Stories of the Nibelungen for Young People Part 2

Then the birds told Siegfried to enter the dragon's cave, and get the ring and the tarnhelm, the possession of which would make him all-powerful. This he did, and then he rolled the dragon's enormous body to the entrance of the cave, where the Rhine gold still lay, and sealed up the entrance with it.

As he stood there, wondering what he should do next, he heard the birds singing of a mountain far away, where a maiden named Brunhilda lay in an enchanted sleep, surrounded by a ring of magic flames. Here she must slumber till there should appear a man strong and brave enough to dash through the flames and waken her with a kiss.

Siegfried determined to journey to the mountain. So he returned to the smithy, and saddled Mimi's horse, which was a strong, faithful creature, and then he rode away to seek the sleeping maiden.

Many days and nights he wandered, and at length, early one morning as he ascended the highlands, he saw a rosy glow in the distance, which grew ever brighter and brighter. "The rising sun," he said to himself, but he knew that it was not the rising sun. On and on he rode, and ever brighter and brighter grew the sky, until at length he came upon the flames themselves, and he knew that he had reached his journey's end.

V

THE STORY OF BRUNHILDA

AS SIEGFRIED drew nearer, he could hear the crackling of the flames, and when his horse saw the fire, the animal reared up on its hind legs, and snorted in terror. But Siegfried knew no fear. Putting spurs to his horse, he boldly forced it through the flames, and, lo! both horse and rider pa.s.sed through unharmed.

Before Siegfried's eyes was a wondrous sight. On the mountain stood a castle, the strangest ever seen, for it was built entirely of green marble, as were all the buildings round it; and there, on the gra.s.sy slope before the castle, lay a young warrior, clad in s.h.i.+ning armor, with a helmet on his head.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PUTTING SPURS TO HIS HORSE, HE BOLDLY FORCED IT THROUGH THE FLAMES]

Siegfried went up to him, to ask him where he might find the maiden. But the warrior was sunk in slumber, and made no reply when Siegfried spoke.

Siegfried shook him roughly, to waken him, but he still slept on. Then Siegfried opened the young man's visor and removed his helmet. What was his surprise to find, within, the long fair hair and rosy face of a beautiful woman!

This, then, was Brunhilda; it could be no other. Bending over her, he pressed a kiss lightly on her lips. Immediately Brunhilda awoke, and thanked the young hero for breaking the magic spell which bound her.

Then, as they sat together in the marble palace, Brunhilda told her story.

She was one of Wotan's eight daughters who were called Walkyries. They were beautiful G.o.ddesses of immense size and strength, and used to follow Wotan when he went into battle. Occasionally, when two knights or two countries battled against each other, they would award the palm of victory to one or the other. It was also their duty to carry all slain heroes to Walhalla, the beautiful palace of Wotan.

One day Brunhilda disobeyed her father's orders, and awarded the victory to the hero whom Wotan wished overthrown. Wotan was very angry, and as a punishment he forbade her to dwell among the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses, and declared that never again should she set foot in Walhalla. Furthermore, he would cause her to wed a mortal man, thus becoming a mortal woman, instead of a G.o.ddess.

Brunhilda was overcome with grief, as were all of her sisters. They all pleaded with Wotan not to punish her in this way. But he had already p.r.o.nounced sentence upon her, and could not retract his word. Then Brunhilda wept piteously, and begged him at least to grant that her husband might be a hero. This he promised, and then disclosed his plan.

He would sink her in a magic sleep, and would order Loki, the fire-G.o.d, to kindle some magic flames, which were to encircle her. She was to slumber until awakened by a man brave enough to go through fire for her sake. "And," continued Wotan, "of course only a hero would show such courage." Then he a.s.sured her that when the hero came he should be unharmed by the ring of fire.

And so, with streaming eyes, Brunhilda bade her sisters a long farewell.

Never again, so long as she lived, would she behold them. Wotan was deeply touched when he saw her grief, and with a last tender kiss upon her beautiful brow, he laid her on the gra.s.sy slope, and p.r.o.nounced the magic words which bound her.

VI

GUNTHER AND KRIEMHILD

SIEGFRIED remained for a long time with Brunhilda at Isenheim (which was the ancient name for Ireland), where all the buildings were of green marble. He then started for home, promising her that he would return and marry her, as soon as he had visited his parents, whom he now felt he had treated very cruelly.

Brunhilda replied that she too thought that he ought to visit his mother and father, but that he must promise to return as soon as he had done so. He readily promised, and sealed his pledge by placing his magic ring upon her finger. Then he set out for Niederland.

