e flaring wall. But Grani,
knowing that the one who rode him had fear of the fire, reared up and
would not go through it. Only with Sigurd on his back would Grani go
through the flame.

Then were the three sworn brethren greatly discomfited. But after they
had considered it for long Hoegni the Wise said: "There is a way to win
Brynhild, and that is for Sigurd to change shapes, by the magic of his
helmet, with Gunnar. Then Sigurd could ride Grani through the wall of
flame and come to Brynhild in Gunnar's shape."

So spoke Hoegni the Wise, and when he saw his sworn brother's gaze fixed
on him in pleading, Sigurd could not but agree to ride through the flame
and come to Brynhild in the way he said. And so by the magic of his
helmet he changed shapes with Gunnar. Then he mounted Grani and rode to
the wall of flame. And Grani, knowing that the one he bore was without
fear, rode through the flaring fire. Then Sigurd came into the courtyard
of the House of Flame. He dismounted from Grani, and he bade his horse
be still.

He went within the Hall and he saw one with a bow in her hands shooting
at a mark. She turned to him, and he saw a beautiful and stern face,
with coils of wondrous, bright-gleaming hair and eyes that were like
stars in an unventured-in sea. He thought that the arrow in her hands
had been shot through him. But it was not so. Brynhild threw down the
bow and came to him with that walk of hers that was as of one moving
above the earth. And when she came near and looked upon him she uttered
a strange cry.

"Who art thou?" she said. "Who art thou who hast come to me through the
wall of flaring fire?"

"Gunnar, son of Giuki, of the race of the Nibelungs," Sigurd said.

"Art thou the bravest one in the world?" she asked.

"I have ridden through the wall of flaring fire to come to thee," Sigurd
answered.

"He who has come through that wall of flaring fire may claim me,"
Brynhild said. "It is written in the runes, and it must be so. But I
thought there was only one who would come to me through it." She looked
at him, and her eyes had a flame of anger. "Oh, I would strive with thee
with warrior-weapons," she cried. Then Sigurd felt her strong hands upon
him, and he knew that she was striving to throw him.

They wrestled, and each was so strong that none could move the other.
They wrestled, Sigurd the first of heroes, and Brynhild, the Valkyrie.
Sigurd got her hand in his in the wrestle. On that hand was a ring