Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/106

100 Then old Wat of Sturmland blew his bugle so loud that it was heard for thirty miles around and the battle began.

Hartmut's father was slain. Old Wat cut his way through the knights to Hartmut. Hartmut fought for his life, but old Wat was the stronger.

Hartmut's sister, who had always been kind to Gudrun, looked out and saw that her brother would be killed.

She ran to Gudrun and begged her to save his life. Gudrun called Herwig to ask Wat to spare Hartmut's life.

Wat struck Herwig for asking, but he stopped fighting and took Hartmut prisoner.

Then the queen threw herself at Gudrun's feet and begged to be saved from Wat. But Wat cut her head off with his sword.

When Gudrun reached home her mother was standing on the shore waiting for her. Soon she became Herwig's wife.

The queen sent Hartmut back to his own land. But his sister, who had always been kind to Gudrun, stayed in the land of the Hegelings.