s kingdom; and now he tells her what he could not tell Fricka--what
indeed he could not tell to Brynhild, were she not, as she says, his
own will--the whole story of Alberic and of that inspiration about the
raising up of a hero. She thoroughly approves of the inspiration; but
when the story ends in the assumption that she too must obey Fricka,
and help Fricka's vassal, Hunding, to undo the great work and strike the
hero down, she for the first time hesitates to accept his command. In
his fury and despair he overawes her by the most terrible threats of his
anger; and she submits.

Then comes the Volsung Siegmund, following his sister bride, who has
fled into the mountains in a revulsion of horror at having allowed
herself to bring her hero to shame. Whilst she is lying exhausted and
senseless in his arms, Brynhild appears to him and solemnly warns him
that he must presently leave the earth with her. He asks whither he must
follow her. To Valhalla, to take his place there among the heroes. He
asks, shall he find his father there? Yes. Shall he find a wife there?
Yes: he will be waited on by beautiful wishmaidens. Shall he meet his
sister there? No. Then, says Siegmund, I will not come with you.

She tries to make him understand that he cannot help himself. Being a
hero, he will not be so persuaded: he has his father's sword, and does
not fear Hunding. But when she tells him that she comes from his father,
and that the sword of a god will not avail in the hands of a hero, he
accepts his fate, but will shape it with his own hand, both for himself
and his sister, by slaying her, and then killing himself with the last
stroke of the sword. And thereafter he will go to Hell, rather than to
Valhalla.

How now can Brynhild, being what she is, choose her side freely in a
conflict between this hero and the vassal of Fricka? By instinct she
at once throws Wotan's command to the winds, and bids Siegmund nerve
himself for the combat with Hunding, in which she pledges him the
protection of her shield. The horn of Hunding is soon heard; and
Siegmund's spirits rise to fighting pitch at once. The two meet; and
the Valkyrie's shield is held before the hero. But when he delivers his
sword-stroke at his foe, the weapon shivers on the spear of Wotan, who
suddenly appears between them; and the first of the race of heroes
falls with the weapon of the Law's vassal through his breast. Brynhild
snatches the fragments of the broken sword, and fl