<h2><SPAN name="chap24"></SPAN>Twenty-Fourth Adventure<br/> How Werbel and Schwemmel Brought the Message</h2>
<p>When Etzel sent his fiddlers to the Rhine, the news flew from land to land. By
means of swift messengers, he invited guests to his hightide. There many met
their death.</p>
<p>The envoys rode from the country of the Huns to the Burgundians, even to the
three noble kings and their men, to bid them to Etzel’s court, and hasted
on the way. They came to Bechlaren, where they were well seen to, and nothing
lacked to their entertainment. Rudeger and Gotelind, and the Margrave’s
child also, sent their greeting by them to the Rhine. Not without gifts went
Etzel’s men forth, that they might fare the better on the road. Rudeger
commended him to Uta and her sons; never Margrave was so true to them as he. To
Brunhild, likewise, they commended their true service and their steadfast faith
and love. When the envoys had heard the message, they set out again, and the
Margravine prayed God in Heaven to guard them.</p>
<p>Or they left Bavaria, swift Werbel sought out the bishop: what greeting he sent
to his friends by the Rhine I know not. But he gave his red gold to the envoys
out of love, and let them ride on. Bishop Pilgerin said, “Right gladly
would I see my sister’s sons here. Seldom, alack! can I win to them at
the Rhine.”</p>
<p>I cannot tell by what road they fared through the land; but none took from them
their silver and fine clothes, for all feared the wrath of their master: the
great king was mighty and of high lineage.</p>
<p>Within twelve days Werbel and Schwemmel reached Worms on the Rhine. And the
king sand their men were told the news, that foreign envoys were come.
Thereupon Gunther, the prince of the Rhine, began to question his folk, and
said, “Who will tell us whence these strangers are come riding into the
land?”</p>
<p>And none knew, till that Hagen of Trony saw the envoys, and said to Gunther,
“We shall have news, I promise thee, for I have seen Etzel’s
fiddlers here. Thy sister hath sent them. Let us welcome them right heartily
for their master’s sake.”</p>
<p>They rode straight to the palace. Never goodlier show made the minstrels of a
king. Gunther’s courtiers hasted to meet them, and gave them lodging, and
bade see to their gear. Their travelling clothes were rich and well fashioned.
With all honour they might have gone before the king therein. Yet they scorned
to wear them at the court, and asked whether any desired them. There was no
lack of needy folk, that took them gladly, and to these they were sent. Then
the guests clad them in rich apparel, as beseemed the envoys of a king.</p>
<p>Etzel’s men got leave to go before Gunther. They that saw them rejoiced.
Hagen sprang from his seat and ran to them, and received them lovingly, for
which the youths thanked him. He asked for news of Etzel and his men, whereto
the fiddlers made answer, “The land was never more prosperous, nor the
people more joyful; know that of a surety.”</p>
<p>He led them before the king, through the hall full of folk, and the guests were
well received, as envoys should ever be in foreign kings’ lands. Werbel
found many a knight by Gunther.</p>
<p>The gracious prince greeted them, and said, “Ye are both welcome,
Etzel’s minstrels, ye and your followers. Wherefore hath the mighty Etzel
sent you into Burgundy?”</p>
<p>They bowed before him, and Werbel answered, “My dear master, and
Kriemhild thy sister, commend their service to thee. With true intent they have
sent us hither to you, O knights.”</p>
<p>Then said the noble prince, “I rejoice at the tidings. How fareth it with
Etzel, and Kriemhild my sister?”</p>
<p>Whereto the fiddler answered, “Never was king of any land better or
happier, nor his kinsmen nor vassals; know that for certain. Right glad were
they when we set forth on this journey.”</p>
<p>“Thank him and my sister for their greeting. I rejoice that it is well
with the king and his folk, for I asked, much fearing.”</p>
<p>The two young kings were also come in, and had heard the news for the first
time. Giselher, the youth, was glad to see the envoys, for love of his sister,
and said to them kindly, “Ye be heartily welcome. If ye came oftener to
the Rhine, ye would find friends worth the seeing. Small ill should betide you
here.”</p>
<p>“I trow it well,” answered Schwemmel. “Word of mine cannot
tell thee how right lovingly Etzel commendeth him to thee, and eke thy sister,
that is holden in high esteem. The king’s wife biddeth thee remember thy
love and faith, and that thou wert ever true to her in heart and soul. And,
first of all, we are sent to the king, to invite you to ride into Etzel’s
land, and Sir Gernot with you. Mighty Etzel commanded me to say to you all
that, even if ye desire not to see your sister, he would fain learn what wrong
he hath done you, that ye are such strangers to him and his court. Had ye never
known the queen, he deserveth no less of you than that ye come to see him. If
ye consent to this, ye shall please him well.”</p>
<p>And Gunther answered, “A sennight from now I will let thee know what I
and my friends have determined on. Go meanwhile to thy lodging and rest.”</p>
<p>But Werbel said, “Might we not, ere we seek repose, win audience of great
Uta?”</p>
<p>Whereto the noble Giselher answered courteously, “None shall hinder you,
for in this ye shall have done my mother’s will. For the sake of my
sister, Queen Kriemhild, she will see you gladly. Right welcome shall ye
be.”</p>
<p>Giselher brought them before the lady, who rejoiced to see envoys from the land
of the Huns. Kindly and lovingly she greeted them, and the courtly messengers
and good delivered their tidings. “My mistress commendeth to thee,”
said Schwemmel, “her service and her true love. Could she but have sight
of thee oftener, naught on earth were dearer to her.”</p>
<p>But the queen answered, “That cannot be. The noble king’s wife
dwelleth, alack! too far from me. Blessed evermore be she and Etzel. Fail not
to send me word of your departure, when ye are about to return home. It is long
since envoys were so welcome as ye are.” And the youths promised that
they would do it.</p>
<p>The Huns went to their lodging. Meanwhile, the great king had sent for his
friends, and noble Gunther asked his men how the message pleased them. And many
of them began to say that he might well ride into Etzel’s land. The best
among them counselled him thereto—all save Hagen. Him it irked
exceedingly. He said to the king apart, “Ye strike at your own life.
