Page:The lay of the Nibelungs; (IA nibelungslay00hortrich).pdf/439

XXXVI.]

Then Hagen spake, of Tronjé: “Ye noble knights and good,

Whoe’er by thirst is troubled may quench it here with blood.

In heat like this ’tis better than wine of any kind,

And at this time, moreover, no better may ye find.”

So went one of the warriors to where a corpse he found:

He knelt to where the wound was, his helmet he unbound,

And then he fell to drinking the oozing stream of blood;

Unused as he was to it, he thought it passing good.

“Requite thee God, Sir Hagen,” that man so weary spake,

“Seeing that thou hast taught me so well my thirst to slake!

A better wine right seldom hath been pour’d out for me.

Live I for some while longer, I’ll aye be bound to thee.”

The rest being told about it, and how he found it good,

Then were there many others who also drank the blood.

Thereby each one among them began to gain new life—

In dear ones it was paid for by many a goodly wife.

Within the hall about them the sparks fell thick around,

Upon their shields they caught them and turn’d them to the ground.

The fire and smoke together distress’d them terribly.

I trow that heroes never felt greater misery.

Then Tronian Hagen shouted: “Stand closer to the wall!

Let not the burning embers upon your helm-bands fall,

But in the blood more deeply trample them with your feet:

This feast the queen hath made us is but a sorry treat!”