Thereto gave answer Gernot, / a knight of manner kind: "If to my desire / I ever spouse would find, Then would I of such lady / right gladly make my choice." In full kindly manner / added Hagen eke his voice: 1678 "Now shall my master Giselher / take to himself a spouse. The noble margrave's daughter / is of so lofty house, That I and all his warriors / would glad her service own, If that she in Burgundy / should ever wear a royal crown." 1679 Glad thereat full truly / was Sir Ruediger, And eke Gotelinde: / they joyed such words to hear. Anon arranged the heroes / that her as bride did greet The noble knight Giselher, / as was for any monarch meet. 1680 What thing is doomed to happen, / who may the same prevent? To come to the assembly / they for the maidens sent, And to the knight they plighted / the winsome maid for wife, Pledge eke by him was given, / his love should yet endure with life. 1681 They to the maid allotted / castles and spreading land, Whereof did give assurance / the noble monarch's hand And eke the royal Gernot, / 'twould surely so be done. Then spake to them the margrave: / "Lordly castles have I none, 1682 "Yet true shall be my friendship / the while that I may live. Unto my daughter shall I / of gold and silver give What hundred sumpter-horses / full laden bear away, That her husband's lofty kinsmen / find honor in the fair array." 1683 They bade the knight and maiden / within a ring to stand, As was of old the custom. / Of youths a goodly band, That all were merry-hearted, / did her there confront, And thought they on her beauty / as mind of youth is ever wont. 1684 When they began to question / then the winsome maid, Would she the knight for husband, / somewhat she was dismayed, And yet forego she would not / to have him for her own. She blushed to hear the question, / as many another maid hath done. 1685 Her father Ruediger prompted / that Yes her answer be, And that she take him gladly. / Unto her instantly Sprang the young Sir Giselher, / and in his arm so white He clasped her to his bosom. / --Soon doomed to end was her delight. 1686 Then spake again the margrave: / "Ye royal knights and high, When that home ye journey / again to Burgundy I'll give to you my daughter, / as fitting is to do, That ye may take her with you." / They gave their plighted word thereto. 1687 What jubilation made they / yet at last must end. The maiden then was bidden / unto her chamber wend, And guests to seek their couches / and rest until the day. For them the host provided / a feast in hospitable way. 1688 When they had feasted fully / and to the Huns' country Thence would onward journey, / "Such thing shall never be," Spake the host full noble, / "but here ye still shall rest. Seldom hath my good fortune / welcomed yet so many a guest." 1689