"Whate'er shall be our portion, / let that straightway appear. Men hast thou yet so many / that, should they banish fear, Not one of us storm-weary / might keep his life secure. How long shall we here friendless / this woeful travail yet endure?" 2098 By the warriors of Etzel / their wish nigh granted was, And leave well nigh was given / that from the hall they pass. When Kriemhild knew their purpose, / high her anger swelled, And straightway such a respite / was from the stranger knights withheld. 2099 "But nay, ye Hunnish warriors! / what ye have mind to do, Therefrom now desist ye, / --such is my counsel true; Nor let foes so vengeful / pass without the hall, Else must in death before them / full many of your kinsmen fall. 2100 "If of them lived none other / but Ute's sons alone, My three noble brothers, / and they the air had won Where breeze might cool their armor, / to death ye were a prey. In all this world were never / born more valiant thanes than they." 2101 Then spake the youthful Giselher: / "Full beauteous sister mine, When to this land thou bad'st me / from far beside the Rhine, I little deemed such trouble / did here upon me wait. Whereby have I deserved / from the Huns such mortal hate? 2102 "To thee I ever faithful / was, nor wronged thee e'er. In such faith confiding / did I hither fare, That thou to me wert gracious, / O noble sister mine. Show mercy now unto us, / we must to thee our lives resign." 2103 "No mercy may I show you, / --unmerciful I'll be. By Hagen, knight of Tronje, / was wrought such woe to me, That ne'er is reconcilement / the while that I have life. That must ye all atone for," / --quoth the royal Etzel's wife. 2104 "Will ye but Hagen only / to me as hostage give, Then will I not deny you / to let you longer live. Born are ye of one mother / and brothers unto me, So wish I that compounded / here with these warriors peace may be." 2105 "God in heaven forfend it," / Gernot straightway said; "E'en though we were a thousand, / lay we all rather dead, We who are thy kinsmen, / ere that warrior one Here we gave for hostage. / Never may such thing be done." 2106 "Die must we all," quoth Giselher, / "for such is mortal's end. Till then despite of any, / our knighthood we'll defend. Would any test our mettle, / here may he trial make. For ne'er, when help he needed, / did I a faithful friend forsake." 2107 Then spake the valiant Dankwart, / a knight that knew no fear; "In sooth stands not unaided / my brother Hagen here. Who here have peace denied us / may yet have cause to rue. I would that this ye doubt not, / for verily I tell you true." 2108 The queen to those around her: / "Ye gallant warriors, go Now nigher to the stairway / and straight avenge my woe. I'll ever make requital / therefor, as well I may. For his haughty humor / will I Hagen full repay. 2109