Part 11

Then in his leal friends' presence did Siegmund rise and say: "Be it known unto all my lovers and all my folk this day That from this hour forward Siegfried the crown of my lordship shall wear." And with joy that proclamation did the men of the Netherland hear. Unto Siegfried his crown he committed, his land, and the power of the sword. Henceforth was he lord and master: as he spake in judgment's award, As he visited for transgression, his word was the whole land's law, So that under the lord of Kriemhild all men bowed down in awe.

In the midst of such high honour he lived--this witness is true-- Doing crowned kings' judgment and justice, till onward the tenth year drew. And now to the fair Queen Kriemhild was born at the last a son In whom for the kinsmen of Siegfried all hope and desire were won. They bare to the font baptismal the babe, and they chose him a name, The name of his uncle Gunther--thereof could he take no shame. So he grew unto man like his kinsman, a valiant lord should he be. And with watchful love, as behoved them, they nurtured him heedfully. Now it came to pass that in those days did the Lady Siegelind die, And to Uta's noble daughter passed all her majesty, As beseemed so royal a lady in the land where her lord bare sway: Yet sorely for her they lamented whom death had taken away.

Now also beside Rhine-river, as the olden minstrels sing, In that fair land Burgundian unto Gunther the mighty king The Queen, even Brunhild the lovely, had also borne a son. Siegfried, for love of the Hero, they named that little one. Ah, with what care exceeding they watched his childhood-days! Wise warders Gunther appointed to rear him in wisdom's ways, Even all that for noble manhood and knightly should stand him in stead. --Ah me, what woes from his kinsfolk lighted on that child's head!

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Through the golden years was the story aye published far and wide In what fashion those valiant barons in princely pomp and pride Lived in the land of Siegmund through the happy-fleeting days. Yea, Gunther withal with his kinsfolk dwelt amid all men's praise. All the land of the Niblungs was bowed under Siegfried's sway, --Such wealth had none of his kinsfolk as gathered in that Hoard lay-- With all the knights of Schilbung and the slain kings' treasure-store; And for this cause heart-uplifted was the hero yet the more. Yea, a Hoard, of treasures the hugest that ever hero won, Save the lords that of old possessed it, had Siegfried gained for his own, The which by the Misty Mountain his right hand took in fight, When he dealt for its sake the death-stroke unto many a stalwart knight. He was crowned with the fulness of honour--yea, had his portion been less, Yet of that noble warrior all men must needs confess That of all knights this was the chiefest that ever backed a steed. Men dreaded his might--and reason had they in veriest deed!

XII. How Gunther bade Siegfried to a Festival

Now through all these years ever Brunhild the Queen to her own heart said: "How comes it that Lady Kriemhild beareth so proudly her head? And yet is her husband Siegfried nought but our vassal, I trow; Yet for long hath he rendered homage or service little enow!" So bare she in secret a burden of brooding and heart's unrest, And that these in a far land tarried was ever a thorn in her breast, Yea also, that none brought tribute to her out of Siegfried's land; How it befell she knew not, and she wearied to understand.

Then made she trial of Gunther, if haply she might attain Her purpose, to meet Queen Kriemhild face to face again; {P. 99} And she took with him secret counsel for that whereon aye did she brood. But the word of the Queen unto Gunther seemed in no wise good. "How might we bring them hither?" that noble King replied, "Even to this our kingdom? The thing can never betide. Too far is their dwelling: I dare not ask that this might be!" But Brunhild to him made answer with speech of subtlety: "And be he never so mighty, who is vassal still to a King, Whatsoever his liege-lord biddeth, of force must he do the thing." Smiled Gunther for this delusion that in her heart had place-- Little he thought on homage when he looked upon Siegfried's face. "Nay, dear my lord," she made answer, "I pray thee, help me herein-- By my love I beseech thee--that Siegfried and thy sister Kriemhild the Queen May come unto this thy kingdom, that we may behold them here. In all this world could be given no joy to mine heart more dear. That gracious mien of thy sister, and her queenly courtesy, Still as I muse thereover, how sweet is the memory, How we sat at the feast of my bridal side by side at the board! In sooth hath she chosen with honour Siegfried the brave for her lord." She lay on him sore in entreaty, that at last King Gunther said: "Now know, that no guests more welcome my feast-hall floor could tread. Lightly is gained thy petition: swift messengers of mine Shall be sent unto them, to bid them come unto us by Rhine." Then spake that Daughter of Princes: "Now shalt thou tell unto me When thou wilt send to bid them, and how many days shall it be Ere come into this our kingdom the friends we love so well. And whom thou wilt send to bid them unto me beforehand tell."

