“If the peace of thy land safe warded by the strength of thine arm abide,
Now from thy grasp will I wrest it; and mine heritage withal,
If thou win it by battle-prowess, shall be held of thee in thrall.
Let thou and I stake straightway our land and throne and crown;
And whichsoever in combat shall strike the other down,
Unto him shall all be subject, the lands of twain and the folk.”
Then against it Hagen the mighty and Gernot the valiant spoke.
“Of a surety not so are we minded,” spake Gernot proudly and high,
“That for winning of new possessions should any good knights die
In the strife of warring heroes: lo, fair our heritage is,