screamed: "Why did he not ride away with that hoard at
once? Then might he have found the hill where Brunhild lies."

And the owl hooted: "Ay, let him now take his chance and slay the man
who will surely kill him if he lets him live."

Then Sigurd arose, and he scrupled not to slay Regin; for he knew that
he was about to betray him unto his death.

Then once more the birds began to sing. And this time they sang with
glee of a warrior-maiden sleeping fast on a high mountain in the midst
of a ring of glittering flames; and through this fiery ring only the
bravest of heroes might pass and awake her from sleep.

"On a mountain fell
A warrior-maid fast sleeps
Where a ring of flame
Perfect safety keeps.
None may take her hence
Save a hero bold,
For only at a hero's touch
Will those fires burn cold."

Then was Sigurd fired with desire to find that fair maiden. So, after
partaking of the dragon's heart, he leapt on his horse and rode along
in the monster's tracks till he reached the place where, deep down in
the earth, the gold lay hoarded. And there he found the store of
treasure, which he placed in two great chests upon the back of his
good horse, meaning to walk along-side. But the horse would not stir a
foot until Sigurd, guessing what was in his mind, leapt upon his back;
whereat Greyfell galloped away at once as though he were carrying no
weight at all.

CHAPTER XIX

How Sigurd Won the Hand of Brunhild

_This is the tale the Northmen tell of how
Sigurd braved the flames, and what befell._

On and on, over level plain, by wild marshes, through winding ways,
galloped Greyfell, until at last he brought Sigurd to the foot of a
mountain that is called Hindfell. And before him, on the crest of that
height, he saw a great light