"Thy land and all that mine is, / at stake shall equal lie.
Whiche'er of us be victor / when now our strength we try,
To him shall all be subject, / the folk and eke the land."
But Hagen spake against it, / and Gernot too was quick at hand.
"Such purpose have we never," / Gernot then said,
"For lands to combat ever, / that any warrior dead
Should lie in bloody battle. / We've mighty lands and strong;
Of right they call us master, / and better they to none belong."
There stood full grim and moody / Gernot's friends around,
And there as well amongst them / was Ortwein to be found.
He spake: "This mild peace-making / doth grieve me sore at heart,
For by the doughty Siegfried / attacked all undeserved thou art.
"If thou and thy two brothers / yourselves to help had naught,
And if a mighty army / he too had hither brought,
I trow I'd soon be able / to make this man so keen
His manner now so haughty / of need replace by meeker mien."
Thereat did rage full sorely / the hero of Netherland:
"Never shall be measured / 'gainst me in fight thy hand.
I am a mighty monarch, / thou a king's serving-knight;
Of such as thou a dozen / dare not withstand me in the fight."