Now let us leave the tale of how they lived at Etzel’s court. More high-mettled warriors never rode in such lordly wise to the land of any king; they had whatever they listed, both of weapons and of weeds. The ruler of the Rhineland clad his men, a thousand and sixty knights, 129 as I have heard, and nine thousand footmen, for the courtly feast. Those they left at home bewailed it in after time. The trappings were now borne across the court at Worms; then spake an aged bishop from Speyer to fair Uta: “Our friends would journey to the feasting. May God preserve their honor there.”

The noble Lady Uta then spake to her sons: “Pray tarry here, good knights. Me-dreamed last night of direst woe, how all the fowls in this land lay dead.”

“Who recketh aught of dreams,” quoth Hagen, “he wotteth not how to say the proper words, when ‘twould bring him great store of honors. I wish that my lord go to court to take his leave. We must gladly ride to Etzel’s land. The arms of doughty heroes may serve kings there full well, where we shall behold Kriemhild’s feast.”

Hagen counseled the journey, but later it rued him sore. He would have advised against it, but that Gernot encountered him with such rude words. Of Siegfried, Lady Kriemhild’s husband, he minded him; he spake: “Because of him Hagen will not make the journey to the court.”

At this Hagen of Troneg spake: “I do it not from fear. Heroes, when it please you, begin the work. Certes I will gladly ride with you to Etzel’s land.” Later he carved to pieces many a helm and shield.

The skiffs were now made ready; many a knight stood there. Thither men bare whatever clothes they had. Busy they were until the even tide, then full merrily they set forth from home. Tents and pavilions were raised upon the green beyond the Rhine. When this had happed, the king bade his fair wife tarry with him. That night she still embraced her stately knight. Trumpeting and fluting rose early on the morn, as sign that they should ride. Then to the work they went. Whoso held in his arms his love caressed the fair. Later King Etzel’s wife parted them with woe.

Fair Uta’s sons, they had a liegeman, brave and true. When they would hence, he spake to the king in secret wise his mind. Quoth he: “I must bewail that ye make this journey to the court.” He was hight Rumolt and was a hero of his hands. He spake: “To whom will ye leave your folk and lands? O that none can turn you warriors from your mind! These tidings from Kriemhild have never thought me good.”

“Be the land and my little child, too, commended to thy care; serve well the ladies, that is my wish. Comfort any thou dost see in tears. Certes King Etzel’s bride will never do us harm.”

The steeds were now ready for the kings and their men. Many a one who lived there high of spirit, parted thence with loving kisses. This many a stately dame must later needs bewail. When the doughty knights were seen go toward the steeds, men spied full many ladies standing sadly there. Their hearts did tell them that this long parting boded them great harm. This doth never ease the heart.

The doughty Burgundians started on their way. Then in the land a mighty turmoil rose; on either side of the mountains there wept both men and wives. But however the folk might bear them, the knights jogged merrily along. With them rode the men of Nibelung, a thousand hauberks strong, who had left many comely dames at home whom they never saw again. Siegfried’s wounds gave Kriemhild pain.

Gunther’s liegemen now wended their way towards the river Main, up through Eastern Frankland. 130 Thither Hagen led them, for well he wot the way. Dankwart was their marshal, the hero from Burgundian land. As they rode away from the Eastern Frankland towards Swanfield, 131 men could tell the princes and their kin, the worshipful knights, by their lordly bearing. On the twelfth morning the king came to the Danube. Hagen of Troneg rode foremost of them all, giving to the Nibelungs helpful cheer. On the sandy shore the bold knight dismounted and bound his steed full soon to a tree. The river was swollen, the skiffs hidden away. Great fear the Nibelungs had, as to how they might come across, for the stream was much too broad. Full many a lusty knight alighted on the ground.

“Ill may it lightly hap with thee here,” quoth Hagen, “O ruler of the Rhine. Now mayst thou thyself see the river is swollen, its flood is mighty. Certes, I ween, we shall lose here many a worthy knight today.”

“Why dost thou rebuke me, Hagen?” spake the lordly king. “For thine own prowess’ sake discomfit me no more, but seek us the ford across to the other bank, that we may take hence both steeds and trappings.”

“Forsooth,” quoth Hagen, “I be not so weary of life, that I would drown me in these broad waves. Sooner shall men die by my hands in Etzel’s lands. That will I well. Stay by the water’s side, ye proud knights and good, and I will seek the ferryman myself along the stream, who shall ferry us across to Gelfrat’s 132 land.”

Then the stalwart Hagen seized his good shield. Well was he armed. The shield he bare along, his helmet bound upon his head, bright enow it was. Above his breastplate he bare a sword so broad that most fiercely it cut on either edge. To and fro he sought the ferryman. He heard the splash of water and began to listen. In a fair spring wise women 133 were bathing for to cool them off. Now Hagen spied them and crept toward them stealthily. When they grew ware of this, they hurried fast to escape him; glad enow they were of this. The hero took their clothes, but did them naught else of harm.

Then spake one of the mermaids (Hadburg she was called): “Sir Knight Hagen, we’ll do you here to wit, an’ ye give us our weeds again, bold knight, how ye will fare upon this journey to the Hunnish court.”

Like birds they floated before him on the flood. Therefore him-thought their senses strong and good; he believed the more what they would tell him. Well they answered what he craved of them. Hadburg spake again: “Ye may safely ride to Etzel’s land. I’ll stake my troth at once as pledge, that heroes never rode better to any realm for such great honors. Now believe that in truth.”

In his heart Hagen was joyous at this rede. He gave them back their clothes and no longer tarried. As they donned their strange attire, they told him rightly of the journey to Etzel’s land. The other mermaid spake (Siegelind she hight): “I will warn thee, Hagen, son of Aldrian. 134 For the sake of her weeds mine aunt hath lied to thee. An’ thou comest to the Huns, thou wilt be sore deceived. Time is, that thou shouldst turn again, for ye heroes be bidden, that ye may die in Etzel’s land. Whose rideth hither, hath taken death by the hand.”

Answered Hagen: “Ye deceive us needlessly. how might it come to pass that we should all die there, through anybody’s hate?”

Then gan they tell him the tale still more knowingly. The same one spake again: “It must needs be that none of you shall live, save the king’s chaplain; this we know full well. He will come again safe and sound to Gunther’s land.”

Then spake bold Hagen, fierce of mood: “It were not well to tell my lords that we should all lose our lives among the Huns. Now show us over the stream, thou wisest of all wives.”

She answered: “Sith ye will not turn you from the journey, up yonder where an inn doth stand, by the waterside, there is a ferryman and elsewhere none.”

At once he ceased to ask for further tidings. After the angry warrior she called: “Pray bide a time, Sir Hagen! Forsooth ye are too much in haste. List further to the tale of how ye may cross to the other bank. The lord of these marches beareth the name of Else. 135 His brother is hight Knight G............