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

to meet him: and so his life to lose

2285

Upon the spot had Siegstab through that same fiddle-man;
Who forthwith of his cunning to give such proof began
That by his mighty weapon quick death must needs ensue.
Old Hildebrand avenged him, as of his strength was due.

2286

“Woe, for my lord belovéd!” cried Master Hildebrand,
“Who here in death is lying stricken by Volker’s hand:
Henceforth this fiddle-player shall save himself no more!”
Bold Hildebrand was wrathful as ne’er he was before.

2287

Then smote he so at Volker, that far to either wall
The bands and clasps in pieces were strown about the hall,
From helm and eke from buckler of that same minstrel bold:
And so of sturdy Volker the ending there was told.

2288

The liegemen then of Dietrich came thronging to the rout;
They smote till from the hauberks the links flew far about,
And splinter’d weapons saw one as high in air they flew;
Hot flowing blood in streamlets from out the helms they drew.

2289

When Hagen, lord of Tronjé, saw Volker lying slain,
More grievous was his sorrow than all the other pain
That in this high foregathering he had for man or kin.
What vengeance for the hero did Hagen then begin!

2290

“It shall not long advantage the old man Hildebrand
That yonder lies my helpmate slain by the hero’s hand⁠—
The veriest good comrade that ever yet I had!”
He raised his shield, and forward he rush’d with hewing blade.

2291

Meanwhile the stalwart Helfrich had stricken Dankwart low.
To Giselher and Gunther grievous it was enow
When in the stress of battle they saw him fall beneath:
With his own hands already he had avenged his death.

2292

Now all this while did Wolfhart stride up and down again,
And with his sword unresting he hew’d at Gunther’s men.
A third time he the journey had made along the hall,
And many were the warriors doom’d by his hand to fall.

2293

Then Giselher the lordly to Wolfhart loudly spake:
“Woe! that so fierce a foeman ’twas e’er my luck to make!
O noble knight and gallant, now turn thyself to me,
I’ll do my best to end it: it may no longer be.”

2294

To Giselher, in fighting, then Wolfhart turn’d him round,
And each upon the other made many a gaping wound:
With such a mighty onset against the king he dash’d,
The blood beneath his footsteps above his head was splash’d.

2295

With swift and deadly sword-strokes the son of Uté fair
Gave greeting unto Wolfhart, the gallant hero, there.
How strong the thane soever, he was not to be saved:
So young a king could never more boldly have behaved.

2296

He struck a blow at Wolfhart, cleaving the hauberk good,
And over him and downwards, gush’d from the wound the blood
Unto the death he wounded that man of Dietrich’s own;
None but a very warrior to do the like had known.

2297

As soon as gallant Wolfhart was of the wound aware,
He let his shield slip downwards; but higher in the air
A weapon strong he wielded: it was a keen one too;
Wherewith through helm and hauberk the hero Giselher slew.

2298

So had they one another to cruel death fordone,
And then of Dietrich’s lieges there lived but one alone.
When Hildebrand the ancient beheld how Wolfhart fell,
I trow, until his ending, such grief he ne’er could tell.

2299

The men-at-arms of Gunther were dead now everyone,
As likewise those of Dietrich; and Hildebrand had gone
Unto the place where Wolfhart was lying in the blood:
Within his arms he folded that warrior brave and good.

2300

Fain would he from the chamber have borne him bodily,
But he was all too weighty, he e’en must let him lie.
The dying man uplifted his eyes amid the blood,
And saw well that his kinsman would help him if he could.

2301

“My well-belovéd uncle,” the dying one then said,
“At this time it avails not to give me any aid.
Now ware you well of Hagen! ay, take my words for good;
For in his heart he nurses an ever cruel mood.

2302

“If after death my kinsfolk for me should mourning be,
Unto my next and dearest I bid you say for me
That they for me must weep not: need for it is there none,
Here lie I slain in honour, by kingly hands fordone.

2303

“So throughly here, moreover, have I avenged my life,
That cause indeed for wailing hath many a good knight’s wife:
If anyone should ask you so may you answer plain,
A good five score are lying whom I myself have slain.”

2304

Meanwhile had Hagen likewise upon the minstrel thought,
Whom Hildebrand the valiant unto his end had brought.
Then spake he to the warrior: “My loss thou shalt requite,
For here thou hast bereft us of many a goodly knight.”

2305

He struck a blow at Hildebrand, such that one might have told
The hissing sound of Balmung, the sword that Hagen bold
From Siegfried’s self had taken when he that hero slew;
The blow the old man parried: ay! he was valiant too.

2306

The warrior of Dietrich against the Tronian knight
His weapon broad uplifted, that keenly too could smite.
To wound the man of Gunther yet might he not prevail.
Then once again smote Hagen through well-wrought coat of mail.

2307

Now when the old Sir Hildebrand was of the wound aware,
More evil yet he dreaded from Hagen’s hand to bear.
His shield the man of Dietrich threw back behind his head,
And, desperately wounded, the chief from Hagen fled.

2308

Of all the knightly warriors remain’d there but a pair⁠—
Save Gunther’s self and Hagen none others living were.
Old Hildebrand all bleeding in flight had safety sought,
And when he came to Dietrich a woeful tale he brought.

2309

He saw his master sitting with visage woe-begone⁠—
The prince was yet more sorry when he his tale had done;
Upon the bloody hauberk of Hildebrand look’d he,
And sought of him his tidings in all anxiety.

2310

“Now tell me, Master Hildebrand, why are ye in this state,
And reeking with your life-blood? or who hath done you that?
I ween that in the palace you with the guests have fought:
So strictly I forbade it that ye in nowise ought.”

2311

Unto his lord he answer’d: “ ’Twas Hagen did it all!
He set on me and gave me this wound within the hall,
E’en as I from the warrior to turn myself began.
And hither from that devil barely with life I ran!”

2312

Then he of Bern made answer: “Ye are but served aright!
Seeing that ye had heard me swear friendship with the knight,
And then ye break the peace-pledge granted to him by me:
Would it not ever shame me your life should forfeit be.”

2313

“Now be ye not so wrathful, my good Lord Dietrich, pray!
On me and on my kinsfolk the loss too hard doth weigh.
We purposed from the palace to carry Rüdeger;
To grant it all unwilling King Gunther’s liegemen were.”

2314

“Now woe upon such tidings! is Rüdeger then dead?
This is the greatest sorrow that e’er I sufferéd.
The noble Gotelinda is child of aunt of mine.
Ay! woe for