Unto the queen then spake he: / "Let now thy weeping be. If 'mong the Huns hadst thou / other none than me And my faithful kinsmen / and my good men alone, Sorely must he repay it / who hath aught to thee of evil done." 1257 Thereat apace all lighter / the lady's sorrow grew, She spake: "So swear thou truly, / what any 'gainst me do, That thou wilt be the foremost / my sorrows to requite." Thereto spake the margrave: / "Lady, to thee my word I plight." 1258 With all his men together / sware then Ruediger Faithfully to serve her, / and in all things whatsoe'er Naught would e'er deny her / the thanes from Etzel's land, Whereof she might have honor: / thereto gave Ruediger his hand. 1259 Then thought the faithful lady: / "Since I thus have won Band of friends so faithful, / care now have I none How shall speak the people / in my sore need of me. The death of my loved husband / perchance shall yet avenged be." 1260 Thought she: "Since hath Etzel / so many knights and true, An shall I but command them, / whate'er I will I do. Eke hath he such riches / that free may be my hand: Bereft of all my treasure / by Hagen's faithless art I stand." 1261 Then spake she unto Ruediger: / "Were it not, as I do know, The king is yet a heathen, / so were I fain to go Whithersoe'er he willed it, / and take him for my lord." Thereto spake the margrave: / "Lady, no longer hold such word. 1262 "Such host he hath of warriors / who Christians are as we, That beside the monarch / may care ne'er come to thee. Yea, may he be baptized / through thee to Christian life: Well may'st thou then rejoice thee / to be the royal Etzel's wife." 1263 Then spake again her brother: / "Sister, thy favor lend, That now all thy sorrow / thereby may have an end." And so long they besought her / that full of sadness she Her word at length had plighted / the monarch Etzel's wife to be. 1264 She spake: "You will I follow, / I most lorn lady, That I fare to Hunland, / as soon as it may be That I friends have ready / to lead me to his land." Before the knights assembled / fair Kriemhild pledged thereto her hand. 1265 Then spake again the margrave: / "Two knights do serve thee true, And I thereof have many: / 'tis easy thing to do, That thee with fitting honor / across the Rhine we guide. Nor shalt thou, lady, longer / here in Burgundy abide. 1266 "Good men have I five hundred, / and eke my kinsmen stand Ready here to serve thee / and far in Etzel's land, Lady, at thy bidding. / And I do pledge the same, Whene'er thou dost admonish, / to serve thee without cause for shame. 1267 "Now bid with full equipment / thy horses to prepare: Ruediger's true counsel / will bring thee sorrow ne'er; And tell it to thy maidens / whom thou wilt take with thee. Full many a chosen warrior / on the way shall join our company." 1268