For Gernot and Giselher men bade send to learn whether the two lords
would think it well that Kriemhild should take the mighty and noble
king. Hagen still gainsaid, but no one other. Then spake the knight
Giselher of Burgundy: "Friend Hagen, ye may still show your fealty. Make
her to forget the wrongs that ye have done her. Whatever good fortune
she may have, this ye should not oppose. Ye have in truth done my sister
so many an ill," continued Giselher, the full lusty knight, "that she
hath good cause, if she be angry with you. Never hath one bereft a lady
of greater joys."
Quoth Hagen: "I'll do you to wit what well I know. If she take Etzel and
live long enow, she'll do us still much harm in whatever way she can.
Forsooth full many a stately vassal will own her service."
To this brave Gernot answered: "It may not happen, that we ever ride to
Etzel's land before they both be dead. Let us serve her faithfully, that
maketh for our honor."
Again Hagen spake: "None can gainsay me, an' the noble Kriemhild wear
the crown of Helca, she will do us harm as best she may. Ye should give
it over, 'twould beseem you knights far better."
Wrathfully then spake Giselher, fair Uta's son: "Let us not all act as
traitors. We should be glad of whatever honors may be done her. Whatever
ye may say, Hagen, I shall serve her by my troth."
Gloomy of mood grew Hagen when he heard these words. Gernot and
Giselher, the proud knights and good, and Gunther, the mighty, spake at
last, if Kriemhild wished it, they would let it hap without all hate.
Then spake Prince Gere: "I will tell the lady that she look with favor
upon King Etzel, to whom so many knights owe dread obedience. He can
well requite her of all the wrongs that have been done her."
Then the doughty warrior hied him to where he saw Kriemhild. Kindly she
received him. How quickly then he spake: "Ye may well greet me gladly
and give me a messenger's meed. Fortune is about to part you from all
your woes. For the sake of your love, my lady, one of the very best that
ever gained a kingdom with great honors, or should wear a crown, hath
sent envoys hither. Noble knights be wooing; this my brother bade me
tell you."
Then spake the sorrow-laden dame: "God should forbid you and all my
kinsmen that ye make a mock of me, poor woman. What could I be to a man
who had ever gained heartfelt love from a faithful wife?"
Sorely she gainsaid it, but then came Gernot, her brother, and Giselher,
the youth, and lovingly bade her ease her heart. It would do her good in
truth, could she but take the king.
None might persuade the lady that she should marry any man. Then the
knights begged: "If ye do naught else, pray let it hap that ye deign to
see the messengers."
"I'll not deny," spake the noble dame, "but that I should gladly see
the Margrave Rudeger for his passing courtesie. Were he not sent hither,
whoever else might be the messenger, never should he become acquainted
with me. Pray bid him come to-morrow to my bower. I'll let him hear my
will in full and tell it him myself." At this her great laments brake
forth anew.
The noble Rudeger now craved naught else but that he might see the
high-born queen. He wist himself to be so wise that she could not but
let the knight persuade her, if it should ever be. Early on the morrow
when mass was sung, the noble envoys came. A great press arose; of those
who should go to court with Rudeger, many a lordly man was seen arrayed.
Full sad of mood, the high-born Kriemhild bided the noble envoy and
good. He found her in the weeds she wore each day, whereas her handmaids
wore rich clothes enow. She went to meet him to the door and greeted
full kindly Etzel's liegeman. Only as one of twelve he went to meet her.
Men offered him great worship, for never were come more lofty envoys.
They bade the lording and his vassals seat them. Before her were seen to
stand the two Margraves Eckewart and Gere, the noble knights and good.
None they saw merry of mood, for the sake of the lady of the house. Many
fair women were seen to sit before her, but Kriemhild only nursed her
grief; her dress upon her breast was wet with scalding tears. This the
noble margrave noted well on Kriemhild.
Then spake the high-born messenger: "Most noble princess, I pray you,
permit me and my comrades that are come with me, to stand before you and
tell you the tidings for the sake of which we have ridden hither."
"Now may ye speak whatso ye list," spake the queen. "I am minded to hear
it gladly; ye be a worthy messenger."
The others noted well her unwilling mood.
