told him of the wonderful sword which his father had carried, which would cut through iron or stone. In that last battle, the sword had been broken, but she had picked up the pieces from the battlefield and had brought them with her to this new home.

"Mother, give me that sword," the little boy would always say when his mother told this story. "Not now, my Sigurd, thou art too young," she would answer, smiling.

"But, mother, when wilt thou give it to me?"

"Some day, when thou art older and stronger, thou shalt have it, my son," said his mother, gently. "But thou must ever be brave and truthful, as thy father was all his life."

As Sigurd grew older he loved more and more to hear these wonderful stories about his father. "Mother, wilt thou give me the sword now?" the eager boy would often ask.

"Not yet, my Sigurd; wait a little longer," his mother would say.

"But, mother, I am big and strong, now," the boy would answer.

Then his mother would smile lovingly at Sigurd. "Wait a little, my Sigurd. Thou art still but a boy. Thy father was a hero. Much there is for thee to learn and do before thou canst wear his sword!"'

“But mother, if thou wouldst give me the sword I would be a hero, for then I would go away from here and do some great deed!"

"Stay with thy mother, now, Sigurd. Be brave and true. Think not of thyself but always of others. Then, some day, thou shalt do great deeds."

So the years passed and Sigurd grew taller and stronger each year. His hair was golden brown in color, his cheeks were rosy, and his eyes large and shining. Other children loved him because he was always good-tempered and unselfish, and every one in the palace was proud of the beautiful boy who always spoke the truth and who was afraid of nothing.

In King Alf's palace lived a very old man named Regin. He was so old that no one knew when he had come to live there. Regin was the greatest smith in the world. He made spears, swords, and armor, such as no other man could make. He made wonderful things of gold and silver, also, and Sigurd loved to run into the smithy and watch Regin at his work.

Regin was a very wise man and knew all the languages which were spoken in the world. He could play sweetly upon the harp and sing wonderful songs of heroes and their battles.

Yet Regin was very unhappy. Many, many years before, a great treasure had been taken from him and he was always thinking and planning how he could get it back. He did not need the gold, for the kings had been good to him and had given him rich presents; yet he thought of his loss, day and night.

Now Regin knew that a battle must be fought in order to regain this treasure and he was not brave enough or strong enough to fight. So year after year he watched for someone who would have the courage to get the treasure for him.

When he saw Sigurd growing up, bright and brave and strong, he thought, "This boy has great strength and is afraid of nothing. He shall fight my battle and win my treasure for me!"

So Regin went to King Alf and said that he would like to teach Sigurd his wisdom, and give him skill in making swords and armor.

The king looked at Regin a moment and then said, "O Regin, truly thou hast much wisdom and it would be well for the boy to learn some things from thee. But he is loving and truthful and I would keep him Thou lovest no one. Thou wouldst deceive even me, thy king and thy friend. Teach Sigurd thy wisdom, if thou wilt, but teach him not hatred and deceit.”

So.

Regin looked down, because he could not meet the eyes of the good king. But he answered in a low voice, "Have no fear, O King. This boy will never lie and his heart will ever be full of love. But great deeds shall he do in the years to come and the whole world shall hear the name of Sigurd!"

After this Sigurd spent part of each day in the smithy in the forest, and Regin taught him many things which a prince should know. When his hours of study were over, the boy would bound away into the forest, where the other children were waiting to play with him.

In the woods Sigurd was only a happy child without any thought of battles or heroes. The forest echoed with the shouts of the children at their play, and often Regin, standing at the door of his smithy, heard the gay laugh of the young prince.

Then Regin would mutter, "The time is near when I can use the boy. I must not wait too long. It may be that when he is older he will want the treasure for himself; but now he cares not for the gold. If he wins it, he will give it to me."

One day, when the lessons were over, Regin asked his pupil, "How much gold did thy father, King Sigmund, leave to thee?"

"Gold!" repeated Sigurd. "I know of no gold!" "Hast thou ever asked about the gold?"'

"Why should I ask?" said Sigurd. "If my father left treasure the king would care for it."

"Dost thou trust this king so fully?" asked Regin. "Why should I not trust him? He has cared for me all my life!" replied the boy.

"But the gold, Sigurd! Think what thou couldst do, if only thou didst have it!" said Regin.

"I care not for gold! I shall be a warrior and do great deeds!" said Sigurd.

"But a warrior must have gold. Thou wilt need horses and armor. Only with gold canst thou buy these things!"

"I have a horse, and I do not need armor now. The king gives me all that I need," said Sigurd.

Regin turned to his forge without answering, and Sigurd rushed out of the smithy into the forest.

One day Regin played upon the harp and sang wonderful songs to Sigurd, until the boy's eyes shone and his breath came quickly as he listened. The songs were all of battles and heroes, and the heroes were Sigurd's own father and grandfather.

Then Regin said, "When wilt thou do great deeds? Wilt thou stay forever here, where the people are cowards and where the king is too lazy to fight?"

Sigurd frowned at these words. "The people of this land have been kind to me," he said. "They are not cowards. And I honor and love the good king. Why should he fight when his land is happy and when no enemy has come against him?"

Regin laughed and answered, "Do heroes wait for the enemy to come to them? Do they not ride forth and