The banquet for the expected guests was being prepared at the house of the Prince. The hostess went with the maidens through the rooms where the kitchen stores were kept. Long rows of hams were hanging there, round sausages, and smoked ox-tongues. She was pleased with the rich provisions, directed that they should be taken to the kitchen, and ordered the maidens to make a mark on the best pieces, in order that the carver might place these on the table of the elder guests. Then she went to the cool cellars, arched with stone, which were situated at a corner of the dwelling where little sunlight came, being protected with earth and turf; there she selected the barrels of strong beer and the jugs of mead, and looked doubtfully at some foreign-looking clay vessels which stood in the corner, half buried in the ground.

"I do not think that my lord will require wine, yet if he calls for it, tell the cupbearer to take the small one, for the others may be kept for a greater feast day. And see to it yourself that the awkward fellows do not break the costly vessel; for what has been brought with great pains, packed with straw, form a foreign land, by horses and men, may, after its long journey, very easily be spoiled by the awkwardness of servants when they are full of mead."

She gave another searching look through the large room. "There are stores enough for a Chieftain's house, and may the mead for many a year rejoice the hearts of our men; may the gods grant that our heroes may all drink cheerfully and honorably. And listen, Frida: one knows well what is usually required by men, but drink defies calculation. Let three bottles of old mead be taken out of the stores, and tell the cupbearer, if the men are peaceable and conversing respectably, this also may be offered them at the end; but if they become angry with each other, and get into discordant wrangle, he must be cautious in helping them, so that no great evil may ensue."

The lady then stepped into the kitchen, where great fires were burning on stone plates. The young men were occupied in front of the house cutting up fat oxen, some large deer, and three wild boars, and attaching the meat to long spits. The maidens sat in a row, plucking fowls, or kneading with their hands spiced wheaten dough into large balls. The village boys awaited with smiling countenances the time when they should turn the spits, that they also might have a savory share from the feast of the heroes.

Meanwhile the Chieftain's men were occupied in the great hall. The grand building stood in the middle of the court, formed of thick pinewood beams; a staircase led to the open door; inside two rows of high wooden columns supported the beams of the roof; from the pillars up to the wall on both sides ran raised benches; in the middle, opposite the door, stood the seats of honor for the host and the most distinguished guests; near them a space beautifully adorned like an arbor, for the ladies of the house, that they might look on at the banquet of the men as long as they liked. The younger men decked the wooden arbor with blooming branches which they had brought from the fields. Outside Wolf was driving up a large wagon, with rushes and reeds to strew on the floor, which he had cut from the banks of the nearest pond.

"It is well to be here, guest," began Wolf, greeting Ingo; "the Princess was gracious to thee; thou hast now a new dress, woven by our women: how does the cloth of the maidens of Thuringia suit thee?"

"What is willingly offered sits comfortably on the receiver," answered the stranger, laughing. "I rejoice to hear thy voice again; thou hast been for days away."

"We herdsmen have been with the dogs to fetch the animals from the wood to be roasted for the feast," replied the man. "Help me, Theodulf!" he cried out to one of his companions; "am I to clear the wagon alone?"

Theodulf, a proud man of the Prince's retinue, pushed his hands stiffly among the rushes, and said over his shoulder to the stranger: "He who is wont to beg for a stranger's dress shold not stand idle when better men are using their hands."

Ingo looked frowningly at the speaker, a tall soldier-like figure, broad-chested, with a long scar on his cheek, who returned the look of the stranger with equal defiance. At the eyes of the one was kindled the anger of the other, till the looks of both opponents darted flames at one another. But Ingo, with great self-control, restrained his wrath, and turning his back, answered: "If thou hadst spoken kindly, I should willingly have followed thy suggestion."

But the watchman whispered to him: "Take care not to irritate him; he is a cross-grained fellow, who gladly gets into a quarrel; he is related to the Princess, and he does not serve as we do, for he is of noble race, has only engaged himself for a time, and will some day succeed to the rich inheritance of his father. No wonder that the rushes prick him when he is obliged to carry them."

"He who serves must carry," replied Ingo, moodily.

The maidens also took notice of the festal dress of the stranger.

"See, my lady, how proudly the stranger steps in the doublet bestowed upon him by the Princess," said Frida to Irmgard.

"A gallant spirit ennobles the meanest dress," replied Irmgard.

"Mean!" exclaimed Frida; "the jacket is of the best cloth from our chest; I must know it, for I myself stitched it. It is singular that the Princess should have bestowed it upon a traveler!"

"But he is truly no common man," answered Irmgard.

"That I think also," assented Frida inquisitively, "for I observed a little while ago the Princess accosting him in the house when he came in her way; on both sides it was a princely greeting. She smiled on him, and laid her hand on his dress, as if he were an intimate member of her kindred."

"When the stranger yesterday evening approached the hearth round which the men were assembled," replied Irmgard, "my father, who before had been carelessly joking with the menials, on seeing the stranger, changed his demeanor, and rose from his seat as if to meet him, though he did not, however, do it; yet from that moment his manner was stately, and the meal as quiet as if a messenger from the King's court were sitting at the Princes's table."

"The stranger also," continued Frida, eagerly, "walked with dignity up to the Prince, as though he would take his place by the seat of honor, and one of the boys had to draw him back by the jacket to his place, that he might not be forgetful of proper respect."

"I saw it," added Irmgard, with a nod; "he smiled at it;" and she smiled herself at the recollection.

