were over. Gifts of gold and silks
did King Gunther bestow on all his guests ere they set out for their
own lands. Queen Ute also and the Princess wished them Godspeed as
they filed slowly past the royal throne.

The festival was over, and it might be he would see the fair maiden
Kriemhild no more, so thought the hero. Well, he would away, away to
his own home in the Netherlands once more.

But Giselher, Kriemhild's youngest brother, heard that Siegfried was
making ready to leave the royal city, and he begged him to stay.

'Tarry here a little longer,' he said, 'and each day, when toil or
sport is over, thou shalt see my fair sister, Kriemhild.'

'Bid my steed be taken back to its stall,' then cried the happy
knight, 'and hang my shield upon the wall.'

Thus in the gladsome summer days Siegfried and Kriemhild walked and
talked together, and ever did the knight love the gentle maiden more.

CHAPTER IX

SIEGFRIED GOES TO ISENLAND

Whitsuntide had come and gone when tidings from beyond the Rhine
reached the court at Worms.

No dread tidings were these, but glad and good to hear, of a matchless
Queen named Brunhild who dwelt in Isenland. King Gunther listened with
right good-will to the tales of this warlike maiden, for if she were
beautiful she was also strong as any warrior. Wayward, too, she was,
yet Gunther would fain have her as his queen to sit beside him on his
throne.

One day the King sent for Siegfried to tell him that he would fain
journey to Isenland to wed Queen Brunhild.

Now Siegfried, as you know, had been in Isenland and knew some of the
customs of this wayward Queen. So he answered the King right gravely
that it would be a dangerous journey across the sea to Isenland, nor
would he win the Queen unless he were able to vanquish her great
strength.

He told the King how Brunhild would challenge him to three contests or
games, as she would call them. And if she were the victor, as indeed
she had been over many a royal suitor, then his life would be
forfeited.

At her own desire kings and princes had hurled the spear at the
stalwart Queen, and it had but glanced harmless off her shield, while
she would pierce the armour of these valiant knights with her first
thrust. This was one of the Queen's games.

Then the knights would hasten to the ring and throw the stone from
them as far as might be, yet ever Queen Brunhild threw it farther. For
this was another game of the warrior Queen.