“He must cast the stone beyond me, and after it must leap,
  Then with me shoot the javelin; too quick a pace you keep;
  Stop and awhile consider, and reckon well the cost,”
  The warrioress made answer, “ere life and fame be lost.”

Undeterred by this threat, Gunther volunteers to undergo the test, but he quails when he sees the heavy spear which Brunhild brandishes and when he perceives that twelve men stagger beneath the weight she proposes to throw.  He is, however, somewhat reassured when Siegfried whispers he need but go through the motions, while his friend, concealed by the Tarncappe,—­the cloak of invisibility which endows the wearer with the strength of twelve men,—­will perform the required feats in his behalf.

  Said he, “Off with the buckler and give it me to bear,
  Now, what I shall advise thee, mark with thy closest care. 
  Be it thine to make the gestures, and mine the work to do.” 
  Glad man was then king Gunther, when he his helpmate knew.

In the first test Brunhild casts a spear with such force that both Gunther and his invisible companion stagger and nearly fall, but, just as she is about to cry victory, Siegfried sends back the spear butt-end foremost and brings her to her knees.  Veiling her dismay at this first defeat, Brunhild hurls the stone to a great distance and lands beside it with a flying leap.  In Gunther’s place the invisible Siegfried hurls the same stone much farther than Brunhild, and seizing Gunther by his belt jumps with him to the spot where it alighted.  Having thus been outdone in all three feats of strength, Brunhild no longer refuses her hand to Gunther, who appears triumphant, although his prospective bride looks strangely solemn and angry.

8th Adventure. Because Brunhild summons to her castle a large number of warriors, under pretext of celebrating her nuptials, Siegfried sails off unseen to the land of the Nibelungs, where he batters at his castle gate demanding admittance.  As the wary dwarf guardian of the Nibelung hoard refuses to admit him, Siegfried fights him and after conquering him compels him to recognize his authority.  Then he bids a thousand Nibelung warriors accompany him back to Isenland, and Brunhild, seeing this force approaching and learning from Gunther it is part of his suite, no longer dares to resist.

9th Adventure. The fair bride, escorted by all these men, now sails across the sea and up the Rhine.  As they near Burgundy, Gunther decides to send word of their arrival, and persuades Siegfried to act as his messenger by assuring him he will earn Kriemhild’s gratitude.

  Said he, “Nay, gentle Siegfried, do but this journey take,
  Not for my sake only, but for my sister’s sake. 
  You’ll oblige fair Kriemhild in this as well as me.” 
  When so implor’d was Siegfried, ready at once was he.