she hurled afar and sprang far after it. He who craved her love
must win without fail three games from this high-born dame. When the
noble maid had done this passing oft, a stately knight did hear it by
the Rhine. He turned his thoughts upon this comely dame, and so heroes
must needs later lose their lives.

One day when the king and his vassals sate and pondered to and fro in
many a wise, whom their lord might take to wife, who would be fit to be
their lady and beseem the land, up spake the lord of the Rhinelands: "I
will go down to the sea and hence to Brunhlld, however it may go with
me. For her love I'll risk my life. I will gladly lose it and she become
not my wife."

"Against that do I counsel you," spake then Siegfried, "if, as ye say,
the queen doth have so fierce a wont, he who wooeth for her love will
pay full dear. Therefore should ye give over the journey."

Then spake King Gunther: "Never was woman born so strong and bold that I
might not vanquish her with mine own hand."

"Be still," spake Siegfried, "ye little know her strength."

"So will I advise you," spake Hagen then, "that ye beg Siegfried to
share with you this heavy task. This is my rede, sith he doth know so
well how matters stand with Brunhild."

The king spake: "Wilt thou help me, noble Siegfried, to woo this lovely
maid? And thou doest what I pray thee and this comely dame become my
love, for thy sake will I risk both life and honor."

To this Siegfried, the son of Siegmund, answered: "I will do it, and
thou give me thy sister Kriemhild, the noble queen. For my pains I ask
no other meed."

"I'll pledge that, Siegfried, in thy hand," spake then Gunther, "and if
fair Brunhild come hither to this land, I'll give thee my sister unto
wife. Then canst thou live ever merrily with the fair."

This the noble warriors swore oaths to do, and so the greater grew their
hardships, till they brought the lady to the Rhine. On this account
these brave men must later be in passing danger. Siegfried had to take
with him hence the cloak which he, the bold hero, had won 'mid dangers
from a dwarf, Alberich he hight. These bold and mighty knights now made
them ready for the journey. When Siegfried wore the Cloak of Darkness
he had strength enow: the force of full twelve men beside his own. With
cunning arts he won the royal maid. This cloak was fashioned so, that
whatsoever any wrought within it, none saw him. Thus he won Brunhild,
which brought him dole.