"Yea," answered the King, "that will I: There shall go of my knightly array Thirty thitherward riding." For these did he send straightway; And with that message he charged them, to bear it to Siegfried's land. Rich raiment to gladden their spirits received they of Brunhild's hand. "My knights, ye shall take this message from me"; thus spake the King; "And of all wherewith I have charged you withhold not anything. {P. 100} Say unto Siegfried the mighty, and unto my sister say, That in all this world may no one be dearer to me than they. And pray them to come to their kinsfolk here beside Rhine-river: And for this unto them shall Brunhild and I be beholden ever. Ere summer to autumn waneth full many shall he see here, Even he and his men, that in honour hold him passing dear. And bear ye to King Siegmund my service in courtesy, And say that to him aye bounden my friends and I shall be: And pray ye also my sister that she tarry not to ride To her friends--she hath lighted never on so worthy a festal-tide."

Brunhild withal, and Uta, yea, every high-born dame Unto the land of Siegfried fair greeting sent by name To their kinsfolk and their acquaintance, fair lady and valiant knight. So, sped by King and Council, they hasted thence forthright; For they stood all girt for the journey, seeing all things ready to hand Had they, their horses, their raiment: so rode they forth of the land. On to the goal they hasted whereunto their hearts were bent. Strong escort on that wayfaring to guard them the King had sent.

So it was, on the twelfth day's dawning they came to the Niblung land, To the fencèd city, whither they were sent by the King's command. Afar on the marches of Norway that hero-thane found they: And by this were steed and rider forwearied with all the way. Unto Siegfried and unto Kriemhild were tidings borne with speed That knights were come to their castle arrayed in suchlike weed As folk in the land Burgundian were wont to wear alway. Then leapt from the couch that lady, where resting yet she lay; And a certain one of her handmaids she bade to the casement go, Who beheld the valiant Gere in the court stand therebelow, Even him and his fellow-farers which thither from far had sped. All heart-ache of the exile like a dream at the tidings fled. And she cried aloud unto Siegfried: "Behold how there they wait, These that with Gere the stalwart have ridden through our gate, {P. 101} These whom my brother Gunther unto us down Rhine-flood sends!" Made answer Siegfried the mighty, "Welcome to us be our friends!" Straightway beholding them hasted to greet them squire and knight, And this one and that with welcome hailed them, and, each as he might, They paid to the heralds royal all loving courtesies. Yea, also the old King Siegmund rejoiced for the coming of these.

So when they had given fair lodging to Gere and all his men, And had stabled in stall their horses, they led those messengers then To the place where sat King Siegfried with Kriemhild at his side, Even the Hall of the Presence, when his pleasure was signified. Then the King and the Queen from their high-seats rose up at their entering-in, And they graciously greeted the envoys of their far Burgundian kin, Even these and their fellow-farers, King Gunther's liegemen all, And entreated Gere the noble, "Sit thou with us in the hall." "Let us first of our message acquit us, ere we sit down to rest: So long let him stand in thy presence, thy travel-weary guest; And so shall the word be spoken which is sent unto you of the King, Of Gunther, and of Queen Brunhild. In bliss be they prospering. From the Lady Uta thy mother, O Queen, have we also a word, And from Giselher the stripling, and from Gernot the royal lord, And from all your nearest kinsfolk: hither have these sent us From Burgundia-land with greetings exceeding courteous."

