Part 22

When the lord of Rhineland / passed into the hall, Etzel mighty monarch / waited not at all, But sprang from off his settle / when he beheld him nigh. By monarch ne'er was given / greeting so right heartily.

1809

"Welcome be, Lord Gunther, / and eke Sir Gernot too, And your brother Giselher. / My greetings unto you I sent with honest purpose / to Worms across the Rhine; And welcome all your followers / shall be unto this land of mine.

1810

"Right welcome be ye likewise, / doughty warriors twain, Volker the full valiant, / and Hagen dauntless thane, To me and to my lady / here in my country. Unto the Rhine to greet you / many a messenger sent she."

1811

Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "Thereof I'm well aware, And did I with my masters / not thus to Hunland fare, To do thee honor had I / ridden unto thy land." Then took the lofty monarch / the honored strangers by the hand.

1812

He led them to the settle / whereon himself he sat, Then poured they for the strangers / --with care they tended that-- In goblets wide and golden / mead and mulberry wine, And bade right hearty welcome / unto the knights afar from Rhine.

1813

Then spake the monarch Etzel: / "This will I freely say: Naught in this world might happen / to bring my heart more joy, Than that ye lofty heroes / thus are come to me. The queen from mickle sadness / thereby make ye likewise free.

1814

"To me 'twas mickle wonder / wherein had I transgressed, That I for friends had won me / so many a noble guest, Yet ye had never deigned / to come to my country. 'Tis now turned cause of gladness / that you as guests I here may see."

1815

Thereto gave answer Ruediger, / a knight of lofty mind: "Well mayst thou joy to see them; / right honor shalt thou find And naught but noble bearing / in my high mistress' kin. With them for guest thou likewise / many a stately thane dost win."

1816

At turn of sun in summer / were the knights arrived At mighty Etzel's palace. / Ne'er hath monarch lived That lordly guests did welcome / with higher compliment. When come was time of eating, / the king with them to table went.

1817

Amid his guests more stately / a host was seated ne'er. They had in fullest measure / of drink and goodly fare; Whate'er they might desire, / they ready found the same. Tales of mickle wonder / had spread abroad the heroes' fame.

THIRTIETH ADVENTURE

How they kept Guard

1818

And now the day was ended / and nearing was the night. Came then the thought with longing / unto each way-worn knight, When that they might rest them / and to their beds be shown. 'Twas mooted first by Hagen / and straight was answer then made known.

1819

To Etzel spake then Gunther: / "Fair days may God thee give! To bed we'll now betake us, / an be it by thy leave; We'll come betimes at morning, / if so thy pleasure be." From his guests the monarch / parted then full courteously.

1820

Upon the guests on all sides / the Huns yet rudely pressed, Whereat the valiant Volker / these words to them addressed: "How dare ye 'fore these warriors / thus beset the way? If that ye desist not, / rue such rashness soon ye may.

1821

"Let fall will I on some one / such stroke of fiddle-bow, That eyes shall fill with weeping / if he hath friend to show. Why make not way before us, / as fitting were to do! Knights by name ye all are, / but knighthood's ways unknown to you."

1822

When outspake the Fiddler / thus so wrathfully Backward glanced bold Hagen / to see what this might be. Quoth he: "He redes you rightly, / this keen minstrel knight. Ye followers of Kriemhild, / now pass to rest you for the night.

1823

"The thing whereof ye're minded / will none dare do, I ween. If aught ye purpose 'gainst us, / on the morrow be that seen, And let us weary strangers / the night in quiet pass; I ween, with knights of honor / such evermore the custom was."

1824

Then were led the strangers / into a spacious hall Where they found prepared / for the warriors one and all Beds adorned full richly, / that were both wide and long. Yet planned the Lady Kriemhild / to work on them the direst wrong.

1825

Rich quilted mattress covers / of Arras saw ye there Lustrous all and silken, / and spreading sheets there were Wrought of silk of Araby, / the best might e'er be seen. O'er them lay rich embroidered / stuffs that cast a brilliant sheen.

1826

Coverlets of ermine / full many might ye see, With sullen sable mingled, / whereunder peacefully They should rest the night through / till came the shining day. A king with all retinue / ne'er, I ween, so stately lay.

1827

"Alack for these night-quarters!" / quoth young Giselher, "Alack for my companions / who this our journey share! How kind so e'er my sister's / hospitality, Dead by her devising, / I fear me, are we doomed to be."

