William Morris

“ A countenance of terror I bore up before all folk, after that I brooded over the heritage of my brother, and on every side did I spout out poison, so that none durst come anigh me, and of no weapon was I adrad, nor ever had I so many men before me, as that I deemed myself not stronger than all ”

“ Of the Slaying of the Worm Fafnir.
NOW Sigurd and Regin ride up the heath along that same way wherein Fafnir was wont to creep when he fared to the water; and folk say that thirty fathoms was the height of that cliff along which he lay when he drank of the water below. Then Sigurd spake:
“How sayedst thou, Regin, that this drake [1] was no greater than other lingworms; methinks the track of him is marvellous great?” ”

“ Then up stood Sigurd, and said, ‘‘Home would I ride and lose all that wealth, if I deemed that by the losing thereof I should never die; but every brave and true man will fain have his hand on wealth till that last day; but thou, Fafnir, wallow in the death-pain till Death and Hell have thee.”
And therewithal Fafnir died.
↑ Lat. draco, a dragon. ↑ “Unknown to men is my kin.” Sigurd refusing to tell his name is to be referred to the superstition that a dying man could throw a curse on his enemy. ↑ Surt; a fire-giant, who will destroy the world at the Ragnarok, or destruction of all things. ”