"God guerdon them!" said Siegfried; "I put my trust alway In their love and their faith true-hearted, as friend with friend doth aye: This doth withal their sister. Now shall ye further tell If our friends in their far-off homeland be merry, and all go well. Since the day that we parted from them, hath any evil been done By a foe to my Lady's brethren? Concerning this say on. In loyal faith will I help them aye to the uttermost. Of my service to these shall foemen learn to their bitter cost."

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Answered the Lord of the Marches, Gere, a right good knight: "In chivalry and in joyance be all things going aright; And they bid you now unto Rhineland to a glorious festal-tide. Glad shall they be to behold you, hereof be ye certified. They beseech my Lady Kriemhild withal that she come with thee So soon as the feet of the winter from the face of the spring shall flee. Or ever the summer waneth full fain would they look upon you." Answered Siegfried the mighty, "Not lightly this may I do!"

But Gere the earl Burgundian spake on furthermore: "Nay also Uta your mother beseecheth you very sore, And Giselher and Gernot: ye may not say them nay. That ye dwell so far from their faces is their sorrow day by day. Brunhild withal my Lady and her maidens in bower and hall Rejoice over this my message; and if haply it might befall That they look once more on your faces, heart-uplifted they were." Then exceeding glad for the tidings was Kriemhild the loving and fair.

Now the Queen's near kinsman was Gere, and the King bade seat him on high, And pour them the wine of welcome; no more might they put it by. Thither withal came Siegmund, and rejoiced their faces to see; And the old king lovingly greeted the heralds of Burgundy: "Welcome to us, ye liegemen of Gunther, knight and thane! Behold, forasmuch as Siegfried my son to wife hath ta'en Kriemhild, the great King's sister, more oft should we see you thus Guests in our land, if closer ye would knit up friendship with us." And they cried, whensoe'er it should please him, with joyful hearts would they come. From their limbs was weariness banished, by gladness stolen therefrom. Then the horns blew up to the banquet, and they feasted with all good cheer, For Siegfried had bidden lavish the best upon friends so dear.

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Till nine full days were accomplished, they constrained them there to abide, Till the eager knights uplifted a voice of complaining, and cried: "Will ye aye withhold us from riding back to our land at all?" Then to a council did Siegfried his friends and his kinsmen call. He prayed them to give their counsel, should he go to the Rhine or forbear: "Gunther, my fair Queen's brother, entreateth me to fare To the land where he and his brethren a mighty feast will array; And fain would I go, but his kingdom is exceeding far away. And they make request that Kriemhild shall thitherward fare with me. Give counsel, friends and kinsmen, shall this her journey be? Were it but to lead through kingdoms thrice ten a warrior-band, Glad help and willing service should they have of Siegfried's hand." Unto him did the knights make answer: "If thy will and thy pleasure it is To journey to this high feast-tide, our rede unto thee is this: With good knights twice five hundred hence shalt thou ride to the Rhine, So through all thy stay in Burgundia shall royal honour be thine."

Then spake the old king Siegmund, erewhile the Netherland's Lord: "Wouldst thou to a feast-tide, and tellest to me thereof no word! Even I will be your companion, if this content you well, And thanes of my train a hundred your guard-array shall swell." "If thou, O father beloved, wilt ride in our company," Made answer Siegfried the dauntless, "a joy shall it be unto me. Ere twelve days have passed over, I ride forth out of our land." Then gave they horses and raiment unto all that should be of their band.

When therefore set on the journey was the heart of that king of men, They suffered the eager envoys to ride thence homeward again; And he charged them to say to the brethren of Kriemhild, by Rhine-river side, That Siegfried joyful-hearted would come to their festival-tide. Siegfried the hero and Kriemhild, as telleth the minstrel's tale, So laded with presents the heralds, that their own steeds could not avail To bear all the guerdon homeward, so wealthy a lord was he: So they drove it on sumpter-horses, journeying joyfully.

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To their people was raiment given by Siegfried and Siegmund his sire; And Eckwart, Lord of the Marches, bade seek out splendid attire For the ladies of Kriemhild, the richest vesture that might be found Or be won by diligent searching in all the land around. Goodly saddles and bucklers they bade the craftsmen prepare For the noble knights and ladies that with him were bidden to fare. Nought lacked they; all that they asked for was given with open hand. So brought he guests most princely to his friends in the far-off land.

