“Fear naught. Thee and his kinsmen my friend greeteth by me, for he hath sent me hither to you with news. Contrive now that I come to the queen and thy sister. For I am charged with the same message to them as to thee, from Gunther and Brunhild: that it standeth well with the twain.”
Giselher said, “Go in to them straightway, and it will please my sister. She feareth for my brother; by my troth, she will see thee gladly.”
Siegfried answered, “If I can serve her in aught, it shall be done. Where are now the ladies, that I may go to them?”
Giselher, the brave youth, bare the message; he said to his mother and his sister, “Siegfried is come to us, the hero of the Netherland. My brother Gunther hath sent him hither to the Rhine. He bringeth us word how it standeth with the king. Allow him to come to the court, for he bringeth news from Issland.”
The noble women were heavy of their cheer. They ran for their robes, and arrayed them, and bade Siegfried to the court; and he went gladly, for he yearned to see them. Kriemhild, the noble maiden, greeted him fair.
“Thou art welcome, Sir Siegfried, valiant knight. Where is my brother Gunther, the noble king? I fear we have lost him by Brunhild’s strength. Alack! that ever I was born!”
But the warrior answered, “Give me the guerdon of good news, for, fair women, ye weep without cause. I left him safe and sound—I say sooth—and he hath charged me with a message. He and his wife commend them lovingly to thee, O Queen. Dry thine eyes, for they will be here shortly.”
Kriemhild had not heard such good news for many a day. She wiped her bright eyes with her snow-white apron, and began to thank the envoy for his message.
So ended her sorrow and her tears.
She bade Siegfried sit, whereto he was nothing loth, and said sweetly, “I would fain give thee the envoy’s guerdon, wert thou not too rich to receive it. Take my good will in lieu thereof.”