Rune Poems - House of Dubhros

38 Introduction to
ricus, king of the Burgundians, at Chalon-sur-Sa6ne; his
daughter Hiltgunt was betrothed to Waltharius, son of (3)
Alpharius, king of Aquitaine. Attacked by a countless
army of the Huns, they could not but submit and render
hostages to Attila. In place of Guntharius, who was then
too young, Gibicho sent Hagano of Trojan blood; but the
others were forced to deliver up their own children. The
hostages were well treated by Attila and raised to high
positions at the Hunmsh court. But on the death of Gibicho
Guntharius revolted and Hagano fled to Worms. Thereupon
Attila, fearing lest Waltharius should follow the example
of his sworn companion, proposed to wed him to a Hunnish
maiden. Waltharius, however, induced him to withdraw
the proposition and prepared for flight with Hiltgunt. One
night while the Huns were heavy with wine, they slipped
away, carrying much treasure with them. They fled by
devious ways and all went well till after they had crossed
the Rhine by Worms. Now at last they felt out of danger ;
but Guntharius had heard of their arrival and thought only
of recovering the tribute paid by his father to the Huns.
Hagano tried to turn him from so discreditable and dangerous
a venture; but Guntharius would not be gainsaid. With
twelve chosen warriors, of whom the unwilling Hagano was
one, he fell upon Waltharius, who was resting in a defile of
the Vosges. He demanded the treasure and the maiden,
and Waltharius, when his offer first of 100, then 200 rings
had been refused, made a stubborn resistance. The position
was impregnable ; eight of the Franks he slew in single
combat and, when the three survivors attacked him with a
trident, he was equally successful. Guntharius and Hagano
then drew off; on the following day Waltharius, who had
left his strong position, was waylaid by them and a furious
combat ensued, in which Guntharius lost a leg, Hagano
an eye and Waltharius his right hand 1 .
Sic, sic, armillas partiti sunt Avarenses. (v. 1404)
1 Hence the lords of Wasgenstein, some ten miles as the crow flies
from Worms the traditional site of the battle, bore as their coat of arms
six white hands on a red field cf. the ;
seal of Johann von Wasichenstein
(1339), figured by Althof, Das Waltharilied, pp. 216 ff.