lifted the curtain of mists and fogs that had so long darkened
the land, and let in the glorious glad light of day and the genial
warmth of summer.

Adventure VIII. Siegfried's Welcome Home.

In Santen Castle, one day, there was a strange uproar and confusion.
Everybody was hurrying aimlessly about, and no one seemed to know just
what to do. On every side there were restless whisperings, and hasty
gestures, and loud commands. The knights and warriors were busy donning
their war-coats, and buckling on their swords and helmets. Wise King
Siegmund sat in his council-chamber, and the knowing men of the kingdom
stood around him; and the minds of all seemed troubled with doubt, if
not with fear.

What could have caused so great an uproar in the once quiet old castle?
What could have brought perplexity to the mind of the wisest king in
all Rhineland? It was this: a herald had just come from the seashore,
bringing word that a strange fleet of a hundred white-sailed vessels had
cast anchor off the coast, and that an army of ten thousand fighting men
had landed, and were making ready to march against Santen. Nobody had
ever heard of so large a fleet before; and no one could guess who the
strangers might be, nor whence they had come, nor why they should thus,
without asking leave, land in the country of a peace-loving king.

The news spread quickly over all the land. People from every part came
hastening to the friendly shelter of the castle. The townsmen, with
their goods and cattle, hurried within the walls. The sentinels on the
ramparts paced uneasily to and fro, and scanned with watchful eye every
stranger that came near the walls. The warders stood ready to hoist
the drawbridge, and close the gate, at the first signal given by the
watchman above, who was straining his eyes to their utmost in order to
see the first approach of the foe.

A heavy mist hung over the meadow-lands between Santen and the sea,
and nothing was visible beyond the gates of the town. The ten thousand
strange warriors might be within half a league of the castle, and yet
the sharpest eagle-eye could not see them.

All at once a clatter of horse's hoofs was heard; the dark mist rose up
from the ground, and began to roll away, like a great cloud, into the
sky; and then strange sunbeam-flashes were seen where the fog had lately
rested.

"They come!" cried one of the sentinels. "I see the glitter of their
shields and lances."

"Not so," s