Page:The Nibelungenlied - tr. Shumway - 1909.pdf/68

10 rades I will fare to Gunther’s land; thereto shalt thou help me, Father Siegmund.” Then to his knights they gave for garments furs both gray and vair.

Now his mother Siegelind also heard the tale. She began to make dole for her loved child, whom she feared to lose through Gunther’s men. Sorely the noble queen gan weep. Lord Siegfried hied him straightway to where he saw her; to his mother he spake in gentle wise: “Lady, ye must not weep for me; naught have I to fear from all his fighting men. I pray you, speed me on my journey to the Burgundian land, that I and my warriors may have array such as proud heroes can wear with honor; for this I will say you gramercy i’ faith.”

“Since naught will turn thee,” spake then the Lady Siegelind, “so will I speed thee on thy journey, mine only child, with the best of weeds that ever knight did wear, thee and thy comrades. Ye shall have enow.”

Siegfried, the youth, then made low obeisance to the queen. He spake: “None but twelve warriors will I have upon the way. Let raiment be made ready for them, I pray, for I would fain see how it standeth with Kriemhild.”

Then sate fair ladies night and day. Few enow of them, I trow, did ease them, till Siegfried’s weeds had all been wrought. Nor would he desist from faring forth. His father bade adorn the knightly garb in which his son should ride forth from Siegmund’s land. The shining breastplates, too, were put in trim, also the stanch helmets and their shields both fair and broad. Now their journey to the Burgundian land drew near;