arge, which won him friends. None might
gainsay Dame Kriemhild's will. All time she thought: "I will beg the
king, that he in kindly wise may grant me to bring my kinsmen to the
Hunnish land." None marked the evil purpose of the queen. One night when
she lay by the king, and he did hold her in his arms, as he was wont
to love the noble dame, who was dear to him as life, the high-born lady
thought her of her foes. To the king she spake: "Dear my lord, I would
fain beseech you, by your grace, that ye would show me that ye did love
my kinsfolk, if I have earned the favor."

Then spake the king (true was his heart): "I'll give you to know however
well the knights may fare, I may well have joy of this, for never have I
won better kin through woman's love."

Again the queen spake: "It hath been well told you, that I have
high-born kin; therefore do I grieve that they so seldom reck to see me
here. I hear the folk aver that I be banished."

Then spake king Etzel: "Dear lady mine, and it think you not too far,
I'll bid hither to my lands, from across the Rhine, whomso ye be fain to
see."

The lady joyed her when she heard his will. She spake: "Would ye show me
your faith, my lord, then send envoys to Worms across the Rhine, through
whom I may tell my kinsfolk what I have in mind. Thus there will come
hither to our land many a noble knight and a good."

He answered: "It shall hap whenso ye bid. Ye might not be more glad to
see your kin than I to see the sons of the noble Uta. It doth irk me
sore, that they have been strangers to us so long a time. If it please
you, dear lady mine, I would fain send my minstrels for your kinsmen to
the Burgundian land."

He bade the good minstrels be fetched straightway. Quickly they hasted
to where the king sate by the queen. He told the twain they should be
envoys to the Burgundian land and bade full lordly weeds be made ready
for them. Clothing was prepared for four and twenty warriors, and the
message was told them by the king, how they should bid Gunther and his
liegemen hither. Kriemhild, the queen, talked with them apart. Then
spake the mighty king: "I'll tell you what to say. I offer to my kin my
love and service, that it may please them to ride hither to my land. But
few such welcome guests have I known, and if they perchance will fulfill
my wish, tell Kriemhild's kinsmen that they must not fall to come this
summer to my feast, for much of my joy doth lie upon the kinsmen of my
wi