shoulders, and on the spot where it rested Siegfried's skin was still
soft and tender as when he was a little child. It was only a tiny spot
which was covered by the linden leaf, but should a spear thrust, or an
arrow pierce that tiny spot, Siegfried would be wounded as easily as
any other man.
The dragon was dead, the bath was over, and clad once more in his
deerskin, Siegfried set out for the smithy. He brought no charcoal for
the forge; all that he carried with him was a heart afire with anger,
a sword quivering to take the life of the Nibelung, Mimer.
For now Siegfried knew that the dwarf had wished to send him forth to
death, when he bade him go seek charcoal in the depths of the forest.
Into the dusky glow of the smithy plunged the hero, and swiftly he
slew the traitor Mimer. Then gaily, for he had but slain evil ones of
whom the world was well rid, then gaily Siegfried fared through the
forest in quest of adventure.
II
SIEGFRIED WINS THE TREASURE
Now this is what befell the Prince.
In his wanderings he reached the country called Isenland, where the
warlike but beautiful Queen Brunhild reigned. He gazed with wonder
at her castle, so strong it stood on the edge of the sea, guarded by
seven great gates. Her marble palaces also made him marvel, so white
they glittered in the sun.
But most of all he marveled at this haughty Queen, who refused to
marry any knight unless he could vanquish her in every contest to
which she summoned him.
Brunhild from the castle window saw the fair face and the strong limbs
of the hero, and demanded that he should be brought into her presence,
and as a sign of her favor she showed the young Prince her magic horse
Gana.
Yet Siegfried had no wish to conquer the warrior-queen and gain her
hand and her broad dominions for his own. Siegfried thought only of a
wonder-maiden, unknown, unseen as yet, though in his heart he hid an
image of her as he dreamed that she would be.
It is true that Siegfried had no love for the haughty Brunhild. It is
also true that he wished to prove to her that he alone was a match
for all her boldest warriors, and had even power to bewitch her magic
steed, Gana, if so he willed, and steal it from her side.
And so one day a spirit of mischief urged the Prince on to a gay
prank, as also a wayward spirit urged him no longer to brook Queen
Brunhild's mien.
Before he left Isenland, therefore, Siegfried in a merry mood threw
to the ground the seven great gates that guarded the Queen's strong
castle. Then he called to Gana, the magic steed, to follow him into
the world, and this the charger did with a right good will.
Whether Siegfried sent Gana back to Isenland or not I do not know, but
I know that in the days to come Queen Brunhild never forgave the hero
for his daring feat.
When the Prince had left Isenland he rode on and on until he came to
a great mountain. Here near a cave he found two little dwarfish
Nibelungs, surrounded by twelve foolish giants. The two little
Nibelungs were princes, the giants were their counselors.
Now the King of the Nibelungs had but just died in the dark little
underground town of Nibelheim, and the two tiny princes were the sons
of the dead King.
But they had not come to the mountain-side to mourn for their royal
father. Not so indeed had they come, but to divide the great hoard of
treasure which the King had bequeathed to them at his death.
Already they had begun to quarrel over the treasure, and the twelve
foolish giants looked on, but did not know what to say or do, so they
did nothing, and never spoke at all.
The dwarfs had themselves carried the hoard out of the cave where
usually it was hidden, and they had spread it on the mountain-side.
There it lay, gold as far as the eye could see, and farther. Jewels,
too, were there, more than twelve wagons could carry away in four days
and nights, each going three journeys.
Indeed, however much you took from this marvelous treasure, never did
it seem to grow less.
But more precious even than the gold or the jewels of the hoard was a
wonderful sword which it possessed. It was named Balmung, and had been
tempered by the Nibelungs in their glowing forges underneath the glad
green earth.
Before the magic strength of Balmung's stroke, the strongest warrior
must fall, nor could his armor save him, however close its links had
been welded by some doughty smith.
As Siegfried rode towards the two little dwarfs, they turned and saw
him, with his bright, fair face, and flowing locks.
Nimble as little hares they darted to his side, and begged that he
would come and divide their treasure. He should have the good sword
Balmung as reward, they cried.
Siegfried dismounted, well pleased to do these ugly little men a
kindness.
But alas! ere long the dwarfs began to mock at the hero with their
harsh voices, and to wag their horrid little heads at him, while
they screamed in a fury that he was not dividing the treasure as they
wished.
