So spake Siegfried, and his passionate pleading turned at last, as a magic key, the locked door of Brunhilda’s proud heart, which to no god or man had yielded before. She turned to him and as Siegfried clasped her to his heart, Brunhilda renounced for ever all she had counted most dear—all longings for the old free Valkyrie life, all dreams of bygone glory with the gods in Valhalla.
Now that her heart was won, Brunhilda gave it all, once and for ever; and a great and noble gift it was, worth any hero’s winning, at any cost.
THE PLOT AGAINST THE BEAUTIFUL ELSA OF BRABANT
By Constance Maud
Once upon a time there lived, in the ancient city of Antwerp, a beautiful maiden called Elsa.
She dwelt in a grand old palace: the walls were thick as any fortress, and the towers looked proudly down on the town.
Elsa’s father was the Duke of Brabant, a noble prince, who for long years had faithfully served his liege lord, the King of Germany, and had won much honor to Brabant.
Elsa had an only brother, the young Prince Godfrey; and these two loved each other more than any other brother and sister in the world.