A cry brake forth from his kinsmen of lamentation and woe.
All through the throng were they shouting, “Now who hath done this thing?”
Men answered, “Volker the dauntless, the lord of the viol-string.”
They shouted, “Take ye the bucklers, and grip ye the sword in hand!”
Those friends of the slaughtered Margrave, the lords of the Hunfolk’s land.
Fain were they to smite the minstrel to death for that grim deed;
But down from the casement hasted the King with eager speed.
Then rose from the midst of the Hunfolk uproar that on all sides rang.
Down to the earth from their saddles the Kings with their liegemen sprang:
Behind them they put their horses, the men of Gunther’s array.