1828

"Let now no fears disturb you," / Hagen gave reply; "Through the hours of sleeping / keep the watch will I. I trust full well to guard you / until return the day, Thereof be never fearful; / let then preserve him well who may."

1829

Inclined they all before him / thereat to give him grace. Then sought they straight their couches; / in sooth 'twas little space Until was softly resting / every stately man. But Hagen, valiant hero, / the while to don his armor gan.

1830

Spake then to him the Fiddler, / Volker a doughty thane: "I'll be thy fellow, Hagen, / an wilt thou not disdain, While watch this night thou keepest, / until do come the morn." Right heartily the hero / to Volker then did thanks return.

1831

"God in heaven requite thee, / Volker, trusty fere. In all my time of trouble / wished I none other near, None other but thee only, / when dangers round me throng. I'll well repay that favor, / if death withhold its hand so long."

1832

Arrayed in glittering armor / both soon did ready stand; Each did take unto him / a mighty shield in hand, And passed without the portal / there to keep the way. Thus were the strangers guarded, / and trusty watchers eke had they.

1833

Volker the valiant, / as he sat before the hall, Leaned his trusty buckler / meanwhile against the wall, Then took in hand his fiddle / as he was wont to do: All times the thane would render / unto his friends a service true.

1834

Beneath the hall's wide portal / he sat on bench of stone; Than he a bolder fiddler / was there never none. As from his chords sweet echoes / resounded through the hall, Thanks for glad refreshment / had Volker from the warriors all.

1835

Then from the strings an echo / the wide hall did fill, For in his fiddle-playing / the knight had strength and skill. Softer then and sweeter / to fiddle he began And wiled to peaceful slumber / many an anxious brooding man.

1836

When they were wrapped in slumber / and he did understand, Then took again the warrior / his trusty shield in hand And passed without the portal / to guard the entrance tower, And safe to keep his fellows / where Kriemhild's crafty men did lower.

1837

About the hour of midnight, / or earlier perchance, The eye of valiant Volker / did catch a helmet's glance Afar from out the darkness: / the men of Kriemhild sought How that upon the strangers / might grievous scathe in stealth be wrought.

1838

Quoth thereat the Fiddler: / "Friend Hagen, 'tis full clear That we do well together / here this watch to share. I see before us yonder / men armed for the fight; I ween they will attack us, / if I their purpose judge aright."

1839

"Be silent, then," spake Hagen, / "and let them come more nigh. Ere that they perceive us / shall helmets sit awry, By good swords disjointed / that in our hands do swing. Tale of vigorous greeting / shall they back to Kriemhild bring."

1840

Amid the Hunnish warriors / one full soon did see, That well the door was guarded; / straightway then cried he: "The thing we here did purpose / 'tis need we now give o'er, For I behold the Fiddler / standing guard before the door.

1841

"Upon his head a helmet / of glancing light is seen, Welded strong and skilful, / dintless, of clearest sheen. The mail-rings of his armor / do sparkle like the fire, Beside him stands eke Hagen; / safe are the strangers from our ire."

1842

Straightway they back returned. / When Volker that did see, Unto his companion / wrathfully spake he: "Now let me to those caitiffs / across the court-yard go; What mean they by such business, / from Kriemhild's men I fain would know."

1843

"No, as thou dost love me," / Hagen straight replied; "If from this hall thou partest, / such ill may thee betide At hands of these bold warriors / and from the swords they bear, That I must haste to help thee, / though here our kinsmen's bane it were.

1844

"Soon as we two together / have joined with them in fight, A pair or two among them / will surely hasten straight Hither to this hall here, / and work such havoc sore Upon our sleeping brethren, / as must be mourned evermore."

1845

Thereto gave answer Volker: / "So much natheless must be, That they do learn full certain / how I the knaves did see, That the men of Kriemhild / hereafter not deny What they had wrought full gladly / here with foulest treachery."

1846

Straightway then unto them / aloud did Volker call: "How go ye thus in armor, / ye valiant warriors all? Or forth, perchance, a-robbing, / Kriemhild's men, go ye? Myself and my companion / shall ye then have for company."

1847

Thereto no man gave answer. / Wrathful grew his mood: "Fie, ye caitiff villains," / spake the hero good, "Would ye us so foully / have murdered while we slept? With knights so high in honor / full seldom thus hath faith been kept."

