“By my troth,” said Rumolt, “I, for one, will never cross the Rhine for Etzel’s hightide. Why should I hazard what I have? I will live while I may.” “I am of thy mind for that,” said knight Ortwin. “I will help thee to order things at home.” And there were many that would not go, and said, “God guard you among the Huns.” The king was wroth when he saw they desired to take their ease at home. “We will go none the less. The prudent are safe in the midst of danger.” Hagen answered, “Be not wroth at my word. Whatever betide, I counsel thee in good faith to ride strongly armed to the Huns. Since thou wilt not be turned, summon the best men thou canst find, or knowest of, among thy vassals, and from among them I will choose a thousand good knights, that thou come not in scathe by Kriemhild’s anger.” “I will do this,” said the king straightway. And he bade messengers ride abroad through the country. Three thousand or more heroes they brought back with them. They thought not to meet so grim a doom. Merrily they rode into Gunter’s land. To all them that were to journey to the Huns horses and apparel were given. The king found many willing. Hagen of Trony bade Dankwart, his brother, lead eighty of their knights to the Rhine. They came in proud array, bringing harness and vesture with them. Bold Folker, a noble minstrel, arrived with thirty of his men for the journey. A king might well have worn their raiment. He told Gunther that these would also visit the Huns. I will tell you who Folker was. He was a noble knight, and many good warriors in Burgundy were his vassals. He was called a minstrel because he played on the viol. Hagen chose a thousand that he knew well, and the prowess of whose hand he had seen in grim battle, and in warlike deeds. None could deny their valour. It irked Kriemhild’s envoys to be delayed, for they greatly feared their master, and every day they desired to be gone. But Hagen kept them for his crafty ends. He said to his lord, “We must beware of letting them go or we be ready to follow them, in a sennight. We shall be safer so, if they mean us harm. Kriemhild will not have the time to contrive our hurt. Or, if she be minded thereto, it may go ill with her, since we lead with us to the Huns so many chosen men.” Shields and saddles and all the vesture they were to take with them, to Etzel’s land, were now ready, and Kriemhild’s envoys were bidden to Gunther’s presence. When they appeared, Gernot said, “The king will obey Etzel’s wish. We go gladly to his hightide to see our sister. She may count on us.” Gunther asked, “Can ye tell us when the hightide falleth, or when we must set forth?” And Schwemmel answered, “Next midsummer, without fail.” The king gave them leave, for the first time, to visit Brunhild, but Folker, to please her, said them nay. “Queen Brunhild is not well enow for you to see her,” said the good knight. “Wait till morning, and ye shall win audience of her.” They had fain beheld her, but could not.