The royal host's attendants / in basins golden red Carried water forward. / And should it e'er be said By any that a better / service did receive Ever guests of monarch, / I never could such thing believe. 607 Before the lord of Rhineland / with water was waited on, Unto him Sir Siegfried, / as fitting was, had gone; He called to mind a promise / that made by him had been Ere that the Lady Brunhild / afar in Isenland he'd seen. 608 He spake: "Thou shalt bethink thee / what once did plight thy hand, If that the Lady Brunhild / should come unto this land, Thou'dst give to me thy sister. / Where now what thou hast sworn? In this thy wooing journey / not small the labor I have borne." 609 Then to his guest the monarch: / "Well hast thou minded me, And by this hand shall never / false word plighted be. To gain thy wish I'd help thee / in the way as best I know." Bidden then was Kriemhild / forth unto the king to go. 610 With her full beauteous maidens / unto the Hall she passed. Then sprang the youthful Giselher / adown the steps in haste "Bid now these many maidens / wend their way again; None but my sister only / unto the king shall enter in." 611 Then led they Kriemhild thither / where the king was found, With him were knights full noble / from many a land around. Within that Hall so spacious / she waited the king's behest, What time the Lady Brunhild / betook her likewise to the feast. 612 Then spake the royal Gunther: / "Sister mine full fair, Redeem the word I've given, / an hold'st thou virtue dear. Thee to a knight I plighted: / An tak'st thou him to man, Thereby my wish full truly / unto the warrior hast thou done." 613 Then spake the noble maiden: / "Brother full dear to me, Not long shalt thou entreat me. / In truth I'll ever be Obedient to thy bidding; / that shall now be done, And him I'll take full gladly, / my Lord, whom thou giv'st me for man." 614 Before those fair eyes' glances / grew Siegfried's color red. The knight to Lady Kriemhild / his service offered. Within a ring together / then were led the twain, And they asked the maiden, / if she to take the knight were fain. 615 Upon her face not little / was the modest glow; Nathless to joy of Siegfried / did fortune will it so, That the maiden would not / refuse the knight her hand. Eke swore his wife to make her / the noble king of Netherland. 616 When he to her had plighted, / and eke to him the maid, Siegfried to embrace her / nothing more delayed, But clasped in arms full fondly / and oft the lady fair, And stately knights were witness / how that he kissed the princess there. 617 When that the maids attendant / from thence had ta'en their leave, In place of honor seated / Siegfried might ye perceive And by him fairest Kriemhild; / and many a knight at hand Was seen of the Nibelungen / at Siegfried's service ready stand. 618