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"Perhaps thou thyself, oh Prince, mayest be able to reconcile the opinions of the chiefs and neighbors. They all would grant the best to the Hero who came to thy hearth from the war; they are only fearful lest, perhaps, at some time their countrymen should be troubled by his fate. For it is characteristic of an illustrious man not to lie idle under the roof of his host; he collects followers around him, and creates himself opponents: the greater a man's repute, the more powerfully will he draw his companions in his path. We are not so niggardly as to count the days during which we should keep a wanderer in the hall, yet we do not know the views of the Hero; and therefore may it be permitted to me to warn the host. If it is only a question of giving the stranger a short rest and a chamber, then there is no need of consultation. But if he wishes to pass his future days among our people, to fix his abode on our ground, then we must think cautiously, not only of the advantage of the stranger, but also of our own."

"Thy admonition is well founded," answered the Prince, seriously, "and yet I must refuse an answer to thy speech; thou thyself knowest that it does not become a host to watch the hour of departure of a guest; and even if I might, in this case I would never do it, for the noble man came to us from misfortune; he himself knows not whether his return will be granted to him soon, or perhaps ever."

Again Rothari rose, the unyielding man, and spoke in anger:

"What! shall we market about time, we Thuringians? When we open our hearts, we do not make a question of time. Give him the rights of hospitality among the people, and make an end of it!"

Loud cries of applause rose from the men, who sprang from their seats. Then jumped up Sintram in the middle of the circle, and cried out with sharp voice to the excited assembly:

"Look to it, Prince, that the leaders of our province do not, like a boy following a bright bird, spring down into an unexplored chasm. I demand silence; little has yet been considered which tends to our welfare."

The Prince made a sign with his staff; the men seated themselves unwillingly, and a threatening murmur rose against Sintram; but he continued, unmoved:

"Powerful art thou, oh Prince, and sharp is the iron of thy people, but we are Thuringians, and a king rules over us; it is fitting that the King should give hospitality to the foreign King's son, not we."

"King Bisino? King Bilberry!" cried angry voices. "Will Sintram have us send a messenger to the King to prescribe the promises that we are to make by our hearth-fires?" exclaimed an indignant Thuringian.

"The King is our liege lord," said Answald, cautiously. "In the council of the people his name should be mentioned with respect."

"I know well," the persistent Sintram called out to the threatening assembly, "that we do not ask the King when a way-weary man, of whose name no one has heard, sits down on our bench; but he who has now come is a noted warrior --- an enemy of the Romans. We know not the King's mind, whether the stranger might be useful or mischievous to him; and whether he who considers the peace of the people would praise or blame our hospitality."

Then rose Turibert, the priest of the sacrifices, who sat on the right hand of the Prince, and began with a loud voice, which sounded powerfully under the raftered roof:

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