Books: The Nibelungenlied

T >> trans. by George Henry Needler >> The Nibelungenlied

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976

Doffed they their apparel / and aside they laid it then:
Clothed in white shirts only / saw you there the twain.
Like unto two wild panthers / they coursed across the green:
Yet first beside the fountain / was the valiant Siegfried seen.

977

No man in feats of valor / who with him had vied.
The sword he soon ungirded / and quiver laid aside,
The mighty spear he leaned / against the linden-tree:
Beside the running fountain / stood the knight stately to see.

978

To Siegfried naught was lacking / that doth good knight adorn.
Down the shield then laid he / where did flow the burn,
Yet howsoe'er he thirsted / no whit the hero drank
Before had drunk the monarch: / therefor he earned but evil thank.

979

There where ran clear the water / and cool from out the spring,
Down to it did bend him / Gunther the king.
And when his thirst was quenched / rose he from thence again:
Eke the valiant Siegfried, / how glad had he done likewise then.

980

For his courtesy he suffered. / Where bow and sword there lay,
Both did carry Hagen / from him thence away,
And again sprang quickly thither / where the spear did stand:
And for a cross the tunic / of the valiant knight he scanned.

981

As there the noble Siegfried / to drink o'er fountain bent,
Through the cross he pierced him, / that from the wound was sent
The blood nigh to bespatter / the tunic Hagen wore.
By hand of knight such evil / deed shall wrought be nevermore.

982

The spear he left projecting / where it had pierced the heart.
In terror as that moment / did Hagen never start
In flight from any warrior / he ever yet had found.
Soon as the noble Siegfried / within him felt the mighty wound,

983

Raging the knight full doughty / up from the fountain sprang,
The while from 'twixt his shoulders / stood out a spearshaft long.
The prince weened to find there / his bow or his sword:
Then in sooth had Hagen / found the traitor's meet reward.

984

When from the sorely wounded / knight his sword was gone,
Then had he naught to 'venge him / but his shield alone.
This snatched he from the fountain / and Hagen rushed upon,
And not at all escape him / could the royal Gunther's man.

985

Though he nigh to death was wounded / he yet such might did wield
That out in all directions / flew from off the shield
Precious stones a many: / the shield he clave in twain.
Thus vengeance fain had taken / upon his foe the stately thane.

986

Beneath his hand must Hagen / stagger and fall to ground.
So swift the blow he dealt him, / the meadow did resound.
Had sword in hand been swinging, / Hagen had had his meed,
So sorely raged he stricken: / to rage in sooth was mickle need.

987

Faded from cheek was color, / no longer could he stand,
And all his might of body / soon complete had waned,
As did a deathly pallor / over his visage creep.
Full many a fairest lady / for the knight anon must weep.

988

So sank amid the flowers / Kriemhild's noble knight,
While from his wound flowed thickly / the blood before the sight.
Then gan he reviling / --for dire was his need--
Who had thus encompassed / his death by this same faithless deed.

989

Then spake the sorely wounded: / "O ye base cowards twain,
Doth then my service merit / that me ye thus have slain?
To you I e'er was faithful / and so am I repaid.
Alas, upon your kindred / now have ye shame eternal laid.

990

"By this deed dishonored / hereafter evermore
Are their generations. / Your anger all too sore
Have ye now thus vented / and vengeance ta'en on me.
With shame henceforth be parted / from all good knights' company."

991

All the hunters hastened / where he stricken lay,
It was in sooth for many / of them a joyless day.
Had any aught of honor, / he mourned that day, I ween,
And well the same did merit / the knight high-spirited and keen.

992

As there the king of Burgundy / mourned that he should die,
Spake the knight sore wounded: / "To weep o'er injury,
Who hath wrought the evil / hath smallest need, I trow.
Reviling doth he merit, / and weeping may he well forego."