1848

Then unto Queen Kriemhild / were the tidings borne, How her men did fail their purpose: / 'twas cause for her to mourn. Yet otherwise she wrought it, / for grim she was of mood: Anon through her must perish / full many a valorous knight and good.

THIRTY-FIRST ADVENTURE

How they went to Mass

1849

"So cool doth grow my armor," / Volker made remark, "I ween but little longer / will endure the dark. By the air do I perceive it, / that soon will break the day." Then waked they many a warrior / who still in deepest slumber lay.

1850

When brake the light of morning / athwart the spacious hall, Hagen gan awaken / the stranger warriors all, If that they to the minster / would go to holy mass. After the Christian custom, / of bells a mickle ringing was.

1851

There sang they all uneven, / that plainly might ye see How Christian men and heathen / did not full well agree. Each one of Gunther's warriors / would hear the service sung, So were they all together / up from their night-couches sprung.

1852

Then did the warriors lace them / in so goodly dress, That never heroes any, / that king did e'er possess, More richly stood attired; / that Hagen grieved to see. Quoth he: "Ye knights, far other / here must your attire be.

1853

"Yea, know among you many / how here the case doth stand. Bear ye instead of roses / your good swords in hand, For chaplets all bejewelled / your glancing helmets good, Since we have well perceived / how is the angry Kriemhild's mood.

1854

"To-day must we do battle, / that will I now declare. Instead of silken tunic / shall ye good hauberks wear, And for embroidered mantle / a trusty shield and wide, That ye may well defend you, / if ye must others' anger bide.

1855

"My masters well beloved, / knights and kinsmen true, 'Tis meet that ye betake you / unto the minster too, That God do not forsake you / in peril and in need, For certain now I make you / that death is nigh to us indeed.

1856

"Forget ye not whatever / wrong ye e'er have done, But there 'fore God right meekly / all your errors own; Thereto would I advise you, / ye knights of high degree, For God alone in heaven / may will that other mass ye see."

1857

Thus went they to the minster, / the princes and their men. Within the holy churchyard / bade them Hagen then Stand all still together / that they part not at all. Quoth he: "Knows not any / what may at hands of Huns befall.

1858

"Let stand, good friends, all ready, / your shields before your feet, That if ever any / would you in malice greet, With deep-cut wound ye pay him; / that is Hagen's rede, That from men may never / aught but praises be your meed."

1859

Volker and Hagen, / the twain thence did pass Before the broad minster. / Therein their purpose was That the royal Kriemhild / must meet them where they stood There athwart her pathway. / In sooth full grim she was of mood.

1860

Then came the royal Etzel / and eke his spouse full fair. Attired were the warriors / all in raiment rare That following full stately / with her ye might see; The dust arose all densely / round Kriemhild's mickle company.

1861

When the lofty monarch / thus all armed did see The kings and their followers, / straightway then cried he: "How see I in this fashion / my friends with helm on head? By my troth I sorrow / if ill to them have happened.

1862

"I'll gladly make atonement / as doth to them belong. Hath any them affronted / or done them aught of wrong, To me 'tis mickle sorrow, / well may they understand. To serve them am I ready, / in whatsoever they command."

1863

Thereto gave answer Hagen: / "Here hath wronged us none. 'Tis custom of my masters / to keep their armor on Till full three days be over, / when high festival they hold. Did any here molest us, / to Etzel would the thing be told."

1864

Full well heard Kriemhild likewise / how Hagen gave reply. Upon him what fierce glances / flashed furtively her eye! Yet betray she would not / the custom of her country, Though well she long had known it / in the land of Burgundy.

1865

How grim soe'er and mighty / the hate to them she bore, Had any told to Etzel / how stood the thing before, Well had he prevented / what there anon befell. So haughty were they minded / that none to him the same would tell.

1866

With the queen came forward / there a mighty train, But no two handbreadths yielded / yet those warriors twain To make way before her. / The Huns did wrathful grow, That their mistress passing / should by them be jostled so.

1867

Etzel's highborn pages / were sore displeased thereat, And had upon the strangers / straightway spent their hate, But that they durst not do it / their high lord before. There was a mickle pressing, / yet naught of anger happened more.

