The Nibelungenlied

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Title: The Nibelungenlied

Translator: William Nanson Lettsom

Author of introduction, etc.: William H. Carpenter

Release date: January 2, 2012 [eBook #38468]
Most recently updated: June 17, 2020

Language: English

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Credits: E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Rory OConor, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

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E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Rory OConor, and the Online
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THE NIBELUNGENLIED

Translated by

WILLIAM NANSON LETTSOM

With a Special Introduction by William H. Carpenter, Ph.D.

Professor of Germanic Philology in Columbia University

REVISED EDITION

[Illustration]

New York
P.F. Collier & Son

SPECIAL INTRODUCTION

The "Nibelungenlied," as the great national epic of Germany, is not only
one of the most important literary monuments that the German mind has
produced in all periods of its history, but, in reality beyond this, it
is also in its matter and its manner one of the world's great classics.
It is this inherently because of the universal intelligibility of its
story, for the broad human sympathy which must be felt with its
characters and their motives of action, and for the sustained poetic
treatment of the whole in the long poem. In all these respects the
"Nibelungenlied," although German in its spirit and its environment,
rises inevitably above the confines of nationality, and becomes, like
other works that are in a true sense great, by virtue of its
universality an integral part of that cosmopolitan body that we call the
literature of the world.

Like the "Iliad," or any other popular epic whatever, the
"Nibelungenlied" is, however, first and foremost a picture of the
national life and the national soul. Its characters in this way are,
consequently, both fundamentally and of necessity a part of their own
special environment into which each, according to his individuality,
fits; and the manners and customs, the religion and ethics, are first of
all essentially German in order to embody them and to motive their
actions to the public for which the poem was originally intended. What
we are given in the "Nibelungenlied" is primarily then, at least in its
exterior, a picture of German life in the twelfth and thirteenth
centuries. The customs are those of the courts and castles of the place
and time, the men and women are the knights and ladies who inhabit them;
and if the real mainsprings of motive and action sometimes go back
beyond the poet's own day and generation for reasons that shall
presently be told, the thoughts and feelings of the characters under his
hand betray on the surface no trace of it.

To an English reader there is astonishingly little in the
"Nibelungenlied" in motive that is unintelligible or hopelessly remote.
It is not that its manners of thought are our manners of thought, or its
ethics our ethics. Its deeds, since the real story is an ancient
inheritance, are tragic with battle, murder, and sudden death; but, in
spite of all this, there is in us an innate appreciation of it and of
its spirit that it is utterly impossible to feel in much literature that
is not our own. This of course arises from the fact that it is, in a
sense, our own, as, in part, at the beginning in very truth it was. The
difference in its whole environment from us is still, in reality, not
great, and we realize, consciously or unconsciously, that it is in many
ways our own ancient past that is chronicled in the German poem.

For all these reasons it comes readily about that, in the light of the
poet's master touch, the characters of the "Nibelungenlied" that he has
left in such actuality in his verses are to us neither vague nor
shadowy, but are real persons who live and act before us. This is in
fact truer of the "Nibelungenlied" than of almost any other great poem
of the kind, whatever its time and place of origin. Siegfried and
Kriemhild, Hagen and Rudeger are not the mere creations and
impersonations of a poet's imagination; they are to us real men and
women who lived their lives and died their deaths as the poet has
described them. That he has told his tale with wonderful literary skill
as a whole and at times with marvellous appreciation of the value of the
moment, is also to be stated. Because no doubt in part from the way in
which the poem has come down to us, there is at times superfluous
material that had better been left away, but in this fact, too, the poem
differs but little from other popular epics.

As a whole, the "Nibelungenlied" is characterized by a literary unity of
treatment by no means inconsiderable, and greater, in point of fact,
than its origin would ordinarily promise. Its unity, however, is
dramatic, rather than epic in the ordinary sense. This character it
never loses throughout the whole long action. Deed follows deed, stroke
upon stroke, until the final catastrophe is inevitably reached and the
story is ended.

That this story in its origin is not narrowly German, but is Germanic
property, should be borne in mind by its reader, since many of its
episodes acquire thereby a broader significance, and the whole poem
assumes a wider interest.

The earliest versions of the story of the Volsungs and Nibelungs, the
Germanic "tale of Troy," that have come down to us are not from German
territory, but from the Scandinavian North, although here, too, the
scene of the principal action is on the Rhine and in the land of the
Huns, which is vaguely conceived to be a part of the German country.
Sigmund, the father of Sigurd, is a King in the land of the Franks;
Sigurd is slain to the south of the Rhine, and in the Rhine is forever
hidden the fateful hoard of the Nibelungs. The story in reality wandered
out twice into the North from its original home in Germany: once
apparently in the Viking age when the Northmen for the first time
came into close contact with the other Germanic people on the
continent and in the British Islands, a period long antecedent to the
"Nibelungenlied;" and again five hundred years later, after the German
poem had arisen, since it can be readily shown that this has been used
as a source of a part of the material.

The very first of these Northern versions is that contained in the
"Elder Edda," a collection of mythological and legendary poems in the
Old Norse language, of unknown authorship, whose time and place of
origin are alike matters of varying supposition. The subject was the
theme of poets for centuries in the North. The oldest of the poems in
the "Edda" that has to do with the story of the "Nibelungenlied," from
internal evidence, was made as early as the year 900; the latest is from
a time not far from 1200. These poems and fragments of poems, some of
them even in prose rescript and most of them interspersed here and there
with bits of prose, do not make in any sense a connected story. Their
unknown collector arranged them as well as might be in connected
sequence, but even then their action is not consecutive; they overlap
each other, parts of the story are told and retold and not seldom with
an inconsistency of detail. There is, accordingly, in the "Elder Edda"
no thought of an epic either in matter or manner. There is the material
for an epic in the rough, but without an idea in the mind of any poet of
the time of actual epical treatment.

The story as contained in the Old Norse poems is by no means identical
with the "Nibelungenlied." First and foremost, it is infinitely older in
its whole conception, and much more nearly approaches original
conditions as they existed in the mode of thought and in the manner of
living of the early Germanic people. It is a story, here, of the days
when the world was young; when the gods still walked the earth and mixed
themselves in with human affairs in which they had an active interest;
when motives were clearer and action was more direct; when human
passions burned even fiercer than in the "Nibelungenlied," and love and
hate together knew no boundaries until they had worked themselves out in
the utter destruction of their object. Of the first of these conditions,
the "Nibelungenlied" in its character of an epic of the Middle Ages has
not kept a trace. In the Eddic poems it is the ring cursed by the gods
to all its possessors that motives the entire action; that leads with
the certainty of fate to the death of Sigurd, the Siegfried of the
"Edda," to all the woes that follow, and to the ultimate utter
destruction of the entire race of the Nibelungs.

As most critics have pointed out, the fundamental difference in the
treatment of the story consists in the fact that the principal epic
interest in the Eddic poems is the relation of Sigurd to Brynhild, the
Valkyrie, who is here a heroic figure, who rises immeasurably not only
above the other women of the tale, but above most of the other
characters in importance of personality. In the "Nibelungenlied" it is
Kriemhild, Gudrun in the "Edda," and Hagen who are the principal figures
in the action. In the Northern version, Gudrun does not avenge herself
upon her brothers as does Kriemhild in the "Nibelungenlied," but Atli,
her husband after Sigurd, slays them, and Gudrun then takes vengeance
upon him. In the "Edda," too, other saga cycles are brought into
connection with this, viz., the Northern legend of Helgi, at the
beginning, and the Gothic legend of Ermanrich, at the end.

The Eddic poems are not the only versions in Old Norse literature. An
epitome of the story based upon the poems is contained in the "Snorra
Edda," a work written by the Icelander Snorri Sturluson, who lived from
1178 to 1241, to serve as a handbook for poets and which contains in
this way the myths and legends of the North.

Next to the Eddic songs the most important of the Northern versions,
however, is the long "Völsunga Saga" from the second half of the
thirteenth century, which, again, is based upon the Eddic poems and upon
others in addition that have now been lost. Like most of the Old Norse
sagas, it is prose with the occasional inclusion of verse cited to
justify or to embellish its statements. It gives with extraordinary
wealth of detail the whole old story in connected form and desires to be
called, as it has been called, a prose epic. William Morris, in his
superb translation, has deservedly characterized it as "the most
complete and dramatic form of the Great Epic of the North." The story is
further contained, in some of its details only, in the strange tale of
"Nornagest," which has again made use of the Eddic songs and quotes one
of them entire.

The Old Norse story is so important for its bearing on the
intelligibility of the "Nibelungenlied" that it is absolutely necessary
to take it actively into consideration in any discussion of the German
poem. The epitome contained in the "Snorra Edda," since it gives the
whole story from beginning to end in a form as short as may be, is here
given in its entirety:

"Three gods, Odin, Hœnir, and Loki, once went out to explore the
whole world. They came to a certain river, and went along the river to a
waterfall, and at the waterfall there was an otter that had taken a
salmon out of the fall and ate it, half asleep. Then Loki took up a
stone and cast it at the otter and struck him in the head. Loki
thereupon boasted of his catch that he had got at a blow both the otter
and the salmon. They took the salmon and the otter and carried them
along with them until they came to a farmstead, where they went in. The
head of the household that dwelt there was named Hreidmar; he was a
mighty man and much skilled in magic. He invited the gods to lodge there
for the night, and they told him that they had with them provisions in
plenty and showed him their booty. But when Hreidmar saw the otter he
called his sons Fafnir and Regin and said that Otter, their brother, had
been killed, and told them who had done it. Thereupon, the father and
his sons fell upon the gods and took them and bound them, saying that
the otter was the son of Hreidmar. The gods offered as a ransom as much
money as Hreidmar himself should determine, and that was agreed upon as
a reconciliation and was bound with oaths.

"Then the otter was flayed, and Hreidmar took the otter's skin and said
that they should fill it with red gold and should then cover it wholly
up with gold, and that should be their atonement. Odin then sent Loki
into the land of the black elves and he came to the dwarf who is called
Andvari; he was a fish in the water, and Loki took him and laid upon him
as a ransom all the gold that he had in his stone. And when they came
into the stone where he dwelt, the dwarf brought out all the gold that
he owned and that was a very great treasure. Then the dwarf slipped
under his hand a little gold ring. That Loki, however, saw and bade him
produce the ring. The dwarf begged him not to take the ring from him,
and said that he could breed treasure out of it if he kept it. Loki told
him that he should not keep back a penny, and took the ring from him andwent
out. The dwarf said that the ring should be the death of everyone
who owned it. Loki replied that that suited him well, and that the
condition should be held good, since he would bring it to the ears of
them who might get possession of it. He then went away to Hreidmar's and
showed Odin the gold; but when he saw the ring, it seemed to him very
beautiful and he took it out of the treasure, but paid over to Hreidmar
the gold.

"Then Hreidmar filled the otter's skin as full as he could and set it up
on its feet when it was full; Odin then went up to cover the skin with
gold and said to Hreidmar that he should see whether the skin were
wholly covered. Hreidmar looked at it and considered it carefully and
saw a whisker, and bade him cover that, also, or else their atonement
were at an end. Then Odin brought out the ring and covered the whisker
and said that they now were freed from the otter ransom. When, however,
Odin had taken his spear and Loki his shoes, and they needed no longer
to fear, then said Loki that what Andvari had spoken, that the ring
should be the death of him who owned it, should hold good, and it did
hold good thereafter.

"Hreidmar took the gold as ransom for his son, but Fafnir and Regin
demanded some of it as a ransom for their brother. Hreidmar, however,
would not grant them a single penny of the gold. That was the
ill-advised deed of the brothers that they killed their father for the
gold. Then Regin demanded that Fafnir divide the gold in halves between
them. Fafnir replied that there was little chance that he would share
the gold with his brother when he had killed his father for the sake of
it, and bade Regin to begone or he would fare as had Hreidmar. Fafnir
had then taken the helmet which Hreidmar had owned, which was called the
Helmet of Awe and which all living things feared that saw it, and set it
upon his head, and he took the sword which is called Hrotti. Regin had
the sword that is called Refil and he fled away; but Fafnir went up upon
the Glittering Heath and made him there a lair, and he took upon himself
the shape of a serpent and lay upon the gold.

"Regin then went to King Hjalprek, at Thy, in Denmark, and there set up
a smithy, and he took to foster Sigurd, the son of Sigmund (the son of
Volsung) and of Hjordis, the daughter of Eylimi. Sigurd was the most
glorious of all war kings in lineage and strength. Regin told him where
Fafnir lay upon the gold, and egged him on to seek it. Then Regin made
the sword that is called Gram, which was so sharp that Sigurd thrust it
in the water and it cut asunder a lock of wool that drove before the
current against the edge of the sword. Afterward, Sigurd clove in two
Regin's anvil down to the stock with the sword. After that, Sigurd and
Regin went out upon the Glittering Heath. Then Sigurd dug a pit in
Fafnir's path and got into it; and when Fafnir crept to the water and
came over the pit, then Sigurd thrust the sword up against him and that
was his death. Regin then came up and said that Sigurd had killed his
brother and offered him as a reconciliation that he should take the
heart of Fafnir and roast it at the fire; but Regin himself got down and
drank the blood of Fafnir and then lay down to sleep. And when Sigurd
had roasted the heart and thought that it must be done, he touched it
with his finger to see how hard it was. And when the juice ran out of
the heart upon his finger, he burnt himself and thrust his finger into
his mouth. And when the heart's blood came upon his tongue, then he knew
the speech of birds and understood what the nuthatches said that sat in
the tree above him.

"Then said one:

'There sits Sigurd
blood besprinkled,
the heart of Fafnir
at the fire roasting;
wise methinks were
the ring despoiler,
if he the gleaming
heart were eating.'

"Then said the other:

'There lies Regin
with himself communing;
he will beguile the youth
who is trusting in him;
in rage he brings now
ill words together;
the evil-worker will
avenge his brother.'

"Then Sigurd went up to Regin and killed him, and took his horse, which
was named Grani, and rode until he came to the lair of Fafnir. There he
took the gold and bound it up in packs and laid it on the back of Grani,
and then mounted and rode on his way. Sigurd rode until he found a house
upon the fell. Within it slept a woman who had on a helmet and a coat of
mail. He drew his sword and cut her coat of mail off her. Then she awoke
and named herself Hild. She is called Brynhild and was a Valkyrie.
Sigurd rode thence and came to the King who is named Gjuki; his wife is
named Grimhild; their children were Gunnar, Högni, Gudrun, Gudny;
Gotthorm was a step-son of Gjuki. There Sigurd dwelt for a long time;
and he took to wife Gudrun, the daughter of Gjuki, and Gunnar and Högni
swore with him oaths of brotherhood. Afterward, Sigurd and the sons of
Gjuki went to Atli, the son of Budli, to ask as a wife for Gunnar
Brynhild, his sister. She dwelt upon Hind Fell, and about her hall was a
flaming fire, and she had made a vow to have as a husband that man,
only, who dared to ride through the flame.

"Then Sigurd and the Gjukings (who are also called Niflungs) rode up
upon the fell, and Gunnar was minded to ride through the flame. He had
the horse that was named Goti, but the horse did not dare to leap into
the fire. Then Sigurd and Gunnar changed their shapes and also their
names, since Grani would not go under any man except Sigurd. Then Sigurd
leaped upon Grani and rode through the flaming fire. That night he held
a wedding with Brynhild, and when they came to bed he drew the sword
Gram out of its scabbard and laid it between them. And in the morning,
when he awoke and dressed himself, then he gave Brynhild as a bridal
gift the gold ring which he had taken on the Glittering Heath, and Loki
had taken from Andvari, and he took from her another ring as a
remembrance. Sigurd then leaped upon his horse and rode to his
companions; Gunnar and he again changed their shapes and they went back
to Gjuki with Brynhild. Sigurd had two children with Gudrun: Sigmund and
Swanhild.

"It was once upon a time that Brynhild and Gudrun went to the water to
bleach their hair. When they came to the river, Brynhild waded out into
the water away from the land and said that she would not have on her
head the water that ran out of Gudrun's hair, since she had the more
noble husband. Then Gudrun went out into the river after Brynhild and
said that she should wash her hair in the river above, because she had
the husband who was braver than anyone else in the world, since he slew
Fafnir and Regin and gained the inheritance of them both. Then Brynhild
replied: 'It was of still greater renown that Gunnar rode the flaming
fire and Sigurd dared not.' Then Gudrun laughed and said: 'Do you think
that Gunnar rode through the flaming fire? Him I deem to have gone to
bed with you, who gave me this gold ring. But the ring that you have on
your hand, and that you received as a bridal gift, that is called the
Ring of Andvari, and I deem that it was not Gunnar who sought it on the
Glittering Heath.' Then Brynhild was silent and went home. After that
she egged on Gunnar and Högni to kill Sigurd, but because they had sworn
oaths with him they egged on Gotthorm, their brother, to kill him.
Gotthorm laid sword on him while he slept, and when he felt the wound he
hurled the sword Gram after his slayer so that it cut the man asunder.
Then Sigurd fell and his three-year old son, who was named Sigmund, whom
they killed. After that, Brynhild turned sword upon herself and she was
burned with Sigurd. And Gunnar and Högni took the treasure of Fafnir and
the Ring of Andvari and ruled all the land.

"King Atli, the son of Budli, the brother of Brynhild, then took to wife
Gudrun, whom Sigurd had had, and they had children together. King Atli
bade Gunnar and Högni to visit him, and they went at his invitation, but
before they went away from home they hid the gold, the Treasure of
Andvari, in the river Rhine, and it has never since been found. And King
Atli had assembled a great force and fought with Gunnar and Högni and
they were taken prisoners. And Atli had the heart cut out of Högni while
he lived, and that was his death. Gunnar he caused to be cast into a
serpent pit, and a harp was brought to him secretly and he struck it
with his toes, since his hands were bound, so that all the serpents
slept except one adder, which sprang at him, and struck in through his
breast so that she thrust in her head and hung upon his liver until he
died. Gunnar and Högni are called Niflungs and Gjukungs, and for this
reason the gold is called the Treasure of the Niflungs, or their
inheritance. A little while after, Gudrun killed her two sons, and with
gold and silver had beakers made out of their skulls and then was
celebrated the funeral feast of the Niflungs.

"At this banquet Gudrun had King Atli served with mead from the beakers,
and there was mixed with it the blood of the boys, and their hearts she
caused to be roasted and brought to the King to eat. And when that was
done she told him these things herself with many ugly words. There was
no lack there of intoxicating mead, so that most people slept where they
sat. And in the night she went to the King where he was sleeping, and
with her the son of Högni, and they fell upon him, and that was his
death. Then they hurled fire into the hall and the people were burned
that were within. After that she went to the sea and leaped in and
wished to destroy herself, but she drifted over the fjord and came to
the land of King Jonakr. And when he saw her, he took her to him and
wedded her. They had three sons, who were called Sörli, Hamdir, and Erp;
they were all as black as ravens in the color of their hair, like Gunnar
and Högni and the other Niflungs.

"There grew up Swanhild, the daughter of Sigurd; she was the most
beautiful of all women. That Jörmunrek the Mighty learned and sent his
son Randver to ask her hand. And when he came to Jonakr, Swanhild was
given over to him that he might bring her to Jörmunrek. Then said Bikki
that it had fallen out better if Randver had Swanhild, since he was
young, as were they both, and Jörmunrek was old. This counsel pleased
the young people well; and thereupon Bikki told it to the King. Then
Jörmunrek had his son taken and brought to the gallows, but Randver took
his falcon and plucked off the feathers and bade that it be sent to his
father; then he was hanged. But when King Jörmunrek saw the falcon, it
came into his mind that just as the falcon was incapable of flight and
featherless, so was also his kingdom disabled, since he was old and
without a son.

"It was once upon a time when King Jörmunrek rode out of the forest from
hunting with his men that Swanhild the Queen sat bleaching her hair.
Then they rode upon her and trod her to death under the horses' hoofs.
And when Gudrun learned this, she egged on her sons to avenge Swanhild.
And when they made ready for the journey, she got them mail, and helmets
so strong that iron would not take hold upon it. She said the plan for
them to follow was that when they came to King Jörmunrek they should
fall upon him at night while he slept; Sörli and Hamdir should then hew
off his hands and feet, and Erp his head. When, however, they came on
the way, they asked Erp what assistance they might have of him if they
met King Jörmunrek. He replied that he would give them such aid as the
hand gave the foot. They replied that naught at all did the foot depend
upon the hand. They were so angry at their mother that she had led them
out with words of hatred, that they desired to do that which should be
the worst thing of all to her and they killed Erp, since she loved him
most. A little while after, as Sörli walked along he slipped with both
feet, but held himself up with his hand. Then he said: 'The hand does
now help the foot; better it were that Erp were alive!' And when they
came to King Jörmunrek's at night, and went in where he slept and hewed
off his hands and feet, he awoke and called upon his men and bade them
awaken. Then said Hamdir: 'Off were now his head, if Erp were alive!'
Then the men-at-arms arose and attacked them, but could not overcome
them with weapons. Jörmunrek then called out that stones should be
hurled at them, and this was done. Then Sörli and Hamdir fell, and then
were dead all the race and descendants of the Gjukings."

