His kinsmen and his liegemen counselled him to woo a fitting mate, if he meant to love in earnest, whereto Siegfried answered, “It shall be Kriemhild. So measureless fair is the maiden of Burgundy, that the greatest emperor, were he minded to wed, were none too good for her.”
The tidings came to Siegmund’s ear. His knights told him Siegfried’s intent, and it irked him that his son should woo the royal maiden. To Sieglind, the king’s wife, they told it also, and she feared for his life, for she knew Gunther and his men.
They would have turned him from his quest.
Spake bold Siegfried then, “Dearest father mine, either I will think no more on women at all, or I will woo where my heart’s desire is.” And for all they could say, he changed not his purpose.
Then said the king, “If thou wilt not yield in this, i’faith, I approve thy choice, and will further thee therein as I best can. Nevertheless, Gunther hath many mighty men, were it none other than Hagen, an arrogant and overweening knight. I fear both thou and I must rue that thou goest after this king’s daughter.”
“What harm can come thereof?” answered Siegfried. “What I win not for the friendly asking, I will take by the prowess of my hand. I doubt not but I shall strip him of both liegemen and lands.”
But Siegmund said, “I am grieved at thy word. If it were heard at the Rhine, thou durst not ride at all into Gunther’s country. Both Gunther and Gernot are known to me from aforetime, and by force shall none win the maiden. That have I often heard. But if thou wilt ride thither with warriors, I will summon my friends. They will follow thee nothing loth.”
Siegfried answered, “I will not ride with an army of warriors to the Rhine; it would shame me so to win the maiden by force. I would win her with mine own hand. One of twelve I will forth to Gunther’s land, and to this shalt thou help me, my father Siegmund.”
They gave to his knights cloaks of fur, some grey and some striped.
Sieglind his mother heard it, and sorrowed for her dear son, for fear she might lose him by the hand of Gunther’s men. The noble queen wept sore.