It was the wicked Devil, I ween, that counselled Kriemhild to part from Gunther in friendship, and to be reconciled to him with a kiss in the land of Burgundy. She began to wet her vesture anew with hot tears. Late and early it lay on her heart, how that, through no fault of hers, she had been forced to wed a heathen. Hagen and Gunther had done this wrong to her. Never a day passed but she longed to be revenged. She thought, “Now I am so rich and powerful that I could do mine enemies a mischief. Were it Hagen of Trony, I were nothing loth. My heart still yearneth for my beloved. Could I but win to them that worked me woe, well would the death of my dear one be avenged. It is hard to wait,” said the sorrowful woman. All her knights, the king’s men, loved her, as was meet. Her chamberlain was Eckewart, that thereby 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.