Then spake Prince Rudeger of Bechelaren: "Etzel, a high-born king,
hath in good faith sent you a friendly greeting, my lady, by messengers
hither to this land. Many good knights hath he sent hither for your
love. Great joy without grief he doth offer you most truly. He is ready
to give you constant friendship, as he did afore to Lady Helca, who lay
within his heart. Certes, through longing for her virtues he hath full
often joyless days."
Then spake the queen: "Margrave Rudeger, were there any who knew my
bitter sorrow, he would not bid me marry any man. Of a truth I lost the
best of husbands that ever lady won."
"What may comfort grief," the bold knight replied, "but married joy.
When that any gan gain this and chooseth one who doth beseem him, naught
availeth so greatly for woe of heart. And ye care to love my noble
master, ye shall have power over twelve mighty crowns. Thereto my lord
will give you the lands of thirty princes, all of which his doughty hand
hath overcome. Ye shall become the mistress over many worthy liegemen,
who were subject to my Lady Helca, and over many dames of high and
princely race, who owned her sway." Thus spake the brave knight and
bold. "Thereto my lord will give you (this he bade me say), if ye would
deign to wear with him the crown, the very highest power which Helca
ever won; this shall ye rule before all Etzel's men."
Then spake the queen: "How might it ever list me to become a hero's
bride? Death hath given me in the one such dole that I must ever live
joyless unto mine end."
To this the Huns replied: "O mighty queen, your life at Etzel's court
will be so worshipful that it will ever give you joy, an' it come to
pass, for the mighty king hath many a stately knight. Helca's damosels
and your maids shall together form one retinue, at sight of which
warriors may well be blithe of mood. Be advised, my lady, ye will fare
well in truth."
With courtesie she spake: "Now let be this speech until the morrow
early, when ye shall come here again. Then will I give you answer to
what ye have in mind."
The bold knights and good must needs obey.
When all were now come to their lodgings, the noble dame bade send for
Giselher and for her mother, too. To the twain she said, that weeping
did beseem her and naught else better.
Then spake her brother Giselher: "Sister, it hath been told me, and I
can well believe it, that King Etzel would make all thy sorrows vanish,
and thou takest him to be thy husband. Whatever others may advise, this
thinketh me well done. He is well able to turn thy grief to joy," spake
Giselher again; "from the Rhone to the Rhine, from the Elbe down to the
sea, there be no other king as mighty as he. Thou mayst well rejoice,
an' he make thee his wife."
She spake: "My dear brother, why dost thou advise me this? Weeping
and wailing beseem me better far. How should I go to court before his
knights? Had I ever beauty, of this I am now bereft."
To her dear daughter the Lady Uta spake: "Whatever thy brothers counsel
thee, dear child, that do. Obey thy kindred and it will go well with
thee. I have seen thee now too long in thy great grief."
Then she prayed God full oft to grant her such store of goods that she
might have gold, silver, and clothes to give, as at her husband's side
of yore, when that he was still alive and well. Else would she never
have again such happy hours. She thought within her mind: "And shall
I give my body to a paynim (6) (I am a Christian wife), forever in the
world must I bear shame. An' he gave me all the kingdoms in the world
still 1 would not do it."
Thus she let the matter rest. All night until the break of day the lady
lay upon her bed in thought. Her bright eyes never grew dry, till on the
morn she went to matins. Just at the time for mass the kings were come
and took their sister again in hand. In truth they urged her to wed the
king of the Hunnish land; little did any of them find the lady merry.
Then they bade fetch hither Etzel's men, who now would fain have taken
their leave, whatever the end might be, whether they gained or lost
their suit. Rudeger came now to court; his heroes urged him to learn
aright the noble prince's mind. To all it seemed well that this be done
betimes, for long was the way back into their land. Men brought Rudeger
to where Kriemhild was found. Winningly the knight gan beg the noble
queen to let him hear what message she would send to Etzel's land. I
ween, he heard from her naught else than no, that she nevermore would
wed a man. The margrave spake: "That were ill done. Why would ye let
such beauty wither? Still with honor may ye become the bride of a worthy
man."
Naught booted that they urged, till Rudeger told the noble queen in
secret that he would make amends for all that ever happed to her. At
this her great sorrow grew a deal more mild. To the queen he spake: "Let
be your weeping. If ye had none among the Huns but me and my faithful
kin and liegemen, sore must he repent it who had ever done you aught."
At this the lady's mood grew gentler. She spake: "Then swear me an
oath, that whatever any do to me that ye will be the first to amend my
wrongs."