erving
folk'.
(2) "Housings", 'saddle cloths'.

ADVENTURE XIV. How The Queens Reviled Each Other.

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 overw