993

Thereto quoth grim Hagen: / "Ye mourn, I know not why:
This same day hath ended / all our anxiety.
Few shall we find henceforward / for fear will give us need,
And well is me that from his / mastery we thus are freed."

994

"Light thing is now thy vaunting," / did Siegfried then reply.
"Had I e'er bethought me / of this thy infamy
Well had I preserved / 'gainst all thy hate my life.
Me rueth naught so sorely / as Lady Kriemhild my wife.

995

"Now may God have mercy / that to me a son was born,
That him alack!, the people / in times to come shall spurn,
That those he nameth kinsmen / have done the murderer's deed.
An had I breath," spake Siegfried, / "to mourn o'er this I well had
need."

996

Then spake, in anguish praying, / the hero doomed to die:
"An wilt thou, king, to any / yet not good faith deny,
In all the world to any, / to thee commended be
And to thy loving mercy / the spouse erstwhile was wed to me.

997

"Let it be her good fortune / that she thy sister is:
By all the princely virtues, / I beg thee pledge me this.
For me long time my father / and men henceforth must wait:
Upon a spouse was never / wrought, as mine, a wrong so great."

998

All around the flowers / were wetted with the blood
As there with death he struggled. / Yet not for long he could,
Because the deadly weapon / had cut him all too sore:
And soon the keen and noble / knight was doomed to speak no more.

999

When the lords perceived / how that the knight was dead,
Upon a shield they laid him / that was of gold full red,
And counsel took together / how of the thing should naught
Be known, but held in secret / that Hagen the deed had wrought.

1000

Then spake of them a many: / "This is an evil day.
Now shall ye all conceal it / and all alike shall say,
When as Kriemhild's husband / the dark forest through
Rode alone a-hunting, / him the hand of robber slew."

1001

Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "Myself will bring him home.
In sooth I reck but little / if to her ears it come,
Who my Lady Brunhild / herself hath grieved so sore.
It maketh me small worry, / an if she weep for evermore."

SEVENTEENTH ADVENTURE

How Kriemhild mourned for Siegfried, and How he was Buried

1002

There till the night they tarried / and o'er the Rhine they went.
By knights in chase might never / more evil day be spent;
For the game that there they hunted / wept many a noble maid.
In sooth by many a valiant / warrior must it since be paid.

1003

Of humor fierce and wanton / list now and ye shall hear,
And eke of direst vengeance. / Hagen bade to bear
Siegfried thus lifeless, / of the Nibelung country,
Unto a castle dwelling / where Lady Kriemhild found might be.

1004

He bade in secret manner / to lay him there before
Where she should surely find him / when she from out the door
Should pass to matins early, / ere that had come the day.
In sooth did Lady Kriemhild / full seldom fail the hour to pray.

1005

When, as was wont, in minster / the bell to worship bade,
Kriemhild, fair lady, wakened / from slumber many a maid:
A light she bade them bring her / and eke her dress to wear.
Then hither came a chamberlain / who Siegfried's corse found waiting
there.

1006

He saw him red and bloody, / all wet his clothing too.
That it was his master, / in sooth no whit he knew.
On unto the chamber / the light in hand he bore,
Whereby the Lady Kriemhild / did learn what brought her grief full sore.

1007

When she with train of ladies / would to the minster go,
Then spake the chamberlain: / "Pause, I pray thee now:
Here before thy dwelling / a noble knight lies slain."
Thereat gan Lady Kriemhild / in grief unmeasured sore to plain.

1008

Ere yet that 'twas her husband / she did rightly find,
Had she Hagen's question / begun to call to mind,
How might he protect him: / then first did break her heart,
For all her joy in living / did with his death from her depart.

1009

Unto the earth then sank she / ere she a word did say,
And reft of all her pleasure / there the fair lady lay.
Soon had Kriemhild's sorrow / all measure passed beyond:
She shrieked, when past the swooning, / that did the chamber all resound.