The Eddic poems and the "Völsunga Saga" give us even much more fully in
detail than does this epitome the deeds of Sigurd's youth of which the
"Nibelungenlied" knows so little. The latter, too, has forgotten the
early relationship of Sigurd to Brynhild and her whole early history,
although her superhuman character is still remembered and obscure
reference is made to their previous acquaintance. There is no longer a
reason why Siegfried and Brunhild should die together, as in the "Edda."
That the ultimate catastrophe falls out differently in the two versions
of the story is due to this very fact of the loss of original detail. In
that her brothers who had murdered Sigurd live in triumph afterward and
no true reconciliation can be possible between them, Kriemhild must of
necessity avenge herself upon them, instead of upon Atli, as in the
earlier form of the story. And, as has already been remarked, the real
significance to the action of the fateful "Ring of the Nibelungs" and
the accursed hoard has wholly vanished to give place to reasons that
have much more affinity with human motives of conduct.

The "Nibelungenlied," like the Northern poems before it, is legendary,
with only here and there a historical fact as a nucleus about which has
gathered in the course of the centuries material for many times and
places. The destruction of the Burgundians, under their King Gunther, by
the Huns, which occurred in the year 437, has undoubtedly furnished the
ultimate catastrophe. It is not known, however, that Attila, the Atli of
the "Edda" and the Etzel of the "Nibelungenlied," was the leader of the
Huns on this occasion, although the event did take place during his
lifetime. Attila's brother Bleda appears in the poem as Blœdelin.
Giselher, the brother of Gunther, is also mentioned in the old
Burgundian law-code, the _Lex Burgundionum_. Of Siegfried and Brunhild
history knows no trace, although an attempt has been made to connect the
one with Arminius and the other with Brünehild of Austrasia. The
appearance in the poem of Dietrich of Bern, Theodoric the Great, the
Ostrogothic conqueror of Italy, who lived from 475 to 526, is an example
of the absorption of material from another cycle into the original
legend, material which, in its turn, clusters about a historical
character. The Bishop Pilgrin, of Passau, represented in the poem as the
uncle of the Burgundian kings and of Kriemhild, has a historical
prototype in an actual Pilgrin who held the see of Passau from 971 to
991 and has, it may be, been here introduced by the poet to honor him.
As for the rest, facts that may have been ultimately historical have
been freely used by the poet of the "Nibelungenlied" and his
predecessors until it is no longer possible to tell where legend begins
and history ends.

That Siegfried and Brunhild are at the end mythical, rather than at all
historical, has been surmised, rather than proved. It has been
attempted, in point of fact, to show that the whole story has arisen in
its earliest form through a union of an old myth of Siegfried with the
historical materials that have been indicated and others whose real
significance has subsequently been obliterated and lost. The believers
of this theory have pointed to the thoroughly mythical character of the
version of the story in the "Edda" and particularly of its earliest part
as plausible evidence, and they would see in the whole the union of a
Frankish myth of Siegfried, originally independent, with a Burgundian
historical narrative. Siegfried and Brunhild, in this way, have been
thought to embody, at the beginning, the nature-myth of the awakening
earth-goddess from the sleep of winter at the reanimating touch of
summer. Lachmann makes the fundamental fact at the outset a myth of the
death of Balder, and Wilhelm Müller a myth of Freyr, both light-gods of
the old mythology. It is, nevertheless, impossible to follow the
upholders of these theories into the details of their interpretation,
and the whole main assumption of a mythical origin is a matter of
doubt. That Siegfried and Brunhild, however, have mythical
characteristics that they have retained after all memory of the ancient
mythology as such has been absolutely forgotten, no reader of the story
can deny, and in this respect the "Nibelungenlied" is no different from
the legendary literature of all the nations of the world.

Early German poems on the story of the Nibelungs, although it is
altogether likely that they once existed, have not been preserved. The
"Nibelungenlied" itself it is not possible to follow back of the twelfth
century, by the middle of which it seems to have already had the form in
which it has come down to us. The internal evidence of metre, rhyme, and
language shows, too, beyond a doubt, that it could not have arisen at a
much earlier time.

The author of the poem is unknown. The most plausible hypothesis as to
his actual personality makes him an Austrian knight of about 1140,
possibly a member of the Kürenberg family, who lived in the neighborhood
of Linz, on the Danube. A Kürenberg of the twelfth century is the oldest
court poet who used in his lyrics the same strophic form that is
characteristic of the "Nibelungenlied," but that the two poets are
identical is by no manner of means a certainty. In the same way, the
place of origin of the poem is a matter of supposition. In all
probability, however, it arose in southeastern German territory in
Austria. Although the poet knows the region on the Rhine about Worms, he
has an infinitely wider acquaintance with Austrian localities of which
he makes specific mention. It was in Austria, too, at this time that the
beginnings arose of the court lyric poetry, that Minnesangs Frühling, as
the Germans strikingly characterize the period, that presently blossomed
out into one of the fullest expressions in all its history of German
life and thought.

Bartsch, in the introduction to his edition of the "Nibelungenlied," has
most admirably summarized this whole matter. According to him, it was an
Austrian poet who, before the middle of the twelfth century, united
songs sung at his time and oral tradition, known to him as well as to
everybody else, into a single whole. How far folk-song and tradition had
anticipated him in this is no longer to be ascertained, but it may be
inferred from the Northern form of the legend that it had long since
taken place. It remained to him, however, to arrange the whole in its
details of sequence of action, to fill out the gaps left by popular song
and story, and to give it the impress of his own day, which it so
unmistakably bears. That this is not in accord with other ideas of
authorship and origin must nevertheless be stated. Karl Lachmann, one of
the most astute, if not one of the most mistaken, critics of the poem,
taking Wolf's Prolegomena to Homer for his model, set up the theory that
has since played an important part in the discussion of the genesis of
the "Nibelungenlied."

According to the Lachmann theory, the poem consists of no less than
twenty distinct lays, each differing inherently from the rest, and each,
with the exception of the Eighth and Ninth, by different authors. To
arrive at this result, more than a third of the entire number of stanzas
has, for one reason or another, been rejected as not genuine. As Lettsom
has cleverly put it in the original preface to his translation, where
this whole matter is presented with some detail: "He [Lachmann] has in
fact put every stanza and every verse on its trial. Some have been
condemned by him to italics, as interpolations; others to brackets, as
continuations by different hands; others again, which he supposes to be
the latest additions, so far from being pitied for their youth, have
been visited with both kinds of punishment. He has not, however,
sentenced any of the delinquents to transportation from the text; or,
perhaps it would be more correct to say that he has sentenced them, but
has not carried the sentence into execution. The result of the whole
assize has been that out of the 2,316 stanzas 1,437 have been honorably
acquitted; the rest have been italicised, bracketed, or both.... The
twenty lays," he continues, "which had already suffered from the
interpolations and corruptions incident to oral tradition, were first
collected, committed to writing, and patched together into one poem
about the year 1210 by some unknown compiler, whose handiwork was
afterward corrected or depraved by two separate but equally unknown
revisers. It is his opinion that scarcely a stanza of what we possess is
older than 1190, while even the latest additions are not more recent
than 1225. The whole poem, therefore, is, according to Professor
Lachmann, the work of contemporary authors, whether we call their
compositions spurious or genuine; and the task undertaken is neither
more nor less than to distribute a mass of unowned literary property
among nineteen or twenty poets and an indefinite number of poetasters,
of whom nothing, not even their existence, is known except by
conjecture, and of whose distinguishing characteristics we are of course
completely ignorant, except as far as we may guess at them from the
internal evidence, real or imagined, of the poem itself."

Lachmann's theory of separate authorship of portions of the poem has not
maintained itself against the critics. That there are contradictions in
its statements and different values in its parts cannot be denied, but
they are not explained on the grounds here set forth. The attempted
restoration of the poem by elimination and rearrangement has not left
twenty or any number of lays that have actually the air of being
separate poems. "It is just here," continues Lettsom, "that the failure
of the hypothesis is most conspicuous.... Some of the lays are not
ill-adapted, from the nature of their contents, to form separate poems,
but they are by no means out of place as episodes in a long work, and
are, besides, connected with the rest, while the latter, from the
insignificance of their contents alone, from their reference to one
another, from their allusions to the past and anticipations of the
future, from their abrupt commencements and still more abrupt
conclusions, and from their general fragmentary nature, could never have
been independent lays.... The dream of Kriemhild forms a strange opening
for a lay that just brings Siegfried to Worms, and there leaves him.
Nobody, in fact, would have composed a separate poem on so insignificant
a matter. The dream, however, is beyond all doubt the introduction, the
fit and appropriate introduction, to a poem that must go on at least to
the marriage of Kriemhild and the death of her husband.

"Professor Lachmann himself seems to be in doubt whether this First Lay
be complete; he talks of 'this lay, or what has been preserved of it;'
he tells us that 'it several times indicates a continuation, and might
have deserved a better than that which follows;' but though he expresses
a doubt, he gives no reasons for entertaining one. It certainly would
require far less ingenuity to assign cogent reasons for a doubt, and
indeed for much more than a doubt, on this point; the lay, as it stands,
is a 'passage that leads to nothing,' a mountain in labor that does not
produce even so much as a mouse; but it is not singular in this respect;
its brethren for the most part keep it in countenance; or, if they
contain matter of interest, they too often try the temper of the reader
by disappointing his expectations at the most critical moment, and
coming to an abrupt conclusion in the midst of an action. Thus the
Eighteenth Lay ends just after the battle between Huns and Burgundians
has begun; the Nineteenth stops short just at the moment when Etzel has
brought up 20,000 fresh men and commenced another attack on Gunther and
his followers.

"It really is a waste of words to dwell on the peculiarities of such
whimsical arrangements as these. I will merely add a word or two on the
Fourteenth Lay, which, inasmuch as it is an introduction to what
follows, bears some resemblance to the First. The dream of Uta, the
prophecy of the mermaids, and all the gloomy forebodings which give a
peculiar character to this lay, are ludicrously out of place as
component parts of a short poem, which merely conducts the Burgundians
to Rudeger's castle, where, so far from being destroyed, they do not
even run any risk whatever, except that of being killed with kindness;
but in fact the whole tenor of the lay (one might almost say, every
line, every word of it) proves beyond dispute that we are there in the
midst of an extensive poem, which can end only with the destruction of
the last Burgundian. An attentive examination of the three or four lays
just noticed, would, I think, convince every unprejudiced reader that
the hypothesis of twenty separate lays by different authors is utterly
untenable.... The wisest course," he concludes, and it is easy to concur
with him, "is, in such uncertainty, to take the poem as we find it, and
to prefer the authority, however occasionally unsatisfactory, of
manuscripts to the speculations of the most ingenious critics."

The metre of the "Nibelungenlied" needs a word of explanation. The
characteristic strophe in which it is written consists of four verses,
the first three of equal length, the fourth somewhat longer, rhymed in
couplets on the final syllable. The rhythmical system is dependent, not
upon measure, but upon accent, with considerable freedom in the
addition or suppression of unaccented syllables. Every verse, with the
exception of the last, is made up of two half-verses each containing
three accented syllables and separated by a ringing cæsura, that is, a
cæsura on an unaccented syllable. The last half-verse contains an
additional accent, or four, instead of three, as in the others. A
strophe in the original Middle High German, the second of the poem, will
make this analysis clear:

Ez wúohs in Búregónden ein vil édel magedî́n,
dáz in állen lánden niht schœ́ners móhte sî́n,
Kríemhilt gehéizen: diu wart ein schœ́ne wî́p
dar úmbe múosen dégene víl verlíesen den lî́p.

The metre of the present translation follows the original, except for
the lengthening of the fourth line of the stanza which the author only
occasionally differentiates in this respect from the rest.

The "Nibelungenlied," like other poems of the Middle Ages that were
widely read and widely copied, was subjected all along its career of
transmission to additions and alterations, and has consequently come
down to us not in a single form, but in a number of different versions
that deviate to a greater or less extent from the original poem and from
each other. Whole or in part there are no less than twenty-eight MSS.
Ten of these are complete: three of them, usually cited A, B, C, are
parchment MSS. of the thirteenth century, two are parchments of the
fourteenth century, four are paper MSS. of the fifteenth century, and
one is a parchment of the sixteenth century. Of all these manuscripts it
is commonly conceded that only A, B, C have independent authenticity. It
is not necessary here to go into the details of the long discussion as
to the relative value of the MSS. with regard to the age and original
condition of the particular text which each contains. Each one has by
different critics been given the preference over the others.

Zarncke, who is one of the most rational and impartial of the critics of
the poem in all its bearings, makes C, a beautifully written MS. from
the dividing line between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries,
preserved in the court library of Donaueschingen, the nearest in every
essential way to the original form of the poem. Subsequently, the
whole, according to him, was subjected to a revision which brought it
more into accord with contemporary taste. The text is amplified by the
introduction of new episodes into the narrative, although some of the
older strophes are omitted, and, unfortunately, the old dignity and
simplicity of the diction is frequently sacrificed in favor of a more
pronounced effect. This stage of the poem in its full form is not
represented in either of the oldest MSS. B, a manuscript from the middle
of the thirteenth century, in the monastery of St. Gallen, occupied an
intermediate position in length. It is made by Bartsch, who regards it
"as relatively the most faithful picture of the original form of the
lost poem," the basis of his edition of the "Nibelungenlied." A, a
carelessly written MS. in the Munich Library, is the shortest form of
the poem, but is, nevertheless, in its turn regarded by Lachmann as
inherently the oldest and best version that we possess. Lettsom's
translation, in that it follows the text and modern German version of
Braunfels, published in 1846, is based upon A, but with the inclusion of
other strophes, particularly from C.

The "Nibelungenlied" was first published at Zurich, by Bodmer, in 1757,
and since then has appeared in many editions and modernized versions at
home, and in numerous translations abroad, among them Low German,
French, Italian, Dutch, and Hungarian.

In English, the first translations of parts of the "Nibelungenlied" are
contained in the "Illustrations of Northern Antiquities," by Weber,
published in 1814, in Edinburgh. The version here given consists in part
only of a metrical translation, in part of prose. Lockhart, in his
biography of Sir Walter Scott, states that he has no doubt but that the
rhymed versions came from that poet's pen, although of this there is no
more direct proof. The second attempt in this direction is not less
notable. This is from 1831, when Thomas Carlyle wrote in the
"Westminster Review" an essay on the "Nibelungenlied" as a review of
Karl Simrock's German translation of the poem, in which are contained a
number of strophes given with characteristic vigor and a genuine
appreciation of the real spirit of the original. The next translation,
that of Gostik, in his "Spirit of German Poetry," 1846, is metrical,
but, like its predecessors, consists only of parts of the poem. The
first translation to lay claim to any degree of completeness was that of
Jonathan Birch, published in 1848. It is a metrical version, as its
title states, of Lachmann's text, and, like it, divides the poem into
twenty lays. The first complete edition of the poem in English does not,
however, appear until this of Lettsom's, which has admirably retained
the form of the original and much of its spirit, and which for the first
time gave to English readers an adequate idea of the real work as it is.

For those who care to pursue the subject further than these pages it may
be stated that the best editions of the "Nibelungenlied" in the original
are those of Friedrich Zarncke, "_Das Nibelungenlied_," originally
published in 1856 and since then in several editions, and of Karl
Bartsch, "_Das Nibelungenlied_," originally published in 1866, both of
which have abundant critical apparatus. The "Nibelungenlied" is not yet
sufficiently well known among us, for it is, in the way that has been
indicated, not alone the great epic of Germany, but in its widest sense
an epic of the Germanic race.

[Illustration: Wm H. Carpenter.]

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, May 1, 1901.

CONTENTS

FIRST ADVENTURE: PAGE
Kriemhild's Dream 1

SECOND ADVENTURE:
Of Siegfried 4

THIRD ADVENTURE:
How Siegfried Went to Worms 8

FOURTH ADVENTURE:
How Siegfried Fought with the Saxons 23

FIFTH ADVENTURE:
How Siegfried First Saw Kriemhild 44

SIXTH ADVENTURE:
How Gunther Went to Woo Brunhild 53

SEVENTH ADVENTURE:
How Gunther Won Brunhild 64

EIGHTH ADVENTURE:
How Siegfried Came to the Nibelungers 78

NINTH ADVENTURE:
How Siegfried was Sent to Worms 86

TENTH ADVENTURE:
How Brunhild was Received at Worms 94

ELEVENTH ADVENTURE:
How Siegfried Brought his Wife Home 111

TWELFTH ADVENTURE:
How Gunther Invited Siegfried to the Festival 117

THIRTEENTH ADVENTURE:
How They Went to the Festival 126

FOURTEENTH ADVENTURE:
How the Two Queens Reviled One Another 131

FIFTEENTH ADVENTURE:
How Siegfried was Betrayed 141
SIXTEENTH ADVENTURE:
How Siegfried was Slain 147

SEVENTEENTH ADVENTURE:
How Siegfried was Bewailed and Buried 161

EIGHTEENTH ADVENTURE:
How Siegmund Returned Home 173

NINETEENTH ADVENTURE:
How the Treasure of the Nibelungers was Brought to Worms 177

TWENTIETH ADVENTURE:
How King Etzel Proposed for Kriemhild 185

TWENTY-FIRST ADVENTURE:
How Kriemhild Departed 207

TWENTY-SECOND ADVENTURE:
How the Huns Received Kriemhild 215

TWENTY-THIRD ADVENTURE:
How Kriemhild Thought of Revenging her Injuries 222

TWENTY-FOURTH ADVENTURE:
How Werbel and Swemmeline Delivered the Message 228

TWENTY-FIFTH ADVENTURE:
How the Lords all Came into Hungary 241

TWENTY-SIXTH ADVENTURE:
How Dankwart Slew Gelfrat 254

TWENTY-SEVENTH ADVENTURE:
Rudeger's Hospitality 264

TWENTY-EIGHTH ADVENTURE:
How Kriemhild Received Hagan 275

TWENTY-NINTH ADVENTURE:
How Hagan Refused to Rise to Kriemhild 281

THIRTIETH ADVENTURE:
How the Knights Kept Watch 291

THIRTY-FIRST ADVENTURE:
How the Knights Went to Church 296

THIRTY-SECOND ADVENTURE:
How Blœdel was Slain 309

THIRTY-THIRD ADVENTURE:
How the Burgundians Fought with the Huns 314

THIRTY-FOURTH ADVENTURE:
How They Threw Down the Dead 323

THIRTY-FIFTH ADVENTURE:
How Iring was Slain 327

THIRTY-SIXTH ADVENTURE:
How the Queen Gave Orders to Burn Down the Hall 335

THIRTY-SEVENTH ADVENTURE:
How Margrave Rudeger was Slain 344

THIRTY-EIGHTH ADVENTURE:
How Sir Dietrich's Men were all Slain 360

THIRTY-NINTH ADVENTURE:
How Gunther and Hagan and Kriemhild were Slain 374

NOTES 383

THE NIBELUNGENLIED

FIRST ADVENTURE

KRIEMHILD'S DREAM

In stories of our fathers high marvels we are told
Of champions well approved in perils manifold.
Of feasts and merry meetings, of weeping and of wail,
And deeds of gallant daring I'll tell you in my tale.

In Burgundy there flourish'd a maid so fair to see,
That in all the world together a fairer could not be.
This maiden's name was Kriemhild; through her in dismal strife
Full many a prowest warrior thereafter lost his life.

III

Many a fearless champion, as such well became,
Woo'd the lovely lady; she from none had blame.
Matchless was her person, matchless was her mind.
This one maiden's virtue grac'd all womankind.

Three puissant Kings her guarded with all the care they might,
Gunther and eke Gernot, each a redoubted knight,
And Giselher the youthful, a chosen champion he;
This lady was their sister, well lov'd of all the three.

They were high of lineage, thereto mild of mood,
But in field and foray champions fierce and rude.
They rul'd a mighty kingdom, Burgundy by name;
They wrought in Etzel's country deeds of deathless fame.

At Worms was their proud dwelling, the fair Rhine flowing by,
There had they suit and service from haughtiest chivalry,
For broad lands and lordships, and glorious was their state,
Till wretchedly they perish'd by two noble ladies' hate.

VII

Dame Uta was their mother, a queen both rich and sage;
Their father hight Dancrat, who the fair heritage
Left to his noble children when he his course had run;
He too by deeds of knighthood in youth had worship won.

VIII

Each of these three princes, as you have heard me say,
Were men of mighty puissance. They had beneath their sway
The noblest knights for liegemen that ever dwelt on ground;
For hardihood and prowess were none so high renown'd.

There was Hagan of Trony of a noble line,
His brother nimble Dankwart, and the knight of Metz, Ortwine,
Eckewart and Gary, the margraves stout in fight,
Folker of Alzeia, full of manly might.

Rumolt the steward (a chosen knight was he),
Sindolt, and Hunolt; these serv'd the brethren three,
At their court discharging their several duties well;
Besides, knights had they many whom now I cannot tell.

Dankwart was marshal to the king his lord,
Ortwine of Metz, his nephew, was carver at the board,
Sindolt, he was butler, a champion choice and true,
The chamberlain was Hunolt; they well their duties knew.

