"I go to Walhalla," said she, "where the great father waits thee. There lovingly will the hands of dead heroes greet thee; with hands outstretched and with smile of welcome will they greet thee."
"And shall I find there Walse, the Wolsung's father?" said he in wonder.
"His face too shall greet thee."
"And will there be a woman there too, to greet me?" asked he.
"Yea, surely," said she. "The maidens of his will are there, and she who will hand thee the gladsome wine is Wotan's daughter. Red is that wine, and with it are the hearts of heroes made glad."
But it was not after Wotan's daughter that Siegmund asked, and again he said:
"O most holy and austere of maidens, Wotan's child, truth is written in thine eyes, and truth thou wilt tell me. It is not of such I ask, but of my bride Sieglinde. Will she be there?"
But Brunnhilde shook her head.
"Death comes not for her yet," she said, "and she shall not be there."
Then Siegmund laughed.