the brave knight
was overcome by Dietrich. Noble Gunther gan wail thereat. Dietrich now
bound Hagen and led him to where he found the highborn queen; into her
hand he gave the bravest warrior that ever bare a sword. Then merry enow
she grew after her great dole. For very joy King Etzel's wife bowed low
before the knight. "May thy heart and body be ever blest. Thou hast well
requited me of all my woes. For this will I ever serve thee, unless be,
that death doth hinder me therefrom."

Then spake Lord Dietrich: "Pray let him live, most noble queen. And if
this still may be, how well will I requite you of that which he hath
done you! Let him not suffer, because ye see him stand here bound."

She bade Hagen then be led away to duress, where he lay locked in and
where none did see him. Gunther, the high-born king, began to call:
"Whither went the knight of Berne? He hath done me wrong."

At this Lord Dietrich went to meet him. Gunther's might was worthy
of praise; no more he bided, but ran outside the hall, and from the
clashing of the swords of the twain a mighty din arose. However much and
long Lord Dietrich's prowess had been praised, yet Gunther was so sorely
angered and enraged, for because of the grievous dole, he was his deadly
foe, that men still tell it as a wonder, that Sir Dietrich did not fall.
Great were both their prowess and their strength. The palace and the
towers resounded with the blows, when with the swords they hewed at the
sturdy helmets. King Gunther was of lordly mood, but the knight of Berne
overcame him, as happed to Hagen afore. The hero's blood was seen to
ooze through the armor rings, drawn forth by a keen-edged sword, the
which Sir Dietrich bare. Though weary, Sir Gunther had guarded him most
valiantly. The lord was now bound by Dietrich's hands. Though kings
should not endure such bonds, yet Dietrich thought, if he set free the
king and his liegeman, that all they met must needs fall dead at their
hands.

Dietrich of Berne now took him by the hand and led him bound to where
he found Kriemhild. At sight of his sorrow much of her fear took flight.
She spake: "Welcome, Gunther, from the Burgundian land."

Quoth he: "I would bow before you, dear sister mine, if your greetings
were but kinder. I know you, queen, to be so wroth of mood that ye do
give me and Hagen meagre greetings."

Up spake the knight of Berne: "Most noble queen, never were such good
knights made hostages, as I have given you