ollow the counsel.
Then the moon's light was hidden, and in the darkness Alberich
disappeared. When he had gone, the dawn broke. Hagen woke and looked
out upon the peacefully flowing Rhein.

_Scene II_

As the Rhein grew redder and redder in the morning light, Hagen heard
Siegfried's call and, all at once, the knight's head rose above the
river's bank. He still wore the Tarnhelm upon his head, but appeared
in his own shape.

"Waken and greet me, Hagen!" he cried gaily.

"Where are Bruennhilde and Gunther?" Hagen called, going to meet
Siegfried.

"They follow, more slowly, in the boat. When I called to thee just
now, I was miles away--at Bruennhilde's rock; but with the Tarnhelm
upon my head, I arrived before thou couldst answer. Where is the
beautiful Gutrune?"

"She will come at once to hear thy tale and to greet thee." Hagen
called to her, and she appeared to learn of Bruennhilde's coming with
her brother. She looked shyly at Siegfried.

"Let us call all to the wedding and greet Bruennhilde gaily, that she
may be glad to dwell with us, and not sigh for her mountain rock," she
cried; and Siegfried, taking her hand, went with her to prepare the
feast.

Meanwhile, Hagen, watching from a high rock, blew upon his cow-horn as
he saw a boat slowly coming up the river bearing Gunther and
Bruennhilde.

_Scene III_

"Ho! Vassals! Come! Hither come ye with your arms!" he shouted,
blowing again a sharp blast upon the horn. In response the warriors of
Gunther began to pour from the hall, and to run in great excitement to
the river-bank.

"What do we gather for? Whom shall we fight? Is our Lord, Gunther, in
danger?"

"He comes hither with a Valkyrie maid, and ye are to make sacrifices
to the Gods. Kill ye a boar for Froh, a goat for Donner, and for
Fricka kill a sheep. After ye have done those things, take the
drinking horns and drink yourselves drunk in honour of the Gods."

The vassals went, some of them to the river's bank to receive Gunther
and Bruennhilde, some to the hall to await their coming, and to welcome
them upon its threshold.

"If any one has done your Lord's bride wrong, see that ye avenge her,"
Hagen forewarned. He was already beginning to stir up strife for
Siegfried in accordance with Alberich's advice.

_Scene IV_

Clashing their shields and arms together, the vassals formed a line
through which Bruennhilde and Gunther should pass, and when the boat
reached the landing place all cri