When that now the strangers / all from thence were gone, Spake unto his followers / noble Siegmund's son: "We shall eke make ready / home to my land to fare." Unto his spouse was welcome / such news when she the same did hear. 691 She spake unto her husband: / "When shall we hence depart? Not hastily on the journey / I pray thee yet to start. With me first my brothers / their wide lands shall share." Siegfried yet it pleased not / such words from Kriemhild to hear. 692 The princes went unto him / and spake they there all three: "Now know thou well, Sir Siegfried, / for thee shall ever be In faithfulness our service / ready while yet we live." The royal thanes then thanked he / who thus did proof of friendship give. 693 "With thee further share we," / spake young Giselher, "The lands and eke the castles / by us that owned are. In wide lands whatsoever / we rule o'er warriors brave, Of the same with Kriemhild / a goodly portion shalt thou have. 694 Then spake unto the princes / the son of Siegmund When he their lofty purpose / did rightly understand: "God grant your goodly heritage / at peace may ever be, And eke therein your people. / The spouse in sooth so dear to me." 695 "May well forego the portion / that ye to her would give. For she a crown shall carry, / if to such day I live, And queen more rich than any / that lives she then must be. What else to her ye offer, / therein I'll meet you faithfully." 696 Then spake the Lady Kriemhild: / "If wealth thou wilt not choose, Yet gallant thanes of Burgundy / shalt thou not light refuse. They're such as monarch gladly / would lead to his own land. Of these shall make division / with me my loving brothers' hand." 697 Thereto spake noble Gernot: / "Now take to please thy mind. Who gladly will go with thee / full many here thou'lt find. Of thirty hundred warriors / we give thee thousand men To be thy royal escort." / Kriemhild did summon then 698 Hagen of Tronje to her / and Ortwein instantly: And would they and their kinsmen / make her good company? To hear the same did Hagen / begin to rage full sore. Quoth he: "E'en royal Gunther / may thus bestow us nevermore. 699 "Other men that serve thee, / let them follow thee; Thou know'st the men of Tronje / and what their pledges be: Here must we by the monarchs / in service true abide; Hereto as them we followed, / so shall we henceforth keep their side." 700 And so the thing was ended: / to part they ready make. A high and noble escort / did Kriemhild to her take, Maidens two and thirty / and five hundred men also. In Lady Kriemhild's company / the Margrave Eckewart did go. 701 Leave took they all together, / squire and also knight, Maidens and fair ladies, / as was their wont aright. There parted they with kisses / and eke with clasp of hand: Right merrily they journeyed / forth from royal Gunther's land. 702