, she will see thee gladly."

Siegfried answered, "If I can serve her in aught, it shall be done.
Where are now the ladies, that I may go to them?"

Giselher, the brave youth, bare the message; he said to his mother and
his sister, "Siegfried is come to us, the hero of the Netherland. My
brother Gunther hath sent him hither to the Rhine. He bringeth us word
how it standeth with the king. Allow him to come to the court, for he
bringeth news from Issland."

The noble women were heavy of their cheer. They ran for their robes, and
arrayed them, and bade Siegfried to the court; and he went gladly, for he
yearned to see them. Kriemhild, the noble maiden, greeted him fair.

"Thou art welcome, Sir Siegfried, valiant knight. Where is my brother
Gunther, the noble king? I fear we have lost him by Brunhild's
strength. Alack! that ever I was born!"

But the warrior answered, "Give me the guerdon of good news, for, fair
women, ye weep without cause. I left him safe and sound--I say sooth--and
he hath charged me with a message. He and his wife commend them
lovingly to thee, O Queen. Dry thine eyes, for they will be here
shortly."

Kriemhild had not heard such good news for many a day. She wiped her
bright eyes with her snow-white apron, and began to thank the envoy for
his message.

So ended her sorrow and her tears.

She bade Siegfried sit, whereto he was nothing loth, and said sweetly, "I
would fain give thee the envoy's guerdon, wert thou not too rich to
receive it. Take my good will in lieu thereof."

"Though I had thirty lands," answered Siegfried, "I were proud to take a
gift from thy hand."

Kriemhild said, "Be it so." And she bade the chamberlain fetch the
envoy's meed. She gave him four and twenty bracelets with precious
stones for his fee. The hero would not keep them: he was too rich a
prince, but gave them to the maidens that were in the chamber.

Uta, also, greeted him fair, and he said, "I must tell thee further what
the king would have thee do when he cometh to the Rhine; for the which,
if thou grant it, he will ever be beholden to thee. He would have thee
receive his noble guests kindly, and ride out from Worms to the shore to
meet them. He begged this of thee with true heart."

The beautiful maiden answered, "I will do it gladly. I will deny him no
service. Faithfully and truly will I do it." And she grew red from love.

Never was prince's envoy better entreated. If she had durst