Gunther answered, “I will hear the message wherewith thou art charged, without taking counsel with my friends. Speak it before me and my men, for with all honour shall thy suit be heard.” Then said the faithful envoy, “My great lord commendeth his true service to thee at the Rhine, and to all the friends thou hast. This he doth with true heart. The noble king biddeth thee mourn for his loss. His people are joyless, for my mistress, great Helca, my lord’s wife, is dead; whereby many high-born maidens, children of great princes, that she hath reared, are orphaned. By reason thereof the land is full of sorrow, for these, alack! have none now to care for them. The king also ceaseth not to make dole.” “Now God requite him,” said Gunther, “that he commendeth his service so fair to me and to my men. I have hearkened gladly to his greeting. My kinsmen and my liegemen will repay him.” Then said Gernot of Burgundy, “The world may well rue beautiful Helca’s death, for the sake of her many virtues.” Hagen and many another knight said the same. But Rudeger, the noble envoy, went on: “If thou allow it, O king, I will tell thee further what my dear master hath charged me with. Dolefully hath he lived since Helca’s death. And it hath been told him that Kriemhild is without a husband, for that Siegfried is dead. If that be so, and thou grant it, she shall wear the crown before Etzel’s knights. This hath my lord bidden me say.” Then the great king spake courteously, “If she be willing, she followeth my desire therein. In three days I will let thee know. If she say not nay to Etzel, wherefore should I?” Meanwhile they gave the guests good lodging. On such wise were the entreated that Rudeger was fain to confess he had friends among Gunther’s men. Hagen served him gladly, the which Rudeger had done to Hagen aforetime. So Rudeger tarried there till the third day. The king did prudently, and called a counsel, to ask his friends whether it seemed good to them that Kriemhild should take King Etzel to husband. And they all counselled it save Hagen, that said to Gunther, the bold knight, “If thou be wise, thou wilt see to it that she do it not, even if she desire it.” “Why should I hinder it?” said Gunther. “If any good fall to the queen, I may well grant it. She is my sister. If it be to her honour, we ourselves should seek the alliance.” But Hagen answered, “Say not so. Didst thou know Etzel as I do, thou wouldst see that thou, first of all, must suffer if she wedded him as thou counsellest.” “How so?” answered Gunther. “Were she his wife, I need not come so nigh him that I must feel his hate.” But Hagen said, “I will never approve it.” They summoned Gernot and Giselher, and asked whether it seemed good to them that Kriemhild should take the great king. And none save Hagen was against it.