"Long time may she be weeping," / Hagen spake again; "In sooth for years a many / dead he lies and slain. To the monarch now of Hunland / should she devoted be: Siegfried returneth never, / buried now long time is he." 1726 "How Siegfried's death was compassed, / let now the story be: While liveth Lady Kriemhild, / look ye for injury." Thus did of Bern Sir Dietrich / unto them declare: "Hope of the Nibelungen, / of her vengeance well beware." 1727 "Whereof shall I be fearful?" / the lofty monarch spake: "Etzel hath sent us message, / (why further question make?) That we should journey hither / into his country. Eke hath my sister Kriemhild / oft wished us here as guests to see. 1728 "I give thee honest counsel," / Hagen then did say, "Now shalt thou here Sir Dietrich / and his warriors pray To tell thee full the story, / if aught may be designed, And let thee know more surely / how stands the Lady Kriemhild's mind." 1729 Then went to speak asunder / the lordly monarchs three, Gunther and Gernot, / and Dietrich went he. "Now tell us true, thou noble / knight of Bern and kind, If that perchance thou knowest / how stands thy royal mistress' mind." 1730 The lord of Bern gave answer: / "What need to tell you more? I hear each day at morning / weeping and wailing sore The wife of royal Etzel, / who piteous doth complain To God in heaven that Siegfried / her doughty spouse from her was ta'en." 1731 "Then must we e'en abide it," / was the fearless word Of Volker the Fiddler, / "what we here have heard. To court we yet shall journey / and make full clear to all, If that to valiant warriors / may aught amid the Huns befall." 1732 The gallant thanes of Burgundy / unto court then rode, And went in stately manner / as was their country's mode. Full many a man in Hunland / looked eagerly to see Of what manner Hagen, / Tronje's doughty thane, might be. 1733 For that was told the story / (and great the wonder grew) How that of Netherland / Siegfried he slew, That was the spouse of Kriemhild, / in strength without a peer, Hence a mickle questioning / after Hagen might ye hear. 1734 Great was the knight of stature, / may ye know full true, Built with breast expansive; / mingled was the hue Of his hair with silver; / long he was of limb; As he strode stately forward / might ye mark his visage grim. 1735 Then were the thanes of Burgundy / unto quarters shown, But the serving-man of Gunther / by themselves alone. Thus the queen did counsel, / so filled she was with hate. Anon where they were harbored / the train did meet with direst fate. 1736 Dankwart, Hagen's brother, / marshal was he. To him the king his followers / commended urgently, That he provide them plenty / and have of them good care. The noble knight of Burgundy / their safety well in mind did bear. 1737