Now when that Daughter of Princes looked upon Siegfried's…

Now when that Daughter of Princes looked upon Siegfried's face— Would ye know of her greeting?—she bespake him with cold and stately grace: "Now welcome be thou, O Siegfried, in thy coming to this my land. What meaneth this your journey?—prithee, cause me to understand." "Exceeding thank do I render, O Daughter of Princes, to thee, That thou deignest to greet me, Brunhild, Lady of Courtesy, Before this knight hath been greeted, who standeth before me in place, For that he is my liege-lord:—Siegfried could well have foregone such grace! He is the King of Rhineland—what need I say of him more? All for thy love have we voyaged far overseas to thy shore. Fixed is his heart to woo thee, whatsoever thereof betide. While yet there is time, bethink thee:—my lord turns never aside. He hath to name King Gunther; wide is his royal domain. For thy love he comes hitherward wooing; nought else he desireth to gain. Forasmuch as he hath commanded, on this journey have I too come. If so be he were not my liege-lord, sooth, I had forborne therefrom."

She answered: "If thou be his vassal, and he thy suzerain, Then must he abide the trial, the tests that I ever ordain. If he stand at the end the victor, I yield myself his wife; But if I overcome—bethink you, ye all have staked your life." Then out spake Hagen of Troneg: "Suffer us, Queen, to see To what manner of play thou dost challenge. Ere Gunther my lord unto thee Shall yield up the mastery, surely he shall strive with bitter strain. A maiden so passing lovely full well to his wife might he gain."

"He shall cast the massy quoit-stone, and far as it flies shall he leap, And shall hurl against me the javelin—hold not this trial cheap! Ye may lose not honour only: your life and limb be at stake. Therefore, I rede you, bethink you!" So that fair woman spake.

Then Siegfried the battle-helper drew the King apart, And he prayed him to speak out boldly all that was in his heart Unto the Queen replying—"Fear not for the end," he said; "By my cunning devices against her full well will I shield thine head." Then answered and spake King Gunther: "O child of a royal line, Lay on me what task thou pleasest: were it harder than this of thine, Yet for the sake of thy beauty I abide all willingly. If thou be not won by my wooing, then smite mine head from me."

So soon as the words had been spoken, straightway that Amazon-maid Commanded, as meet she deemed it, that the trial be not delayed; And she caused them to bring her armour, and array for the contest grim, Even a golden hauberk and a shield of ample rim. A silk-lined battle-tunic about her that maiden drew— Nor point nor edge of weapon in fight might pierce it through— Of fine-dressed fells of lions from the land of Libya brought, With broidery round its borders flashing radiant-wrought. Meanwhile her knights were galling those guests with threat and jeer: And there stood Dankwart and Hagen exceeding heavy of cheer; For their souls foreboded the issue that might to their lord betide; And they said in their hearts: "This journey shall we knights dearly abide!"

But Siegfried the while, the resourceful, hath hasted swiftly away, Ere any was ware of his going, unto where the galley lay; And he found the Hood of Darkness in its secret hiding-place there, And with speed he did it upon him, and none thereof was ware. With speed he returned: of her warriors found he a great array In the place by the Queen appointed for the wooer's perilous play:

But he passed through the midst of them stealthwise, and still was beheld of none Of the multitude there thronging: by magic thus was it done. For the lists a wide ring drew they where that grim sport should be In the presence of knights of Brunhild, that the trial all might see, Bold warriors full seven hundred; and their weapons of war all bare; And whoso prevailed in the contest, the truth should these declare.

Now in the lists stood Brunhild, in her mail of the adamant rings, As though she would straight do battle for the land of all earth's kings. And all her silken vesture was with gold bands lapped about; But thereunder the lilies and roses of her lovely flesh shone out. Now came to the lists her henchmen, and unto her hands they brought A goodly shield of battle: of the ruddy gold was it wrought With bands of steel hard-welded, a thing for a giant to sway: And under that mighty heart-fence would the fair one play the play. From left unto right within it did a goodly arm-brace pass With emeralds set thereover, green as the lealand grass; And their sight-bewildering sparklings flashed o'er the gold thereof. Sooth, valour he needed and prowess who would win that maiden's love! Stood a boss out in front of the buckler, as the olden bard hath sung; It was three whole spans in thickness, yet lightly its mass she swung. With burnished steel and with gleaming gold full rich was the shield; And scarce could her chamberlain, holpen of three, bear this to the field. Now soon as Hagen the stalwart beheld that Targe of Dread, Muttered the Lord of Troneg sorely disquieted: "How is it with thee, King Gunther?—thou hazardest limb and life! She whom thou fain wouldst be wooing were a very demon-wife!"

Now telleth the song of the raiment of that fair-clad Amazon. With glistering silk of the Orient her battle-doublet shone— Ah, it was costly and queenly!—flashed in beholders' eyes From the vest of that Daughter of Princes full many a stone of price.

