THE MAGIC SWORD
Far away in the long ago there lived a mighty king with his goodwife
and his brave son, Siegfried. Their home was at Xanten, where the
river Rhine flows lazily along.
The young prince was carefully taught. But when his education was
nearly finished, his father said:
"Siegfried, there is a mighty smith named Mimer. It will be well for
you to learn all you can of him in regard to the making of arms."
So Siegfried went to work at the trade of a smith. It was not long
before he excelled his teacher. This pleased Mimer, who spent many
spare hours with his pupil, telling him stories of the olden times.
After awhile, he took Siegfried into his confidence. He said:
"There is a powerful knight in Burgundy who has challenged every
smith of my country to make a weapon strong enough to pierce his coat
of mail.
"I long to try," Mimer went on, "but I am now old and have not
strength enough to use the heavy hammer."
At these words Siegfried jumped up in great excitement.
"I will make the sword, dear master," he cried. "Be of good cheer.
It shall be strong enough to cut the knight's armour in two."
Early the next morning, Siegfried began his work. For seven days and
seven nights the constant ringing of his hammer could be heard. At
the end of that time Siegfried came to his master with a sword of the
finest steel in his right hand.
Mimer looked it all over. He then held it in a stream of running
water in which he had thrown a fine thread. The water carried the
thread against the edge of the sword, where it was cut in two.
"It is without a fault," cried Mimer with delight.
"I can do better than that," answered Siegfried, and he took the
sword and broke it into pieces.
Again he set to work. For seven more days and seven more nights he
was busy at his forge. At the end of that time he brought a polished
sword to his master.
Mimer looked it over with the greatest care and made ready to test it.
He threw the fleeces of twelve sheep into the stream. The current
carried them on its bosom to Siegfried's sword. Instantly, each
piece was divided as it met the blade. Mimer shouted aloud in his
Joy.
"Balmung" (for that was the name Siegfried gave the sword) "is the
finest weapon man ever made," he cried.
Siegfried was now prepared to meet the proud knight of Burgundy.
The very first thrust of the sword, Balmung, did the work. The head
and shoulders of the giant were severed from the rest of the body.
They rolled down the hillside and fell into the Rhine, where they can
be seen even now, when the water is clear. At least, so runs the
story. The trunk remained on the hilltop and was turned to stone.
Soon after this Mimer found that Siegfried longed to see the world
and make himself famous. So he bound the sword Balmung to the young
prince's side, and told him to seek a certain person, who would give
him a fine war-horse.
Siegfried went to this man, from whom he obtained a matchless steed.
In fact it had descended from the great god Odin's magic horse.
Siegfried, you can see, must have lived in a time when men believed
in gods and other wonderful beings.
He was now all ready for his adventures, but before starting out,
Mimer told him of a great treasure of gold guarded by a fearful
serpent. This treasure was spread out over a plain called the
Glittering Heath. No man had yet been able to take it, because of
its terrible guardian.
Siegfried was not in the least frightened by the stories he heard of
the monster. He started out on his dangerous errand with a heart
full of courage.
At last, he drew near the plain. He could see it on the other side
of the Rhine, from the hilltop where he was standing. With no one to
help him, not even taking his magic horse with him, he hurried down
the hillside and sprang into a boat on the shore.
An old man had charge of the boat, and as he rowed Siegfried across,
he gave him good advice. This old man, as it happened, was the god
Odin, who loved Siegfried and wished to see him succeed.
"Dig a deep trench along the path the serpent has worn on his way to
the river when in search of water," said the old boatman. "Hide
yourself in the trench, and, as the serpent passes along, you must
thrust your sword deep into his body."
It was good advice. Siegfried did as Odin directed him. He went to
work on the trench at once. It was soon finished, and then the young
prince, sword in hand, was lying in watch for the dread monster.
He did not have long to wait. He soon heard the sound of rolling
stones. Then came a loud hiss, and immediately afterward he felt the
serpent's fiery breath on his cheek.
