still mourneth bitterly for the hero of the Nibelungs?"

"She will weep awhile," answered Hagen. "This many a year he lieth
slain. She did well to comfort her with the king of the Huns. Siegfried
will not come again. He is long buried."

"Enough of Siegfried's wounds. While Kriemhild, my mistress, liveth,
mischief may well betide. Wherefore, hope of the Nibelungs, beware!" So
spake Dietrich of Bern.

"Wherefore should I beware?" said the king. "Etzel sent us envoys (what
more could I ask?) bidding us hither to this land. My sister Kriemhild,
also, sent us many greetings."

But Hagen said, "Bid Sir Dietrich and his good knights tell us further of
this matter, that they may show us the mind of Kriemhild."

Then the three kings went apart: Gunther and Gernot and Dietrich.

"Now tell us, noble knight of Bern, what thou knowest of the queen's
mind."

The prince of Bern answered, "What can I tell you, save that every
morning I have heard Etzel's wife weeping and wailing in bitter woe to
the great God of Heaven, because of stark Siegfried's death?"

Said bold Folker, the fiddler, "There is no help for it. Let us ride to
the court and see what befalleth us among the Huns."

The bold Burgundians rode to the court right proudly, after the custom of
their land. Many bold Huns marvelled much what manner of man Hagen of
Trony might be. The folk knew well, from hearsay, that he had slain
Siegfried of the Netherland, the starkest of all knights, Kriemhild's
husband. Wherefore many questions were asked concerning him. The hero
was of great stature; that is certain. His shoulders were broad, his
hair was grisled; his legs were long, and terrible was his face. He
walked with a proud gait.

Then lodging was made ready for the Burgundians. Gunther's attendants
lay separate from the others. The queen, that greatly hated Gunther, had
so ordered it. By this device his yeomen were slain soon after.

Dankwart, Hagen's brother, was marshal. The king commended his men
earnestly to his care, that he might give them meat and drink enow, the
which the bold knight did faithfully and with good will.

Kriemhild went forth with her attendants and welcomed the Nibelungs with
false heart. She kissed Giselher and took him by the hand. When Hagen
of Trony saw that, he bound his helmet on tighter.

"After such greeting," he said, "good knights may well take thought. The
kings and their men are not all alike welcome. No