e towers a mighty press, and helmets rang loudly from the sword-blows.
Bold Dankwart came into great stress thereby; this his brother feared,
as his loyalty did bid him.

Loudly then Hagen called to Folker: "See ye yonder, comrade, my brother
stand before the Hunnish warriors amid a rain of blows? Friend, save my
brother, or ever we lose the knight."

"That will I surely," quoth the minstrel, and through the palace he went
a-fiddling, his stout sword ringing often in his hand. Great thanks were
tendered by the warriors from the Rhine. Bold Folker spake to Dankwart:
"Great discomfiture have ye suffered to-day, therefore your brother bade
me hasten to your aid. Will ye stand without, so will I stand within."

Sturdy Dankwart stood without the door and guarded the staircase against
whoever came, wherefore men heard the swords resound in the heroes'
hands. Folker of Burgundy land performed the same within. Across
the press the bold fiddler cried: "Friend Hagen, the hall is locked;
forsooth King Etzel's door is bolted well. The hands of two heroes guard
it, as with a thousand bars." When Hagen of Troneg beheld the door so
well defended, the famous hero and good slung his shield upon his back
and gan avenge the wrongs that had been done him there. His foes had now
no sort of hope to live.

When now the lord of Berne, the king of the Amelungs, (2) beheld aright
that the mighty Hagen broke so many a helm, upon a bench he sprang and
spake: "Hagen poureth out the very worst of drinks."

The host, too, was sore adread, as behooved him now, for his life was
hardly safe from these his foes. O how many dear friends were snatched
away before his eyes! He sate full anxious; what booted it him that he
was king? Haughty Kriemhild now cried aloud to Dietrich: "Pray help me
hence alive, most noble knight, by the virtues of all the princes of the
Amelung land. If Hagen reach me, I shall grasp death by the hand."

"How shall I help you, noble queen?" spake Sir Dietrich. "I fear for
myself in sooth. These men of Gunther be so passing wroth that at this
hour I cannot guard a soul."

"Nay, not so, Sir Dietrich, noble knight and good. Let thy chivalrous
mood appear to-day and help me hence, or I shall die." Passing great
cause had Kriemhild for this fear.

"I'll try to see if I may help you, for it is long since that I have
soon so many good knights so bitterly enraged. Of a truth I see blood
spurting through the helmets from the swords.