The Nibelungenlied. Anonymous

journey / the men shall guarded be

       By the valiant Dankwart, /—a warrior swift is he;

       So shall we lose the fewer / by men of Luedeger.

       Let him and Ortwein with him / be chosen now to guard the rear."

      179

      Spake then the valiant Siegfried: / "Myself will now ride on,

       And against our enemies / will keep watch in the van,

       Till I aright discover / where they perchance may be."

       The son of fair Queen Siegelind / did arm him then immediately.

      180

      The folk he left to Hagen / when ready to depart,

       And as well to Gernot, / a man of dauntless heart.

       Into the land of Saxons / alone he rode away,

       And by his hand was severed / many a helmet's band that day.

      181

      He found a mighty army / that lay athwart the plain,

       Small part of which outnumbered / all those in his own train:

       Full forty thousand were they / or more good men of might.

       The hero high in spirit / saw right joyfully the sight.

      182

      Then had eke a warrior / from out the enemy

       To guard the van gone forward, / all arméd cap-a-pie.

       Him saw the noble Siegfried, / and he the valiant man;

       Each one straight the other / to view with angry mien began.

      183

      Who he was I'll tell you / that rode his men before,

      —A shield of gold all shining / upon his arm he bore—

       In sooth it was King Luedegast / who there the van did guard.

       Straightway the noble Siegfried / full eagerly against him spurred.

      184

      Now singled out for combat / him, too, had Luedegast.

       Then full upon each other / they spurred their chargers fast,

       As on their shields they lowered / their lances firm and tight,

       Whereat the lordly monarch / soon found himself in sorry plight.

      185

      After the shock their chargers / bore the knights so fast

       Onward past each other / as flew they on the blast.

       Then turned they deftly backward / obedient to the rein,

       As with their swords contested / the grim and doughty fighters twain.

      186

      When Siegfried struck in anger / far off was heard the blow,

       And flew from off the helmet, / as if 'twere all aglow,

       The fiery sparks all crackling / beneath his hand around.

       Each warrior in the other / a foeman worth his mettle found.

      187

      Full many a stroke with vigor / dealt eke King Luedegast,

       And on each other's buckler / the blows fell thick and fast.

       Then thirty men discovered / their master's sorry plight:

       But ere they came to help him / had doughty Siegfried won the fight.