if thou art a true
Volsung, thou wilt slay the Dragon, and let that land become fair again,
and bring the people back to it and so add to King Alv's domain."

"I have nought to do with the slaying of Dragons," Sigurd said. "I have
to make war on King Lygni, and avenge upon him the slaying of Sigmund,
my father."

"What is the slaying of Lygni and the conquest of his kingdom to the
slaying of Fafnir the Dragon?" Regin cried. "I will tell thee what no
one else knows of Fafnir the Dragon. He guards a hoard of gold and
jewels the like of which was never seen in the world. All this hoard you
can make yours by slaying him."

"I do not covet riches," Sigurd said.

"No riches is like to the riches that Fafnir guards. His hoard is the
hoard that the Dwarf Andvari had from the world's early days. Once the
Gods themselves paid it over as a ransom. And if thou wilt win this
hoard thou wilt be as one of the Gods."

"How dost thou know that of which thou speakst, Regin?" Sigurd said.

"I know, and one day I may tell thee how I know."

"And one day I may harken to thee. But speak to me no more of this
Dragon. I would have thee make a sword, a sword that will be mightier
and better shapen than any sword in the world. Thou canst do this,
Regin, for thou art accounted the best swordsmith amongst men."

Regin looked at Sigurd out of his small and cunning eyes and he thought
it was best to make himself active. So he took the weightiest pieces of
iron and put them into his furnace and he brought out the secret tools
that he used when a masterwork was claimed from his hands.

All day Sigurd worked beside him keeping the fire at its best glow and
bringing water to cool the blade as it was fashioned and refashioned.
And as he worked he thought only about the blade and about how he would
make war upon King Lygni, and avenge the man who was slain before he
himself was born.

All day he thought only of war and of the beaten blade. But at night his
dreams were not upon wars nor shapen blades but upon Fafnir the Dragon.
He saw the heath that was left barren by his breath, and he saw the cave
where he had his den, and he saw him crawling down from his cave, his
scales glittering like rings of mail, and his length the length of a
company of men on the march.

The next day he worked with Regin to shape the great sword. When it was
shapen with all the cunning Regin knew it looked indeed a mighty sword.
Then Regin sharpened it and Sigurd po