"Great is here my trouble," / Hagen did declare: "The shield that Lady Gotelinde / gave to me to bear Hath now been hewn asunder / by Hun-men in my hand. With friendly thought I bore it / hither into Etzel's land. 2195 "Would that God in heaven / might grant in kindliness, That I a shield so trusty / did for my own possess As in thy hand thou bearest, / O noble Ruediger! In battle-storm then need I / never hauberk more to wear." 2196 "Full glad I'd prove my friendship / to thee with mine own shield, Dared I the same to offer / before Lady Kriemhild. But take it, natheless, Hagen, / and bear it in thy hand. Would that thou mightst take it / again unto Burgundian land!" 2197 When with mind so willing / he offered him his shield, Saw ye how eyes full many / with scalding tears were filled; For the last gift was it / that was offered e'er Unto any warrior / by Bechelaren's margrave, Ruediger. 2198 How grim soe'er was Hagen / and stern soe'er of mind, That gift to pity moved him / that there the chieftain kind, So near his latest moment, / did on him bestow. From eyes of many another / began likewise the tears to flow. 2199 "Now God in heaven requite thee, / O noble Ruediger! Like unto thee none other / warrior was there e'er, Unto knights all friendless / so bounteously to give. God grant in his mercy / thy virtue evermore to live. 2200 "Woe's me to hear such tiding," / Hagen did declare. "Such load of grief abiding / already do we bear, If we with friends must struggle, / to God our plaint must be." Thereto replied the margrave: / "'Tis cause of sorrow sore to me." 2201 "To pay thee for thy favor, / O noble Ruediger, Howe'er these lofty warriors / themselves against thee bear, Yet never thee in combat / here shall touch my hand, E'en though complete thou slayest / them from out Burgundian land." 2202 Thereat the lofty Ruediger / 'fore him did courteous bend. On all sides was lamenting / that no man might end These so great heart-sorrows / that sorely they must bear. The father of all virtue / fell with noble Ruediger. 2203 Then eke the minstrel Volker / from hall down glancing said: "Since Hagen thus, my comrade, / peace with thee hath made, Lasting truce thou likewise / receivest from my hand. Well hast thou deserved it / as fared we hither to this land. 2204 "Thou, O noble margrave, / my messenger shalt be. These arm-bands ruddy golden / thy lady gave to me, That here at this high festival / I the same should wear. Now mayst thyself behold them / and of my faith a witness bear." 2205 "Would God but grant," / spake Ruediger, "who ruleth high in heaven, That to thee by my lady / might further gift be given! I'll gladly tell thy tidings / to spouse full dear to me, An I but live to see her: / from doubt thereof thou mayst be free." 2206