King Gunther said, “I pray thee tell me, for I would know, how it standeth with Etzel and Helca in the land of the Huns.”
The Margrave answered, “I will tell thee gladly.”
Then he rose from his seat with all his men, and said to the king, “Give me leave to deliver the message that King Etzel hath sent me with, here to Burgundy.”
Gunther answered, “I will hear the message wherewith thou art charged, without taking counsel with my friends. Speak it before me and my men, for with all honour shall thy suit be heard.”
Then said the faithful envoy, “My great lord commendeth his true service to thee at the Rhine, and to all the friends thou hast. This he doth with true heart. The noble king biddeth thee mourn for his loss. His people are joyless, for my mistress, great Helca, my lord’s wife, is dead; whereby many high-born maidens, children of great princes, that she hath reared, are orphaned. By reason thereof the land is full of sorrow, for these, alack! have none now to care for them. The king also ceaseth not to make dole.”
“Now God requite him,” said Gunther, “that he commendeth his service so fair to me and to my men. I have hearkened gladly to his greeting. My kinsmen and my liegemen will repay him.”
Then said Gernot of Burgundy, “The world may well rue beautiful Helca’s death, for the sake of her many virtues.”
Hagen and many another knight said the same.
But Rudeger, the noble envoy, went on: “If thou allow it, O king, I will tell thee further what my dear master hath charged me with. Dolefully hath he lived since Helca’s death. And it hath been told him that Kriemhild is without a husband, for that Siegfried is dead. If that be so, and thou grant it, she shall wear the crown before Etzel’s knights. This hath my lord bidden me say.”
Then the great king spake courteously, “If she be willing, she followeth my desire therein. In three days I will let thee know. If she say not nay to Etzel, wherefore should I?”