Unto his royal masters: / "How long will ye stand so,
That foes may press upon you? / To the king ye now shall go,
And from his lips hear spoken / how is his mind to you."
The valiant lords and noble / consorted then by two and two.
Of Bern the lofty Dietrich / took by the hand
Gunther the lordly monarch / of Burgundian land;
Irnfried escorted Gernot, / a knight of valor keen,
And Ruediger with Giselher / going unto the court was seen.
Howe'er with fere consorted / there any thane might be,
Volker and Hagen / ne'er parted company,
Save in storm of battle / when they did reach life's bourne,
'Twas cause that highborn ladies / anon in grievous way must mourn.
Unto the court then passing / with the kings were seen.
Of their lofty retinue / a thousand warriors keen,
And threescore thanes full valiant / that followed in their train;
The same from his own country / had doughty Hagen with him ta'en.
Hawart and eke Iring, / chosen warriors twain,
Saw ye walk together / in the royal train.
By Dankwart and Wolfhart, / a thane of high renown,
Was high courtly bearing / there before the others shown.