have come again to claim your own. Spare my life, and pardon me, I
pray, and let me know what is your will. Your bidding shall be done at
once."

"Hasten, then," said Siegfried, loosing him from his bonds,--"hasten,
and arouse my Nibelungen hosts. Tell them that their chief has come
again to Mist Land, and that he has work for them to do."

Then Alberich, when he had set the giant gatekeeper free, sent heralds
to every town and castle in the land to make known the words and wishes
of Siegfried. And the gallant Nibelungen warriors, when they heard that
their liege lord had come again, sprang up joyously, and girded on
their armor, and hastened to obey his summons. And soon the strong-built
castle was full of noble men,--of earls, and the faithful liegemen
who had known Siegfried of old. And joyful and happy were the words of
greeting.

In the mean while, Alberich had busied himself in preparing a great
feast for his master and his master's chieftains. In the long low hall
that the dwarfs had hollowed out within the mountain's heart, the table
was spread, and on it was placed every delicacy that could be wished.
There were fruits and wines from the sunny South-land, and snow-white
loaves made from the wheat of Gothland, and fish from Old AEgir's
kingdom, and venison from the king's wild-wood, and the flesh of many a
fowl most delicately baked, and, near the head of the board, a huge wild
boar roasted whole. And the hall was lighted by a thousand tapers, each
held in the hands of a swarthy elf; and the guests were served by the
elf-women, who ran hither and thither, obedient to every call. But
Alberich, at Siegfried's desire, sat upon the dais at his lord's right
hand. Merriment ruled the hour, and happy greetings were heard on every
side. And, when the feast was at its height, a troop of hill-folk came
dancing into the hall; and a hundred little fiddlers, perched in the
niches of the wall, made merry music, and kept time for the busy,
clattering little feet. And when the guests had tired of music and
laughter, and the dancers had gone away, and the tables no longer
groaned under the weight of good cheer Siegfried and his earls still
sat at their places, and beguiled the hours with pleasant talk and with
stories of the earlier days. And Alberich, as the master of the feast,
told a tale of the dwarf-folk, and how once they were visited in their
hill-home by Loki the Mischief-maker.

Alberich's Story.

My story