He sought to find the boatmen / if any might be near, When sound of falling waters / full soon upon his ear. Beside a rippling fountain, / where ran the waters cool, A group of wise mermaidens / did bathe themselves within the pool. 1534 Ware of them soon was Hagen / and stole in secret near, But fast away they hurried / when they the sound did hear. That they at all escaped him, / filled they were with glee. The knight did take their clothing, / yet wrought none other injury. 1535 Then spake the one mermaiden, / Hadburg that hight: "Hagen, knight full noble, / tell will we thee aright, An wilt thou, valiant warrior, / our garments but give o'er, What fortune may this journey / to Hunland have for thee in store." 1536 They hovered there before him / like birds above the flood, Wherefore did think the warrior / that tell strange things they could, And all the more believed he / what they did feign to say, As to his eager question / in ready manner answered they. 1537 Spake one: "Well may ye journey / to Etzel's country. Thereto my troth I give thee / in full security That ne'er in any kingdom / might high guests receive Such honors as there wait you, / --this may ye in sooth believe." 1538 To hear such speech was Hagen / in sooth right glad of heart; He gave to them their garments, / and straightway would depart. But when in strange attire / they once more were dight, Told they of the journey / into Etzel's land aright. 1539 Spake then the other mermaid, / Siegelind that hight: "I warn thee, son of Aldrian, / Hagen valiant knight, 'Twas but to gain her clothing / my cousin falsely said, For, comest thou to Hunland, / sorely shalt thou be betrayed. 1540 "Yea, that thou turnest backward / is fitter far, I ween; For but your death to compass / have all ye warriors keen Received now the bidding / unto Etzel's land. Whose doth thither journey, / death leadeth surely by the hand." 1541 Thereto gave answer Hagen: / "False speech hath here no gain. How might it ever happen / that we all were slain Afar in Etzel's country / through hate of any man?" To tell the tale more fully / unto him she then began. 1542 Spake again the other: / "The thing must surely be, That of you never any / his home again shall see, Save only the king's chaplain; / well do we understand That he unscathed returneth / unto royal Gunther's land." 1543 Then spake the valiant Hagen / again in angry way: "Unto my royal masters / 'twere little joy to say That we our lives must forfeit / all in Hunland. Now show us, wisest woman, / how pass we safe to yonder strand." 1544 She spake: "Since from thy purposed / journey thou wilt not turn, Where upward by the water / a cabin stands, there learn Within doth dwell a boatman, / nor other find thou mayst." No more did Hagen question, / but strode away from there in haste. 1545