Meanwhile are the envoys returning, and ever they speed on fast. So cometh the proud thane Gere to Burgundia-land at last, And with honour there is he welcomed. Down to the earth they spring From saddle of steed and palfrey in front of the hall of the King. Forth poured the youths and the elders, as folk be wont to do, And asked of him touching his tidings. Made answer the knight thereto: "When I speak to the King my message, unto you shall the same be known." So entered he in with his comrades where Gunther sat on his throne.

Upleapt the King from the high-seat, and bright for joy was his face. Brunhild withal the lovely thanked them with queenly grace For this their speedy returning, and the King to the messengers spake: "How fareth Siegfried, who ofttimes hath ventured his life for my sake?" Made answer Gere the valiant: "For joy was his face aflame, Even his and thy sister's. Message so gracious never came From any man aforetime that would greet far-sundered friends, As now unto you with his father the noble Siegfried sends." Then of the Lord of the Marches the King's wife questioned and cried: "Answer me, cometh Kriemhild? As of old is her beauty's pride And the grace of the queenly bearing that to her did of yore appertain?" "O yea, of a surety she cometh," made answer Gere the thane. Then the herald at Uta's bidding came before that Queen, And now by her eager asking all in a moment was seen Whereunto was her whole heart yearning--"How hath my child's weal sped?" And he said, "She is well, and she cometh ere many days be fled."

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Then showed they the herald's guerdon in the palace for all to behold, The gifts of the hand of Siegfried, the raiment and the gold: Nothing thereof was hidden from the three Kings' vassalry. All rendered the hero honour for his bounty and courtesy. "Ha! well may the man," cried Hagen, "with full hand give away. Ne'er could he spend his treasure, not though he should live for aye. The Hoard of the Niblungs lieth in the hollow of his hand! --Ha, if the same came ever hither to Burgundy-land!"

Right glad in court and castle were all the thanes when they heard Of the friends that should come; and a spirit of diligent toiling stirred In all men late and early, yea, in all the Kings' array. Long ranks of stately high-seats afront of the burg reared they. There toiling was Hunold the valiant, there toiling was Sindold the thane: Full little rest they tasted, in their office as laboured the twain, Steward and cupbearer-royal, as the seats rose rank on rank: There daily was Ortwein helping; and Gunther rendered them thank. Rumold the feast-arrayer, how urged he on at that tide The vassalry of the kitchen!--full many a caldron wide, Skillet and seething-vessel--how shone they in line on line For the ordering of the feasting of the guests of the Land of Rhine! (C) Toiled also the palace-maidens in many a fair device: They broidered the costly loomwork, and many a gem of price They set in the midst of the gold thread, that far its splendour shone. Was none but thanked them and praised them as they cunningly laid them thereon.

XIII. How they Fared to the Feast-tide

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From the tale of their diligent toiling awhile refraineth the song, And telleth how Lady Kriemhild and all her handmaid-throng Set forth from the land of the Niblungs to the realms by Rhine to fare. Never such wealth of royal vesture did horses bear: For with many a casket and coffer they laded the sumpter-train. Amidst of friends and kinsmen rode Siegfried the hero-thane; And beside him the Daughter of Princes mid dreams of gladness rode: --Ah me, sore grief lay ambushed by the path that their horses trode!

But the little child of Siegfried, but Kriemhild's darling one, Safe in the home-land left they; of need must it so be done. Begotten for him of their journey was bitter affliction and sore. Strong father and lovely mother that child saw never more! Beside them went forth riding Siegmund the ancient king. Ah, had his heart foreboded what sorrow was doomed to spring For him of that festal high-tide, he had never looked thereon! Never from wrongs of kindred such bitter grief had he won!

