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240 warlike guise. Know ye, friend Hagen, whether she bear you hate? If so be, I counsel you to guard the better your life and honor. Certes, methinks this good. They be wroth of mood, as far as I can see, and some be so broad of chest that he who would guard himself should do so betimes. [ ween there be these among them who wear bright breastplates. Whom they would attack, I cannot say.”

Then, angry of mood, the brave knight Hagen spake: “Well I wot that all this be done against me, that they thus bear their gleaming swords in hand. For aught of them, I still may ride to the Burgundian land. Now tell me, friend Folker, whether ye will stand by me, if perchance Kriemhild’s men would fight me? Pray let me hear that, if so be ye hold me dear, aid you evermore with faithful service.”

“I’ll help you surely,” spake the minstrel; “and should I see the king with all his warriors draw near us, not one foot will I yield from fear in aiding you, the while I live.”

“Now may God in heaven requite you, noble Folker; though they strive against me, what need I more? Sith ye will help me, as I hear you say, let these warriors come on full-armed.”

“Let us rise now from our seats,” spake the minstrel. “Let us do her honor as she passeth by, she is a high-born dame, a queen. We shall thereby honor ourselves as well.”

“For my sake, no,” quoth Hagen. “Should I go hence, these knights would think ’t was through fear. Not for one of them will I ever rise from my seat. It beseemeth us both better, forsooth, to leave this un-