“He nevermore could get it for all his vain desire;
So fortune oft the traitor cheats of his treason’s hire. 
Alone he hop’d to use it as long as he should live,
But neither himself could profit, nor to another give.”
Nibelungenlied (Lettsom’s
tr.).

When Gunther, Gernot, and Giselher heard what Hagen had done, they were so angry that he deemed it advisable to withdraw from court for a while.  Kriemhild would fain have left Burgundy forever at this fresh wrong, but with much difficulty was prevailed upon to remain and take up her abode at Lorch, whither Siegfried’s remains were removed by her order.

[Sidenote:  King of Hungary a suitor for Kriemhild.] Thirteen years had passed by since Siegfried’s death in the Odenwald when Etzel, King of Hungary, who had lost his beautiful and beloved wife, Helche, bade one of his knights, Ruediger of Bechlaren, ride to Worms and sue for the hand of Kriemhild in his master’s name.

Ruediger immediately gathered together a suitable train and departed, stopping on the way to visit his wife and daughter at Bechlaren.  Passing all through Bavaria, he arrived at last at Worms, where he was warmly welcomed, by Hagen especially, who had formerly known him well.

In reply to Gunther’s courteous inquiry concerning the welfare of the King and Queen of the Huns, Ruediger announced the death of the latter, and declared that he had come to sue for Kriemhild’s hand.

“Thereon the highborn envoy his message freely told: 
’King, since you have permitted, I’ll to your ears unfold
Wherefore my royal master me to your court has sent,
Plung’d as he is in sorrow and doleful dreariment.

“’It has been told my master, Sir Siegfried now is dead,
And Kriemhild left a widow.  If thus they both have sped,
Would you but permit her, she the crown shall wear
Before the knights of Etzel; this bids me my good lord declare.’”
Nibelungenlied (Lettsom’s
tr.).

Gunther gladly received this message, promised to do all in his power to win Kriemhild’s consent, and said that he would give the envoy a definite answer in three days’ time.  He then consulted his brothers and nobles as to the advisability of the proposed alliance, and found that all were greatly in favor of it save Hagen, who warned them that if Kriemhild were ever Queen of the Huns she would use her power to avenge her wrongs.

[Sidenote:  Ruediger’s promise.] This warning was, however, not heeded by the royal brothers, who, seeking Kriemhild’s presence, vainly tried to make her accept the Hun’s proposal.  All she would grant was an audience to Ruediger, who laid before her his master’s proposal, described the power of the Huns, and swore to obey her in all things would she but consent to become his queen.

“In vain they her entreated, in vain to her they pray’d,
Till to the queen the margrave this secret promise made,—­
He’d ‘full amends procure her for past or future ill.’ 
Those words her storm-tost bosom had power in part to still.”

                                                                          Nibelungenlied (Lettsom’s tr.).