ore beautiful than he had
ever dreamed. A messenger was sent by the King bidding him greet the
Princess. "Be welcome here, Sir Siegfried, for thou art a good and
noble knight," said the maiden softly, "for right well hast thou
served my royal brother."

"Thee will I serve for ever," cried the happy hero, "thee will I serve
for ever, and thy wishes shall ever be my will!"

Then for twelve glad days were Siegfried and Kriemhild ofttimes side
by side.

V.

SIEGFRIED GOES TO ISENLAND

Whitsuntide had come and gone when tidings from beyond the Rhine
reached the court at Worms.

No dread tidings were these, but glad and good to hear, of a matchless
Queen named Brunhild who dwelt in Isenland. King Gunther listened with
right good will to the tales of this warlike maiden, for if she were
beautiful she was also strong as any warrior. Wayward, too, she was,
yet Gunther would fain have her as his queen to sit beside him on his
throne.

One day the King sent for Siegfried to tell him that he would fain
journey to Isenland to wed Queen Brunhild.

Now Siegfried, as you know, had been in Isenland and knew some of the
customs of this wayward Queen. So he answered the King right gravely
that it would be a dangerous journey across the sea to Isenland,
nor would he win the Queen unless he were able to vanquish her great
strength.

He told the King how Brunhild would challenge him to three contests,
or games, as she would call them. And if she were the victor, as
indeed she had been over many a royal suitor, then his life would be
forfeited.

At her own desire kings and princes had hurled the spear at the
stalwart Queen, and it had but glanced harmless off her shield, while
she would pierce the armor of these valiant knights with her first
thrust. This was one of the Queen's games.

Then the knights would hasten to the ring and throw the stone from
them as far as might be, yet ever Queen Brunhild threw it farther. For
this was another game of the warrior-queen.

The third game was to leap beyond the stone which they had thrown, but
ever to their dismay the knights saw this marvelous 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