Worn out by his long journey, he sat down for a moment to rest ere he began the ascent of the steep mountain upon which the castle stood; and having fallen asleep, he was roughly awakened by a giant, who bore him off prisoner to the fortress, where he saw Sigeminne.

    “He led the weary pilgrim into the castle hall,
    Where brightly burned the fire, and many a taper tall. 
    On a seat he sat him down, and made him right good cheer. 
    His eyes around the hall cast the hero without fear.”
          
                                   Heldenbuch (Weber’s tr.).

[Sidenote:  Death of Sigeminne.] Wolfdietrich concealed his face in the depths of his cowl, and remained quietly seated by the fire until evening came.  Then the giant turned to the mourning queen, declaring that he had been patient long enough, and that she must now consent to marry him and forget her husband.  Hardly had these words been spoken when Wolfdietrich, the pretended pilgrim, fell upon him, and refused to let him go until he had accepted his challenge for a fair fight and had produced suitable arms.  The young hero selected an iron armor, in preference to the gold and silver mail offered him, and boldly attacked the giant, who finally succumbed beneath his mighty blows.  Sigeminne, thus restored to her husband’s arms, then returned with him to Old Troy, where they ruled happily together until she died of a mortal illness.

When she breathed her last, Wolfdietrich, delivered from the spell she had cast upon him by making him partake of the magic root, suddenly remembered his mother, Berchther, and his faithful companions, and, filled with compunction, hastened off to help them.  On his way he passed through many lands, and finally came to a fortified town, whose walls were adorned with human heads set up on spikes.  He asked a passer-by what this singular decoration might mean, and learned that the city belonged to a heathen king, Belligan, who made it a practice to slay every Christian who entered his precincts.

[Sidenote:  Belligan slain by Wolfdietrich.] Wolfdietrich immediately resolved to rid the earth of this monster, and riding boldly into the city, he cried that he was ready to meet the king in his favorite game of dagger throwing.  This challenge was promptly accepted, the preparations all made, and although the heathen king was protected by his daughter’s magic spells, he could not withstand the Christian knight, who pierced him through and through, and left him dead.

    “Speedily Wolfdietrich the third knife heaved on high. 
    Trembling stood Sir Belligan, for he felt his death was nigh. 
    The pagan’s heart asunder with cunning skill he cleft;
    Down upon the grass he fell, of life bereft.”
          
                                      Heldenbuch (Weber’s tr.).

But as Wolfdietrich attempted to leave the castle, waves suddenly surrounded him on all sides, threatening to drown him, until, suspecting that this phenomenon was produced by the princess’s magic arts, he seized her and held her head under water until she died.  Then the waves immediately subsided and permitted him to escape unharmed.