1905

Thereto gave answer Bloedel: / " Lady, be well aware,
Ne'er to do them evil / 'fore Etzel may I dare,
For to thy kinsmen, lady, / beareth he good will.
Ne'er might the king me pardon, / wrought I upon them aught of ill. "

1906

" But nay, Sir Bloedel, my favor / shall thou have evermore
Yea, give I thee for guerdon / silver and gold in store,
And eke a fairest lady, / that Nudung erst should wed:
By her fond embraces / may'st thou well be comforted.

1907

" The land and eke the castles, / all to thee I'll give;
Yea, may'st thou, knight full noble, / in joyance ever live,
Call'st thou thine the marches, / wherein did Nudung dwell.
Whate'er this day I promise, / fulfil it all I will full well. "

1908

When understood Sir Bloedel / what gain should be his share,
And pleased him well the lady / for that she was so fair,
By force of arms then thought he / to win her for his wife.
Thereby the knight aspirant / was doomed anon to lose his life.

1909

" Unto the hall betake thee, " / quoth he unto the queen,
" Alarum I will make thee / ere any know, I ween.
Atone shall surely Hagen / where he hath done thee wrong:
To thee I'll soon give over / King Gunther's man in fetters strong. "

1910

" To arms, to arms! " quoth Bloedel, / " my good warriors all:
In their followers' quarters / upon the foe we'll fall.
Herefrom will not release me / royal Etzel's wife.
To win this venture therefore / fear not each one to lose his life. "

1911

When at length Queen Kriemhild / found Bloedel well content
To fulfil her bidding, / she to table went
With the monarch Etzel / and eke a goodly band.
Dire was the treason / she against the guests had planned.

1912

Since in none other manner / she knew the strife to start,
(Kriemhild's ancient sorrow / still rankled in her heart),
Bade she bring to table / Etzel's youthful son:
By woman bent on vengeance / how might more awful deed be done?

1913

Went upon the instant / four of Etzel's men,
And soon came bearing Ortlieb, / the royal scion, then
Unto the princes' table, / where eke grim Hagen sate.
The child was doomed to perish / by reason of his deadly hate.

1914

When the mighty monarch / then his child did see,
Unto his lady's kinsmen / in manner kind spake he:
" Now, my good friends, behold ye / here my only son,
And child of your high sister: / may it bring you profit every one.

1915

" Grow he but like his kindred, / a valiant man he'll be,
A mighty king and noble, / doughty and fair to see.
Live I but yet a little, / twelve lands shall he command;
May ye have faithful service / from the youthful Ortlieb's hand.

1916

" Therefore grant me favor, / ye good friends of mine;
When to your country ride ye / again unto the Rhine,
Shall ye then take with you / this your sister's son,
And at your hands may ever / by the child full fair be done.

1917

" Bring him up in honor / until to manhood grown.
If then in any country / hath wrong to you been done,
He'll help you by his valor / vengeance swift to wreak. "
Eke heard the Lady Kriemhild / royal Etzel thus to speak.

1918

" Well might these my masters / on his faith rely,
Grew he e'er to manhood, " / Hagen made reply:
" Yet is the prince, I fear me, / more early doomed of fate.
'Twere strange did any see me / ever at court on Ortlieb wait. "

1919

The monarch glanced at Hagen, / sore grieved at what he heard;
Although the king full gallant / thereto spake ne'er a word,
Natheless his heart was saddened / and heavy was his mind.
Nowise the mood of Hagen / was to merriment inclined.

1920

It grieved all the princes / and the royal host
That of his child did Hagen / make such idle boast.
That they must likewise leave it / unanswered, liked they not:
They little weaned what havoc / should by the thane anon be wrought.