Surely ye know what we have done. Evermore we stand in danger from Kriemhild. I
smote her husband dead with my hand. How dare we ride into Etzel’s
land?”</p>
<p>But the king answered, “My sister forgot her anger. With a loving kiss
she forgave us for all we had done to her or she rode away. Hath she aught
against any, it is against thee alone, Hagen.”</p>
<p>“Be not deceived,” said Hagen, “by the words of the Hunnish
envoys. If thou goest to see Kriemhild, thou mayst lose thine honour and thy
life. The wife of King Etzel hath a long memory.”</p>
<p>Then Gernot spake out before the assembly, “Because thou fearest death
with reason among the Huns, it were ill done on our part to keep away from our
sister.”</p>
<p>And Sir Giselher said to the knight, “Since thou knowest thyself guilty,
friend Hagen, stay thou at home, and guard thyself well, and let them that
dare, journey with us to the Huns.”</p>
<p>Then the knight of Trony fell into a passion. “None that ye take with you
will be readier to ride to the court than I. And well I will prove it, since ye
will not be turned.”</p>
<p>But knight Rumolt, the cook, said, “Strangers and friends ye can
entertain at home, at your pleasure. For here is abundance. Hagen, I trow, hath
never held you back afore. If ye will not follow him in this, be counselled by
Rumolt (for your true and loving servant am I) and tarry here as I would have
ye do, and leave King Etzel yonder by Kriemhild. Where in the wide world could
ye be better? Here ye are safe from your enemies. Ye can adorn your bodies with
goodly vesture, drink the best wine, and woo fair women. Thereto, ye are given
meats, the best on earth that ever king ate. The land is prosperous. Ye may
give up Etzel’s hightide with honour, and live merrily at home with your
friends. Even had ye nothing else to feat on here, I could always give you your
fill of one dish—cutlets fried in oil. This is Rumolt’s advice, my
masters, since there is danger among the Huns. Never again, I trow, will
Kriemhild be your friend, nor have you and Hagen deserved otherwise. Stay here,
ye knights, else ye may rue it. Ye shall find in the end that my counsel is not
bad: wherefore heed my words. Rich are your lands. Here ye can redeem your
pledges better than among the Huns. Who knoweth how things stand there. Abide
where ye are. That is Rumolt’s counsel.”</p>
<p>“We will not stay here,” said Gernot. “Since my sister and
great Etzel have bidden us so lovingly, why should we refuse? He that will not
with us may tarry at home.”</p>
<p>“By my troth,” said Rumolt, “I, for one, will never cross the
Rhine for Etzel’s hightide. Why should I hazard what I have? I will live
while I may.”</p>
<p>“I am of thy mind for that,” said knight Ortwin. “I will help
thee to order things at home.”</p>
<p>And there were many that would not go, and said, “God guard you among the
Huns.”</p>
<p>The king was wroth when he saw they desired to take their ease at home.
“We will go none the less. The prudent are safe in the midst of
danger.”</p>
<p>Hagen answered, “Be not wroth at my word. Whatever betide, I counsel thee
in good faith to ride strongly armed to the Huns. Since thou wilt not be turned,
summon the best men thou canst find, or knowest of, among thy vassals, and from
among them I will choose a thousand good knights, that thou come not in scathe
by Kriemhild’s anger.”</p>
<p>“I will do this,” said the king straightway. And he bade messengers
ride abroad through the country. Three thousand or more heroes they brought
back with them.</p>
<p>They thought not to meet so grim a doom. Merrily they rode into Gunter’s
land. To all them that were to journey to the Huns horses and apparel were
given. The king found many willing. Hagen of Trony bade Dankwart, his brother,
lead eighty of their knights to the Rhine. They came in proud array, bringing
harness and vesture with them. Bold Folker, a noble minstrel, arrived with
thirty of his men for the journey. A king might well have worn their raiment.
