Let bide the steeds belonging to Myself and my brave men! It may be we depart anon From Burgundy again. To him who knows and will reply, In truth will I be bound, If he will say where now perchance King Günther may be found. To this they replied that the King was in the great hall of the castle, and pointed thither. Meanwhile Günther had perceived the well-armed stranger knights from the window, and, greatly wondering thereat, questioned his brothers concerning them; but none could say who they might be. Then out-spoke one of his men: “My Lord, were it not well to summon Hagen? He hath seen many lands, and perchance will have knowledge of these strangers.” When Hagen came he said: “Never before, forsooth, have I laid eyes on yon bold heroes; yet much have I heard of Siegfried, and it may well be he that towers above the rest.” And Günther replied: “Meseemeth thou art right. Yon dauntless chief of princely air Is he, that valiant knight! That he is bold and high of mind I long have understood, Let us go forth to greet our guest-- Now is his coming good!” Though there was none in all Günther’s court so haughty as Hagen, yet he did not gainsay this. And the King went out to welcome Siegfried, whereupon that hero challenged him forthwith to mortal combat, whosoever should be the victor to fall heir to the crown and lands of the vanquished. But Hagen feared for the issue of this; wherefore he spoke soft words to Siegfried, greeting him as friend, not foe, and conducted him to the castle hall, where he drank of the King’s wine and was made welcome. Thus did Siegfried become an honored guest at Günther’s court, and long he bided there, beguiling the time with tilting, casting the javelin, stone-throwing, and all manner of knightly sports; nor was there any that could surpass him in feats of skill and daring. But he saw naught of Kriemhild the fair, though her glances many a time fell upon him: Full oft upon the tourney field, Where met in knightly sport The valorous knights or gallant squires Of the Burgundian court, Did Kriemhild from her window gaze, To see how Siegfried bore The honors from them all--for this And naught else cared she more. To know that on him thus she gazed, Had rapture been, I ween; And might his eyes but once behold The face of her, his Queen, Then could the earth no greater joy Or happiness impart To him who long had held so dear, Her image in his heart. Thus Siegfried dwelt in Günther’s court Till full a year had flown, Nor had these lords of Burgundy E’er braver champion known; And yet no sight was him vouchsafed Of her he loved so well-- That love, wherefrom in after days Such bliss and woe befell. _Chapter VI_ _Siegfried makes War against the Saxons_