Then by the hand of Dietrich were the limbs of Gunther bound

Then by the hand of Dietrich were the limbs of Gunther bound— Though never should king with dishonour of bonds be compassed round; Yet he weened, if he left unshackled Gunther and Hagen the knight, They would verily slay all Hunfolk on whomsoe'er they should light. The Prince of Bern, Lord Dietrich, hath grasped him by the hand: In bonds to the hall hath he haled him where waiting doth Kriemhild stand. At sight of his affliction light grew the load on her heart; And she cried: "O King Burgundian, welcome to me thou art!" "For thy greeting," he said, "might I thank thee, O noble sister mine, If aught of lovingkindness lurked in that welcome of thine. But I know, O Queen, thine hatred and thy wrath-enkindled mood, And how little to me and to Hagen thy greeting bodeth of good."

But the Prince of Bern, the Hero, spake: "O noble Queen, Never such peerless heroes made captive hath any seen, As thou, O Daughter of Princes, from mine hand now dost take. Deal gently with these, the homeless, for my lovingkindness' sake." She answered: "That will I gladly." So turned with weeping eyes Dietrich away from the heroes, famed lords of high emprize. But thereafter was ghastly vengeance taken by Etzel's wife: By her from the chosen heroes ruthlessly reft was the life. She gave command, and to dungeons apart those twain they bore; And these two friends were beholden of each other never more, Until she bare unto Hagen the head of her brother slain. Grim was the vengeance that Kriemhild wreaked upon these twain!

Then went the Queen unto Hagen, and she looked on him, and she spake— And all the hoarded hatred of years in her voice outbrake:— "If thou restore me the treasure that thy robber hand hath ta'en, Peradventure thou mayest living see Burgundy-land again." Made answer the grim knight Hagen: "The word is wasted in air, O noble Daughter of Princes. A certain oath I sware To reveal the Hoard unto no man:—so long as liveth but one Of the Princes Three, my masters, it is rendered up unto none."