XII

The gorgeous pomp and splendor, wherein these brethren reign'd,
How well they tended knighthood, what worship they attain'd,
How they thro' life were merry, and mock'd at woe and bale--
Who'd seek all this to tell you, would never end his tale.

XIII

A dream was dreamt by Kriemhild the virtuous and the gay,
How a wild young falcon she train'd for many a day,
Till two fierce eagles tore it; to her there could not be
In all the world such sorrow at this perforce to see.

XIV

To her mother Uta at once the dream she told,
But she the threatening future could only thus unfold;
"The falcon that thou trainedst is sure a noble mate;
God shield him in his mercy, or thou must lose him straight."

"A mate for me? what say'st thou, dearest mother mine?
Ne'er to love, assure thee, my heart will I resign.
I'll live and die a maiden, and end as I began,
Nor (let what else befall me) will suffer woe for man."

XVI

"Nay," said her anxious mother, "renounce not marriage so;
Would'st thou true heartfelt pleasure taste ever here below,
Man's love alone can give it. Thou 'rt fair as eye can see,
A fitting mate God send thee, and naught will wanting be."

XVII

"No more," the maiden answer'd, "no more, dear mother, say;
From many a woman's fortune this truth is clear as day,
That falsely smiling Pleasure with Pain requites us ever.
I from both will keep me, and thus will sorrow never."

XVIII

So in her lofty virtues, fancy-free and gay,
Liv'd the noble maiden many a happy day,
Nor one more than another found favor in her sight;
Still at the last she wedded a far-renowned knight.

XIX

He was the self-same falcon she in her dream had seen,
Foretold by her wise mother. What vengeance took the queen
On her nearest kinsmen who him to death had done!
That single death atoning died many a mother's son.

SECOND ADVENTURE OF SIEGFRIED

In Netherland then flourished a prince of lofty kind,
(Whose father was called Siegmund, his mother Siegelind)
In a sumptuous castle down by the Rhine's fair side;
Men did call it Xanten; 't was famous far and wide.

I tell you of this warrior, how fair he was to see;
From shame and from dishonor liv'd he ever free.
Forthwith fierce and famous wax'd the mighty man.
Ah! what height of worship in this world he wan!

III

Siegfried men did call him, that same champion good;
Many a kingdom sought he in his manly mood,
And through strength of body in many a land rode he.
Ah! what men of valor he found in Burgundy!

Before this noble champion grew up to man's estate,
His hand had mighty wonders achieved in war's debate,
Whereof the voice of rumor will ever sing and say,
Though much must pass in silence in this our later day.

In his freshest season, in his youthful days,
One might full many a marvel tell in Siegfried's praise,
What lofty honors grac'd him, and how fair his fame,
How he charm'd to love him many a noble dame.

As did well befit him, he was bred with care,
And his own lofty nature gave him virtues rare,
From him his father's country grace and honor drew,
To see him prov'd in all things so noble and so true.

VII

He now, grown up to youthhood, at court his duty paid;
The people saw him gladly; many a wife and many a maid
Wish'd he would often thither, and bide forever there;
They view'd him all with favor, whereof he well was ware.

VIII

The child by his fond parents was deck'd with weeds of pride,
And but with guards about him they seldom let him ride.
Uptrain'd was he by sages, who what was honor knew,
So might he win full lightly broad lands and liegemen too.

Now had he strength and stature that weapons well he bore;
Whatever thereto needed, he had of it full store.
He began fair ladies to his love to woo,
And they inclin'd to Siegfried with faith and honor true.

Then bade his father Siegmund all his liegemen tell,
With his dear friends to revel it would please him well.
Where other kings were dwelling the tidings took their course.
To friends and eke to strangers he gave both weed and horse.

Whosoe'er was worthy to become a knight
For his lofty lineage, did they each invite,
High-born youths and valiant to the feastful board;
With the young king Siegfried took they then the sword.

XII

Of that proud feast royal wonders one might say;
King Siegmund and Queen Siegelind well might that day
Win honor for the bounty they shower'd with lavish hand,
For which full many a stranger came flocking through their land.

XIII

Sworded squires four hundred rich raiment had to wear
With the noble Siegfried. Full many a maiden fair
Ceaseless plied the needle to please the warrior bold;
Precious stones unnumber'd the women set in gold,

XIV

(For gold was there in plenty), and as each could best
For the love of Siegfried they work'd the jewel'd vest.
The Host rais'd seats unnumber'd for many a martial wight
On the fair midsummer when his heir was dubb'd a knight.

Forthwith to the high minster flock'd many a squire along,
And many a knight of worship. To fitly train the young
The old should lend that service which once to them was lent.
They pass'd the hours in pastime and gentle merriment.

XVI

But first to God's due honor a holy mass they sung,
And then a press and struggle arose the crowd among,
And then with pomp befitting each youth was dubb'd a knight.
In sooth, before was never seen so fair a sight.

XVII

All ran at once, where saddled many a war-horse stood.
In the court of Siegmund the tourney was so rude,
That both hall and palace echoed far around,
As those high-mettled champions shock'd with thundering sound.

XVIII

Old and young together fiercely hurtling flew,
That the shiver'd lances swept the welkin through;
Splinters e'en to the palace went whizzing many a one
From hands of mighty champions; all there was deftly done.

XIX

The Host bade cease the tourney; the steeds were led away;
Then might you see, all shatter'd how many a shield there lay,
And store of stones full precious from bucklers beaming sheen
In those fierce shocks were scatter'd upon the trampled green.

Thence went the guests in order, and sat around the board;
Many dainty dishes their wearied strength restor'd,
And wine, of all the richest, their burning thirst allay'd:
To friends alike and strangers was fitting honor pay'd.

XXI

Albeit in ceaseless pastime they sent the livelong day,
The mummers and the minstrels never ceas'd their play.
They flock'd to golden largess, a roving frolic band,
And pour'd a flood of praises on Siegmund's fertile land.

XXII

The king, too, as his father to him before had done,
Enfeoff'd with lands and castles Siegfried his youthful son;
Gifts to his sword-companions he gave with liberal hand,
So glad was he, it pleased them to come into his land.

XXIII

The gorgeous feast it lasted till the seventh day was o'er;
Siegelind the wealthy did as they did of yore;
She won for valiant Siegfried the hearts of young and old,
When for his sake among them she shower'd the ruddy gold.

XXIV

You scarce could find one needy in all the minstrel band;
Horses and robes were scatter'd with ever open hand.
They gave as though they had not another day to live,
None were to take so ready, as they inclin'd to give.

XXV

So was dissolv'd with honor the mighty festival:
The high-descended Barons assembled there in hall,
That youth were well contented as lord to serve and sue,
But that desir'd not Siegfried, the champion stout and true.

XXVI

While Siegelind and Siegmund yet liv'd and flourished there,
Full little reck'd their offspring the royal crown to wear.
He only would be master and exercise command,
'Gainst those whose pride o'erweening disturb'd the peaceful land.

XXVII

None ventur'd to defy him; since weapons first he took,
The bed of sloth but seldom the noble knight could brook.
He only sought for battles; his prowess-gifted hand
Won him renown eternal in every foreign strand.

THIRD ADVENTURE

HOW SIEGFRIED WENT TO WORMS

'Twas seldom teen or sorrow the warrior's heart assay'd;
At length he heard the rumor, how a lovely maid
In Burgundy was dwelling, the fairest of the fair.
From her he won much pleasure, but dash'd with toil and care.

By fame her peerless beauty was bruited far and wide,
Nor less her lofty virtue, and her pure virgin pride
Was day by day reported among the martial band.
This drew guests every flocking to good King Gunther's land.

III

For all the host of suitors that sought to bend her will,
True to her own coy promise remain'd fair Kriemhild still,
That she, for all their wooing, would love vouchsafe to none.
He was a distant stranger, who at last her favor won.

Then sought the son of Siegelind to gain the haughty fair;
The vows of other suitors to his were light as air.
Such knight deserv'd to vanquish the coyest maiden's pride;
Ere long the noble Kriemhild became bold Siegfried's bride.

His kinsmen and his liegemen then gave him counsel true,
That now, if he in honor were inclin'd to woo,
He should be bound in wedlock to no unequal make:
Then said the noble Siegfried, "Sure will I fair Kriemhild take,

"The bright Burgundian maiden, best gem of Gunther's throne,
Whose far-renowned beauty stands unapproach'd, alone;
On earth nor king nor kaiser lives there so proud, I ween,
But he might deem him happy to win so fair a queen."

VII

Forthwith were the tidings to Siegmund's ear preferr'd;
His anxious liegemen told him; from them his father heard
The high design of Siegfried; it much to heart he laid,
That he aspir'd so boldly to win so fair a maid.

VIII

The news came eke to Siegelind, the noble monarch's wife;
Full sore the mother trembled for her darling's life,
For well she knew fierce Gunther and his vassals stern;
So strove they both the champion from his high emprise to turn.

Then spake the valiant Siegfried, "Dearest father mine,
The love of high-born women forever I'll resign,
Rather than play the wooer but where my heart is set."
Howe'er they sought to move him, but small success they met.

"Since naught can then dissuade thee," outspake his royal sire,
"Glad am I, blood of Siegmund should to such height aspire,
And so thy hopes to forward I'll do the best I can;
Yet in his court has Gunther many a proud o'erweening man.

"E'en were there none but Hagan, that redoubted knight
In pride can match the proudest, the mightiest in might;
So that, my son, I fear me, this hour we both may rue,
If our minds are settled the stately maid to woo."

XII

"What can ill befall us?" Siegfried made reply;
"If that misproud Burgundian my friendly suit deny,
Be sure, as much and more, too, I'll seize by strength of hand;
In this I trust to strip him of liegemen and of land."

XIII

"Little thy words content me," the hoary prince replied,
"In the land of King Gunther thou sure durst never ride,
If, on the Rhine, young Siegfried, this tale were only told.
Gunther and eke Gernot I know them both of old.

XIV

"By force, fair son, assure thee, can none the maiden woo,"
Resum'd the princely Siegmund, "this I have heard for true;
But if with knights to back thee, thou'lt ride to Gunther's land,
We've friends enough, and forthwith I'll summon all the band."

"'Tis not to me well pleasing," the fiery youth replied,
"That I the Rhine should visit with warriors by my side,
As in array of battle, and 'twould my honor stain,
If I should need assistance the peerless maid to gain.

XVI

"I little care to win her save by my own good hand;
With comrades but eleven I'll hence to Gunther's land.
Thus far, father Siegmund, of you help I pray."
Then his friends, to trim their garments, receiv'd striped furs
and gray.

XVII

To his mother Siegelind the heavy news they bore;
The queen straight for her Siegfried began to sorrow sore.
She shudder'd lest the lov'd one should all untimely die
By the fierce knights of Gunther, and wept full bitterly.

XVIII

Then in haste went Siegfried where she her moan did make,
And thus his sobbing mother tenderly bespake,
"Weep not for me, dear mother, in better hope repose,
Count me forever scathless e'en 'midst a thousand foes.

XIX

"So give me all that's needful through Burgundy to ride,
That I and mine may journey with such fair weeds supplied
As best becomes companions of high degree to wear,
And from my heart I'll thank thee for all thy love and care."

"Since naught avails to stay thee," so spake his mother mild,
"I'll equip thee for the journey, my dear, my only child,
Thee and thy bold companions, and send thee richly dight
With weeds the best and fairest that e'er were worn by knight."

XXI

Then to the queen young Siegfried in duty bent him low,
And said, "Upon this journey I would not that we go
More than twelve together, so these with robes provide.
Full fain am I to witness how stands it with my bride."

XXII

Fair women at the needle were sitting night and day;
Scarcely could a seamstress her head on pillow lay,
Till robes were work'd for Siegfried and all his company.
The youth was ever yearning to start for Burgundy.

XXIII

His sire prepar'd his armor, and nothing left undone,
That he might leave his country as fitted Siegmund's son;
Well temper'd were their breast-plates that flash'd against the light,
Of proof were their morions, their bucklers broad and bright.

XXIV

Their way they now were ready to Burgundy to take;
Then man and wife were heavy with sorrow for their sake,
Lest evil should befall them, and bar their homeward road,
With weapons and apparel the heroes bad the sumpters load.

XXV

High-mettled were their chargers, gold-bright their riding weed,
None ever rode more proudly (little were there need)
Than then did noble Siegfried, and that fair company
That with him leave were taking, all bound for Burgundy.

XXVI

The king and queen, each weeping, gave him leave to part,
And he to both gave comfort all with a loving heart.
"Weep not," said he, "dear parents, of better courage be,
I'm safe where'er I travel, so take no thought for me."

XXVII

Ah! woe were then the warriors, and wept, too, many a maid,
Their hearts, I ween, the future in deepest gloom array'd,
And told them from that journey many a dear friend would bleed.
Full cause had they for sorrow, it brought them woe indeed.

XXVIII

On the seventh fair morning by Worms along the strand
In knightly guise were pricking the death-defying band.
The ruddy gold fair glitter'd on every riding vest;
Their steeds they meetly govern'd, all pacing soft abreast.

XXIX

Their shields were new and massy and like flame they glow'd,
As bright too shone their helmets, while bold Siegfried rode
Straight to the court of Gunther to woo the stately maid;
Eye never look'd on champions so gorgeously array'd.

XXX

Down to their spurs loud clanging reach'd the swords they wore;
Sharp and well temper'd lances the chosen champions bore.
One, two spans broad or better, did Siegfried sternly shake,
With keen and cutting edges grim and ghastly wounds to make.

XXXI

Their golden-color'd bridles firm they held in hand;
Silken were their pöitrels; so rode they through the land.
On all sides the people to gaze on them began;
Then many of Gunther's liegemen swift to meet them ran.

XXXII

Many a haughty warrior, stout squire, and hardy knight,
Went to receive the strangers as fitting was and right,
And, as to guests high honor'd, did courteous service yield,
Their steeds held as they lighted, and took from each his shield.

XXXIII

They were in act the chargers to lead away to stall,
When the redoubted Siegfried quick to them did call,
"Nay, leave us here the horses, we look not long to stay,
Anon with my companions I shall wend upon my way.

XXXIV

"Affairs of high concernment this squadron hither bring,
So, whoso knows, straight tell me where I may find your king,
The wide-renowned Gunther, who reigns in Burgundy."
Then one who near was standing thus answer'd courteously,

XXXV

"If you would find the monarch, you need not long to wait;
In yonder hall at leisure myself I left him late
Begirt with all his warriors; there you may feast your sight:
In sooth you'll find about him full many a stately knight."

XXXVI

Now to great King Gunther were the tidings told,
That there had journey'd thither hardy knights and bold,
Yclad in flashing armor and glittering vesture gay,
But who and whence the strangers, could no Burgundian say.

XXXVII

Much wonder'd the monarch, whence came the gallant band,
That with so fair equipment had reach'd Burgundian land,
And with so massy bucklers; that none could tidings bring
Of those heroic strangers, but little pleas'd the king.

XXXVIII

To Gunther then made answer the knight of Metz, Ortwine,
A warrior bold and mighty, and of the loftiest line,
"Since none of us can tell you who these same knights may be,
Send for my uncle Hagan; let him strangers see.

XXXIX

"He knows the proud and puissant of every foreign land;
So we, what now we guess not, from him shall understand."
Him and his warlike vassals the impatient king bade call,
And soon redoubted Hagan strode tow'ring through the hall.

"What would the king with Hagan?" the warrior made demand.
"Here in my house are wand'rers from some far-distant land,
Unknown to all around me; observe the strangers well,
And if thou e'er hast seen them, the truth, good Hagan, tell."

XLI

"That will I straight," said Hagan; to a window then he went,
And his eyes attentive on the strangers bent.
Well pleas'd him their fair vesture, and well their armor sheen,
Yet sure the like he never in Burgundy had seen.

XLII

"Whencever come these champions whom chance to Rhineland brings,
Kings might they be," said Hagan, "or messengers of kings.
How highly bred their chargers! how gorgeous their array!
Wherever lies their country, high-mettled lords are they."

XLIII
And thereto added Hagan, "This too I'll vouch for yet;
Albeit on noble Siegfried I never eyes have set;
Still to aver I'll venture, that (let whate'er befall)
'Tis he that's stalking yonder, so stately and so tall.

XLIV

"He brings some new adventure to our Burgundian land;
The valiant Nibelungers he slew by strength of hand,
Nibelung and Shilbung the princes stern in fight,
And since has many a wonder achiev'd with all-surpassing might.

XLV

"As all alone and aidless he was riding once at will,
As I have heard reported, he found beside a hill
With Nibelung's hoarded treasure full many a man of might;
Strange seem'd they to the champion, till he came to know them right.

XLVI

"They had brought the treasure, as just then befell,
Forth from a yawning cavern; now hear a wonder tell,
How those fierce Nibelungers the treasure would divide;
The noble Siegfried eyed them, and wonder'd as he eyed.

XLVII

"He nearer came and nearer, close watching still the clan,
Till they got sight of him too, when one of them began,
'Here comes the stalwart Siegfried, the chief of Netherland.'
A strange adventure met he with that Nibelungers' band.

XLVIII

"Him well receiv'd the brethren Shilbung and Nibelung.
With one accord they begg'd him, those noble princes young,
To part the hoard betwixt them, and ever pressing bent
The hero's wavering purpose till he yielded full consent.

XLIX

"He saw of gems such plenty, drawn from that dark abode,
That not a hundred wagons could bear the costly load,
Still more of gold so ruddy from the Nibelungers' land.
All this was to be parted by noble Siegfried's hand.

L
"So Nibelung's sword they gave him to recompense his pain,
But ill was done the service, which they had sought so fain,
And he so hard had granted; Siegfried, the hero good,
Fail'd the long task to finish; this stirr'd their angry mood.

"The treasure undivided he needs must let remain,
When the two kings indignant set on him with their train,
But Siegfried gripp'd sharp Balmung (so hight their father's sword),
And took from them their country and the beaming precious hoard.

LII

"For friends had they twelve champions, each, as avers my tale,
A strong and sturdy giant, but what could all avail?
All twelve to death successive smote Siegfried's mastering hand,
And vanquish'd chiefs seven hundred of the Nibelungers' land.

LIII

"With that good weapon Balmung; by sudden fear dismay'd
Both of the forceful swordsman and of the sword he sway'd,
Unnumber'd youthful heroes to Siegfried bent that hour,
Themselves, their lands, their castles, submitting to his power.

LIV

"Those two fierce kings together he there depriv'd of life,
Then wag'd with puissant Albric a stern and dubious strife,
Who thought to take full vengeance for both his masters slain,
But found his might and manhood with Siegfried's match'd in vain.

"The mighty dwarf successless strove with the mightier man;
Like to wild mountain lions to th' hollow hill they ran;
He ravish'd there the cloud-cloak from struggling Albric's hold,
And then became the master of th' hoarded gems and gold.

LVI

"Whoever dar'd resist him, all by his sword lay slain,
Then bade he bring the treasure back to the cave again,
Whence the men of Nibelung the same before had stirr'd;
On Albric last the office of keeper he conferr'd.

LVII

"He took an oath to serve him, as his liegeman true,
In all that to a master from his man is due.
Such deeds," said he of Trony, "has conqu'ring Siegfried done;
Be sure, such mighty puissance, knight has never won.

LVIII

"Yet more I know of Siegfried, that well your ear may hold;
A poison-spitting dragon he slew with courage bold,
And in the blood then bath'd him; this turn'd to horn his skin.
And now no weapons harm him, as often proved has been.

LIX

"Receive then this young hero with all becoming state;
'Twere ill advis'd to merit so fierce a champion's hate.
So lovely is his presence, at once all hearts are won,
And then his strength and courage such wondrous deeds have done."

Then spake the mighty monarch, "Thou counsellest aright.
See how stands full knightly, prepar'd for fiercest fight,
He and his hardy comrades, the death-defying man!
Straight we'll descend to meet him as courteous as we can."

LXI

"That be assur'd," said Hagan, "with honor may be done;
Of lofty kin is Siegfried, a mighty monarch's son.
Me seemeth, if to purpose his bearing I have eyed,
By heaven, 'tis no light matter hath bidd'n him thither ride."

LXII

Then spake the country's ruler, "He shall be welcome here,
Bold is the knight and noble, that I discover clear,
And much shall it avail him on our Burgundian ground."
Then thither went King Gunther where he Siegfried found.

LXIII

The host and his companions so well receiv'd the guest,
That nothing there was wanting that courtesy express'd;
And low inclin'd the warrior to all in presence there,
Since they had giv'n him greeting so friendly and so fair.

LXIV

"I wonder much," said Gunther, "and fain would understand,
Whence comes the noble Siegfried to this Burgundian land,
And what he here is seeking at Worms upon the Rhine."
The guest to the king made answer, "Concealment is no art of mine.

LXV

"Afar I heard the tidings, e'en in my father's land,
That here with you were dwelling (fain would I know the band)
The best and prowest champions so voic'd by all and some,
That ever king surrounded; I'm therefore hither come.

