"Which part soe'er I foster, and whichsoe'er I shun, In either case forsaken is good, and evil done; But should I side with neither, all would the waverer blame. Ah! would He deign to guide me, from whom my being came!" XXI Still went they on imploring, the king and eke his wife, Whence many a valiant warrior soon came to lose his life By the strong hand of Rudeger, and he, too, lastly fell. So all his tale of sorrow you now shall hear me tell. XXII He nothing thence expected but loss and mortal teen. Fain had he giv'n denial alike to king and queen. Much fear'd the gentle margrave, if in the stern debate He slew but one Burgundian, the world would bear him hate. XXIII With that, unto King Etzel thus spake the warrior bold, "Sir king! take back, I pray you, all that of you I hold, My fiefs, both lands and castles; let none with me remain. To distant realms, a wanderer, I'll foot it forth again. XXIV "Thus stripp'd of all possessions I'll leave at once your land. Rather my wife and daughter I'll take in either hand, Than faithless and dishonor'd in hateful strife lie dead. Ah! to my own destruction I've ta'en your gold so red." XXV Thereto replied King Etzel, "Who then will succor me? My land as well as liegemen, all will I give to thee, If thou'lt revenge me, Rudeger, and smite my foemen down. High shalt thou rule with Etzel, and share his kingly crown." XXVI Then spake the blameless margrave, "How shall I begin? To my house I bade them, as guests I took them in, Set meat and drink before them, they at my table fed, And my best gifts I gave them;--how can I strike them dead? XXVII "The folk ween in their folly that out of fear I shrink. No! no! on former favors, on ancient bonds I think. I serv'd the noble princes, I serv'd their followers too, And knit with them the friendship, I now so deeply rue. XXVIII "I to the youthful Giselher my daughter gave of late; In all the world the maiden could find no fitter mate, True, faithful, brave, well-nurtur'd, rich, and of high degree; Young prince yet saw I never so virtue-fraught as he." XXIX Then thus bespake him Kriemhild, "Right noble Rudeger Take pity on our anguish! thou see'st us kneeling here, The king and me, before thee; both clasp thy honor'd knees. Sure never host yet feasted such fatal guests as these." XXX With that, the noble margrave thus to the queen 'gan say, "Sure must the life of Rudeger for all the kindness pay, That you to me, my lady, and my lord the king have done. For this I'm doom'd to perish, and that ere set of sun. XXXI "Full well I know, this morning, my castles and my land Both will to you fall vacant by stroke of foeman's hand, And so my wife and daughter I to your grace commend, And all at Bechlaren, each trusty homeless friend." XXXII