ds
he gave, nor did he stop to count. Enow walked before the hall in rich
attire, who never had worn afore such lordly dress. Full sore it rued
the queen when this she heard. She spake: "Sir King, I fain would have
your aid, lest your chamberlain leave naught of all my store of dress;
he squandereth eke my gold. If any would forfend this, I'd be his friend
for aye. He giveth such royal gifts, the knight must ween, forsooth,
that I have sent for death. I would fain use it longer and trow well
myself to waste that which my father left me." No queen as yet hath ever
had so bounteous a chamberlain.

Then spake Hagen of Troneg: "My lady, be it told you that the king of
the Rhineland hath such great store of gold and robes to give, that we
have no need to carry hence aught of Brunhild's weeds."

"Nay, and ye love me," spake the queen, "let me fill twenty traveling
chests with gold and silk as well, the which my hand shall give, when we
are come across to Gunther's land."

Men filled her chests with precious stones, the while her chamberlains
stood by. She would not trust the duty to Giselher's men. Gunther and
Hagen began to laugh thereat.

Then spake the queen: "With whom shall I leave my lands? This my hand
and yours must first decree."

Quoth the noble king: "Now bid draw near whom ye deem fit and we will
make him steward."

The lady spied near by one of her highest kin (it was her mother's
brother); to him the maiden spake: "Now let be commended to your care my
castles and my lands, till that King Gunther's hand rule here."

Then twenty hundred of her men she chose, who should fare with her hence
to Burgundy, together with those thousand warriors from the Nibelung
land. They dressed their journey; one saw them riding forth upon the
sand. Six and eighty dames they took along and thereto a hundred maids,
their bodies passing fair. No longer now they tarried, for they were
fain to get them hence. Ho, what great wail was made by those they
left at home! In courtly wise she voided thus her land. She kissed her
nearest kinsmen who were found at court. After a fair leave-taking they
journeyed to the sea. To her fatherland the lady nevermore returned.
Many kinds of games were seen upon the way; pastimes they had galore.
A real sea breeze did help them on their voyage. Thus they fared forth
from the land fully merrily. She would not let her husband court her
on the way; this pleasure was deferred until their wedding-tide i