LXVI

"Your own renown I've heard, too, through all this country ring,
That never eye of mortal has seen so bold a king.
Your prowess and your knighthood are vouch'd by high and low,
Now ne'er will I turn homeward till this by proof I know.

LXVII

"I too am a warrior, and shall a sceptre sway,
And I would fain bring all men perforce of me to say,
That I both land and liegemen have nobly merited.
This to maintain I'll freely pledge, my honor and my head.

LXVIII

"Now since you are so famous for manhood and for skill,
Naught reck I, if my purpose be taken well or ill,
But all that's own'd by Gunther I'll win by strength of hand,
And force to my obedience his castles and his land."

LXIX

The king was lost in wonder, and with him all the rest,
At such a strange pretension from that o'erweening guest,
Who claim'd his whole possessions that stretch'd so wide around.
His vassals heard the challenge, and for anger sternly frown'd.

LXX

"How," cried the valiant Gunther, "have I deserv'd this wrong,
That what my noble father with honor rul'd so long,
I now should yield to any, o'ermaster'd by his might?
Ill should I show, that I too can bear me like a knight!"

LXXI

"I'll ne'er renounce my purpose," the fiery youth replied;
"If through thy might thy country cannot in peace abide, I'll take on me
to rule it, and what I hold in fee,
If thou by strength canst take it, shall alike submit to thee.

LXXII

"Let thy broad lands and mine too be laid in equal scale,
And whichsoe'er in battle o'er th' other shall prevail,
To him let all be subject, the liegemen and the land."
But Hagan sought, and Gernot, such purpose to withstand.

LXXIII

"To us 'tis little pleasing," Gernot made reply,
"That we should lands be seizing, whose lords should slaughter'd lie
That we may win unjustly; our lands are fair and wide;
We are their rightful masters, and none they need beside."

LXXIV

Grim glar'd King Gunther's warriors (of gathering wrath the sign!)
Among them lower'd the darkest the knight of Metz, Ortwine.
"It irks me much," exclaim'd he, "to hear these words of pride.
Sir King! by haughty Siegfried thou'rt wrongfully defied.

LXXV

"Were thou and thy brave brethren stript of those arms you boast,
While he to back his quarrel should bring a royal host,
E'en then I'd trust to teach him a humbler pitch to fly,
And cower as low before us, as now he mounteth high."

LXXVI

Wroth was at this defiance the chief of Netherland.
He cried, "Thou durst not venture 'gainst me to lift thy hand.
I am a mighty monarch, a monarch's man art thou;
Should twelve like thee resist me, twelve such to one should bow."

LXXVII

Then 'gan for swords call loudly the knight of Metz, Ortwine,
The sister's son of Hagan, pride of his lofty line.
It irk'd him that his uncle so long had silent stood.
Bold Gernot interposing thus cool'd his fiery mood.

LXXVIII

"Ortwine!" said he, "be calmer; why thus to weapons run? To us the
valiant stranger no such offence has done.
We yet may part in kindness; I rede thee, wrath give o'er,
And make a friend of Siegfried; this still were to our credit more."

LXXIX

"It well may irk," said Hagan, "all us good knights of thine,
That this imperious wanderer e'er rode unto the Rhine.
Such strife-producing journey were better ne'er begun.
Ne'er had the kings my masters by him so evil done."

LXXX

Thereto straight answer'd Siegfried, fiercely frowning still,
"If these my words, Sir Hagan, have chanc'd to please you ill,
Be sure, high deeds of valor, you at these hands shall see,
Deeds, that e'en less may please you here in Burgundy."

LXXXI

"This I alone," said Gernot, "can turn from evil end;"
So all his warriors bade he the stranger not offend
With words that breath'd defiance, and thus the turmoil stay'd;
And Siegfried too was thinking upon the stately maid.

LXXXII

"How suits this strife with either?" the prudent warrior said,
"How many chiefs soever should in this broil lie dead,
By us would little honor, by you small gain be won."
Thereto gave answer Siegfried, King Siegmund's haughty son:

LXXXIII

"But wherefore lingereth Hagan, and wherefore proud Ortwine,
That, with their friends thus swarming upon the banks of Rhine,
Nor one, nor other ventures a stranger's arm to brave?"
Both kept unwilling silence, such counsel Gernot gave.

LXXXIV

"You shall to us be welcome," resum'd Queen Uta's son,
"You and your faithful comrades, all and every one.
We shall be proud to serve you, I and all kin of mine,"
Then for the guests 'twas order'd to pour King Gunther's wine.

LXXXV
Then spoke the sov'reign ruler, "Whatever ours we call,
Should you in honor claim it, is at your service all--
Our persons--our possessions--if so it seems you good."
Thereat became Sir Siegfried of somewhat milder mood.

LXXXVI

Forthwith their whole equipment down from their beasts was brought;
For Siegfried and his fellows with fitting zeal were sought
Of all convenient chambers the choicest and the best.
At length the bold Burgundians look'd friendly on their guest.

LXXXVII

Thenceforth were fitting honors paid him many a day,
A thousand-fold, be certain more than I can say.
This earn'd his strength and valor; so gracious was his state,
'Twas rare that any mortal could look on him with hate.

LXXXVIII

Their hours they spent in pastime--the kings and all the rest--
Whate'er the sport that pleas'd them, 'twas Siegfried play'd it best.
Such was his skill and puissance, that none could come him near
To hurl the stone tempestuous or dart the whizzing spear.

LXXXIX

Whene'er before the ladies, all in courtly guise,
Plied the contending champions their knightly exercise,
Then all look'd on delighted as noble Siegfried strove;
But he his thoughts kept ever fix'd on his lofty love.

At court the lovely ladies were asking evermore,
Who was the stately stranger that so rich vesture wore,
At once so fair of presence and so strong of hand.
Then many a one gave answer, "'Tis the King of Netherland."

XCI

He ever was the foremost, whate'er the game they play'd.
Still in his inmost bosom he bore one lovely maid,
Whom he beheld had never, and yet to all preferr'd;
She too of him in secret spoke many a kindly word.

XCII

When in the court contending fierce squire and hardy knight,
As fits the young and noble, wag'd the mimic fight,
Oft Kriemhild through her window would look, herself unseen:
Then no other pleasure needed the gentle queen.

XCIII

What then had been his rapture, could he have only guess'd,
That on him she was looking, who reign'd within his breast!
Could he but once have seen her, I ween, not all the bliss,
That all the world can lavish, would he have ta'en for this.

XCIV

Whene'er, as is the custom at intervals of sport,
He midst the crowd of heroes was standing in the court,
So graceful was the bearing of Siegelind's matchless son,
That the heart of every lady that look'd on him he won.

XCV

Oft too would he be thinking, "How now can it be,
That I the noble maiden with mine eyes may see,
Whom I in heart love dearly, and so long have done?
And she's an utter stranger! Ah! Woe is me, unhappy one!"

XCVI

Whene'er the kings it needed through their land to ride,
Then kept their faithful liegemen attendance by their side,
And with them forth must Siegfried; this irk'd his lady sore;
He through her love was pining the while as much or more.

XCVII

So with those kings, high honor'd Siegmund's noble son
In Gunther's land was dwelling till full a year was run,
Nor, all that weary season, a single glimpse could gain
Of her, who after brought him such pleasure and such pain.

FOURTH ADVENTURE

HOW SIEGFRIED FOUGHT WITH THE SAXONS

Now strange and stirring tidings were brought to Gunther's throne
By messengers commissioned from foreign chiefs unknown,
Who bore the brethren malice, and whom they well might fear.
When they receiv'd the message, right heavy was their cheer.

The same I now will tell you; King Ludeger the bold,
From the land of the Saxons (a mightier ne'er was told)
Was leagued with him of Denmark, King Ludegast the strong,
And many a famous warrior both brought with them along.

III

Their messengers, hard riding, came to King Gunther's land,
As his far-distant foemen had given them in command;
Then ask'd the crowd, what tidings the unknown guests might bring.
To court they straight were hurried, and set before the king.

Them well the monarch greeted: "You're welcome; never fear;
From whom you come, I know not, but willingly would hear,
And it is yours to tell me." So spake the monarch good.
Then 'gan they sore to tremble at Gunther's angry mood.

"Since you, O king! permit us to utter plain and true
This our high commission, naught will we hide from you.
Our masters we will tell you, who gave us this command.
King Ludegast and King Ludeger will visit you in this land.

"You have deserved their anger; for truth can I relate,
That both our puissant masters bear you deadly hate.
They'll lead a host unnumber'd to Worms unto the Rhine.
Of this be warn'd for certain; fix'd is their proud design.

VII

"Within twelve weeks at farthest their camp will onward go;
If you've good friends to aid you, 'twill soon be time to show.
Their best will sure be needed to guard both fort and field,
Soon shall we here be shiv'ring many a helm and many a shield.

VIII

"Or would you seek a treaty, let it at once be said,
Ere their prevailing myriads, one wasteful ruin spread
Through all your wide dominions with their consuming might,
And Death unsated feast him on many a gallant knight."

"Now wait awhile, ye strangers," thus spake the noble king,
"I must think, ere I answer the message that you bring.
I've friends and faithful liegemen, whose sage advice I use,
And with them I must counsel take on this heavy news."

The nigh approaching danger irk'd King Gunther sore,
And the proud defiance deep in heart he bore;
He sent for valiant Hagan and many another knight,
And Gernot, too, bade hasten with all the speed he might.

At once they flock'd around him, a stern and stately band;
Then spake the king, "Proud strangers, here, in our own good land,
Have sent to bid us battle; weigh well such tidings told."
Thereto straight answer'd Gernot, a hardy knight and bold.

XII

"Then with our swords we'll meet them; defiance we'll defy;
None but the death-doom'd perish, so bravely let them die;
I'll ne'er forget my honor for all they choose to send.
So fierce a foe to Gernot is welcome as a friend."

XIII

"Rash hold I such hot counsel," said Hagan, Trony's knight,
"Both Ludegast and Ludeger are men of mickle might:
In so few days our vassals we scarce can muster well."
He paused a space, then added, "The news to Siegfried tell."

XIV

Meanwhile they lodg'd the strangers within the city fair;
Though all were foes around them, King Gunther bade them share
All courteous entertainment; so fitly dealt the king,
Till he had learn'd, what forces he might together bring.

Right ill at ease was Gunther; his brow was clouded o'er;
A gallant knight, who mark'd him what heavy cheer he bore,
Who had not heard the tidings, nor thus the truth could guess,
With friendly will thus mov'd him his sorrow to confess.

XVI

"I wonder much," said Siegfried, "why I of late have seen
With care so overshadow'd that frank and merry mien,
That gave a zest to pleasure, and heighten'd each delight."
Whereto gave answer Gunther the far-renowned knight;

XVII

"To all the world I cannot my bitter bale impart;
Bear it I must, and wrap it close in my inmost heart.
Bosom woes can only to bosom friends be said."
Thereat the hue of Siegfried wax'd both white and red.

XVIII

He thus bespake the monarch, "I ne'er denied you aught,
And now will serve you truly, whate'er be in your thought.
Need you friends, King Gunther? no firmer friend than I.
Is it a deed of danger? I'll do it, or I'll die."

XIX

"Now God reward you, Siegfried; your words they please me well;
E'en should your strength avail not this danger to repel,
There's comfort in such friendship as you have shown to-day.
Let me live a little longer, well will I all repay.

"And now my source of sorrow, Sir Siegfried, you shall know;
It comes of two proud princes, each my deadly foe,
Who me with war would visit, and all my lands o'errun,
A deed that here by warrior before was never done."

XXI

"Take little thought," said Siegfried, "of them and their emprise;
Calm but your anxious spirit, and do as I advise.
Let me for you advantage as well as honor win,
And bid at once to aid you your warriors hasten in.

XXII

"If your o'erweening foemen can together call
Thirty thousand champions, I'll stand against them all
With but a single thousand; for that rely on me."
"For this," replied King Gunther, "I'm ever bound to thee."

XXIII

"So from your army give me a thousand men at most,
Since I, who well could muster at home a gallant host,
Have here twelve comrades only; thus will I guard your land.
Count on true service ever from Siegfried's faithful hand.

XXIV

"And Hagan too shall help us, and with him stout Ortwine,
Dankwart and Sindolt those loving lords of thine,
And fear-defying Folker shall our companion be;
He shall bear our banner; better none than he."

XXV

And forthwith did the envoys back to their lords return:
"Tell them they soon shall see us, and to their cost shall learn
How we devise protection for castle and for town."
Straight call'd the king his kinsmen and the suitors of his crown.

XXVI

The messengers of Ludeger before th' assembly went;
They heard with joy and gladness that home they would be sent.
With costly presents Gunther their parting steps pursued,
And with them sent an escort; this rais'd full high their mood.

XXVII

"Ye messengers," said Gunther, "thus to your masters say,
They'd best be pricking homeward as quickly as they may;
Or, should they please to seek us among our liegemen true,
Let but our friends be faithful, we'll find them work to do."

XXVIII

Then forth the costly presents to the messengers they bore;
Enough, be sure, and more, too, King Gunther had in store.
King Ludeger's men to take them in sooth were nothing coy;
Then leave they took of Gunther, and parted thence with joy.

XXIX

Now when back to Denmark were come the envoys bold,
And to the stout King Ludegast had the tidings told,
How they of Rhine were coming, fierce war themselves to bring,
To hear of their high courage troubled sore the king.

XXX

Said they, "Yon proud Burgundian has many a man of might,
But for the first and foremost we mark'd a matchless knight,
One that men call Siegfried, a chief of Netherland."
Ill foreboded Ludegast from such a foe at hand.

XXXI

When to them of Denmark were these tidings told,
The more their friends they summon'd to muster manifold,
Nor press nor hasty message did stout Sir Ludegast slack,
Till twenty thousand champions were marching at his back.

XXXII

Alike to brave Sir Ludeger did his Saxons throng,
Till they in arms had gather'd full forty thousand strong,
Ready at his bidding through Burgundy to ride,
Nor less at home did Gunther his men at arms provide.

XXXIII

His kinsmen and his brethren he begg'd at once to speed,
And to the war that dar'd them their muster'd vassals lead,
And death-defying Hagan; they gather'd far and nigh.
Full many a chief thereafter that journey brought to die.

XXXIV

They one and all were stirring; no loiterer was there;
The danger-daring Folker the standard was to bear.
To cross the Rhine they purpos'd and leave their native land.
Hagan the knight of Trony was marshal of the band.

XXXV

With them, too, rode Sindolt, and with them Hunolt bold,
Both resolv'd by service to earn King Gunther's gold,
And Dankwart, Hagan's brother, and the brave Ortwine,
Alike would seek for honor in the march beyond the Rhine.

XXXVI

"Sir King," said noble Siegfried, "here sit at home and play,
While I and your vassals are fighting far away;
Here frolic with the ladies and many a merry mate,
And trust to me for guarding your honor and estate.

XXXVII

"Those foes of yours, that threaten'd as far as Worms to roam,
I will be their surety, that they shall bide at home.
So deep within their country we are resolv'd to ride,
To wail shall turn their vaunting, to penitence their pride."

XXXVIII

From Rhine through Hesse advancing they rode upon their way,
Toward the Saxon country, where after happ'd the fray.
Far and wide they ravag'd, and fiery brands they toss'd,
Till both the princes heard it and felt it to their cost.

XXXIX

They now were on the borders; then hasten'd every man,
When the stalwart Siegfried thus to ask began:
"Who shall be appointed to guard our company?
Sure ne'er was raid that threaten'd such ill to Saxony."

They answered, "Let to Dankwart the charge committed be
To guard the young and heedless; more nimble none than he.
We thus the less shall suffer from aught our foes design.
To him commit the rearward, and with him too Ortwine."

XLI

"Myself alone," said Siegfried, "will ever forward ride,
Till I have found our foemen and all their strength espied.
Keep watch and ward unceasing till I this task have done."
Then donn'd at once his armor fair Siegelind's martial son.

XLII

At parting he his people in charge to Hagan gave,
And with him eke to Gernot the prudent and the brave;
Then all alone went riding through the wide Saxon realm;
And soon that day he shatter'd the band of many a helm.

XLIII

That mighty host next spied he, as wide encamp'd it lay.
It might his single puissance a hundred-fold outweigh.
Better than forty thousand were muster'd there for fight,
Sir Siegfried mark'd their numbers, and gladden'd at the sight.

XLIV

Before the camp he noted a knight, that on his ground
Strong watch and ward kept heedful, and peer'd on all around.
At once of him was Siegfried, and he of Siegfried ware,
And each began on the other angrily to glare.

XLV

Who was this watchful warder, now you shall be told.
At hand by him lay ready a flashing shield of gold.
Twas e'en the stout King Ludegast, that watch'd his gather'd might.
Fiercely upon the monarch sprung the stranger knight.

XLVI

As fiercely too against him the fiery monarch sped;
In the flank of the war-horse each dash'd the rowels red:
The lance with all his puissance each level'd at the shield.
Ill chance befell King Ludegast in that disastrous field.

XLVII

Beneath the spur blood-dripping the steeds together flew;
Champion clos'd with champion as though a tempest blew.
Then wheel'd they round full knightly; each well the bridle sway'd
Again they met unsated, and with blade encounter'd blade.

XLVIII

Such strokes there struck Sir Siegfried, that all the field it rang;
At each, as e'en from torches, the fire-red sparkles sprang
From Ludegast's batter'd helmet. So strive they all they can
And either stormy champion in th' other finds his man.

XLIX

At Siegfried too Sir Ludegast struck many a sturdy stroke;
Each on his foeman's buckler his gather'd fury broke.
Full thirty men of Ludegast's meanwhile had spied the fray,
But, ere they up could hasten, Siegfried had won the day.

Thrice smote he the bright breast-plate, and pierc'd it through
and through;
Thrice the blood in torrents from the king he drew,
Those three strokes have ended that encounter keen.
Down sunk woful Ludegast grovelling on the green.

He straight for life sued humbly, and yielded up his claim
To all his lands, and told him that Ludegast was his name.
On this up came his warriors, who from afar had seen
The fight, that at the ward-post so fiercely fought had been.

LII

Thence Siegfried thought to bring him, when sudden all the band
Of thirty set upon him; well then the hero's hand
Maintain'd his royal captive with many a mighty blow.
The peerless champion wrought them yet heavier loss and woe.

LIII

He fought with all the thirty till all but one were slain;
To him his life he granted; he trembling rode amain,
And told the truth disastrous to all the gaping crew;
On his bloody helmet they might see it written, too.

LIV

Woe were the men of Denmark to hear the deadly tale;
Their king too was a captive; this added bale to bale.
They told it to his brother; he straight to storm began.
Wroth was he to have suffered such loss by arm of man.

So by the might of Siegfried was Ludegast led away
To where the men of Gunther in watchful leaguer lay,
And given in charge to Hagan; when they came to hear
The prisoner was King Ludegast, they scarcely shed a tear.

LVI

Now rear they bade the banner the bold Burgundian crew.
"Up!" cried the son of Siegelind, "more will be yet to do,
If there be life in Siegfried, and that ere day be done.
Woe to the Saxon mothers! they'll weep for many a son.

LVII

"Ye hardy knights of Rhineland, take of me good heed.
Right through the ranks of Ludeger your valor will I lead.
You'll see by hands of heroes helmets cleft amain.
Shame shall they learn and sorrow ere we ride home again."

LVIII

At once to horse good Gernot and all his meiny sprung,
At once the glittering banner to the breeze was flung
By the bold minstrel Folker riding in the van;
So moved they on to battle, war-breathing every man.

LIX

No more than e'en a thousand went on the hard emprise;
With them twelve stranger champions. Now 'gan the dust arise
Along the paths they trampled; they rode by copse and field
And startled all the country with the flash of many a shield.

Against them with their myriads came on the Saxons bold.
Their swords they well were sharpen'd, as I have since been told.
Keen cut the temper'd weapons in their well-practised hands,
To guard from those fierce strangers their castles and their lands.

LXI

The war-directing marshal led on the troop amain,
And thither too fierce Siegfried brought up the scanty train,
That had his fortunes follow'd from distant Netherland.
Busied that day in battle was many a bloody hand.

LXII

Sindolt and Hunolt and noble Gernot too
In the fierce encounter many a champion slew,
Who, ere they felt their puissance, little thought to quail;
Many a noble lady then had cause to wail.

LXIII

Folker and Hagan, and eke the fierce Ortwine,
Death-defying champions, dimm'd many a helmet's shine
With bloody streaming torrents that down began to run;
There too were by Dankwart mighty marvels done.

LXIV

Every man of Denmark frankly tried his hand;
You might have heard a clatter ring throughout the land
Of shiver'd shields and sword-blades; 'sooth the work was rough,
And the hurtling Saxons damage did enough.

LXV

Where the stern Burgundians plung'd into the strife,
Many a wound was given, and let out many a life.
The blood from that red slaughter above the saddles stood;
Woo'd as a bride was honor by heroes bold and good.

LXVI

But louder still and louder in every hero's hand
Clash'd the keen-ground weapons, when those of Netherland
Behind their charging master rush'd into the fight.
On they came with Siegfried; each bore him as a knight.

