told of their splendour. So they sat in honour and had plenty. The
courtiers wore robes of red gold embroidered with precious stones and
silk, that Sieglind, the noble queen, gave them.

Then Siegmund spake in presence of his kinsmen, "Be it known to you all
that Siegfried shall henceforth wear my crown." They of the Netherland
heard the news gladly. So he made over to Siegfried his crown and his
rule and his land, that he became lord and king. And to him that he
acquitted, and to him that he condemned, it was done according to his
judgment. The husband of Kriemhild was a man greatly feared.

Thus, in high honour (and this is sooth that I say) he lived and reigned,
a crowned king, till the tenth year, when a son was born, whereby the
king's liegemen saw their desire accomplished. They hasted and
christened him, and called him Gunther, after his uncle; that was no
shame, for, took he after his kinsmen, he must grow to be a bold man.
They reared him well, as was meet.

And in these days Sieglind died, and many wept because death had taken
her. Then Uta's child held supreme rule, as befitted so rich a queen.

Now at the same time, they tell us, in Gunther's land of Burgundy, the
beautiful Brunhild had borne a son, that, for love of the hero, they
named Siegfried. With all care they trained him. Gunther let him be
reared by his liegemen at the court in all virtues that might serve him
if he grew to be a man. Soon, alack, by an evil fate, he was to lose all
his kin!

The fame of Siegfried's court ceased not to be noised abroad, and with
what worship his knights abode there; great was the fame also of