swords. Hawart died by the
knight of Burgundy.

When the Thuringians and Danes saw their masters slain, they rushed yet
fiercer against the house, and grisly was the strife or they won to the
door. Many a helmet and buckler were hewn in pieces.

"Give way," cried Folker, "and let them in. They shall not have their
will, but, in lieu thereof, shall perish. They will earn the queen's
gift with their death."

The proud warriors thronged into the hall, but many an one bowed his
head, slain by swift blows. Well fought bold Gernot; the like did
Giselher.

A thousand and four came in. Keen and bright flashed the swords; but all
the knights died. Great wonders might be told of the Burgundians.

When the tumult fell, there was silence. Over all, the blood of the dead
men trickled through the crannies into the gutters below. They of the
Rhine had done this by their prowess.

Then the Burgundians sat and rested, and laid down their weapons and
their shields. The bold gleeman went out before the house, and waited,
lest any more should come to fight.

The king and his wife wailed loud. Maids and wives beat their breasts.
I ween that Death had sworn an oath against them, for many a knight was
yet to die by the hands of the strangers.

Thirty-Sixth Adventure

How the Queen Bad Them Burn Down the Hall

"Now do off your helmets," said Hagen the knight. "I and my comrade will
keep watch. And if Etzel's men try it again, I will warn my masters
straightway."

Then many a good warrior unlaced his helmet. They sat down on the bodies
that had fallen in the blood by their hands. With bitter hate the guests
were spied at by the Huns.

Before nightfall the king and queen had prevailed on the men of Hungary
to dare the combat anew. Twenty thousand or more stood before them ready
for battle. These hasted to fall on the strangers.

Dankwart, Hagen's brother, sprang from his masters to the foemen at the
door. They thought he was slain, but he came forth alive.

The strife endured till the night. The guests, as beseemed good
warriors, had defended them against Etzel's men all through the long
summer day. Ha! what doughty heroes lay dead before them. It was on a
midsummer that the great slaughter fell, when Kriemhild avenged her
heart's dole on her nearest kinsmen, and on many another man, and all
King Etzel's joy was ended. Yet she purposed not at the first to bring
it to such a bloody encounter, but only t