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

it! I’ll wrest from him,” quoth he,
“Both land and lieges, surely, for all his subtlety.”

56

Then spake the royal Siegmund, “I do mislike thy speech!
Should tidings thereof ever to the Rhine-border reach,
Thou durst not ever after into that country ride.
Long have I known King Gunther, and King Gernot beside.

57

“By force can never any expect to win the maid,”
Declared the good King Siegmund; “that hath been always said!
But if thou with thy warriors wilt to her country ride,
An’ we have any friends left, I’ll call them to thy side.”

58

“Far be it from my purpose,” cried Siegfried, eagerly,
“That when I ride to Rhineland warriors should follow me,
Like an invading army! I should abhor this thing⁠—
By force the glorious maiden into my arms to bring!

59

“I will not owe her winning to any other hand;
I and eleven others will ride to Gunther’s land.
Your help, good father Siegmund, I, for this purpose, pray.”
Then gave they to his warriors both coloured stuffs and gray.

60

His mother heard the tidings, the lady Siegelind,
She fell to grieving over her dear son in her mind;
Fearing lest she might lose him through some of Gunther’s men.
The noble queen refrained not from bitter weeping then.

61

This seeing, young lord Siegfried to her his way did make,
And unto his dear mother thus tenderly he spake:
“I prithee weep not, lady, because of mine intent;
I have no fear of foemen, nor of disparagement.

62

“Aid thou me in my journey to the Burgundian land,
That I and my companions may bravely furnished stand
In raiment that shall honour proud heroes, such as we⁠—
Then will I for this favour, aye thank thee fervently.”

63

“Since thou wilt not forego it,” did Siegelind declare,
“I’ll help thee on thy journey, my only son and heir!
I will provide apparel, the best e’er warrior wore⁠—
For thee and thy companions: and ye must take good store.”

64

Then bowed to the queen-mother Prince Siegfried, the young man.
He said: “On this my journey I’ll take, if so I can,
None save eleven warriors; for these be raiment made.
I long to see how fares it with Kriemhilda,” he said.

65

So Sieglind’s beauteous ladies sat stitching, night and day⁠—
There were no idle fingers, and little rest or play,
Until Prince Siegfried’s raiment was ready to his hand.
He’d not forego his journey to the Burgundian land.

66

His father bade him polish his knightly harness grand,
Wherewith he meant to ride out of royal Siegmund’s land.
And eke the glitt’ring hauberks they likewise did prepare,
Together with stout helmets, and bucklers broad and fair.

67

The hour of their departure for Burgundy was nigh,
And men as well as women watched them forebodingly,
Lest they again should never come to their fatherland.
To pack their gear and armour the heroes gave command.

68

Their chargers were resplendent, their trappings of red gold;
No knight could well be prouder nor had more right to hold
A high head, than Sir Siegfried and his eleven men.
He craved the king’s permission to gallop Rhinewards then.

69

With grief Siegmund and Sieglind accorded his request;
Whom Siegfried sought to comfort, as tenderly he pressed.
He said: “Ye must not weep now through any care for me;
And fear not lest my life be in any jeopardy.”

70

Sad-hearted were the warriors, and many a maiden wept:
Doubtless their hearts foreboded mischance for those who leapt
That day into the saddle⁠— they dreamt these friends lay dead⁠—
They had good cause for mourning, in sooth there was much need!

71

Upon the seventh morning, at Worms, on the Rhine shore,
Arrived the gallant horsemen; the raiment that they wore
With ruddy gold was flashing, and all their trappings shone:
The chargers of bold Siegfried went pacing smoothly on.

72

Their bucklers were new-wrought ones, and light and broad beside,
And bright their helmets glittered, as unto court did ride
Siegfried, the gallant chieftain, in royal Gunther’s land.
Such fine-apparelled heroes were ne’er seen on that strand.

73

Their long-swords’ points hung downwards unto the spurs they wore;
And sharp, too, were the javelins which these bold heroes bore.
The one that Siegfried carried was two spans in the blade,
Its twofold edge was deadly, and ghastly wounds it made.

74

All gilded were the bridles they lightly held in hand;
And silken were their horse-girths; so came they to that land.
The folk began on all sides on them to gape and stare,
Then many of Gunther’s people ran forth to meet them there.

75

Those high and mighty warriors, and knight as well as squire,
Went out to bid them welcome, as honour did require,
Receiving them with kindness into their master’s land,
Taking their horses, straightway, and bucklers from their hand.

76

They would have ta’en the chargers, and led them to the stall,
Had not the gallant Siegfried said out, before them all:
“Let mine and my men’s horses stay here, as now they be⁠—
It is my will and purpose to ride hence presently!

77

“I pray you therefore tell me⁠— whoever knows this thing
Let him not hide it from me⁠— where I can find your king,
Gunther, the mighty monarch of the Burgundian land?”
Then one among them told him, who knew where he did stand.

78

“If you would find King Gunther, ’tis easy done, I trow,
In yonder hall I saw him, and thither you must go;
He stands among his heroes; and, if you’ll thither wend,
Full many a glorious warrior you’ll find with him, good friend!”

79

Unto the king the tidings by this time had been told:
How warriors were arrivéd all gallant to behold,
Who wore white, glitt’ring mail-shirts, and raiment rich and grand,
And no one knew aught of them, in that Burgundian land.

80

Then was the king astonished, and much he did inquire,
Whence came these splendid warriors, in dazzling bright attire,
And with such well-wrought bucklers, so new and eke so broad;⁠—
It vexed the soul of Gunther that none could give him word.

81

Then Ortwein, lord of Metz, spake, and answered thus the king
(Rich and high-couraged was he, and feared not anything):
“Since we know naught about them, bid someone straightway go
And fetch my uncle Hagen, he’ll see them, and may know.

82

“He knoweth all the kingdoms, and ev’ry stranger-land.
If aught he wot anent them, he’ll make us understand.”
So the king sent to fetch him, him and his liegemen all;⁠—
They watched his stately coming, with warriors, to the hall.

83

What the king wanted of him? first, Hagen sought to know.
“There are within my palace strange warriors, I trow,
Whom not a soul here knoweth; if thou didst them e’er see,
Declare it now, Sir Hagen, and tell the truth to me!”

84

“That will I,” answered Hagen, and to the window went;
One saw his keen glance wander, till on the guests it bent.
Well pleased him their equipment, and raiment equally:
But they were strangers to him, ne’er seen in Burgundy.

85

He spake: “From whencesoever have come these cavaliers,
They must themselves be princes, or princes’ messengers.
Their raiment is so splendid, their horses are so good;⁠—
’Tis plain, where’er they come from, they are of