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300 monstrous scathe. Quoth the hero of Troneg: “Evil hath it fared with us. In these two men we have taken a loss so great that neither their land nor people will e’er recover from the blow. Rüdeger’s champions must answer to us homeless men.”

“Alas for my brother, who hath here been done to death. What evil tales I hear all time! Noble Rüdeger, too, must ever rue me. The loss and the grievous wounds are felt on either side.”

When Lord Giselher saw his betrothed’s father dead, those within the hall were forced to suffer need. Fiercely death sought his fellowship; not one of those of Bechelaren escaped with life. Gunther and Giselher and Hagen, too, Dankwart and Folker, the right good knights, went to where they found the two men lying. Then by these heroes tears of grief were shed.

“Death doth sorely rob us,” spake Giselher, the youth. “Now give over your weeping and go we into the breeze, that the mailed armor of us storm-weary men may cool. Certes, I ween, that God in heaven vouchsafeth us no more to live.”

This champion was seen to sit and that to lean against the wall, but all again were idle. Rüdeger’s heroes lay still in death. The din had died away; the hush endured so long, it vexed King Etzel.

“Alack for such services,” spake the queen. “They be not so true, that our foes must pay with their life at Rüdeger’s hands. I trow, he doth wish to lead them back to the Burgundian land. What booteth it, King Etzel, that we have given him whatso he would? The knight hath done amiss, he who should avenge us, doth make his peace.”