Cast he an arm of protection—her fear was deadly-keen!—
And forth of the hall King Etzel he drew with the other hand;
And after Dietrich followed six hundred knights of his band.
Then unto Gunther the Margrave, the noble Rüdiger, cried:
“If thou meanest that forth of the palace any shall win beside
Of such as be fain to serve thee, of this thing do me to wit;
So shall our bond of friendship and peace be abidingly knit.”
Then to his fair bride’s father Giselher straightway spake:
“Let peace and love between us be a bond that none shall break.
The troth-plight of friendship ever do thou and thine maintain.