912.
“To all guests in my palace due notice shall there be
That I will ride forth early: those who would hunt with me
Must hold themselves all ready; those who would rather stay
To loiter with the ladies have my good leave alway.”
913.
Then spake the stalwart Siegfried, with noble courtliness:
“If you will ride a-hunting, I’ll gladly do no less.
A huntsman you must lend me, and sundry hounds also,
Then gladly to the forest along with you I’ll go.”
914.
“And dost thou want one only?” the king said thereupon,
“i’ll lend thee, if it please thee, four men to whom are known
The forest and the coverts the quarry most frequent;
So that the tryst in seeking thy time be not misspent.”
915.
Home to his wife then rode he, the goodly warrior bold,
And quickly faithless Hagen unto the king had told
How he could get the vantage of the brave thane: ’twere shame
Such treason foul should ever disgrace a noble name.
ADVENTURE XVI.—HOW SIEGFRIED WAS SLAIN.
916.
King Gunther now and Hagen, those knights exceeding bold,
Had treacherously plotted a woodland hunt to hold.
With lances sharp pursuing the boar in forest free,
The wild bull and the bear too: what bolder sport could be?
