Thereat did the old knight arm him, after the young man’s rede;
And, or ever Hildebrand knew it, stood all in battle-weed
The eager warriors of Dietrich: sword in hand stood they.
And the hero was grieved, and had turned them, an he might, from their purposed way.
“Whither away?” he asked them. “Thither will we with thee;
And haply Hagen of Troneg less eager then shall be
With jeering speech to mock thee, as his cruel wont is still.”
And the hero hearkened and answered, “Be it then as ye will.”
Then looked forth Volker the valiant, and the knights of Bern he saw,
The liegemen of Lord Dietrich, full-harnessed thitherward draw,