So she waited for the hour when the Devil tempted her, and she turned the joy of the hightide to dole. For it pressed on her heart, and must needs come to light. By reason thereof many lands were filled with mourning.
Fourteenth Adventure
How the Queens Quarrelled
One day, before vespers, there arose in the court of the castle a mighty din of knights that tilted for pastime, and the folk ran to see them.
The queens sat together there, thinking each on a doughty warrior. Then said fair Kriemhild, “I have a husband of such might that all these lands might well be his.”
But Brunhild answered, “How so? If there lived none other save thou and he, our kingdom might haply be his, but while Gunther is alive it could never be.”
But Kriemhild said, “See him there. How he surpasseth the other knights, as the bright moon the stars! My heart is uplifted with cause.”
Whereupon Brunhild answered, “Howso valiant thy husband, comely and fair, thy brother Gunther excelleth him, for know that he is the first among kings.”
But Kriemhild said, “My praise was not idle; for worshipful is my husband in many things. Trow it, Brunhild. He is, at the least, thy husband’s equal.”
“Mistake me not in thine anger, Kriemhild. Neither is my word idle; for they both said, when I saw them first, and the king vanquished me in the sports, and on knightly wise won my love, that Siegfried was his man. Wherefore I hold him for a vassal, since I heard him say it.”
Then Kriemhild cried, “Evil were my lot if that were true. How had my brothers given me to a vassal to wife? Prithee, of thy courtesy, cease from such discourse.”