The Story of Siegfried Read online

  The next morning Veliant came to Siegfried's forge, with a sham smileupon his face. The boy knew that cowardice and base deceit lurked, illconcealed, beneath that smile; yet, as he was wont to do, he welcomedthe foreman kindly.

  "Siegfried," said Veliant, "let us be friends again. I am sorry that Iwas so foolish and so rash yesterday, and I promise that I will neveragain be so rude and unmanly as to become angry at you. Let us befriends, good Siegfried! Give me your hand, I pray you, and with it yourforgiveness."

  Siegfried grasped the rough palm of the young smith with such a gripe,that the smile vanished from Veliant's face, and his muscles writhedwith pain.

  "I give you my hand, certainly," said the boy, "and I will give you myforgiveness when I know that you are worthy of it."

  As soon as Veliant's aching hand allowed him speech, he said,--

  "Siegfried, you know that we have but little charcoal left for ourforges, and our master will soon return from his journey. It will neverdo for him to find us idle, and the fires cold. Some one must go to-dayto the forest-pits, and bring home a fresh supply of charcoal. How wouldyou like the errand? It is but a pleasant day's journey to the pits; anda ride into the greenwood this fine summer day would certainly be moreagreeable than staying in the smoky shop."

  "I should like the drive very much," answered Siegfried; "but I havenever been to the coal-pits, and I might lose my way in the forest."

  "No danger of that," said Veliant. "Follow the road that goes straightinto the heart of the forest, and you cannot miss your way. It will leadyou to the house of Regin, the master, the greatest charcoal-man in allRhineland. He will be right glad to see you for Mimer's sake, and youmay lodge with him for the night. In the morning he will fill your cartwith the choicest charcoal, and you can drive home at your leisure; and,when our master comes again, he will find our forges flaming, and ourbellows roaring, and our anvils ringing, as of yore."

  Siegfried, after some further parley, agreed to undertake the errand,although he felt that Veliant, in urging him to do so, wished to workhim some harm. He harnessed the donkey to the smith's best cart, anddrove merrily away along the road which led towards the forest.[EN#5]The day was bright and clear; and as Siegfried rode through the flowerymeadows, or betwixt the fields of corn, a thousand sights and sounds methim, and made him glad. Now and then he would stop to watch the reapersin the fields, or to listen to the song of some heaven-soaring larklost to sight in the blue sea overhead. Once he met a company of gaylydressed youths and maidens, carrying sheaves of golden grain,--for itwas now the harvest-time,--and singing in praise of Frey, the giver ofpeace and plenty.

  "Whither away, young prince?" they merrily asked.

  "To Regin, the coal-burner, in the deep greenwood," he answered.

  "Then may the good Frey have thee in keeping!" they cried. "It is a longand lonesome journey." And each one blessed him as they passed.

  It was nearly noon when he drove into the forest, and left the bloomingmeadows and the warm sunshine behind him. And now he urged the donkeyforwards with speed; for he knew that he had lost much precious time,and that many miles still lay between him and Regin's charcoal-pits. Andthere was nothing here amid the thick shadows of the wood to make himwish to linger; for the ground was damp, and the air was chilly, andevery thing was silent as the grave. And not a living creature didSiegfried see, save now and then a gray wolf slinking across the road,or a doleful owl sitting low down in some tree-top, and blinking at himin the dull but garish light. Evening at last drew on, and the shadowsin the wood grew deeper; and still no sign of charcoal-burner, nor ofother human being, was seen. Night came, and thick darkness settledaround; and all the demons of the forest came forth, and clamored andchattered, and shrieked and howled. But Siegfried was not afraid. Thebats and vampires came out of their hiding-places, and flapped theirclammy wings in his face; and he thought that he saw ogres and manyfearful creatures peeping out from behind every tree and shrub. But,when he looked upwards through the overhanging tree-tops, he saw thestar-decked roof of heaven, the blue mantle which the All-Father hashung as a shelter over the world; and he went bravely onwards, neverdoubting but that Odin has many good things in store for those who arewilling to trust him.

  And by and by the great round moon arose in the east, and the fearfulsounds that had made the forest hideous began to die away; and Siegfriedsaw, far down the path, a red light feebly gleaming. And he was glad,for he knew that it must come from the charcoal-burners' pits. Soon hecame out upon a broad, cleared space; and the charcoal-burners' firesblazed bright before him; and some workmen, swarthy and soot-begrimed,came forwards to meet him.

