On a day before the vesper tide a great turmoil arose, which many knights made in the court, where they plied their knightly sports for pastime’s sake, and a great throng of men and women hasted there to gaze. The royal queens had sat them down together and talked of two worshipful knights.

Then spake the fair Kriemhild: “I have a husband who by right should rule over all these kingdoms.”

Quoth Lady Brunhild: “How might that be? If none other lived but he and thou, then might these kingdoms own his sway, but the while Gunther liveth, this may never hap.”

Kriemhild replied: “Now dost thou see, how he standeth, how right royally he walketh before the knights, as the moon doth before the stars? Therefore must I needs be merry of mood.”

Said Lady Brunhild: “However stately be thy husband, howso worthy and fair, yet must thou grant the palm to Knight Gunther, the noble brother of thine. Know of a truth, he must be placed above all kings.”

Then Kriemhild spake again: “So doughty is my husband, that I have not lauded him without good cause. His worship is great in many things. Dost thou believe it, Brunhild, he is easily Gunther’s peer.”

“Forsooth thou must not take it amiss of me, Kriemhild, for I have not spoken thus without good reason. I heard them both aver, when I saw them first of all, and the king was victor against me in the games, and when he won my love in such knightly wise, that he was liegeman to the king, and Siegfried himself declared the same. I hold him therefore as my vassal, sith I heard him speak thus himself.”

Then spake fair Kriemhild: “Ill had I then sped. How could my noble brothers have so wrought, that I should be a mere vassal’s bride? Therefore I do beseech thee, Brunhild, in friendly wise, that for my sake thou kindly leave off this speech.”

“I’ll not leave it off,” quoth the king’s wife. “Why should I give up so many a knight, who with the warrior doth owe us service?”

Kriemhild, the passing fair, waxed wroth out of wit. “Thou must forego that ho ever do you a vassal’s service; he is worthier than my brother Gunther, the full noble man. Thou must retract what I have heard thee say. Certes, it wondereth me, sith he be thy vassal and thou hast so much power over us twain, why he hath rendered thee no tribute so long a time. By right I should be spared thy overweening pride.”

“Thou bedrest thee too high,” spake the king’s wife. “I would fain see whether men will hold thee in such high honor as they do me.”

The ladies both grew wonderly wroth of mood. Then spake the Lady Kriemhild: “This must now hap. Sith thou hast declared my husband for thy liegeman, now must the men of the two kings perceive today whether I durst walk before the queen to church. Thou must see today that I am noble and free and that my husband is worthier than thine; nor will I myself be taxed therewith. Thou shalt mark today how thy liegewoman goeth to court before the knights of the Burgundian land. I myself shall be more worshipful than any queen was known to be, who ever wore a crown.” Great hate enow rose then betwixt the ladies.

Then Brunhild answered: “Wilt thou not be a liegewoman of mine, so must thou sunder thee with thy ladies from my train when that we go to church.”

To this Kriemhild replied: “In faith that shall be done.”

“Now array you, my maids,” spake Siegfried’s wife. “I must be here without reproach. Let this be seen today, and ye do have rich weeds. Brunhild shall fain deny what she hath here averted.”

They needed not much bidding, but sought rich robes and many a dame and maid attired her well. Then the wife of the noble king went forth with her train. Fair Kriemhild, too, was well arrayed and three and forty maidens with her, whom she had brought hither to the Rhine. They wore bright vesture wrought in Araby, and thus the fair-fashioned maids betook them to the minster. All Siegfried’s men awaited them before the house. The folk had marvel whence it chanced that the queens were seen thus sundered, so that they did not walk together as afore. From this did many a warrior later suffer dire distress. Here before the minster stood Gunther’s wife, while many a good knight had pastime with the comely dames whom they there espied.

Then came the Lady Kriemhild with a large and noble train. Whatever kind of clothes the daughters of noble knights have ever worn, these were but the wind against her retinue. She was so rich in goods, that what the wives of thirty kings could not purvey, that Kriemhild did. An’ one would wish to, yet he could not aver that men had ever seen such costly dresses as at this time her fair-fashioned maidens wore. Kriemhild had not done it, save to anger Brunhild. They met before the spacious minster. Through her great hate the mistress of the house in evil wise bade Kriemhild stand: “Forsooth no vassaless should ever walk before the queen.”

Then spake fair Kriemhild (angry was her mood): “Couldst thou have held thy peace, ’twere well for thee. Thou hast disgraced thee and the fair body of thine. How might a vassal’s leman 75 ever be the wife of any king?”

“Whom callest thou here leman?” spake the queen.

“That call I thee,” quoth Kriemhild. “Thy fair person was first caressed by Siegfried, my dear husband. Certes, it was not my brother who won thy maidhood. Whither could thy wits have wandered? It was an evil trick. Wherefore didst thou let him love thee, sith he be thy vassal? I hear thee make plaint without good cause,” quoth Kriemhild.

“I’ faith,” spake then Brunhild, “Gunther shall hear of this.”

“What is that to me?” said Kriemhild. “Thy pride hath bewrayed thee. With words thou hast claimed me for thy service. Know, by my troth, it will ever grieve me, for I shall be no more thy faithful friend.”

Then Brunhild wept. Kriemhild delayed no longer, but entered the minster with her train before the queen. Thus there rose great hatred, from which bright eyes grew dim and moist.

Whatso men did or sang to God’s service there, the time seemed far too long for Brunhild, for she was sad of heart and mood. Many a brave knight and a good must later rue this day. Brunhild with her ladies now went forth and stopped before the minster. Her-thought: “Kriemhild must tell me more of what this word-shrewd woman hath so loudly charged me. Hath Siegfried made boast of............