at that work, there came to him an old man with a long beard, and asked what he wrought there, and he told him.
Then answered the old man and said, “Thou doest after sorry counsel: rather dig thee many pits, and let the blood run therein; but sit thee down in one thereof, and so thrust the worm’s heart through.”
And therewithal he vanished away; but Sigurd made the pits even as it was shown to him.
Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth shook all about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way before him as he went; but Sigurd neither trembled nor was adrad at the roaring of him. So whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword under his left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilts; then up leapt Sigurd from the pit and drew the sword back again unto him, and therewith was his arm all bloody, up to the very shoulder.
Now when that mighty worm was ware that he had his death-wound, then he lashed out head and tail, so that all things soever that were before him were broken to pieces.
So whenas Fafnir had his death-wound, he asked “Who art thou? and who is thy father? and what thy kin, that thou wert so hardy as to bear weapons against me?”
Sigurd answered, “Unknown to men is my kin. I am called a noble beast:[1] neither father have I nor mother, and all alone have I fared hither.”
Said Fafnir, “Whereas thou hast neither father nor mother, of what wonder wert thou born then? But now, though thou tellest me not thy name on this my death-day, yet thou knowest verily that thou liest unto me.”
- ↑ “Unknown to men is my kin.” Sigurd refusing to tell his name is to be referred to the superstition that a dying man could throw a curse on his enemy.
