The Curse of the Ring

A full-bodied retelling of a portion of the Norse legends known as the Volsung saga. The Ring cycle is one of the oldest tales of Northern Europe. Wagner used it for his famous operas. Here for the first time it is retold for children, with striking illustrations.A great fortune in gold is forcibly taken from the dwarf, Andvari, who places a curse on one gold ring. Passing from hand to greedy hand, the fortune turns its owners into murderers and loathsome creatures, the ring bringing evil to their hearts. Brave Sigurd, descended from a long line of heroes, slays the dragon who hoards the gold; he leaves the fortune but takes the ring as he goes to rescue the beautiful Valkyrie, Brynhild, from an enchant ment. Sowing the seeds of his own death and despair, he gives the cursed ring to her. A number of overlapping legends are skillfully tied together with the unifying theme of the ring, and the many dramatic full-color and black-and-white illustrations focus these story strands.