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[Illustration: SIEGFRIED FIGHTING WITH ALBERICH.]
_THE NIBELUNG HERO._
I.
SIEGFRIED’S YOUTH.
Once upon a time there was a noble prince in the Netherlands called
Siegfried (Sigfrît, Siegwart, or Sigurðr). His father, Sigmund, was
descended from the glorious race of the Wölfungs, who traced their
lineage back to Wodan. His mother, Sigelinde, was of equally high
birth. They both rejoiced in the early signs of strength and activity
displayed by their son, and hoped that when grown to man’s estate, his
heroic deeds might gain him glory and renown.
The boy, however, soon became aware of his wonderful strength, and
showed a haughty, unbending spirit. He would suffer no contradiction:
he beat his playfellows black and blue when they displeased him, even
those among them who were much bigger than he. The older he grew, the
more he was hated by all the other boys, and the more anxious his
parents became regarding his future.
At last Sigmund told the queen that he only knew of one way to bring
the young rebel under rule, and that was to apprentice him to the
smith, Mimer, who lived in the neighbouring forest, and who was a
strong and wise man, and would teach the boy how to forge the weapons
he should one day wield as a warrior. The queen gave her consent, so
the father took the necessary steps.
When the smith heard the whole story, he declared himself ready to
undertake the task assigned him, for he had a strong belief in the
pacifying effects of hard work. Everything went well for a time. One
year passed on after another, till the prince grew almost to man’s
estate. But labour in the smithy was irksome to him, and when his
comrades set him right, he beat them, threw them down, and, on one
occasion, went so far as to drag the best smith among them—Wieland—by
the hair to his master’s feet.
“This will not do at all,” said Mimer; “come here and forge yourself a
good sword.”
Siegfried was quite ready to do so. He asked for the best iron and the
heaviest hammer, which was such a weight that it took both hands to
wield it. Mimer drew the strongest bar of iron out of the forge,
glowing red, and laid it on the anvil. Siegfried swung the hammer with
one hand, as though it had been a plaything; but when it came down upon
the iron the blow was like a clap of thunder, the house shook to its
foundation, the iron shivered into splinters, and the anvil sank a foot
deep into the ground.
“This will never do,” said the master as before; “we must try another
plan, my boy, if you are to make yourself a suitable weapon! Go to the
charcoal-burner in the pine wood, and fetch me as much of his charcoal
as you can carry on your strong shoulders. Meanwhile I shall prepare
the best iron to make you a sword, such as never yet was possessed by
any warrior.”
Siegfried was so pleased to hear this, that picking up the largest axe
he could find, he set out into the forest. It was a beautiful spring
day. The birds were singing, and the grass was studded with violets and
forget-me-nots. He plucked a bunch of the flowers, and stuck them in
his leather cap, from a half-conscious feeling that they might perhaps
bring him good luck. He went on further and further, till he reached
the middle of a dark pine forest. Not a bird was to be seen; but the
gloomy silence was broken by a gurgling, hissing, and roaring, that
might easily have affrighted a less daring spirit. He soon found the
reason of the noise. A dismal swamp lay before him, in which gigantic
toads, snakes, and lind-worms were disporting themselves.
“I never saw so many horrible creatures in my life,” said Siegfried;
“but I will soon stop their music.”
So saying, he picked up dead trees and threw them into the morass, till
he had completely covered it. After which, he hastened on to the
charcoal-burner’s house. Arrived there, he asked the man to give him
fire that he might burn the monsters.
“Poor boy,” said the charcoal-burner, “I am very sorry for you; but if
you go back the way you came, the great dragon will come out of his
cave and make but a single mouthful of you. Smith Mimer is a faithless
man; he came here before you, and told me that he had roused the worm
against you, because you were so unmanageable.”
“Have no fear, good man,” answered Siegfried; “I shall first slay the
worm, and then the smith. But now give me the fire, that I may burn the
poisonous brood.”
The lad was soon back at the swamp. He set fire to the dry wood with
which he had covered it, and let it blaze. The wind was favourable, and
fanned the flames to a great fire, so that the creatures were all burnt
up in a short space of time. The lad then went round the dismal swamp
and found a small rivulet of hot fat issuing from it. He dipped his
finger in it, and found, on withdrawing it, that it was covered with a
horn-like skin. “Ah,” he thought, “this would be useful in war.” He
therefore undressed, and bathed his whole body in the liquid fat, so
that he was now covered with horn from head to foot, except in one
place, between his shoulders, where a leaf had stuck to his skin. This
he did not discover until later. He dressed himself again in his
leather garments, and walked on, his club resting on his shoulder.
Suddenly the dragon darted out upon him from its hiding-place; but
three good blows of his club slew the monster. He then went back to the
smithy to take vengeance on the master smith and his comrade. At sight
of him, the men fled affrighted into the forest, but the master awaited
the youth’s arrival. At first Mimer tried the effect of flattering
words; but finding they were vain, he took to his sword. Siegfried then
dealt him one mighty blow, and had no need to strike again.
Having done this, the lad went into the smithy, and with great patience
and care forged himself a sword, whose blade he hardened in the blood
of the lind-worm. Then he set out for his father’s palace. The king
sharply rebuked him for his evil deed in slaying the master smith, who
was so good a subject, and so useful to the whole country. And the
queen, in her turn, reproached him with many tears, for having stained
his hands with innocent blood. Siegfried, sobered by his father’s
reproof, and softened by his mother’s tears, did not try to excuse
himself; but, falling at the queen’s feet and hiding his face in his
hands, he said the sight of her tears cut him to the heart, and for the
future he vowed that his deeds should be those of a gentle knight. Then
the hearts of the parents were comforted.
From that time forward Siegfried was changed. He listened to the advice
of men of understanding, and strove to learn how to act wisely and
well. Whenever he felt one of his old fits of passion coming over him,
he thought of his mother’s tears and his father’s reproof, and
conquered the evil spirit that threatened to master him. The
expectations of the people were great respecting him: they were sure
that in him their nation had found a new hero. And then, he was so
handsome and graceful, that the women admired him as much for his looks
as the men did for his prowess.