1868

When they thence were parting / from holy service done, On horse came quickly prancing / full many a nimble Hun. With the Lady Kriemhild / went many a maiden fair, And eke to make her escort / seven thousand knights rode there.

1869

Kriemhild with her ladies / within the casement sat By Etzel, mighty monarch, / --full pleased he was thereat. They wished to view the tourney / of knights beyond compare. What host of strangers riding / thronged the court before them there!

1870

The marshal with the squires / not in vain ye sought, Dankwart the full valiant: / with him had he brought His royal master's followers / of the land of Burgundy. For the valiant Nibelungen / the steeds well saddled might ye see.

1871

When their steeds they mounted, / the kings and all their men, Volker thane full doughty, / gave his counsel then, That after their country's fashion / they ride a mass mellay. His rede the heroes followed / and tourneyed in full stately way.

1872

The knight had counsel given / in sooth that pleased them well; The clash of arms in mellay / soon full loud did swell. Many a valiant warrior / did thereto resort, As Etzel and Kriemhild / looked down upon the spacious court.

1873

Came there unto the mellay / six hundred knights of those That followed Dietrich's bidding, / the strangers to oppose. Pastime would they make them / with the men of Burgundy, And if he leave had granted. / had done the same right willingly.

1874

In their company rode there / how many a warrior bold! When unto Sir Dietrich / then the thing was told, Forbade he that 'gainst Gunther's / men they join the play. He feared lest harm befall them, / and well his counsel did he weigh.

1875

When of Bern the warriors / thence departed were, Came they of Bechelaren, / the men of Ruediger, Bearing shield five hundred, / and rode before the hall; Rather had the margrave / that they came there not at all.

1876

Prudently then rode he / amid their company And told unto his warriors / how they might plainly see, That the men of Gunther / were in evil mood: Did they forego the mellay, / please him better far it would.

1877

When they were thence departed, / the stately knights and bold, Came they of Thuringia, / as hath to us been told, And of them of Denmark / a thousand warriors keen. From crash of spear up-flying / full frequent were the splinters seen.

1878

Irnfried and Hawart / rode into the mellay, Whom the gallant men of Rhineland / received in knightly play: Full oft the men of Thuringia / they met in tournament, Whereby the piercing lance-point / through many a stately shield was sent.

1879

Eke with three thousand warriors / came Sir Bloedel there. Etzel and Kriemhild / were of his coming ware, As this play of chivalry / before them they did see. Now hoped the queen that evil / befall the men of Burgundy.

1880

Schrutan and Gibecke / rode into the mellay, Eke Ramung and Hornbog / after the Hunnish way; Yet must they come to standstill / 'fore the thanes of Burgundy. High against the palace / wall the splintered shafts did fly.

1881

How keen soe'er the contest, / 'twas naught but knightly sport. With shock of shields and lances / heard ye the palace court Loud give back the echo / where Gunther's men rode on. His followers in the jousting / on every side high honor won.

1882

So long they held such pastime / and with so mickle heat That through the broidered trappings / oozed clear drops of sweat From the prancing chargers / whereon the knights did ride. In full gallant manner / their skill against the Huns they tried.

1883

Then outspake the Fiddler, / Volker deft of hand: "These knights, I ween, too timid / are 'gainst us to stand. Oft did I hear the story / what hate to us they bore; Than this a fairer season / to vent it, find they nevermore."

1884

"Lead back unto the stables," / once more spake Volker then, "Now our weary chargers; / we'll ride perchance again When comes the cool of evening, / if fitting time there be. Mayhap the queen will honor / award to men of Burgundy."

1885

Beheld they then prick hither / one dressed in state so rare That of the Huns none other / might with him compare. Belike from castle tower / did watch his fair lady; So gay was his apparel / as it some knight's bride might be.

1886

Then again quoth Volker: / "How may I stay my hand? Yonder ladies' darling / a knock shall understand. Let no man here deter me, / I'll give him sudden check. How spouse of royal Etzel / thereat may rage, I little reck."

1887

"Nay, as thou dost love me," / straight King Gunther spake; "All men will but reproach us / if such affront we make. The Huns be first offenders, / for such would more befit." Still did the royal Etzel / in casement by Queen Kriemhild sit.

1888

"I'll add unto the mellay," / Hagen did declare; "Let now all these ladies / and knights be made aware How we can ride a charger; / 'twere well we make it known, For, come what may, small honor / shall here to Gunther's men be shown."

