<h2><SPAN name="chap06"></SPAN>Sixth Adventure<br/> How Gunther Went to Issland to Woo Brunhild</h2>
<p>A fresh rumour spread beyond the Rhine. It was reported that many maidens dwelt
there; and Gunther was minded to woo one of them, whereat his knights and his
liegemen were well pleased.</p>
<p>There was a queen high throned across the sea, that had not her like, beyond
measure fair and of mickle strength, and her love was for that knight only that
could pass her at the spear. She hurled the stone and leapt after it to the
mark. Any that desired the noble damsel’s love must first win boldly in
these three games. If he failed but in one, he lost his head.</p>
<p>And oft had this happened already, when the rumour thereof reached the noble
warrior by the Rhine, who fixed his desire upon the maiden, the which, or all
was done, cost the life of many heroes.</p>
<p>On a day that the king sat with his men, and they cast to and fro whom their
prince might best take to wife for his own comfort and the good of his land,
the lord of Rhineland said, “I will hence across the sea to Brunhild, let
what will betide. For her sake I will peril my body, for I lose it if I win her
not to wife.”</p>
<p>“Do so not,” said Siegfried. “Cruel is the queen, and he that
would woo her playeth too high a stake. Make not this journey.”</p>
<p>But King Gunther answered, “Never yet was woman born so stark and bold,
that, with this single hand, I could not vanquish her in strife.”</p>
<p>But Siegfried said, “Peace! Thou knowest her not. Wert thou four men,
thou wert no match for her grim wrath. In good faith I counsel thee to let the
matter be. If thou lovest thy life, come not in such straits for her
sake.”</p>
<p>“Nay, now, I care not how stark she be; I will journey, even as I have
said, to Brunhild, and take my chance. For her great beauty I must adventure
this. What if God prosper me, and she follow me to the Rhine?”</p>
<p>“Then I counsel thee,” said Hagen, “to ask Siegfried to share
with thee this hard emprise. It were well, since he knoweth so much of
Brunhild.”</p>
<p>So the king spake, “Wilt thou help me, most noble Siegfried, to woo the
damsel? Grant me this, and if I win the royal maiden for my dear one, I will
adventure honour and life for thy sake.”</p>
<p>Siegfried, the son of Siegmund, made answer, “Give me thy sister
Kriemhild, the high princess, and I will do it. Other meed I ask not.”</p>
<p>Said Gunther, “I swear it, Siegfried, on thy hand. If Brunhild come
hither, I will give thee my sister to wife; and mayest thou live joyfully with
her to thy life’s end.”</p>
<p>The noble warriors sware an oath; and travail enow they endured, or they led
back the fair one to the Rhine; yea, ofttimes they were straightened sore.</p>
<p>I have heard tell of wild dwarfs: how that they dwell in hollow mountains, and
wear wonderful cloaks called <i>Tarnkappes</i>. And whoso hath this on his body
cometh not in scathe by blows or spear-thrusts; nor is he seen of any man so
long as he weareth it, but may spy and hearken at his will. His strength also
waxeth thereby; so runneth the tale.</p>
<p>Siegfried took the <i>Tarnkappe</i> with him that he had wrested from Albric
the dwarf. And these high and noble knights made ready for the journey. When
stark Siegfried did on the <i>Tarnkappe</i>, he was strong with the strength of
twelve men, and with these cunning devices he won the royal maiden; for the
cloak of cloud was fashioned on such wise, that who wore it did what him
listed, none seeing; and he won Brunhild thereby, that after brought him dole.</p>
<p>“Now tell me, Siegfried, or we depart, how we may cross the sea with
honour? Shall we take warriors with us to Brunhild’s land? It were easy
to summon thirty thousand knights.”</p>
<p>But Siegfried answered, “Howsoever great a host we led thither, the
cruelty of the queen is such, that every mother’s son of them must
perish. A better plan is mine, most noble king. Let us down to the Rhine as
simple knights, even these friends that I name. Thou and I, and, further, only
two. So shall we woo the damsel, let the issue be as it may. I shall be one,
and thou shalt be another. Let the third be Hagen, and the fourth Dankwart, the
doughty man. A thousand shall not prevail against us.”</p>
<p>“Fain would I know,” said the king then, “what manner of
raiment we should wear before Brunhild. Prithee, counsel me in this matter,
Siegfried.”</p>
<p>“In the land of Brunhild they wear naught but the best, wherefore let us
appear before the women in goodly apparel, that none may cry shame on us
hereafter.”</p>
<p>Then said the knight, “I will go, myself, to my dear mother, and beseech
her that she let her damsels make ready for us such garments as may bring us
honour before the royal maiden.”</p>
<p>But Hagen said courteously, “Wherefore beg this service of thy mother?
Tell thy sister of thy intent. She is skilled, and will provide thee with
goodly raiment.”</p>
<p>And Gunther prayed his sister to receive him and Siegfried. The which she did
after she had robed her in her best apparel. She was little grieved at the
coming of the knights. Her attendants were fitly adorned, and the knights went
in. When she saw them, she rose from her seat, and hasted, and received the
noble guest and her brother courteously. She said, “Thou are welcome, my
brother: thou and they friend. I would know what hath brought you to the court.
