So they came to the Saxon marches, and the vanguard pressed on still.
Then Siegfried the mighty champion asked of the chieftains’ will:
“Whom now shall we make our warder of camp and of sumpter-train?”
—Ha, never of war-raid the Saxons suffered deadlier bane!
So they said, “Let the henchmen that follow the wielders of spear and brand
Be warded of Dankwart the valiant, of the swift death-dealing hand;
So shall our loss be the lesser from Lüdiger’s plundering horde.
Yea, leave with him Ortwein: our rear-guard shall these twain safely ward.”
“Then will myself ride onward,” spake Siegfried the knight straightway,
“To watch for the foe’s on-coming, and to spy out their array,