Then Siegfried grew angry with the tiny princes, and seizing the magic
sword, he cut off their heads. The twelve foolish giants also he slew,
and thus became himself master of the marvelous hoard as well as of
the good sword Balmung.
Seven hundred valiant champions, hearing the blast of the hero's horn,
now gather together to defend the country from this strange young
warrior. But he vanquished them all, and forced them to promise that
they would henceforth serve no other lord save him alone. And this
they did, being proud of his great might.
Now tidings of the slaughter of the two tiny princes had reached
Nibelheim, and great was the wrath of the little men and little women
who dwelt in the dark town beneath the earth.
Alberich, the mightiest of all the dwarfs, gathered together his army
of little gnomes to avenge the death of the two dwarf princes and
also, for Alberich was a greedy man, to gain for himself the great
hoard.
When Siegfried saw Alberich at the head of his army of little men
he laughed aloud, and with a light heart he chased them all into the
great cave on the mountain-side.
From off the mighty dwarf, Alberich, he stripped his famous Cloak of
Darkness, which made him who wore it not only invisible, but strong
as twelve strong men. He snatched also from the dwarf's fingers his
wishing-rod, which was a Magic Wand. And last of all he made Alberich
and his thousands of tiny warriors take an oath, binding them evermore
to serve him alone. Then hiding the treasure in the cave with the
seven hundred champions whom he had conquered, he left Alberich and
his army of little men to guard it, until he came again. And Alberich
and his dwarfs were faithful to the hero who had shorn them of their
treasure, and served him for evermore.
Siegfried, the magic sword Balmung by his side, the Cloak of Darkness
thrown over his arm, the Magic Wand in his strong right hand, went
over the mountain, across the plains, nor did he tarry until he came
again to the castle built on the banks of the river Rhine in his own
low-lying country of the Netherlands.
III
SIEGFRIED COMES HOME
The walls of the old castle rang. King Siegmund, his knights and
liegemen, all were welcoming Prince Siegfried home. They had not seen
their hero-prince since he had been sent long years before to be under
the charge of Mimer the blacksmith.
He had grown but more fair, more noble, they thought, as they gazed
upon his stalwart limbs, his fearless eyes.
And what tales of prowess clustered around his name! Already their
Prince had done great deeds as he had ridden from land to land.
The King and his liegemen had heard of the slaughter of the terrible
dragon, of the capture of the great treasure, of the defiance of the
warlike and beautiful Brunhild. They could wish for no more renowned
prince than their own Prince Siegfried.
Thus Siegmund and his subjects rejoiced that the heir to the throne
was once again in his own country.
In the Queen's bower, too, there was great joy. Sieglinde wept, but
her tears were not those of sadness. Sieglinde wept for very gladness
that her son had come home safe from his wonderful adventures.
Now Siegmund wished to give a great feast in honor of his son. It
should be on his birthday which was very near, the birthday on which
the young Prince would be twenty-one years of age.
Far and wide throughout the Netherlands and into distant realms
tidings of the feast were borne. Kinsmen and strangers, lords and
ladies, all were asked to the banquet in the great castle hall where
Siegmund reigned supreme.
It was the merry month of June when the feast was held, and the sun
shone bright on maidens in fair raiment, on knights in burnished
armor.
Siegfried was to be knighted on this June day along with four hundred
young squires of his father's realm. The Prince was clad in gorgeous
armor, and on the cloak flung around his shoulders jewels were seen to
sparkle in the sunlight, jewels made fast with gold embroidery worked
by the white hands of the Queen and her fair damsels.
In games and merry pastimes the hours of the day sped fast away, until
the great bell of the Minster pealed, calling the gay company to the
house of God for evensong. Siegfried and the four hundred squires
knelt before the altar, ere they were knighted by the royal hand of
Siegmund the King.
The solemn service ended, the new-made knights hastened back to the
castle, and there in the great hall a mighty tournament was held.
Knights who had grown gray in service tilted with those who but that
day had been given the grace of knighthood. Lances splintered, shields
fell before the mighty onslaughts of the gallant warriors, until King
Siegmund bade the tilting cease.
Then in the great hall feasting and song held sway until daylight
faded and the stars shone bright.
Yet no weariness knew the merrymakers. The next morning, and for six
long summer days, they tilted, they sang, they feasted.