Tell me, I pray you, noble knights, how it standeth with you.”</p>
<p>The king answered, “Lady, I will tell thee. An hard adventure is before
us, the which we must bear boldly through. We ride a-wooing into a far and a
strange land, and have need of rich apparel.”</p>
<p>“Now sit, dear brother,” said the king’s child, “and
tell me plainly who the women are that ye would woo in other kings’
lands.” The maiden took both the chosen knights by the hand, and led them
to the rich cushion whereon she had sat, and on the which were wrought (for
this I know) fair pictures raised with gold. They wearied not, certes, among
the women. Of kind glances and soft looks there was no stint. Siegfried bore
her in his heart, and loved her as his life, and won her for his wife by noble
service.</p>
<p>The great king said, “Dearest sister mine, we need thy help. We go to
sojourn in the land of Brunhild, and must have rich apparel to wear before the
women.”</p>
<p>The princess answered, “If I can aid thee in any wise, believe me, I will
do it; sad were Kriemhild if aught were denied thee. Ask of me, nothing
doubting, noble knight, and, as a master, command me; all that thou desirest I
will readily perform.”</p>
<p>“We would have goodly raiment, dear sister, and therein thy white hand
shall help us. Let thy maids bestir them, that we be fair equipped, since none
shall turn us from this journey.”</p>
<p>Said the damsel, “Now mark what I say. We have silk of our own; bid them
bring us hither, on the shields, precious stones to work the robes withal, that
unashamed ye may wear them before the royal maiden.” The princess asked,
“Who are they that shall follow thee in rich array to the court?”</p>
<p>And he answered, “We be four. My two liegemen, Dankwart and Hagen, ride
with us. And what I tell thee, mark well. For each of four days thou shalt
provide us with three changes of good raiment, that we be not scorned in
Brunhild’s land!”</p>
<p>She promised this to the knights, and they took their leave.</p>
<p>Then Princess Kriemhild summoned from their chambers thirty of her maidens that
had great skill in such work.</p>
<p>Silk from Araby, white as snow, and from Zazamanc, green like clover, they
embroidered with precious stones. The royal maiden cut them herself. In sooth,
they were goodly robes. Linings finely fashioned from fishes’ skins,
rarely seen then, they covered, as many as they had, with silk, and wrought
them with gold. Many a marvel could one tell of these garments. For they had,
in plenty, the finest silks from Morocco and Libya that the children of kings
ever wore. It was not hard to see that Kriemhild loved the warriors. And
because they desired rich apparel, the black-spotted ermine was not spared, the
which good knights covet still for hightides.</p>
<p>Precious stones sparkled on gold of Araby. Certes, the women were not idle.
Inside of seven weeks the clothes were ready, and also weapons for the knights.</p>
<p>Now when all was done, a stout ship lay waiting on the Rhine to bear them down
to the sea. Ill paid were the maidens, after, for their toil.</p>
<p>When they told the knights that the rich vesture they were to wear was ready,
and that all they had asked was accomplished, they were eager to quit the
Rhine. A messenger was sent to them, that they might try on their new apparel,
lest haply it might be too short or too long for any. But the measure was
exact, wherefore they thanked the maidens. All that saw it owned that, in the
whole world, none was better. They wore it proudly at the court, and none were
praised above them for their attire.</p>
<p>The maidens had sweet thanks, and the doughty warriors took their leave right
courteously, and bright eyes were dim and wet with tears.</p>
<p>Kriemhild said, “Dear brother, thou didst better to stay here and woo
other women without risk to thy body. It were easy to find, nigh at hand, a
wife of as high lineage.”</p>
<p>I ween her heart told her the dole that was to come. And they wept all
together, and refused to be comforted, till the gold on their breasts was wet
with the tears that rolled down from their eyes.</p>
<p>She spake further, “Sir Siegfried, to thy care and good faith I commend
my dear brother, that no evil betide him in Brunhild’s land.” The
knight gave his hand thereon, and promised it. He said, “Fear not, lady;
if I live, I will bring him back safe to the Rhine. I swear it by mine own
body.”</p>
<p>And the fair maiden thanked him.</p>
<p>They carried down the shields of ruddy gold to the strand, and stowed their
armour in the vessel, and let fetch their horses, for they were eager to be
gone. The women made mickle dole. Fair damsels stood at the windows. The fresh
wind caught the sail, and lo! the good knights sat on the Rhine.</p>
<p>Then said Gunther, “Who shall be steersman?”</p>
<p>“That will I be,” answered Siegfried. “Trust me, ye heroes,
and I will pilot you hence, for I know the currents.” So with stout
hearts they left Burgundy. Siegfried took hold of the pole and pushed from the
strand. Gunther himself took an oar, and they fell away from the shore. They
had rich meats with them, and Rhine wine of the best. Their horses stood easy
and quiet; their boat flew light, and misadventure they had none. Their strong
sails filled, and they made twenty miles or night fell, for the wind favoured
them. But their high emprise brought many women dole. They say that by the
twelfth morning the wind had blown them afar to Isenstein in Brunhild’s
land, the which none had seen before that, save Siegfried. When King Gunther
beheld so many towers and broad marches, he cried out, “Now say, friend
Siegfried; knowest thou whose are these castles and these fair lands? By my
troth, I have never in my life seen castles so many and so goodly as stand
there before us. A mighty man he must be that hath builded them.”</p>
<p>Whereto Siegfried made answer, “Yea, I know well. They are all
Brunhild’s—towers and lands, and the castle of Isenstein. I say
sooth; and many fair women shall ye behold this day. Now I counsel you, O
knights, for so it seemeth good to me, that ye be all of one mind and one word;
we must stand warily before Brunhild the queen. And when we see the fair one
amidst of her folk, be sure that ye tell all the same story: that Gunther is my
lord, and I his liegeman. So shall he win to his desire. Yet this I do less for
love of thee than for the fair maid, thy sister, that is to me as my soul and
mine own body, and for whom I gladly serve, that I may win her to wife.”</p>
<p>They promised with one accord, and none gainsayed him through pride, the which
stood them in good stead when the king came to stand before Brunhild.</p>
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