From cuts and stabs of foemen; him none can bear or see As soon as he is in it, but see and hear can he Whate'er he will around him, and thus must needs prevail; He grows besides far stronger: so goes the wondrous tale. And now with him the cloud-cloak took fair Siegelind's son, The same the unconquered warrior, with labour hard, had won From the stout dwarf Albrecht, in successful fray. The bold and ready champions made ready for the way. So, as I said, bold Siegfried the cloud-cloak bore along; When he but put it on him, he felt him wondrous strong: Twelve men's strength then had he in his single body laid. By trains and close devices he wooed the haughty maid. Besides, in that strange cloud-cloak was such deep virtue found, That whosoever wore it, though thousands stood around, Might do whatever pleased him, unseen of friend and foe: Thus Siegfried won fair Brunhild, which brought him bitterest woe." In order the more surely to afford his necessary aid, Siegfried appeared among the attendants of Gunther, in the character of a subordinate vassal. Having thus arranged matters, they set out for the far island of the sea. And here, as in many other passages, it is noticeable with what a childlike, almost girlish delight, the old bard expatiates on the gay dress of his mighty men. He evidently did not live in an age when a Napoleon would have sought to make an impression on the vulgar by "wearing the plain dress of the Institute;" nor has he the slightest conception of the soul of poetry beating in a breast of which the exterior vesture is the "hodden grey," or the plain plaid of our Scotch Muse. We shall quote this one passage to serve for many similar, with which the poem is studded:-- "So with kind dismissal away the warriors strode; Then quick the fair queen summon'd, from bow'rs where they abode, Thirty maids, her brother's purpose to fulfil, Who in works of the needle were the chief for craft and skill. Silks from far Arabia, white as driven snow, And others from Zazamanc, green as grass doth grow, They deck'd with stones full precious; Kriemhild the garments plann'd And cut them to just measure, with her own lily hand. Of the hides of foreign fishes were linings finely wrought, Such then were seen but rarely, and choice and precious thought, Fine silk was sewn above them, to suit the wearers well, Now of the rich apparel hear we fresh marvels tell. From the land of Morocco and from the Libyan coast, The best silk and the finest is worn and valued most By kin of mightiest princes; of such had they good store: Well Kriemhild show'd the favour that she the wearers bore. E'er since the chiefs were purposed the martial queen to win, In their sight was precious the goodly ermelin. With coal-black spots besprinkled on whiter ground than snow, E'en now the pride of warriors at every festal show.