“God quit thee for thine armlets,” answered Eckewart. “Yet still I must rue thy journey to the Huns. Thou slewest Siegfried, and art hated here. Look well to thyself; from true heart I warn thee.”
“God must guard us,” said Hagen. “No other care have these knights, the princes and their liegemen, than to find quarters, where they may tarry the night. Our horses are weary from the long way, and our provender is done. We can find none to buy. We have need of a host that, of his charity, would give us bread.”
Eckewart answered, “I will show you such an host. Better welcome to his house will none give you in any land than Rudeger, if ye will go to see him. He dwelleth fast by the road, and is the best host that ever had a house. His heart blossometh with virtues, as smiling May decketh the grass with flowers. He is ever glad to serve knights.”
Then said King Gunther, “Wilt thou be my envoy, and ask my dear friend Rudeger if he will keep us—me with my kinsmen and our men—till the day? I will requite him as best I can.”
“I will gladly be thy envoy,” answered Eckewart.
He set out with good will, and told Rudeger what he had heard. Such good news had not reached him for long. A knight was seen hasting to Bechlaren. Rudeger knew him, and said, “Here cometh Eckewart, Kriemhild’s man, down the way.” He deemed that foemen had done him a hurt. He went to the door and met the envoy, that ungirded his sword and laid it down.
Rudeger said to the knight, “What hast thou heard, that thou ridest in such hot haste? Hath any done us a mischief?”
“None hath harmed us,” said Eckewart straightway. “Three kings have sent me: Gunther of Burgundy, Giselher, and Gernot. Each of them commended his service to thee. The same doth Hagen from true heart, and also Folker. Further, I have to tell thee that Dankwart, the king’s marshal, bade me say that the good knights have need of thy roof.”
Rudeger answered with smiling face, “This is glad news, that the high kings need my service. It shall not be denied them. Right glad am I that they come to my house.”
“Dankwart, the marshal, bade me tell thee who there be of them: sixty bold warriors and a thousand good knights, with nine thousand squires.”