"Long time may she be weeping," / Hagen spake again;
"In sooth for years a many / dead he lies and slain.
To the monarch now of Hunland / should she devoted be:
Siegfried returneth never, / buried now long time is he."
"How Siegfried's death was compassed, / let now the story be:
While liveth Lady Kriemhild, / look ye for injury."
Thus did of Bern Sir Dietrich / unto them declare:
"Hope of the Nibelungen, / of her vengeance well beware."
"Whereof shall I be fearful?" / the lofty monarch spake:
"Etzel hath sent us message, / (why further question make?)
That we should journey hither / into his country.
Eke hath my sister Kriemhild / oft wished us here as guests to see.
"I give thee honest counsel," / Hagen then did say,
"Now shalt thou here Sir Dietrich / and his warriors pray
To tell thee full the story, / if aught may be designed,
And let thee know more surely / how stands the Lady Kriemhild's mind."
Then went to speak asunder / the lordly monarchs three,
Gunther and Gernot, / and Dietrich went he.
"Now tell us true, thou noble / knight of Bern and kind,
If that perchance thou knowest / how stands thy royal mistress' mind."