topmost tower. Then he set the horse Grani at the fire, and he
leaped through it lightly, as if it had been through the heather. So
Sigurd went within the castle door, and there he saw someone sleeping,
clad all in armour. Then he took the helmet off the head of the sleeper,
and behold, she was a most beautiful lady. And she wakened and said,
'Ah! is it Sigurd, Sigmund's son, who has broken the curse, and comes
here to waken me at last?'

This curse came upon her when the thorn of the tree of sleep ran into
her hand long ago as a punishment because she had displeased Odin the
God. Long ago, too, she had vowed never to marry a man who knew fear,
and dared not ride through the fence of flaming fire. For she was a
warrior maid herself, and went armed into the battle like a man. But now
she and Sigurd loved each other, and promised to be true to each other,
and he gave her a ring, and it was the last ring taken from the dwarf
Andvari. Then Sigurd rode away, and he came to the house of a King who
had a fair daughter. Her name was Gudrun, and her mother was a witch.
Now Gudrun fell in love with Sigurd, but he was always talking of
Brynhild, how beautiful she was and how dear. So one day Gudrun's witch
mother put poppy and forgetful drugs in a magical cup, and bade Sigurd
drink to her health, and he drank, and instantly he forgot poor Brynhild
and he loved Gudrun, and they were married with great rejoicings.

Now the witch, the mother of Gudrun, wanted her son Gunnar to marry
Brynhild, and she bade him ride out with Sigurd and go and woo her. So
forth they rode to her father's house, for Brynhild had quite gone out
of Sigurd's mind by reason of the witch's wine, but she remembered him
and loved him still. Then Brynhild's father told Gunnar that she would
marry none but him who could ride the flame in front of her enchanted
tower, and thither they rode, and Gunnar set his horse at the flame,
but he would not face it. Then Gunnar tried Sigurd's horse Grani, but
he would not move with Gunnar on his back. Then Gunnar remembered
witchcraft that his mother had taught him, and by his magic he made
Sigurd look exactly like himself, and he looked exactly like Gunnar.
Then Sigurd, in the shape of Gunnar and in his mail, mounted on Grani,
and Grani leaped the fence of fire, and Sigurd went in and found
Brynhild, but he did not remember her yet, because of the forgetful
medicine in the cup of the witch's wine.

Now Brynhild had no help