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Then spake the kitchen-master, Rumold the worthy thane:

“Here friends and strangers can ye right easily maintain

As ye yourselves are willing: your stores are full, I trow;

And ne’er, I ween, hath Hagen betray’d you hitherto.

“If ye will heed not Hagen, Rumold now counsels you—

And I have ever served you with love and service true—

That here ye fain should tarry, out of good will to me,

And let King Etzel yonder along with Kriemhild be.

“How otherwise in this world could ye e’er better live?

In spite of all your foemen here may you right well thrive;

You may your bodies freely with raiment rich endue,

And wine drink of the choicest, and winsome maidens woo.

“Meats, too, are set before ye,— the best that e’er were brought

To any king in this world; and if this all were naught,

You should, methinks, remain here for sake of your fair wife,—

Ere in such childish fashion you seek to risk your life.

“I counsel your abiding: rich is your heritage.

At home can vassals better to you redeem their pledge

Than yonder ’mid the Hun-folk. Who knows how things be there?

My lords, go ye not thither: thus Rumold doth declare!”

Thereunto answer’d Gernot: “Here will we tarry not,

Since we such friendly bidding have from my sister got,

And from the mighty Etzel. Why put the thing aside?

Who goes not gladly with us may e’en at home abide.”