ew from
their swords. But they were parted in the fray by the knights of Bern,
that pressed in amain. So Master Hildebrand turned away from Hagen.

Stark Wolfhart ran at Folker. He smote the fiddler on his helmet, that
the sword's edge cut into the beaver. The bold fiddler struck him such a
blow that the sparks flew from his harness. Deadly was their hate. Then
Sir Wolfwine parted them. If he was not a hero, there never was one.
Gunther, the noble king, met the famed Amelung knights with ready hand.
Sir Giselher made many a polished helmet red and wet with blood.
Dankwart, Hagen's brother, was a grim man. All that he ha done afore to
Etzel's warriors was but a wind to what he did now; fell and furious was
Aldrian's child. Ritschart and Gerbart, Helfrich and Wichart, had never
spared themselves in battle, the which they let Gunther's men see.
Wolfbrand was undaunted in the strife. Old Hildebrand fought as he were
mad. Many a good knight fell dead in the blood before the sword of
Wolfhart. Rudeger was well avenged. Sir Siegstab did right valiantly.
Ha! how many hard helmets Dietrich's sister's son brake to his foemen.
Bolder in battle he could not have been.

When stark Folker saw that Siegstab struck blood from the hauberks, he
was wroth, and leapt upon him and slew him. Such proof of his skill gave
the fiddler that Siegstab died.

Hildebrand avenged him as beseemed his might. "Woe is me for my dear
lord, that lieth slain by Folker's hand! Bitterly shall the fiddler pay
for it." Certes, Hildebrand was grim enow. He smote Folker, that the
gleeman's shield and helmet flew in splinters across the hall. That was
an end of stark Folker.

Then Dietrich's men rushed in from all sides. They smote till the links
of their foemen's mail whistled asunder, and their broken sword-points
flew on high. They struck hot-flowing streams from the helmets.

When Hagen of Trony saw Folker dead, he grieved more bitterly than he had
done yet, all the hightide, for kinsman or vassal. Alack! how grimly he
began to avenge him!

"Old Hildebrand shall not go scatheless, for his hand hath slain my
friend, the best comrade I ever had."

He raised his shield, and hewed his way right and left.

Helfrich slew stark Dankwart. Doleful enow were Gunther and Giselher
when they saw him fall in his bitter pains. Yet he had well avenged his
death with his own hand.

Albeit many mighty princes of many lands were gathered there a