engers pricked fast upon their homeward way. Now was Gere, the
knight, come to Burgundy and was greeted fair. Then they dismounted from
their steeds and from the nags in front of Gunther's hall. Young and old
did hie them, as people do, to ask the tidings. Quoth the good knight:
"When I tell them to the king, thou be at hand a hear."

With his fellowship he went to where he found King Gunther. For very joy
the king sprang from his seat. Fair Brunhild cried them mercy, that they
were come so quick. Gunther spake to the envoys: "How fareth Siegfried,
from whom so much of gladness hath happed to me?"

Brave Gere spake: "He blushed for joy, he and your sister; no truer
tidings did ever any man send to friends, than the Lord Siegfried and
his father, too, have sent to you."

Then to the margrave spake the noble queen: "Now tell me, cometh
Kriemhild to us? Hath the fair still kept the graces which she knew how
to use?"

"She cometh to you surely," quoth Gere, the knight.

Then Uta bade the messenger come quickly to her. By her question one
might note full well that she was fain to hear if Kriemhild still were
well. He told how he had found her and that she would shortly come. Nor
were the gifts concealed by them at court, which Siegfried gave them,
gold and vesture; these they brought for the vassals of the three kings
to see. For their passing great bounty men gave them thanks.

"He may lightly give great gifts," spake then Hagen; "he could not
squander all his wealth, and he should live for aye. His hand hath
closed upon the hoard of the Nibelungs. Ho, let him only come to the
Burgundian land!"

All the courtiers were glad that they should come. Early and late the
men of the three kings were busy. Many benches they gan raise for the
folk. The valiant Hunolt and the knight Sindolt had little rest. All
time they had to oversee the stewards and the butlers and raise many a
bench. Ortwin helped them, too, at this, and Gunther said them thanks.
Rumolt, the master cook, how well he ruled his underlings! Ho, how many
a broad kettle, pot, and pan they had! They made ready the vitaille for
those who were coming to the land.

ENDNOTES:
(1) "Norway". The interpolated character of the Adventures XI
to XIII, which are not found in the earlier versions, is
shown by the confusion in the location of Siegfried's court.
The poet has forgotten that Xanten is his capital, and
locates it in No