ught?
Had ye slain this minstrel at my court," spake King Etzel, "'twere evil
done. I saw full well how he rode, when he thrust through the Hun, that
it happed through stumbling, without any fault of his. Ye must let my
guests have peace."

Thus he became their safe-guard. To the stalls men led away the steeds;
many a varlet they had, who served them well with zeal in every service.
The host now hied him to his palace with his friends, nor would he let
any man grow wroth again. Then men set up the tables and bare forth
water for the guests. Forsooth the men from the Rhine had there enow of
stalwart foes. 'Twas long before the lords were seated.

Meanwhile Kriemhild's fears did trouble her passing sore. She spake: "My
lord of Berne, I seek thy counsel, help, and favor, for mine affairs do
stand in anxious wise."

Then Hildebrand, a worshipful knight, made answer to her: "And any slay
the Nibelungs for the sake of any hoard, he will do it without my aid.
It may well repent him, for they be still unconquered, these doughty and
lusty knights."

Then Spake Sir Dietrich in his courteous wise: "Let be this wish, O
mighty queen. Thy kinsmen have done me naught of wrong, that I should
crave to match these valiant knights in strife. Thy request honoreth
thee little, most noble queen, that thou dost plot against the life of
thy kinsfolk. They came in hope of friendship to this land. Siegfried
will not be avenged by Dietrich's hand."

When she found no whit of faithlessness in the lord of Berne, quickly
she promised Bloedel a broad estate, that Nudung (5) owned aforetime.
Later he was slain by Hagen, so that he quite forgot the gift. She
spake: "Thou must help me, Sir Bloedel, forsooth my foes be in this
house, who slew Siegfried, my dear husband. Ever will I serve him, that
helpeth me avenge this deed."

To this Bloedel replied: "My lady, now may ye know that because of Etzel
I dare not, in sooth, advise to hatred against them, for he is fain to
see thy kinsmen at his court. The king would ne'er forget it of me, and
I did them aught of wrong."

"Not so, Sir Bloedel, for I shall ever be thy friend. Certes, I'll give
thee silver and gold as guerdon and a comely maid, the wife of Nudung,
whose lovely body thou mayst fain caress. I'll give thee his land and
all his castles, too, so that thou mayst always live in joy, Sir knight,
if thou dost now win the lands where Nudung dwelt. Faithfully will I
keep, whatso I vow to thee to