  "Who are you?" they asked; "and why do you come through the forest atthis late hour?"

  "I am Siegfried," answered the boy; "and I come from Mimer's smithy. Iseek Regin, the king of charcoal-burners; for I must have coal for mymaster's smithy."

  "Come with me," said one of the men: "I will lead you to Regin."

  Siegfried alighted from his cart, and followed the man to a low-roofedhut not far from the burning pits. As they drew near, they heard thesound of a harp, and strange, wild music within; and Siegfried's heartwas stirred with wonder as he listened. The man knocked softly at thedoor, and the music ceased.

  "Who comes to break into Regin's rest at such a time as this?" said arough voice within.

  "A youth who calls himself Siegfried," answered the man. "He says thathe comes from Mimer's smithy, and he would see you, my master."

  "Let him come in," said the voice.

  Siegfried passed through the low door, and into the room beyond; and sostrange was the sight that met him that he stood for a while in awe,for never in so lowly a dwelling had treasures so rich been seen. Jewelssparkled from the ceiling; rare tapestry covered the walls; and on thefloor were heaps of ruddy gold and silver, still unfashioned. And inthe midst of all this wealth stood Regin, the king of the forest, thegreatest of charcoal-men. And a strange old man he was, wrinkled andgray and beardless; but out of his eyes sharp glances gleamed of a lightthat was not human, and his heavy brow and broad forehead betokenedwisdom and shrewd cunning. And he welcomed Siegfried kindly for Mimer'ssake, and set before him a rich repast of venison, and wild honey, andfresh white bread, and luscious grapes. And, when the meal was finished,the boy would have told his errand, but Regin stopped him.

  "Say nothing of your business to-night," said he; "for the hour isalready late, and you are weary. Better lie down, and rest until themorrow; and then we will talk of the matter which has brought youhither."

  And Siegfried was shown to a couch of the fragrant leaves of the myrtleand hemlock, overspread with soft white linen, such as is made in thefar-off Emerald Isle; and he was lulled to sleep by sweet strains ofmusic from Regin's harp,--music which told of the days when the godswere young on the earth. And as he slept he dreamed. He dreamed thathe stood upon the crag of a high mountain, and that the eagles flewscreaming around him, and the everlasting snows lay at his feet, and theworld in all its beauty was stretched out like a map below him; and helonged to go forth to partake of its abundance, and to make for himselfa name among men. Then came the Norns, who spin the thread, and weavethe woof, of every man's life; and they held in their hands the webof his own destiny. And Urd, the Past, sat on the tops of the easternmountains, where the sun begins to rise at dawn; while Verdanda, thePresent, stood in the western sea, where sky and water meet. And theystretched the web between them, and its ends were hidden in the far-awaymists. Then with all their might the two Norns span the purple andgolden threads, and wove the fatal woof. But as it began to grow inbeauty and in strength, and to shadow the earth with its gladness andits glory, Skuld, the pitiless Norn of the Future, seized it with rudefingers, and tore it into shreds, and cast it down at the feet of Hela,the white queen of the dead.[EN#6] And the eagles shrieked, and themountain shook, and the crag toppled, and Siegfried awoke.

  The next morning, at earliest break of day, the youth sought Regin, andmade known his erra
nd.

  "I have come for charcoal for my master Mimer's forges. My cart standsready outside; and I pray you to have it filled at once, for the way islong, and I must be back betimes."

  Then a strange smile stole over Regin's wrinkled face, and he said,--

  "Does Siegfried the prince come on such a lowly errand? Does he cometo me through the forest, driving a donkey, and riding in a sootycoal-cart? I have known the day when his kin were the mightiest kings ofearth, and they fared through every land the noblest men of men-folk."

  The taunting word, the jeering tones, made Siegfried's anger rise.The blood boiled in his veins; but he checked his tongue, and mildlyanswered,--

  "It is true that I am a prince, and my father is the wisest of kings;and it is for this reason that I come thus to you. Mimer is my master,and my father early taught me that even princes must obey their masters'behests."

