by won many friends. None durst withstand
Kriemhild's will.

Every day she thought to herself, "I will ask the king." She deemed
that, of his goodness, he would send for her friends and bring them into
the land of the Huns. None guessed her evil intent.

One night, when she lay by the king, and he held her in his arms, as was
his wont, for she was to him as his life, the royal woman thought on her
foes, and said to him, "My dearest lord, I would fain beg a boon of
thee. I would have thee show, if I have deserved it at thy hand, that my
kinsmen have found favour in thy sight."

The great king answered with true heart, "That will I readily prove to
thee. All that profiteth and doth honour to the knights rejoiceth me,
for through no woman's love have I won better friends."

Then said the queen, "Thou knowest well that I have noble kinsmen. It
irketh me that they visit me so seldom. The folk here deem me kinless."

Whereto King Etzel answered, "My dearest wife, if it be not too far, I
will invite across the Rhine whomsoever thou wouldst gladly see, and bid
them hither to my land."

The woman was well content when she discovered his mind on the matter,
and said, "If thou wouldst truly please me, my lord, thou wilt dispatch
envoys to Worms beyond the Rhine. I will inform my friends of my desire
by these; so, many good knights will come hither into our land."

He answered, "Thy wish shall be obeyed. Thy kinsmen, noble Uta's sons,
will not be so welcome to thee as to me. It irketh me sore that they
have been strangers so long. If it seem good to thee, dearest wife, I
will send my minstrels as envoys to thy friends in Burgundy."

He bade summon the good fiddlers straightway, that hasted to where he sat
by the queen, and he told them both to go as envoys to Burgundy. He let
fashion rich clothes for them; for four and twenty knights they made
apparel, and the king gave them the message wherewith they were to invite
Gunther and his men. And Kriemhild began to speak to them in secret.

Then said the great king, "I will tell ye what ye shall do. I send to my
friends love and every good wish, and pray them to ride hither to my
land. I know few other guests so dear. And if Kriemhild's kinsmen be
minded to do my will, bid them fail not to come, for love of me, to my
hightide, for my heart yearneth toward the brethren of my wife."

Whereto Schwemmel, the proud minstrel, answered, "When shall thy hightide
fall, t