void my lands; my dearest friends must first be fetched."

Then bade she messengers ride on every side. She called her
friends, her kinsmen, and her men-at-arms and begged them come
without delay to Isenstein, and bade them all be given lordly and
rich apparel. Daily, early and late, they rode in troops to
Brunhild's castle.

"Welaway," cried Hagen, "what have we done! We may ill abide the
coming of fair Brunhild's men. If now they come into this land
in force, then hath the noble maid been born to our great rue.
The will of the queen is unknown to us; what if she be so wroth
that we be lost?"

Then the stalwart Siegfried spake: "Of that I'll have care. I'll
not let hap that which ye fear. I'll bring you help hither to
this land, from chosen knights the which till now ye have not
known. Ye must not ask about me; I will fare hence. Meanwhile
may God preserve your honor. I'll return eftsoon and bring you a
thousand men, the very best of knights that I have ever known."

"Pray tarry not too long," spake then the king; "of your help we
be justly glad."

He answered: "In a few short days I'll come again. Tell ye to
Brunhild, that ye've sent me hence."


ENDNOTES:
(1) "Palaces". See Adventure III, note 7.