words, the grim warrior said, "Sire, since the Prince
knows the customs of Isenland, let him go with thee on thy journey,
to share thy dangers, and to aid thee in the presence of this warlike
Queen."

And Hagen, for he hated the hero, hoped that he might never return
alive from Isenland.

But the King was pleased with his counselor's words. "Sir Siegfried,"
he said, "wilt thou help me to win the matchless maiden Brunhild for
my queen?"

"That right gladly will I do," answered the Prince, "if thou wilt
promise to give me thy sister Kriemhild as my bride, should I bring
thee back safe from Isenland, the bold Queen at thy side."

Then the King promised that on the same day that he wedded Brunhild,
his sister should wed Prince Siegfried, and with this promise the hero
was well content.

"Thirty thousand warriors will I summon to go with us to Isenland,"
cried King Gunther gaily.

"Nay," said the Prince, "thy warriors would but be the victims of
this haughty Queen. As plain knight-errants will we go, taking with us
none, save Hagen the keen-eyed and his brother Dankwart."

Then King Gunther, his face aglow with pleasure, went with Sir
Siegfried to his sister's bower, and begged her to provide rich
garments in which he and his knights might appear before the beauteous
Queen Brunhild.

"Thou shalt not beg this service from me," cried the gentle Princess,
"rather shalt thou command that which thou dost wish. See, here have I
silk in plenty. Send thou the gems from off thy bucklers, and I and my
maidens will work them with gold embroideries into the silk."

Thus the sweet maiden dismissed her brother, and sending for her
thirty maidens who were skilled in needlework she bade them sew their
daintiest stitches, for here were robes to be made for the King and
Sir Siegfried ere they went to bring Queen Brunhild into Rhineland.

For seven weeks Kriemhild and her maidens were busy in their bower.
Silk white as new-fallen snow, silk green as the leaves in spring
did they shape into garments worthy to be worn by the King and Sir
Siegfried, and amid the gold embroideries glittered many a radiant
gem.

Meanwhile down by the banks of the Rhine a vessel was being built to
carry the King across the sea to Isenland.

When all was ready the King and Sir Siegfried went to the bower of the
Princess. They would put on the silken robes and the beautiful cloaks
Kriemhild and her maidens had sewed to see that they were neither too
l