"Therefrom shall profit never / Master Hildebrand. Slain hath been here my helper / 'neath the warrior's hand, The best of feres in battle / that fortune ever sent." His shield upraised he higher / and hewing through the throng he went. 2291 Next saw ye Dankwart / by doughty Helfrich slain, Gunther and Giselher / did full sorely plain, When they beheld him fallen / where fiercely raged the fray. For his death beforehand / dearly did his foemen pay. 2292 The while coursed Wolfhart / thither and back again, Through Gunther's men before him / hewing wide a lane. Thrice in sooth returning / strode he down the hall, And many a lusty warrior / 'neath his doughty hand must fall. 2293 Soon the young Sir Giselher / cried aloud to him: "Alack, that I should ever / find such foeman grim! Sir knight, so bold and noble, / now turn thee here to me. I trow to end thy coursing, / the which will I no longer see." 2294 To Giselher then turned him / Wolfhart in the fight, And gaping wounds full many / did each the other smite. With such a mighty fury / he to the monarch sped That 'neath his feet went flying / the blood e'en high above his head. 2295 With rapid blows and furious / the son of Ute fair Received the valiant Wolfhart / as came he to him there. How strong soe'er the thane was, / his life must ended be. Never king so youthful / might bear himself more valiantly. 2296 Straight he smote Wolfhart / through well-made cuirass, That from the wound all gaping / the flowing blood did pass. Unto death he wounded / Dietrich's liegeman true, Which thing in sooth might never / any save knight full gallant do. 2297 When the valiant Wolfhart / of the wound was ware, His shield flung he from him / and high with hand in air Raised he a mighty weapon / whose keen edge failed not. Through helmet and through mail-rings / Giselher with might he smote. 2298 Grimly each the other / there to death had done. Of Dietrich's men no longer / lived there ever one. When old Master Hildebrand / Wolfhart's fall had seen, In all his life there never / such sorrow him befell, I ween. 2299 Fallen now were Gunther's / warriors every one, And eke the men of Dietrich. / Hildebrand the while had gone Where Wolfhart had fallen / down in pool of blood. In his arms then clasped he / the warrior of dauntless mood. 2300 Forth from the hall to bear him / vainly did he try: But all too great the burden / and there he still must lie. The dying knight looked upward / from his bloody bed And saw how that full gladly / him his uncle thence had led. 2301 Spake he thus mortal wounded: / "Uncle full dear to me, Now mayst thou at such season / no longer helpful be. To guard thee well from Hagen / indeed me seemeth good, For bears he in his bosom / a heart in sooth of grimmest mood. 2302