Forerunners to tell of their coming betimes far onward they sent: Then riding forth to meet them all splendour-gleaming went Many a friend of Uta and vassal of Gunther the King: With looking for that guest-meeting his heart was hungering. Then went he and spake unto Brunhild, where sat the Queen in her bower:-- "When hither thou camest, how welcomed my sister thee in that hour? So will I the wife of Siegfried should be welcomed now of thee." "That will I gladly," she answered, "of right is she dear unto me." Thereunto the great King answered: "To-morrow betimes come they. If thou wilt fitly receive them, lay to thine hand straightway, {P. 107} Lest they peradventure prevent us ere we ride from our towered home; For guests so well-belovèd never to me have come." Forthwith she gave to the maidens and palace-dames her behest To search out goodly raiment, of all their attire the best, Wherein her retinue-royal in the presence of guests might shine: And the same did they blithe-hearted, lightly may one divine.

Forth to the welcoming hasted all Gunther's liegemen withal; Yea, to ride with him to the greeting each man of his knights did he call. There rode that Daughter of Princes in royal pomp to meet Those dear-loved guests far-travelled, and with gracious lips to greet. What heaped-up measure of honour in their hands to their guests did they bring! Men thought that the Lady Brunhild had scarce such welcoming At the hands of the Princess Kriemhild when she came to Burgundia-land. Friends became some, that were erstwhile strangers, by clasp of hand. By this came the band of warriors that rode at Siegfried's side. Men saw those ranks of heroes hitherward, thitherward ride Through all the breadth of the lealand, a warrior-host untold: There was no space clear from their thronging, and the clouds of dust uprolled.

When the Lord of the Land Burgundian looked upon Siegfried's face And the eyes of the old king Siegmund, what courtly and loving grace Was his as he cried, "Be welcome to me, to my friends and my kin! Well may we be glad-hearted at this your entering-in!" "God guerdon you!" cried Siegmund, the old king honour-athirst. "Since the day that my dear son Siegfried was won to your friend at the first, Ever mine heart hath whispered, 'Their faces must thou too see'." Spake Gunther, "Mine heart rejoiceth for that day risen on me." Such was the welcome of Siegfried, right worthy of such a lord. With the love thereof and the honour were all hearts in accord: This Gernot and Giselher bettered with their knightly courtesy. No guests were welcomed ever, I ween, so lovingly.

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Unto hand-clasp and embracing the wives of the two Kings came. Now fast were the saddles emptied, for many a comely dame By heroes' hands down-holpen, stood on the meadow-green. Who joyed in the service of ladies, had work enow, I ween. To meet and to greet each other those winsome ladies stept, And for joy of their lovely presence full many a knight's heart leapt, And for joy of the gracious greeting of the glory of either land; For beside those comely maidens did many a good knight stand. Then did the hands kind-clasping each unto other cling: There was grace of courtly obeisance through that bright gathering, Sweet salutations of kisses 'twixt ladies passing fair: And the men of Gunther and Siegfried glad-hearted watched them there.

Then tarried they there no longer, but on to the city they rode. And the folk of the Land Burgundian by command of their Lord forthshowed To their guests their joy of the meeting by knightly courtesies; And through all the way they jousted to gladden the ladies' eyes. Hagen of Troneg and Ortwein made manifest that day To the eyes of all beholders what stalwart knights were they: Marshals they were of the tourney, and all men obeyed their behests; So of these much courtly service was rendered to those dear guests. There might ye hear shields ringing afront of the castle-gate, Spear-snapping and buckler-crashing: long time on his charger sate The King mid his friends there watching, or ever within they passed. In many a knightly pastime the bright hours fleeted fast.

Unto the gate of the guest-hall rode they all joyously. Many a rich-wrought housing fashioned fair to see From the saddles of lovely ladies swinging on either hand Hung to the ground. There waiting did the palace-pages stand. Unto their several chambers by these were the guests led on; And men marked how the eyes of Brunhild glanced ever and anon {P. 109} Askance at the Lady Kriemhild;--sooth, passing-fair she showed, As her bright cheeks' lilies and roses against the red gold glowed. All up through the streets of the city of Worms did the glad sounds ring Of that merry company's thronging. His hest gave Gunther the King Unto his marshal Dankwart to provide for all their need; And to fair-dight harbourage therefore those several guests did he lead.