Then the noble viol-minstrel, Volker the aweless, said

Then the noble viol-minstrel, Volker the aweless, said: "I trow these knights be faint-hearts; to meet us fairly they dread. Yet hear I talk of their hatred, how bitter against us it is. Sooth, never a better season may they find to prove it than this! Now once more unto the stables," again Lord Volker cried, "Let the squires lead back the horses. Peradventure again will we ride When draweth the day unto even, if haply the time suffice. Perchance to the knights Burgundian will the Queen give valour's prize!"

Then into the lists came riding one of such lordly mien That in all the host of the Hunfolk no goodlier man was seen. Perchance from a casement a dear one gazed on his pomp and his pride: Like a maid was he richly apparelled, yea, like a young knight's bride. Then again in his scorn spake Volker: "Who now can forbear to smite? He must needs take a buffet, yon minion of women, yon carpet-knight. He hath set his life on the hazard: not I will be turned from my path! As for yon wife of King Etzel, nothing I reck of her wrath." "Now nay, by my love I charge thee," said Gunther, "do not thus! All folk will blame if the first blood be wantonly shed by us. Let the Huns be the first wrong-doers: it were more for our honour, I ween." —And all this while King Etzel at the casement sat with the Queen. "I make one more in the tourney," cried Hagen instantly. "We will let yon dames at their casements and the knights that throng us see How knightly is our jousting: yea, it were right well done. In any wise, from our foemen small praise shall by us be won."

Volker the battle-eager again rode into the strife: That onset to many a woman with sore heart-anguish was rife. From breast to back his lance-head hath pierced that noble Hun. That stroke wept many a maiden and matrons many an one. Straightway returning Hagen came with his hero-train; With his own threescore warriors he rode the lists again. On pricked they to where the minstrel had shown them such grim sport. —Etzel the while and Kriemhild gazed down on the stormy court.

Now also Burgundia's princes would leave not void of aid In the midst of unnumbered foemen that minstrel unafraid. With a thousand heroes behind them, the flower of chivalry, They rode the lords of the tourney, and their hearts were proud and high.

Now when that knight of the Hunfolk in death had been thus laid low, A cry brake forth from his kinsmen of lamentation and woe. All through the throng were they shouting, "Now who hath done this thing?" Men answered, "Volker the dauntless, the lord of the viol-string." They shouted, "Take ye the bucklers, and grip ye the sword in hand!" Those friends of the slaughtered Margrave, the lords of the Hunfolk's land. Fain were they to smite the minstrel to death for that grim deed; But down from the casement hasted the King with eager speed. Then rose from the midst of the Hunfolk uproar that on all sides rang. Down to the earth from their saddles the Kings with their liegemen sprang: Behind them they put their horses, the men of Gunther's array. Now cometh in haste King Etzel, with intent to part the fray. From a man of the slain Hun's kinsmen, who chanced anigh him to stand, He gat him a sword keen-whetted, yea, tore it out of his hand, And therewith beat back his people, and he cried in exceeding wrath: "May I not keep faith with the heroes? Must I break my plighted troth? If ye had slain this minstrel in revenge for the deed he hath done, On the word of a king, I had hanged you—I had hanged you every one! As touching the spear-thrust given to the Hun—I marked him ride:— It was not of his will, but his charger stumbled in his stride. These be my guests: ye shall suffer that in peace they all go hence." So himself became their escort. Led were the horses thence To the stalls, for squires there waited, and henchmen not a few, With swift obedience ready to render them service due.

So back to the hall of the palace his guests did the host-king lead: He suffered in his presence no wrathful word or deed. They set the tables in order, the water the pages bare: —Yet many a most stern foeman had the Rhineland warriors there.

(C) Albeit it irked King Etzel, a great throng into the hall Followed the lords Burgundian, and weapons had they all. On the guests they scowled their hatred, as they passed to the feastful board; For they burned to avenge their kinsman when time and place should accord. (C) "That ye come to the banquet in armour clad and with sword on thigh," Spake the lord of the land to his people, "is foul discourtesy Now whoso dareth to offer an insult to any guest Shall atone with his head for the outrage. Huns, ye have heard mine hest."

Long was it, ere at the banquet seated were all those chiefs, The while the heart of Kriemhild was racked with manifold griefs. "O Prince of Bern," she pleaded, "this day must I of thee Entreat both help and counsel in my sore perplexity." Then unto her the good knight Hildebrand answer made: "Whosoever slayeth the Niblungs doth it without mine aid. What treasures tempt him soever, he taketh his death with the gold. Never yet have they been vanquished, those warriors aweless-bold." (C) "This toucheth none save Hagen, who hath done foul wrong unto me: Siegfried, my lord, my belovèd, he murdered treacherously. Who severeth him from his fellows, my gold shall guerdon him well. My spirit should inly sorrow, if hurt to the rest befell." (C) But the old lord Hildebrand answered: "Nay, how might such thing be That one should slay him only? Surely thyself mayst see That if any beset him, his fellows with him will live or die. Yea, small and great together, if he fell, in death would lie." Then added and spake Lord Dietrich with knightly courtesy: "O mighty Queen, I pray thee, put all such pleading by. Never to me have thy kinsmen done any deed of wrong That I should defy to battle such valiant thanes and strong. For thy prayer, O noble Lady, small honour to thee is therein That so thou devisest mischief against the lives of thy kin. They came under pledge of friendship hither to Etzel's land. It must needs be that Siegfried remaineth unavenged by Dietrich's hand."