Fair leave was taken of Siegfried, the child of Siegmund the King,
Even as was meet and seemly: then on to the Rhine rode he.
No better herald than Siegfried in all the world might be!
With good knights four-and-twenty to the city of Worms he came.
“Without Gunther he cometh!”—the rumour through the city ran like flame.
Then all the thanes were troubled, and a wailing moaned all round.
They foreboded that in that far land his death the King had found.
But the knights with hearts uplifted sprang each from his gallant steed.
Then Giselher to meet them, the young Prince, hied him with speed:
Came Gernot beside him, his brother, and in eager haste he cried,