rway. No mention is made, however, of the
messengers crossing the sea; on the contrary, Kriemhild
speaks of their being sent down the Rhine.

ADVENTURE XIII. How They Journeyed To The Feasting.

Let us now take leave of all their bustling, and tell how Lady Kriemhild
and her maidens journeyed from the Nibelung land down toward the Rhine.
Never did sumpters bear so much lordly raiment. They made ready for
the way full many traveling chests. Then Siegfried, the knight, and the
queen as well, rode forth with their friends to where they had hope of
joys. Later it sped them all to their great harm. They left Siegfried's
little child, Kriemhild's son, at home. That must needs be. Great grief
befell him through their journey to the court. The bairn never saw his
father and his mother more. With them, too, there rode Lord Siegmund.
Had he known aright how he would fare at the feasting, no whit of it
would he have seen. No greater woe might ever hap to him in loving
friends.

Messengers were sent ahead, who told the tale. Then with a stately band
there rode to meet them many of Uta's kith and Gunther's liegemen. The
host gan bestir him for his guests. He went to where Brunhild sate and
asked: "How did my sister greet you when ye came to our land? In like
manner must ye greet Siegfried's wife."

"That will I gladly," quoth she, "for I have good cause to be her
friend."

The mighty king spake further: "They come to us early on the morrow; if
ye would greet them, set quickly to work, that we abide them not within
the castle. At no time have such welcome guests ever come to see me."

At once she bade her maids and ladies hunt out goodly raiment, the best
they had, the which her train should wear before the guests. One may
lightly say, they did this gladly. Gunther's men hasted also for to
serve them, and around him the host did gather all his knights. Then
the queen rode forth in princely wise and mickle greeting of the welcome
guests was done. With what great joy did they receive them! It thought
them as though Lady Kriemhild had not greeted Lady Brunhild so fair in
the Burgundian land. Those who had never seen her became acquaint with
lofty mood.

Now was Siegfried come with his liegemen. One saw the heroes wending
to and fro upon the plain in unwieldy bands. None might guard him there
against the jostling and the dust.

When that the ruler of the land spied Siegfried and Siegmund, how
lovingly he