LXVII

Not a lord of Rhineland could follow where he flew.
You might see red spouting the riven helmets through
Sudden streams of slaughter where Siegfried smote around,
Till he at last King Ludeger before his comrades found.

LXVIII

Thrice pierc'd he through the Saxons, and thrice return'd again,
From van to utmost rear-guard still trampling down the slain;
Nor was it long, ere Hagan came up his part to bear.
Down then must proudest champions before th' unconquer'd pair.

LXIX

When the stalwart Ludeger saw noble Siegfried nigh,
Who in his hand wide-wasting ever heav'd on high
The storm-descending Balmung, and slew him many a slain,
Grimly frown'd the monarch, and burn'd with wrath amain.

LXX

Dire was the storm and struggle, and loud the sword-blades clash'd,
When both the thick battalions each on the other dash'd,
Each angry leader panting to meet in stern debate.
The crowd began to scatter; then fiercer rose their hate.

LXXI

Well the Saxon ruler that day perform'd his part;
To know his brother taken cut him to the heart.
He heard it first reported, Gernot the deed had done,
But now he knew for certain, 'twas Siegelind's conqu'ring son.

LXXII

So burly were the buffets which Ludeger dealt in field,
That Siegfried's panting charger under the saddle reel'd.
Soon as the steed recover'd, a fiercer passion stirr'd
His angry lord, and hotter through the red press he spurr'd.

LXXIII

Then up to help him Hagan, and up good Gernot sped,
Dankwart and Folker; round lay in heaps the dead;
And Sindolt came, and Hunolt, and the good knight Ortwine.
Down sunk the Saxons trampled by the warriors of the Rhine.

LXXIV

Close fought the chiefs, unsever'd 'spite of the hurtling bands
Then might you see the lances from mightiest heroes' hands
Fly o'er the nodding helmets, and pierce the bucklers through;
Many a glittering armor was dyed a bloody hue.

LXXV

In the fierce encounter many a mighty man
Tumbled from the saddle; each on th' other ran
Ludeger and Siegfried, each the other's peer;
Many a shaft was flying, whizzing many a spear.

LXXVI

Off flew Ludeger's shield-plate by dint of Siegfried's hand.
Then look'd at last for conquest the knight of Netherland
Over the struggling Saxons, such force was in that stroke.
Then too how many a breast-plate the strong-arm'd Dankwart broke!

LXXVII

Just then it chanc'd King Ludeger had a crown espied
Painted upon the buckler that guarded Siegfried's side.
Straight knew the astonish'd Saxon, 'twas he, the mighty man,
And to his friends the hero to call aloud began.

LXXVIII

"Stop! stop! enough of fighting, my merry men each one!
Here in this bloody battle I've met with Siegmund's son.
The chief-destroying Siegfried for certain seen have I.
The devil has sent him hither to harry Saxony."

LXXIX

He bade them lower the banners; forthwith they lower'd them all;
And peace he then demanded; 'twas granted at his call;
But go he must a pris'ner to good King Gunther's land;
This was from him extorted by Siegfried's conqu'ring hand.

LXXX

With one accord agreeing the bloody strife they left;
The shining shields all shiver'd, the helmets hack'd and cleft
They laid aside o'er-wearied; whatever down they threw
Bore from Burgundian falchions a stain of bloody hue.

LXXXI

They took whome'er it pleas'd them, none could their will gainsay.
Gernot and valiant Hagan at once bade bear away
The faint and feeble wounded, and with them carried then
Off to the Rhine as captives five hundred chosen men.

LXXXII

With wailing back to Denmark the bootless warriors came;
The late o'erweening Saxons bore off but loss and shame
From that disastrous struggle; each hung his pensive head.
They last their friends remember'd, and sorrow'd for the dead.

LXXXIII

Anon they bade the sumpters be loaded for the Rhine;
And thus victorious Siegfried his perilous design
Had brought to full performance; well had he done in fight;
This every man of Gunther allow'd him as of right.

LXXXIV

To Worms straight did a message from good Sir Gernot come,
To tell throughout the country to all his friends at home
Whate'er in that encounter to him and his befell,
And how they all their duty had knightly done and well.

LXXXV

The youths they ran their swiftest, and nois'd abroad the whole.
Then laugh'd who late lamented; delight succeeded dole.
All bosoms straight were beating to learn the news they bore,
And every noble lady would ask them o'er and o'er,

LXXXVI

How the knights of Gunther in Saxony had sped.
Then too the lovelorn Kriemhild had one in secret led
(For publicly she durst not) to a distant bower apart,
For she would learn how far'd it with the chosen of her heart.

LXXXVII

Soon as to the chamber the melancholy maid
Saw the youth approaching, sweetly thus she said,
"Now tell me happy tidings, and I'll give thee gold in store,
And if 'tis truth thou tell'st me, I'll befriend thee evermore.

LXXXVIII

"Tell me how in battle my brother Gernot sped,
And all our friends around him; is any of them dead?
Who prov'd the best and bravest? this thou must tell me true."
"No coward," the youth made answer, "had we in all the crew;

LXXXIX

"But sure to fight or foray (the simple truth to tell)
Fair and noble princess! rode never knight so well
As the noble stranger from distant Netherland.
Wonders that mock believing were wrought by Siegfried's hand.

"However well the others have borne them in the fight,
Dankwart and Hagan, and all our men of might,
Howe'er deserv'd the honor, that other swords have won,
'Tis a puff of wind to Siegfried, King Siegmund's glorious son.

XCI

"Well plied the rest the falchion, and wielded well the spear,
But ne'er from tongue of mortal expect at full to hear
What feats were done by Siegfried, when he broke
the squadrons through;
Those feats the weeping sisters of slaughter'd brethren rue.

XCII

"There lay the heart's-beloved of many a mourning bride;
Beneath his sounding sword-strokes cleft morions, gaping wide,
Let out the ruddy life-blood gushing fearfully.
Sir Siegfried is in all things the flower of chivalry.

XCIII

"There too won no small worship the knight of Metz, Ortwine;
Whomever reach'd the warrior with keen-edg'd falchion fine,
Down went they from the war-horse, some wounded, others dead.
There too your valiant brother as wide the slaughter spread,

XCIV

"As e'er was done, believe me, since armies met in fight;
So much must all men witness of that redoubted knight.
There too the proud Burgundians so nobly strove for fame,
That well they have assur'd them from every taint of blame.

XCV

"Before their level'd lances was many a saddle void;
Around the field re-echoed when they the sword employ'd.
The noble knights of Rhineland fought so well that day,
Their foes had sure done wiser at once to flee away.

XCVI

"The gallant men of Trony did deeds they well may boast
When with united squadrons to battle rode the host.
What numbers fell by Hagan and Hagan's chivalry!
Long shall their glory flourish here in broad Burgundy.

XCVII

"Sindolt and Hunolt, each Gernot's liegemen true,
And never-daunted Rumolt so rush'd the foemen through,
That ever will King Ludeger repent his vain design
To meet your royal brethren on the banks of Rhine.

XCVIII

"But of all feats, the fairest, that in that field befell,
From first to last most glorious, as all who saw can tell,
Were those achiev'd full knightly by Siegfried's deadly hand.
Now many a wealthy captive brings he to Gunther's land.

XCIX

"Beneath his arm, submission the brother kings have learn'd;
Proud Dane and haughty Saxon alike defeat have earn'd;
Dead lie their loving vassals wide o'er the bloody green.
Now to my tale yet listen, high and noble queen!

"Now both are hither wending, the thralls of Siegfried's hand;
Chief ne'er such countless captives brought to Burgundian land,
As now to Rhine are coming, o'ermastered by his might."
Ne'er heard the royal maiden a tale of such delight.

"More than five hundred prisoners, for truth, high lady! know,
Unhurt, are hither coming; full eighty biers, I trow,
Trail on the deadly wounded: you soon will see them here;
The most bear bloody witness of Siegfried's sword and spear.

CII

"Those kings, who late so haughty would dare us on the Rhine,
Must now to Gunther's pleasure their lives, their all resign.
Our shouts salute their coming, our joy is on the gale."
She brighten'd into blushes to hear the happy tale.

CIII

Her cheek, late pale as lily, now glow'd with rosy red,
To hear how youthful Siegfried so gloriously had sped,
Rais'd from the depth of peril to loftiest height of fame.
She joy'd too for her kinsmen as maiden well became.

CIV

Then spake she midst her blushes, "Well hast thou earn'd thy meed,
Well hast thou told thy story, so take thee costliest weed,
Now straight I'll bid be brought thee ten marks of ruddy gold."
No wonder, to rich ladies glad news are gladly told.

Straightforth was brought the vesture, and down the gold was paid;
Then hurried to the windows full many a lovely maid,
And look'd out on the highway, nor long delay'd to spy
The high-descended victors return'd to Burgundy.

CVI

The safe and sound came forward; the wounded did the same;
Merry was the meeting; none fear'd reproach or blame.
Forth rode the host to meet them; his mirth had no alloy;
The woe, that long had worn him, was now shut up in joy.

CVII

His own full well receiv'd he, and well the strangers too;
Sure nothing so befitting could wealthy monarch do,
Than kindly greet such victors as now his court had sought
With gain of such clear honor from field so sternly fought.

CVIII

Then ask'd the noble Gunther of the conquering train,
How many of his warriors had in the strife been slain.
There had been lost but sixty in the fight they won.
They were mourn'd and forgotten, as with many has since been done.

CIX

Th' unwounded bore exulting, grim trophies of the field,
Full many a batter'd morion, full many a shiver'd shield.
Before the hall of Gunther from horse the champions sprung;
Around from joyful thousands one shout of welcome rung.

The warriors in the city were lodg'd as might be best;
The king with courteous service bade wait on every guest.
He found the hurt fit chambers for tendance and repose,
And prov'd his noble nature in the treatment of his foes.

CXI

Thus he said to Ludegast, "King Ludegast, welcome here.
Much at your hands I've suffer'd, and more had cause to fear
But all's at full repaid me, if smooth my fortune run.
God requite my warriors! they well for me have done."

CXII

"Ay, you may gladly thank them," said Ludeger, "'tis their due;
King ne'er had such high captives as they have won for you.
Meanwhile, for courteous treatment, good store of gold we'll bring,
And look for such reception as king may claim from king."

CXIII

"Take what you ask," said Gunther, "both set I gladly free.
Still must I have assurance that here awhile with me
My foes consent to tarry, and do not leave my land
Till peace be made between us." To that King Ludeger gave his hand.

CXIV

So now the kings to rest them were to their chambers led.
With tender care the wounded were softly laid a-bed,
While for the whole and hearty were pour'd the mead and wine.
Never were men so merry as these beside the Rhine.

CXV

Attendants to safe keeping the batter'd bucklers bore,
The blood-bespatter'd saddles, whereof was plenteous store,
They hid, lest sight so sorry should make the women weep.
Many a good knight o'erwearied home was glad to creep.

CXVI

The guests from good King Gunther all noble treatment found.
With friends as well as strangers his country swarm'd around.
He bade for the sore wounded all needful aid be sought.
Where was their haughty courage? how low it now was brought!

CXVII

Whoe'er had skill in leechcraft was offer'd coin untold,
Silver without measure as well as glittering gold,
To cure the fainting champions by wounds of war oppress'd.
The bounteous monarch sent, too, rich gifts to every guest.

CXVIII

Those who, of feasting weary, homeward sought to wend,
Were press'd to tarry longer, as friend will deal with friend.
King Gunther call'd a council; he would his men requite,
Who for his sake so nobly had won that gallant fight.

CXIX

Then spake the good Sir Gernot, "At present bid them go.
When full six weeks are over, we'll let the warriors know,
We here shall need their presence at feasting rich and high;
Then will restor'd be many, who yet sore wounded lie."

CXX

And now would noble Siegfried to Gunther bid adieu;
Soon as the friendly monarch the warrior's purpose knew
He lovingly besought him a longer stay to make.
He ne'er had so consented but for his sister's sake.

CXXI

Besides, he was too wealthy to stoop to soldier's pay,
Albeit he well deserv'd it; him lov'd the more each day,
The king and all his kinsmen, who on the battle plain,
Had seen him deal destruction on Saxon and on Dane,

CXXII

For the sake of that fair lady he yet would linger there,
If he perchance might see her; and soon was eas'd his care.
He came to know the maiden to his utmost heart's desire,
Then home he rode rejoicing to the kingdom of his sire.

CXXIII

The king bade practise knighthood and joust from day to day,
Well did his youthful warriors and willingly obey.
Seats too before the city he rais'd along the strand
For those who were to visit the fam'd Burgundian land.

CXXIV

So bade the royal Gunther, and now the time was near,
Ere came the joyful tidings to his fair sister's ear,
That he with his dear comrades high festival would hold.
Then were fair women stirring; their toil was manifold.

CXXV

With kirtles, and with head-gear, and all that each should wear,
Uta, the rich and noble, amidst her maidens fair
Heard of coming warriors, a bold and haughty train;
Straight was from out the wrappers store of rich vesture ta'en.

CXXVI

For the sake of her dear children the garments forth were laid,
Wherewith array'd were richly many a wife and many a maid,
And many a youthful champion of warlike Burgundy;
She bade, too, many a stranger be rob'd as gorgeously.

FIFTH ADVENTURE

HOW SIEGFRIED FIRST SAW KRIEMHILD

Now might you ever daily see riding toward the Rhine
Troops of good knights ambitious at that proud feast to shine.
Whoe'er for love of Gunther to Gunther's court would speed,
Was at his hands provided with vesture and with steed.

Assign'd were seats befitting to every high-born guest.
Thither, as has been told us, the noblest and the best
Came two and thirty princes to that high festal tide.
In gawds and gems the women each with her neighbor vied.

III

Now here, now there was busy the youthful Giselher;
He and his brother Gernot each with his meiny there
Right hospitable welcome to friend and stranger made,
And every fitting honor to every warrior paid.

Full many a gold-red saddle, full many a sparkling shield,
With store of sumptuous vesture for that high festal field,
Were then convey'd to Rhineland; many an ailing wight
Grew merry again and gladsome to see so fair a sight.

Each, who in bed lay wounded, though like to yield his breath,
Could now no more remember the bitterness of death.
By the sick the healthy could now no longer stay;
Comrade laugh'd with comrade against the festal day

On the good entertainment prepar'd for young and old;
Measureless contentment, enjoyment manifold
Enliven'd all the people, and spread from band to band.
The note of pleasure echoed through all King Gunther's land

VII

'Twas on a Whitsun' morning the warriors you might see,
Five thousand men or better, fair pricking o'er the lea,
Yclad in courtly raiment, to that high festival,
In jollity and pastime were vying one and all.

VIII

Right well had mark'd King Gunther, who love could understand,
What heartfelt love impassion'd the knight of Netherland,
E'en though he ne'er had seen her, his peerless sister bare,
The maid proclaim'd by all men the fairest of the fair.

Said he, "Now all advise me, kinsmen and men of mine,
How best of this high tourney to perfect the design,
So that our earnest efforts henceforth none may blame.
'Tis but on deeds deserving that rests enduring fame."

He scarce had thus address'd them, when answer'd bold Ortwine,
"Would you, O King! full honor to this high feast assign,
Bring forth our choicest treasures to this proud chivalry,
The matrons and the maidens of our fair Burgundy.

"What more the heart enraptures, or courage more inflames
Than to look on lovely damsels, on high and stately dames?
Bid too come forth your sister to feast each stranger's sight."
Well was approv'd the counsel by each surrounding knight.

XII

"'Tis well advis'd," said Gunther, "I straight will do my part."
Whoever heard his answer was inly glad at heart.
Then bade he Lady Uta and her fair daughter call
To grace the court and tourney, them and their maidens all.

XIII

In haste through all the presses for rich attire they sought,
What lay in wrappers folded alike to light was brought,
Bracelets and clasps and brooches all ready forth were laid.
Soon deck'd in all her choicest was every noble maid.

XIV

Many a young knight that morning, within his flutt'ring breast,
Long'd, that on him, contented, bright beauty's glance might rest;
Such glance he would not barter for all a king can own.
Each look'd on each full gladly, albeit before unknown.

Then bade the wealthy monarch with royal pomp and state
Of his men a hundred on his sister wait,
His and the maiden's kinsmen; each carried sword in hand.
These were the chosen courtiers of Burgundy's fair land.

XVI

With her the wealthy Uta there coming too was seen;
She had with her in waiting of fair and stately mien,
A hundred dames or better, all gorgeously array'd.
Her daughter, too, was followed by many a noble maid.

XVII

On from bower advancing they came in fair array;
Much press was there of heroes along the crowded way
Through anxious glad expectance to see that beauty rare,
The fairest and the noblest of the noble and the fair.

XVIII

Now went she forth, the loveliest, as forth the morning goes
From misty clouds out-beaming; then all his weary woes
Left him, in heart who bore her, and so, long time, had done.
He saw there stately standing the fair, the peerless one.

XIX

Many a stone full precious flash'd from her vesture bright;
Her rosy blushes darted a softer, milder light.
Whate'er might be his wishes, each could not but confess,
He ne'er on earth had witness'd such perfect loveliness.

As the moon arising outglitters every star
That through the clouds so purely glimmers from afar,
E'en so love-breathing Kriemhild dimm'd every beauty nigh.
Well might at such a vision many a bold heart beat high.

XXI

Rich chamberlains before them march'd on in order due;
Around th' high-mettled champions close and closer drew,
Each pressing each, and struggling to see the matchless maid.
Then inly was Sir Siegfried both well and ill apaid.

XXII

Within himself thus thought he: "How could I thus misdeem
That I should dare to woo thee? sure 'twas an idle dream!
Yet, rather than forsake thee, far better were I dead."
Thus thinking, thus impassion'd, wax'd he ever white and red.

XXIII

So stood the son of Siegelind in matchless grace array'd,
As though upon a parchment in glowing hues portray'd
By some good master's cunning; all own'd, and could no less,
Eye had not seen a pattern of such fair manliness.

XXIV

Those, who the dames attended, bade all around make way;
Straight did the gentle warriors, as such became, obey.
There many a knight, enraptur'd, saw many a dame in place
Shine forth in bright perfection of courtliness and grace.

XXV

Then the bold Burgundian, Sir Gernot, spoke his thought,
"Him, who in hour of peril his aid so frankly brought,
Requite, dear brother Gunther, as fits both him and you,
Before this fair assembly; th' advice I give, I ne'er shall rue.

XXVI

"Bid Siegfried come to Kriemhild; let each the other meet;
'Twill sure be to our profit, if she the warrior greet.
'Twill make him ours forever, this man of matchless might,
If she but give him greeting, who never greeted knight."

XXVII

Then went King Gunther's kinsmen, a high-born haughty band,
And found, and fair saluted the knight of Netherland.
"The king to court invites you; such favor have you won;
His sister there will greet you; this to honor you is done."

XXVIII

Glad man was then Sir Siegfried at this unlook'd-for gain;
His heart was full of pleasure without alloy of pain,
To see and meet so friendly fair Uta's fairer child.
Then greeted she the warrior maidenly and mild.

XXIX

There stood he, the high-minded, beneath her star-bright eye,
His cheek as fire all glowing; then said she modestly,
"Sir Siegfried, you are welcome, noble knight and good!"
Yet loftier at that greeting rose his lofty mood.

XXX

He bow'd with soft emotion, and thank'd the blushing fair;
Love's strong constraint together impelled th' enamour'd pair;
Their longing eyes encountered, their glances, every one,
Bound knight and maid for ever, yet all by stealth was done.

XXXI

That in the warmth of passion he press'd her lily hand,
I do not know for certain, but well can understand.
'Twere surely past believing they ventur'd not on this;
Two loving hearts, so meeting, else had done amiss.

XXXII

No more in pride of summer nor in bloom of May
Knew he such heart-felt pleasure as on this happy day,
When she, than May more blooming, more bright than summer's pride,
His own, a dream no longer, was standing by his side.

XXXIII

Then thought full many a champion, "Would this had happ'd to me
To be with lovely Kriemhild as Siegfried now I see,
Or closer e'en than Siegfried; well were I then, I ween."
Never yet was champion who so deserv'd a queen.

XXXIV

Whate'er the king or country of the guests assembled there,
All could look on nothing save on that gentle pair.
Now 'twas allow'd that Kriemhild the peerless knight should kiss.
Ne'er in the world had drain'd he so full a draught of bliss.

XXXV

Then spake the King of Denmark the gather'd crowd before,
"Because of this high greeting lie many wounded sore,
As I know to my sorrow, by Siegfried's might and main.
God grant, he ne'er to Denmark may find his way again."

XXXVI

Then 'twas proclaim'd on all sides to make for Kriemhild way;
Straight went to church the maiden in royal rich array
With a bold train of warriors, a fair and courtly sight.
There soon from her was parted the lofty-minded knight.

XXXVII

She now the minster enter'd; her follow'd many a dame;
There so her stately beauty her rich attire became,
That droop'd each high aspiring, born but at once to die.
Sure was that maid created to ravish every eye.

XXXVIII

Scarce could wait Sir Siegfried till the mass was sung.
Well might he thank his fortune, that, all those knights among,
To him inclined the maiden whom still in heart he bore,
While he to her, as fitted, return'd as much or more.

