Stay thou, that the hearts of the weak ones may be strong in thy fearlessness;
And I will guard thine honour and thy wealth in the battle’s stress.
And they that were fain to seek thee at Worms by the waters of Rhine,
With them will I take such order, that nought shall they harm that is thine.
Yea, we into their own homeland so far will ride in our raid,
That soon shall the overweening be with sorrow sore dismayed.”
From Rhine through the land of Hesse rode on that hero-host,
And over the Saxon marches, where the fight should be won and lost;
And they drave the spoil, and they harried with flame the land of the foe:
Ha, bitter straits and anguish did the robber war-kings know!