either side; and streams of thick black blood flowed from
his heart, through the wound beneath, and filled the trench
in which Siegfried was hidden, and ran like a
mountain-torrent down the road towards the river. Siegfried
was covered from head to foot with the slimy liquid, and,
had he not quickly leaped from his hiding-place, he would
have been drowned in the swift-rushing, stream.[EN#11]

The bright sun rose in the east, and gilded the
mountain-tops, and fell upon the still waters of the river,
and lighted up the treeless plains around. The south wind
played gently against Siegfried's cheeks and in his long
hair, as he stood gazing on his fallen foe. And the sound of
singing birds, and rippling waters, and gay insects,--such
as had not broken the silence of the Glittering Heath for
ages,--came to his ears. The Terror was dead, and Nature had
awakened from her sleep of dread. And as the lad leaned upon
his sword, and thought of the deed he had done, behold! the
shining Greyfell, with the beaming, hopeful mane, having
crossed the now bright river, stood by his side. And Regin,
his face grown wondrous cold, came trudging over the
meadows; and his heart was full of guile. Then the mountain
vultures came wheeling downwards to look upon the dead
dragon; and with them were two ravens, black as midnight.
And when Siegfried saw these ravens he knew them to be
Odin's birds,--Hugin, thought, and Munin, memory. And they
alighted on the ground near by; and the lad listened to hear
what they would say. Then Hugin flapped his wings, and
said,--