“Right glad am I,” said Siegfried, “that thy wooing hath prospered, and that none is thy master. Now must thou follow us, noble Lady, to the Rhine.” But Brunhild answered, “Not yet; I must first summon my friends and my liegemen. Not so lightly can I quit my land. Certes, I will send for my kinsfolk afore I go.” She dispatched envoys over all, and bade her friends and her lieges haste to Isenstein. She gave to each princely apparel. All day long, late and early, troops of knights rode into Brunhild’s castle, till Hagen said, “Alack! What have we done? Some hurt will befall us from Brunhild’s men. We know not her real intent. What if she spurn us when her forces are gathered together? Then were we all dead men, and this maiden were born to our woe!” But stark Siegfried said, “I will see to that, and hinder what thou fearest. I will bring to your help a body of chosen knights that thou knowest not yet. Ask me no further, for I will hence, and God guard you meanwhile. I will return shortly, and bring with me a thousand knights, than whom the world holdeth none better.” “Only tarry not too long,” said the king, “for we are right glad of thy help.” He answered, “I will come again in a few days. Tell the queen I left by thy command.” Eighth Adventure How Siegfried Journeyed to the Nibelungs Siegfried hasted thence in his _Tarnkappe_ to the haven on the shore, where he found a ship, the which he boarded secretly, and rowed it swiftly, as it had been blown by the wind. None saw the boatman. He made it fly with his great strength. Any that marked it deemed it driven by a tempest, but it was by Siegfried, fair Sieglind’s child. A day and a night brought him to a great country that an hundred days’ journey could not compass; this hight the Nibelung land, where he had his vast treasure. The hero landed alone on a broad meadow, and moored the ship. Then he went to a mountain, whereon a castle stood, and asked for lodging, as he had been a way-weary man. He went up to the door, that stood locked before him. For folk guarded their honour then, even as now. The stranger began to knock at the bolted door, and encountered within a huge giant that kept watch, and that had his weapons ever by him. And this giant said, “Who knocketh so loud on that door?” Siegfried answered with a feigned voice, “I am a knight. Open to me, else I will rouse some within that had willingly lain soft abed.” The porter was wroth at Siegfried’s word. He did on his armour, and put his helmet on his head, and grasped his shield, and swung open the door. Then he ran grimly at Siegfried, saying, “How durst thou waken so many brave men?” And he smote him hard and swift. The noble stranger made wary fence, but the porter lifted an iron bar and brake his shield-band. Then the hero came in scathe, and began to fear grim death when the porter smote so hard. Yet his master loved him the more for his daring.