e him back his sword
and six red arm bands. "These keep, Sir Knight, as a token that thou art
my friend. A bold knight thou art, though thou standest alone upon the
marches."

"God repay you for your arm bands," Eckewart replied. "Yet your journey
to the Huns doth rue me sore. Because ye slew Siegfried, men hate you
here. I counsel you in truth, that ye guard you well."

"Now may God protect us," answered Hagen. "These knights, the kings and
their liegemen, have forsooth no other care, save for their lodgement,
where we may find quarters in this land to-night. Our steeds be spent by
the distant way and our food run out," quoth Hagen, the knight. "We
find naught anywhere for sale, and have need of a host, who through his
courtesie would give us of his bread to-night."

Then Eckewart made answer: "I'll show you a host so good that full
seldom have ye been lodged so well in any land, as here may hap you, an'
ye will seek out Rudeger, ye doughty knights. He dwelleth by the highway
and is the best host that ever owned a house. His heart giveth birth to
courtesie, as the sweet May doth to grass and flowers. He is aye merry
of mood, when he can serve good knights."

At this King Gunther spake: "Will ye be my messenger and ask whether my
dear friend Rudeger will for my sake keep us, my kinsmen and our men? I
will repay thee this, as best I ever can."

"Gladly will I be the messenger," Eckewart replied. With a right good
will he gat him on the road and told Rudeger the message he had heard,
to whom none such pleasing news had come in many a day.

At Bechelaren men saw a knight pricking fast. Rudeger himself descried
him; he spake: "Upon the road yonder hasteth Eckewart, a liegeman of
Kriemhild."

He weened the foes had done him scathe. Before the gate he went to meet
the messenger, who ungirt his sword and laid it from his hand. The
tales he brought were not hidden from the host and his friends, but were
straightway told them. To the margrave he spake: "Gunther, the lord of
the Burgundian land, and Giselher, his brother, and Gernot, too, have
sent me hither to you. Each of the warriors tendered you his service.
Hagen and Folker, too, eagerly did the same in truth. Still more I'll
tell you, that the king's marshal sendeth you by me the message, that
the good knights have passing need of your lodgement."

Rudeger answered with a smile: "Now well is me of these tales, that
the high-born kings do reck of my service. It shal