When at length the great festival drew to a close, Siegmund in the
presence of his guests gave to his dear son Siegfried many lands and
strong castles over which he might be lord.
To all his son's comrades, too, the King gave steeds and costly
raiment, while Queen Sieglinde bestowed upon them freely coins of
gold. Such abundant gifts had never before been dreamed of as were
thus lavished by Siegmund and Sieglinde on their guests.
As the rich nobles looked upon the brave young Prince Siegfried, there
were some who whispered among themselves that they would fain have him
to rule in the land.
Siegfried heard their whispers, but in no wise did he give heed to the
wish of the nobles.
Never, he thought while his beautiful mother and his bounteous father
lived, would he wear the crown.
Indeed Siegfried had no wish to sit upon a throne, he wished but to
subdue the evil-doers in the land. Or better still, he wished to go
forth in search of new adventure. And this right soon he did.
IV
SIEGFRIED AT THE COURT OF WORMS
At the Court of Worms in Burgundy dwelt the Princess Kriemhild, whose
fame for beauty and kindness had spread to many a far-off land. She
lived with her mother Queen Uté and her three brothers King Gunther,
King Gernot, and King Giselher. Her father had long been dead. Gunther
sat upon the throne and had for chief counselor his cruel uncle Hagen.
One night Kriemhild dreamed that a beautiful wild hawk with feathers
of gold came and perched upon her wrist. It grew so tame that she
took it with her to the hunt. Upward it soared when loosed toward the
bright blue sky. Then the dream-maiden saw two mighty eagles swoop
down upon her petted hawk and tear it to pieces.
The Princess told her dream to her mother, who said, "The hawk, my
daughter, is a noble knight who shall be thy husband, but, alas,
unless God defend him from his foes, thou shalt lose him ere he has
long been thine." Kriemhild replied, "O lady mother, I wish no knight
to woo me from thy side." "Nay," said the Queen, "Speak not thus, for
God will send to thee a noble knight and strong."
Hearing of the Princess, Siegfried, who lived in the Netherlands,
began to think that she was strangely like the unknown maiden whose
image he carried in his heart. So he set out to go into Burgundy to
see the beautiful Kriemhild who had sent many knights away.
Siegfried's father wished to send an army with him but Siegfried said,
"Nay, give me only, I pray thee, eleven stalwart warriors."
Tidings had reached King Gunther of the band of strangers who had so
boldly entered the royal city. He sent for Hagen, chief counselor,
who said they must needs be princes or ambassadors. "One knight, the
fairest and the boldest, is, methinks, the wondrous hero Siegfried,
who has won great treasure from the Nibelungs, and has killed two
little princely dwarfs, their twelve giants, and seven hundred great
champions of the neighboring country with his good sword Balmung."
Graciously then did the King welcome Siegfried.
"I beseech thee, noble knight," said the King, "tell me why thou hast
journeyed to this our royal city?"
Now Siegfried was not ready to speak of the fair Princess, so he told
the King that he had come to see the splendor of the court and to do
great deeds, even to wrest from him the broad realm of Burgundy and
likewise all his castles. "Unless thou dost conquer me I shall rule in
my great might in this realm."
"We do well to be angry at the words of this bold stripling," said
Hagen. A quarrel arose, but King Gernot, Gunther's brother, made peace
and Siegfried began to think of the wonderlady of his dreams and grew
ashamed of his boasting.
Then all Burgundy began to hear of Siegfried. At the end of the year
Burgundy was threatened with invasion. King Ludegast and King Ludeger
threatened mighty wars.
When Siegfried heard of this he said, "If trouble hath come to thee,
my arm is strong to bring thee aid. If thy foes were as many as
thirty thousand, yet with one thousand warriors would I destroy them.
Therefore, leave the battle in my hands."
When the rude kings heard that Siegfried would fight for Burgundy
their hearts failed for fear and in great haste they gathered their
armies. King Gunther meanwhile had assembled his men and the chief
command was given to Hagen, but Siegfried rode forward to seek the
foe.
In advance of their warriors stood Ludegast and Ludeger ready for the
fray. Grasping his good sword Balmung, Siegfried first met Ludegast
piercing him through his steel harness with an ugly thrust till he lay
helpless at his feet. Thirty of the King's warriors rode up and beset
the hero, but Siegfried slaughtered all save one. He was spared to
carry the dire tidings of the capture of Ludegast to his army.
