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Updated: June 3, 2025
And she sent ten worthy lords to open the gate, and to welcome the heroes to Isenland. When Siegfried and his comrades passed through the great gateway, and came into the castle-yard, their horses were led away to the stables, and the clanging armor and the broad shields and swords which they carried were taken from them, and placed in the castle armory.
Thus in the gladsome summer days Siegfried and Kriemhild walked and talked together, and ever did the knight love the gentle maiden more. Whitsuntide had come and gone when tidings from beyond the Rhine reached the court at Worms. No dread tidings were these, but glad and good to hear, of a matchless Queen named Brunhild who dwelt in Isenland.
Soon the Rhine river was left behind and they were out on the sea, a strong wind filling their sails. Ere evening, full twenty miles had the good ship made. For twelve days they sailed onward, until before them rose the grim fortress that guarded Isenland. "What towers are these?" cried King Gunther, as he gazed upon the turreted castle which looked as a grim sentinel guarding the land.
One day the King sent for Siegfried to tell him that he would fain journey to Isenland to wed Queen Brunhild. Now Siegfried, as you know, had been in Isenland and knew some of the customs of this wayward Queen. So he answered the King right gravely that it would be a dangerous journey across the sea to Isenland, nor would he win the Queen unless he were able to vanquish her great strength.
"Thirty thousand warriors will I summon to go with us to Isenland," cried King Gunther gaily. "Nay," said the Prince, "thy warriors would but be the victims of this haughty Queen. As plain knight-errants will we go, taking with us none, save Hagen the keen-eyed and his brother Dankwart."
Before he left Isenland, therefore, Siegfried in a merry mood threw to the ground the seven great gates that guarded the Queen's strong castle. Then he called to Gana, the magic steed, to follow him into the world, and this the charger did with a right good will.
He sought the halls of old AEgir, the Ocean-king; but he wist not which way to go, whether across the North Sea towards Isenland, or whether along the narrow channel between Britain-land and the main. While he paused, uncertain where to turn, he saw the pale-haired daughters of old AEgir, the white-veiled Waves, playing in the moonlight near the shore. Of them he asked the way to AEgir's hall.
And after the maidens came five hundred warriors and more, each bearing his sword in his hand, the very flower of Isenland. Said Queen Brunhild to Siegfried, "You are welcome, good Sir Siegfried. Show me, if you will, for what cause you have come hither."
Whether Siegfried sent Gana back to Isenland or not I do not know, but I know that in the days to come Queen Brunhild never forgave the hero for his daring feat. When the Prince had left Isenland he rode on and on until he came to a great mountain. Here near a cave he found two little dwarfish Nibelungs, surrounded by twelve foolish giants.
But old Hagen bit his unshorn lip, and cursed the day that had brought them to Isenland. Gunther and the unseen Siegfried, not at all disheartened, picked up the heavy stone, which was half buried in the ground, and, lifting it with seeming ease, threw it swiftly forward.
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