From mine oath will she not release me, this King Etzel’s wife.”
“Too late,” the King made answer, “thy love dost thou forswear.
Now God on high reward thee, thou noble Rüdiger,
For the faith and the lovingkindness that thou hast shown us still,
So thou to the end maintain it, and all thy pledge fulfil.
Unto thee will we aye be beholden for the gifts that thou didst give,
Even I and my friends, so thou leave us unharmed of thee to live,
For the sake of the gifts most princely whereby our trust was won
When to Etzel’s land thou didst bring us. O Rüdiger, think thereon!”
“How gladly this would I grant you,” the good thane Rüdiger said,