u forbear not, but fall upon us, and slay
any of my kinsmen here, thou shalt perish by thine own sword! Much I
pity thee and thy wife."

"Would to God, Sir Gernot, thou hadst thy will, and thy friends were out
of peril! To thee I would entrust wife and daughter."

Then said the youngest of fair Uta's sons, "How canst thou do this thing,
Sir Rudeger? All that came hither with me are thy friends. A vile deed
is this. Thou makest thy daughter too soon a widow. If thou and thy
knights defy us, ill am I apayed, that I trusted thee before all other
men, when I won thy daughter for my wife."

"Forget not thy troth, noble king, if God send thee hence," answered
Rudeger. "Let not the maiden suffer for my sin. By thine own princely
virtue, withdraw not thy favour from her."

"Fain would I promise it," said Giselher the youth. "Yet if my high-born
kinsmen perish here by thy hand, my love for thee and thy daughter must
perish also."

"Then God have mercy!" cried the brave man; whereat he lifted his shield,
and would have fallen upon the guests in Kriemhild's hall.

But Hagen called out to him from the stairhead, "Tarry awhile, noble
Rudeger. Let me and my masters speak with thee yet awhile in our need.
What shall it profit Etzel if we knights die in a strange land? I am in
evil case," said Hagen. "The shield that Gotelind gave me to carry, the
Huns have hewn from my hand. In good faith I bore it hither. Would to
God I had such a shield as thou hast, noble Rudeger! A better I would
not ask for in the battle."

"I would gladly give thee my shield, durst I offer it before Kriemhild.
Yet take it, Hagen, and wear it. Ha! mightest thou but win with it to
Burgundy!"

When they saw him give the shield so readily, there were eyes enow red
with hot tears. It was the last gift that Rudeger of Bechlaren ever gave.

Albeit Hagen was grim and stern, he was melted by the gift that the good
knight, so night to his end, had given him. And many a warrior mourned
with him.

"Now God reward thee, noble Rudeger; there will never be thy like again
for giving freely to homeless knights. May the fame of thy charity live
for ever. Sad news hast thou brought me. We had trouble enow. God pity
us if we must fight with friends."

The Margrave answered, "Thou grievest not more than I."

"I will requite thee for thy gift, brave Rudeger. Whatever betide thee
from these knights, my hand will not touch thee--not if thou slewest