, whatever his skill and
renown."

"But wherefore should one seek to pass the guard?" asked a young knight.
"Is there a prize to be won, then?"

"Truly," sighed old Herbrand, "I would not give a hair of my head for
the prize. 'Tis but a crown of roses and a kiss from one of the queen's
ladies; though it is said, indeed, that they are as lovely as women may
be."

"Are there no fair maids in Bern?" cried the warriors indignantly. "Must
we go to the Rhine for them?"

"For myself," said Dietrich, "I care little for the reward; yet methinks
that for the honour and glory I would e'en meet these doughty warriors,
and peradventure overcome them. Who will follow me to Burgundy?"

As with one voice his knights responded to his appeal, and he chose
eight from among them to accompany him on his quest. As there were still
but nine, including Dietrich himself, to meet the twelve guardians of
the Rose Garden, the king decided to send for three knights who were
absent from the court. At the suggestion of Hildebrand he selected
Ruediger of Bechlarn, Dietleib of Styria, and Ilsan, who was brother
to Hildebrand and at that time a monk in the monastery of Munchenzell.
Ruediger was margrave to King Etzel, and had to obtain his lord's
permission to venture forth on the romantic undertaking; Dietleib's
father strongly recommended that the quest be abandoned, though the
youth himself was as eager as any to accompany Dietrich; while as for
Ilsan, he found it especially difficult to obtain leave of absence, for,
naturally, his abbot deemed the enterprise a strange one for a monk who
had fled all earthly delights. However, all difficulties were eventually
overcome, and when the party was ready for departure Ruediger was sent
on an embassy to King Gibich at Worms, to prepare him for their coming.
Gibich gave his ready consent to the proposed trial of strength,
whereupon the warriors set out for the Rhine to see whether they might
not win a kiss and a garland from some fair lady.

An imposing array did the knights of the Rose Garden make as they
awaited the approach of the strangers, but no less imposing were
Dietrich and his warriors. Each chose an opponent and immediately
engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand struggle, which was to end disastrously
for more than one brave knight. The first to dispatch his antagonist
was Wolfhart, who submitted to being crowned with a rose-wreath, but
disdained to accept the rest of the reward. The monk, who was