So the messenger came, and he questioned: "What thing hath chanced this day?" And a woeful voice made answer: "All joy hath fled away, Yea, the last that was yet remaining to the Hunfolk's stricken land! Here lieth Rüdiger, slaughtered by some Burgundian hand; Not one of his liegemen liveth, that with him went into the fight." Never could woefuller tidings on the ears of Helfrich smite; Never so loth in spirit a tale to his lord he bore; And he came back unto Dietrich weeping and mourning sore. "What hast thou learnt?--thy tidings?" Dietrich spake forthright. "Why weepest thou so sorely, O Helfrich, my good knight?" "Good cause have I for lamenting," answered the noble thane: "The good Lord Rüdiger lieth by hands Burgundian slain!" Cried the Hero of Bern: "Forbid it, God, that this should be! This were a ghastly vengeance, 'twere the Fiend's arch-mockery! Rüdiger?--how should he ever such evil requital have earned? True friend to the homeless strangers was he, long since I learned." Cried Wolfhart the lion-hearted: "If the righteous blood they have shed, All these shall dearly abye it! Their lives be forfeited! If we should endure such outrage, our shame and reproach it were! How oft hath it rendered us service, the hand of Rüdiger!" The Prince of the Amal people bade them inquire yet more. He sat him down at a casement: heavy his heart was and sore. Old Hildebrand he commanded to the warrior guests to speed, And to hear from their lips the story of this most evil deed. The good knight battle-fearless, old Master Hildebrand, Took neither sword nor buckler; all weaponless was his hand: He purposed to go to the strangers in knightly courtesy; Thereat the son of his sister chode with him angerly. {P. 308} Spake the grim warrior Wolfhart: "And goest thou fenceless there? Then flout and scoff for answer, be sure, they will not spare; And so, like a hound well beaten, with shame wilt thou turn again! But go, like a man, war-harnessed, and their malapert tongues will they rein." 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."