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From one side and the other, upon him hurtled they;

Ay, some of them too quickly had come into the fray!

Before the foe upstood he, e’en as a woodland boar

At bay the sleuth-hounds faces: could valour e’er be more?

His path was newly-sprinkled with life-blood warm and wet.

No single-handed warrior had ever striven yet

Against a host of foemen, as he had boldly done.

Folk mark’d how Hagen’s brother to court right nobly won.

By sewers and by butlers was heard the clash of swords;

From many a hand the liquors were flung upon the boards,

As were the victuals also which to the hall they bare.

And stalwart foes in plenty forestall’d him at the stair.

“What will ye now, ye sewers?” the weary warrior cried:

“In sooth for all the strangers, good cheer ye should provide,

And to the nobles ought ye good victuals to convey;—

And to my well-lov’d masters let me my tidings say.”

Whoe’er by force before him upon the stairway sprang,

On each of them so sorely his heavy sword he swang,

In very dread their safety further aloof they sought;

And so his strength of body right mickle marvels wrought.