sake."

Siegfried, the son of Siegmund, made answer, "Give me thy sister
Kriemhild, the high princess, and I will do it. Other meed I ask not."

Said Gunther, "I swear it, Siegfried, on thy hand. If Brunhild come
hither, I will give thee my sister to wife; and mayest thou live joyfully
with her to thy life's end."

The noble warriors sware an oath; and travail enow they endured, or they
led back the fair one to the Rhine; yea, ofttimes they were straightened
sore.

I have heard tell of wild dwarfs: how that they dwell in hollow
mountains, and wear wonderful cloaks called _Tarnkappes_. And whoso hath
this on his body cometh not in scathe by blows or spear-thrusts; nor is
he seen of any man so long as he weareth it, but may spy and hearken at
his will. His strength also waxeth thereby; so runneth the tale.

Siegfried took the _Tarnkappe_ with him that he had wrested from Albric
the dwarf. And these high and noble knights made ready for the journey.
When stark Siegfried did on the _Tarnkappe_, he was strong with the
strength of twelve men, and with these cunning devices he won the royal
maiden; for the cloak of cloud was fashioned on such wise, that who wore
it did what him listed, none seeing; and he won Brunhild thereby, that
after brought him dole.

"Now tell me, Siegfried, or we depart, how we may cross the sea with
honour? Shall we take warriors with us to Brunhild's land? It were easy
to summon thirty thousand knights."

But Siegfried answered, "Howsoever great a host we led thither, the
cruelty of the queen is such, that every mother's son of them must
perish. A better plan is mine, most noble king. Let us down to the
Rhine as simple knights, even these friends that I name. Thou and I,
and, further, only two. So shall we woo the damsel, let the issue be as
it may. I shall be one, and thou shalt be another. Let the third be
Hagen, and the fourth Dankwart, the doughty man. A thousand shall not
prevail against us."

"Fain would I know," said the king then, "what manner of raiment we
should wear before Brunhild. Prithee, counsel me in this matter,
Siegfried."

"In the land of Brunhild they wear naught but the beast, wherefore let us
appear before the women in goodly apparel, that none may cry shame on us
hereafter."

Then said the knight, "I will go, myself, to my dear mother, and beseech
her that she let her damsels make ready for us such garments as may bring
us honour before the royal maid