  Then Regin laughed, and asked, "How long art thou to be Mimer's thrall?Does no work wait for thee but at his smoky forge?"

  "When Mimer gives me leave, and Odin calls me," answered the lad, "thenI, too, will go faring over the world, like my kin of the earlierdays, to carve me a name and great glory, and a place with the noble ofearth."

  Regin said not a word; but he took his harp, and smote the strings,and a sad, wild music filled the room. And he sang of the gods and thedwarf-folk, and of the deeds that had been in the time long past andgone. And a strange mist swam before Siegfried's eyes; and so bewitchingwere the strains that fell upon his ears, and filled his soul, that heforgot about his errand, and his master Mimer, and his father Siegmund,and his lowland home, and thought only of the heart-gladdening sounds.By and by the music ended, the spell was lifted, and Siegfried turnedhis eyes towards the musician. A wonderful change had taken place. Thelittle old man still stood before him with the harp in his hand; but hiswrinkled face was hidden by a heavy beard, and his thin gray locks werecovered with a long black wig, and he seemed taller and stouter thanbefore. As Siegfried started with surprise, his host held out his hand,and said,--

  "You need not be alarmed, my boy. It is time for you to know thatRegin and Mimer are the same person, or rather that Mimer is Regindisguised.[EN#8] The day has come for you to go your way into the world,and Mimer gives you leave."

  Siegfried was so amazed he could not say a word. He took the master'shand, and gazed long into his deep, bright eyes. Then the two sat downtogether, and Mimer, or Regin as we shall now call him, told the princemany tales of the days that had been, and of his bold, wise forefathers.And the lad's heart swelled within him; and he longed to be likethem,--to dare and do and suffer, and gloriously win at last. And heturned to Regin and said,--

  "Tell me, wisest of masters, what I shall do to win fame, and to makemyself worthy to rule the fair land which my fathers held."

  "Go forth in your own strength, and with Odin's help," answeredRegin,--"go forth to right the wrong, to help the weak, to punish evil,and come not back to your father's kingdom until the world shall knowyour noble deeds."

  "But whither shall I go?" asked Siegfried.

  "I will tell you," answered Regin. "Put on these garments, which betterbefit a prince than those soot-begrimed clothes you have worn so long.Gird about you this sword, the good Balmung, and go northward. When youcome to the waste lands which border upon the sea, you will findthe ancient Gripir, the last of the kin of the giants. Ask of him awar-steed, and Odin will tell you the rest."

  So, when the sun had risen high above the trees, Siegfried bade Regingood-by, and went forth like a man, to take whatsoever fortune shouldbetide. He went through the great forest, and across the bleak moorlandbeyond, and over the huge black mountains that stretched themselvesacross his way, and came to a pleasant country all dotted with whitefarmhouses, and yellow with waving, corn. But he tarried not here,though many kind words were spoken to him, and all besought him to stay.Right onwards he went, until he reached the waste land which borders thesounding sea. And there high mountains stood, with snow-crowned cragsbeetling over the waves; and a great river, all foaming with the summerfloods, went rolling through the valley. And in the deep dales betweenthe mountains were rich meadows, green with grass, and speckled withthousands of flowers of every hue, where herds of cattle and deer, andnoble elks, and untamed horses, fed in undisturbed peace. And Siegfried,when he saw, knew that these were the pastures of Gripir the ancient.

  High up among the gray mountain-peaks stood Gripir's dwelling,--amighty house, made of huge bowlders brought by giant hands from the farnorth-land. And the wild eagle, built their nests around it, and themountain vultures screamed about its doors. But Siegfried was notafraid. He climbed the steep pathway which the feet of men had nevertouched before, and, without pausing, walked straightway into thehigh-built hall. The room was so dark that at first he could see nothingsave the white walls, and the glass-green pillars which upheld the roof.But the light grew stronger soon; and Siegfried saw, beneath a heavycanopy of stone, the ancient Gripir, seated in a chair made from thesea-horse's teeth.[EN#9] And the son of the giants held in his hand anivory staff; and a purple mantle was thrown over his shoulders, and hiswhite beard fell in sweeping waves almost to the sea-green floor. Verywise he seemed, and he gazed at Siegfried with a kindly smile.