He told Gunther that these would also visit the Huns.</p>
<p>I will tell you who Folker was. He was a noble knight, and many good warriors
in Burgundy were his vassals. He was called a minstrel because he played on the
viol.</p>
<p>Hagen chose a thousand that he knew well, and the prowess of whose hand he had
seen in grim battle, and in warlike deeds. None could deny their valour.</p>
<p>It irked Kriemhild’s envoys to be delayed, for they greatly feared their
master, and every day they desired to be gone. But Hagen kept them for his
crafty ends. He said to his lord, “We must beware of letting them go or
we be ready to follow them, in a sennight. We shall be safer so, if they mean
us harm. Kriemhild will not have the time to contrive our hurt. Or, if she be
minded thereto, it may go ill with her, since we lead with us to the Huns so
many chosen men.”</p>
<p>Shields and saddles and all the vesture they were to take with them, to
Etzel’s land, were now ready, and Kriemhild’s envoys were bidden to
Gunther’s presence. When they appeared, Gernot said, “The king will
obey Etzel’s wish. We go gladly to his hightide to see our sister. She
may count on us.”</p>
<p>Gunther asked, “Can ye tell us when the hightide falleth, or when we must
set forth?”</p>
<p>And Schwemmel answered, “Next midsummer, without fail.”</p>
<p>The king gave them leave, for the first time, to visit Brunhild, but Folker, to
please her, said them nay.</p>
<p>“Queen Brunhild is not well enow for you to see her,” said the good
knight. “Wait till morning, and ye shall win audience of her.” They
had fain beheld her, but could not.</p>
<p>Then the rich prince, that he might show favour to the envoys, bade bring
thither of his own bounty gold upon broad shields. He had plenty thereof. His
friends also gave them rich gifts. Giselher and Gernot, Gary and Ortwin, let it
be seen that they could give freely. They offered such costly things to the
envoys that these durst not take them, for fear of their master.</p>
<p>Then said Werbel to the king, “Keep your gifts, O king, in your own land.
We may not carry them with us. My lord forbade us to take aught. Thereto, we
have small need.” But the prince of the Rhine was angry because they
refused so great a king’s gift. So, at the last, they were constrained to
take his gold and vesture, and carry them home into Etzel’s land.</p>
<p>They desired to see Uta or they departed. Giselher, the youth, brought the
minstrels before his mother, and the lady bade them say that she rejoiced to
hear how that Kriemhild was had in worship. For the sake of Kriemhild, that she
loved, and of King Etzel, the queen gave the envoys girdles and gold. Well
might they receive this, for with true heart it was offered.</p>
<p>The envoys had now taken leave of both men and women, and rode merrily forward
to Swabia. Gernot sent his warriors with them thus far, that none might do them
a hurt.</p>
<p>When their escorts parted from them, Etzel’s might kept them safe by the
way, that none robbed them of horses or vesture. Then they spurred swiftly to
the land of the Huns. Them that they knew for friends, they told that the
Burgundians from the Rhine would pass there shortly. They brought the tidings
also to Bishop Pilgerin.</p>
<p>When they rode down by Bechlaren, they failed not to send word to Rudeger and
Dame Gotelind, the Margrave’s wife, that was merry of her cheer because
she was to see the guests so soon.</p>
<p>The minstrels were seen spurring through the land. They found Etzel in his town
of Gran. They gave the king, that grew red for joy, the greetings that had been
sent him.</p>
<p>When the queen heard for certain that her brothers would come, she was well
content, and requited the minstrels with goodly gifts, which did her honour.
She said, “Now tell me, both of you, Werbel and Schwemmel, which of my
friends, of the best that we have bidden, come to the hightide. What said Hagen
when he heard the news?”</p>
<p>“He came to the council one morning early. He had little good to say of
the hightide. It was named by grim Hagen the death-ride. Thy brothers, the
three kings, come in merry mood. Who further are with them I cannot say.
Folker, the bold minstrel, is one.”</p>
<p>“I had made shift to do without Folker,” said the king’s
wife. “Hagen I esteem; he is a good knight. I am right glad that we
shall see him here.”</p>
<p>Then Kriemhild went to the king, and spake to him right sweetly, “How
doth the news please thee, dearest lord? All my heart’s desire shall now
be satisfied.”</p>
<p>“Thy will is my pleasure,” answered the king. “I were less
glad had it been mine own kinsmen. Through love of thy dear brethren all my
cares have vanished.”</p>
<p>Etzel’s officers bade fit up palace and hall everywhere with seats for
the welcome guests. They took much joy from the king.</p>
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