Thereat did the old knight arm him, after the young man's…

Thereat did the old knight arm him, after the young man's rede; And, or ever Hildebrand knew it, stood all in battle-weed The eager warriors of Dietrich: sword in hand stood they. And the hero was grieved, and had turned them, an he might, from their purposed way. "Whither away?" he asked them. "Thither will we with thee; And haply Hagen of Troneg less eager then shall be With jeering speech to mock thee, as his cruel wont is still." And the hero hearkened and answered, "Be it then as ye will."

Then looked forth Volker the valiant, and the knights of Bern he saw, The liegemen of Lord Dietrich, full-harnessed thitherward draw, Girded about with war-glaives, with bucklers gripped in hand; And he told it unto his masters, the Lords of Burgundia-land; And spake the viol-minstrel: "Yonder I see draw near The vassal-throng of Dietrich, like foes in battle-gear Harnessed, and under helmet, as who would beset us in fight. I ween we homeless heroes shall now be in evil plight."

Even as he spake his warning, thither came Hildebrand; And there, with his great shield planted on the earth at his feet, did he stand; And cried to the men of Gunther that sorrow-stricken one: "Ah, noble knights, what evil unto you had Rüdiger done? Me hath my good lord Dietrich unto you sent hitherward To wot if a hand Burgundian it was that slew with the sword The noble Lord of the Marches, as the tale unto us was told; For then should our weeping be endless, our grief aye unconsoled." Made answer Hagen of Troneg: "That tale is all too true. Right glad were I had the teller thereof but lied unto you