have slain Siegfried.  But they availed nought; with the very sword which they had given him for his reward—­Balmung was its name—­he slew them all.  The giants he slew, and the Kings also, and when Albrich the dwarf would have avenged his lords—­for he was the keeper of the treasure—­Siegfried overcame him also, and wrested from him the Hood of Darkness, which whoso dons, straightway he vanishes from the sight of all men.

“But the treasure he would not take for himself.  ‘Carry it back,’ said he to Albrich the dwarf, ’to the hole whence it was taken, and keep if for me.  And you shall swear a great oath to do me any service that I shall ask of you, whensoever and wheresoever may seem good to me.’

“Another story have I heard tell of Siegfried, how he slew a dragon with his own hand and sword, and how he bathed him in the dragon’s blood, and made his skin so hard and horny that no sword may pierce it.  Let us. therefore receive him with all courtesy; for verily he is a right strong and valiant knight, and ’tis better, I ween, to be his friend than his enemy.”

“Methinks thou art right,” said King Gunther.  “Let us go down and greet him courteously.”

Never were guests more honoured as, of a surety, never guests had bolder mien.  And as the days went by the Kings and their guests gave themselves to sport and pastime; but whatever they did, Siegfried was ever the first; none could put the stone so far, or cast the spear with so sure an aim.  Sometimes the fair ladies of the court looked on, and not a few looked on the young Prince from the Netherland with favour.  But he had ever one only in his heart, ever the fair Kriemhild.

King Gunther purposed in his heart to marry a wife.  No daughter of his own land would he woo, though there were many fair maidens in the Rhineland.  But there came to him tidings of a Queen that dwelt beyond the sea; not to be matched was she for beauty, nor had she any peer for strength.  Her love she proffered to any warrior who could vanquish her at three games, hurling of the spear, and putting the stone, and leaping.  But if the suitor himself should be vanquished, then must he lose his head.  Such were the conditions of her wooing, and many brave warriors had died for her.

On a certain day King Gunther and his chiefs sat in council, and the matter was this—­where shall the King seek a wife who shall both be for a comfort to him and for a glory to the land?  Then spake the King, “I will seek Queen Brunhild and no other.  For her will I hazard my life; nor do I care to live if I may not win her for my wife.”  To him spake Siegfried, “I would have you give up this purpose.  He who woos Brunhild plays for too high a stake.  Take my counsel, sire, and go not on such a journey.”  “I should think it scorn,” said he, “to fear a woman, were she ever so bold and strong.”  “Ah, sire,” Siegfried made answer, “you know not how strong she is.  Were you four men and not one only, you could not prevail over her.”