d time he was come through
the hall, and many a warrior fell, struck by his hands.

Then Lord Giselher cried out to Wolfhart: "Alas, that I have ever gained
so grim a foe! Noble knight and brave, now address you unto me. I'll
help to make an end; this may be no longer."

At this Wolfhart turned him in strife to Giselher, and each smote other
many a gaping wound. He pressed so mightily toward the king, that
the blood beneath his feet spurted high above his head. With grim
and fearful blows the son of fair Uta then greeted the brave knight
Wolfhart. However strong the warrior, he might not save his life. Never
could so young a king have been more brave; Wolfhart he smote through
his stout hauberk, that his blood streamed down from the wound. Unto
death he wounded Dietrich's liegeman. None save a champion had done such
deed. When brave Wolfhart felt the wound, he let fall his shield and
lifted higher in his hand his mighty sword (sharp enow it was); through
both helmet and armor rings the hero smote Giselher. Thus each did other
fiercely unto death.

Now was none left of Dietrich's men. Old Hildebrand saw Wolfhart fall;
never before his death, I ween, did such dole happen to him. The men of
Gunther all lay dead, and those of Dietrich, too. Hildebrand hied him to
where Wolfhart had fallen in the gore, and clasped in his arms the brave
knight and good. He would fain bear him from the hall, but he was a
deal too heavy, and so he must needs let him lie. Then the dying warrior
looked upward from the blood in which he lay; well he saw, that his
uncle would fain help him hence. Though wounded unto death, he spake:
"Dear uncle mine, ye may not aid me now. 'Tis well, methinks, that ye
should guard you against Hagen. A fierce mood he beareth in his heart.
And if perchance my kinsmen would mourn me after I am dead; pray tell
the nearest and the best, that they weep not for me; there is no need of
that. At the hands of a king I have met a glorious death and have also
avenged me, so that the wives of the good knights may well bewail it. If
any ask you of this, ye may boldly say, that full a hundred lie slain by
my hand alone."

Then Hagen, too, bethought him of the gleeman, whom bold Hildebrand
had robbed of life. To the knight he spake: "Ye'll requite me now my
sorrows. Through your hatred ye have bereft us of many a lusty knight."

He dealt Hildebrand such a blow, that men heard Balmung ring, the which
bold Hagen had taken from