"Now I will show Siegfried the dragon. He will not know a ring is in the
dragon's cave.

"When the dragon is dead, the ring shall be Mimi's.

"Mimi, you are no longer the despised little Nibelung. You are the king
of the earth."

Joyously Siegfried waved the bright blade above his head.

He brought it down with all his strength upon the forge, and with a
mighty crash the huge rock fell in pieces.

Mimi sank in terror to the ground.


SIEGFRIED GOES TO FIGHT THE DRAGON

"Get up, you coward!" cried Siegfried.

"Now tell me what that thing is that I do not know. Fear? What is fear?
Why did you not teach it to me?"

The wicked dwarf slipped to Siegfried's side.

"I will teach you. Come with me. I will show you a horrible serpent,
lying at the door of Hate Cavern.

"There you will learn what fear is, if you can learn it any place in
this world.