at the feud doth stand against you alone."

Quoth Hagen: "Now let the messengers from the Huns beguile you not,
whatsoever they say. Would ye visit Kriemhild, easily may ye lose there
both life and honor. Full long of vengeance is King Etzel's wife."

Then spake Prince Gernot to the council: "Why should we give it over,
because ye rightly fear death in the Hunnish lands? It were an ill deed
not to go to see our sister."

Then spake Prince Giselher to the knight: "Sith ye know you to be
guilty, friend Hagen, ye should stay at home and guard you well, and let
those who dare ride with us to my sister."

At this the knight of Troneg grew wroth of mood. "I will not that ye
take any with you on the way, who durst better ride to court than I.
Sith ye will not turn you, I will well show you that."

Then spake the master of the kitchen, Rumolt, the knight: "Ye can well
have the strangers and the home-folk cared for here, after your own
desire, for ye have full store of goods. I ween, Hagen hath never given
you for a hostage; (1) but if ye will not follow him, Rumolt adviseth
you, for I be bound to you in fealty and duty, that for my sake ye abide
here and leave King Etzel there with Kriemhild. How might it fare more
gently with you in all the world? Ye be well able to stand before your
foes; so deck your body out with brave attire, drink the best of wine,
and pay court to stately ladies. Thereto ye be served with the best of
food that ever king did gain in the world. And were this not so, yet
should ye tarry here for your fair wife's sake, before ye risk your life
so childishly. Wherefore I do counsel you to stay at home. Your lands be
rich, and one can redeem his pledges better at home than among the Huns.
Who knoweth how it standeth there? Ye should stay at home, Sire, that is
Rumolt's counsel."

"We will not stay," quoth Gernot. "Sith my sister and the mighty Etzel
have bidden us in such friendly wise, why should we not accept? He that
liketh not to go may stay at home."

To This Hagen answered: "Take not my speech amiss, however ye may fare.
In all truth I counsel you, would ye guard your lives, then ride to the
Huns well armed. Sith ye will not turn you, send for your men-at-arms,
the best ye have or can find in any part; from among them all I'll
choose a thousand doughty knights. Then Kriemhild's evil mood can bring
you naught of harm."

"This rede I'll gladly follow," spake straightway the king. He then
bade mess