Questioned then the messenger: / "What hath here been wrought?" Answered one among them: / "Complete is come to naught What of joy we cherished / here in Hunnish land. Slain here lieth Ruediger, / fallen 'neath Burgundian hand. 2243 "Of them that entered with him / not one doth longer live." Naught might ever happen / Helfrich more to grieve, Nor ever told he tidings / so ruefully before. Weeping sore the message / unto Dietrich then he bore. 2244 "What the news thou bringst us?" / Dietrich spake once more; "Yet, O doughty Helfrich, / wherefore dost weep so sore?" Answered the noble warrior: / "With right may I complain: Yonder faithful Ruediger / lieth by the Burgundians slain." 2245 The lord of Bern gave answer: / "God let not such thing be! That were a mighty vengeance, / and eke the Devil's glee. Whereby had ever Ruediger / from them deserved such ill? Well know I to the strangers / was ever well disposed his will." 2246 Thereto gave answer Wolfhart: / "In sooth have they this done, Therefor their lives shall forfeit / surely, every one. And make we not requital, / our shame for aye it were; Full manifold our service / from hand of noble Ruediger." 2247 Then bade the lord of Amelungen / the case more full to learn. He sat within a casement / and did full sadly mourn. He prayed then that Hildebrand / unto the strangers go, That he from their own telling / of the case complete might know. 2248 The warrior keen in battle, / Master Hildebrand, Neither shield nor weapon / bore he in his hand, But would in chivalrous manner / unto the strangers go. His sister's son reviled him / that he would venture thus to do. 2249 Spake in anger Wolfhart: / "Goest thou all weaponless, Must I of such action / free my thought confess: Thou shalt in shameful fashion / hither come again; Goest thou armed thither, / will all from harm to thee refrain." 2250 So armed himself the old man / at counsel of the young. Ere he was ware of it, / into their armor sprung All of Dietrich's warriors / and stood with sword in hand. Grieved he was, and gladly / had turned them Master Hildebrand. 2251 He asked them whither would they. / "Thee company we'll bear, So may, perchance, less willing / Hagen of Tronje dare, As so oft his custom, / to give thee mocking word." The thane his leave did grant them / at last when he their speech had heard. 2252 Keen Volker saw approaching, / in armor all arrayed, Of Bern the gallant warriors / that Dietrich's word obeyed, With sword at girdle hanging / and bearing shield in hand. Straight he told the tidings / to his masters of Burgundian land. 2253 Spake the doughty Fiddler: / "Yonder see I come near The warriors of Dietrich / all clad in battle gear And decked their heads with helmets, / as if our harm they mean. For us knights here homeless / approacheth evil end, I ween." 2254