Spake then of Tronje Hagen: / "Lo, where doth hither wend In wrath his way Sir Dietrich. / 'Tis plain he doth intend On us to wreak sore vengeance / for harm befallen here. To-day be full decided / who may the prize for valor bear! 2327 "Let ne'er of Bern Sir Dietrich / hold him so high of might Nor deem his arm so doughty / and terrible in fight That, will he wreak his anger / on us for sorest scathe,"-- Such were the words of Hagen, / --"I dare not well withstand his wrath." 2328 Upon these words defiant / left Dietrich Hildebrand, And to the warriors hither / came where both did stand Without before the palace, / and leaning respite found. His shield well proved in battle / Sir Dietrich lowered to the ground. 2329 Addressed to them Sir Dietrich / these words of sorrowing: "Wherefore hast thou such evil, / Gunther mighty king, Wrought 'gainst me a stranger? / What had I done to thee, Of my every comfort / in such manner reft to be? 2330 "Seemed then not sufficient / the havoc unto you When from us the hero / Ruediger ye slew, That now from me ye've taken / my warriors one and all? Through me did so great sorrow / ne'er to you good knights befall. 2331 "Of your own selves bethink you / and what the scathe ye bore, The death of your companions / and all your travail sore, If not your hearts, good warriors, / thereat do heavy grow. That Ruediger hath fallen, / --ah me! how fills my heart with woe! 2332 "In all this world to any / more sorrow ne'er befell, Yet have ye minded little / my loss and yours as well. Whate'er I most rejoiced in / beneath your hands lies slain; Yea, for my kinsmen fallen / never may I cease to plain." 2333 "No guilt lies here upon us," / Hagen in answer spake. "Unto this hall hither / your knights their way did take, With goodly train of warriors / full armed for the fight. Meseemeth that the story / hath not been told to thee aright." 2334 "What shall I else believe in? / To me told Hildebrand How, when the knights that serve me / of Amelungenland Did beg the corse of Ruediger / to give them from the hall, Nought offered ye but mockings / unto the valiant warriors all." 2335 Then spake the King of Rhineland: / "Ruediger to bear away Came they in company hither; / whose corse to them deny I bade, despiting Etzel, / nor with aught malice more, Whereupon did Wolfhart / begin to rage thereat full sore." 2336 Then spake of Bern the hero: / "'Twas fated so to be. Yet Gunther, noble monarch, / by thy kingly courtesy Amends make for the sorrow / thou here on me hast wrought, That so thy knightly honor / still unsullied be in aught. 2337 "Then yield to me as hostage / thyself and eke thy man; So will I surely hinder, / as with best might I can, That any here in Hunland / harm unto thee shall do: Henceforward shalt thou find me / ever well disposed and true." 2338