The Nibelungenlied, - [best color ebook reader .txt] 📗

trow!

203

As now the bold Burgundians, pressed forward in the fight,
By them was many a sword-wound, wide-cleft⁠—a ghastly sight!
And streaming o’er the saddles, one saw the reeking blood.
Thus fought they for dear honour, those valiant knights and good.

204

One heard there, loud-resounding, from every hero’s hand,
The clashing of keen weapons; whilst they of Netherland
Dashed after their bold leader, into the thickest fray.
Right valiantly they followed where Siegfried showed the way.

205

For him the Rhenish heroes could never come anigh;⁠—
One might have seen down-flowing red streamlets bloodily
Beneath the glitt’ring helmets, cloven by Siegfried’s hand;⁠—
Until he saw King Lud’ger before his warriors stand.

206

Three sev’ral times he’d traversed the host, from end to end,
And now, to help him, Hagen his steps did thither bend.
Right well in fight assuaged they the fierceness of their mood:
Through them that day must perish full many a warrior good.

207

When Ludeger the stalwart saw Siegfried near him stand,
And how aloft he wielded the good sword in his hand⁠—
The mighty weapon Balmung⁠— and what a host it slew:
The king waxed very wrathful, and fierce his anger grew.

208

Then was a mighty thronging, and clang of swords as well,
As on each side the warriors on their opponents fell.
The chieftains sought each other, mettle and strength to gauge;⁠—
The hosts began to waver; then waxed the hate and rage.

209

The leader of the Saxons was well aware, I trow,
His brother was a captive⁠— and therefore grieved enow.
He knew too that the captor was Siegelinda’s son;⁠—
’Twas first set down to Gernot, but soon the truth was known.

210

So fierce was Lud’ger’s onslaught, and eke of such fell force,
That under Siegfried’s saddle stagger’d his battle-horse.
But soon it did recover; and, as the turmoil grew,
The aspect of bold Siegfried was terrible to view.

211

Hagen he had to aid him, and Gernot too was by,
And Dankwart and Sir Volker;⁠— the dead around did lie.
There fought the bold thane Ortwein, and Sindold, and Hunold.
Who, on the field of battle, left many a warrior cold.

212

In combat undivided these noble princes were;
And o’er their helmets, harmless, flew many a well-aimed spear
Between the glitt’ring targets from each opposing knight.
And blood-stained were the bucklers that whilom shone so bright.

213

And, in the stress of battle, full many an eager knight
Dismounted from his charger. Thus, hand to hand, did fight
Siegfried the bold, and Lud’ger, who each did each defy.
One saw the broken splinters of shafts and lances fly.

214

Fast flew the shield-clasps, severed by mighty Siegfried’s hand.
He thought himself the victor, this prince of Netherland,
Over the dauntless Saxons;⁠— so many wounded lay.
Ha, how the bright mail-armour at Dankwart’s strokes did fray!

215

Just then the Saxon Lud’ger espied upon a shield
A kingly crown emblazoned, which Siegfried’s arm did wield.
Then knew he, of a surety, that ’twas the mighty man.
The chieftain to his comrades loudly to call began:

216

“Forego your fighting, warriors⁠— my lieges, all is done!
For here have I seen Siegfried, the royal Siegmund’s son;⁠—
Siegfried the mighty hero mine eyes have seen, I trow⁠—
Sent by some evil devil to work us Saxons woe.”

217

Then lowered were the ensigns at Ludeger’s command.
For peace he sued; which, erelong, was granted to his band;
Though he as Gunther’s pris’ner must go to Burgundy:
Bold Siegfried’s hand alone ’twas that won this victory.

218

By general agreement the combat then was stopped,
And many a battered buckler was by the fighters dropped,
And many a helm;⁠—whatever was found upon the land,
Bore on it blood-red traces of some Burgundian hand.

219

They captured whom they listed: all had they in their power.
And King Gernot and Hagen⁠— of chivalry the flower⁠—
Had the sick borne on litters; and, with them, took they then,
As prisoners to the Rhineland, five hundred goodly men.

220

Meanwhile the vanquished warriors to Denmark rode away,
Nor could the Saxons boast of much better luck than they,
That any one need praise them: sore vexed these heroes were.
The friends, too, of the fallen bewailed them, in despair.

221

They had their arms and weapons unto the Rhine conveyed.
How well now all had ended! With his brave warriors’ aid
Siegfried the prince had done it, as he did all things, well:
Which even Gunther’s liegemen were bound in truth to tell.

222

To Worms a message firstly the gallant Gernot sent,
To let his friends and kinsmen know how the matter went,
And what success had crowned them⁠— him and his lieges all:
For honour had they striven, and gallantly withal.

223

The young esquires ran quickly, and soon the news was told.
And they for joy exulted⁠— whom grief before did hold⁠—
At these all-welcome tidings, which to the city came.
And many were the questions asked by each noble dame:

224

“How had they fared, the warriors of the most noble king?”
One of the squires they, straightway, before Kriemhilda bring:
But this was done in secret, she took no open part⁠—
Though there was one among them to whom was pledged her heart.

225

And when she saw the envoy into her chamber led,
Kriemhild, the beauteous maiden, in voice most kindly said:
“Now tell me the dear tidings and gold I’ll give to thee;⁠—
And tell’st thou with no lying, a friend thou hast in me.

226

“How fared my brother Gernot amid the fight?” she said,
“And other friends and kinsmen? have we left many dead?
And who did best of any? fain would I hear of thee.”
Then outspake that bold herald: “Of cravens none had we!

227

“Yet, in the thick of battle rode ne’er a man so well,
Oh, Princess high and mighty⁠— since I the truth must tell⁠—
As did the noble stranger, who came from Netherland:
Full many a wondrous deed was wrought by bold Siegfried’s hand.

228

“For what great feats soever in battle may have done
Sir Dankwart and Sir Hagen and many another one;
Howe’er they fought for honour, it all was idle wind
Compared with Siegfried’s doings, the son of Siegelind.

229

“Though in the strife of battle full many a hero fell,
The wonders wrought by Siegfried no man hath words to tell!
Nor all his deeds of daring when he to battle rode:
Through him, for fallen kinsmen, the women’s tears have flowed.

230

“And many a girl’s betrothed one ne’er rose from off that ground.
Upon the brazen helmets one heard his blows resound;
And from the death-wounds spurted hot streams of crimson blood:
In all his acts is Siegfried a gallant knight and good.

231

“What doughty deeds were wrought by Ortwein, of Metz the lord!
How ever many foemen he came at with his sword,
There did he leave them lying⁠— the better part were dead;
And yet no less of Gernot, your brother, might be said.

232

“For he did work such ruin as ne’er was seen in fight.
In truth, one must confess here of each well-proven knight
Among the proud Burgundians, that they all bravely bore
Themselves, and kept their honour untarnished evermore.

233

“Full many an empty saddle their handiwork did show;
And with their bright swords’ clashing loud did the field