This Sigurd promised to do, and he made a fire and set about roasting the heart of the monster upon a rod. But presently, as he felt the heart to see if it were cooked enough, he burnt his fingers so severely that at once he set them in his mouth to soothe the smart. And the moment the heart-blood of Fafnir touched his tongue his ears were open to the voices of the birds, and he understood the meaning of their songs in the bushes hard by. And this was what the woodpeckers sang, chuckling all the time: "There thou sittest, Sigurd, roasting the heart of Fafnir for another, whereas if thou ate it thyself thou wouldst become wisest of men." And the swallows twittered: "See where lies Regin, who is in mind to kill the man who trusts in him." And the raven croaked: "Let Sigurd then cut off his head and so have all the gold-hoard for his own." And the eagle screamed: "Why did he not ride away with that hoard at once? Then might he have found the hill where Brunhild lies." And the owl hooted: "Ay, let him now take his chance and slay the man who will surely kill him if he lets him live." Then Sigurd arose, and he scrupled not to slay Regin; for he knew that he was about to betray him unto his death. Then once more the birds began to sing. And this time they sang with glee of a warrior-maiden sleeping fast on a high mountain in the midst of a ring of glittering flames; and through this fiery ring only the bravest of heroes might pass and awake her from sleep. "On a mountain fell A warrior-maid fast sleeps Where a ring of flame Perfect safety keeps. None may take her hence Save a hero bold, For only at a hero's touch Will those fires burn cold." Then was Sigurd fired with desire to find that fair maiden. So, after partaking of the dragon's heart, he leapt on his horse and rode along in the monster's tracks till he reached the place where, deep down in the earth, the gold lay hoarded. And there he found the store of treasure, which he placed in two great chests upon the back of his good horse, meaning to walk along-side. But the horse would not stir a foot until Sigurd, guessing what was in his mind, leapt upon his back; whereat Greyfell galloped away at once as though he were carrying no weight at all. CHAPTER XIX How Sigurd Won the Hand of Brunhild _This is the tale the Northmen tell of how Sigurd braved the flames, and what befell._ On and on, over level plain, by wild marshes, through winding ways, galloped Greyfell, until at last he brought Sigurd to the foot of a mountain that is called Hindfell. And before him, on the crest of that height, he saw a great light as of a fire burning, so that the flames seemed to touch the sky. Riding up the slope Sigurd found himself at length face to face with a ring of lurid fire, crackling and roaring with a noise like thunder. But without a moment's hesitation he plunged into the very midst of this.