It befell in the selfsame season, when the Lady Helka had died, And Etzel the King would be wooing another woman for bride, That his kinsmen in council assembled spake unto him of the fame Of a certain proud queen widowed, that Kriemhild had to name. Since Helka the Queen, the lovely, was taken from him and from life, They said: "If haply thou thinkest on another noble wife, In blood and in virtue the highest that ever prince hath won, Take Kriemhild: Siegfried the Hero was her lord in days bygone." {P. 157} But the mighty King made answer: "Nay, how may this thing be? A heathen am I; baptismal waters have touched not me; And she is a Christian woman--the thing may never befall. If ever she came, this surely a miracle might one call!" But the valiant knights made answer: "Perchance may she do that same For the sake of thy great dominions, for the sake of thy glorious name. In any wise might one seek her to be thy noble queen. She is worthy, O King, thy wooing; never lovelier woman was seen." And the noble King made answer: "Unto whom of you all be known The people that dwell in Rhineland, and the realm their princes own?" Answered the Lord of Bechlaren, the knightly Rüdiger: "Known be its princely rulers unto me from my birth-tide year. Lo, these be Gunther and Gernot, valiant knights and true, And of these is Giselher youngest, and ever the Princes do What sorteth wholly with honour and chivalry high-souled: Yea, they walk in the steps of their fathers, the stainless heroes of old." Answered and spake King Etzel: "Friend, unto me declare If indeed it well beseemeth that the crown at my side she wear. If indeed she hath such beauty as flieth on rumour's wing, Mine high-born kinsmen shall never repent their counselling." "She is such as was once my Lady: in beauty is she no less Than thy Queen the noble Helka; she is peerless in loveliness Through all the wide world's compass, a bride for a king to wed. Who winneth her love, of a surety may his heart be comforted." Said the King: "By my love I charge thee, Rüdiger, win me this bride; And if ever to me fair Kriemhild shall be joined at the marriage-tide, To the uttermost of my power shalt thou have guerdon of me; And thou shalt have fulfilled my pleasure in faith and in fealty. I will bid my treasure-keepers freely to give unto thee Horses and goodly raiment, whatsoever thy need shall be, That thou and thy journeying-fellows in joyance ever may live. Yea, as a great king giveth, for thine ambassage so will I give." {P. 158} Answered the Lord of the Marches, the mighty Rüdiger: "If I sought of thee aught of thy bounty, not for mine honour it were: Blithe will I go unto Rhineland at my good Lord's command, Of mine own wealth full-furnished: I received it all of thine hand."