ed also looked and laughed aloud for glee. It would be but
a little while until Brunhild was won and he was free to return to his
winsome lady Kriemhild.

By this time the maidens in the castle had caught sight of the ship,
and many bright eyes were peering down upon King Gunther and his three
brave comrades.

'Look well at the fair maidens, sire,' said Siegfried to the King.
'Among them all show me her whom thou wouldst choose most gladly as
your bride.'

'Seest thou the fairest of the band,' cried the King, 'she who is
clad in a white garment? It is she and no other whom I would wed.'

Right merrily then laughed Siegfried. 'The maiden,' said he gaily, 'is
in truth none other than Queen Brunhild herself.'

The King and his warriors now moored their vessel and leaped ashore,
Siegfried leading with him the King's charger. For each knight had
brought his steed with him from the fair land of Burgundy.

More bright than ever beamed the bright eyes of the ladies at the
castle window. So fair, so gallant a knight never had they seen,
thought the damsels as they gazed upon Sir Siegfried. And all the
while King Gunther dreamed their glances were bent on no other than
himself.

Siegfried held the noble steed until King Gunther had mounted, and
this he did that Queen Brunhild might not know that he was the Prince
of the Netherlands, owing service to no man. Then going back to the
ship the hero brought his own horse to land, mounted, and rode with
the King toward the castle gate.

King and Prince were clad alike. Their steeds as well as their
garments were white as snow, their saddles were bedecked with jewels,
and on the harness hung bells, all of bright red gold. Their shields
shone as the sun, their spears they wore before them, their swords
hung by their side.

Behind them followed Hagen and Dankwart, their armour black as the
plumage of the wild raven, their shields strong and mighty.

As they approached the castle the gates were flung wide open, and the
liegemen of the great Queen came out to greet the strangers with words
of welcome. They bid their hirelings also take the shields and
chargers from their guests.

But when a squire demanded that the strangers should also yield their
swords, grim Hagen smiled his grimmest, and cried, 'Nay, our swords
will we e'en keep lest we have need of them.' Nor was he too well
pleased when Siegfried told him that the custom in Isenland was that
no guest should enter the cas