"For that I since have suffered," / spake the high lady. "Sore punishment hath offered / therefor the knight to me. That I have aught e'er spoken / to make her sad of mood, Vengeance well hath taken / on me the valiant knight and good." 895 "In the days hereafter shall ye / be reconciled full well. Kriemhild, beloved lady, / to me shalt thou tell How that in Siegfried's person / I may service do to thee. That do I gladly, lady, / and unto none more willingly." 896 "No longer were I fearful," / spake his noble wife, "That e'er in battle any / should take from him his life, Would he but cease to follow / his high undaunted mood: Secure were then forever / the thane full valiant and good." 897 "Lady," spake then Hagen, / "an hast thou e'er a fear That hostile blade should pierce him, / now shalt thou give to hear With what arts of cunning / I may the same prevent. On horse and foot to guard him / shall ever be my fair intent." 898 She spake: "Of my kin art thou, / as I eke of thine. In truth to thee commended / be then dear spouse of mine, That him well thou guardest / whom full dear I hold." She told to him a story / 'twere better had she left untold. 899 She spake: "A valorous husband / is mine, and doughty too. When he the worm-like dragon / by the mountain slew, In its blood the stately / knight himself then bathed, Since when from cutting weapons / in battle is he all unscathed. 900 "Nathless my heart is troubled / when he in fight doth stand, And full many a spear-shaft / is hurled by hero's hand, Lest that I a husband / full dear should see no more. Alack! How oft for Siegfried / must I sit in sorrow sore! 901 "On thy good-will I rest me, / dear friend, to tell to thee, And that thy faith thou fully / provest now to me, Where that my spouse may smitten / be by hand of foe. This I now shall tell thee, / and on thy honor this I do. 902 "When from the wounded dragon / reeking flowed the blood, And therein did bathe him / the valiant knight and good, Fell down between his shoulders / full broad a linden leaf. There may he be smitten; / 'tis cause to me of mickle grief.' 903 Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "Upon his tunic sew Thou a little token. / Thereby shall I know Where I may protect him / when in the fight we strain." She weened to save the hero, / yet wrought she nothing save his bane. 904 She spake: "All fine and silken / upon his coat I'll sew A little cross full secret. / There, doughty thane, shalt thou From my knight ward danger / when battle rageth sore, And when amid the turmoil / he stands his enemies before." 905 "That will I do," quoth Hagen, / "lady full dear to me." Then weened eke the lady / it should his vantage be, But there alone did Kriemhild / her own good knight betray. Leave of her took Hagen, / and joyously he went away. 906