1889

Once more the nimble Volker / into the mellay spurred, Whereat full many a lady / soon to weep was heard. His lance right through the body / of that gay Hun he sent: 'Twas cause that many a woman / and maiden fair must sore lament.

1890

Straight dashed into the mellay / Hagen and his men. With three score of his warriors / spurred he quickly then Forward where the Fiddler / played so lustily. Etzel and Kriemhild / full plainly might the passage see.

1891

Then would the kings their minstrel / --that may ye fairly know-- Leave not all defenceless / there amid the foe. With them a thousand heroes / rode forth full dexterously, And soon had gained their purpose / with show of proudest chivalry.

1892

When in such rude fashion / the stately Hun was slain, Might ye hear his kinsmen / weeping loud complain. Then all around did clamor: / "Who hath the slayer been?" "None but the Fiddler was it, / Volker the minstrel keen."

1893

For swords and for shields then / called full speedily That slain margrave's kinsmen / of the Hun's country. To avenge him sought they / Volker in turn to slay. In haste down from the casement / royal Etzel made his way.

1894

Arose a mighty clamor / from the people all; The kings and men of Burgundy / dismounted 'fore the hall, And likewise their chargers / to the rear did send. Came then the mighty Etzel / and sought to bring the strife to end.

1895

From one of that Hun's kinsmen / who near by him did stand Snatched he a mighty weapon / quick from out his hand, And therewith backward smote them, / for fierce his anger wrought. "Shall thus my hospitality / unto these knights be brought to naught?"

1896

"If ye the valiant minstrel / here 'fore me should slay," Spake the royal Etzel, / "it were an evil day. When he the Hun impaled / I did observe full well, That not through evil purpose / but by mishap it so befell.

1897

"These my guests now must ye / ne'er disturb in aught." Himself became their escort. / Away their steeds were brought Unto the stables / by many a waiting squire, Who ready at their bidding / stood to meet their least desire.

1898

The host with the strangers / into the palace went, Nor would he suffer any / further his wrath to vent. Soon were the tables ready / and water for them did wait. Many then had gladly / on them of Rhineland spent their hate.

1899

Not yet the lords were seated / till some time was o'er. For Kriemhild o'er her sorrow / meantime did trouble sore. She spake: "Of Bern, O Master, / thy counsel grant to me, Thy help and eke thy mercy, / for here in sorry plight I be."

1900

To her gave answer Hildebrand, / a thane right praiseworthy: "Who harms the Nibelungen / shall ne'er have help of me, How great soe'er the guerdon. / Such deed he well may rue, For never yet did any / these gallant doughty knights subdue."

1901

Eke in courteous manner / Sir Dietrich her addressed: "Vain, O lofty mistress, / unto me thy quest. In sooth thy lofty kinsmen / have wronged me not at all, That I on thanes so valorous / should thus with murderous purpose fall.

1902

"Thy prayer doth thee small honor, / O high and royal dame, That upon thy kinsmen / thou so dost counsel shame. Thy grace to have they deemed / when came they to this land. Nevermore shall Siegfried / avenged be by Dietrich's hand."

1903

When she no guile discovered / in the knight of Bern, Unto Bloedel straightway / did she hopeful turn With promise of wide marches / that Nudung erst did own. Slew him later Dankwart / that he forgot the gift full soon.

1904

Spake she: "Do thou help me, / Sir Bloedel, I pray. Yea, within the palace / are foes of mine this day, Who erstwhile slew Siegfried, / spouse full dear to me. Who helps me to avenge it, / to him I'll e'er beholden be."

1905

Thereto gave answer Bloedel: / "Lady, be well aware, Ne'er to do them evil / 'fore Etzel may I dare, For to thy kinsmen, lady, / beareth he good will. Ne'er might the king me pardon, / wrought I upon them aught of ill."

1906

"But nay, Sir Bloedel, my favor / shall thou have evermore. Yea, give I thee for guerdon / silver and gold in store, And eke a fairest lady, / that Nudung erst should wed: By her fond embraces / may'st thou well be comforted.

1907

"The land and eke the castles, / all to thee I'll give; Yea, may'st thou, knight full noble, / in joyance ever live, Call'st thou thine the marches, / wherein did Nudung dwell. Whate'er this day I promise, / fulfil it all I will full well."

1908