Hasting with the tidings / each minstrel's courser ran, Till found they royal Etzel / within his burgh at Gran. Greeting upon greeting, / which they must all bestow, They to the king delivered; / with joy his visage was aglow. 1498 When that the lofty Kriemhild / did eke the tidings hear, How that her royal brothers / unto the land would fare, In sooth her heart was gladdened; / on the minstrels she bestowed Richest gifts in plenty, / as she to her high station owed. 1499 She spake: "Now shall ye, Werbel / and Schwemmel, tell to me Who cometh of my kinsmen / to our festivity, Who of all were bidden / this our land to seek? Now tell me, when the message / heard he, what did Hagen speak?" 1500 Answered: "He came to council / early upon a day, But little was of pleasant / in what he there did say. When learned he their intention, / in wrath did Hagen swear, To death 'twere making journey, / to country of the Huns to fare. 1501 "Hither all are coming, / thy royal brothers three, And they right high in spirit. / Who more shall with them be, The tale to tell entire / were more than I might do. To journey with them plighted / Volker the valiant fiddler too." 1502 "'Twere little lost, full truly," / answered then the queen, "If by my eyes never / Volker here were seen. 'Tis Hagen hath my favor, / a noble knight is he, And mickle is my pleasure / that him full soon we here may see." 1503 Her way the Lady Kriemhild / then to the king did take, And in right joyous manner / unto her consort spake: "How liketh thee the tidings, / lord full dear to me? What aye my heart hath yearned for, / that shall now accomplished be." 1504 "Thy will my joy was ever," / the lofty monarch said. "In sooth for my own kinsmen / I ne'er have been so glad, To hear that they come hither / unto my country. To know thy friends are coming, / hath parted sadness far from me." 1505 Straight did the royal provosts / give everywhere decree That hall and stately palace / well prepared should be With seats, that unprovided / no worthy guest be left. Anon by them the monarch / should be of mickle joy bereft. TWENTY-FIFTH ADVENTURE How the Knights all fared to the Huns 1506 Tell we now no further / how they here did fare. Knights more high in spirit / saw ye journey ne'er In so stately fashion / to the land of e'er a king. Of arms and rich attire / lacked they never anything. 1507 At Rhine the lordly monarch / equipped his warriors well, A thousand knights and sixty, / as I did hear tell, And eke nine thousand squires / toward the festivity. Whom they did leave behind them / anon must mourn full grievously. 1508 As at Worms across the courtyard / equipment full they bore Spake there of Speyer / a bishop old and hoar Unto Lady Ute: / "Our friends have mind to fare Unto the festivity; / may God their honor have in care." 1509