"The deed is done. Why tarries the hero?"

And Munin said,--

"The world is wide. Fame waits for the hero."

And Hugin answered,--

"What if he win the Hoard of the Elves? That is not honor.
Let him seek fame by nobler deeds."

Then Munin flew past his ear, and whispered,--

"Beware of Regin, the master! His heart is poisoned. He
would be thy bane."

And the two birds flew away to carry the news to Odin in the
happy halls of Gladsheim.

When Regin drew near to look upon the dragon, Siegfried
kindly accosted him: but he seemed not to hear; and a snaky
glitter lurked in his eyes, and his mouth was set and dry,
and he seemed as one walking in a dream.

"It is mine now," he murmured: "it is all mine, now,--the
Hoard of the swarthy elf-folk, the garnered wisdom of ages.
The strength of the world is mine. I will keep, I will save,
I will heap up; and none shall have part or parcel of the
treasure which is mine alone."