that steel annuls magic, left it there until all power to unite was
gone and Hilde was really dead. The two heroes then returned home in
triumph with Nagelring and Hildegrim, the two famous trophies, which
Dietrich took as his share of the spoil, leaving to Hildebrand an immense
treasure of gold which made him the richest man of his day. This wealth
enabled Hildebrand to marry the noble Ute (Uote or Uta), who helped him to
bring up Dietrich's young brother, then but a babe.

Although the young prince of Bern imagined that he had exterminated all the
giants in his land, he was soon undeceived; for Sigenot, Grim's brother,
coming down from the Alps to visit him, and finding him slain, vowed to
avenge his death. The brave young prince, hearing that Sigenot was
terrorizing all the neighborhood, immediately set out to attack him,
followed at a distance by Hildebrand and the latter's nephew, Wolfhart, who
was always ready to undertake any journey, provided there was some prospect
of a fight at the end.

Dietrich soon came to a forest, where, feeling hungry, he slew an elk and
proceeded to roast some of its flesh upon a spit. While he was thus engaged
he heard shrill cries, and looking up, he saw a giant holding a dwarf and
about to devour him. Ever ready to succor the feeble and oppressed,
Dietrich caught up his sword and attacked the giant, who made a brave but
fruitless defense. The dwarf, seeing his tormentor dead, then advised
Dietrich to fly in haste, lest Sigenot, the most terrible of all the
mountain giants, should come to avenge his companion's murder. But, instead
of following this advice, Dietrich persuaded the dwarf to show him the way
to the giant's retreat.

[Sidenote: Capture of Dietrich by giant Sigenot.] Following his tiny guide,
Dietrich climbed up the snow-clad mountains, where, in the midst of the
icebergs, the ice queen, Virginal, suddenly appeared to him, advising him
to retreat, as his venture was perilous in the extreme. Equally undeterred
by this second warning, Dietrich pressed on; but when he came at last to
the giant's abode he was so exhausted by the ascent that, in spite of all
his courage, he was defeated, put in chains, and dragged into the giant's
den.

[Illustration: FALKE KILLS THE GIANT.--Keller.]

Hildebrand, in the mean while, following his pupil, awaited his return at
the foot of the mountains for eight days, and then, seeing that he did not
appear, he strode up the mountain side. The