o grim of his mod that he will kill thee, if
thou speak him not fair. If thou wouldst have him ferry thee across,
give him hire. He guardeth this land, and is Gelfrat's friend. If he
come not straightway, cry across the river to him that thou art Amelrich;
he was a good knight, that a feud drove from this land. The boatman will
come when he heareth that name."

Proud Hagen thanked the women for their warning and their counsel, and
said no more. He went up the river's bank, till he came to an inn that
stood on the far side. He began to shout across the water, "Boatman, row
me over, and I will give thee, for thy meed, an armlet of red gold. I
must across."

The boatman was so rich that he needed not to serve for hire, and seldom
took reward from any. His men also were overweening, and Hagen was left
standing on the bank of the river.

Thereupon he shouted so loud that all the shore rang with it. He was a
stark man. "Row across for Amelrich. I am Elsy's liegeman, that, for a
feud, fled the country." He swung the armlet aloft on his sword--it was
of red gold, bright and shining--that they might ferry him over to
Gelfrat's march. At this the haughty boatman himself took the oar, for
he was greedy and covetous of gain, the which bringeth oft to a bad end.
He thought to win Hagen's red gold, but won, in lieu thereof, a grim
death by his sword.

He rowed over to the shore with mighty strokes. When he found not him
that had been named, he fell into a fury; he saw Hagen, and spake
wrothfully to the hero, "Thy name may be Amelrich, but, or I err greatly,
thy face is none of his. By one father and one mother he was my
brother. Since thou hast deceived me, thou canst stay where thou art."

"Nay, for the love of God," said Hagen. "I am a stranger knight that
have the charge of other warriors. Take thy fee and row me over, for I
am a friend."

But the boatman answered, "I will not. My dear masters have foemen,
wherefore I must bring no stranger across. If thou lovest thy life, step
out on to the shore again."

"Nay now," said Hagen, "I am sore bested. Take, as a keepsake, this
goodly gold, and ferry us over with our thousand horses and our many men."

But the grim boatman answered, "Never!" He seized an oar, mickle and
broad, and smote Hagen (soon he rued it), that he staggered and fell on
his knees. Seldom had he of Trony encountered so grim a ferryman.
Further, to anger the bold stranger, he brake a b