[Sidenote:  Marriage of Hettel and Hilde.] The Hegelings sailed with their prize direct to Waleis, in Holland (near the river Waal), where the impatient Hettel came to meet them, and tenderly embraced his beautiful young bride.  There their hasty nuptials were celebrated; but, as they were about to sail away on the morrow, Hettel became aware of the rapid approach of a large fleet.  Of course the foremost vessel was commanded by Hagen, who had immediately started out in pursuit of his kidnaped daughter.  Landing, with all his forces, he challenged his new-made son-in-law to fight.

“King Hagen, full of anger, leaped forward in the sea. 
Unto the shore he waded; no braver knight than he! 
Full many pointed arrows against him were seen flying,
Like flakes of snow, from warriors of Hetel’s host defying.”

          
                                                                          Gudrun (Dippold’s tr.).

The result of this battle was that Hettel was wounded by Hagen, who, in his turn, was injured by Wat, and that the distracted Hilde suddenly flung herself between the contending parties, and by her tears and prayers soon brought about a reconciliation.  Hagen, who had tested the courage of his new son-in-law and had not found it wanting, now permitted his daughter to accompany her husband home to Matelan, where she became the mother of a son, Ortwine, and of a daughter, Gudrun, who was even fairer than herself.

[Sidenote:  Gudrun’s suitors.] Ortwine was fostered by Wat, the dauntless hero, who taught him to fight with consummate skill; while Hilde herself presided over the education of Gudrun, and made her so charming that many suitors soon came, hoping to find favor in her eyes.  These were Siegfried, King of Moorland, a pagan of dark complexion; Hartmut, son of Ludwig, King of Normandy; and, lastly, Herwig of Zealand.  Although the latter fancied that he had won some favor in the fair Gudrun’s sight, Hettel dismissed him as well as the others, with the answer that his daughter was yet too young to leave the parental roof.

Herwig, who was not ready to give the maiden up, then remembered that Hettel had won his own bride only after he had measured his strength with her father’s; so he collected an army, invaded Matelan, and proved his courage by encountering Hettel himself in the fray.  Gudrun, who stood watching the battle from the palace window, seeing them face to face, loudly implored them to spare each other, an entreaty to which they both lent a willing ear.

    “Fair Gudrun saw the combat, and heard the martial sound. 
    Like to a ball is fortune, and ever turns around.

    “Then from the castle chamber the royal maid cried out: 
    ’King Hetel, noble father, the blood flows all about
    Athwart the mighty hauberks.  With gore from warlike labor
    The walls are sprinkled.  Herwig is a most dreadful neighbor.’”
                                                  Gudrun (Dippold’s tr.).