Sigurd tried this blade on the lump of iron , and it did not break , but split the iron in two . Then he threw a lock of wool into the river , and when it floated down against the sword it was cut into two pieces . So Sigurd said that sword would do . But before he went against the Dragon he led an army to fight the men who had killed his father , and he slew their King , and took all his wealth , and went home . When he had been at home a few days , he rode out with Regin one morning to the heath where the Dragon used to lie . Then he saw the track which the Dragon made when he went to a cliff to drink , and the track was as if a great river had rolled along and left a deep valley . Then Sigurd went down into that deep place , and dug many pits in it , and in one of the pits he lay hidden with his sword drawn . There he waited , and presently the earth began to shake with the weight of the Dragon as he crawled to the water . And a cloud of venom flew before him as he snorted and roared , so that it would have been death to stand before him . But Sigurd waited till half of him had crawled over the pit , and then he thrust the sword Gram right into his very heart . Then the Dragon lashed with his tail till stones broke and trees crashed about him . Then he spoke , as he died , and said : ` Whoever thou art that hast slain me this gold shall be thy ruin , and the ruin of all who own it . ' Sigurd said : ' I would touch none of it if by losing it I should never die . But all men die , and no brave man lets death frighten him from his desire . Die thou , Fafnir , ' and then Fafnir died . And after that Sigurd was called Fafnir 's Bane , and Dragonslayer . Then Sigurd rode back , and met Regin , and Regin asked him to roast Fafnir 's heart and let him taste of it . So Sigurd put the heart of Fafnir on a stake , and roasted it . But it chanced that he touched it with his finger , and it burned him . Then he put his finger in his mouth , and so tasted the heart of Fafnir .
Then immediately he understood the language of birds , and he heard the Woodpeckers say : ` There is Sigurd roasting XXXXX 's heart for another , when he should taste of it himself and learn all wisdom . '
Dragonslayer Fafnir King Regin Sigurd days heath left morning slew