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“Whenever thou commandest,” said he, “it shall be done.

Thou canst not be so eager thy friends to look upon

As I of noble Uté the sons to see am fain;

That we are still such strangers hath caused me mickle pain.

“And if it should content thee, belovéd lady mine,

So will I send right gladly, unto those friends of thine,

My players on the fiddle to the Burgundian land.”

To bring the worthy fiddlers straightway he gave command.

They hasten’d very quickly to where King Etzel sat.

And eke the queen beside him. He told them both, how that

As envoys they were chosen to Burgundy to fare.

For them he bade his people rich raiment to prepare.

For four-and-twenty warriors was new apparel made;

And by the king their errand was also to them said:

How Gunther and his people to bring there they should seek.

But fain was Lady Kriemhild apart with them to speak.

Then said the king most mighty: “Now hark ye what to do!

All that is good and kindly I bid my friends, by you;

If they vouchsafe to journey unto my kingdom here.

Ne’er yet have I had knowledge of guests as these so dear.

“And if they so be minded my will herein to do,

These kinsmen of Kriemhilda, then must they not forego

To come to us this summer, to keep my wedding-feast;

For much on my wife’s kindred my happiness doth rest.”