A mighty spear broad-headed then brought they unto the Queen, Which she hurled evermore in the Contest of Wooers, a javelin keen, Gigantic, stubborn-shafted, heavy and long, and wide Were the fierce death-whetted edges thereof on either side. Of the weight of that fearful javelin be marvellous stories told. Of five-score pounds of iron was forged its massy mould: Three of the warriors of Brunhild staggering bare that spear. Then the heart of the noble Gunther grew heavy with his fear. Under his breath he whispered: "What task have I now in hand? Though the Foul Fiend rose out of Hell's Pit, against her how should he stand? Were I, with my life delivered, once more beside the Rhine, Long should she bide untroubled by any wooing of mine!" (C) Well may ye deem what burden of disquiet his spirit bare. Then all his harness of battle they set before him there: And soon the mighty Rhine-lord lapped in his war-mail stood. But the spirit of Hagen was darkened, and he chafed in bitter mood.

Then out spake Hagen's brother. Dankwart the valiant: "I rue— Yea, my inmost soul repenteth that hither we came to woo! Good knights, time was, men called us! Shall we tamely yield our breath? Here in the land of the stranger shall a woman do us to death? Sore vexed am I for our folly, that ever we came to her land! Ha, if that my brother Hagen but grasped his sword in hand, And I had also my war-glaive, soon these should abate their pride, And should droop the eyes of scorning, yon vassals at Brunhild's side! I would teach them to go softly, full well I ween!—O yea, Though oaths had I sworn a thousand to keep the peace this day!— Ere I saw my belovèd liege-lord lie trapped in a foul death-snare, Doomed to forsake life—quotha!—because this woman is fair!" "Ay, and we would unshackled from this land win forth clear," Answered his brother Hagen, "had we but the armour here That we lack for the clash of the onset, and the trusty battle-blade; Then soon should the pride be humbled of yonder stalwart maid!"

Full well overheard were his murmurs of the Lady royally born. She cast back over her shoulder a smile of careless scorn:— "And he deemeth himself so valiant?—e'en bring them hitherward Their armour, and give to the heroes each his keen-edged sword! (C) As little I reck of them whether their harness and swords they bear," Spake that Daughter of Princes, "or weaponless stand there. I fear the strength of no man that is known of me unto this day; Yea, and I look to o'ermaster yon king in the battle-play." When, after the Maid's commandment, unto these were their weapons brought, The face of the valiant Dankwart for very joy flushed hot. "Play now what play ye be minded!" he cried, that goodly thane; "Unfettered now is Gunther: we have our swords again!"

Once more of the might of Brunhild terrible proof is shown: Men into the ring come bearing an exceeding massy stone, Most huge, a quoit for a Titan, broad withal and round. Scarce twelve of her thanes could bear it into love's strange battle-ground. Even this ever hurled she in contest, when the flight had been sped of the spear. Thereat were the lords Burgundian thrilled with foreboding fear. "Who is this that my lord would be wooing?—Beshrew her!" Hagen cried: "In the nethermost hell might she fitly be plighted the Foul Fiend's bride!"

On her snow-white arms the Maiden her tunic-sleeves uprolled, And she stretched forth her hand to the arm-brace of the shield, and took fast hold: She hath swung up on high the javelin—lo, the banners of battle unfold!— Then the hearts of those two heroes at the fire in her eyes waxed cold. And except in that moment Siegfried to his friend's help had drawn nigh, She had reft the life from Gunther the King right certainly: But he stole to his side all viewless, and softly touched his hand; Then, as at a spirit's presence, well-nigh was the King unmanned; For the bold knight thought: "Who touched me?—do I stand on enchanted ground?" For, look as he would all round him, no man thereby he found.

Then a whisper came—"It is Siegfried: I, thy companion, am here. Thou therefore in yon Queen's presence be wholly void of fear. Yield up from thy grasp the buckler, and let me bear it for thee, And lay up in thine heart the counsel which now thou hearest of me:— Be thine all feigning of action, by me shall the work be done." Then leapt his heart for gladness, when he knew it was Siegmund's son. "Ever hide thou my cunning devices, speak word thereof unto none: So by the proud King's Daughter shall little enow be won, Through thee and thine overthrowing, of the glory she thinketh to glean. Behold her, how yonder she standeth with scornful-arrogant mien!"

Then, then that royal maiden hurled across the field With her uttermost strength the javelin at the mighty and broad new shield Which braced on his left arm firmly the son of Siegelind bore: Leapt sparks from the steel, as the wind-blast sweepeth the chaff from a floor. The fang of the mighty javelin through the shield's whole thickness crashed; And it glanced from the warrior's armour, that the fire from the ring-mail flashed. Back from the shock went reeling either stalwart thane:— Except for the Hood of Darkness, of a surety had both been slain! Yea, from the mouth of Siegfried the valiant burst forth blood; But he sprang full-height in a moment; then gripped that war-thane good The selfsame spear which the maiden through the rim of the shield had sped. Then Siegfried's strong hand backward swung it above his head. But he said in his heart: "I will pierce not the maiden sweet to see." Backward therefore the deadly point of the lance turned he; Then hurled he the spear butt-foremost full at the rings of her mail: Loudly they rang at the smiting of the hand that was strong to prevail. Flashed out the fire from her hauberk, as flies dust caught by the wind. Ha, that was a cast most mighty of the son of Siegelind! For all her strength, she prevailed not against that shock to stand. In veriest truth, such spear-cast came never from Gunther's hand!