1010

Then spake her attendants: / "What if't a stranger were?"
From out her mouth the heart-blood / did spring from anguish sore.
Then spake she: "It is Siegfried / my husband, other none:
This thing hath counselled Brunhild, / and Hagen's hand the deed hath
done."

1011

The lady bade them lead her / where did lie the knight,
And his fair head she raised / with her hand full white.
Red though it was and bloody / she knew him yet straightway,
As all forlorn the hero / of Nibelungenland there lay.

1012

Then cried the queen in anguish, / whose hand such wealth might wield:
"O woe is me for sorrow! / Yet is not thy shield
With blow of sword now battered, / but murdered dost thou lie.
And knew I who hath done it, / by my counsel should he die."

1013

All of her attendants / did weep and wail enow
With their beloved mistress, / for filled they were with woe
For their noble master / whom they should see no more.
For anger of Queen Brunhild / had Hagen wrought revenge full sore.

1014

Then spake Kriemhild sorrowing: / "Hence now the message take,
And all the men of Siegfried / shall ye straightway awake.
Unto Siegmund likewise / tell ye my sorrow deep,
If that he will help me / for the doughty Siegfried weep."

1015

Then ran straightway a messenger / and soon he found at hand,
Siegfried's valiant warriors / of Nibelungenland.
Of joy he all bereft him / with tale that he did bear,
Nor would they aught believe it / till sound of weeping met their ear.

1016

The messenger came eke quickly / where the king did lie,
Yet closed was not in sleeping / the monarch Siegmund's eye:
I ween his heart did tell him / the thing that there had been,
And that his dear son living / might nevermore by him be seen.

1017

"Awake, awake, Lord Siegmund. / Hither hath sent for thee
Kriemhild my mistress. / A wrong now beareth she,
A grief that 'fore all others / unto her heart doth go:
To mourn it shalt thou help her, / for sorely hast thou need thereto."

1018

Up raised himself then Siegmund. / He spake: "What may it be
Of wrong that grieveth Kriemhild, / as thou hast told to me?"
The messenger spake weeping: / "Now may I naught withhold:
Know thou that of Netherland / Siegfried brave lies slain and cold."

1019

Thereto gave answer Siegmund: / "Let now such mocking be
And tale of such ill tidings / --an thou regardest me--
As that thou say'st to any / now he lieth slain:
An were it so, I never / unto my end might cease to plain."

1020

"Wilt thou now believe not / the tidings that I bear,
So may'st thyself the Lady / Kriemhild weeping hear,
And all of her attendants, / that Siegfried lieth dead."
With terror filled was Siegmund: / whereof in very sooth was need.

1021

He and his men a hundred / from their beds they sprang,
Then snatched in hand full quickly / swords both sharp and long,
And toward the sound of weeping / in sorrow sore did speed.
There came a thousand warriors / eke of the valiant knight Siegfried.

1022

When they heard the women weeping / in such sore distress
Thought some, strict custom keeping, / we first must don our dress.
In sooth for very sorrow / their wits no more had they,
For on their hearts a burden / of grief full deep and heavy lay.

1023

Then came the monarch Siegmund / where he Kriemhild espied.
He spake: "Alack that ever / to this country I did ride!
Who in such wondrous manner, / and while good friends are near,
Hath of my child bereft me / and thee of spouse thou hold'st so dear?"

1024

"Ah, might I him discover," / spake the lady high,
"Evermore would mercy / I to him deny.
Such meed of vengeance should he / at my hands receive
That all who call him kinsman / reason good should have to grieve."

1025

Siegmund the monarch / in arms the knight did press,
And of his friends there gathered / so great was the distress,
That from the mighty wailing / palace and wide hall
And Worms the city likewise / with sound of woe re-echoed all.

1026

None was who aught might comfort / the wife of Siegfried there.
They drew the knight's attire / from off his body fair,
From wounds the blood, too, washed they / and laid him on the bier.
Then from all his people / a mighty wailing might ye hear.

