HKB
177
When came they to the border / the train-men onward pressed. With thought of battle-order / Siegfried the thanes addressed: "Who now shall guard our followers / from danger in the rear?" In sooth like this the Saxons / in battle worsted never were.
178
Then said they: "On the 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 armed 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.
188
With three mighty gashes / which he had dealt the king Through his shining breastplate / made fast with many a ring. The sword with sharpest edges / from wounds brought forth the blood, Whereat King Luedegast / apace fell into gloomy mood.
189
To spare his life he begged him, / his land he pledged the knight, And told him straight moreover, / that Luedegast he hight. Then came his knights to help him, / they who there had seen How that upon the vanguard / fierce fight betwixt the twain had been.
190
After duel ended, / did thirty yet withstand Of knights that him attended; / but there the hero's hand Kept safe his noble captive / with blows of wondrous might. And soon wrought greater ruin / Siegfried the full gallant knight.
191