wrought his ending!’
38
‘Nay, blame not thyself,
backward helper!
Stout heart is better
than strongest sword.’
‘Yet the sword I smithied,
the serpent’s bane!
The bold oft are beaten
who have blunt weapons.’
39
Thus heavy spake Regin
Ridil unsheathing,
fell Fafnir’s heart
from the flesh cleaving.
Dark blood drank he
from the dragon welling;
deep drowsing fell
on dwarvish smith.
40
‘Sit now, Sigurd!
Sleep o’ercomes me.
Thou Fafnir’s heart
at the fire roast me.
His dark thought’s dwelling
after drink potent
I fain would eat,
feast of wisdom.’
41
Sharp spit shaped he;
at shining fire
the fat of Fafnir there frothed and hissed.
To tongue he touched
testing finger –
beasts’ cry he knew,
and birds’ voices
.
*
42
‘A head shorter
should hoary liar
go hence to nether hell!
The heart of Fafnir
I whole would eat
if I myself were Sigurd.’
43
‘
Who
a foe lets free
is fool indeed,
when he was bane of
brother
!
I alone would be lord
of linked gold,
if my wielded sword had won it.’
44
‘A head shorter
should hiding dwarf
deprived of gold perish!
There Regin rouses
in rustling heather;
Vengeance he vows for brother.’
*
45
Round turned Sigurd,
and Regin saw he
in the heath crawling
with hate gleaming.
Black spilled the blood
as blade clove him,
the head hewing
