I will bid them
hither by my envoys."

The queen answered then, "Send not thither without my knowledge, and
inform me, without fail, when my dear friends shall come. And tell me,
also, whom thou wilt charge with the embassy."

"That will I," said the king. "I will despatch thirty of my knights."

He bade them to his presence, and sent greeting by them to Siegfried's
country. Brunhild clad them in rich apparel, and the king spake, "Ye
knights shall keep back naught wherewith I charge you, but shall say to
stark Siegfried, and to my sister, that no man in this world is better
minded to them than I be. Bid them both hither to the Rhine. If they
come, I and my wife will cease not to be beholden to them. Or midsummer
is here, he and his knights will find among us many to do them worship.
Greet King Siegmund also from me, and say that I and my friends are his
true servants; and entreat my sister that, without fail, she ride hither
to her friends. No hightide were fitter for her."

Brunhild and Uta, and their women, commended them to the fair women and
the bold men at Siegfried's court.

So the envoys made haste to do the king's bidding. They stood ready for
the road; horses and harness were there, and they took their leave. They
pushed forward with the escort the king gave them. Inside of twelve days
they reached the land and the castle of the Nibelungs, and found
Siegfried on the march of Norway. Horses and men were weary with the
long road.

They brought word to both Siegfried and Kriemhild that knights were come,
clad after the manner of the Burgundians.

And Kriemhild sprang from the couch where she lay resting, and bade a
maiden run to the window, who saw Gary standing in the courtyard, and his
knights that were sent with him. They brought welcome news to her
anxious heart.

She cried to the king, "Seest thou, standing there in the courtyard, them
that be come with stark Gary, that my brother Gunther hath sent down the
Rhine?"

And Siegfried answered, "They are welcome."

All the folk ran when they saw the envoys and greeted them with kind
words. Siegfried was right glad at their coming. Lodging was given to
them, and their horses were seen to, whereupon they went straightway
where Siegfried sat by Kriemhild. Both were joyful to behold them. The
king and his wife rose quickly to receive Gary and Gunther's knights of
Burgundy. And they bade Gary sit down.

"Nay, let us way-weary guests sta