Before the council Gernot flung back his haughty reply

Before the council Gernot flung back his haughty reply: "Albeit with too good reason thou haply fear to die In the kingdom of the Hunfolk, shall we too show faint heart, And cower away from our sister?—that were a sorry part!" And scornfully Giselher answered the baron and bitterly: "If conscience, O friend Hagen, maketh a coward of thee, Here in the land abide thou, and guard thine health with care, And let such as fear no dangers with us to my sister fare." At his scoffing the hero of Troneg brake into fierceness of wrath— "I tell thee, that no man fareth with thee on the Hunward path Who feareth so little as Hagen to Etzel's palace to ride! Ay, and by deeds will I prove it, since ye will not be turned aside."

Then spake the feast-arrayer, Rumold the noble thane: "The home-friend and the stranger at home can ye entertain After your own good pleasure, for here nought lacketh to you. I trow, the counsel of Hagen never yet had ye cause to rue. If ye will not be counselled by Hagen, I Rumold give you my rede— Unto you have I ever been faithful, I have served you with diligent heed— Here in the land, if ye hearken my will, do ye still abide, And leave King Etzel to tarry yonder by Kriemhild's side. Where can ye in all earth's compass be in better case than here? So safely here be ye shielded that no foe draweth near: Here in the goodliest raiment may your bodies be arrayed: Rich wine may ye drink, and for wooing is many a comely maid. Here meats be set before you the best that in all the earth Be arrayed for a great king's feasting:—and were all this nothing-worth, Yet in the land should ye tarry for the sake of your winsome wives, Nor like little wanton children set at the hazard your lives. (C) Yea, though all other victual utterly failed us, still One dish could ye have of Rumold to eat thereof your fill"— And he laughed—"good oil-fried collops! Rumold's rede is this, Forasmuch as, my lords, mid the Hunfolk a hidden peril is.

(C) Never to you-ward in kindness will Kriemhild's heart be turned. Of a surety nor ye nor Hagen such grace at her hands have earned! If ye will not tarry, who knoweth how sorely ye yet may rue? Yea, ye shall yet acknowledge that this I have said was true. Therefore I say to you, Go not! Rich is this your land: Here shall ye better acquit you of duties that lie to your hand Than yonder amid the Hunfolk. Who knows what waiteth us there? Tarry ye here, my masters: saith Rumold, 'Avoid the snare!'"

"Nay, now will we nowise tarry!" did Gernot eagerly cry. "Seeing that thus my sister bids so lovingly, And with her Etzel the mighty, why hold we back therefrom? Who is loth with us to journey, e'en let him linger at home!" (C) "In troth," made answer Rumold, "I will be one at the least Who never will cross Rhine-river unto Etzel's high-tide feast. The better part I have chosen shall I on the hazard fling? So long as my strength availeth to my one life will I cling." (C) "So likewise am I minded," spake to him Ortwein the thane; "I will help thee to ward the kingdom, and the peace of the home to maintain." And so spake many another: of the journey would they none. "Dear Lords, God have you in keeping," said they, "in the land of the Hun!"

(C) Indignant was then King Gunther, when he saw how many were these That were minded in Rhineland to tarry, and there to take their ease. "We will not be turned from our purpose," he said; "we will forth on the way. Whoso is prudent of spirit can ward him in peril aye." Answered and spake to him Hagen: "Now in ill part take not ye This last word of my counsel, whatsoever your fate may be,— For in all true faith I give it:—if aught for your lives ye care, Arrayed in harness of battle to the Hunland do ye fare. Since ye will not be swayed from your purpose, summon your men of war, The best ye may find in your war-band, or hear of near or far; And out of them all will I choose us a thousand chiefest of might: So shall ye not be defenceless against this Kriemhild's spite."