the
noble maid. My single hand can win her well--with eleven (2) comrades
I will fare to Gunther's land; thereto shalt thou help me, Father
Siegmund." Then to his knights they gave for garments furs both gray and
vair. (3)

Now his mother Siegelind also heard the tale. She began to make dole for
her loved child, whom she feared to lose through Gunther's men. Sorely
the noble queen gan weep. Lord Siegfried hied him straightway to where
he saw her; to his mother he spake in gentle wise: "Lady, ye must not
weep for me; naught have I to fear from all his fighting men. I pray
you, speed me on my journey to the Burgundian land, that I and my
warriors may have array such as proud heroes can wear with honor; for
this I will say you gramercy i' faith."

"Since naught will turn thee," spake then the Lady Siegelind, "so will I
speed thee on thy journey, mine only child, with the best of weeds that
ever knight did wear, thee and thy comrades. Ye shall have enow."

Siegfried, the youth, then made low obeisance to the queen. He spake:
"None but twelve warriors will I have upon the way. Let raiment be
made ready for them, I pray, for I would fain see how it standeth with
Kriemhild."

Then sate fair ladies night and day. Few enow of them, I trow, did ease
them, till Siegfried's weeds had all been wrought. Nor would he desist
from faring forth. His father bade adorn the knightly garb in which his
son should ride forth from Siegmund's land. The shining breastplates,
too, were put in trim, also the stanch helmets and their shields both
fair and broad. Now their journey to the Burgundian land drew near;
man and wife began to fear lest they never should come home again. The
heroes bade lade their sumpters with weapons and with harness. Their
steeds were fair and their trappings red with gold. No need were there
to live more proudly than Siegfried and his men. Then he asked for leave
to journey to the land of Burgundy; this the king and queen sorrowfully
vouchsafed. Lovingly he comforted them twain. "For my sake," spake he,
"must ye not weep, nor have fear for me or for my life."

The warriors, too, were sad and many a maiden wept; I ween, their hearts
did tell them rightly that many of their kinsmen would come to death
because of this. Just cause had they for wailing; need enow they had in
sooth.

Upon the seventh morning, forth upon the river sand at Worms the brave
warriors pricked. Their armor was of ruddy gold and their trapping