He stood erect, as if looking from a lofty mountain crag, over a vast plain outstretched below.

As soon as we entered the hall, the elder turned to me, and I saw that a glow of satisfaction shone on both their faces.

To my surprise and great pleasure, he addressed me thus: "Brother, will you sit by the fire and rest, till we finish this part of our work ?" I signified my assent; and, resolved to await any disclosure they might be inclined to make, seated myself in silence near the hearth.
The elder brother then laid the sword in the fire, covered it well over, and when it had attained a sufficient degree of heat, drew it out and laid it on the anvil, moving it carefully about, while the younger, with a succession of quick smart blows, appeared either to be welding it, or hammering one part of it to a consenting shape with the rest.

Having finished, they laid it carefully in the fire; and, when it was very hot indeed, plunged it into a vessel full of some liquid, whence a blue flame sprang upwards, as the glowing steel entered.
There they left it; and drawing two stools to the fire, sat down, one on each side of me.
"We are very glad to see you, brother.

We have been expecting you for some days," said the dark-haired youth.
"I am proud to be called your brother," I rejoined; "and you will not think I refuse the name, if I desire to know why you honour me with it ?" "Ah! then he does not know about it," said the younger.