"Yet he sits quite low down on the bench," exclaimed Frida; "and now that witty Wolf has begun again to stir his great tongue, he has to listen to all the wisdom of the boys."

"If there is a secret," said Irmgard, in a low tone, "it will certainly be told us maidens at last."

"But thou thyself, lady," said Frida, "hast shown him little favor lately. We were the first whom he greeted so honorably, and for three long days thou hast avoided speaking to him. The man will blame thee as unfriendly and hard-hearted, and he has not the boldness to venture to accost thee, as he comes in such miserable plight; therefore do thou offer him a greeting at last."

"Let us do what is proper," answered Irmgard.

She moved with calm self-possession toward the troop of proud youths who were in the habit of following the Prince when he rode through the villages, or in the front of the battle. But when she came near the stranger, she became shy of speaking to him before others, and stopped by Theodulf, saying, "I heard your hunting horn late yesterday; had you good sport, cousin?"

Theodulf colored with joy because the Prince's child had greeted him before the others. He related to her his good fortune in the chase, and led her to a wooden partition, where a two-year-old bear was sitting very discontentedly. "The hounds seized him by the skin, I bound him with thongs, and brought him alive to the house; he will become a playfellow for the children in the village."

When Irmgard had looked at the brown bear, and gone away with Frida, the latter exclaimed indignantly, "Truly, you have spoken politely to the stranger."

"I was near enough to him," answered Irmgard, "and yet he was silent."

"He knows better what is due to the Prince's daughter," replied Frida.

But Irmgard watched the stranger after that, and when she saw him leaning apart from the others, against the fence of the courtyard, she went over to him alone, stopped, as if accidentally, and said, "On the elder tree over thy head a small gray bird dwells --- the nightingale. The maidens exorcise every evening the weasel and the screech-owl, that they may not destroy the nest. If he sing to thee, listen to him kindly, that he may delight thy friendly spirit. They say that in his songs he reminds every one of what is dear to him."

Ingo answered cordially, "All birds --- the hawk in the air and the singer in the bush --- sing the same song to the ear of the stranger; they remind him of home. There the dear mother once scattered winter food for the birds, that they might sing to her son good omens for his life. They have since then kept faith with him. Many a time have the wild feathered messengers warned the restless man, on the heath and in the forest, of dangers; they have been the companions of his destiny; like him they wander homeless over the earth, and like him feeding themselves either upon the prey which they seize, or on the gifts bestowed on them by an hospitable friend."

"And yet they find everywhere materials from which to build their nest," replied Irmgard.

"But where can the homeless make his house?" asked the guest, earnestly. "He who stands on his own threshold, and counts the horses on the inheritance of his father, he knows not how poverty gnaws at the heart of the proud man, when he must accept the gifts he himself would like to bestow on others."

"Thou complainest of the hospitality of the house at whose hearth thou hast been received," answered Irmgard, reproachfully.

"I call the host and his lady blessed, who are gracious in their noble house to a stranger in the land," replied the guest. "But the thoughts of the man to whom a corner on the bench is granted ramble insecurely. For the stranger must ever watch anxiously the aspect of the host, whether he still keeps his favor. Every one in the house stands secure in his rights; only to the wandering stranger is the ground on which he treads like a thin sheet of ice, which in the morning, perhaps, may break under him; and whenever a mouth is opened, he knows not whether it signifies honor or shame. Do not be angry with me for this complaint," he begged frankly. "Thine eyes and thy words have drawn out secret cares from my breast, and too boldly have I ventured on confidential speech. It would be painful to me to displease thee."

"I shall think of thy words in the future," answered Irmgard, softly, "whenever I see a lonely wanderer at our house. But be assured that thou art welcome here to many. The Thuringians like a cheerful spirit and sociable talk; show thyself thus today among our neighbors; and if I may venture to give thee good advice, do not turn aside from the young men when they practise their warlike games; for I think that thou also mayest succeed well in these. If you gain praise among our countrymen, it will give pleasure to our house, for it is an honor to the host when the guest wins fame. And I observe that my father also wishes thee well." She bent her head, blushing, and moved away from the neighborhood of the stranger; but he looked joyfully after her.

The Prince stood in front of his house to receive the nobles and the free peasants who arrived from all sides on horseback and on foot, and were greeted at the gateway by the herald, Hildebrand. Those who approached on horseback dismounted there, and the young men led their horses into a large enclosure, and fastened them firmly, that the servants might rub the foam off with straw, and scatter old oats in the crib. All were worthily greeted and accosted. The guests stood in a wide circle in the court--- a proud company, distinguished men from twenty villages of the neighboring country, all in their warlike apparel, with ash spears in their hands, swords and daggers by their sides, in beautiful leather caps which were adorned with the tusks and ears of wild boards; many towered over the rest in iron helmets, with leather collars or coats of mail over their white shirts, and in high leather leggings which reached up to the body; many also who were rich, and esteemed the wares of the Rhenish traders, wore a loose garment of foreign material, that had fine hairs of bright colors, and shone like the fur of a wild beast. The men stood silent, rejoicing in the meeting; only some who stepped aside together exchanged words in a low tone upon the reports which had flown through the country of the great battle in the west, and of the threatening times. But those who knew the characters of the men, like Hildebrand the herald, perceived that their minds were unsettled and their opinions dissimilar. The reception lasted long, for single individuals kept still coming, who had loitered, till at last the herald went up to the Chieftain, and pointed to the sun.