1027

Then outspake his warriors / of Nibelungenland:
"Until he be avenged / rest shall not our hand.
He is within this castle / who the deed hath done."
Then rushed to find their weapons / Siegfried's warriors every one.

1028

The knights of chosen valor / with shields did thither throng,
Eleven hundred warriors, / that did to train belong
Of Siegmund the monarch. / That his son lay dead,
Would he wreak dire vengeance, / whereof in very sooth was need.

1029

Yet knew they not whom should they / beset in battle then,
If it were not Gunther / and with him his men
With whom their lord Siegfried / unto the hunting rode.
Yet filled with fear was Kriemhild / when she beheld how armed they
stood.

1030

How great soe'er her sorrow / and stern the grief she bore,
Yet for the Nibelungen / feared she death full sore
From her brother's warriors, / and bade them hold their wrath.
She gave them kindly warning / as friend to friend beloved doth.

1031

Then spake she rich in sorrow: / "What thing beginnest thou,
Good my lord Siegmund? / This case thou dost not know.
In sooth hath here King Gunther / so many a valiant knight,
Lost are ye all together, / will ye the thanes withstand in fight."

1032

With shields upraised they ready / for the fight did stand.
But the queen full noble / did straightway give command
To those high knights, and prayed them, / their purpose to give o'er.
That she might not dissuade them, / in sooth to her was sorrow sore.

1033

Spake she thus: "Lord Siegmund, / thou shalt this thing let be
Until more fitting season. / Seek will I e'er with thee
Full to avenge my husband. / Who him from me hath ta'en,
An I shall know him guilty, / in me shall surely find his bane.

1034

"Of warriors proud and mighty / are many here by Rhine,
Therefore will I advise not / the struggle to begin.
For one that we can muster / good thirty men have they;
As unto us their dealing, / God them requite in equal way.

1035

"Here shall ye bide with me / and help my grief to bear;
Soon as dawns the morning, / ye noble knights and rare,
Help me my loved husband / prepare for burial."
"That shall be done full willing," / spake the doughty warriors all.

1036

To you could never any / full the wonder say,
Of knights and noble ladies, / so full of grief were they,
That the sound of wailing / through the town was heard afar,
Whereat the noble burghers / hastily did gather there.

1037

With the guests they mourned together, / for sore they grieved as well.
What was the guilt of Siegfried / none to them might tell,
Wherefore the knight so noble / thus his life should lose.
Then wept with the high ladies / many a worthy burgher's spouse.

1038

Smiths they bade a casket / work full hastily
All of gold and silver / that great and strong should be.
They bade them fast to weld it / with bands of steel full good.
Then saw ye all the people / stand right sorrowful of mood.

1039

Now the night was over, / for day, they said, drew near.
Then bade the noble lady / unto the minster bear
Siegfried her lord full loved / for whom she mourned so.
Whoe'er was friend unto him, / him saw ye weeping thither go.

1040

As they brought him to the minster / bells full many rung.
On every hand then heard ye / how priests did chant their song.
Thither with his followers / came Gunther the king
And eke the grim knight Hagen / where was sound of sorrowing.

1041

He spake: "Full loving sister, / alack for grief to thee,
And that from such great evil / spared we might not be!
Henceforth must we ever / mourn for Siegfried's sake."
"That do ye without reason," / full of woe the lady spake.

1042

"If that ye grieved for it, / befallen were it not.
For say I may full truly, / me had ye all forgot
There where I thus was parted / from my husband dear.
Would it God," spake Kriemhild, / "that done unto myself it were!"

1043

Fast they yet denied it. / Kriemhild spake again:
"If any speak him guiltless, / let here be seen full plain.
Unto the bier now shall he / before the people go;
Thus the truth full quickly / may we in this manner know."

1044

It is a passing wonder / that yet full oft is seen,
Where blood-bespotted slayer / beside slain corse hath been,
That from the wounds come blood-drops, / as here it eke befell.
Thereby the guilt of Hagen / might they now full plainly tell.

