I apologize to my readers for not living up to my original intent of releasing each of the four parts of this story on a weekly basis. Unfortunately, computer and software problems intervened. It now seems that all is back in order and part three follows. I intend to bring the story to a close with part four next week. Once again, you are free to copy all four of these blogs and give them to whoever would like to have them. I only ask that you make no changes to what I have written. So now, as before, let your mind drift back to a time many millenia ago when this tale was undolding ....
PART THREE
Another twenty or so years passed. During this time Fafnir with the help of the alterhelm had holed up in a small cave with his pile of gold and assumed the shape of a fearfull dragon. Sieglinde in the meantime found a safe place in a cave which was the home of Littmann the blacksmith who had fled Darkunder. There she gave birth to Siegfried and died while doing so. Littmann was left with the task of raising the baby boy.
Over the years Littmann had persuaded the easily fooled boy that he was the boy’s father and only parent. Yet as Siegfried grew older he observed how creatures of the forest come to be born and realized that there is always a mother involved. So, who was Siegfried’s mother? Siegfried, now older and much stronger, had grown independent of Littmann. He forced Littmann to tell him the truth about his mother and when Littmann finally told Siegfried of the sword fragments, Siegfried insisted that Littmann give them to him. Once he had the sword fragments he told Littmann to make them into a new sword for him and left while Littmann attempted to do so. Littmann could not. Siegfried returned, took the sword fragments from Littmann and recreated the sword himself.
Siegfried had grown up never having known fear. Littmann persuaded Siegfried that the last lesson he must teach Siegfried is a knowledge of fear. He told Siegfried of the terrible dragon who lived in a cave a night’s walk from Littmann’s cave. He persuaded Siegfried to go with him to the cave and confront the dragon in order to experience fear. Before they left Littmann’s cave, Littmann prepared a drink for Siegfried once they reached the cave in the morning. However, Littmann had poisoned the drink which was intended to kill Siegfried. Littmann hoped that Siegfried would slay the dragon, Fafnir, and after the poisoned drink had killed Siegfried, Littmann would take the Ring and all the gold for himself and he would then be the world’s master.
When they arrived at the Fafnir’s cave Fafnir was asleep. Siegfried woke him up using horn calls and calling Fafnir by name. Fafnir, now awake, tried to scare Siegfried into leaving but Siegfried challenged Fafnir to a battle. They fought and Siegfried succeeded in thrusting his sword into Fafnir’s heart. When he withdrew the sword Siegfried got some of the dragon’s blood on his hand and he licked a small amount of it. The dragon’s blood gave Siegfried magic powers to be able to understand the speech of the birds. One little bird immediately told Siegfried of Littmann’s plan to kill him and so Siegfried quickly killed Littmann before Littmann could offer him the poisoned drink.
Next the bird told Siegfried of the pile of gold Fafnir, really a slave to his gold, had been guarding all these years. Siegfried entered Fafnir’s cave and found the Ring and the alterhelm. He also decided that if he pulled Fafnir’s large dragon body across the entrance to the cave that the pile of gold would be safe enough there until he decided what to do with it.
The bird then told Siegfried of the wonderful woman on the rock surrounded by fire and how it could only be one who fears nothing who can make it through the fire to reach the woman. Flying on ahead, the bird led Siegfried to the base of Brunnhilde’s mountain.
Vodin, unknown to Siegfried, had been hiding nearby during all of this action and had watched what had happened. He traveled to Brunnhilde’s mountain faster than Siegfried was able to and waited there for Siegfried to arrive. While awaiting Siegfried Vodin called up Altwoman from her home deep in the earth hoping for some advice to help him save the Gods from what appeared would be certain destruction. Altwoman had nothing good to tell Vodin. In fact she told him that the end of the Gods was not far off and would happen when her daughter, Brunnhilde, did a world saving act – returning the Ring to the river maidens. Then the world would be cleansed of all of the evil that had corrupted it and a fresh new world would emerge.
When Siegfried arrived he found Vodin, still dressed as a wanderer, standing in his way. Siegfried ordered Vodin to step aside and when Vodin refused, they fought. Siegfried did not know, and could not know, that Vodin was his grandfather. Vodin had planned everything that had happened leading to Siegfried’s birth and eventual arrival here at Brunhilde’s mountain. Vodin hoped that Siegfried would, independent of Vodin, recapture the Ring and return it to its rightful owners, the river maidens.
In their fight Siegfried’s sword, once broken by Vodin’s spear when Siegmund fought Hanslick, now shattered Vodin’s spear with one mighty blow. Vodin then stepped aside telling Siegfried to “Go on. I cannot stop you,” and he then faded away into the darkness surrounding them. Siegfried now climbed the mountain, passed harmlessly through the intense fire into the clearing near the top of the mountain.
He came out on to the summit ridge above the flames with a clear blue sky overhead. He first noticed a sleeping horse. This, of course, was Brunnhilde’s horse Grane. Then he immediately saw a human form dressed in armor lying on the rock with a spear at its side. Cutting away the armor he discovered that "this is no man." Thinking that this person might be his mother he instinctively kissed Brunnhilde on the cheek which awakened her. Brunnhilde, despite her long sleep, knew who Siegfried was. Since only the world’s greatest hero could fearlessly pass through the fire, Brunnhilde had no doubt that this was Siegfried.
Brunnhilde then told Siegfried of the history leading up to Siegfried’s birth, how she saved the sword fragments and gave them to Sieglinde to save for Siegfried. They fell in love and Siegfried gave Brunnhilde the Ring as a pledge of his love in marriage. A cave nearby provided them with a home and they lived there together for several months.
For my readers who might be interested in my new novel "The Grantor" you will find it summarized complete with ordering instructions in the first of my blogs under the title of "The Grantor." For those who would prefer to get the ordering instructions by phone, I may be reaced in the US at 520-760-0192
And for those of you who may be struggling to set up a home based business, I have a gift for you. This is a free E-Book entitled "The Seven Great Lies of Network Marketing." This book is chock full of useful information on building a home based business and if you need it you have only to e-mail me or phone me as above and it will be downloaded to you as soon as posible.
Andrew Swanson
seswan2@comcast.net
520-760-0192
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)