Anonymous
Das Nibelungenlied
One day before vespers, there arose in the court of the castle a mighty din of knights that tilted for pastime, and the people ran to see them.
The queens sat together there, each contemplating a mighty warrior. Then fair Kriemhild said, "My husband is so powerful that all these lands might well be his."
But Brunhild answered, "How so? If only the two of you were alive, our kingdom might well be his, but while Gunther [Kriemhild's brother, married to Brunhild] is alive, that can never be."
But Kriemhild said, "Look at him there. He outshines the other knights, as the bright moon outshines the stars! My heart is uplifted with good reason."
Brunhild answered, "However valiant your husband may be, and handsome as he is, your brother Gunther surpasses him, for he is the chief of the kings." But Kriemhild said, "My praise was not idle; my husband is outstanding in everything he does. Believe me, Brunhild, he's at least your husband's equal."
"Don't misunderstand me, Kriemhild, because you are angry. I'm not just making up tales: when I first met them -- when the king defeated me in the contests, and so won my love as a knight -- they both admitted that Siegfried was his man. Therefore I consider him a vassal. He said so himself."
Then Kriemhild cried, "It would grieve me if that were true. How could my brothers have given me to marry a vassal? Pray, have the good manners to drop this line of discussion."
"I shall do no such thing," answered Brunhild. "If I did, I would lose many knights that, with him, owe us homage."
Then fair Kriemhild grew very angry. "Then you will have to lose them, for any service my husband will do you. He is nobler even than Gunther, my noble brother. Spare me, then, your foolish words. If he is your vassal, and you are so much mightier than we are, it amazes me that in all this time he has paid no tribute. Your arrogance is beginning to annoy me."
"You're forgetting your place!" cried the queen. "I would like to see now whether your body is honored as much as mine."
Both the women were angry.
Kriemhild answered, "Very well, we will put it to the test immediately. Since you called Siegfried your vassal, the knights of both kings will see today whether I dare enter the church before you, queen as you may be. For you need to know that I am noble and free, and that my husband is of a higher station than yours. I won't tolerate your scolding: today you will see your vassals go at court before the Burgundian knights, and you will see that I am more honoured than any queen that ever wore a crown."
The women were fiercely angry.
"If you are no vassal," said Brunhild, "you and your women must walk apart from my train when we go to the church."
"So be it," answered Kriemhild.
"Now adorn yourselves, my maidens," said Siegfried's wife, "in such a way that I will not be shamed. If you have rich apparel, show it thoday. She will have to eat her words."
She needed not to bid twice; they sought out their richest clothing, and dames and damsels were soon elaborately dressed.
Then the wife of the royal host went forth with her attendants. Fair to heart's desire were clad Kriemhild and the forty-three maidens that she had brought with her to the Rhine. The cloth of which their robes were made, woven in Arabia, shone brightly. They came to the church, where Siegfried's knights waited for them.
The folk were suprised to see the queens separate, and going not together as they did previously. Many a warrior was to rue it.
Gunther's wife stood before the church, and the knights dallied in conversation with the women, until Kriemhild came up with her retinue. All that noble maidens had ever worn was but as a wind to what these had on. So rich was Kriemhild that thirty kings' wives together would not have been as gorgeous as she was. None could deny, even if they wanted to, that the apparel Kriemhild's maidens wore that day was the richest they had ever seen. Kriemhild did this on purpose to anger Brunhild.