d to be at the
feast? Will the best of those we bade come hither to this land? Pray
tell me what Hagen said when he heard the tale."

The minstrel answered: "He came on a morning early to the council,
and but little of fair speech he spake thereby. When they pledged the
journey hither to the Hunnish lands, that was as words of death to the
wrathful Hagen. Your brothers, the three kings, will come in lordly
mood. Whoever else may come, this tale I know not of a surety. The brave
minstrel Folker vowed to ride along."

"Little do I reck," spake the queen, "whether I ever see Folker here. Of
Hagen I be fond, he is a doughty hero. My spirits stand high that we may
see him here."

Then the queen went to where she saw the king. How lovingly Dame
Kriemhild spake: "How like you these tales, dear my lord? What I have
ever craved, shall now be brought to pass."

"Thy wish is my joy," spake then the king. "Never have I been so blithe
of mine own kin, when they should come hither to my lands. Through the
kindness of thy kinsmen my care hath fled away."

King Etzel's officers bade everywhere palace and hall be purveyed with
benches for the guests which were to come. Thereafter the king heard
from them mickle weeping.

ENDNOTES:
(1) "Hostage", i.e., he has never betrayed you to your enemies.
(2) "Gran", royal free city of Hungary, on the right bank of the
Danube opposite the influx of the Gran, twenty-four miles
northwest of Budapest.

ADVENTURE XXV. How The Lords All Journeyed To The Huns.

Now let us leave the tale of how they lived at Etzel's court. More
high-mettled warriors never rode in such lordly wise to the land of any
king; they had whatever they listed, both of weapons and of weeds. The
ruler of the Rhineland clad his men, a thousand and sixty knights, (1)
as I have heard, and nine thousand footmen, for the courtly feast. Those
they left at home bewailed it in after time. The trappings were now
borne across the court at Worms; then spake an aged bishop from Speyer
to fair Uta: "Our friends would journey to the feasting. May God
preserve their honor there."

The noble Lady Uta then spake to her sons: "Pray tarry here, good
knights. Me-dreamed last night of direst woe, how all the fowls in this
land lay dead."

"Who recketh aught of dreams," quoth Hagen, "he wotteth not how to say
the proper words, when 'twould bring him great store of honors. I wish
that my lord go to court to