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

hands of warrior was of his life fordone,
So much the less fair women for him have need to moan.

1955

“Now tell me, brother Dankwart, why all so red ye be?
Methinks that thou art wounded and suffer’st grievously.
If in the land he liveth who this on thee hath done,
Except the foul fiend save him, his life’s as good as gone.”

1956

“You see me whole and hearty; with blood my clothes are red,
But from the wounds of others it thus hath happenéd;
And they have been so many that I have slain to-day,
That verily their number on oath I could not say.”

1957

He answer’d: “Brother Dankwart, see to the door do thou,
And let not of the Hunsmen a single man come through.
I’ll reckon with these warriors, as need we have, in faith!
Our men-at-arms are lying in undeservéd death.”

1958

“If chamberlain I must be,” the gallant man replied,
“To serve such mighty rulers, I am well satisfied.
I’ll answer for the stairway, as honour’s dear to me.”
Unto Kriemhilda’s warriors naught could more direful be.

1959

“It is to me a marvel,” Hagen thereafter spake:
“What meaneth all the fluster these Hunnish warriors make?
They think they well could spare him, who yonder door doth hold,
And hath these high concernments to the Burgundians told!

1960

“Long time about Kriemhilda have I been wont to hear,
That she her bitter sorrow was not content to bear.
Now drink we to her darling! for royal wine we’ll call!
The princeling of the Hunfolk shall be the first of all!”

1961

Then the child Ortlieb slew he, Hagen, that warrior good,
So that from sword-blade downward flow’d o’er his hands the blood;
The infant’s head was sever’d and on the queen’s lap fell.
Then rose amongst the warriors a slaughter horrible.

1962

With double-handed sword-stroke he dealt a blow at large
Against the man of learning, who had the child in charge.
His head all in a moment before the table lay:
In good sooth for the teacher it was but sorry pay!

1963

He saw by Etzel’s table a certain minstrelman,
And Hagen in his fury to fall on him began;
His left hand on the fiddle he lopp’d off suddenly:
“There’s somewhat thou canst carry for news to Burgundy!”

1964

“Woe for my hand!” cried Werbel the minstrel: “wilt thou say
What evil I have done thee, Lord Hagen of Tronjé?
In all good faith I journey’d unto your master’s land;
The notes how can I finger since I have lost my hand?”

1965

But little heeded Hagen, though he ne’er fiddled more.
He wreak’d within the palace a vengeance grim and sore
Upon the knights of Etzel, of whom a host he slew.
Death dealt he in the palace to people not a few.

1966

The ever-ready Volker up from the table sprang:
And in his hand right loudly his fiddle-bow outrang.
Right fearsome was the music that Gunther’s minstrel play’d;
Ay! ’mid the gallant Hunsmen what enemies he made!

1967

Upsprang, too, from the table, the noble rulers three:
They gladly would have stay’d it, ere mischief worse should be.
But all their wit avail’d not the rising storm to quell,
When Volker joining Hagen to such wild raving fell.

1968

When saw the Lord of Rhineland the fight could not be stay’d,
The prince himself fought also, and many a wide wound made
Upon his foemen’s bodies, their shining mail-coats through.
A hand-strong hero was he: as now all grimly knew.

1969

The stalwart Gernot likewise was forward in the strife;
Ay! he among the Hunsmen took many a hero’s life,
A keen-edged weapon wielding⁠— by Rüdeger ’twas given.
By him were Etzel’s warriors right grievously bedriven.

1970

The young son of Dame Uté into the fight now dash’d,
And gloriously his broadsword right through the helmets crash’d⁠—
To grief of Etzel’s warriors of the Hungarian land.
There wrought were many marvels by gallant Gis’lher’s hand.

1971

Howe’er the kings and liegemen were valiant in the fight,
Above them all right plainly did Giselher in might
Stand forth against the foemen; he was a hero good.
Such wounds he dealt, that many fell weltering in their blood.

1972

The men of Etzel also stood stoutly to the foe.
There one might see the strangers go hacking to and fro
With their bright glancing weapons, all through the royal hall.
And horrid shrieks from all sides upon the ear did fall.

1973

They who were on the outside would to their friends within;
But found that at the doorways small vantage they could win.
Out from the hall right gladly would they within it fare:
But none of them would Dankwart let up or down the stair.

1974

Thereby around the gateways a mighty press arose,
And din of helmets also beneath the broadsword blows.
And thus the gallant Dankwart fell into sore distress:
But that his brother heeded, as bound in faithfulness.

1975

For thereupon to Volker Sir Hagen cried aloud:
“Now look you yonder, comrade, how round my brother crowd
The Hunnish warriors closely, and blows upon him rain:
Friend, go and help my brother, or we shall lose the thane.”

1976

“That will I do full surely,” answer’d the minstrelman;
And straightway through the palace his fiddling he began.
His hand with his stout broadsword full often music made;
To him the Rhenish warriors unbounded thanks repaid.

1977

And soon the gallant Volker to Dankwart came and said:
“To-day no little trouble hath fallen on your head.
Your brother hath enjoin’d me to lend a helping hand:
If you’ll look to the outside, within the door I’ll stand.”

1978

Dankwart the ever-ready without the gateway stood;
Well guarded he the stairway, let any come who would.
One heard the clang of weapons in the bold hero’s hand.
The like, within, did Volker of the Burgundian land.

1979

Loudly the valiant minstrel shouted across the throng:
“The hall is closed, friend Hagen, with bolt and barrier strong.
The door of Etzel’s chamber is safely barr’d as well:
Two heroes’ hands that hold it a thousand bolts excel.”

1980

When Hagen, Lord of Tronjé, knew that the door was fast,
His shield back on his shoulders the goodly chieftain cast.
First fell he to avenging the ills upon him wrought:
Of longer life his foemen had then but little thought.

1981

The Prince of Bern no sooner had seen how matters went,
And how the mighty Hagen so many helmets rent,
Than sprang the Amelung ruler upon a bench: quoth he:
“The liquor Hagen giveth is vile as drink can be!”

1982

The host was full of sorrow⁠— good cause had he to rue:
What friends of him belovéd before his eyes they slew!
And hardly from his foemen unscath’d himself came he;
In grief he sat⁠—what profit was it a king to be?

1983

The mighty Queen Kriemhilda to Dietrich call’d and said;
“With all your manhood give me, O noble knight, your aid,
By all those princes’ merits erewhile of Amelung land:
Should Hagen once have reach’d me, my death were close at hand.”

1984

“And how am I to help you,” Lord Dietrich answering said,
“Great queen, when I have reason myself to be afraid?
These followers of Gunther with wrath so sorely burn,
That I with no one’s safety can now myself concern.”

1985

“Nay, say not