"Cast to the winds your foreboding: to you and to all true friends My noble comrade in emprise his loving service sends. Whole and unharmed I left him: unto you was I sent of your Lord That I should come with the tidings his messenger hitherward. Now lend me your aid, to the end that this grace unto me may fall That I may see Queen Uta, and the Lady your sister withal, That now I may bear them the story that I was bidden to tell Of Gunther and Lady Brunhild, that with these twain all is well." Then the young Prince Giselher answered: "Speak thou unto them thereof, So shalt thou unto my sister render a service of love. For the sake of my brother Gunther in exceeding sorrow she is. Full gladly the maiden will see thee: lo, I will be surety for this." Spake Siegfried: "What service soever unto her may be rendered of me, Faithfully will I perform it ever and willingly. Now who beareth word of my coming to the noble Ladies twain?" So Giselher was herald, that young and comely thane. Blithely Giselher hasted, and the lad to his mother cried And his sister, where in their bower these twain sat side by side: "Siegfried the Netherland hero hither to us is come! Gunther my brother hath sent him to us in our Rhineland home! {P. 75} Tidings to us he bringeth of the King your brother's plight. Now send him word of your pleasure that he come into your sight. The story of all that in Iceland was done unto us he brings." --But he left to another to comfort those sorrowing Daughters of Kings. They ran to their tiring-bower, they donned their richest array, And they sent word praying Siegfried to come unto them straightway. Full fain did he come at their summons, and he met them with joyful eyes. Then spake Kriemhild the queenly to the hero in gracious wise: "Now welcome, Lord Knight Siegfried, peer unto whom is none! Where bideth my brother Gunther, that noble kingly one? Through the might of Brunhild, I fear me, are we left of his love forlorn! Woe for me, hapless maiden, that ever I was born!" But the bold knight smiled in answer--"My good-news' guerdon pay! Ye be weeping, O lovely Ladies, without a cause this day. Whole and unharmed I left him: this know ye in very deed. Unto you twain by their bidding with tidings hither I speed. With all heart's love and kindness, O Lady of queenly pride, In service to you he commends him, he and his new-won bride. Now let your weeping have ending; soon will themselves be here." Long, long had it been ere she hearkened a tale to her heart so dear!