XXXIX

When now before the minster after the mass she stood,
Again to come beside her was call'd the champion good.
Then first by that sweet maiden thanks to the knight were given,
That he before his comrades so warrior-like had striven.

"God you reward, Sir Siegfried!" said the noble child,
"For all your high deservings in honor's beadroll fil'd,
The which I know from all men have won you fame and grace."
Sir Siegfried, love-bewilder'd, look'd Kriemhild in the face.

XLI

"Ever," said he, "your brethren I'll serve as best I may,
Nor once, while I have being, will head on pillow lay,
Till I have done to please them whate'er they bid me do,
And this, my lady Kriemhild, is all for love of you."

XLII

For twelve days the maiden each successive day
With the knight beside her took to court her way,
While, as they pass'd together, their friends were looking on.
Out of love to Siegfried was this fair service done.

XLIII

From morn was there to evening and day by day withal
Shouting and merry-making about King Gunther's hall,
Within, without, from joyance of many a mighty man.
Ortwine and valiant Hagan high wonders there began.

XLIV

Whatever sports they wish'd for were ready at their will;
Of each, as each had liking, each might take his fill.
Thus proved were Gunther's warriors by stranger chivalry,
Whence fame accrued and honor to all broad Burgundy.

XLV

They too, who lay sore wounded, crept forth to the free air;
They long'd with loving comrades the gentle sports to share,
To skirmish with the buckler, and hurl the spear amain;
And most through such fair pastime came to full strength again.

XLVI

The host of that high festal all and some had cheer
With meats and drinks the choicest; he kept him ever clear
From blame or ought unkingly in action or intent;
And now with friendly purpose to his guests he went.

XLVII

Said he, "Good knights and noble, ere you hence retire,
Receive the gifts I offer, as proofs of my desire
In all I can to serve you, this I'm resolv'd to do;
Disdain not now the riches I'd gladly share with you."

XLVIII

Straight the men of Denmark to the king replied,
"Ere hence we part and homeward to our own country ride,
A lasting peace assure us; such peace must captives need,
Who have seen their dearest comrades beneath your champions bleed."

XLIX

Now whole again was Ludegast and all his gashes heal'd,
The Saxon too recover'd after that luckless field.
Some dead they left behind them entomb'd in Rhenish ground
Then thither went King Gunther where he Sir Siegfried found.

To the good knight thus said he, "Now tell me what to do;
Early to-morrow morning ride home the Danish crew;
With me and mine from henceforth they seek to be at one;
Therefore advise me, Siegfried, what best is to be done.

"What these two monarchs offer, I'll to you declare;
As much as steeds five hundred of shining gold can bear,
That will they gladly give me to set them free at will."
Then answer'd noble Siegfried, "You then would do but ill.

LII

"Better hence unfetter'd let both together go,
And that neither warrior henceforth as a foe
Venture to make entry on Burgundian land,
For this in full assurance let either give his hand."

LIII

"Your counsel I will follow, thus let them home return."
His captive foes his message were not slow to learn,
No one their gold demanded which they had offer'd late.
Meanwhile their friends in Denmark mourn'd for their lost estate.

LIV

Many a shield heap'd with treasure was brought at Gunther's call;
Among the friends around him unweigh'd he shar'd it all;
Five hundred marks or better each warrior home might bring;
This frank and liberal counsel bold Gernot gave the king.

Leave soon the guests were taking; their minds were homeward bent;
Then might you see how each one before fair Kriemhild went,
And eke where Lady Uta sat like a queen in place.
Never yet were warriors dismiss'd with so much grace.

LVI

Empty was left each chamber as thence the strangers rode,
Yet still in royal splendor the king at home abode
With many a noble warrior and vassal of his court,
Whom you might see to Kriemhild day by day resort.

LVII

And now the noble Siegfried leave to take was fain.
What he so deeply yearn'd for he little hop'd to gain.
It was told King Gunther that he would hence away.
'Twas Giselher the youthful that won the chief to stay.

LVIII

"Why would you leave us, Siegfried, noble friend and true?
Tarry here among us (what I entreat you, do)
With Gunther and his liegemen, warriors frank and free.
Here are store of lovely ladies, whom you may gladly see."

LIX

Then spake the valiant Siegfried, "Lead in the steeds again;
Forthwith to ride I purpos'd, but now will here remain;
And back, too, bear the bucklers; indeed I homeward yearn'd,
But Giselher with honor my fix'd intent has turn'd."

So stay'd the bold Sir Siegfried for love and friendship's sake;
Nor surely could he elsewhere so gladly tarriance make
As at the court of Gunther, for there throughout his stay
The love-devoted warrior saw Kriemhild every day.

LXI

Through her unmeasur'd beauty Sir Siegfried linger'd there;
His friends with many a pastime charm'd from him every care,
Save longing love for Kriemhild; this mov'd him oft to sigh,
This too thereafter brought him most miserably to die.

SIXTH ADVENTURE

HOW GUNTHER WENT TO WOO BRUNHILD

Beyond the Rhine high tidings again were nois'd around.
There many a maid was dwelling for beauty wide renown'd,
And one of these King Gunther, 'twas said, design'd to woo:
Well pleas'd the monarch's purpose his knights and liegemen true.

There was a queen high seated afar beyond the sea;
Never wielded sceptre a mightier than she;
For beauty she was matchless, for strength without a peer;
Her love to him she offer'd who could pass her at the spear.

III

She threw the stone, and bounded behind it to the mark;
At three games each suitor with sinews stiff and stark
Must conquer the fierce maiden whom he sought to wed,
Or, if in one successless, straight must lose his head.

E'en thus for the stern virgin had many a suitor died.
This heard a noble warrior who dwelt the Rhine beside,
And forthwith resolv'd he to win her for his wife.
Thereby full many a hero thereafter lost his life.

Once on a day together sat with his men the king,
Talking each with the other, and deeply pondering,
What maiden 'twas most fitting for their lord to woo,
One who him might comfort, and grace the country too.

Then spake the lord of Rhineland: "Straight will I hence to sea,
And seek the fiery Brunhild howe'er it go with me.
For love of the stern maiden I'll frankly risk my life;
Ready am I to lose it, if I win her not to wife."

VII

"That would I fain dissuade you," Sir Siegfried made reply,
"Whoe'er would woo fair Brunhild, plays a stake too high;
So cruel is her custom, and she so fierce a foe.
Take good advice, King Gunther, nor on such a journey go."

VIII

Then answer'd thus King Gunther: "Ne'er yet was woman born
So bold and eke so stalwart, but I should think it scorn
Were not this hand sufficient to force a female foe."
"Be still," replied Sir Siegfried, "her strength you little know.

"E'en were you four together, nought could all four devise
'Gainst her remorseless fury; hear then what I advise
From true and steadfast friendship, and, as you value life,
Tempt not for love of Brunhild a vain, a hopeless strife."

"How strong she be soever, the journey will I take,
Whatever chance befall me, for lovely Brunhild's sake;
For her unmeasur'd beauty I'll hazard all that's mine.
Who knows, but God may bring her to follow me to the Rhine?"

"Since you're resolv'd," said Hagan, "this would I chief advise;
Request of noble Siegfried in this dread enterprise
To take his part among us; thus 'twould be best, I ween,
For none so well as Siegfried knows this redoubted queen."

XII

Said Gunther, "Wilt thou help me, Siegfried tried and true?
To win the lovely maiden? What I entreat thee, do,
And if I only gain her to my wedded wife,
For thee I'll gladly venture honor, limb and life."

XIII

Thereto answer'd Siegfried, Siegmund's matchless son,
"Give me but thy sister, and the thing is done.
The stately queen fair Kriemhild let me only gain,
I ask no other guerdon for whatever toil and pain."

XIV

"I promise it," said Gunther, "and take in pledge thy hand,
And soon as lovely Brunhild shall come into this land,
To thee to wife my sister surely will I give,
And may you both together long time and happy live."

Then each they swore to th' other, the high-born champions bold,
Which wrought them toil and trouble thereafter manifold,
Ere to full completion they brought their high design,
And led at last the lady to the banks of Rhine.

XVI

I have heard strange stories of wild dwarfs, how they fare;
They dwell in hollow mountains, and for protection wear
A vesture that high cloud-cloak, marvellous to tell;
Whoever has it on him may keep him safe and well.

XVII

From cuts and stabs of foemen; him none can hear or see
As soon as he is in it, but see and hear can he Whatever he will around
him, and thus must needs prevail;
He grows besides far stronger; so goes the wond'rous tale.

XVIII

And now with him the cloud-cloak took fair Sieglind's son;
The same th' unconquer'd warrior with labor hard had won
From the stout dwarf Albric in successful fray.
The bold and wealthy champions made ready for the way.

XIX

So, as I said, bold Siegfried the cloud-cloak bore along.
When he but put it on him, he felt him wond'rous strong.
Twelve men's strength then had he in his single body laid.
By trains and close devices he woo'd the haughty maid.

Besides, in that strange cloud-cloak was such deep virtue found,
That whosoever wore it, though thousands stood around,
Might do whatever pleas'd him unseen of friend or foe.
Thus Siegfried won fair Brunhild, which brought him bitterest woe.

XXI

"Before we start, bold Siegfried, tell me what best would be;
Shall we lead an army across the sounding sea,
And travel thus to Brunhild as fits a royal king?
Straight could we together thirty thousand warriors bring."

XXII

"Whatever our band," said Siegfried, "the same would still ensue;
So savage and so cruel is the queen you woo,
All would together perish by her o'ermastering might;
But I'll advise you better, high and noble knight.

XXIII

"As simple knights we'll travel a-down the Rhine's fair tide,
Two to us two added, and followers none beside.
We four will make the voyage, true comrades one and all,
And thus shall win the lady, whatever thence befall.

XXIV

"I will be one companion, thou shalt the second be,
The third shall be Sir Hagan, in sooth a goodly three!
The fourth shall be Sir Dankwart that redoubted knight.
Trust me, no thousand champions will dare us four to fight."

XXV

"Fain would I learn," said Gunther, "ere we hence depart
On the hard adventure, that so inflames my heart,
Before the royal Brunhild what vesture we should wear,
That may best become us; this, Siegfried, thou declare."

XXVI

"Garments the best and richest that ever warriors wore
Robe in the land of Brunhild her lieges evermore;
And we should meet the lady array'd at least as well;
So shame will ne'er await us, when men our tale shall tell."

XXVII

Then answer'd good King Gunther, "I'll to my mother dear,
That she and her fair maidens ere we for Issland steer,
May furnish us with raiment in full and copious store,
Which we may wear with honor the stately queen before."

XXVIII

Hagan, the Knight of Trony, then spake in courtly wise,
"Why would you ask your mother such service to devise?
If only your fair sister our purpose understood,
She's in all arts so skilful, the clothes would needs be good."

XXIX

Then sent he to his sister, that he'd to her repair,
And with him only Siegfried; ere they could thither fare,
Kriemhild in choicest vesture her beauty had array'd;
Little did their coming displease the gentle maid.

XXX

And deck'd too were her women as them best became.
Now were at hand the princess; straight the queenly dame,
As she beheld them coming, rose stately from her seat,
And went the noble stranger and her brother, too, to greet.

XXXI

"Welcome to my brother and to his comrade dear,"
Said the graceful maiden, "your news I fain would hear.
Tell me what brings you hither, what deeds are now to do;
Let me know how fares it, noble knights, with you."

XXXII

Then spake the royal Gunther, "Dame, I will tell my care.
We must with lofty courage a proud adventure dare.
We would hence a-wooing far over seas away;
For such a journey need we apparel rich and gay."

XXXIII

"Now sit thee down, dear brother, and tell me frank and free,"
Said the royal maiden, "who these dames may be,
Whom you would go a-courting in a distant land."
Both the chosen warriors then took she by the hand.

XXXIV

Anon she both led thither where before she sat
On rich embroider'd cushions (I can vouch for that),
O'erwrought with goodly figures well rais'd in glitt'ring gold.
There they with the fair lady might gentle converse hold.

XXXV

Many a glance of rapture, many a longing look,
As there talk'd the lovers, either gave and took.
He in his heart enshrin'd her; she was to him as life.
Thereafter lovely Kriemhild became bold Siegfried's wife.

XXXVI

Then said to her King Gunther, "Right noble sister mine,
What I wish can never be but with help of thine.
We'll to the land of Brunhild to take our pastime there,
And must before the lady princely apparel wear."

XXXVII

Then spake the queen in answer, "Right loving brother mine,
If ought I can will profit whatever end of thine,
Depend on me to do it; thou'lt find me ready still.
If any aught denied thee, 'twould please thy Kriemhild ill.

XXXVIII

"Noble knight, thou should'st not, as doubting, ask and pray,
But, as my lord and master, command, and I'll obey.
Thou'lt find me, whatsoever thou hast in heart to do,
Not more a loving sister than a servant true."

XXXIX

"Dearest sister Kriemhild, we must wear costly weed,
And therewith to equip us thy snowy hand we need,
And let thy maids their utmost upon the same bestow,
For sure my purpos'd journey never will I forego."

Then spoke the noble virgin, "Mark now what I say;
I've silk myself in plenty; on shields, as best you may,
Precious stones bid bring us to work the clothes withal.
Gunther and eke Siegfried bade bring them at her call.

XLI

"And who are the companions," ask'd the royal maid,
"Who you to court will follow thus gorgeously array'd?"
"We're four in all," he answer'd; "two of my men beside,
Dankwart and Hagan, with us to court will ride.

XLII

"And, dame, mark well, I pray thee, what I have yet to say.
Let each be well provided three changes every day,
And for four days successive, and all be of the best;
So back shall I wend homeward no scorn'd, dishonor'd guest."

XLIII

So with kind dismissal away the warriors strode.
Then quick the fair queen summon'd from bowers where they abode
Thirty maids, her brother's purpose to fulfil,
Who in works of the needle were the chief for craft and skill.

XLIV

Silks from far Arabia, white as driven snow,
And others from Zazamanc, green as grass doth grow,
They deck'd with stones full precious; Kriemhild the garments plann'd,
And cut them to just measure with her own lily hand.

XLV

Of the hides of foreign fishes were linings finely wrought;
Such then were seen but rarely, and choice and precious thought;
Fine silk was sewn above them to suit the wearers well.
Now of the rich apparel hear me fresh marvels tell.

XLVI

From the land of Morocco and from the Libyan coast
The best silk and the finest e'er worn and valued most
By kin of mightiest princes, of such had they good store.
Well Kriemhild show'd the favor that she the wearers bore.

XLVII

E'er since the chiefs were purpos'd the martial queen to win,
In their sight was precious the goodly ermelin
With coal-black spots besprinkled on whiter ground than snow,
E'en now the pride of warriors at every festal show.

XLVIII

Many a stone full precious gleam'd from Arabian gold;
That the women were not idle, scarcely need be told.
Within seven weeks, now ready was the vesture bright,
Ready too the weapons of each death-daring knight.

XLIX

Now when all was ready, by the Rhine you might mark
Built with skill and labor a stout though little bark,
Wherein a-down the river to sea they were to go.
To the noble maidens their toil brought mickle woe.

When now 'twas told the champions, that the vesture gay,
Which they should carry with them, was ready for the way,
And that nought impeded their firmly-fixed design,
No longer would they tarry by the banks of Rhine.

So to their loving comrades a messenger was sent,
That they the goodly vesture might see before they went,
If it for the warriors too short were or too long.
Much thanks they gave the women when found was nothing wrong.

LII

Whomever met the warriors, all could not but admire;
In all the world not any had seen such fair attire;
At Brunhild's court 'twould surely become the wearers well.
Of better knightly garments not a tongue could tell.

LIII

Much thank'd was each fair seamstress for her successful toil.
Meanwhile, on point of parting for a far and dangerous soil,
The warriors would of Kriemhild take leave in knightly wise,
Whereat moist clouds of sorrow bedimm'd her sunbright eyes.

LIV

Said she, "Why thus, dear brother, to foreign regions run?
Stay here and woo another; that were far better done,
Than on so dire a venture to set your fame and life.
You'll find among our neighbors a fairer, nobler wife."

Their hearts, I ween, foreboded what thence was to befall.
How spake they ever boldly, sore wept they one and all.
Their tears the gold o'ermoisten'd that on their breasts they wore;
So thick they from their eyelids stream'd down upon the floor.

LVI

"To you," said she, "Sir Siegfried, at least may I resign,
To your faith, to your honor, this brother dear of mine,
That no mischance beset him in Brunhild's fatal land."
Straight promis'd he the maiden, and clasp'd her clay-cold hand.

LVII

Then spake the loving champion, "Long as I have life,
Dismiss the cares, fair lady, that in your breast are rife.
I'll bring you back your brother safe and well a-pay'd;
Take that for sure and certain." Low bow'd the thankful maid.

LVIII

Their golden-color'd bucklers were borne down to the strand,
With all their costly vesture, and softly led in hand
Were their high-mettled chargers; they now would straight depart.
Then many an eye was weeping, and throbbing many a heart.

LIX

Fair maids stood at the windows as they hoisted sail;
The bark rock'd, and the canvas flapp'd with the fresh'ning gale.
So on the Rhine were seated the comrades frank and free;
Then said good King Gunther, "Who shall our steersman be?"

"I will," said noble Siegfried; "well all our course I know,
Well the tides and currents how they shift and flow.
Trust me, good knight, to pilot you and your company."
So from Worms and Rhineland they parted joyously.

LXI

With that straight seiz'd Sir Siegfried a pole that lay at hand,
And with strong effort straining 'gan push off from the strand;
Gunther himself as ready took in hand an oar;
So fell off the vessel and parted from the shore.

LXII

They had on board rich viands, thereto good store of wine,
The best that could be met with e'en on the banks of Rhine.
Their steeds in easy quarters stood tractable and still;
The level bark ran smoothly; nothing with them went ill.

LXIII

Their sail swell'd to the breezes, the ropes were stretch'd and tight;
Miles they ran full twenty ere the fall of night.
With a fair wind to seaward down dropp'd the gallant crew.
Their dames had cause long after their high emprise to rue.

LXIV

By the twelfth bright morning, as we have heard it told,
The winds the bark had wafted with the warriors bold
Towards Isenstein, a fortress in the martial maiden's land;
'Twas only known to Siegfried of all th' adventurous band.

LXV

Soon as saw King Gunther, wondering as well he might,
The far-stretch'd coast, and castles frowning from every height,
"Look! friend," said he, "Sir Siegfried, if thou know'st, declare,
Whose are all these fair castles, and all this land as fair.

LXVI

"In all my life, assure thee, the simple truth to tell,
I never met with castles plann'd and built so well,
Anywhere soever, as here before us stand.
He must needs be mighty who took such work in hand."

LXVII

Thereto made answer Siegfried: "Well what you ask I know.
Brunhild's are all these castles, this land, so fair a show,
And Isenstein this fortress; 'tis true what now I say.
Here will you meet, Sir Gunther, many a fair dame to-day.

LXVIII

"I'll give you counsel, heroes! e'en as it seems me good;
Keep in one tale together; be this well understood.
To-day we must, as fits us, at Brunhild's court be seen;
We must be wise and wary when we stand before the queen.

LXIX

"When we behold the fair one and all her train around,
Let but this single story in all your mouths be found.
That Gunther is my master, and I am but his man;
To give him all his longing you'll find no surer plan.

LXX

"'Tis not so much for thy sake, I own, such part I bear,
As for thy sister Kriemhild's, the fairest of the fair.
She to me is ever as my own soul and life.
Fain do I such low service to win her for my wife."

LXXI

With one accord they promis'd to do as he desir'd;
None through pride or envy to thwart his wish aspir'd.
So all took Siegfried's counsel, and sure it brought them good
Soon after, when King Gunther before Queen Brunhild stood.

SEVENTH ADVENTURE

HOW GUNTHER WON BRUNHILD

Meanwhile the bark had drifted unto the shore so high
Beneath the high-tower'd castle, that the king could spy
Many a maiden standing at every window there;
That all to him were strangers, was what he ill could bear.

Forthwith he ask'd of Siegfried, his valiant friend and true,
"Know you ought of these maidens, whom here we have in view
Down upon us looking, though not, methinks, in scorn?
Whoe'er their lord they're surely high-minded and high-born."

III

Him answer'd Siegfried smiling, "Now you may closely spy,
And tell me of these damsels which pleases best your eye,
And which, if you could win her, you for your own would hold."
"So will I," answer'd Gunther the hardy knight and bold.

"One see I at a window stand in a snow-white vest;
Around her all are lovely, but she's far loveliest.
Her have mine eyes selected; Sir Siegfried, on my life,
If I can only gain her, that maid shall be my wife."

"In all this world of beauty thine eyes have chosen well;
That maid's the noble Brunhild, at once so fair and fell,
She, who thy heart bewilders, she, who enchants thy sight."
Her every act and gesture to Gunther was delight.

Then bade the queen her maidens from the windows go;
Them it ill befitted to stand a sight and show
For the rude eyes of strangers; they bow'd to her behest,
But what next did the ladies, we since have heard confest.

