Whereupon Gary the Burgundian answered, “Your mother Uta, Gernot, and Giselher, pray that ye deny them not. Every day I hear them lament that ye dwell so far. Brunhild my mistress, and her maidens, rejoice in the hope to see you.”
The message seemed good to Kriemhild. Gary was her kinsman; and the king bade him sit, and tarried not longer to let pour the wine for the guests.
Thither came Siegmund also, when he saw the messengers, and he spake to them on friendly wise. “Ye be welcome, ye knights, Gunther’s men; since Siegfried won Kriemhild to wife, ye should have been seen here oftener, if you would have proved your love.”
They answered that, if he willed it, they would come gladly, for that joy had taken from them their mickle weariness.
Then they bade the envoys sit, and set meats before them, whereof Siegfried gave order they should have enough. Nine days they were kept at the court, till at last they murmured, saying that if they tarried longer, they durst not return again to their land.
Meanwhile Siegfried had let summon his friends. He asked them their mind about his journey. “Gunther my brother-in-law, and his kinsmen, have bidden me to a hightide at the Rhine, and Kriemhild also, that she ride with me. And I were fain to go if his country lay not so far off. Now counsel me, dear friends, for the best. Had I to harry thirty lands for their sake, my hand were at their service.”
His knights made answer, “If thou wouldst ride to this hightide, we counsel thee on this wise: take with thee a thousand knights to the Rhine, that thou mayest have honour among the Burgundians.”
Then said King Siegmund of the Netherland, “Wherefore has thou not told me thou wouldest to the hightide? If thou hast naught against it, I will ride with thee, and will take an hundred knights with me to add to thy train.”
“Wilt thou do so, dear father mine?” said bold Siegfried. “Right welcome art thou. Inside of twelve days we will forth.”
To them that desired it horses and apparel were given.