gainst the
little band, their prowess had brought them forth alive, had not the
Christian folk turned foemen.

Meantime, Wolfhart went to and fro, and hewed down Gunther's men. He cut
his way round the hall thrice. Many a knight fell before him.

Then cried stark Giselher to Wolfhart, "Woe is me, that I have so grim a
foe! Come hither, bold warrior, and I will make an end of this. Longer
it shall not endure."

Wolfhart turned to Giselher in the strife. They gave one another wide
wounds. So fiercely Wolfhart sprang at him that the blood under his feet
spurted over his head.

Fair Uta's child welcomed Wolfhart, the bold knight, with swift blows.
Albeit the warrior was mighty, he perished. Never king so young was so
valiant. He smote Wolfhart through his goodly harness, that blood flowed
down from the gash: he wounded Dietrich's man to the death. None save a
hero had done it.

When Wolfhart felt the sword-cut, he threw away his shield, and lifted a
mighty and sharp weapon, wherewith, through helmet and harness, he slew
Giselher. They gave each other a grim death, for Dietrich's man fell
likewise.

Old Hildebrand grieved sore when he saw Wolfhart fall. All Gunther's men
and Dietrich's were dead, and he went where Wolfhart lay in the blood,
and put his arm round him to bear him away out of the house. But he was
too heavy, so he must needs let him lie. Then the deadly wounded man
looked up from among the blood, and saw that his uncle would have helped
him, and he said, "Dearest uncle, no help availeth me. Thou didest
better to beware of Hagen, for grim and fell is his heart. And if my
kinsmen, my nearest and my best, mourn for me hereafter, say that they
weep without cause, for that I died gloriously by the hand of a king. In
the fight I have so well avenged me that many a warrior's wife shall
wail. If any question thee, tell him straight that, with my single hand,
I slew an hundred."

Then Hagen thought on the fiddler that old Hildebrand had slain, and he
said to the knight, "Thou shalt pay for my teen. Thou hast robbed us of
many a good warrior." He smote Hildebrand, that Balmung, the sword he
had taken from Siegfried when he slew him, rang loud. But the old man
stood boldly on his defence. He brought his sharp-edged sword down on
Hagen, but could not wound him. Then Hagen pierced him through his good
harness.

When Master Hildebrand felt the wound, he feared more scathe from Hagen,
so he th