re oaths of brotherhood.
Henceforward he and they would be as brethren. King Giuki had a stepson
named Guttorm and he was not bound in the oath that bound Sigurd and the
others in brotherhood.

After the war they had waged Sigurd spent a whole winter in the hall of
the Nibelungs. His heart was full of memories of Brynhild and of
longings to ride to her in the House of Flame and to take her with him
to the kingdom that King Giuki would have given him. But as yet he would
not go back to her, for he had sworn to give his brethren further help.

One day, as he rode by himself, he heard birds talk to each other and he
knew the words they were saying. One said, "There is Sigurd who wears
the wondrous helmet that he took out of Fafnir's hoard." And the other
bird said, "He knows not that by that helmet he can change his shape as
Fafnir changed his shape, and make him look like this creature or that
creature, or this man or that man." And the third bird said, "He knows
not that the helmet can do anything so wonderful for him."

He rode back to the hall of the Nibelungs, and at the supperboard he
told them what he had heard the birds say. He showed them the wondrous
helmet. Also he told them how he had slain Fafnir the Dragon, and of how
he had won the mighty hoard for himself. His two sworn brothers who were
there rejoiced that he had such wondrous possessions.

But more precious than the hoard and more wondrous than the helmet was
the memory of Brynhild that he had. But of this he said no word.

Grimhild was the name of the Queen. She was the mother of Gunnar and
Hoegni and their half-brother Guttorm. And she and the King had one
daughter whose name was Gudrun. Now Grimhild was one of the wisest of
women, and she knew when she looked upon him that Sigurd was the world's
greatest warrior. She would have him belong to the Nibelungs, not only
by the oaths of brotherhood he had sworn with Gunnar and Hoegni, but by
other ties. And when she heard of the great hoard that was his she had
greater wish and will that he should be one with the Nibelungs. She
looked on the helmet of gold and on the great armring that he wore, and
she made it her heart's purpose that Sigurd should wed with Gudrun, her
daughter. But neither Sigurd nor the maiden Gudrun knew of Grimhild's
resolve.

And the Queen, watching Sigurd closely, knew that he had a remembrance
in his breast that held him from seeing Gudrun's loveliness. She had
knowledge of spel