e they named him Siegfried. With what great care they bade attend
him! The noble Gunther gave him masters who well wot how to bring him
up to be a doughty man. Alas, what great loss of kin he later suffered
through misfortune!

Many tales were told all time, of how right worshipfully the lusty
knights dwelt alway in Siegmund's land. Gunther dealt the same with his
distinguished kin. The Nibelung land and Schilbung's knights and the
goods of both served Siegfried here (none of his kinsmen ever waxed
mightier than he). So much the higher rose the mood of the valiant man.
The very greatest heard that any hero ever gained, save those who owned
it aforetime, the bold man had, the which he had won by his own hand
hard by a hill, and for which he did many a lusty knight to death. He
had honors to his heart's desire, and had this not been so, yet one must
rightly aver of the noble champion, that he was one of the best that
ever mounted horse. Men feared his might and justly, too.

ENDNOTES:
(1) "Eckewart", see Adventure I, note 15.
(2) "Xanten", see Adventure II, note 3.
(3) "Cognizance", 'jurisdiction.'
(4) "Dames", i.e., Siegelind and Kriemhild.

ADVENTURE XII. How Gunther Bade Siegfried To The Feasting.

Now Gunther's wife thought alway: "How haughtily doth Lady Kriemhild
bear her! Is not her husband Siegfried our liegeman? Long time now hath
he done us little service." This she bare within her heart, but held her
peace. It irked her sore that they did make themselves such strangers
and that men from Siegfried's land so seldom served her. Fain would she
have known from whence this came. She asked the king if it might hap
that she should see Kriemhild again. Secretly she spake what she had in
mind. The speech like the king but moderately well. "How might we bring
them," quoth he, "hither to our land? That were impossible, they live
too far away; I dare not ask them this."

To this Brunhild replied in full crafty wise: "However high and mighty
a king's vassal be, yet should he not leave undone whatsoever his lord
command him."

King Gunther smiled when she spake thus. However oft he saw Siegfried,
yet did he not count it to him as service.

She spake: "Dear lord, for my sake help me to have Siegfried and thy
sister come to this land, that we may see them here. Naught liefer might
ever hap to me in truth. Whenso I think on thy sister's courtesie and
her well-bred mind, how it delighteth me! H