Upon the third morning / at the mass' tide Was there beside the minster / filled the church-yard wide With country-folk a-weeping / that came from far and near: In death they yet did serve him / as is meet for friend full dear. 1063 And so it hath been told us, / ere these four days were o'er, Marks full thirty thousand, / yea, in sooth, and more, For his soul's reposing / to the poor were given there: The while that lay all broken / his life and eke his body fair. 1064 When ended was the service / and full the masses sung, In unrestrained sorrow / there the flock did throng. They bade that from the minster / he to the grave be borne. Them that fain had kept him / there beheld ye weep and mourn. 1065 Thence full loud lamenting / did the people with him pass. Unmoved there never any / nor man nor woman was. Ere that in grave they laid him / chanted they and read. What host of priests full worthy / at his burial were gathered! 1066 Ere that the wife of Siegfried / was come unto the grave, With water from the fountain / full oft her face they lave, So struggled with her sorrow / the faithful lady fair. Great beyond all measure / was the grief that she did bear. 1067 It was a mickle wonder / that e'er her life she kept. Many a lady was there / that helped her as she wept. Then spake the queen full noble: / "Ye men that service owe To Siegfried, as ye love me, / now to me a mercy show. 1068 "Upon this sorrow grant ye / the little grace to me That I his shining visage / yet once more may see." So filled she was with anguish / and so long time she sought, Perforce they must break open / the casket all so fairly wrought. 1069 Where she did see him lying / they then the lady led. With hand full white and spotless / raised she his fair head; Then kissed she there all lifeless / the good and noble knight,-- And wept so that for sorrow / ran blood from out her eyes so bright. 1070 Mournful was the parting / that then did rend the twain. Thence away they bore her, / nor might she walk again, But in a swoon did senseless / the stately lady lie. In sooth her winsome body / for sorrow sore was like to die. 1071 When they the knight full noble / now in the grave had laid, Beheld ye every warrior / beyond all measure sad That with him was come hither / from Nibelung country. Full seldom joyous-hearted / might ye royal Siegmund see. 1072 And many were among them / that for sorrow great Till three days were over / did nor drink nor eat. Yet might they not their bodies / long leave uncared-for so: For food they turned from mourning / as people still are wont to do. EIGHTEENTH ADVENTURE How Siegmund fared Home Again 1073 Then went royal Siegmund / where he Kriemhild found. Unto the queen spake he: / "Home must we now be bound. We ween that guests unwelcome / here are we by the Rhine. Kriemhild, beloved lady, / come now to country that is mine. 1074