Page:The Nibelungenlied - tr. Shumway - 1909.pdf/177

Rh Then spake King Gunther: “How might that chance?”

To this Hagen made answer: “I’ll let you hear. We’ll bid messengers, that be not known to any here, ride into our land, to declare war upon us openly. Then do ye say before your guests that ye and your men will take the field. When that is done, he will vow to serve you then and from this he shall lose his life, an’ I learn the tale from the bold knight’s wife.”

The king followed his liegeman Hagen in evil wise. These chosen knights gan plan great faithlessness, or ever any one was ware. From two women’s quarreling full many a hero lost his life.