  "Hail, Siegfried!" he cried. "Hail, prince with the gleaming eye! I knowthee, and I know the woof that the Norns have woven for thee. Welcome tomy lonely mountain home! Come and sit by my side in the high-seat whereman has never sat, and I will tell thee of things that have been, and ofthings that are yet to be."

  Then Siegfried fearlessly went and sat by the side of the ancient wiseone. And long hours they talked together,--strong youth and hoariestage; and each was glad that in the other he had found some source ofhope and comfort. And they talked of the great midworld, and of thestarry dome above it, and of the seas which gird it, and of the men wholive upon it. All night long they talked, and in the morning Siegfriedarose to go.

  "Thou hast not told me of thy errand," said Gripir; "but I know what itis. Come first with me, and see this great mid-world for thyself."

  Then Gripir, leaning on his staff, led the way out of the great hall,and up to the top of the highest mountain-crag. And the wild eaglescircled in the clear, cold air above them; and far below them the whitewaves dashed against the mountain's feet; and the frosty winds sweptaround them unchecked, bringing to their ears the lone lamenting of thenorth giants, moaning for the days that had been and for the gloriesthat were past. Then Siegfried looked to the north, and he saw the darkmountain-wall of Norway trending away in solemn grandeur towardsthe frozen sea, but broken here and there by sheltering fjords, andpleasant, sunny dales. He looked to the east, and saw a great foreststretching away and away until it faded to sight in the blue distance.He looked to the south, and saw a pleasant land, with farms andvineyards, and towns and strong-built castles; and through it wound theRiver Rhine, like a great white serpent, reaching from the snow-cappedAlps to the northern sea. And he saw his father's little kingdom of theNetherlands lying like a green speck on the shore of the ocean. Thenhe looked to the west, and nothing met his sight but a wilderness ofrolling, restless waters, save, in the far distance, a green island halfhidden by sullen mists and clouds. And Siegfried sighed, and said,--

  "The world is so wide, and the life of man so short!"

  "The world is all before thee," answered Gripir. "Take what the Nornshave allotted thee. Choose from my pastures a battle-steed, and rideforth to win for thyself a name and fame among the sons of men."

  Then Siegfried ran down the steep side of the mountain to the grassydell where the horses were feeding. But the beasts were all so fair andstrong, that he knew not which to choose. While he paused, uncertainwhat to do, a strange man stood before him. Tall and handsome was theman, with one bright eye, and a face beaming like the dawn in summer;and upon his head he wore a sky-blue hood bespangled with golden stars,and over his shoulder was thrown a cloak of ashen gray.

  "Would you choose a hor
se, Sir Siegfried?" asked the stranger.

  "Indeed I would," answered he. "But it is hard to make a choice among somany."

  "There is one in the meadow," said the man, "far better than allthe rest. They say that he came from Odin's pastures on the greenhill-slopes of Asgard, and that none but the noblest shall ride him."

  "Which is he?" asked Siegfried.

  "Drive the herd into the river," was the answer, "and then see if youcan pick him out."

  And Siegfried and the stranger drove the horses down the sloping bank,and into the rolling stream; but the flood was too strong for them.Some soon turned back to the shore; while others, struggling madly, wereswept away, and carried out to the sea. Only one swam safely over. Heshook the dripping water from his mane, tossed his head in the air, andthen plunged again into the stream. Right bravely he stemmed thetorrent the second time. He clambered up the shelving bank, and stood bySiegfried's side.

  "What need to tell you that this is the horse?" said the stranger. "Takehim: he is yours. He is Greyfell, the shining hope that Odin sends tohis chosen heroes."

  And then Siegfried noticed that the horse's mane glimmered and flashedlike a thousand rays from the sun, and that his coat was as white andclear as the fresh-fallen snow on the mountains. He turner to speak tothe stranger, but he was nowhere to be seen and Siegfried bethought himhow he had talked with Odin unawares. Then he mounted the noble Greyfelland rode with a light heart across the flowery meadows.

  "Whither ridest thou?" cried Gripir the ancient, from his doorway amongthe crags.

  "I ride into the wide world," said Siegfried; "but I know not whither. Iwould right the wrong, and help the weak, and make myself a name on theearth, as did my kinsmen of yore. Tell me, I pray you, where I shallgo; for you are wise, and you know the things which have been, and thosewhich shall befall."