VII

They rob'd them in their richest to meet the strangers' gaze;
Such, ever since were women, were ever women's ways.
Through every chink and loophole was levelled many an eye
At the unweeting champions, through love to peep and pry.

VIII

There were but four together who came into the land.
The far-renowned Siegfried led a horse in hand.
This Brunhild at a window mark'd with heedful eye.
As lord of such a liegeman was Gunther valued high.

Then humbly by the bridle he held the monarch's steed,
Huge of limb and puissant and of the purest breed,
Till in the royal saddle King Gunther proudly sat;
So serv'd him noble Siegfried, which he too soon forgat.

Then his own the warrior led from ship to shore;
He of a truth such service hath seldom done before,
As to stand at the stirrup, when another mounted steed.
Of all, close at the windows, the women took good heed.

To look upon these champions was sure a glorious sight;
Their horses and their garments were both of snowy white,
And both match'd well together; each bore a polished shield,
Which, still as it was shaken, flash'd around the field.

XII

So forward rode they lordly to Brunhild's gorgeous hall:
Rich stones beset their saddles, their pöitrals, light and small,
Had golden bells down-hanging that tinkled as they went.
On mov'd the proud companions led by their bold intent.

XIII

Their spears were newly sharpen'd as if to meet a foe;
Their swords of choicest temper down to the spur hung low;
Keen of edge was each one, and thereto broad of blade.
All this was mark'd by Brunhild, the chief-defying maid.

XIV

With them together Dankwart and Hagan came ashore
'Tis told us in old stories that these two warriors wore
Apparel of the richest, but raven-black of hue;
Ponderous were their bucklers, broad and bright and new.

Stones from the land of India display'd each gorgeous guest,
That ever gleam'd and glittered in the flutt'ring vest.
They left their bark unguarded beside the dashing wave,
And straight on to the fortress rode the champions brave.

XVI

Six and eighty turrets saw they there in all,
Three palaces wide-stretching, and the fairest hall
Of the purest marble (never was grass so green),
Where with her fair damsels sat the fairer queen.

XVII

Unlock'd was straight the castle, the gates flew open wide;
Up in haste to meet them Brunhild's liegemen hied,
And bade the strangers welcome to their lady's land,
And took his horse from each one and the shield from every hand.

XVIII

A chamberlain then bespoke them: "Be pleas'd to give us now
Your swords and glitt'ring breastplates." "That can we ne'er allow,"
Hagan of Trony answer'd, "our arms ourselves will bear."
The custom of the castle then Siegfried 'gan declare.

XIX

"'Tis the use of this castle, as I can well attest,
That never warlike weapons should there be borne by guest.
'Twere best to keep the custom; let th' arms aside be laid."
Hagan, Gunther's liegeman, unwillingly obey'd.

Wine to the guests they offer'd, and goodly welcome gave;
Then might you see apparel'd in princely raiment brave
Many a stately warrior, on to court that pass'd,
And many a glance of wonder upon the strangers cast.

XXI

Meanwhile to fair Queen Brunhild one came and made report,
That certain foreign warriors had come unto her court
In sumptuous apparel, wafted upon the flood.
Then thus began to question the maiden fair and good:

XXII

"Now tell me," said the princess, "and let the truth be shown,
Who are these haughty champions from foreign shores unknown,
Whom there I see so stately standing in rich array,
And on what hard adventure have they hither found their way?"

XXIII

One of her court then answer'd, "I can aver, fair queen,
Of this stout troop of warriors none have I ever seen,
Save one, who's much like Siegfried, if I may trust my eyes.
Him well receive and welcome; this is what I advise.

XXIV

"The next of the companions, he of the lofty mien,
If his power match his person, is some great king, I ween,
And rules with mighty sceptre broad and princely lands.
See, how among his comrades so lordly there he stands!

XXV

"The third of the companions--a low'ring brow has he,
And yet, fair queen, you rarely a manlier form may see.
Note but his fiery glances, how quick around they dart!
Firm is, I ween, his courage, and pitiless his heart.

XXVI

"The fourth knight is the youngest, he with the downy cheek,
So maidenly in manner, so modest and so meek.
How gentle all his bearing! how soft his lovely cheer!
Yet we all should rue it, should wrong be done him here.

XXVII

"How mild soe'er his manner, how fair soe'er his frame,
Cause would he give for weeping to many a high-born dame,
Were he once stirr'd to anger; sure he's a warrior grim,
Train'd in all knightly practice, bold of heart and strong of limb."

XXVIII

Then spake the royal Brunhild, "Bring me my vesture straight,
If far-renowned Siegfried aspire to be my mate,
And is hither come to woo me, on the cast is set his life;
I fear him not so deeply, as to yield me for his wife."

XXIX

Soon was the lovely Brunhild in her robes array'd.
With their lovely mistress went many a lovely maid,
Better than a hundred, and all were richly dight;
For the noble strangers, I trow, a goodly sight.

XXX

With them of Brunhild's warriors advanc'd a chosen band,
Better than five hundred, each bearing sword in hand,
The very flower of Issland; 'twas a fair yet fearful scene.
The strangers rose undaunted as near them came the queen.

XXXI

Soon as the noble Siegfried met the fair Brunhild's sight,
In her modest manner she thus bespoke the knight.
"You're welcome, good Sir Siegfried; now, if it please you, show
What cause has brought you hither; that I would gladly know."

XXXII

"A thousand thanks, Dame Brunhild," the warrior made reply,
"That thou hast deign'd to greet me before my better nigh,
Before this noble hero, to whom I must give place.
He is my lord and master; his rather be the grace.

XXXIII

"On the Rhine is his kingdom; what should I further say?
Through love of thee, fair lady, we've sail'd this weary way.
He is resolv'd to woo thee whatever thence betide;
So now betimes bethink thee; he'll ne'er renounce his bride.

XXXIV

"The monarch's name is Gunther, a rich and mighty king;
This will alone content him, thee to the Rhine to bring.
For thee above the billows with him I've hither run;
Had he not been my master, this would I ne'er have done."

XXXV

Said she, "If he's thy master, and thou, it seems, his man,
Let him my games encounter, and win me if he can.
If he in all be victor, his wedded wife am I.
If I in one surpass him, he and you all shall die."

XXXVI

Then spake the Knight of Trony, "Come, lady, let us see
The games that you propose us; ere you the conqueress be,
Of my good lord King Gunther, hard must you toil, I ween.
He trusts with full assurance to win so fair a queen."

XXXVII

"He must cast the stone beyond me, and after it must leap,
Then with me shoot the javelin; too quick a pace you keep;
Stop, and awhile consider, and reckon well the cost,"
The warrioress made answer, "ere life and fame be lost."

XXXVIII

Siegfried in a moment to the monarch went;
To the queen he bade him tell his whole intent.
"Never fear the future, cast all cares away;
My trains shall keep you harmless, do Brunhild what she may."

XXXIX

Then spake the royal Gunther, "Fair queen, all queens before,
Now say what you command us, and, were it yet e'en more,
For the sake of your beauty, be sure, I'd all abide.
My head I'll lose, and willing, if you be not my bride."

These words of good King Gunther when heard the royal dame,
She bade bring on the contest as her well became.
Straight call'd she for her harness, wherewith she fought in field,
And her golden breastplate, and her mighty shield.

XLI

Then a silken surcoat on the stern maiden drew,
Which in all her battles steel had cut never through,
Of stuff from furthest Lybia; fair on her limbs it lay;
With richest lace 'twas border'd, that cast a gleaming ray.

XLII

Meanwhile upon the strangers her threatening eyes were bent;
Hagan there stood with Dankwart in anxious discontent,
How it might fall their master in silence pondering still.
Thought they, "This fatal journey will bring us all to ill."

XLIII

The while, ere yet observer his absence could remark,
Sudden the nimble Siegfried stepp'd to the little bark,
Where from a secret corner his cloud-cloak forth he took.
And slipp'd into it deftly while none was there to look.

XLIV

Back in haste return'd he; there many a knight he saw,
Where for the sports Queen Brunhild was laying down the law.
So went he on in secret, and mov'd among the crowd,
Himself unseen, all-seeing, such power was in his shroud!

XLV

The ring was mark'd out ready for the deadly fray,
And many a chief selected as umpires of the day,
Seven hundred all in harness with order'd weapons fair,
To judge with truth the contest which they should note with care.

XLVI

There too was come fair Brunhild; arm'd might you see her stand,
As though resolv'd to champion all kings for all their land.
She bore on her silk surcoat gold spangles light and thin,
That quivering gave sweet glimpses of her fair snowy skin.

XLVII

Then came on her followers, and forward to the field
Of ruddy gold far-sparkling bore a mighty shield,
Thick, and broad, and weighty, with studs of steel o'erlaid,
The which was wont in battle to wield the martial maid.

XLVIII

As thong to that huge buckler a gorgeous band there lay;
Precious stones beset it as green as grass in May;
With varying hues it glitter'd against the glittering gold.
Who would woo its wielder must be boldest of the bold.

XLIX

Beneath its folds enormous three spans thick was the shield,
If all be true they tell us, that Brunhild bore in field.
Of steel and gold compacted all gorgeously it glow'd.
Four chamberlains, that bore it, stagger'd beneath the load.

Grimly smil'd Sir Hagan, Trony's champion strong,
And mutter'd as he mark'd it trail'd heavily along,
"How now, my lord King Gunther? who thinks to 'scape with life?
This love of yours and lady--'faith she's the devil's wife."

Hear yet more of the vesture worn by the haughty dame;
From Azagouc resplendent her silken surcoat came
Of all-surpassing richness, that from about her shone
The eye-bedimming lustre of many a precious stone.

LII

Then to the maid was carried heavily and slow
A strong well-sharpen'd jav'lin, which she ever us'd to throw,
Huge and of weight enormous, fit for so strong a queen,
Cutting deep and deadly with its edges keen.

LIII

To form the mighty spear-head a wondrous work was done;
Three weights of iron and better were welded into one;
The same three men of Brunhild's scarcely along could bring;
Whereat deeply ponder'd the stout Burgundian king.

LIV

To himself thus thought he, "What have I not to fear?
The devil himself could scarcely 'scape from such danger clear.
In sooth, if I were only in safety by the Rhine,
Long might remain this maiden free from all suit of mine."

So thinking luckless Gunther his love repented sore;
Forthwith to him only his weapons pages bore,
And now stood clad the monarch in arms of mighty cost.
Hagan through sheer vexation, his wits had nearly lost.

LVI

On this Hagan's brother undaunted Dankwart spake,
"Would we had ne'er sail'd hither for this fell maiden's sake!
Once we pass'd for warriors; sure we have cause to rue,
Ingloriously thus dying, and by a woman too;

LVII

"Full bitterly it irks me to have come into this land.
Had but my brother Hagan his weapons in his hand,
And I with mine were by him, proud Brunhild's chivalry,
For all their overweening, would hold their heads less high.

LVIII

"Ay, by my faith, no longer should their pride be borne;
Had I oaths a thousand to peace and friendship sworn,
Ere I'd see thus before me my dearest master die,
Fair as she is, this maiden a dreary corse should lie."

LIX

"Ay," said his brother Hagan, "we well could quit this land
As free as we came hither, were but our arms at hand.
Each with his breast in harness, his good sword by his side,
Sure we should lower a little this gentle lady's pride."

Well heard the noble maiden the warrior's words the while,
And looking o'er her shoulder said with a scornful smile,
"As he thinks himself so mighty, I'll not deny a guest;
Take they their arms and armor, and do as seems them best."

LXI

"Be they naked and defenceless, or sheath'd in armor sheen,
To me it nothing matters," said the haughty queen.
"Fear'd yet I never mortal, and, spite of yon stern brow
And all the strength of Gunther, I fear as little now."

LXII

Soon as their swords were giv'n them, and arm'd was either knight,
The cheek of dauntless Dankwart redden'd with delight.
"Now let them sport as likes them, nothing," said he, "care I;
Safe is noble Gunther with us in armor by."

LXIII

Then was the strength of Brunhild to each beholder shown.
Into the ring by th' effort of panting knights a stone
Was borne of weight enormous, massy and large and round.
It strain'd twelve brawny champions to heave it to the ground.

LXIV

This would she cast at all times when she had hurl'd the spear;
The sight of bold Burgundians fill'd with care and fear.
Quoth Hagan, "She's a darling to lie by Gunther's side.
Better the foul fiend take her to serve him as a bride."

LXV

Her sleeve back turn'd the maiden, and bar'd her arm of snow,
Her heavy shield she handled, and brandished to and fro
High o'er her head the jav'lin; thus began the strife.
Bold as they were, the strangers each trembled for his life;

LXVI

And had not then to help him come Siegfried to his side,
At once by that grim maiden had good King Gunther died.
Unseen up went he to him, unseen he touch'd his hand.
His trains bewilder'd Gunther was slow to understand.

LXVII

"Who was it just now touch'd me?" thought he and star'd around
To see who could be near him; not a soul he found.
Said th' other, "I am Siegfried, thy trusty friend and true;
Be not in fear a moment for all the queen can do."

LXVIII

Said he, "Off with the buckler and give it me to bear;
Now, what I shall advise thee, mark with thy closest care.
Be it thine to make the gestures, and mine the work to do."
Glad man was then King Gunther, when he his helpmate knew.

LXIX

"But all my trains keep secret; thus for us both 'twere best;
Else this o'erweening maiden, be sure, will never rest,
Till her grudge against thee to full effect she bring.
See where she stands to face thee so sternly in the ring!"

LXX

With all her strength the jav'lin the forceful maiden threw.
It came upon the buckler massy, broad and new,
That in his hand unshaken, the son of Sieglind bore.
Sparks from the steel came streaming, as if the breeze before.

LXXI

Right through the groaning buckler the spear tempestuous broke;
Fire from the mail-links sparkled beneath the thund'ring stroke.
Those two mighty champions stagger'd from side to side;
But for the wondrous cloud-cloak both on the spot had died.

LXXII

From the mouth of Siegfried burst the gushing blood;
Soon he again sprung forward; straight snatch'd the hero good
The spear that through his buckler she just had hurl'd amain,
And sent it at its mistress in thunder back again.

LXXIII

Thought he "'Twere sure a pity so fair a maid to slay;"
So he revers'd the jav'lin, and turn'd the point away;
Yet, with the butt-end foremost, so forceful was the throw,
That the sore-smitten damsel totter'd to and fro.

LXXIV

From her mail fire sparkled as driven before the blast;
With such huge strength the jav'lin by Sieglind's son was cast,
That 'gainst the furious impulse she could no longer stand.
A stroke so sturdy never could come from Gunther's hand.

LXXV

Up in a trice she started, and straight her silence broke,
"Noble knight, Sir Gunther, thank thee for the stroke."
She thought 'twas Gunther's manhood had laid her on the lea;
No! 'twas not he had fell'd her, but a mightier far than he.

LXXVI

Then turn'd aside the maiden; angry was her mood;
On high the stone she lifted rugged and round and rude,
And brandish'd it with fury, and far before her flung,
Then bounded quick behind it, that loud her armor rung.

LXXVII

Twelve fathoms' length or better the mighty mass was thrown,
But the maiden bounded further than the stone. To where the stone was
lying Siegfried fleetly flew;
Gunther did but lift it, th' Unseen it was, who threw.

LXXVIII

Bold, tall and strong was Siegfried, the first all knights among;
He threw the stone far further, behind it further sprung.
His wondrous arts had made him so more than mortal strong,
That with him as he bounded, he bore the king along.

LXXIX

The leap was seen of all men, there lay as plain the stone,
But seen was no one near it, save Gunther all alone.
Brunhild was red with anger, quick came her panting breath
Siegfried had rescued Gunther that day from certain death.

LXXX

Then all aloud fair Brunhild bespake her courtier band,
Seeing in the ring at distance unharm'd her wooer stand,
"Hither, my men and kinsmen: low to my better bow;
I am no more your mistress; you're Gunther's liegemen now."

LXXXI

Down cast the noble warriors their weapons hastily,
And lowly kneel'd to Gunther the King of Burgundy.
To him as to their sovran was kingly homage done,
Whose manhood, as they fancied, the mighty match had won.

LXXXII

He fair the chiefs saluted bending with gracious look;
Then by the hand the maiden her conquering suitor took,
And granted him to govern the land with sovran sway;
Whereat the warlike nobles were joyous all and gay.

LXXXIII

Forthwith the noble Gunther she begg'd with her to go
Into her royal palace; soon as 'twas ordered so,
To his knights her servants such friendly court 'gan make,
That Hagan e'en and Dankwart could it but kindly take.

LXXXIV

Wise was the nimble Siegfried; he left them there a space,
And slily took the cloud-cloak back to its hiding-place,
Return'd then in an instant, where sat the ladies fair,
And straight, his fraud to cover, bespoke King Gunther there.

LXXXV

"Why dally, gracious master? why not the games begin,
Which by the queen, to prove you, have here appointed been?
Come, let us see the contest, and mark each knightly stroke."
As though he had seen nothing, the crafty warrior spoke.

LXXXVI

"Why how can this have happened," said the o'ermaster'd queen,
"That, as it seems, Sir Siegfried, the games you have not seen,
Which 'gainst me good King Gunther has gain'd with wondrous might?"
The word then up took Hagan, the stern Burgundian knight;

LXXXVII

"Our minds indeed you troubled, our hopes o'er-clouded dark;
Meanwhile the good Knight Siegfried was busy at the bark,
While the Lord of Rhineland the game against you won;
Thus," said King Gunther's liegeman, "he knows not what was done."

LXXXVIII

"Well pleas'd am I," said Siegfried, "that one so proud and bold
At length has found a master in one of mortal mold,
And has been taught submission by this good lord of mine.
Now must you, noble maiden, hence follow us to the Rhine."

LXXXIX

Thereto replied the damsel, "It cannot yet be so;
First must my men and kinsmen th' intended journey know;
To bring my friends together, besides, 't were surely fit.
T' were wrong, methinks, so lightly my lands and all to quit."

So messengers in hurry through all the country went;
To liegemen, and to kinsmen, and all her friends she sent.
To Isenstein she begg'd them to come without delay.
And bade give all in plenty rich gifts and garments gay.

XCI

Daily to Brunhild's castle early they rode and late,
In troops from all sides flocking, and all in martial state.
"Ay! ay!" said frowning Hagan, "ill have we done, I fear;
Surely 't will be our ruin to wait this gathering here.

XCII

"Let her strength be only here together brought
(And of the queen's intentions we little know or naught),
If so her passion wills it, we're lost at once, I trow.
In sooth this dainty damsel was born to work us woe."

XCIII

Then spoke the valiant Siegfried, "I'll undertake for all;
Trust me, what now you look for, that shall ne'er befall.
Safe and sound to keep you, I'll hither bring a crew
Of fierce, selected champions, of whom ye never knew.

XCIV

"Inquire not of my journey; I hence must instant fare;
The little while I'm absent God have you in his care.
Again here will I quickly with a thousand men be found,
The bravest and the boldest that ever moved on ground,"

XCV

"Be sure then not to linger," the anxious Gunther said,
"For we meanwhile shall ever be longing for your aid."
"In a few days you'll see me at hand for your defence,
And tell," said he, "fair Brunhild, that you have sent me hence."

EIGHTH ADVENTURE

HOW SIEGFRIED CAME TO THE NIBELUNGERS.

Thence in his cloud-cloak Siegfried descended to the strand;
There he found a shallop, that close lay to the land;
Unseen the bark he boarded, that from the harbor pass'd
Moved by the son of Siegmund, as though before the blast.

The steersman could see no man; yet the vessel flew
Beneath the strokes of Siegfried the yielding water through.
'T was a tempest thought they, that drove it furious on.
No! 't was the strength of Siegfried, fair Sieglind's peerless son.

III

All that day they were running, and all the night the same,
Then to a famous country of mighty power they came,
Days' journey full a hundred stretching far away,
The Nibelungers' country, where his hard-won treasure lay.

Alone the champion landed in a meadow wide;
Straight to the shore securely the little bark he tied,
And then went to a castle seated upon a hill,
To ask for food and shelter as weary travellers will.

All found he barr'd and bolted as near the walls he drew;
Men both life and honor kept then as now they do.
The stranger all impatient began a thundering din
At the well fasten'd portal. There found he close within

A huge earth-shaking giant, the castle set to guard,
Who with his weapons by him kept ever watch and ward.
"Who beats the gate so stoutly?" the yawning monster ask'd;
His voice, as he gave answer, the crafty hero mask'd,

VII

And said, "I am a warrior; open me the gate;
I'm wroth with lazy losels who make their betters wait,
While they on down are snoring as if they'd never wake."
It irk'd the burly porter that thus the stranger spake.

VIII

Now had the fearless giant all his weapons donn'd,
Bound on his head his helmet, and in his monstrous hond
A shield unmeasur'd taken; open the gate he threw,
And his teeth grimly gnashing at Siegfried fiercely flew.

"How could he dare to call up men of mettle so?"
With that he let fly at him many a wind-swift blow,
That the noble stranger put back with wary fence.
At last upheav'd the giant an iron bar immense,

And his firm shield-band shatter'd; scarce could the warrior stand,
He fear'd, though for a moment, grim death was close at hand,
With his enormous weapon the porter smote so sore,
Yet for his dauntless bearing he lov'd him all the more.

