Many tender glances / and looks full many a one Fondly knight and lady / each other cast upon. Within his heart he bore her, / she was as his own life. Anon the fairest Kriemhild / was the doughty Siegfried's wife. 354 Then spake the mighty monarch: / "Full loving sister mine, This may we ne'er accomplish / without help of thine. Unto Brunhild's country / as suitor now we fare: 'Tis fitting that 'fore ladies / we do rich apparel wear." 355 Then spake the royal maiden: / "Brother dear to me, In whatsoever manner / my help may given be, Of that I well assure you, / ready thereto am I. To Kriemhild 'twere a sorrow / if any should the same deny. 356 "Of me, O noble brother, / thou shalt not ask in vain: Command in courteous manner / and I will serve thee fain. Whatever be thy pleasure, / for that I'll lend my aid And willingly I'll do it," / spake the fair and winsome maid. 357 "It is our wish, dear sister, / apparel good to wear; That shall now directing / the royal hand prepare; And let thy maids see to it / that all is done aright, For we from this same journey / turn not aside for word of wight." 358 Spake thereupon the maiden: / "Now mark ye what I say: Myself have silks in plenty; / now send us rich supply Of stones borne on bucklers, / so vesture we'll prepare." To do it royal Gunther / and Siegfried both right ready were. 359 "And who are your companions," / further questioned she, "Who with you apparelled / now for court shall be?" "I it is and Siegfried, / and of my men are two, Dankwart and Hagen, / who with us to court shall go. 360 "Now rightly what we tell thee, / mark, O sister dear: 'Tis that we four companions / for four days may wear Thrice daily change of raiment / so wrought with skilful hand That we without dishonor / may take our leave of Brunhild's land." 361 After fair leave-taking / the knights departed so. Then of her attendants / thirty maids to go Forth from her apartments / Kriemhild the princess bade, Of those that greatest cunning / in such skilful working had. 362 The silks that were of Araby / white as the snow in sheen, And from the land of Zazamank / like unto grass so green, With stones of price they broidered; / that made apparel rare. Herself she cut them, Kriemhild / the royal maiden debonair. 363 Fur linings fashioned fairly / from dwellers in the sea Beheld by people rarely, / the best that e'er might be, With silken stuffs they covered / for the knights to wear. Now shall ye of the shining / weeds full many a wonder hear. 364 From land of far Morocco / and eke from Libya Of silks the very finest / that ever mortal saw With any monarch's kindred, / they had a goodly store. Well showed the Lady Kriemhild / that unto them good will she bore. 365 Since they unto the journey / had wished that so it be, Skins of costly ermine / used they lavishly, Whereon were silken pieces / black as coal inlaid. To-day were any nobles / in robes so fashioned well arrayed. 366