The third game was to leap beyond the stone which they had thrown, but
ever to their dismay the knights saw this marvellous maiden far
outleap them all.

These valorous knights, thus beaten in the three contests, had been
beheaded, and therefore it was that Siegfried spoke so gravely to
King Gunther.

But Gunther, so he said, was willing to risk his life to win so brave
a bride.

Now Hagen had drawn near to the King, and as he listened to
Siegfried's words, the grim warrior said, 'Sire, since the Prince
knows the customs of Isenland, let him go with thee on thy journey, to
share thy dangers, and to aid thee in the presence of this warlike
Queen.'

And Hagen, for he hated the hero, hoped that he might never return
alive from Isenland.

But the King was pleased with his counsellor's words. 'Sir Siegfried,'
he said, 'wilt thou help me to win the matchless maiden Brunhild for
my queen?'

'That right gladly will I do,' answered the Prince, 'if thou wilt
promise to give to me thy sister Kriemhild as my bride, should I bring
thee back safe from Isenland, the bold Queen at thy side.'

Then the King promised that on the same day that he wedded Brunhild,
his sister should wed Prince Siegfried, and with this promise the hero
was well content.

'Thirty thousand warriors will I summon to go with us to Isenland,'
cried King Gunther gaily.

'Nay,' said the Prince, 'thy warriors would but be the victims of this
haughty Queen. As plain knight-errants will we go, taking with us
none, save Hagen the keen-eyed and his brother Dankwart.'

Then King Gunther, his face aglow with pleasure, went with Sir
Siegfried to his sister's bower, and begged her to provide rich
garments in which he and his knights might appear before the beauteous
Queen Brunhild.

'Thou shalt not beg this service from me,' cried the gentle Princess,
'rather shalt thou command that which thou dost wish. See, here have I
silk in plenty. Send thou the gems from off thy bucklers, and I and my
maidens will work them with gold embroideries into the silk.'

Thus the sweet maiden dismissed her brother, and sending for her
thirty maidens who were skilled in needlework she bade them sew their
daintiest stitches, for here were robes to be made for the King and
Sir Siegfried ere they went to bring Queen Brunhild into Rhineland.

For seven weeks Kriemhild and her maidens were busy in their bower.
Silk white as new-fallen snow, silk green as the leaves in spring did