and. At this Hagen, the bold and doughty knight, rejoiced
him. She bade the noble knight go with her hence to the spacious palace.
When this was done, they gave the warriors with their service better
cheer. With good grace Hagen and Dankwart now must needs submit. The
doughty Siegfried was wise enow and bare away his magic cloak. Then he
repaired to where the ladies sate. To the king he spake and shrewdly
did he this: "Why wait ye, good my lord? Why begin ye not the games, of
which the queen doth deal so great a store? Let us soon see how they be
played." The crafty man did not as though he wist not a whit thereof.

Then spake the Queen: "How hath it chanced that ye, Sir Siegfried, have
seen naught of the games which the hand of Gunther here hath won?"

To this Hagen of the Burgundian land made answer. He spake: "Ye have
made us sad of mind, my lady. Siegfried, the good knight, was by the
ship when the lord of the Rhineland won from you the games. He knoweth
naught thereof."

"Well is me of this tale," spake Siegfried, the knight, "that your pride
hath been brought thus low, and that there doth live a wight who hath
the power to be your master. Now, O noble maiden, must ye follow us
hence to the Rhine."

Then spake the fair-fashioned maid: "That may not be. First must my kith
and liegemen learn of this. Certes, I may not so lightly void my lands;
my dearest friends must first be fetched."

Then bade she messengers ride on every side. She called her friends,
her kinsmen, and her men-at-arms and begged them come without delay to
Isenstein, and bade them all be given lordly and rich apparel. Daily,
early and late, they rode in troops to Brunhild's castle.

"Welaway," cried Hagen, "what have we done! We may ill abide the coming
of fair Brunhild's men. If now they come into this land in force, then
hath the noble maid been born to our great rue. The will of the queen is
unknown to us; what if she be so wroth that we be lost?"

Then the stalwart Siegfried spake: "Of that I'll have care. I'll not let
hap that which ye fear. I'll bring you help hither to this land, from
chosen knights the which till now ye have not known. Ye must not ask
about me; I will fare hence. Meanwhile may God preserve your honor. I'll
return eftsoon and bring you a thousand men, the very best of knights
that I have ever known."

"Pray tarry not too long," spake then the king; "of your help we be
justly glad."

He answered: "In a few short days