Ludeger had seen the capture of his brother and met the onslaught that
Siegfried soon made upon him. But with a great blow Siegfried struck
the shield from Ludeger's hold, and in a moment more he had him at his
mercy. For the second time that day the Prince was victor over a king.
When Uté, the mother of Kriemhild, heard that a grand festival
celebrating the prowess of Prince Siegfried was to be held at court,
she made up her mind that she and her daughter would lend their
gracious presence. Many noble guests were there gathered and when the
knights entered the lists the King sent a hundred of his liegemen to
bring the Queen and the Princess to the great hall. When Siegfried saw
the Princess he knew that she was indeed more beautiful than he had
ever dreamed. A messenger was sent by the King bidding him greet the
Princess. "Be welcome here, Sir Siegfried, for thou art a good and
noble knight," said the maiden softly, "for right well hast thou
served my royal brother."
"Thee will I serve for ever," cried the happy hero, "thee will I serve
for ever, and thy wishes shall ever be my will!"
Then for twelve glad days were Siegfried and Kriemhild ofttimes side
by side.
V.
SIEGFRIED GOES TO ISENLAND
Whitsuntide had come and gone when tidings from beyond the Rhine
reached the court at Worms.
No dread tidings were these, but glad and good to hear, of a matchless
Queen named Brunhild who dwelt in Isenland. King Gunther listened with
right good will to the tales of this warlike maiden, for if she were
beautiful she was also strong as any warrior. Wayward, too, she was,
yet Gunther would fain have her as his queen to sit beside him on his
throne.
One day the King sent for Siegfried to tell him that he would fain
journey to Isenland to wed Queen Brunhild.
Now Siegfried, as you know, had been in Isenland and knew some of the
customs of this wayward Queen. So he answered the King right gravely
that it would be a dangerous journey across the sea to Isenland,
nor would he win the Queen unless he were able to vanquish her great
strength.
He told the King how Brunhild would challenge him to three contests,
or games, as she would call them. And if she were the victor, as
indeed she had been over many a royal suitor, then his life would be
forfeited.
At her own desire kings and princes had hurled the spear at the
stalwart Queen, and it had but glanced harmless off her shield, while
she would pierce the armor of these valiant knights with her first
thrust. This was one of the Queen's games.
Then the knights would hasten to the ring and throw the stone from
them as far as might be, yet ever Queen Brunhild threw it farther. For
this was another game of the warrior-queen.
The third game was to leap beyond the stone which they had thrown, but
ever to their dismay the knights saw this marvelous maiden far outleap
them all.
These valorous knights, thus beaten in the three contests, had been
beheaded, and therefore it was that Siegfried spoke so gravely to King
Gunther.
But Gunther, so he said, was willing to risk his life to win so brave
a bride.
Now Hagen had drawn near to the King, and as he listened to
Siegfried's words, the grim warrior said, "Sire, since the Prince
knows the customs of Isenland, let him go with thee on thy journey,
to share thy dangers, and to aid thee in the presence of this warlike
Queen."
And Hagen, for he hated the hero, hoped that he might never return
alive from Isenland.
But the King was pleased with his counselor's words. "Sir Siegfried,"
he said, "wilt thou help me to win the matchless maiden Brunhild for
my queen?"
"That right gladly will I do," answered the Prince, "if thou wilt
promise to give me thy sister Kriemhild as my bride, should I bring
thee back safe from Isenland, the bold Queen at thy side."
Then the King promised that on the same day that he wedded Brunhild,
his sister should wed Prince Siegfried, and with this promise the hero
was well content.
"Thirty thousand warriors will I summon to go with us to Isenland,"
cried King Gunther gaily.
"Nay," said the Prince, "thy warriors would but be the victims of
this haughty Queen. As plain knight-errants will we go, taking with us
none, save Hagen the keen-eyed and his brother Dankwart."
Then King Gunther, his face aglow with pleasure, went with Sir
Siegfried to his sister's bower, and begged her to provide rich
garments in which he and his knights might appear before the beauteous
Queen Brunhild.
"Thou shalt not beg this service from me," cried the gentle Princess,
"rather shalt thou command that which thou dost wish. See, here have I
silk in plenty. Send thou the gems from off thy bucklers, and I and my
maidens will work them with gold embroideries into the silk."
