spake: "Ye worthy knights, ere ye go hence, pray take my gifts.
I am minded to deserve it of you ever. Do not disdain my goods,
the which I'll share with you, as I have great desire."

Then up spake they of Denmark: "Ere we ride homeward to our land,
we crave a lasting peace; we knights have need thereof, for many
a one of our kinsmen lieth dead at the hands of your men-at-
arms."

Liudegast, the Saxon chief, was now cured of his wounds and had
recovered from the fray, though many dead they left within this
land. Then King Gunther went to find Sir Siegfried; to the
knight he spake: "Now tell me what to do. Our foes would fain
ride early and beg for lasting peace of me and of my men. Advise
me now, Knight Siegfried, what thinketh thee good to do? What
the lordings offer me will I tell thee; what of gold five hundred
steeds can bear, that would they gladly give me, and I set them
free again."

Then spake the mighty Siegfried: "That were done but ill. Let
them ride hence unhindered, but make each of the lordings give
surety with his hand, that their noble knights henceforth forbear
all hostile riding hither to your land."

"This counsel will I follow." Herewith they parted, and to the
king's foes was told that no one craved the gold they proffered.
For their loved friends at home the battle-weary warriors longed.
Many a shield full of treasure was then brought forth which the
king dealt out unweighed to his many friends, to each five
hundred marks of gold, and to a few, still more. Gernot, the