SIEGFRIED SLAYS THE DRAGON
From the painting by K. Dielitz
Siegfried looked at the little dwarf and smiled ominously. “I should be right glad of a goodly draught,” he said. “Of what didst thou make this?”
“Only drink and see, dear sonny. Trust to my skill. Soon wilt thou be lying in a deathly swoon at my feet. Then, with thine own brave sword, off goes thy head! And Mimi will rest in peace with the hoard.”
“So—I am to be murdered in my sleep?” asked Siegfried.
“What folly dost thou talk! Who spoke of murder? All I thought of doing was just to chop off thy head when thou liest insensible. A small return for the shameful treatment I have so long suffered at thy hands. Come, drink and die, thou hateful Volsung cub;” and Mimi, still smiling and leering, thrust the drinking-horn near Siegfried’s lips.
“Taste thou my sword, false snake!” cried Siegfried. With a sudden movement of disgust and fury he struck at the dwarf with his sword. The next instant Mimi lay dead on the ground. Siegfried threw his body inside the dragon’s cave, crying: “Lie there with the gold thou so lovest. I make thee a parting gift of it. And here is a famous watch-dog to scare away all thieves.” With this Siegfried dragged the body of the dragon to the mouth of the cave, thereby entirely blocking up the entrance.
Then he turned away from the spot with a sigh of relief, and went back to the lime tree, where first the bird had sung to him. Throwing himself down under the shady branches, he called to his little friend: “Come, sing to me, happy bird. Alone am I in all the world. Never have I known a comrade save the hateful dwarf yonder. Tell me, O wise little prophet, where shall I find one I can love?”