So when they were now all mustered upon the Danube strand, Then spake to his men King Gunther: "Who through the unknown land Shall now on the right path guide us, that our feet err not from the same?" Out spake the valiant Volker: "This office for mine I claim." "Nay, halt ye a space," said Hagen: "halt, both squire and knight! His friends must a man needs follow, it seemeth me meet and right. But a tale of evil tidings now at my mouth must ye learn-- Home to the land Burgundian not one of us all shall return. Unto me this morning early was it told of mermaids two That for us was no more returning: now counsel I what ye shall do: Gird on your armour, ye heroes: ward you with heedful care. Stark foemen await us: ride ye as men that battleward fare. I had hoped to prove those mermaids false in their prophecy, When they said unto me, that no man of all our array should see Again the home in the Rhineland, except the chaplain alone: Therefore would I so gladly have drowned him a little agone." From rank unto rank of their thousands the evil tidings flew. Pale with a ghastly foreboding many a good knight grew, As the hideous terror gripped them of the bitter death so near At the end of this festival-faring, and their hearts were cold with fear. That place was nigh unto Möring where they passed across the flood, Where the ferryman of Elsè poured out his life in blood. Again to the rest spake Hagen: "I have made for myself by the way Foes, and our march shall shortly be beset by their array. To-day have I slain their boatman while yet was the morning grey, And by this have they heard the tidings. Haste ye, prepare for the fray, {P. 218} That, soon as Gelfrat and Elsè fall on our company, They may fall on their own destruction, so stern shall their welcome be. They will nowise fail to attack us, for I know how bold is the foe; Wherefore let ye your horses all softly pacing go, That none of them all may imagine that we flee before them in dread." "Yea, I will follow thy counsel," the young Prince Giselher said. "Now by whom to our host on-marching through the land shall the ways be shown?" They answered: "Our guide shall be Volker, for unto him well-known Be highways alike and byways, the lordly minstrel-knight." And lo, ere any could ask him, he was there, all-armed as for fight, That valiant viol-minstrel: his helm on his head was laced; With blazonry splendour-tinted was his armour overtraced: On his spear was a crimson pennon, a fluttering tongue of flame. --Ah, soon with his royal masters into terrible peril he came!