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Go quickly to the battlefield and shield my wife's friend." "No, no, Father, I cannot!" cried the battle-maiden. "You love Siegmund, and I shall guard him well." At these words the mighty Wotan grew wrathful and cried: "How dare you disobey me, child? Go, I say! Give to Hunding the victory, and thus fulfill my promise."
The horses could not only run on the ground; they could fly through the air. The maidens wore wings upon their helmets, and each wore a splendid silver armor which glittered and flashed in the sunshine. Wherever there was a battle on the earth, Wotan would send a battle-maiden for the most valiant hero on the field. The maiden would fly over the battlefield and watch while the warriors fought.
He hoped he would then be happier. The heroes would protect the beautiful Valhalla in time of danger. Morning dawned. The king of the giants went forth from his castle and called Brunhilde, his favorite battle-maiden. He loved Brunhilde more than any other of the Walkuere. She was the bravest of them all. He loved her as a father loves a daughter.
How can I show him that he is so dear, so dear to me? But I shall try not to show it, for he might deem that there was no sense in me but sense to love him. So great a warrior would not care for such love. I would be with him as a battle-maiden." Sigurd and Gudrun were wed and all the kingdom that the Nibelungs ruled over rejoiced.
"Only he who is without fear shall come near thee." Then on the top of the mountain that is called Hindfell he had a Hall built that faced the south. Ten Dwarfs built it of black stone. And when the Hall was built he put round it a wall of mounting and circling fire. More did Odin All-Father: he took a thorn of the Tree of Sleep and he put it into the flesh of the battle-maiden.
Brynhild went with him as his battle-maiden, and she told him much from the Runes of Wisdom that she knew, and she showed him that the All-Father's last hope was in the bravery of the heroes of the earth; with the Chosen from the Slain for his Champions he would make battle in defence of Asgard.
Nevertheless, to her Odin All-Father had shown more of the Runes of Wisdom than he had shown to any of her sisters. And when the time came for Brynhild to journey down into Midgard he gave her a swan-feather dress such as he had given before to the three Valkyrie sisters Alvit, Olrun, and Hladgrun. In the dazzling plumage of a swan the young battle-maiden flew down from Asgard.
"Yes, Siegfried will be the bravest hero the world has ever known." Then, springing again to her saddle, she fled toward the mountains. "On! on! my fiery steed!" she urged. No battle-maiden ever rode so fast. If she could but reach the other battle-maidens before the wrathful Wotan overtook her, surely, they would protect her from his anger.
From the broken end of the Rainbow Bridge the riders came, all flashing and flaming, with fire before them and after them. Niörd was there with Skadi, his Giant wife, fierce in her war-dress; Freya was there also, and Frey had Gerda beside him as a battle-maiden. Terribly bright flashed Surtur's sword. No sword ever owned was as bright as his except the sword that Frey had given to Skirnir.
"Heiho! hoyotoho! heiho!" And a battle-maiden came in sight. Brunhilde was very happy to see her sister again, but the battle-maiden looked sad. She brought bad news from Valhalla. She and Brunhilde sat down upon the rock, and the battle-maiden told the sad story of the last days of the giants. "Brunhilde," she said, "Wotan does not know that I have come. Valhalla is in deepest gloom.
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