The old man armed him as the youth had counselled. Or he had ended, all Dietrich’s knights stood in their harness, sword in hand. It irked the warrior, and he had gladly turned them from their purpose. He asked their intent.
“We would follow thee,” they answered. “What if Hagen of Trony, as his wont is, mock thee?” Whereupon Hildebrand consented.
When bold Folker saw the knights of Bern, Dietrich’s men, girt with swords, and coming armed, with shields in their hands, he told his masters of Burgundy. He said, “Dietrich’s men draw nigh like foemen, armed, and in helmets. They come to defy us. I ween it will go hard with us forlorn ones.”
Hildebrand came up while he spake. He laid his shield at his feet, and said to Gunther’s men, “Alack! ye good knights! What have ye done to Rudeger? Dietrich, my master, sent me hither to ask if any here slew the good Margrave, as they tell us. We could ill endure such loss.”
Hagen of Trony answered, “The news is true. Glad were I had the messenger lied to thee, for Rudeger’s sake, and that he lived still. Both men and women must evermore bewail him.”
When they heard he was dead in sooth, all the warriors wept, as was meet. Down beard and chin ran the tears of Dietrich’s men. Right heavy were they and doleful.
A duke of Bern that hight Siegstab, cried, “Now is ended all the loving kindness wherewith Rudeger cheered our sad days. Ye have slain, in Rudeger, the friend of all homeless knights.”
Sir Wolfwine of Amelung said, “I had not grieved more this day to see my father dead. Woe is me! Who will comfort the good Margravine?”
Sir Wolfhart cried angrily, “Who will lead the warriors forth to battle now, as Rudeger so oft hath done. Woe is me for brave Rudeger! We have lost him!”
Wolfbrand and Helfrich and eke Helmnot wept for his death with all their friends. Hildebrand could ask no more for grief. He said, “Grant now, ye warriors, that for which my master sent me. Give us dead Rudeger from out the hall, with whom all our joy hath perished, and let us requite him for all the kindness he hath shown to us and many another. Like him we are homeless. Why tarry ye? Let us bear him hence, and serve him dead, as we had gladly served him living.”