Never shall I kiss her; how can you ask for this

“Never shall I kiss her; how can you ask for this? If I should bid them kill her I should not do amiss. Truly have her kinsmen filled my life with sorrow; They fed their eyes upon it, and gladness all the while from this did borrow.”

Gu-drun to Hilda answered: “Ne’er hath this lovely maid The word to any given that wrong on you be laid. Bethink you now, dear mother, would blame to me be owing Should our men slay her kinsmen? To the luckless maid, I beg, your love be showing.”

Gu-drun in vain besought her, until at last, with tears, The maid now begged her mother; then gave she willing ears, And said: “I can no longer see you sadly weeping: If e’er the maiden helped you, for this shall she, in my land, her life be keeping.”

Then the stately Hilda kissed King Ludwig’s child, And greeted other ladies, e’en as Gu-drun had willed. Then came also Hildeburg, from far-off lands brought thither, Erst with her found washing. Now, by the hand, Sir Fru-te led her hither.

Then Gu-drun said further: “Mother, most dear to me, Your greeting give to Hildeburg. What better can there be Than true and faithful friendship? Gold and jewels even, Whate’er the kingdom holdeth, to Hildeburg most rightly should be given.”

Then said to her Queen Hilda: “To me it hath been told How she both weal and sorrow hath borne with you of old. Never shall I sit happy beneath the crown I’m wearing, Till I indeed reward her for all the ills that she with you was sharing.”

At once she kissed the maiden, and others, too, as well. Then Hilda said to Fru-te: “No shame for this I feel,— That I have come to meet you and those whom you are leading. Good knights, you all are welcome into the Hegeling land, now homeward speeding.”