blood. In this heat it is better than wine, and there is
naught sweeter here."

Then went one where he found a dead body. He knelt by the wounds, and
did off his helmet, and began to drink the streaming blood. Albeit he
was little used thereto, he deemed it right good. "God quit thee, Sir
Hagen!" said the weary man, "I have learned a good drink. Never did I
taste better wine. If I live, I will thank thee."

When the others heard his praise, many more of them drank the blood, and
their bodies were strengthened, for the which many a noble woman paid
through her dear ones.

The fire-flakes fell down on them in the hall, but they warded them off
with their shields. Both the smoke and the fire tormented them. Never
before suffered heroes such sore pain.

Then said Hagen of Trony, "Stand fast by the wall. Let not the brands
fall on your helmets. Trample them with your feet deeper in the blood.
A woeful hightide is the queen's."

The night ended at last. The bold gleeman, and Hagen, his comrade, stood
before the house and leaned upon their shields. They waited for further
hurt from Etzel's knights. It advantaged the strangers much that the
roof was vaulted. By reason thereof more were left alive. Albeit they
at the windows suffered scathe, they bared them valiantly, as their bold
hearts bade them.

Then said the fiddler, "Go we now into the hall, that the Huns deem we be
all dead from this torment, albeit some among them shall yet feel our
might."

Giselher, the youth, of Burgundy, said, "It is daybreak, I ween. A cool
wind bloweth. God grant we may see happier days. My sister Kriemhild
hath bidden us to a doleful hightide."

One of them spake, "I see the dawn. Since we can do no better, arm you,
ye knights, for battle, that, come we never hence, we may die with
honour."

Etzel deemed the guests were all dead of their travail and the stress of
the fire. But six hundred bold men yet lived. Never king had better
knights. They that kept ward over the strangers had seen that some were
left, albeit the princes and their men had suffered loss and dole. They
saw many that walked up and down in the house.

They told Kriemhild that many were left alive, but the queen answered,
"It cannot be. None could live in that fire. I trow they all lie dead."

The kings and their men had still gladly asked for mercy, had there been
any to show it. But there was none in the whole country of the Huns.
Wherefor