406.
A chamberlain said to them: “Yield now your swords to us,
And eke your shining hauberks.” “Nay, it shall not be thus!”
Cried Hagen, lord of Tronjé, “These we ourselves wilt bear!”
Then Siegfried had to teach him what were the customs there.
407.
“The fashion in this castle, as you must understand,
Is that no guest shall carry a weapon in his hand.
So let them hence be taken: in sooth, ’tis fairly meant.”
Then Hagen, Gunther’s liegeman, did grudgingly consent.
408.
Wine for the guests was order’d, and lodgings good prepared.
And to and from the palace swift-footed warriors fared,—
Ail clad in princely raiment they ever came and went;
And on the stranger-heroes were wond’ring glances bent.
409.
Then unto Queen Brunhilda some one the news declared
That certain unknown warriors had suddenly appear’d,
In glorious apparel, by ship across the flood.
Whereon began to question the maiden fair and good.
410.
“I would that someone told me,” so spake the maiden queen,
Who are these stranger-warriors, that ne’er afore were seen,
And now stand in my castle, with such a noble grace?
And for whose sake these heroes have voyaged to this place?”
411.
Then spake one of her people: “Lady, I must avow
Not one of these same warriors I e’er beheld till now;
But there is one among them much like unto Siegfried;
You must give him good welcome, that is in sooth my rede.
