Loud cried the valiant steward: / "Have mercy now on me. And might I other's vassal / than one good hero's be, To whom to be good subject / I an oath did take, Until my death I'd serve thee." / Thus the man of cunning spake. 499 Alberich then bound he / as the giant before. The mighty arm of Siegfried / did trouble him full sore. The Dwarf began to question: / "Thy name, what may it be?" Quoth he: "My name is Siegfried; / I weened I well were known to thee." 500 "I joy to hear such tidings," / Dwarf Alberich replied. "Well now have I found thee / in knightly prowess tried, And with goodly reason / lord o'er lands to be. I'll do whate'er thou biddest, / wilt thou only give me free." 501 Then spake his master Siegfried: / "Quickly shalt thou go, And bring me knights hither, / the best we have to show, A thousand Nibelungen, / to stand before their lord." Wherefore thus he wished it, / spake he never yet a word. 502 The giant and Alberich / straightway he unbound. Then ran Alberich quickly / where the knights he found. The warriors of Nibelung / he wakened full of fear. Quoth he: "Be up, ye heroes, / before Siegfried shall ye appear." 503 From their couches sprang they / and ready were full soon, Clothed well in armor / a thousand warriors boon, And went where they found standing / Siegfried their lord. Then was a mickle greeting / courteously in act and word. 504 Candles many were lighted, / and sparkling wine he drank. That they came so quickly, / therefor he all did thank. Quoth he: "Now shall ye with me / from hence across the flood." Thereto he found full ready / the heroes valiant and good. 505 Good thirty hundred warriors / soon had hither pressed, From whom were then a thousand / taken of the best. For them were brought their helmets / and what they else did need. For unto Brunhild's country / would he straightway the warriors lead. 506 He spake: "Ye goodly nobles, / that would I have you hear, In full costly raiment / shall ye at court appear, For yonder must there see us / full many a fair lady. Therefore shall your bodies / dight in good apparel be." 507 Upon a morning early / went they on their way. What host of brave companions / bore Siegfried company! Good steeds took they with them / and garments rich to wear, And did in courtly fashion / unto Brunhild's country fare. 508 As gazed from lofty parapet / women fair to see, Spake the queen unto them: / "Knows any who they be, Whom I see yonder sailing / upon the sea afar? Rich sails their ships do carry, / whiter than snow they are." 509 Then spake the king of Rhineland: / "My good men they are, That on my journey hither / left I lying near. I've sent to call them to me: / now are they come, O Queen." With full great amazing / were the stately strangers seen. 510