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“O woe on all my sorrow!” Kriemhilda loudly said,

“How is it that my brother and Hagen are afraid

To leave their shields in keeping? They have been warn’d, I see;

And knew I who had done it, I’d give him death for fee.”

Thereon Lord Dietrich answer’d, and said to her in scorn:

“’Twas I that took upon me these noble kings to warn;

And Hagen warn’d I likewise, the brave Burgundian.

Come on, thou devil’s daughter, do me the worst you can!”

Ashamed and sore confounded at this was Etzel’s wife:

For bitterly with Dietrich she feared to be at strife.

She found no word to answer, but went away in haste,

Whilst but a few sharp glances upon her foes she cast.

Then hand by hand two warriors took each of other hold:

The one was noble Dietrich, the other Hagen bold.

Then spake in courtly manner that knight of spirit high:

“Your coming to the Hunfolk doth grieve me, verily,

“Seeing the queen hath spoken such words to you but now.”

Then Hagen spake, of Tronjé: “’T will matter not, I trow.”

In such wise with each other, parley’d the two brave men.

Meanwhile King Etzel saw them, and fell to questioning then.

“I would that some one told me,” the mighty sovereign said,

“Who is that warrior yonder, to whom Sir Dietrich bade

So heartily a welcome? Of courage high is he;

Whoever were his father, a hero must he be!”