Spake then the other mermaid, / Siegelind that hight:
"I warn thee, son of Aldrian, / Hagen valiant knight,
'Twas but to gain her clothing / my cousin falsely said,
For, comest thou to Hunland, / sorely shalt thou be betrayed.
"Yea, that thou turnest backward / is fitter far, I ween;
For but your death to compass / have all ye warriors keen
Receivéd now the bidding / unto Etzel's land.
Whose doth thither journey, / death leadeth surely by the hand."
Thereto gave answer Hagen: / "False speech hath here no gain.
How might it ever happen / that we all were slain
Afar in Etzel's country / through hate of any man?"
To tell the tale more fully / unto him she then began.
Spake again the other: / "The thing must surely be,
That of you never any / his home again shall see,
Save only the king's chaplain; / well do we understand
That he unscathed returneth / unto royal Gunther's land."
Then spake the valiant Hagen / again in angry way:
"Unto my royal masters / 'twere little joy to say
That we our lives must forfeit / all in Hunland.
Now show us, wisest woman, / how pass we safe to yonder strand."