Then spake the margrave: "If ye have two liegemen, I have still more.
'Twill be the best, that with worship we escort you across the Rhine.
No longer, lady, shall ye tarry here in Burgundy. I have five hundred
vassals and kinsmen, too; they shall serve you, lady, and do whatso ye
bid, both here and there at home. I'll do by you the same whenever ye
do mind me of the tale and never feel ashamed. Now bid the housings for
your horses be made ready (Rudeger's counsel will never irk you) and
tell it to your maids, whom ye would take along, for many a chosen
knight will meet us on the road."
She still had harness with which they rode afore in Siegfried's time, so
that she might take with her many maidens now with worship, whenever she
would hence. Ho, what good saddles they fetched for the comely dames!
Albeit they had aye worn costly robes, many more were now made ready,
for much had been told them of the king. They opened up the chests,
which stood afore well locked. For four and one half days they were
aught but idle; from the presses they brought forth the stores that lay
therein. Kriemhild now began to open up her treasure rooms, she fain
would make all Rudeger's liegemen rich. Of the gold from the Nibelung
land she still had such store that a hundred horses might not bear it;
she weened her hand should deal it out among the Huns.
This tale Hagen heard told of Kriemhild. He spake: "Sith Kriemhild will
not become my friend, so Siegfried's gold must stay behind. For why
should I give to my foes such great store of goods? Well I wot what
Kriemhild will do with this hoard. I can well believe, an' she take it
with her, that it will be doled out to call forth hate against me. Nor
have they steeds enow to bear it hence. Hagen doth intend to keep it,
pray tell Kriemhild that."
When that she heard this tale, it irked her sore. It was likewise told
to all three kings. Fain would they have changed it, but as this did not
hap, the noble Rudeger spake full blithely: "Mighty queen, why mourn ye
for the gold? King Etzel doth bear you such great love, that when his
eyes do light upon you, such store he'll give you that ye can never
spend it all; this will I swear to you, my lady."
Then spake the queen: "Most noble Rudeger, never hath king's daughter
gained such wealth as that, of which Hagen hath bereft me."
Then came her brother Gernot to the treasure chamber. By leave of the
king in the door he thrust the key. Kriemhild's gold was handed forth, a
thousand marks or more. He bade the strangers take it; much this pleased
King Gunther.
Then spake Gotelind's knight from Bechelaren: "And had my Lady Kriemhild
all the hoard that was brought from the Nibelung land, little of it
would mine or the queen's hand touch. Now bid them keep it, for I will
none of it. Forsooth I brought from home such store of mine that we can
lightly do without this on the road, for we be furnished for the journey
in full lordly wise."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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