And the sword through the rings of the hauberk on the breast of the minstrel broke,
And over his mail fell flashing the links in a fiery rain:—
But now was he sped, and the landgrave fell, by the minstrel slain.
Man against man clashed Hagen and Hawart in grapple of fight;
A tale might he tell of wonders who had looked upon that sight.
Like lashing rain fell swordstrokes from either hero’s hand,
Till slain was the death-doomed Hawart by him of Burgundia-land.
When Danefolk and Thuringians beheld how their lords were slain,
Maddened afront of the palace yet grimmer battle-strain,
As they struggled with mighty hand-strokes to win that portal through,