"Bring him up in honor / until to manhood grown. If then in any country / hath wrong to you been done, He'll help you by his valor / vengeance swift to wreak." Eke heard the Lady Kriemhild / royal Etzel thus to speak. 1918 "Well might these my masters / on his faith rely, Grew he e'er to manhood," / Hagen made reply: "Yet is the prince, I fear me, / more early doomed of fate. 'Twere strange did any see me / ever at court on Ortlieb wait." 1919 The monarch glanced at Hagen, / sore grieved at what he heard; Although the king full gallant / thereto spake ne'er a word, Natheless his heart was saddened / and heavy was his mind. Nowise the mood of Hagen / was to merriment inclined. 1920 It grieved all the princes / and the royal host That of his child did Hagen / make such idle boast. That they must likewise leave it / unanswered, liked they not: They little weaned what havoc / should by the thane anon be wrought. THIRTY-SECOND ADVENTURE How Bloedel was Slain 1921 The knights by Bloedel summoned / soon armed and ready were, A thousand wearing hauberks / straightway did repair Where Dankwart sat at table / with many a goodly squire. Soon knight on knight was seeking / in fiercest way to vent his ire. 1922 When there Sir Bloedel / strode unto the board, Dankwart the marshal / thus spoke courteous word: "Unto this hall right welcome / good Sir Bloedel be. What business hast thou hither / is cause of wonder yet to me." 1923 "No greeting here befits thee," / spake Bloedel presently, "For that this my coming / now thy end must be, Through Hagen's fault, thy brother, / who Siegfried erstwhile slew To the Huns thou mak'st atonement, / and many another warrior too." 1924 "But nay, but nay, Sir Bloedel," / Dankwart spake thereto, "For so should we have reason / our coming here to rue. A child I was and little / when Siegfried lost his life, Nor know I why reproacheth / me the royal Etzel's wife." 1925 "In sooth I may the story / never fully tell. Gunther and Hagen was it / by whom the deed befell. Now guard you well, ye strangers, / for doomed in sooth are ye, Unto Lady Kriemhild / must your lives now forfeit be." 1926 "An so thou wilt desist not," / Dankwart declared, "Regret I my entreaty, / my toil were better spared." The nimble thane and valiant / up from the table sprung, And drew a keen-edged weapon, / great in sooth that was and long. 1927 Then smote he with it Bloedel / such a sudden blow That his head full sudden / before his feet lay low. "Be that thy wedding-dower," / the doughty Dankwart spake, "Along with bride of Nudung / whom thou would'st to thy bosom take. 1928 "To-morrow may she marry, / but some other one: Will he have bridal portion, / e'en so to him be done." A Hun that liked not treason / had given him to know How that the queen upon him / thought to work so grievous woe. 1929