And now the serpent rolled over into the ditch, and Siegfried was
covered by the folds of his huge body. He did not fear or falter.
He thrust Balmung, his wonderful sword, deep into the monster's body.
The blood poured forth in such torrents that the ditch began to fill
fast.
It was a time of great danger for Siegfried. He would have been
drowned if the serpent in his death-agony had not rolled over on one
side and given him a chance to free himself.
In a moment more he was standing, safe and sound, by the side of the
ditch. His bath in the serpent's blood had given him a great
blessing. Hereafter it would be impossible for any one to wound him
except in one tiny place on his shoulder. A leaf had fallen on this
spot, and the blood had not touched it.
"What did Siegfried do with the golden treasure?" asked Hans, when
his father had reached this point in the story.
"He had not sought it for himself, but for Mimer's sake. All he
cared for was the power of killing the serpent."
As soon as this was done, Mimer drew near and showed himself
ungrateful and untrue. He was so afraid Siegfried would claim some
of the treasure that he secretly drew Balmung from out the serpent's
body, and made ready to thrust it into Siegfried.
But at that very moment his foot slipped in the monster's blood, and
he fell upon the sword and was instantly killed.
Siegfried was filled with horror when he saw what had happened. He
sprang upon his horse's back and fled as fast as possible from the
dreadful scene.
"What happened to Siegfried after that? Did he have any more
adventures?" asked Bertha.
"Yes, indeed. There were enough to fill a book. But there is one in
particular you girls would like to hear. It is about a beautiful
princess whom he freed from a spell which had been cast upon her."
"What was her name, papa?" asked Gretchen.
"Brunhild, the Queen of Isenland. She had been stung by the thorn of
sleep."
Odin, the great god, had said, "Brunhild shall not awake till some
hero is brave enough to fight his way through the flames which shall
constantly surround the palace. He must then go to the side of the
sleeping maiden and break the charm by a kiss upon her forehead."
When Siegfried, in his wanderings, heard the story of Brunhild, he
said, "I will make my way through the flames and will myself rescue
the fair princess."
He leaped upon the back of his magic steed, and together they fought
their way through the fire that surrounded the palace of the sleeping
beauty. He reached the gates in safety. There was no sign of life
about the place. Every one was wrapped in a deep sleep.
Siegfried made his way to the room of the enchanted princess. Ah!
there she lay, still and beautiful, with no knowledge of what was
going on around her.
The young knight knelt by her side. Leaning over her, he pressed a
kiss upon her forehead. She moved slightly; then, opening her blue
eyes, she smiled sweetly upon her deliverer.
At the same moment every one else in the palace woke up and went on
with whatever had been interrupted when sleep overcame them.
Siegfried remained for six months with the fair Brunhild and her
court. Every day was given up to music and feasting, games and
songs. Time passed like a beautiful dream. No one knows how long
the young knight might have enjoyed this happy life if Odin had not
sent two birds. Thought and Memory, to remind him there were other
things for him yet to do.
He did not stop to bid Brunhild farewell, but leaped upon his horse's
back and rode away in search of new adventures.
"Dear me, children," exclaimed their father, looking at the clock,
"it is long past the time you should be in your soft, warm beds."
"Papa, do you know what day to-morrow is?" whispered Bertha, as she
kissed him good night.
"My darling child's birthday. It is ten years to-morrow since your
eyes first looked upon the sunlight. They have been ten happy years
to us all, though our lives are full of work. What do you say to
that, my little one?"
"Very happy, papa dear. You and mother are so kind! I ought to be
good as well as happy."
"She is a faithful child," said her mother, after Bertha had left the
room. "That is why I have a little surprise ready for to-morrow. I
have baked a large birthday cake and shall ask her little friends to
share it with her.
"Her aunt has finished the new dress I bought for her, and I have
made two white aprons, besides. She will be a happy child when she
sees her presents."
The mother closed her eyes and made a silent prayer to the All-Father
that Bertha's life should be as joyful as her tenth birthday gave
promise of being.