By this was his coffin fashioned, when the sun in the mid-heaven shone. Loving hands from the bier uplifted the corpse that lay thereon. But the Queen said: "Nay, I beseech you, lay him not yet in the grave; Ere then heavy tribute of mourning from all that love him I crave." In a pall most costly-woven that lifeless form they wound. Of a surety none that wept not was in all that concourse found. From her heart poured Uta the noble lamentation and mourning and woe; Wailing were all her handmaids for the princely head brought low. {P. 143} When the folk heard how in the minster they sang the requiem, And that Siegfried lay in his coffin, there came vast throngs of them With their offerings--ah, how freely!--to buy his soul's repose. Good friends had he without number in the very house of his foes. Kriemhild the hapless woman to her treasure-keeper spake: "Now sorrow ye all in my sorrow, and suffer dole for my sake, All ye whose hearts have loved him, all ye that be true unto me. For the rest of the soul of Siegfried gold to the poor give ye." There was no child so little, so it had understanding at all, But something it brought for the masses for him who lay stark under pall. Yea, full one hundred masses on that one day did they sing. Ah, there was a mighty concourse of lovers of that dead king! When ended was all the mass-chant, the vast crowd melted away. But again to her friends spake Kriemhild: "Leave me not this day To keep vigil alone o'er the hero, the hope of the world and its pride; Now all the joy of my life-days is buried by his side. Three days, three nights unceasing will I keep vigil here Till my soul is filled with lamenting for him, my lord most dear. Peradventure His white Death-angel for me too God will send; So the sorrow of Kriemhild the hapless should find a blessèd end." Now homeward the folk of the city were gone to their rest and their sleep: But the priests and the monks aye chanting that vigil with her must keep; And his vassals and leal retainers that served that gallant chief-- Ah, weariful nights were appointed to these, and days of grief. Through the days of their mourning many drank not, nor tasted of bread: But, for such as could not endure it, to these was it plainly said: "Eat, drink, for we give to you freely." King Siegmund cared therefor. Then fell on the faithful Niblungs trouble and travail sore.