Page:The Nibelungenlied - tr. Shumway - 1909.pdf/162

104 Gunther spake to the envoys: “How fareth Siegfried, from whom so much of gladness hath happed to me?”

Brave Gere spake: “He blushed for joy, he and your sister; no truer tidings did ever any man send to friends, than the Lord Siegfried and his father, too, have sent to you.”

Then to the margrave spake the noble queen: “Now tell me, cometh Kriemhild to us? Hath the fair still kept the graces which she knew how to use?”

“She cometh to you surely,” quoth Gere, the knight.

Then Uta bade the messenger come quickly to her. By her question one might note full well that she was fain to hear if Kriemhild still were well. He told how he had found her and that she would shortly come. Nor were the gifts concealed by them at court, which Siegfried gave them, gold and vesture; these they brought for the vassals of the three kings to see. For their passing great bounty men gave them thanks.

“He may lightly give great gifts,“ spake then Hagen; “he could not squander all his wealth, and he should live for aye. His hand hath closed upon the hoard of the Nibelungs. Ho, let him only come to the Burgundian land!”

All the courtiers were glad that they should come. Early and late the men of the three kings were busy. Many benches they gan raise for the folk. The valiant Hunolt and the knight Sindolt had little rest. All time they had to oversee the stewards and the butlers and raise many a bench. Ortwin helped them, too, at