"Men would seek us here in this our land with mighty armies, now
make ye wail for that."

To this Gernot, a brave and lusty knight, made answer: "That will
we fend indeed with swords. Only the fey (2) will fall. So let
them die; for their sake I will not forget my honor. Let these
foes of ours be welcome to us."

Then spake Hagen of Troneg: "This thinketh me not good.
Liudegast and Liudeger bear great arrogance; nor can we summon
all our men in such short time. Why tell ye not Siegfried of the
thing?" So spake the valiant knight.

To the messengers they bade give lodging in the town. Whatever
hate they bore them, yet Gunther, the mighty, bade purvey them
well, as was but right, till he discovered of his friends who
there was who would lend him aid. Yet in his fears the king was
ill at ease. Just then full blithe a knight, who wot not what
had happed, saw him thus sad and prayed King Gunther to tell him
of the matter. "Much it wondereth me," spake Siegfried, for he
it was, "that ye thus have changed your merry wont, which ye have
used thus far with us."

To this Gunther, the stately knight, replied: "It liketh me not
to tell all folk the grievance which I must bear within my heart
in secret wise. Only to trusty friends should one confide his
woe of heart."

At this Siegfried's color waxed both pale and red. To the king
he spake: "I have denied you naught and will gladly help you turn