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And when King Siegmund also was ready forth to ride,

The kinsmen of Kriemhilda besought her to abide:

Her place was with her mother, and there to stay ought she.

Then spake the noble lady: “Nay, that can hardly be!

“How could I bear for ever him with these eyes to see,

Through whom to me, poor woman, hath come such misery?”

Then Giselher, the youthful, made answer: “Sister dear,

For duty’s sake now shouldst thou bide with thy mother here.

“Of them who have distress’d thee, and brought thee to despair,

Thou dost require no service; my fortune thou shalt share.”

But to the knight she answer’d: “Nay, this can never be;

I needs must die of sorrow if I should Hagen see.”

“I see that doth not happen, my sister dear,” quoth he,

“With Giselher thy brother in safety shouldst thou be;

Amends will I make to thee, for thy dear husband’s death.”

Then spake the poor forlorn one: “True need Kriemhilda hath!”

When this so kindly offer to her the young man made,

Uté and also Gernot fell likewise to persuade,

With all her faithful kinsfolk: they begged her not to go:

For amongst Siegfried’s kindred not many did she know.

“They are all strangers to thee,” Gernot began to say;

“So strong is no man living but he must die one day.

Bethink thee then, dear sister, and comfort thy sad mood;

Stay with thy friends and kinsmen: it will be for thy good.”