On the way thither, he had to pa.s.s through the city of Worms in Burgundy. Now in this city dwelt a powerful king called Gunther, who ruled over all Burgundy. He had an uncle named Hagen, who was his dead father's brother, and who was also Gunther's most valued adviser on all occasions. Gunther was so great and mighty that four and twenty kings paid him tribute.

He had a sister, named Kriemhild, who was noted far and wide for her wondrous beauty. Once Kriemhild had had a strange dream: She thought that she was out hunting with her pet falcon, and that two fierce eagles swooped down from the sky, and killed the bird before her eyes.

Now in these olden times people were very superst.i.tious, and believed that every dream had a meaning. Kriemhild related her dream to her mother, Uota, and asked what it meant. Uota replied:

"The falcon signifies a n.o.ble man who will win you for his bride; but the two eagles stand for two powerful enemies, who will cause his death."

Then Kriemhild was very sad, and declared that she did not wish to marry any one, as it would bring her only sorrow.

Not long after this Siegfried arrived at Worms, and although he knew no one in all the city, everybody was anxious to learn who he was, he was so handsome and n.o.ble looking. Hagen advised Gunther to make friends with him, for he thought it very likely that the stranger might prove to be Siegfried, whose fame was spreading fast.

Hagen related how Siegfried had killed the linden-monster, slain the dragon, won the Rhine gold, and gained possession of the magic cap and ring. When Uota heard all this, she determined that Siegfried should marry her beautiful daughter. When he entered the castle at Worms, Gunther received him cordially, and made haste to offer him both food and drink. Siegfried accepted both gratefully, for he was hungry and thirsty. Uota hastily prepared a magic potion, and no sooner had the hero drunk it than all memory of the past, Brunhilda included, faded from his mind.

[Ill.u.s.tration: UOTA GIVES SIEGFRIED THE MAGIC POTION]

Siegfried remained at Worms for one whole year, and in all that time he never once got a glimpse of Kriemhild, although the fame of her beauty reached him from every side. She, however, had seen him from her window while he was tilting with her brother's knights, and she thought that never before had she seen any one so brave and handsome.

Not long after this, the Danes and the Saxons declared war against Gunther. He quickly gathered together his army, and set out to battle with them. His two younger brothers, Giselherr and Gernot, went with him, and Siegfried accompanied him as his body-guard.

And now began anxious days and nights for Kriemhild. She was filled with dread lest her brothers or Siegfried be slain. She eagerly awaited tidings of every battle. She heard that the Saxons and Danes were being hard pressed, and also that the most brave and reckless warrior among all the Burgundian hosts was her brother's guest and body-guard.

Not long after this, the Burgundians were victorious, and captured both the Danish and the Saxon king. This ended the war, and Gunther and all his troops returned to Worms, where the king held a great feast to celebrate his victory. And here for the first time Siegfried saw Kriemhild, and he thought her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He was almost afraid to speak to her, so wondrous was her beauty, but she thanked him very prettily and gratefully for all that he had done for her brother; and when he replied that everything he had done had been done for her sake, she smiled and was content. Siegfried had fallen deeply in love with her, and made up his mind to spare no effort to win her for his bride.

VII

SIEGFRIED RETURNS TO IRELAND

MEANWHILE, in Ireland, Brunhilda was eagerly awaiting Siegfried's return. Days grew into weeks, weeks lengthened into months, and still he did not come. At first she could not believe that he had deserted her.

She would look at the beautiful ring which he had given her, and all her faith and trust in him would return.

But when months slowly lengthened into years, and the years pa.s.sed one after another, she began to give up the hope of ever seeing him again.

Now, as I have said before, Brunhilda was very beautiful, and soon suitors began flocking around her, anxious to win her hand in marriage.

But Brunhilda loved Siegfried very dearly and had no desire to marry any one else. Therefore she declared that whoever sought to marry her must match his strength with hers; if he were victorious, she would wed him, but if he failed, he should lose his head in forfeit, according to the custom of these olden days.

Many gallant suitors came, entered the contest, failed and lost their heads, for Brunhilda was a Walkyrie, and more than a match in strength for any man. She did not like to kill her lovers, but they persisted in coming, and she continued to do her best at every trial.

Meanwhile the fame of her strength and beauty traveled afar, and reached Gunther at Worms. He determined to journey to Isenheim, and enter the lists against her. Accordingly he went to Siegfried, and asked aid of him. Siegfried replied:

"I will gladly help you, if you, on your part, will help me win the hand of your beautiful sister."

Gunther was very grateful for the aid Siegfried had given him in the late Saxon war. So he promised that on the day Brunhilda arrived in Worms he would give him Kriemhild for his bride. Siegfried was satisfied, and agreed to travel to Ireland with Gunther, as his va.s.sal, and to present his pet.i.tion to Brunhilda.