Thus the sweet maiden dismissed her brother, and sending for her
thirty maidens who were skilled in needlework she bade them sew their
daintiest stitches, for here were robes to be made for the King and
Sir Siegfried ere they went to bring Queen Brunhild into Rhineland.
For seven weeks Kriemhild and her maidens were busy in their bower.
Silk white as new-fallen snow, silk green as the leaves in spring
did they shape into garments worthy to be worn by the King and Sir
Siegfried, and amid the gold embroideries glittered many a radiant
gem.
Meanwhile down by the banks of the Rhine a vessel was being built to
carry the King across the sea to Isenland.
When all was ready the King and Sir Siegfried went to the bower of the
Princess. They would put on the silken robes and the beautiful cloaks
Kriemhild and her maidens had sewed to see that they were neither too
long nor too short. But indeed the skilful hands of the Princess had
not erred. No more graceful or more beautiful garments had ever before
been seen by the King or the Prince.
"Sir Siegfried," said the gentle Kriemhild, "care for my royal brother
lest danger befall him in the bold Queen's country. Bring him home
both safe and sound I beseech thee."
The hero bowed his head and promised to shield the King from danger,
then they said farewell to the maiden, and embarked in the little ship
that awaited them on the banks of the Rhine. Nor did Siegfried forget
to take with him his Cloak of Darkness and his good sword Balmung.
Now none was there on the ship save King Gunther, Siegfried, Hagen,
and Dankwart, but Siegfried with his Cloak of Darkness had the
strength of twelve men as well as his own strong right hand.
Merrily sailed the little ship, steered by Sir Siegfried himself. Soon
the Rhine river was left behind and they were out on the sea, a strong
wind filling their sails. Ere evening, full twenty miles had the good
ship made.
For twelve days they sailed onward, until before them rose the grim
fortress that guarded Isenland.
"What towers are these?" cried King Gunther, as he gazed upon the
turreted castle which looked as a grim sentinel guarding the land.
"These," answered the hero, "are Queen Brunhild's towers and this is
the country over which she rules."
Then turning to Hagen and Dankwart Siegfried begged them to let him
be spokesman to the Queen, for he knew her wayward moods. "And King
Gunther shall be my king," said the Prince, "and I but his vassal
until we leave Isenland."
And Hagen and Dankwart, proud men though they were, obeyed in all
things the words of the young Prince of the Netherlands.
VI
SIEGFRIED SUBDUES BRUNHILD
The little ship had sailed on now close beneath the castle, so
close indeed that as the King looked up to the window he could catch
glimpses of beautiful maidens passing to and fro.
Sir Siegfried also looked and laughed aloud for glee. It would be but
a little while until Brunhild was won and he was free to return to his
winsome lady Kriemhild.
By this time the maidens in the castle had caught sight of the ship,
and many bright eyes were peering down upon King Gunther and his three
brave comrades.
"Look well at the fair maidens, sire," said Siegfried to the King.
"Among them all show me her whom thou wouldst choose most gladly as
your bride."
"Seest thou the fairest of the band," cried the King, "she who is clad
in a white garment? It is she and no other whom I would wed."
Right merrily then laughed Siegfried. "The maiden," said he gaily, "is
in truth none other than Queen Brunhild herself."
The King and his warriors now moored their vessel and leaped ashore,
Siegfried leading with him the King's charger. For each knight had
brought his steed with him from the fair land of Burgundy.
More bright than ever beamed the bright eyes of the ladies at the
castle window. So fair, so gallant a knight never had they seen,
thought the damsels as they gazed upon Sir Siegfried. And all the
while King Gunther dreamed their glances were bent on no other than
himself.
Siegfried held the noble steed until King Gunther had mounted, and
this he did that Queen Brunhild might not know that he was the Prince
of the Netherlands, owing service to no man. Then going back to the
ship the hero brought his own horse to land, mounted, and rode with
the King toward the castle gate.
King and Prince were clad alike. Their steeds as well as their
garments were white as snow, their saddles were bedecked with jewels,
and on the harness hung bells, all of bright red gold. Their shields
shone as the sun, their spears they wore before them, their swords
hung by their sides.
Behind them followed Hagen and Dankwart, their armor black as the
plumage of the wild raven, their shields strong and mighty.
As they approached the castle gates were flung wide open, and the
liegemen of the great Queen came out to greet the strangers with words
of welcome. They bid their hirelings also take the shields and
chargers from their guests.