On a day that the king sat with his men, and they cast to and fro whom their prince might best take to wife for his own comfort and the good of his land, the lord of Rhineland said, “I will hence across the sea to Brunhild, let what will betide. For her sake I will peril my body, for I lose it if I win her not to wife.” “Do so not,” said Siegfried. “Cruel is the queen, and he that would woo her playeth too high a stake. Make not this journey.” But King Gunther answered, “Never yet was woman born so stark and bold, that, with this single hand, I could not vanquish her in strife.” But Siegfried said, “Peace! Thou knowest her not. Wert thou four men, thou wert no match for her grim wrath. In good faith I counsel thee to let the matter be. If thou lovest thy life, come not in such straits for her sake.” “Nay, now, I care not how stark she be; I will journey, even as I have said, to Brunhild, and take my chance. For her great beauty I must adventure this. What if God prosper me, and she follow me to the Rhine?” “Then I counsel thee,” said Hagen, “to ask Siegfried to share with thee this hard emprise. It were well, since he knoweth so much of Brunhild.” So the king spake, “Wilt thou help me, most noble Siegfried, to woo the damsel? Grant me this, and if I win the royal maiden for my dear one, I will adventure honour and life for thy sake.” Siegfried, the son of Siegmund, made answer, “Give me thy sister Kriemhild, the high princess, and I will do it. Other meed I ask not.” Said Gunther, “I swear it, Siegfried, on thy hand. If Brunhild come hither, I will give thee my sister to wife; and mayest thou live joyfully with her to thy life’s end.” The noble warriors sware an oath; and travail enow they endured, or they led back the fair one to the Rhine; yea, ofttimes they were straightened sore. I have heard tell of wild dwarfs: how that they dwell in hollow mountains, and wear wonderful cloaks called _Tarnkappes_. And whoso hath this on his body cometh not in scathe by blows or spear-thrusts; nor is he seen of any man so long as he weareth it, but may spy and hearken at his will. His strength also waxeth thereby; so runneth the tale. Siegfried took the _Tarnkappe_ with him that he had wrested from Albric the dwarf. And these high and noble knights made ready for the journey. When stark Siegfried did on the _Tarnkappe_, he was strong with the strength of twelve men, and with these cunning devices he won the royal maiden; for the cloak of cloud was fashioned on such wise, that who wore it did what him listed, none seeing; and he won Brunhild thereby, that after brought him dole. “Now tell me, Siegfried, or we depart, how we may cross the sea with honour? Shall we take warriors with us to Brunhild’s land? It were easy to summon thirty thousand knights.”