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

the poor orphans who at Bechlaren pine.”

2315

His death weigh’d sorely on him, with ruth and sorrow great.
He fell to bitter weeping; sad was the hero’s strait:
“Woe for my trusty helpmate who now is lost to me!
Ay! of King Etzel’s liegeman the like I ne’er shall see.

2316

“Now must ye, Master Hildebrand, tell me the story true.
Which of the warriors was it who him so foully slew?”
“That did the stalwart Gernot by strength of arm,” he said:
“By Rüdeger’s hand the hero is also lying dead.”

2317

To Hildebrand then spake he: “Now let my liegemen know
That they must straightway arm them, for thither will I go;
And bid them bring me hither my shirt of shining mail.
From the Burgundian heroes myself I’ll have the tale.”

2318

Then Hildebrand made answer: “Who shall now go with thee?
None others hast thou living but what thou here dost see;
I am thine only liegeman; the others all are dead.”
He shudder’d at these tidings⁠— in sooth, there was good need,

2319

For never such great sorrow he in this world had known.
He spake: “And if my liegemen are truly dead and gone,
Then am I God-forsaken, I, Dietrich, wretched wight!
Erewhile a noble sovran and full of power and might.”

2320

“How could such thing have happen’d?” spake Dietrich once again,
“These far-renownéd heroes⁠— that all of them are slain
By men with fighting weary, in sore necessity!
But for mine evil fortune, death still afar would be.

2321

“Seeing my doom avails not to ward from me this ill,
Now tell me, of the guest-folk are any living still?”
Then Master Hildebrand answer’d: “God knoweth, only twain⁠—
Hagen to wit, and Gunther the noble king⁠—remain.”

2322

“Dear Wolfhart, woe betide me! if thou from me art torn,
Too quickly may I rue me that ever I was born!
And Siegestab and Wolfwin, and none the less Wolfbrand.
Who now shall help my journey back to the Amelungs’ land?

2323

“Helfrich the ever gallant, and have they laid him low?
And Gerebart and Wichart⁠— how weep for them enow?
Of all my joy and pleasure the ending is this day:
Fain would I die for sorrow⁠— alas that no man may!”

Adventure XXXIX How Gunther and Hagen and Kriemhilda Were Slain

2324

Then for himself Lord Dietrich sought out a suit to wear,
And Master Hildebrand help’d him to don his fighting gear.
So sore was the lamenting made by the stalwart man,
That all the house to echo with his loud voice began.

2325

But quickly he recover’d a fitting hero’s mood,
And grimly was his armour donn’d by that warrior good.
A shield compact right firmly he carried in his hand;⁠—
Then straightway forth he sallied with Master Hildebrand.

2326

Spake Hagen, lord of Tronjé: “I see there, drawing nigh,
The noble warrior Dietrich; for that great injury
That here hath him befallen, he will upon us set.
This day ’twill be discover’d who doth the honours get.

2327

“Ay! to himself Lord Dietrich of Bern doth think that ne’er
His like, so strong of body and terrible there were!
And should he for our doings a reckoning demand,”
So Hagen spake: “against him I dare right well to stand.”

2328

They heard the words of Hagen⁠— Dietrich and Hildebrand.
He came to where the warriors had taken both their stand
Without the house, together, leaning against the hall.
His goodly shield had Dietrich upon its rim let fall.

2329

Then Dietrich spake in answer, grievously sorrowing:
“Why hast thou done in this wise, O Gunther, mighty king,
To me who am a stranger? to thee what had I done?
All comfort that was left me is now for ever gone.

2330

“With that great deed of vengeance ye were not yet content
When Rüdeger the hero to bloody death you sent:
Now have ye taken from me my liegemen everyone;⁠—
Ah! never to your heroes would I such scathe have done.

2331

“Now of yourselves be mindful, and of your own distress,
The death of friends and kinsfolk, your toil and weariness;
Doth it not weigh upon you, good warriors, heavily?
Alas, the death of Rüdeger is bitterness to me!

2332

“In this world never happen’d such woe to anyone.
Ye took but ill account of my sorrow and your own;
By you of all its pleasures my life henceforth is shorn;
In truth I cannot ever my kinsfolk cease to mourn.”

2333

“In sooth,” then answer’d Hagen, “So guilty are we not;
For verily your heroes came marching to this spot
Well-arm’d, for some set purpose, in such large company:
To you methinks the story was not told truthfully.”

2334

“What else should I believe then? ’twas said by Hildebrand
That when my knights besought you⁠— the men of Amelung land⁠—
That you would give them Rüdeger from out the palace-hall,
Naught else but jibes you offer’d to these bold heroes all.”

2335

Then spake the king of Rhineland: “They did their wish avow
Hence Rüdeger to carry; that would I not allow,
To do despite to Etzel, and not to cross your men:
Till Wolfhart words unhandsome began to utter then.”

2336

Then answer’d him the hero of Bern, “So let it be!
Yet Gunther, noble sovran, now of thy courtesy
Repay me for the sorrow that of thy doing came,
And make, bold knight, atonement, that I confirm the same.

2337

“Give up thyself as hostage, thou and thy liegeman there;
Then I myself will guard ye with all my greatest care,
Lest any of the Hunfolk should do ye aught of ill;
In me thou shalt find nothing save faith and all goodwill.”

2338

But Hagen spake in answer: “Now God in Heaven forfend
That any pair of warriors themselves to thee should bend,
Who arm’d as yet so stoutly here stand before thine eyes,
And still are all unfetter’d to face their enemies.”

2339

“Beware, Gunther and Hagen,” then Dietrich answer made,
“How ye refuse my offer! ye twain on me have laid
So sore a load of sorrow⁠— on heart and spirit too;
If ye amends will make me, that may ye cheaply do.

2340

I give you my true promise, and pledge it with my hand,
That I myself will with you ride home unto your land;
I’ll guide you in all honour, or will myself be slain,
And will, the while I serve you, forget my bitter pain.”

2341

“Now think thereon no longer,” Hagen in answer bade,
“ ’Twere not a fitting story about us to be said,
That two such doughty warriors had bow’d to your demand:
One sees beside you standing no one save Hildebrand.”

2342

Then upspake Master Hildebrand: “Sir Hagen, God doth know⁠—
Seeing that one hath offer’d to make a peace with you⁠—
The hour is nigh when fitly the offer you might take:
The peace my lord proposes ’twere well for you to make.”

2343

“I’d sooner make atonement,” in answer Hagen said,
“Ere in such coward fashion from any place I fled
As thou hast done but lately, good Master Hildebrand!
Methought against a foeman thou couldst more boldly stand!”

2344

Old Hildebrand made answer: “Why taunt’st thou me therefor?
Who sat upon his buckler the Vaske-rock before,
While friends of his so many the Spanish