een won."

In a few days the Rhine champions reached their home. And gayly were the
castle and all the houses in the city decked in honor of them. And all
those who had been left behind went out to meet them as they came down
from the forest-road, and drew near to the castle. And the young girls
strewed flowers in their path, and hung garlands upon their horses;
and music and song followed the heroes into the city, and through the
castle-gate.

When they reached the palace, the two prisoner kings, Leudiger and
Leudigast, were loosed from their bonds, and handsomely entertained at
Gunther's table. And the Burgundian kings assured them that they should
be treated as honored guests, and have the freedom of the court and
castle, if they would pledge themselves not to try to escape from
Burgundy until terms of peace should be agreed upon. This pledge they
gladly gave, and rich apartments in the palace were assigned for their
use. Like favors were shown to all the prisoners, according to their
rank; and the wounded were kindly cared for. And the Burgundians made
ready for a gay high-tide,--a glad festival of rejoicing, to be held at
the next full moon.

When the day drew near which had been set for this high-tide, the folk
from all parts of Rhineland began to flock towards the city. They
came in companies, with music and laughter, and the glad songs of
the spring-time. And all the knights were mounted on gallant horses
caparisoned with gold-red saddles, from which hung numbers of tinkling
silver bells. As they rode up the sands towards the castle-gate,
with their dazzling shields upon their saddle-bows, and their gay and
many-colored banners floating in the air, King Gernot and the young
Giselher, with the noblest knights of the fortress, went courteously out
to meet them; and the friendly greetings which were offered by the two
young kings won the hearts of all. Thirty and two princes and more than
five thousand warriors came as bidden guests. The city and castle were
decked in holiday attire, and all the people in the land gave themselves
up to enjoyment. The sick and the wounded, who until now had thought
themselves at death's door, forgot their ailments and their pains as
they heard the shouts of joy and the peals of music in the streets.

In a green field outside of the city walls, arrangements had been made
for the games, and galleries and high stages had been built for the
lookers-on. Here jousts and tournaments we