d his hardihood, that the
Margrave's heart was uplifted. He said, "Friends, arm me anew. I will
essay it again. Haply I may vanquish this overweening man." His shield
was hewn in pieces; they brought him a better straight.

The warrior was soon armed, and stronger than afore. Wrothfully he
seized a stark spear, wherewith he defied Hagen yet again. He had won
more profit and honour had he let it be.

Hagen waited not for his coming. Hurling darts, and with drawn sword, he
sprang down the stairs in a fury. Iring's strength availed him little.
They smote at each other's shields, that glowed with a fire-red wind.
Through his helmet and his buckler, Hawart's man was wounded to the death
by Hagen's sword. He was never whole again.

When Sir Iring felt the wound, he raised his shield higher to guard his
head, for he perceived that he was sore hurt. But Gunther's man did
worse to him yet. He found a spear lying at his feet, and hurled it at
Iring, the knight of Denmark, that it stuck out on the other side of his
head. The overweening knight made a grim end of his foeman.

Iring fell back among his friends. Or they did off his helmet, they drew
the spear out. Then death stood at hand. Loud mourned his friends;
their sorrow was bitter.

The queen came, and began to weep for stark Iring. She wept for his
wounds, and was right doleful. But the undismayed hero spake before his
kinsmen, "Weep not, noble lady. What avail thy tears? I must die from
these wounds that I have gotten. Death will not leave me longer to thee
and Etzel."

Then he said to them of Thuringia and Denmark, "See that none of you take
the gifts of the queen--her bright gold so red. If ye fight with Hagen
ye must die."

His cheek was pale; he bare death's mark. They grieved enow; for
Hawart's man would nevermore be whole. Then they of Denmark must needs
to the fray.

Irnfried and Hawart sprang forward with a thousand knights. The din was
loud over all. Ha! what sharp spears were hurled at the Burgundians!
Bold Irnfried ran at the gleeman, and came in scathe by his hand. The
fiddler smote the Landgrave through his strong helmet, for he was grim
enow. Then Irnfried gave Folker a blow, that the links of his hauberk
brake asunder, and his harness grew red like fire. Yet, for all, the
Landgrave fell dead before the fiddler.

Hawart and Hagen closed in strife. Had any seen it, they had beheld
wonders. They smote mightily with their