trong embroidered
silk cord that she wore round her waist, and did hurt enow to the
knight. She bound his hands and his feet, and carried him to a nail, and
hung him on the wall. She forbade him to touch her because he disturbed
her sleep. He almost perished from her strength.

Then he that should have been master began to pray, "Now loose my bands,
most noble queen. I promise never to touch thee, or even to come night
thee."

She asked not how he fared while she lay soft. There must he hang the
long night through till the day, when the bright morning shone through
the window. If he had ever had strength, he had little in his body now.

"Tell me, Sir Gunther," said the beautiful maiden, "doth it not irk thee
that thy chamberlains find thee bound by the hand of a woman."

The noble knight answered, "It were the worse for thee. Also little were
my honour therein. Of thy charity allow me to lie down. Seeing thou
hatest my love, I will no so much as touch thy garment with my hand."

Then she loosed his bands, and let him go, and he laid him down, but so
far from her that he ruffled not her beautiful gown. Even that she had
gladly forgone.

Thereupon their attendants came and brought them new apparel, as much as
they could wear, that had been made ready against the wedding morn. But,
amidst of them that rejoiced, the king was heavy of his cheer beneath his
crown that day.

According to the good custom of the land, Gunther and Brunhild tarried
not longer, but went to the minster to hear mass. Thither also went
Siegfried, and there was great press of people.

Crowns and robes were ready for them there; and after they had taken
their vows, they stood up, all four, proudly beneath their crowns.

Youths, to the number of six hundred or more, were dubbed knights (I say
sooth) in honour of the king. And great joy was in Burgundy, and much
splintering of lances by sworded knights.

The beautiful maidens sat at the windows, and underneath them was the
flashing of many shields. But the king stood apart from his men, and
went about sadly.

He and Siegfried were unlike of their moods. The hero guessed what ailed
him, and went to him and asked him, "Tell me how it hath fared with thee."

Then said the host to his guest, "Shame and hurt have I suffered from my
wife in my house. When I would have caressed her, she bound me tight,
and took me to a nail, and hung me up on the wall. There I dangled in
fear the n