met the rising sun, and first greeting with rapture the
glorious spectacle, she turned to her deliverer, and the young hero
and the maiden loved each other at first sight.

"Then she turned and gazed on Sigurd, and her eyes met the
Volsung's eyes.
And mighty and measureless now did the tide of his love arise,
For their longing had met and mingled, and he knew of her heart
that she loved,
And she spake unto nothing but him and her lips with the
speech-flood moved."

The maiden now proceeded to tell Sigurd her story. Her name was
Brunhild, and according to some authorities she was the daughter of
an earthly king whom Odin had raised to the rank of a Valkyr. She
had served him faithfully for a long while, but once had ventured to
set her own wishes above his, giving to a younger and therefore more
attractive opponent the victory which Odin had commanded for another.

In punishment for this act of disobedience, she had been deprived
of her office and banished to earth, where Allfather decreed she
should wed like any other member of her sex. This sentence filled
Brunhild's heart with dismay, for she greatly feared lest it might be
her fate to mate with a coward, whom she would despise. To quiet these
apprehensions, Odin took her to Hindarfiall or Hindfell, and touching
her with the Thorn of Sleep, that she might await in unchanged youth
and beauty the coming of her destined husband, he surrounded her with
a barrier of flame which none but a hero would venture through.

From the top of Hindarfiall, Brunhild now pointed out to Sigurd her
former home, at Lymdale or Hunaland, telling him he would find her
there whenever he chose to come and claim her as his wife; and then,
while they stood on the lonely mountain top together, Sigurd placed
the ring Andvaranaut upon her finger, in token of betrothal, swearing
to love her alone as long as life endured.

"From his hand then draweth Sigurd Andvari's ancient Gold;
There is nought but the sky above them as the ring together
they hold,
The shapen ancient token, that hath no change nor end,
No change, and no beginning, no flaw for God to mend:
Then Sigurd cried: 'O Brynhild, now hearken while I swear,
That the sun shall die in the heavens and the day no more be fair,
If I seek not love in Lymdale and the house that fostered thee,
And the land where thou awakedst 'twixt the woodland and the sea!'
And she cr