his wife. In a smock of snowy linen she went to bed. Then
thought the noble knight: "Now have I here all that I have ever
craved in all my days." By rights she must needs please him
through her comeliness. The noble king gan shroud the lights and
then the bold knight hied him to where the lady lay. He laid him
at her side, and great was his joy when in his arms he clasped
the lovely fair. Many loving caresses he might have given, had
but the noble dame allowed it. She waxed so wroth that he was
sore a-troubled; he weened that they were lovers, but he found
here hostile hate. She spake: "Sir Knight, pray give this over,
which now ye hope. Forsooth this may not hap, for I will still
remain a maid, until I hear the tale; now mark ye that."

Then Gunther grew wroth; he struggled for her love and rumpled
all her clothes. The high-born maid then seized her girdle, the
which was a stout band she wore around her waist, and with it she
wrought the king great wrong enow. She bound him hand and foot
and bare him to a nail and hung him on the wall. She forbade him
love, sith he disturbed her sleep. Of a truth he came full nigh
to death through her great strength.

Then he who had weened to be the master, began to plead. "Now
loose my bands, most noble queen. I no longer trow to conquer
you, fair lady, and full seldom will I lie so near your side."

She reeked not how he felt, for she lay full soft. There he had
to hang all night till break of day, until the bright morn shone
through the casements. Had he ever had great strength, it was
little seen upon him now.