The day had now an end, and the night drew nigh. Care beset the wayworn travelers, as to when they should go to bed and rest them. This Hagen bespake with Etzel, and it was told them soon.
Gunther spake to the host: “God be with you, we would fain go to our sleep, pray give us leave. We will come early on the morrow, whensoever ye bid.”
Etzel parted then full merrily from his guests. Men pressed the strangers on every side, at which brave Folker spake to the Huns: “How dare ye crowd before the warriors’ feet? An’ ye will not leave this, ye will fare full ill. I’ll smite some man so heavy a fiddle blow, that if he have a faithful friend he may well bewail it. Why give ye not way before us knights? Methinks ’twere well. All pass for knights, but be not of equal mettle.”
As the fiddler spake thus in wrath, Hagen, the brave, looked behind him. He spake: “The bold gleeman doth advise you right, ye men of Kriemhild, ye should hie you to your lodgings. I ween none of you will do what ye are minded, but would ye begin aught, come early on the morrow, and let us wanderers have peace to-night. Certes, I ween that it hath never happed with such good will on the part of heroes.”
Then the guests were brought into a spacious hall, which they found purveyed on every side with costly beds, long and broad, for the warriors. Lady Kriemhild planned the very greatest wrongs against them. One saw there many a cunningly wrought quilt from Arras 160 of shining silken cloth and many a coverlet of Arabian silk, the best that might be had; upon this ran a border that shone in princely wise. Many bed covers of ermine and of black sable were seen, beneath which they should have their ease at night, until the dawn of day. Never hath king lain so lordly with his meiny.
“Alas for these night quarters,” spake Giselher, the youth, “and alas for my friends, who be come with us. However kindly my sister greeted us, yet I do fear me that through her fault we must soon lie dead.”
“Now give over your care,” quoth Hagen, the knight. “I’ll stand watch myself to-night. I trow to guard us well, until the day doth come. Therefore have no fear; after that, let him survive who may.”
All bowed low and said him gramercy. Then went they to their beds. A short while after the stately men had laid them down, bold Hagen, the hero, began to arm him. Then the fiddler, Knight Folker, spake: “If it scorn you not, Hagen, I would fain hold the watch with you to-night, until the early morn.”
The hero then thanked Folker in loving wise: “Now God of heaven requite you, dear Folker. In all my cares, I would crave none other than you alone, whenever I had need. I shall repay you well, and death hinder me not.”
Both then donned their shining armor and either took his shield in hand, walked out of the house and stood before the door. Thus they cared for the guests in faithful wise. The doughty Folker leaned his good shield against the side of the hall, then turned him back and fetch............