engers ride far and wide throughout his lands. Three thousand
champions or more they fetched. Little they weened to gain such grievous
woe. Full merrily they rode to Gunther's court. Men bade give all that
were to ride forth from Burgundy both steeds and trappings. The king
gained full many a one with willing mood. Then Hagen of Troneg bade his
brother Dankwart lead eighty of their warriors to the Rhine. In knightly
guise they came; these doughty men took with them harness and trappings
into Gunther's land. Then came bold Folker, a noble minstrel he,
with thirty of his men for the journey to Kriemhild's court. They had
clothing such as a king might wear. Gunther bade make known, he would to
the Hunnish land. I'll do you now to wit who Folker was. He was a noble
lord, the liege of many doughty knights in Burgundy. A minstrel he was
called, for that he wist how to fiddle. Hagen chose a thousand whom
he well knew; oft had he seen what their hands had wrought in press of
battle, or in whatever else they did. None might aver aught else of them
than doughtiness.

The tarrying irked Kriemhild's envoys sore, for great was their fear of
their lord. Daily they craved leave to go; this Hagen would not grant
through craftiness. To his master he spake: "We should well guard
against letting them ride away, until we ourselves fare forth a sennight
later to Etzel's land. If any beareth us ill will, the better shall we
wot it. Nor may Lady Kriemhild then make ready that through any plan of
hers, men do us harm. An' this be her will, she'll fare full ill, for
many a chosen liegeman had we hence."

Shields and saddles, and all the garments that they would take with them
to Etzel's land, were now full ready for many a brave man-at-arms. Now
men bade Kriemhild's messengers go before King Gunther. When they were
come, Gernot spake: "The king will do as Etzel asked us, we will gladly
come to his high feast to see our sister; be no more in doubt of that."

Then King Gunther spake: "Wist ye how to tell us, when this feast shall
be, or in what time we should go thither?"

Swemmel replied: "Of a truth it shall be on next midsummer's day."

The king gave them leave (this had not happed as yet), if they would
fain see Lady Brunhild, to go before her with his free will. This Folker
hindered, which pleased her much. "Forsooth, my Lady Brunhild is not
so well of mood, that ye may see her," spake the good knight. "Bide the
morrow, and men will let