messengers out straightway to Gunther's liegemen over all, with news of
the hightide. The maidens looked to their apparel. The palace and all
the walls were decked out for the guests, and adorned cunningly for the
stranger knights.

All the roads were thronged with the kinsmen of the three kings, that had
been summoned to welcome Gunther and Brunhild, and many a rich vest was
taken from its wrapping-cloth. Then the news spread, that Brunhild's
friends had been spied on the way. And great was the press in Burgundy.
Bold knights, enow, I ween, were there on both sides!

Fair Kriemhild said, "Go now, you of my maidens that will forth with me
to the welcome, and seek out your best clothes from the chests, that we
may have honour and praise from the guests."

The knights also bade bring out rich saddles, all of red gold, for the
women to ride from Worms down to the Rhine. Better riding gear there
could not be. Ha! how bright the gold shone on the horses, and the
precious stones on the bridles! They brought out gilded side-saddles and
goodly trappings for the women. And they were all merry of their cheer.

The horses stood ready in the court for the noble maidens, as I have told
you, and the poitrals were of the finest silk that was ever spun. Eighty
and six dames in head-coifs, fair, and dight in rich apparel, came to
Kriemhild, and thereto, featly adorned, many a beautiful damsel; fifty
and four, the fairest in Burgundy, with glittering lace over their yellow
hair. All that the king had desired of them they did with good will.
Fair robes of goodly stuffs that matched their white skins they wore
before the stranger knights. None but a fool had found any of them
amiss. Some had mantles of sable and ermine, and their arms and wrists