1045

Now ran the wounds all bloody /like as they did before.
Who erstwhile wept full sorely / now wept they mickle more.
Then spake the monarch Gunther: / "To thee the truth be known:
Slain hath he been by robbers, / nor is this deed by Hagen done."

1046

"Of these same robbers," spake she, / "full well I understand.
God give that yet may vengeance / wreak some friendly hand.
Gunther and Hagen, / yourselves have done this deed."
Then looked for bloody conflict / the valiant thanes that served
Siegfried.

1047

Then spake unto them Kriemhild: / "Now bear with me my need."
Knights twain came likewise hither / and did find him dead,--
Gernot her brother / and the young Giselher.
With upright hearts then joined they / with the others grief to share.

1048

They mourned for Kriemhild's husband / with hearts all full of woe.
A mass should then be chanted: / to the minster forth did go
Man and child and woman / gathered from every side.
E'en they did likewise mourn him / who little lost that Siegfried died.

1049

Gernot and Giselher spake: / "O Sister dear,
Now comfort thee in sorrow, / for death is ever near.
Amends we'll make unto thee / the while that we shall live."
In the world might never any / unto her a comfort give.

1050

His coffin was made ready / about the middle day.
From off the bier they raised him / whereupon he lay.
But yet would not the lady / let him be laid in grave.
Therefor must all the people / first a mickle trouble have.

1051

In a shroud all silken / they the dead man wound.
I ween that never any / that wept not might be found.
There mourned full of sorrow / Ute the queen full high
And all of her attendants / that such a noble knight did die.

1052

When did hear the people / how they in minster sung,
And that he there lay coffined, / came then a mickle throng:
For his soul's reposing / what offerings they bore!
E'en amid his enemies / found he of good friends a store.

1053

Kriemhild the poor lady / to her attendants spake:
"Let them shun no trouble / to suffer for my sake,
Who to him are friendly-minded / and me in honor hold;
For the soul of Siegfried / meted be to them his gold."

1054

Child so small there was not, / did it but reason have,
But offering carried thither. / Ere he was laid in grave,
More than a hundred masses / upon the day they sung,
Of all the friends of Siegfried / was gathered there a mickle throng.

1055

When were the masses over, / the folk departed soon.
Then spake the Lady Kriemhild: / "Leave ye me not alone
To pass the night in watching / by this chosen thane now dead,
With whose passing from me / all my joy of life hath fled.

1056

"Three days and three nights further / shall he lie on bier,
Until my heart find quiet / that weeps for spouse so dear.
God perchance commandeth / that death eke me do take:
That were for me poor Kriemhild / fit end of all my woe to make."

1057

Then of the town the people / went to their homes again.
Priests and monks yet bade she / longer there remain,
And all the hero's followers / who willing served alway.
They watched a night all gruesome, / and full of toil was eke the day.

1058

Meat and drink forgetting / abode there many a one.
If any were would take it / 'twas unto all made known,
That have they might in plenty: / thus did provide Siegmund.
Then for the Nibelungen / did trouble and sore need abound.

1059

The while the three days lasted / --such the tale we hear--
All who could join the chanting, / mickle must they bear
There of toil and trouble. / What gifts to them they bore!
Rich were seen full many / who did suffer need before.

1060

As many poor as found they / who themselves had naught,
By them yet an offering / bade they there be brought,
Of gold of Siegfried's treasure. / Though he no more might live,
Yet for his soul's reposing / marks many thousand did they give.

1061

Land of fruitful income / bestowed Kriemhild around,
Wheresoever cloisters / and worthy folk were found.
Silver and apparel / to the poor she gave in store,
And in good manner showed she / that truest love to him she bore.

1062

Upon the third morning / at the mass' tide
Was there beside the minster / filled the church-yard wide
With country-folk a-weeping / that came from far and near:
In death they yet did serve him / as is meet for friend full dear.

