e again. Bruennhilde's appearance was so
noble that her word convinced everybody and more than that,
Siegfried's story and his last cry had told them the truth.

"Now," said Bruennhilde to the vassals, "bring great logs and heap them
high beside the river Rhein. There shalt Siegfried's body find a tomb.
Bring, too, his steed, and let it await me, here." While Bruennhilde
knelt beside Siegfried's beloved body, the men heaped up the logs and
the women strewed the top of the pile with garlands. The vassals came
for Siegfried's body and as they lifted it, Bruennhilde drew the ring
from his finger.

"There, ye sorrowing Rhein maidens, I give ye back this accursed
ring," she cried. "Give heed, ye wayward sisters; this ring which has
brought so much sorrow to Gods and men, shall now become yours. I thus
restore the Rheingold to its owners. I place the ring upon my finger,
and when I have leaped into the flames beside my Siegfried, the ring
shall be purged by fire from all the stains that have come upon it
since it was so wrongfully come by. Take the ring from amid the ashes,
and return with it to your water-home." She flung a great brand upon
the heap of wood where Siegfried's body lay, and immediately two
ravens flew from the heap.

"Go thou, ye ravens, to Walhall, and tell Wotan what ye have seen. The
end of Godhood is near. Then go to the rock where Loge burneth and
tell him to go to Walhall." The ravens flew away, while the flames
leaped about Siegfried. Turning to the horse, Grane, and putting her
hand lovingly upon him, Bruennhilde took off his bridle. "Now,
Siegfried, we join thee," she cried, and giving her great war-cry,
Bruennhilde sprang upon the horse, and together they leaped upon the
burning bier. Instantly the flames roared and flared high and seemed
to seize upon the Hall of the Gibichungs, while all the company fled,
crowding close together. When the fire was at its worst, the river
Rhein overflowed its banks and rolled upon the land, extinguishing the
flames. On the waves, the three Rhein-daughters swam and hovered over
the place where the bodies were. Hagen, who saw before him the loss of
the ring, became frantic with despair, so he rushed into the flood, to
wrench the treasure from the maidens, but Woglinde and Wellgunde
threw their arms about him, dragged him down into the depths, and swam
away with him.

Flosshilde, having found the ring, swam before them, holding up the
prize triumphantly. A great b