Germany and of the Hegelings. He too heard marvelous accounts of Hilde's
beauty, and, as he was still unmarried, longed to secure her as wife. But
knowing that Hagen, in his anger, was likely to slay any ambassador who
came to his court with a proposal of marriage, Hettel vowed that he would
rather forego the alliance than run the risk of losing any of his tried
friends and faithful servants.

"Then said the royal Hetel: 'The people all relate
That whosoe'er will woo her incurs her father's hate,
And for the maid has perished full many a noble knight;
My friends shall never suffer for me such woeful plight.'"
_Gudrun_ (Dippold's tr.).

[Sidenote: Strategy of Hettel's followers.] His faithful followers, Wat,
Horant, and Frute, perceiving that his heart was set upon the maiden,
finally volunteered to go and get her, saying that they could easily bear
her away by stratagem, although they did not dare to ask for her openly. So
they loaded their vessel with merchandise, hid their weapons, so that they
should be taken for the traders they professed to be, and sailed boldly
into Hagen's port, where, spreading out their wares, they invited all the
people to buy.

Attracted by the extraordinary bargains they offered, the people came in
crowds, and soon all the inhabitants of Balian were busy talking about the
strange peddlers and praising their wares. These stories soon came to the
ears of both queen and princess, who, summoning the merchants into their
presence, asked who they were and whence they came.

All three replied that they were warriors, and that, being banished from
Hettel's court, they had been forced to take up their present occupation to