With great pleasure did Ingo look on the work that had been done. With still greater pleasure did the old architect lead him from place to place. "Free as the birds did we come into this land," he said, laughing, "and among the birds my King shall dwell, till a hearth-seat and hall shall be prepared for him. And look --- under there, by the brook of the Weird Sister, the Thuringian boys are arranging already a wagon bulwark, in the place where they are to build their village. I have placed with them thy chamberlain Wolf, for he is versed in the customs of their country. Look farther down in the valley --- there is a delightful land for the ox herds; and out of the forest behind, the deer stalks and the wild ox bellows. But in the distance, toward the south, where the Idis runs into the Main, thou beholdest the gray forest of the Burgundians and the hills on which they have disposed their border fortresses."

"The habitation is done," answered Ingo, giving his hand to the trusty man, "but the forest singer, whom I wish to conceal in it, sits lamenting on the other side of the mountain. The greatest deed is still to be done. Joyless do I roam about and sorrow, for the fate of another oppresses my heart."

"For that, take my message. This was sent by Bero's daughter from the Prince's house," answered Berthar, drawing out a string with a row of hazel nuts. "Observe, my King; the maiden has ingeniously marked for thee the space of time. The first fruit, half white and half black, means the time of equal days and nights, each other a following day; on each seventh the picture of the changing moon is cut; the last nut is black, and there is a needle stuck in it; this signifies, as I understand it, the day which is fixed for the marriage. Now count, my lord. Short is the time which remains to thee; the moon has changed for the last time."

Then Ingo exclaimed:

"Choose for me blood-comrades for a desperate deed, and, according to the custom of our home, equip the men and horses for the Vandals to ride into the black night! But do thou pray with us to the night-spirits for storm and darkness."

The black clouds drove over the forest bower; the shadows spread themselves, and again glided together; now there passed over the moon something like a man's hand, now like a horse's hoof. Thick mist rolled down from the tops of the mountain, and enveloped the heights in a leaden gray, floated into the valleys, and veiled in dusky twilight whatever was prominent on the earth --- rock, and foliage, and moving men. The wind howled over the mountains long echoing wails, and shook the tops of the trees, so that their branches bent low into the valley; here and there a dull sound was heard in the forest, as of a heavy fall; old primeval stems, hollowed by moldering decay, broke asunder; tree was hurled upon tree and tore those which cracked under the heavy burden deep down into the narrow valley. The scared ravens flew screaming apart, and whirled downward into the clefts, where they firmly clung with beaks and claws. Below, the foaming flood of the stream roared angrily; it surged against the barrier of trees, and rose from rock to rock; branches and stems spun round in it, whirling madly, and the torrent of waters dashed against the mountains.

A pale light spread itself over the forest hills; perhaps it came from the earth, perhaps from the clouds in the heavens; indistinctly did one see the mountains towering over the dark light of the valley. Suddenly there was a flash of lightning and wilder than the roar of the forest and the cracking of trees sounded the lordly call of the thunder-god.

Ingo was standing high above the torrent; he held himself fast with his hand to a root, which projected sideways from the ground, and reverently he bent his head to the flash and thunderclap. "Among the night-gods whom I conjured to my aid," he murmured, "dost thou also approach, powerful ruler? What does heaven's flame in which thou travelest announce to suppliant man? Dost thou warn me away from man's earth to the halls of light, and shall I be shattered like the forest heads in the storm? Or wilt thou grant me that, like the fruit which falls from thy trees, I shall abide firmly in the valleys where men dwell? If thou hast a token for me, let me perceive whether the deed which I dare will prosper to me."

Then fell a flash of lightning from the clouds on to the rock beneath him, and from the rock a blue light flamed, meeting the lightning; the thunder crashed, the rock-head separated itself, and leaped down from the heights into the valley; ever wilder in its leaps and quicker in its springs, it broke through the forest, and, splitting, dashed into the torrent, scattering the foam high up to the heavens. But the crack and the flash were followed by a stillness, and in the distance was heard the night-cry of men's voices. Then Ingo exclaimed with wild joy: "I hear the wedding boys inviting me to carry off the bride! Bless our work, great ruler!" And swinging his weapon, he sprang through the thunder clouds and the dark night into the valley.

The moon had disappeared behind the mountains; black night covered the forest arbor; the storm giants coursed crashing round the houses of the Prince's manor; they struck the iron eaves of the roofs from the planks on the top of the hall, and pushed roaring against the closed doors. Any of the men who were awake amid the raging of the night powers, hid their heads timidly on their pillows; even the dogs in the courtyard lay whining among the huts and under the stairs. In the chamber of the noble maiden, the light of the lamp flickered in the sharp draft of air, which forced its way through doors and walls. Irmgard was sitting on her bed; Frida knelt before her on the ground, holding her playfellow clasped in her arms, and listening anxiously to the howling of the night-spirits.

"The wind's bride flies over the houses," said Irmgard, piteously, "chased by the giant; they say any one who ventured to throw his knife into the whirl would wound the flying woman. My father has threatened me also with the knife, because I prayed him on my knees to release me tomorrow from the vow to the bad man. Thither I will flee, like the giant's bride, before I say the holy words to the hated one."

