In obedience to these directions, Gunther merely made the motions,
depending upon the invisible Siegfried to parry and make all the attacks.
Brunhild first poised and flung her spear with such force that both heroes
staggered and almost fell; but before she could cry out victory, Siegfried
had caught the spear, turned it butt end foremost, and flung it back with
such violence that the princess fell and was obliged to acknowledge herself
outdone.

[Sidenote: Brunhild's defeat.] Nothing daunted, however, by this first
defeat, she caught up the massive stone, flung it far from her, and leaping
after it, alighted beside it. But even while she was inwardly
congratulating herself, and confidently cherishing the belief that the
stranger could not surpass her, Siegfried caught up the stone, flung it
farther still, and grasping Gunther by his broad girdle, bounded through
the air with him and landed far beyond it. Brunhild was outdone in all
three feats, and, according to her own promise, belonged to the victor,
Gunther, to whom she now bade her people show all due respect and homage.

"Then all aloud fair Brunhild bespake her courtier band,
Seeing in the ring at distance unharm'd her wooer stand:
'Hither, my men and kinsmen, low to my better bow.
I am no more your mistress; you're Gunther's liegemen now.'"
_Nibelungenlied_ (Lettsom's tr.).

[Illustration: GUNTHER WINNING HIS BRIDE.--Keller.]

The warriors all hastened to do her bidding, and escorted their new lord to
the castle, whither, under pretext of fitly celebrating her marriage,
Brunhild summoned all her retainers from far and near. This rally roused
the secret terror of Gunther, Hagen, and Dankwart, for they suspected some
act of treachery on the part of the dark-browed queen. These fears were
also, in a measure, shared by Siegfried; so he stole away, promising to
return before long with a force sufficient to overawe Brunhild and quell
all attempt at foul play.

Siegfried, having hastily embarked upon the little vessel, swiftly sailed
away to the Nibelungen land, where he arrived in an incredibly short space
of time, presented himself at the gates of his castle, and forced an
entrance by conquering the giant porter, and Alberich, the dwarf guardian
of his treasure. Then making himself known to his followers, the Nibelungs,
he chose one thousand of them to accompany him back to Issland to support
the Burgundi