marked that the
child appeared more likely to die early than to live to grow up. He had
just finished this rude speech, which filled Etzel's heart with dismay,
when Dankwart burst into the room, exclaiming that all his companions had
been slain, and calling to Hagen for aid.

"'Be stirring, brother Hagen; you're sitting all too long.
To you and God in heaven our deadly strait I plain:
Yeomen and knights together lie in their quarters slain.'"
_Nibelungenlied_ (Lettsom's tr.).

[Sidenote: Ortlieb slain.] The moment Hagen heard these tidings he sprang
to his feet, drew his sword, and bade Dankwart guard the door and prevent
the ingress or egress of a single Hungarian. Then he struck off the head of
the child Ortlieb, which bounded into Kriemhild's lap, cut off the minstrel
Werbel's hand, and began hewing right and left among the Hungarians, aided
by all his companions, who manfully followed his example.

Dismayed at this sudden turn of affairs, the aged King Etzel "sat in mortal
anguish," helplessly watching the massacre, while Kriemhild shrieked aloud
to Dietrich to protect her from her foes. Moved to pity by her evident
terror, Dietrich blew a resounding blast on his horn, and Gunther paused in
his work of destruction to inquire how he might serve the man who had ever
shown himself a friend. Dietrich answered by asking for a safe-conduct out
of the hall for himself and his followers, which was immediately granted.

"'Let me with your safe-conduct this hall of Etzel's leave,
And quit this bloody banquet with those who follow me;
And for this grace forever I'll at your service be.'"
_Nibelungenlied_ (Lettsom's
tr.).

[Sidenote: The massacre.] Dietrich von Bern then passed out of the hall
unmolested, leading the king by one hand and the queen by the other, and
closely followed by all his retainers. This same privilege was granted to
Ruediger and his five hundred men; but when these had all passed out, the
Burgundians renewed the bloody fight, nor paused until all the Huns in the
hall were slain, and everything was reeking with blood.

Then the Burgundians gathered up the corpses, which they flung down the
staircase, at the foot of which Etzel stood, helplessly wringing his hands,
and vainly trying to discover some means of stopping the fight.

Kriemhild, in the mean while, was actively employed