fore he began to query: "Fain would I know," spake the mighty
king, "who yonder warrior be, whom Sir Dietrich greeteth there in such
friendly wise. He carrieth high his head; whoever be his father, he is
sure a doughty knight."

A liegeman of Kriemhild made answer to the king: "By birth he is from
Troneg, his father hight Aldrian; however blithe he bear him here, a
grim man is he. I'll let you see full well that I have told no lie."

"How shall I know that he be so fierce?" replied the king. As yet he
wist not the many evil tricks that the queen should later play upon her
kin, so that she let none escape from the Huns alive.

"Well know I Aldrian, for he was my vassal (5) and here at my court
gained mickle praise and honor. I dubbed him knight and gave hint of my
gold. The faithful Helca loved him inly. Therefore I have since known
Hagen every whit. Two stately youths became my hostages, he and Walther
of Spain. (6) Here they grew to manhood; Hagen I sent home again,
Walther ran away with Hildegund."

He bethought him of many tales that had happed of yore. He had spied
aright his friend of Troneg, who in his youth had given him yeoman
service. Later in his old age he did him many a dear friend to death.

ENDNOTES:
(1) "Hildebrand" is the teacher and armor bearer of Dietrich.
He is the hero of the famous "Hildebrandslied".
(2) "Wolfhart" is Hildebrand's nephew. In the "Thidreksaga" he
falls in the battle of Gronsport.
(3) "Amelung land" is the name under which Dietrich's land
appears. Theodorich, the king of the East Goths, belonged
to the race of the Amali.
(4) "Feast". That Kriemhild kissed only Giselher, who was
innocent of Siegfried's death, aroused Hagen's suspicions.
(5) "Vassal". No other account speaks of Aldrian as being at
Etzel's court. He is probably confused here with his son,
for Hagen's stay with Etzel in various legends, as also in
our poem a few lines further down.
(6) "Walther of Spain" is Walther of Aquitania, a legendary
personage of whom the O.E. fragment "Waldere", the Latin
epic "Waltharius", a M.H.G. epic, and the "Thidreksaga"
tell. He flees with Hildegund, the daughter of the
Burgundian King Herrich, from Etzel's court, as related
here, but has to fight for his life against overpowering
numbers, in the "Thidreksaga" against the pursuing Huns, i