In sorrow and wrath the hero, the man of the loyal heart, Glared on the Hunnish mocker who hurled that slander-dart. He thought: "For this thou payest! A craven am I, saidst thou? In the presence of kings too loudly hast thou told thy story now!" He clenched his fist in his anger; full on the scoffer he ran, And with such might resistless he smote that Hunnish man, That down to the earth he dashed him, and dead at his feet did he lie. But the sorrow of King Etzel was made but the more thereby. "Away with thee, vile caitiff!" did the good knight Rüdiger cry. "Trouble enow and anguish of soul before had I! What hast thou to do to taunt me that here I have struck no blow? Of a truth to hate yon strangers reason have I enow. Yea, now were I striving against them to the uttermost of my might, Were it not that I was escort hither to prince and knight. Yea, it was I that convoyed them to my lord Etzel's land; Therefore I may not against them uplift my wretched hand." Then to the Lord of the Marches did Etzel the great King say: "Rüdiger, noble hero, how hast thou helped us to-day? Good sooth, in the land have perished more than enough of my folk: No more murders are needed! Thou hast stricken an evil stroke." {P. 294} But the noble knight made answer: "He angered my spirit sore; For he taunted me with mine honours and my wealth's unstinted store, With the gifts that with hand ungrudging thou hast heaped upon me, O King! Of a truth to the reckless liar was his scoff an evil thing!" Drew nigh that Daughter of Princes, which also had seen it done, That deed which the hero's anger had wrought on the hapless Hun. Bitterly did she lament it, many a tear she shed; And unto Rüdiger spake she: "Wherein have we merited That to me and the King yet further thou shouldst multiply sorrow and pain? Thou hast, O Rüdiger, promised unto us, yea, once and again, That thou wouldst venture thine honour, yea, and thy life for us. Oft have I heard knights yield thee the prize of the valorous. Of the oath-plight now I remind thee that thou swarest by thy right hand, When, chosen of knights, thou didst woo me to be queen of Etzel's land, That thou wouldst render me service even to our life's end. Never--ah me all-hapless!--had I such need of a friend!" "O Queen, no whit I deny it, an oath unto thee did I take That my life and my very honour I would venture for thy sake. But to peril my soul's salvation!--that have I never sworn. It was I that brought to this high-tide those princes nobly-born." "Rüdiger," said she, "bethink thee of that thy plighted troth, How that in all mine affliction--thou didst promise and seal it by oath-- Aye wouldst thou be mine avenger, in my wrongs wouldst stand by my side." Made answer the Lord of the Marches: "Never yet hath my word been belied!"