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

him to stand,
He seiz’d a deadly weapon, and wrench’d it from his hand;
Then drave the people backwards, for very wroth was he:
“How vain unto these warriors had been my courtesy

1896

“If ye had slain the minstrel before my very face;”
So spake to them King Etzel: “that were a foul disgrace!
For well I marked him riding, what time he pierced the Hun,
And through no fault on his part, but by a slip, ’twas done.

1897

“To leave my guests in freedom, I charge ye to take heed.”
So gave he them safe-conduct; then led they every steed
Unto the hostel stables; and many squires they had
Right diligent in service, who did whate’er they bade.

1898

The host into the palace took with his friends his way.
No wrath in any of them would he allow to stay.
The tables were made ready, the water was brought in:
Yet bitter foes in plenty had they from o’er the Rhine.

1899

Ere all the lords were seated a good long time was spent;
Whilst tortured was Kriemhilda by cares within her pent.
She said: “I seek thy counsel, O prince of Bern, thy grace
And aid: in sooth my business is now in evil case.”

1900

Then Hildebrand made answer, a worthy warrior he:
“Whoever slays the Niblungs shall have no help from me,
Nay, not for any treasure! thereby he grief may get:
These knights of ready courage have ne’er been conquer’d yet.”

1901

And, in his courtly fashion, thereto Sir Dietrich spake:
“O mighty queen, I pray thee, thy purpose to forsake.
To me thy kinsmen never have done such injury,
That I the gallant warriors in combat would defy.

1902

“The wish doth ill beseem thee, most noble prince’s wife,
That thou anent thy kinsfolk wouldst plot against their life.
Trusting unto thy favour they came unto this land:
Siegfried is not avengéd by aid of Dietrich’s hand.”

1903

When she could find no falseness the knight of Bern within,
Then on the spot she promised to give to Bloedelin
A far-extending marchland, which Nudung own’d of yore.
As Dankwart shortly slew him, he thought of it no more.

1904

Quoth she: “Thou ought’st to aid me, my good Sir Bloedelin,
For in this very palace are now these foes of mine
Who slew my husband Siegfried, so well-beloved of me.
To him who helps avenge him, I ever bound shall be.”

1905

To her then answer’d Bloedel: “Lady, be sure of this,
To them, for fear of Etzel, I dare do naught amiss,
Since he thy kinsmen happy is ever fain to see.
And did I aught to hurt them, he ne’er would pardon me.”

1906

“Nay, rather, my lord Bloedel, your friend I’ll ever be.
Guerdon of gold and silver I will bestow on thee;
And eke a lovely damsel⁠— Nudung’s betrothéd bride⁠—
Whom thou mayst love and cherish right gladly at thy side.

1907

“The land, too, and the castles, all unto thee I give;
So, noble knight, thou mayest in gladness ever live,
If thou but winn’st the earldom which Nudung held in fee.
Whate’er to-day I promise, in truth I’ll give to thee.”

1908

When now the noble Bloedel the guerdon heard her tell,
And seeing that the damsel in beauty pleased him well,
By means of strife he purposed to earn this lovely wife:
But for that cause the warrior was doom’d to lose his life.

1909

Unto the queen then spake he: “Within the hall go back:
Ere any guess my purpose, an uproar I will make.
Hagen will have to answer for what to you he wrought;
King Gunther’s man, I warrant, shall bound to you be brought.”

1910

“Now arm yourselves,” cried Bloedel, “my gallant liegemen all!
We will upon the foemen within the hostel fall;
I may not be acquitted of this by Etzel’s wife.
On this must every hero among us stake his life.”

1911

When the queen found that Bloedel was on the fray intent,
She tarried there no longer, but back to table went
And sat beside King Etzel and with his men as well:
She for the guests’ undoing had taken counsel fell.

1912

Since means there were not elsewise to cause the strife to start,
(Kriemhilda’s olden sorrow lay graven in her heart)
She bade them bring to table King Etzel’s little son:
How could a vengeful woman more cruelly have done?

1913

Then went that self-same minute of Etzel’s liegemen four,
And thither from his chamber the young king Ortlieb bore
Unto the prince’s table, where Hagen also sate.
(The boy was doom’d to perish through Hagen’s deadly hate.)

1914

As soon as mighty Etzel espied his little son,
He turned to his wife’s kinsmen and spake in kindly tone:
“Now, my good friends, behold ye, my only son is he,
And eke your sister’s offspring: which well for you may be.

1915

“If he his kindred likens, he’ll be a gallant wight,
Right powerful and noble, a well-grown man of might.
Should I live some while longer he’ll own a dozen lands;
So look ye for good service at my young Ortlieb’s hands.

1916

“I therefore fain would pray you, O well-loved friends of mine,
When ye are homeward riding unto the river Rhine,
That ye upon the journey would take your sister’s son,
And let your loving kindness unto the child be shown.

1917

“And rear him up in honour till he to manhood grow.
If any in your borders hath wrought you any woe,
When he is of full stature he will your vengeance aid.”
King Etzel’s wife Kriemhilda heard also what he said.

1918

“If unto days of manhood the child should grow and thrive,
These thanes, I trow,” said Hagen, “their trust to him will give.
Yet the young king, meseemeth, is of a weakly sort:
Folk will not often see me attending Ortlieb’s court.”

1919

The king look’d round at Hagen⁠— this speech had vext him sore;
And though, with princely breeding, he spake thereof no more,
His heart was very heavy and troubled was his mind.
Nor was the mood of Hagen a whit to joy inclined.

1920

The princes all were sorry, together with the king,
That of his child had Hagen e’er spoken such a thing.
With ill content they bore it: nor knew they aught at all
Of what through this same warrior was shortly to befall.

Adventure XXXII How Bloedelin Was Slain

1921

The warriors of Bloedel were ready for the fray;
Clad in their thousand hauberks they thither took their way
Where Dankwart with his yeomen still at the table sate;
There rose between the heroes a strife of deadly hate.

1922

As soon as the Lord Bloedel before the table went,
Dankwart the marshal met him on greeting due intent:
“Right welcome to our hostel, Lord Bloedelin, are ye,
Although I greatly marvel what may the reason be?”

1923

“Thou hast no need to greet me,” so answer’d Bloedelin:
“For this my coming bodeth an end to thee and thine,
Thanks to thy brother Hagen, who erewhile Siegfried slew.
That to the Huns thou’lt answer, and many another too.”

1924

“Nay, say not so, Lord Bloedel,” the marshal Dankwart said:
“Else must we rue too quickly this journey we have made.
I