that any hero ever gained, save those who owned it aforetime, the
bold man had, the which he had won by his own hand hard by a
hill, and for which he did many a lusty knight to death. He had
honors to his heart's desire, and had this not been so, yet one
must rightly aver of the noble champion, that he was one of the
best that ever mounted horse. Men feared his might and justly,
too.


ENDNOTES:
(1) "Eckewart", see Adventure I, note 15.
(2) "Xanten", see Adventure II, note 3.
(3) "Cognizance", 'jurisdiction.'
(4) "Dames", i.e., Siegelind and Kriemhild.



ADVENTURE XII
How Gunther Bade Siegfried To The Feasting.

Now Gunther's wife thought alway: "How haughtily doth Lady
Kriemhild bear her! Is not her husband Siegfried our liegeman?
Long time now hath he done us little service." This she bare
within her heart, but held her peace. It irked her sore that
they did make themselves such strangers and that men from
Siegfried's land so seldom served her. Fain would she have known
from whence this came. She asked the king if it might hap that
she should see Kriemhild again. Secretly she spake what she had
in mind. The speech like the king but moderately well. "How
might we bring them," quoth he, "hither to our land? That were