t Siegfried's command, obeyed. And at once the wind ceased
blowing, and the sea was calm, and the warm sun shone through the rifted
clouds, and the coast of Hundings Land lay close before them. But when
they looked for Fjolner, as he called himself, they could not find him.

One day Siegfried sat in his sun-lit hall in Nibelungen Land; and
Kriemhild, lovely as a morning in June, sat beside him. And they talked
of the early days when alone he fared through the mid-world, and alone
did deeds of wondrous daring. And Siegfried bethought him then of the
glittering Hoard of Andvari, and the cave and the mountain fortress,
where the faithful dwarf Alberich still guarded the measureless
treasure.

"How I should like to see that mountain fastness and that glittering
hoard!" cried Kriemhild.

"You shall see," answered the king.

And at once horses were saddled, and preparations were made for a
morning's jaunt into the mountains. And, ere an hour had passed,
Siegfried and his queen, and a small number of knights and ladies,
were riding through the passes. About noon they came to Alberich's
dwelling,--a frowning fortress of granite built in the mountain-side.
The gate was opened by the sleepy giant who always sat within, and the
party rode into the narrow court-yard. There they were met by Alberich,
seeming smaller and grayer, and more pinched and wan, than ever before.

"Hail, noble master!" cried he, bowing low before Siegfried. "How can
Alberich serve you to-day?"

"Lead us to the treasure-vaults," answered the king. "My queen would
fain feast her eyes upon the yellow, sparkling hoard."

The dwarf obeyed. Through a narrow door they were ushered into a long,
low cavern, so frowning and gloomy, that the queen started back in
affright. But, re-assured by Siegfried's smiling face, she went forward
again. The entrance-way was lighted by little torches held in the hands
of tiny elves, who bowed in humble politeness to the kingly party. But,
when once beyond the entrance-hall, no torches were needed to show the
way; for the huge pile of glittering gold and sparkling jewels, which
lay heaped up to the cavern's roof, lighted all the space around with a
glory brighter than day.

"There is the dwarf's treasure!" cried Siegfried. "Behold the Hoard of
Andvari, the gathered wealth of the ages! Henceforth, fair Kriemhild, it
is yours--all yours, save this serpent-ring."

"And why not that too?" asked the queen; for she admired its gl