On yonder side Rhine river / they saw a stately band,
The king and host of strangers, / ride down unto the strand,
And also many a lady / sitting on charger led.
By those who should receive them / was goodly preparation made.

Soon they of Isenland / the ship had entered then,
And with them Siegfried's vassals / the Nibelungen men;
They strained unto the shore / with untiring hand
When they beheld the monarch's / friends upon the farther strand.

Now list ye eke the story / of the stately queen,
Ute, how at her bidding / ladies fair were seen
Forth coming from the castle / to ride her company.
Then came to know each other / full many a knight and fair lady.

The Margrave Gere / but to the castle gate
The bridle held for Kriemhild; / the keen Siegfried did wait
Thenceforward upon her. / She was a beauteous maid.
Well was the knight's good service / by the lady since repaid.

Ortwein the valiant / Queen Ute rode beside,
And many a knight full gallant / was stately lady's guide.
At such a high reception, / that may we say, I ween,
Was ne'er such host of ladies / in company together seen.

With show of rider's talent / the tilt was carried on,
For might the knights full gallant / naught fitting leave undone,
As passed down to the river / Kriemhild the lady bright.
Then helped was many a lady / fair from charger to alight.

The king had then come over / and many a stranger too.
Heigh-ho! What strong shafts splintered / before the ladies flew!
Many a shaft go crashing / heard you there on shield.
Heigh-ho! What din of costly / arms resounded o'er the field.

The full lovely maidens / upon the shore did stand,
As Gunther with the strangers / stepped upon the land;
He himself did Brunhild / by the hand lead on.
Then sparkled towards each other / rich dress and many a shining stone.

Then went Lady Kriemhild / with fullest courtesy due,
To greet the Lady Brunhild / and her retinue.
And saw ye each the head-band / with fair hand move aside
When they kissed each other: / high courtesy did the ladies guide.

Then spake the maiden Kriemhild, / a high-born lady she:
"Unto this our country / shalt thou right welcome be,
To me and to my mother / and each true friend of mine,
That we here have with us." / Then each did unto each incline.

Within their arms the ladies / oft-times clasped each other.
Like this fond reception / heard ye of ne'er another,
As when both the ladies / there the bride did greet,
Queen Ute and her daughter; / oft-times they kissed her lips so sweet.

When all of Brunhild's ladies / were come upon the strand,
Then was there taken / full fondly by the hand
By the warriors stately / many a fair lady.
Before the Lady Brunhild / the train of fair maids might ye see.

Before their greetings ended / a mickle time was gone,
For lips of rosy color / were kissed there, many a one.
Long stood they together, / the royal ladies high,
And so to look upon them / pleased many a noble warrior's eye.

Then spied with probing eye, too, / who before did hear
That till then was never / aught beheld so fair,
As those two royal ladies: / they found it was no lie.
In all their person might ye / no manner of deceit espy.

Who there could spy fair ladies / and judge of beauty rare,
They praised the wife of Gunther / that she was passing fair;
Yet spake again the wise men / who looked with keener gaze,
They rather would to Kriemhild / before Brunhild award the praise.

Then went unto each other / maid and fair lady.
Full many a fair one might ye / in rich adornment see.
There stood rich tents a many, / silken great and small,
Wherewith in every quarter / 'fore Worms the field was covered all.

Of the king's high kindred / a mighty press there was.
Then bade they Brunhild / and Kriemhild on to pass,
And with them all the ladies, / where they in shade might be.
Thither did bring them warriors / of the land of Burgundy.