"Turn yet, O noble Ruediger." / Gernot spake again, "For in so gracious manner / did never entertain Any host the stranger, / as we were served by thee; And live we yet a little, / shall thou well requited be." 2183 "O would to God, full noble / Gernot," spake Ruediger, "That ye were at Rhine river / and that dead I were With somewhat saved of honor, / since I must be your foe! Upon good knights was never / wrought by friends more bitter woe." 2184 "Now God requite thee, Ruediger," / Gernot gave reply, "For gifts so fair bestowed. / I rue to see thee die, For that in thee shall perish / knight of so gentle mind. Here thy sword I carry, / that gav'st thou me in friendship kind. 2185 "It never yet hath failed me / in this our sorest need, And 'neath its cutting edges / many a knight lies dead. 'Tis strong and bright of lustre, / cunning wrought and well. I ween, whate'er was given / by knight it doth in worth excel. 2186 "An wilt thou not give over / upon us here to fall, And if one friend thou slayest / here yet within this hall, With this same sword thou gavest, / I'll take from thee thy life. I sorrow for thee Ruediger, / and eke thy fair and stately wife." 2187 "Would God but give, Sir Gernot, / that such thing might be, That thou thy will completely / here fulfilled mightst see, And of thy friends not any / here his life should lose! Yea, shalt thou live to comfort / both my daughter and my spouse." 2188 Then out spake of Burgundy / the son of Ute fair: "How dost thou so, Sir Ruediger? / All that with me are To thee are well disposed. / Thou dost an evil thing, And wilt thine own fair daughter / to widowhood too early bring. 2189 "If thou with armed warriors / wilt thus assail me here, In what unfriendly manner / thou makest to appear How that in thee I trusted / beyond all men beside, When thy fairest daughter / erstwhile I won to be my bride." 2190 "Thy good faith remember, / O Prince of virtue rare, If God from hence do bring thee," / --so spake Ruediger: "Forsake thou not the maiden / when bereft of me, But rather grant thy goodness / be dealt to her more graciously." 2191 "That would I do full fairly," / spake Giselher again. "But if my lofty kinsmen, / who yet do here remain, Beneath thy hand shall perish, / severed then must be The friendship true I cherish / eke for thy daughter and for thee." 2192 "Then God to us give mercy," / the knight full valiant spake. Their shields in hand then took they, / as who perforce would make Their passage to the strangers / into Kriemhild's hall. Adown the stair full loudly / did Hagen, knight of Tronje, call: 2193 "Tarry yet a little, / O noble Ruediger, For further would we parley," / --thus might ye Hagen hear-- "I and my royal masters, / as presseth sorest need. What might it boot to Etzel / that we strangers all lay dead. 2194