Clovis
was delighted when he saw her; and they were immediately married.
Clotilde was a devout Christian, and she wished very much to
convert her husband, who, like most of his people, was a worshiper
of the heathen gods. But Clovis was not willing to give up his
own religion. Nevertheless Clotilde continued to do every thing
she could to persuade him to become a Christian.
Soon after his marriage Clovis had a war with a tribe called the
Alemanni. This tribe had crossed the Rhine from Germany and taken
possession of some of the eastern provinces of Gaul. Clovis speedily
got his warriors together and marched against them. A battle was
fought at a place called Tolbiac, not far from the present city
of Cologne. In this battle the Franks were nearly beaten, for the
Alemanni were fierce and brave men and skillful fighters. When
Clovis saw his soldiers driven back several times he began to lose
hope, but at that moment he thought of his pious wife and of the
powerful God of whom she had so often spoken. Then he raised his
hands to heaven and earnestly prayed to that God.
"O God of Clotilde," he cried, "help me in this my hour of need.
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