Siegfried: "Hast thou no knowledge of these maidens, who yonder
are gazing downward towards us on the flood? Whoever be their
lord, they are of lofty mood."

At this Sir Siegfried spake: "I pray you, spy secretly among the
high-born maids and tell me then whom ye would choose, and ye had
the power."

"That will I," spake Gunther, the bold and valiant knight. "In
yonder window do I see one stand in snow-white weeds. She is
fashioned so fair that mine eyes would choose her for her
comeliness. Had I power, she should become my wife."

"Right well thine eyes have chosen for thee. It is the noble
Brunhild, the comely maid, for whom thy heart doth strive and eke
thy mind and mood." All her bearing seemed to Gunther good.

When bade the queen her high-born maids go from the windows, for
it behooved them not to be the mark of strangers' eyes. Each one
obeyed. What next the ladies did, hath been told us since. They
decked their persons out to meet the unknown knights, a way fair
maids have ever had. To the narrow casements they came again,
where they had seen the knights. Through love of gazing this was
done.

But four there were that were come to land. Through the windows
the stately women saw how Siegfried led a horse out on the sand,
whereby King Gunther felt himself much honored. By the bridle he
held the steed, so stately, good and fair, and large and strong,
until King Gunther had sat him in the saddle. Thus Siegfried