Then eke to offer service / the men of Gunther hied, And all his doughty warriors / saw ye by the monarch's side. Then rode the queen full stately / the strangers forth to meet, And hearty was the welcome / as she her loving guests did greet. 787 With what glad rejoicings / the guests they did receive! They deemed that Lady Kriemhild / did unto Brunhild give Ne'er so warm a welcome / to the land of Burgundy. Bold knights that yet were strangers / rejoiced each other there to see. 788 Now come was also Siegfried / with his valiant men. The warriors saw ye riding / thither and back again, Where'er the plain extended, / with huge company. From the dust and crowding / could none in all the rout be free. 789 When the monarch of the country / Siegfried did see And with him also Siegmund, / spake he full lovingly: "Be ye to me full welcome / and to all these friends of mine. Our hearts right glad they shall be / o'er this your journey to the Rhine." 790 "God give thee meed," spake Siegmund, / a knight in honor grown. "Since that my son Siegfried / thee for a friend hath known, My heart hath e'er advised me / that thee I soon should see." Thereto spake royal Gunther: / "Joy hast thou brought full great to me." 791 Siegfried was there received, / as fitted his high state, With full lofty honors, / nor one did bear him hate. There joined in way right courteous / Gernot and Giselher: I ween so warm a welcome / did they make for strangers ne'er. 792 The spouse of each high monarch / greeted the other there. Emptied was many a saddle, / and many a lady fair By hero's hand was lifted / adown upon the sward. By waiting on fair lady / how many a knight sought high reward! 793 So went unto each other / the ladies richly dight; Thereat in high rejoicing / was seen full many a knight, That by both the greeting / in such fair way was done. By fair maidens standing / saw ye warriors many a one. 794 Each took the hand of other / in all their company; In courteous manner bending / full many might ye see And loving kisses given / by ladies debonair. Rejoiced the men of Gunther / and Siegfried to behold them there. 795 They bided there no longer / but rode into the town. The host bade to the strangers / in fitting way be shown, That they were seen full gladly / in the land of Burgundy. High knights full many tilting / before fair ladies might ye see. 796 Then did of Tronje Hagen / and eke Ortwein In high feats of valor / all other knights outshine. Whate'er the twain commanded / dared none to leave undone; By them was many a service / to their high guests in honor shown. 797 Shields heard ye many clashing / before the castle gate With din of lances breaking. / Long in saddle sate The host and guests there with him, / ere that within they went. With full merry pastime / joyfully the hours they spent. 798