Now the knights that Blödel gathered arrayed themselves forthright. To the feast-hall they hied them, a thousand in hauberks harnessed for fight, To the hall where ranged at the tables the squires with Dankwart sate. Soon brake there forth between heroes the deadliest of all hate. In strode the war-thane Blödel, and afront of the board stood grim. But with friendly courtesy Dankwart the Marshal greeted him: "With welcoming to our mansion, Lord Blödel, I hail thee now; Yet I marvel at thy coming. What tidings bringest thou?" "Thou hast nothing to do to greet me," sternly Blödel spake; "Seeing my coming hither an end of thee shall make, For that Hagen thy brother murdered Siegfried years agone; For the deed with heroes many shalt thou to the Huns atone." "Now nay, my good Lord Blödel," peaceably Dankwart replied; "Sooth, this were a sorry ending for us all unto this high-tide! But a child was I when Siegfried departed from light and life. No cause know I why hated I should be of Etzel's wife." "For thee, I know not and care not how the truth of the story lies: Thy kinsmen, Hagen and Gunther, did it in any wise. Defend you, ye doomed and homeless! Ye live not another day! Here, now, with your lives the forfeit unto Kriemhild must ye pay!" "Ha, will ye forbear not?" cried Dankwart, "ye messengers of death! I repent me of mine entreaty: I had better have spared my breath!" That keen knight battle-eager leapt from his place at the board; He swept from out the scabbard a mighty and long sharp sword: Therewith hath he dealt unto Blödel a stroke that as lightning flashed; And lo, his head in the helmet down at his feet was dashed. {P. 264} "That be thy morning bride-gift," the war-fain warrior cried, "To the widowed wife of Nudung, whom thou wert to win for bride! Ay, let them wed her to-morrow to another traitor yet: If he craveth a dower, that Blödel hath gotten shall he too get!" So scoffed he touching the tidings that a Hun true-hearted had brought Of the plot whereby Queen Kriemhild the destruction of all these sought.