1063

And so it hath been told us, / ere these four days were o'er,
Marks full thirty thousand, / yea, in sooth, and more,
For his soul's reposing / to the poor were given there:
The while that lay all broken / his life and eke his body fair.

1064

When ended was the service / and full the masses sung,
In unrestrained sorrow / there the flock did throng.
They bade that from the minster / he to the grave be borne.
Them that fain had kept him / there beheld ye weep and mourn.

1065

Thence full loud lamenting / did the people with him pass.
Unmoved there never any / nor man nor woman was.
Ere that in grave they laid him / chanted they and read.
What host of priests full worthy / at his burial were gathered!

1066

Ere that the wife of Siegfried / was come unto the grave,
With water from the fountain / full oft her face they lave,
So struggled with her sorrow / the faithful lady fair.
Great beyond all measure / was the grief that she did bear.

1067

It was a mickle wonder / that e'er her life she kept.
Many a lady was there / that helped her as she wept.
Then spake the queen full noble: / "Ye men that service owe
To Siegfried, as ye love me, / now to me a mercy show.

1068

"Upon this sorrow grant ye / the little grace to me
That I his shining visage / yet once more may see."
So filled she was with anguish / and so long time she sought,
Perforce they must break open / the casket all so fairly wrought.

1069

Where she did see him lying / they then the lady led.
With hand full white and spotless / raised she his fair head;
Then kissed she there all lifeless / the good and noble knight,--
And wept so that for sorrow / ran blood from out her eyes so bright.

1070

Mournful was the parting / that then did rend the twain.
Thence away they bore her, / nor might she walk again,
But in a swoon did senseless / the stately lady lie.
In sooth her winsome body / for sorrow sore was like to die.

1071

When they the knight full noble / now in the grave had laid,
Beheld ye every warrior / beyond all measure sad
That with him was come hither / from Nibelung country.
Full seldom joyous-hearted / might ye royal Siegmund see.

1072

And many were among them / that for sorrow great
Till three days were over / did nor drink nor eat.
Yet might they not their bodies / long leave uncared-for so:
For food they turned from mourning / as people still are wont to do.

EIGHTEENTH ADVENTURE

How Siegmund fared Home Again

1073

Then went royal Siegmund / where he Kriemhild found.
Unto the queen spake he: / "Home must we now be bound.
We ween that guests unwelcome / here are we by the Rhine.
Kriemhild, beloved lady, / come now to country that is mine.

1074

"Though from us hath been taken / by foul traitor's hand
Thy good spouse and noble / here in stranger land,
Thine be it not to suffer: / good friend thou hast in me
For sake of son beloved: / thereof shalt thou undoubting be.

1075

"Eke shalt thou have, good lady, / all the power to hold,
The which erstwhile hath shown thee / Siegfried the thane full bold.
The land and the crown likewise, / be they thine own to call,
And gladly eke shall serve thee / Siegfried's doughty warriors all."

1076

Then did they tell the servants / that they thence would ride,
And straight to fetch the horses / these obedient hied.
'Mid such as so did hate them / it grieved them more to stay:
Ladies high and maidens / were bidden dress them for the way.

1077

When that for royal Siegmund / stood ready horse and man,
Her kinsmen Lady Kriemhild / to beseech began
That she from her mother / would still forbear to go.
Then spake the lofty lady: / "That might hardly yet be so.

1078

"How might I for ever / look with eyes upon
Him that to me, poor woman, / such evil thing hath done?"
Then spake the youthful Giselher: / "Sister to me full dear,
By thy goodness shalt thou / tarry with thy mother here."

1079

"Who in this wise have harmed thee / and so grieved thy heart,
Thyself may'st spurn their service: / of what is mine take part."
Unto the knight she answered: / "Such thing may never be.
For die I must for sorrow / when that Hagen I should see."

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