hey that esteem women for the comeliness of
the body and what the eye beholdeth, extolled King Gunther's wife, but
the wise that look deeper said, "Praised shall Kriemhild be before
Brunhild." And the bright-attired women drew together where the silken
canopies were spread, and the goodly tents, in the field before Worms.

The king's kinsmen pressed forward to see them. They prayed the two
queens to go with their women where the shade was, and the Burgundian
knights led them thither.

The guests also were now gotten to horse, and there was din of tilting
against shields. The dust swirled up from the plain, as the land had
been on fire, and the valour of many knights was proven, while the
maidens beheld their prowess. Siegfried, I ween, rode many a course
before the pavilions with his thousand Nibelungs.

Then came Hagen of Trony at the king's command, and, on friendly wise,
stopped the jousting, lest the dust should irk the fair maidens, and
they demurred not, but obeyed gladly.

Gernot said, "Let stand the horses till it groweth cooler, and let us
lead the women home. But be ready to ride again when the king giveth the
order."

So the tourney ended over all the plain. And the knights went to the
women under the high pavilions, and passed the time merrily till it was
time to ride home.

At the fall of night, when the sun went down and the air had begun to
cool, they tarried not longer, but arose, men and women together, and the
knights wooed the fair maidens with their eyes. Then, as was the custom
of the land, the good squires spurred forward to the castle gate before
the proud knights.

There the king alighted from his horse, and, on knightly wise, the heroes
lifted down the women. There, too, the noble queens parted. Uta and her
daughter went with their attendants into a wide chamber, and a merry din
was heard over all.

The chairs were set, for the king was ready to go to table with his
guests, and beautiful Brunhild stood by him, and were her crown in
Gunther's land. Certes, she was proud enough.

Many were the seats, they say, and the tables goodly and broad, and laden
with food. Little, I trow, was lacking! And many a noble guest sat
there with the king. Gunther's chamberlains carried round water in
golden ewers. If any tell you of a prince's table better served, believe
it not.

Or Gunther took the water, Siegfried, as was meet, minded him of his oath
that he had sworn or ever he saw B