A silken surcoat, (2) too, the maid put on, which sword had never
cut in any fray, of silken cloth of Libya. Well was it wrought.
Bright embroidered edging was seen to shine thereon.

Meanwhile the knights were threatened much with battle cries.
Dankwart and Hagen stood ill at ease; their minds were troubled
at the thought of how the king would speed. Thought they: "Our
journey will not bring us warriors aught of good."

Meanwhile Siegfried, the stately man, or ever any marked it, had
hied him to the ship, where he found his magic cloak concealed.
Into it he quickly slipped and so was seen of none. He hurried
back and there he found a great press of knights, where the queen
dealt out her lofty games. Thither he went in secret wise (by
his arts it happed), nor was he seen of any that were there. The
ring had been marked out, where the games should be, afore many
valiant warriors, who were to view them there. More than seven
hundred were seen bearing arms, who were to say who won the game.

Then was come Brunhild, armed as though she would battle for all
royal lands. Above her silken coat she wore many a bar of gold;
gloriously her lovely color shone beneath the armor. Then came
her courtiers, who bare along a shield of ruddy gold with large
broad strips as hard as steel, beneath the which the lovely maid
would fight. As shield-thong there served a costly band upon
which lay jewels green as grass. It shone and gleamed against
the gold. He must needs be passing bold, to whom the maid would
show her love. The shield the maid should bear was three spans
thick beneath the studs, as we are told. Rich enow it was, of
steel and eke of gold, the which four chamberlains could scarcely