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XXIV.]

And when the heralds enter’d, unto them Gernot said:

“The king will take the offer to us by Etzel made;

And we will come right gladly unto his festival,

And see again our sister: of that doubt not at all.”

Then spake to them King Gunther: “Can ye not tell us, pray,

When is this merry-making? or rather, on what day

’Twere best that we come thither?” ’Twas Schwemmelin replied:

“Ye must be there for certain at next Midsummer-tide.”

The king unto them granted, if haply they were will’d

(For not yet had they done it) to see the Dame Brunhild,

That they with his approval might to her presence go.

It was gainsaid by Volker: for her sake did he so.

“In sooth the Lady Brunhild is not now in the mood

For you to look upon her,” so spake the warrior good.

“Wait ye until to-morrow, then her they’ll let you see.”

So hoped they to behold her; but it was not to be.

The mighty prince then order’d (he held those envoys dear)

Out of his own great kindness, that folk should thither bear

His gold upon broad bucklers; great store thereof he had.

And by his kinsmen also rich gifts to them were made.

For Giselher and Gernot, Gere and Ortwein, too,

That they were kindly-hearted right plainly then did shew.

They such abundant largess unto the envoys gave,

That, fearful of their rulers, none of it would they have.