With the mighty conflict the castle rung around;
To th' hall of the Nibelungers reach'd the stunning sound.
At length the vanquish'd porter he bound with conquering hand.
Far and wide flew the tidings through the Nibelungers' land.

XII

While in the dubious combat they both were struggling still,
Albric the wild dwarf heard it far through the hollow hill.
Straight he donn'd his armor, and thither running found
The noble guest victorious, and the panting giant bound.

XIII

A stout dwarf was Albric, and bold as well as stout;
With helm and mail securely he was arm'd throughout;
A golden scourge full heavy in his hand he swung.
Straight ran he to the rescue, and fierce on Siegfried sprung.

XIV

Seven ponderous knobs from th' handle hung, each one by its thong;
With these the dwarf kept pounding so sturdy and so strong,
That he split the shield of Siegfried to the centre from the rim,
And put the dauntless champion in care for life or limb.

Away he threw his buckler broken all and smash'd;
His long well-temper'd weapon into its sheath he dash'd,
To spare his own dependents his virtue mov'd him still,
And to his heart sore went it his chamberlain to kill.

XVI

With mighty hands undaunted in on the dwarf he ran;
By the beard he caught him, that age-hoary man,
He dragg'd him, and he shook him, his rage on him he wreak'd,
And handled him so roughly, that loud for pain he shriek'd.

XVII

Loud cries the dwarf o'ermaster'd, "Spare me and leave me free,
And could I ever servant save to one hero be,
To whom I've sworn allegiance as long as I have breath,"
Said the crafty Albric, "you would I serve to death."

XVIII

Then bound was writhing Albric as the giant just before;
The nervous grasp of Siegfried pinch'd him and pain'd him sore.
Then thus the dwarf address'd him; "Be pleas'd your name to tell."
Said he, "My name is Siegfried; I thought you knew me well."

XIX

"Well's me for these good tidings," Albric the dwarf replied.
"Now know I all your merit, which I by proof have tried.
High rule o'er all this country well you deserve to bear;
I'll do whate'er you bid me; the vanquish'd only spare."

Then said the noble Siegfried: "You must hence with speed,
And bring me, of the warriors that best we have at need,
A thousand Nibelungers; them I here must view;
No evil shall befall you, if this you truly do."

XXI

The dwarf and eke the giant the champion straight unbound;
Then ran at once swift Albric where he the warriors found.
The slumbering Nibelungers he wak'd with eager care,
Saying, "Up, up, ye heroes! ye must to Siegfried fare."

XXII

Up from their beds they started, and instant ready made,
Nimble knights a thousand richly all array'd.
So flock'd they quick, where waiting they saw Sir Siegfried stand;
Then was there goodly greeting with word of mouth and clasp of hand.

XXIII

Straight lit was many a taper; then the spiced draught he drank;
His friends, who came so quickly, he did not spare to thank.
He said, "You hence must instant far o'er the wave with me."
He found them for th' adventure as ready as could be.

XXIV

Full thirty hundred warriors were come at his request;
From these he chose a thousand the bravest and the best.
Helmets and other armor were brought for all the band,
For he resolv'd to lead them e'en to Queen Brunhild's land.

XXV

He said, "Good knights adventurous, to my words give heed.
At the proud court of Brunhild our richest robes will need.
There many a lovely lady will look on every guest,
So we must all array us in our choicest and our best."

XXVI

"How?" said a beardless novice, "that sure can never be.
How can be lodg'd together so many knights as we?
Where could they find them victual? where could they find them vests?
Never could thirty kingdoms keep such a crowd of guests."

XXVII

You've heard of Siegfried's riches; well could he all afford
With a kingdom to supply him, and Niblung's endless hoard.
Rich gifts were in profusion to all his knights assign'd.
Much as he drain'd the treasure, as much remain'd behind.

XXVIII

Early upon a morning in haste they parted thence.
What prowest warriors Siegfried brought to his friend's defence!
Their armor darted radiance, their horses toss'd the foam.
Well equipp'd and knightly came they to Brunhild's home.

XXIX

At the windows standing look'd out the maidens gay.
Then cried their royal mistress, "Can any of you say,
What strangers there far-floating over the billows go?
Their canvas they are spreading whiter far than snow."

XXX

Then spake the king of Rhineland, "They're men of mine, fair dame,
Whom I left not distant, when late I hither came;
Since, I have bid them join me, and now you see them here."
The noble guests receiv'd them with good and friendly cheer.

XXXI

Then might they see bold Siegfried, array'd in robes of pride,
Aboard a bark high standing, and many a chief beside.
Then said the queen to Gunther, "Sir king, what now shall I?
Greet the guests advancing, or that grace deny?"

XXXII

Said he, "To meet them, lady, forth from your palace go,
That, if you're glad to see them, the same they well may know."
Then did the queen, as Gunther had said him seem'd the best,
And Siegfried in her greeting distinguish'd from the rest.

XXXIII

They found them fitting quarters, and took their arms in charge;
The guests were now so many, that they were ill at large,
Such troops of friends and strangers flock'd in on every side.
So the bold Burgundians now would homeward ride.

XXXIV

Then said the fair Queen Brunhild, "Him for my friend I'd hold,
Who'd help me to distribute my silver and my gold
Among my guests and Gunther's; no little store have I."
Bold Giselher's bold liegeman Dankwart straight made reply:

XXXV

"Right noble queen and gracious, trust but your keys with me;
Your wealth I'll so distribute, all shall contented be,
And as to blame or damage, let that be mine alone."
That he was free and liberal, that made he clearly shown.

XXXVI

Soon as Hagan's brother had the keys in hand,
Gold began and silver to run away like sand.
If one a mark requested, gifts had he shower'd so rife,
That home might go the poorest merry and rich for life.

XXXVII

By th' hundred pounds together he gave uncounted out.
Crowds in gorgeous vesture were stalking all about,
Who ne'er had worn such splendor, and scarce so much as seen.
They told the tale to Brunhild; it fretted sore the queen.

XXXVIII

Straight she spoke to Gunther, "Sir king, I've cause to grieve.
Your treasurer, I fear me, scarce a rag will leave
Of all my choice apparel, my last gold piece he'll spend.
Would somebody would stop it! I'd ever be his friend.

XXXIX

"He wastes so, he must fancy in his wayward will
I've sent for death to fetch me, but wealth I can use still,
And what my father left me can waste myself, I ween."
Treasurer so free-handed never yet had queen.

Then spake the knight of Trony, "Lady, you must be told,
The king of Rhine has plenty of raiment and of gold,
And can of both so lavish, that we may well dispense
With all fair Brunhild's vesture, nor need bring any hence."

XLI

"Nay, for my love," said Brunhild, "with gold and silken vests
Let me from all my treasure fill twenty travelling chests,
That when we come together in Burgundy to live,
This hand may still have something royally to give."

XLII

Forthwith her chests were loaded with many a precious stone.
She o'er the work appointed a treasurer of her own.
She would not trust to Dankwart, Giselher's thriftless man.
Gunther thereat and Hagan both to laugh began.

XLIII

Then spake the martial maiden, "Whom shall I leave my lands?
This first must here be settled by our united hands."
The noble monarch answer'd, "Who most is in your grace,
Him will we leave behind us to govern in our place."

XLIV

One of her near relations was standing by the maid;
He was her mother's brother; to him she turn'd and said,
"Take to your charge my castles, and with them all my land,
Till I or else King Gunther give otherwise command."

XLV

She chose a thousand heroes from all her chivalry
To the Rhine's distand borders to bear her company,
With the thousand champions from the Nibelungers' land.
They bown'd them for their journey, and hastened to the strand.

XLVI

Six-and-eighty women, a hundred maidens too
She took with her from Issland; fair were they all to view.
They now no longer tarried; they ready were to go.
From those they left behind them what tears began to flow!

XLVII

In manner as became her she left her native ground;
She kiss'd her nearest kindred who weeping stood around.
So with fair dismissal they came down to the shore.
To her father's country the maid return'd no more.

XLVIII

With sound of all sweet music they floated on their way;
From morn to eve was nothing but change of sport and play;
The soft sea-breeze they wish'd for was fluttering in their sail;
Yet for that voyage how many were yet to weep and wail!

XLIX

But still her lord deferring with maidenly delay
Brunhild reserv'd one pleasure to the fair wedding-day,
When home to Worms together the king and queenly dame,
Full flown with mirth and rapture, with all their heroes came.

NINTH ADVENTURE

HOW SIEGFRIED WAS SENT TO WORMS

Nine days had now the travellers been faring on their way,
When spake the knight of Trony, "Give ear to what I say.
We're slow to send the tidings of our adventure home;
Your messengers already should to Burgundy have come."

To him replied King Gunther, "What you have said, is true,
And none should be so ready this very task to do,
As e'en yourself, friend Hagan; so ride unto my land;
None, I am sure, can better proclaim that we're at hand."

III

Thereto gave answer Hagan, "Such duty suits not me;
Let me tend the chambers, and linger still at sea;
Or I'll stay with the women, and their wardrobe keep,
Till to the Rhine we bring them safe from the blustering deep.

"From Siegfried ask a journey of such a weary length,
For he can well perform it with his surpassing strength,
And, should he e'en refuse it, him to consent you'll move,
If you but beseech him for your sister's love."

Straight sent he for the warrior; he came as soon as found;
Said Gunther, "Now we're coming home to my native ground,
Fain would I give quick notice by some sure friend of mine
To my sister and my mother that we approach the Rhine.

"This I entreat you, Siegfried; now do what I desire,
And I'll in full requite you, whatever you require."
But ne'er consented Siegfried, the never-conquer'd man,
Till in another fashion the king to ask began.

VII

Said he, "Nay, gentle Siegfried, do but this journey take,
Not for my sake only, but for my sister's sake.
You'll oblige fair Kriemhild in this as well as me."
When so implor'd was Siegfried, ready at once was he.

VIII

"Whate'er you will, command me; let naught be left unsaid;
I will gladly do it for the lovely maid.
How can I refuse her who my heart has won?
For her, whate'er your pleasure, tell it, and it is done."

"Tell then my mother Uta, the rich and mighty queen,
We in our dangerous journey right fortunate have been.
Inform my loving brothers, we have succeeded well;
And to my court and kindred the same glad tidings tell.

"From my gentle sister nothing conceal'd must be;
Bear her the kindest greeting from Brunhild and from me.
Proclaim to every liegeman and every anxious friend,
That my heart's lingering longing I've brought to happy end.

"And tell my loving nephew, the knight of Metz, Ortwine,
That seats he bid in order be rais'd along the Rhine.
And do my other kinsmen to wit, both most and least,
That I will hold with Brunhild a gorgeous marriage-feast.

XII

"Fail not to tell my sister, that soon as she shall hear
That I, returning homeward, with all my guests are near,
She well receive so kindly the lady of my heart,
And love and service ever shall be her's on Gunther's part."

XIII

Leave then took Sir Siegfried of Gunther's haughty dame,
And of her fair attendants, as him well became,
And for the Rhine departed; never could there be
In all this world a better messenger than he.

XIV

With four-and-twenty warriors to Worms he hotly sped;
King Gunther came not with him, when this abroad was spread,
The hearts of all his servants were wrung with mortal pain;
They fear'd, the might of Brunhild their noble king had slain.

Down sprang all from their horses; their thoughts were proud and high;
Straight the good young King Giselher ran to them hastily,
And Gernot his bold brother, soon spoke he, having eyed
The troop, and miss'd King Gunther from noble Siegfried's side,

XVI

"Welcome to Worms, Sir Siegfried; tell us what news you bring,
What have you done with Gunther, our brother and our king?
I fear me, we have lost him, fierce Brunhild was too strong;
So has his lofty passion brought us but loss and wrong."

XVII

"Away with fear and sorrow! to you and all his kin
My comrade sends his greeting; a conqu'ror he has been,
And safe and sound I left him; from him despatch'd I come
To bring the gladsome tidings to all his friends at home.

XVIII

"You also must contrive it, for your's the task should be,
How I may straight your mother and your fair sister see,
To carry them the message that I receiv'd so late
From Gunther and from Brunhild; both are in best estate."

XIX

Young Giselher then answer'd; "Go straight to them and tell
The tale you're charg'd to carry; 'twill please my sister well.
Fear for the fate of Gunther is heavy on her breast.
I'll vouch, that with the maiden you'll prove a welcome guest."

Then spake the noble Siegfried, "Whatever I can do
To serve her, she shall find me a willing friend and true.
Who now will tell the ladies, that I an audience crave?"
Giselher took the message, the high-born youth and brave.

XXI

To the lovely maiden and the stately dame
Spoke the youthful warrior, when to their sight he came,
"Siegfried is come with tidings for our hearing meant;
Him my brother Gunther hither to the Rhine has sent.

XXII

"By him he's charged to tell us, how stands it with the king;
Permit him then his message hither to court to bring;
Whate'er befell in Issland from him you'll truly know."
E'en thus the noble ladies still harbor'd fear and woe.

XXIII

Up for their robes they started, and each herself array'd,
Then bade Sir Siegfried enter; he willingly obey'd,
For much he long'd to see them; then, ere the warrior spoke,
Silence the blushing Kriemhild with friendly accents broke.

XXIV

"Welcome, Sir Siegfried, hither, boldest of the bold!
Where is my brother Gunther? straight be your tidings told.
I fear me, we have lost him, and here are left forlorn.
Woe's me unhappy maiden, that ever I was born!"

XXV

Then spake the warrior, "Give me the guerdon of good news;
You weep for sake of weeping; so you fair ladies use.
I left him safe and hearty; of this assure you well.
He to you both has sent me the joyful tale to tell.

XXVI

"To you, as best beseems him, with gracious kind intent
He and his bride their service, right noble queen, have sent.
And soon will both come hither, so dry your idle tears."
For many a day such gladness had never bless'd her ears.

XXVII

Straight with her snow-white apron she wip'd her tears away,
And dried her eyes from weeping; then, once more fresh and gay
Began to thank the envoy for his happy tale,
That ended her deep sorrow and heart-consuming wail.

XXVIII

She bade the knight be seated; nothing loth was he;
Then spake the lovely maiden; "'Twere no small joy for me,
Could I with gold reward you for what you just have said;
But you're for that too wealthy; take my good will instead."

XXIX

"Were I," replied the champion, "the lord of thirty lands
Still would I take with pleasure a gift from your fair hands."
Straight said the modest damsel, "Then you shall be content."
So for the costly guerdon her treasurer she sent.

XXX

Four and twenty bracelets she gave him for his fee,
Each set with stones full precious; yet so proud was he,
That he would not keep them, but gave the jewels rare
To her lovely maidens, whom he found in waiting there.

XXXI

And then her mother greeted the noble warrior well.
"To both of you," replied he, "I yet have more to tell,
Whereof the king entreats you, and, if you but attend
To what he asks so dearly, he'll ever be your friend.

XXXII

"His noble guests, he begs you, and his beauteous bride
Receive with kindly welcome, and forth to meet them ride
On the strand before the city. To you has sent the king
This true and gracious message, which I as truly bring."

XXXIII

"I'm ready at his bidding," the lovely maid replied,
"Whatever I can to serve him shall never be denied,
So heartily and truly his pleasure will I do."
Then her love-kindled blushes glow'd a deeper hue.

XXXIV

Never prince's envoy a heartier welcome won;
Had she dar'd to kiss him, fain would she so have done.
In loving wise he parted from th' unwilling maid.
Forthwith the bold Burgundians did as the warrior bade.

XXXV

Sindolt and Hunoldt and Rumolt the good knight
Early and late were stirring as briskly as they might;
They rais'd the seats in order, such duty well they knew;
From side to side unwearied the royal servant flew.

XXXVI

Ortwine of Metz and Gary, King Gunther's liegemen bold,
The marriage feast, that forthwith their master was to hold,
Proclaim'd to friends and neighbors; against the festal day
Every noble maiden prepar'd her best array.

XXXVII

Adorn'd was all the palace, and richly every wall
Bedeck'd to grace the strangers; King Gunther's spacious hall
By the skill was furbish'd of many a foreign man;
With merriment and pastime the royal feast began.

XXXVIII

By every road advancing with ceaseless press and din
Flock'd all to Worms together the royal brethren's kin,
Summon'd by hasty message to meet th' expected guests.
Then from the folded wrappers were ta'en the well-stor'd vests.

XXXIX

Sudden spread the tidings, that now one might espy
Brunhild's friends advancing; straight rose a press and cry
'Mong the Burgundian thousands, that waiting stood around.
Ah! what men of valor on either side were found!

Then spake the lovely Kriemhild, "My maidens fair and free,
Who at this reception must bear your part with me,
Let each her choice apparel search out from secret chest;
The matrons too I'd counsel to prank them in their best."

XLI

Then forward came the warriors, and straight th' attendants told
To bring forth sumptuous saddles o'erlaid with ruddy gold,
Whereon might ride the ladies from Worms unto the Rhine.
Never was better horse-gear beheld, nor work so fine.

XLII

What store of gold resplendent about the palfreys shone!
From their gorgeous bridles gleam'd many a precious stone.
Richly gilt side-saddles with trappings of bright hue
Were brought forth for the ladies, who gladden'd at the view.

XLIII

Caparison'd all richly with silken housings rare
Was led a gentle palfrey for every lady there.
Each steed a silken pöitral (the silk was of the best
That e'er was spun or fashion'd) had hanging at his breast.

XLIV

Six and eighty ladies, each a married dame,
With hairy bounds in fillets to lovely Kriemhild came,
Each radiant in her beauty, each in rich garb array'd;
Thither too in full adornment came many a blooming maid.

XLV

Fifty and four, the fairest and of the best report
Of all, whose beauty honor'd the proud Burgundian court,
Went forth with glittering laces above their flaxen hair.
What Gunther had requested, all did with all their care.

XLVI

The best stuffs and the richest, that e'er were found, they bore
To meet the stranger heroes; every robe they wore
With care and skill was chosen to suit their lovely hue.
He were a fool, who'd murmur at one of that fair crew.

XLVII

Of sable and of ermine many a robe was there,
And many a sparkling bracelet o'er silken raiment fair
The wrists and arms encircled of many a lady gay.
The care, the taste, the splendor none might at full display.

XLVIII

Many a glittering girdle, that rich and long down hung,
By many a snowy finger o'er gorgeous weed was flung
To bind the far-brought garment of stuff from Araby.
Each noble damsel's bosom swell'd high and joyfully.

XLIX

In the tighten'd bodice many a smiling maid
Had laced herself full deftly; each were ill appaid
Did not her bright complexion outshine her vesture sheen.
A train so fair and graceful now has ne'er a queen.

Soon as the lovely ladies for the joyful day
Had donn'd their rich apparel, forthwith, in meet array,
Of bold high-mettled warriors a mighty force drew near,
With many a shield bright-beaming and many an ashen spear.

TENTH ADVENTURE

HOW BRUNHILD WAS RECEIVED AT WORMS

Beyond the Rhine King Gunther, with many a well-arm'd rank
And all his guests about him, rode toward the river's bank;
You might see by the bridle led forward many a maid.
Those, who were to receive them, were ready all array'd.

Soon as the men of Issland came to the shallops down,
And eke the Nibelungers, lieges of Siegfried's crown,
To th' other shore they hasten'd (busy was ever hand)
Where them the friends of Gunther awaited on the strand.

III

Now hear, by wealthy Uta what a device was wrought.
Down with her from the castle a virgin train she brought,
That rode where she was riding in that procession bright;
So many a maid acquainted became with many a knight.

Kriemhild by the bridle the Margrave Gary led.
But only from the castle; then forward Siegfried sped,
And did that gentle service; fair was the blushing maid;
Full well for that thereafter the warrior she repaid.

Ortwine, the fearless champion, rode by Dame Uta's rein;
Knights and maids together followed, a social train.
At such a stately meeting, all must confess, I ween,
So many lovely ladies were ne'er together seen.

Full many a famous champion careering you might spy
(Ill there were sloth and idless) beneath fair Kriemhild's eye
E'en to the place of landing; by knights of fair renown
There many a high-born lady from steed was lifted down.

VII

The king was now come over, and many a worthy guest.
Ah! before the ladies what spears were laid in rest!
How many went in shivers at every hurtling close!
Buckler clashed with buckler; ah! what a din arose!

VIII

Now might you see the ladies fast by the haven stand.
With his guests King Gunther debark'd upon the strand,
In his hand soft leading the martial maiden fair.
Then each on each flash'd radiance, rich robes and jewels rare.

With that the smiling Kriemhild forth stepp'd a little space,
And Brunhild and her meiny greeted with gentle grace.
Each with snowy fingers back her headband drew,
And either kiss'd the other lovingly and true.

Then spoke in courteous manner Kriemhild the fair and free,
"In this our land, dear Brunhild, ever welcome be
To me and to my mother and all by us allow'd
For faithful friends and liegemen," Then each to th' other bow'd.

Next to greet Dame Brunhild approach'd Dame Uta too;
Oft she and oft her daughter their arms around her threw,
And on her sweet mouth lavish

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