Then spake the Prince Burgundian, and Gernot uttered his rede: "The hero who did thee service ungrudging in thy need, Gunther, belovèd brother, thou guerdon him for the same Before all these: of my counsel shall no man dare think shame. Bid Siegfried unto my sister, that he meet her face to face, That the maiden may greet him: of the honour shall we win us enduring grace. If to him be accorded her greeting, who on knight smiled never before, We have gotten this goodly war-thane to our friend for evermore." Hasted the kinsmen of Gunther unto where did Siegfried stand, And they bare that courteous bidding to the knight of Netherland: "This is the King's good pleasure, that thou come where the seed-royal be, To the end that his sister may greet thee for especial honour to thee." How thrilled the soul of Siegfried to hear that gracious word! Passed as a dream his heart-ache, his spirit with rapture was stirred That on Uta's lovely daughter he should look with unhindered eyes: And she, she received Prince Siegfried in courtly-winsome wise. When she saw him stand before her, that hero-hearted lord, Her cheeks were aflame with the love-light, her sweet lips spake the word: "Welcome to thee, Lord Siegfried, to a good and noble knight!" Then the wings of his soul at her greeting soared to the heaven's height Love-lowly he bent before her: she laid her hand in his; And each moved on by other in a yearning trance of bliss. From their eyes the soft love-lightning flashed those twain alway Strong hero and fair maiden--yet stolen glances were they. {P. 40} Ask ye, were those white fingers by him pressed lovingly For speech of the heart?--such knowledge is all too high for me; Yet--yet I may nowise believe it, that he spared to do this thing. Soon came sweet self-betrayal of the heart that had found its king. It was all in the summer season, in the very glory of May. Never his heart had tasted such bliss as on that glad day, Never such soul-uplifting, as in that hour he knew When walked that maiden beside him, whom the hero fain would woo. Then many a knight was thinking: "Ah me, that my bliss it were Even so to be pacing beside her, as he is pacing there! And O in mine arms to clasp her!--how fain thereof had I been!" Yet who might begrudge?--never hero was so worthy to win a queen. From what far land soever those guests had come, each thane Had eyes, in all that feast-tide, for nothing save these twain. Then suffered was the maiden to kiss that goodly knight: Never in all his life-days had he known such dear delight. But the King of the Danefolk murmured under his breath straightway: "Ah, many for this high greeting lie sorely hurt this day By the hand of Siegfried stricken--for witness stand I here:-- God grant his face in Daneland may never more appear!"