e with him
and his companions as soon as a suitable opportunity occurred.

The pretended merchants, having now achieved the real object of their
journey, disposed of their remaining wares. They then invited the king and
his family to visit their ship, and cleverly managing to separate the
willing princess from her parents and train, they sailed rapidly away,
leaving the angry father to hurl equally ineffectual spears, curses, and
threats after them.

[Sidenote: Marriage of Hettel and Hilde.] The Hegelings sailed with their
prize direct to Waleis, in Holland (near the river Waal), where the
impatient Hettel came to meet them, and tenderly embraced his beautiful
young bride. There their hasty nuptials were celebrated; but, as they were
about to sail away on the morrow, Hettel became aware of the rapid approach
of a large fleet. Of course the foremost vessel was commanded by Hagen, who
had immediately started out in pursuit of his kidnaped daughter. Landing,
with all his forces, he challenged his new-made son-in-law to fight.

"King Hagen, full of anger, leaped forward in the sea.
Unto the shore he waded; no braver knight than he!
Full many pointed arrows against him were seen flying,
Like flakes of snow, from warriors of Hetel's host defying."
_Gudrun_ (Dippold's tr.).

The result of this battle was that Hettel was wounded by Hagen, who, in his
turn, was injured by Wat, and that the distracted Hilde suddenly flung
herself between the contending parties, and by her tears and prayers soon
brought about a reconciliation. Hagen, who had tested the courage of his
new son-in-law and had not found it wanting, now permitted his daughter to
accompany her husband home to Matelan, where she became the mother of a
son, Ortwine, and of a daughter, Gudrun, who was even fairer than herself.

[Sidenote: Gudrun's suitors.] Ortwine was fostered by Wat, the dauntless
hero, who taught him to fight with consummate skill; while Hilde herself
presided over the education of Gudrun, and made her so charming that many
suitors soon came, hoping to find favor in her eyes. These were Siegfried,
King of Moorland, a pagan of dark complexion; Hartmut, son of Ludwig, King
of Normandy; and, lastly, Herwig of Zealand. Although the latter fancied
that he had won some favor in the fair Gudrun's sight, Hettel dismissed him
as well as the others, with the answer that his daughter was yet too youn