escorted by her faithful steward Eckewart) journeyed off to Xanten on the
Rhine, where Siegmund and Siegelind received them joyfully, and even
abdicated in their favor.

Ten years passed away very rapidly indeed. Siegfried became the father of a
son, whom he named Gunther, in honor of his brother-in-law, who had called
his heir Siegfried; and when Siegelind had seen her little grandson she
departed from this world. Siegfried, with Kriemhild, his father, and his
son, then went to the Nibelungen land, where they tarried two years.

In the mean while Brunhild, still imagining that Siegfried was only her
husband's vassal, secretly wondered why he never came to court to do homage
for his lands, and finally suggested to Gunther that it would be well to
invite his sister and her husband to visit them at Worms. Gunther seized
this suggestion gladly, and immediately sent one of his followers, Gary, to
deliver the invitation, which Siegfried accepted for himself and his wife,
and also for Siegmund, his father.

As they were bidden for midsummer, and as the journey was very long,
Kriemhild speedily began her preparations; and when she left home she
cheerfully intrusted her little son to the care of the stalwart Nibelung
knights, little suspecting that she would never see him again.

On Kriemhild's arrival at Worms, Brunhild greeted her with as much pomp and
ceremony as had been used for her own reception; but in spite of the amity
which seemed to exist between the two queens, Brunhild was secretly angry
at what she deemed Kriemhild's unwarrantable arrogance.

[Sidenote: Brunhild and Kreimhild.] One day, when the two queens were
sitting together, Brunhild, weary of hearing Kriemhild's constant praise of