"Do not speak so fearfully," implored Frida, "lest the superhuman powers without should hear it, and remind thee of thy speech;" and again she raised her head and listened.

"Not long did the happiness last, which the gods sent me when he entered the house," began Irmgard again. "Then I was without care; when the night-songsters sang kindly to me, and the black-berries hung on the bushes. I proudly thought, when he spoke to me, I should float in feather attire over man's earth. Now I stop alone in the darkness. I must hate myself," she continued, "for lamenting over my own danger. Ingo, loved one, bitter is the anxiety which I feel about myself, but greater the sorrow about thy fate, for thou hast vanished in the night-wind; no one brings me news of thee, and I know not whether thou thinkest of me, or hast forgotten me. Dost thou still breathe in the foreign land, oppressed, like me? or shall I put the purple under the earth-clod for thee?" She sprang up, and exclaimed: "In my heart I kept thy secret; I am bound to thy life, and must live till I know where the head of my King rests. See whether the morning approaches for which I tremble," she cried out to her companion.

Frida sprang to the window, and pushed back a corner of the curtain; a shrill blast of wind broke in, and the water of the heavens dashed into the room, and struck cold on the cheeks of the women.

"I see no gray dawn in the heaven, and hear no sound but the groaning in the air," replied Frida, and closed the opening again with shutters and the curtain.

"Thanks to thee!" said Irmgard, "there is yet a little time for gladness. But when the morning comes, then the wedding guests will collect; they will approach in festive dress, and the circle will be closed; they will draw the woman in, they will speak the words before her, and mock her by the question, whether she will vow. 'No!' she cries out. Then I see frightened faces, and one red with anger. He grasps the knife. 'Strike me!'" Then, concealing her face in her hands, she moaned out: "Poor father! thou also wilt be sorrowful to lose thy child. For I go up thither upon a lonely path, I glide over empty heaths, I wade through ice streams; still is the way and cold is the night to the door of the goddess of death, and around me move dark shadows silently."

The door of the house groaned heavily, and sprang open; a shadowy figure pressed in --- a second, a whole troop --- gigantic figures with black heads and black dresses. The women were terror-struck at the night outrage. But out of the circle of silent gliding monsters one sprang forward. Only one sound, whether a cry or a sigh, came from Irmgard's lips; a dark cap fell over her head; she was seized with giant strength, and carried out into the stormy night. Behind her another of the night-comrades threw a covering over Frida's head, and wished to raise her. But she struggled violently, and although she shuddered, yet she cried out: "Freely will I go on my own feet, even with ghostly apparitions; behind the bearskin cap I observe one with red locks, whom I know."

The next moment the room was empty, the outward door closed, and the night-companions sprang into the free air through a great gap which they had broken in the wall of the court. The wild horses snorted under the storm and rain, and carried the horsemen into it. Again the spirits of the storm screamed shrill cries of revenge, and hurled the water of the clouds against the roof of the house from which the Prince's child had vanished.

Toward the close of the following day the storm had ceased, and the sun colored with rosy evening light the oaks of Idisburg. Then out of the dark forest which projected behind the circle of wood sprang a band of horsemen up to the fortress. Berthar, who himself kept watch in the tower, hastened to the gate, and, raising his arms, called a greeting of welcome to the new-comers. The horses entered into the court, and two veiled women were lifted down. Ingo loosened the hood of the first, and Irmgard's pale face was lighted up by the sun. The Vandals threw themselves on their knees before her, seized her hand and the hem of her garment, and hailed their Queen with cries of joy. But Berthar approached the motionless one respectfully, took her hand, and said, "Close the ring, blood-comrades, and pray that the high gods may bless the alliance of the King and Queen."

First he put the holy wedding question to Ingo, Ingbert's son, the King of the Vandals. Then the old man, who stood in the place of father, turned to the noble maiden, and put the same question. For the first time since that fearful night her lips opened, and the trembling words sounded --- "Yes, I will." Then the Vandal wife concealed her face on the breast of the man who was dear to her. The bridal feast was prepared under the oak trees; the boys brought the wooden tables, and placed them on the cross-beams which they had arranged; they had also carefully made raised armchairs as a seat of honor for the host and hostess. "Let the rude repast of thy boys, noble Princess, please thee today as a welcome," begged to old man. "We offer thee wooden dishes instead of silver, and a drink from the spring, and the mead brewed by the peasants, and the flesh of a boar from their own forest. Be gracious and favorable to thy loyal people."

That evening Berthar, standing in front of the oaks, said to Ingo:

"The nest which we have built here, like hawks, upon the rock, is good work for thee and for another. Rest, my King, on thy bridal couch: for the first time since thou wast a boy, thou sleepest as master of thine own soil, and layest thine arm round the neck of a wife. Rest without care, for thy boys will respectfully watch in a circle round the green bridal chamber of their lord. Blest was the day; blest be the night; and may your entrance into the house be a presage of welfare for you lives!"