Away on a far mountain, the Valkyries were waiting for Bruennhilde's coming. They were her sisters: Gerhilde, Ortlinde, Waltraute and Schwertleite, seated upon a high place, dressed in their armour. From time to time they gave the cry of the Valkyries: "Ho-jo-to-ho! Ho-jo-to-ho! Heia-ha, heia-ha, heia-ha!" Soon this call was answered by Helmwige, who could be seen coming on her horse, with a slain warrior tied to her saddle. The Valkyries were arriving from the four quarters of the earth--each bearing a slain warrior. At last, all but Bruennhilde had come. "We cannot go to Wotan without her," they said among themselves. "She is his favourite and she brings to him those heroes he most desires. We must not start for Walhall till she has come." Thus they talked among themselves, now and then sounding their cry and laughing over the misfortunes of mortals. At last one called: "Look! Bruennhilde is coming in wildest haste. Look, look! Her pace is so furious that the horse staggers. What lies on her saddle?" All peered in amazement into the vale below. "It is no man," one cried. "It is a maid," shouted another. "She does not greet us." They ran to help her from her horse, shouting their war-cry as they went, and returned supporting Sieglinde, while they surrounded Bruennhilde and questioned her wildly. "Shield us!" she cried to them. "I am pursued. The war-father is coming after me. He is foaming with rage. Hide us, shield us." All looked at her in consternation. "What hast thou done?" they questioned. "Who can shield thee from our father's wrath, Bruennhilde?" one cried. "I see him not," one who was on the look-out called. "But a fearful storm gathers." "It is Wotan. Our father rides upon the storm. Oh, shield this poor wife," Bruennhilde called. "Alas! the storm increases." "Then he is near. His anger increases as he comes," Bruennhilde cried in terror. "Now who will lend me a horse to put this poor wife upon?" None dared brave the wrath of the God. "All of you are silent," she said at last, in despair. Turning to the fainting Sieglinde, she cried: "Up! Take the way to the east. There dwells the dragon, Fafner, and near him Alberich also watches. That is the only place in the world Wotan avoids. Go thou, and I will detain the Father till thou art far and safe. Take these pieces of the magic sword. I snatched them when Siegmund fell. Give them to thy son and Siegmund's, and that son shall be named Siegfried. With these sword-pieces again made whole, the sword shall win the world for that son of thine." With these words she turned Sieglinde's face toward the east, while she herself stood waiting. Sieglinde was no sooner gone than the storm grew more fierce, and Wotan called with a loud voice from the clouds: "Bruennhilde!" Full of fear she sought to hide herself in the midst of her sisters.