Page:The Nibelungenlied - tr. Shumway - 1909.pdf/314

256 he let any man grow wroth again. Then men set up the tables and bare forth water for the guests. Forsooth the men from the Rhine had there enow of stalwart foes. ’T was long before the lords were seated.

Meanwhile Kriemhild’s fears did trouble her passing sore. She spake: “My lord of Berne, I seek thy counsel, help, and favor, for mine affairs do stand in anxious wise.”

Then Hildebrand, a worshipful knight, made answer to her: “And any slay the Nibelungs for the sake of any hoard, he will do it without my aid. It may well repent him, for they be still unconquered, these doughty and lusty knights.”

Then spake Sir Dietrich in his courteous wise: “Let be this wish, O mighty queen. Thy kinsmen have done me naught of wrong, that I should crave to match these valiant knights in strife. Thy request honoreth thee little, most noble queen, that thou dost plot against the life of thy kinsfolk. They came in hope of friendship to this land. Siegfried will not be avenged by Dietrich’s hand.”

When she found no whit of faithlesaness in the lord of Berne, quickly she promised Bloedel a broad estate, that Nudung owned aforetime. Later he was slain by Hagen, so that he quite forgot the gift. She spake: “Thou must help me, Sir Bloedel, forsooth my foes be in this house, who slew Siegfried, my dear husband. Ever will I serve him, that helpeth me avenge this deed.”

To this Bloedel replied: “My lady, now may ye know that because of Etzel I dare not, in sooth, advise to hatred against them, for he is fain to see thy kins-