way.  Level and poor as the narrative is, it reaches pathos in the description of the arrival of the messengers at Bechlarn.  To spare his niece (Gotelint) Dietrich tells them not to mention the terrible events which have happened, but to say that he and Ruediger will soon come to see her, or at all events himself.  They are received with great rejoicing—­Gotelint and her daughter think “both to receive love without sorrow, as often before, from beloved glances.”  The young margravine has a foreboding of evil at seeing the messengers so few—­only seven.  Then her mother tells her of an evil dream which she has had, and she in turn has to tell of another which has come to herself.  Meanwhile the messengers are at hand, and are observed to be sad.  They give to Ruediger’s wife the false tidings of peace which they have been instructed to relate, and the younger lady wonders that her father should have sent no message to herself specially.  The ladies continue to question the messengers about Kriemhild:  how has she received her brother? what did she say to Hagen? what to Gunther?  How is it, asks the younger one, that Giselher has sent her never a message?  Each lying answer costs the speaker more and more sorrow, and at last his tears begin to flow.  The young margravine exclaims that there must be ill news, that evil has befallen them, and that the guests and her father must be dead.  As she speaks one of the messengers can contain himself no longer, and a cry breaks with blood from his mouth.  All his companions burst into tears at the same time.  The margravine conjures them by their troth to tell how they parted from her husband, saying that the lie must have an end.  “Then spake the fiddler, Swemmelin the messenger:  ’Lady, we wished to deny to you that which we yet must say, since no man could conceal it; after this hour, ye see Margrave Ruediger no more alive.’” The margravine, we are afterward told, dies of grief at the news, as does old Queen Ute at her abbey of Lors.  Brunhild survives, and is prevailed upon by her vassals to have her son crowned.  Etzel, after parting with Dietrich, loses his mind; according to another version, his fate remains altogether uncertain.  Dietelint, the young margravine, is taken under Dietrich’s protection, who promises to find her a husband.  Bishop Pilgrin has the story written out in Latin letters, “that men should deem it true.”  A writer, Master Konrad, then began to set it down in writing; since then it has been often set to verse in Teuton tongues; old and young know well the tale.  “Of their joy and of their sorrow I now say to you no more; this lay is called Ein Klage.”

Walthar of Aquitaine