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112 hild, for I have not spoken thus without good reason. I heard them both aver, when I saw them first of all, and the king was victor against me in the games, and when he won my love in such knightly wise, that he was liegeman to the king, and Siegfried himself declared the same. I hold him therefore as my vassal, sith I heard him speak thus himself.”

Then spake fair Kriemhild: “Ill had I then sped. How could my noble brothers have so wrought, that I should be a mere vassal’s bride? Therefore I do beseech thee, Brunhild, in friendly wise, that for my sake thou kindly leave off this speech.”

“I’ll not leave it off,” quoth the king’s wife. “Why should I give up so many a knight, who with the warrior doth owe us service?”

Kriemhild, the passing fair, waxed wroth out of wit. “Thou must forego that he ever do you a vassal’s service; he is worthier than my brother Gunther, the full noble man. Thou must retract what I have heard thee say. Certes, it wondereth me, sith he be thy vassal and thou hast so much power over us twain, why he hath rendered thee no tribute so long a time. By right I should be spared thy overweening pride.”

“Thou bearest thee too high,“ spake the king’s wife. “I would fain see whether men will hold thee in such high honor as they do me.”

The ladies both grew wonderly wroth of mood. Then spake the Lady Kriemhild: “This must now hap. Sith thou hast declared my husband for thy liegeman, now must the men of the two kings perceive to-day whether I durst walk before the queen to church. Thou must see to-day that I am noble and free and that my hus-