When that the boat was emptied, / and complete their store All the monarch's followers / had borne upon the shore, Hagen smote it to pieces / and cast it on the flood, Whereat in mickle wonder / the valiant knights around him stood. 1582 "Wherefore dost this, brother," / then Sir Dankwart spake; "How shall we cross the river / when again we make Our journey back from Hunland, / riding to the Rhine?" Behold how Hagen bade him / all such purpose to resign. 1583 Quoth the knight of Tronje: / "This thing is done by me, That if e'er coward rideth / in all our company, Who for lack of courage / from us away would fly, He beneath these billows / yet a shameful death must die." 1584 One there journeyed with them / from the land of Burgundy, That was a knight of valor, / Volker by name was he. He spake in cunning manner / whate'er might fill his mind, And aught was done by Hagen / did the Fiddler fitting find. 1585 Ready stood their chargers, / the carriers laden well; At passage of the river / was there naught to tell Of scathe to any happened, / save but the king's chaplain. Afoot must he now journey / back unto the Rhine again. TWENTY-SIXTH ADVENTURE How Gelfrat was Slain by Dankwart 1586 When now they all were gathered / upon the farther strand, To wonder gan the monarch: / "Who shall through this land On routes aright direct us, / that not astray we fare?" Then spake the doughty Volker: / "Thereof will I alone have care." 1587 "Now hark ye all," quoth Hagen, / "knight and squire too, And list to friendly counsel, / as fitting is to do. Full strange and dark the tidings / now ye shall hear from me: Home nevermore return we / unto the land of Burgundy. 1588 "Thus mermaids twain did tell me, / who spake to me this morn, That back we come not hither. / You would I therefore warn That armed well ye journey / and of all ills beware. To meet with doughty foemen / well behooveth us prepare. 1589 "I weened to turn to falsehood / what those wise mermaids spake, Who said that safe this journey / none again should make Home unto our country / save the chaplain alone: Him therefore was I minded / to-day beneath the flood to drown." 1590 From company to company / quickly flew the tale, Whereon grew many a doughty / warrior's visage pale, As gan he think in sorrow / how death should snatch away All ere the journey ended; / and very need for grief had they. 1591 By Moeringen was it / they had the river crossed, Where also Else's boatman / thus his life had lost. There again spake Hagen: / "Since in such wise by me Wrath hath been incurred, / assailed full surely shall we be. 1592 "Myself that same ferryman / did this morning slay. Far bruited are the tidings. / Now arm ye for the fray, That if Gelfrat and Else / be minded to beset Our train to-day, they surely / with sore discomfiture be met. 1593