Part 6

The leaders forth to battle / led the warriors then. Come was also Siegfried / with his twelve chosen men, Whom he with him hither / had brought from Netherland. That day in storm of battle / was blood-bespattered many a hand.

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Sindold and Hunold / and Gernot as well, Beneath their hands in battle / full many a hero fell, Ere that their deeds of valor / were known throughout the host. Through them must many a stately / matron weep for warrior lost.

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Volker and Hagen / and Ortwein in the fight Lustily extinguished / full many a helmet's light With blood from wounds down flowing,-- / keen fighters every one. And there by Dankwart also / was many a mickle wonder done.

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The knights of Denmark tested / how they could weapons wield. Clashing there together / heard ye many a shield And 'neath sharp swords resounding, / swung by many an arm. The Saxons keen in combat / wrought 'mid their foes a grievous harm.

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When the men of Burgundy / pressed forward to the fight, Gaping wounds full many / hewed they there with might. Then flowing down o'er saddle / in streams was seen the blood, So fought for sake of honor / these valiant riders keen and good.

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Loudly were heard ringing, / wielded by hero's hand, The sharply-cutting weapons, / where they of Netherland Their master followed after / into the thickest throng: Wherever Siegfried led them / rode too those valiant knights along.

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Of warriors from Rhine river / could follow not a one. There could be seen by any / a stream of blood flow down O'er brightly gleaming helmet / 'neath Siegfried's mighty hand, Until King Luedeger / before him with his men did stand.

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Three times hither and thither / had he the host cut through From one end to the other. / Now come was Hagen too Who helped him well in battle / to vent his warlike mood. That day beneath his valor / must die full many a rider good.

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When the doughty Luedeger / Siegfried there found, As he swung high in anger / his arm for blows around And with his good sword Balmung / knights so many slew, Thereat was the keen warrior / filled with grief and anger too.

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Then mickle was the thronging / and loud the broadswords clashed, As all their valiant followers / 'gainst one another dashed. Then struggled all the fiercer / both sides the fight to win; The hosts joined with each other: / 'twas frightful there to hear the din.

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To the monarch of the Saxons / it had been told before, His brother was a captive, / which grieved his heart right sore. He knew not that had done it / fair Siegelind's son, For rumor said 'twas Gernot. / Full well he learned the truth anon.

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King Luedeger struck so mighty / when fierce his anger rose, That Siegfried's steed beneath him / staggered from the blows, But forthwith did recover; / then straight his rider keen Let all his furious mettle / in slaughter of his foes be seen.

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There helped him well grim Hagen, / and Gernot in the fray, Dankwart and Volker; / dead many a knight there lay. Sindold and Hunold / and Ortwein, doughty thane, By them in that fierce struggle / was many a valiant warrior slain.

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Unparted in storm of battle / the gallant leaders were, Around them over helmet / flew there many a spear Through shield all brightly shining, / from hand of mighty thane: And on the glancing armor / was seen full many a blood-red stain.

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Amid the hurly-burly / down fell many a man To ground from off his charger. / Straight 'gainst each other ran Siegfried the keen rider / and eke King Luedeger. Then flew from lance the splinters / and hurled was many a pointed spear.

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'Neath Siegfried's hand so mighty / from shield flew off the band. And soon to win the victory / thought he of Netherland Over the valiant Saxons, / of whom were wonders seen. Heigh-ho! in shining mail-rings / many a breach made Dankwart keen!

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Upon the shining buckler / that guarded Siegfried's breast Soon espied King Luedeger / a painted crown for crest; By this same token knew he / it was the doughty man, And to his friends he straightway / amid the battle loud began:

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"Give o'er from fighting further, / good warriors every one! Amongst our foes now see I / Siegmund's noble son, Of netherland the doughty / knight on victory bent. Him has the evil Devil / to scourge the Saxons hither sent."

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Then bade he all the banners / amid the storm let down. Peace he quickly sued for: / 'Twas granted him anon, But he must now a hostage / be ta'en to Gunther's land. This fate had forced upon him / the fear of Siegfried's mighty hand.

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They thus by common counsel / left off all further fight. Hacked full many a helmet / and shields that late were bright From hands down laid they weary; / as many as there might be, With stains they all were bloody / 'neath hands of the men of Burgundy.

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Each whom he would took captive, / now they had won the fight. Gernot, the noble hero, / and Hagen, doughty knight, Bade bear forth the wounded. / Back led they with them then Unto the land of Burgundy / five hundred stalwart fighting-men.

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The knights, of victory cheated, / their native Denmark sought, Nor had that day the Saxons / with such high valor fought, That one could praise them for it, / which caused the warriors pain. Then wept their friends full sorely / at home for those in battle slain.

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For the Rhine then laden / they let their armor be. Siegfried, the knight so doughty, / had won the victory With his few chosen followers; / that he had nobly done, Could not but free acknowledge / King Gunther's warriors every one.

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To Worms sent Gernot riding / now a messenger, And of the joyous tiding / soon friends at home were ware, How that it well had prospered / with him and all his men. Fought that day with valor / for honor had those warriors keen.

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The messenger sped forward / and told the tidings o'er. Then joyfully they shouted / who boded ill before, To hear the welcome story / that now to them was told. From ladies fair and noble / came eager questions manifold,

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Who all the fair fortune / of King Gunther's men would know. One messenger they ordered / unto Kriemhild to go. But that was done in secret: / she durst let no one see, For he was 'mongst those warriors / whom she did love so faithfully.

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When to her own apartments / was come the messenger Joyfully addressed him / Kriemhild the maiden fair: "But tell me now glad tidings, / and gold I'll give to thee, And if thou tell'st not falsely, / good friend thou'lt ever find in me.

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"How has my good brother / Gernot in battle sped, And how my other kinsmen? / Lies any of them dead? Who wrought most deeds of valor? / --That shall thou let me know." Then spake the messenger truly: / "No knight but did high valor show.

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"But in the dire turmoil / rode rider none so well, O Princess fair and noble, / since I must truly tell, As the stranger knight full noble / who comes from Netherland; There deeds of mickle wonder / were wrought by doughty Siegfried's hand.

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"Whate'er have all the warriors / in battle dared to do, Dankwart and Hagen / and the other knights so true, Howe'er they fought for honor, / 'twas naught but idle play Beside what there wrought Siegfried, / King Siegmund's son, amid the fray.

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"Beneath their hands in battle / full many a hero fell, Yet all the deeds of wonder / no man could ever tell, Wrought by the hand of Siegfried, / when rode he 'gainst the foe: And weep aloud must women / for friends by his strong arm laid low.

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"There, too, the knight she loved / full many a maid must lose. Were heard come down on helmet / so loud his mighty blows, That they from gaping gashes / brought forth the flowing blood. In all that maketh noble / he is a valiant knight and good.

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"Many a deed of daring / of Metz Sir Ortwein wrought: For all was evil faring / whom he with broadsword caught, Doomed to die that instant, / or wounded sore to fall. And there thy valiant brother / did greater havoc work than all

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"That e'er in storm of battle / was done by warrior bold. Of all those chosen warriors / let eke the truth be told: The proud Burgundian heroes / have made it now right plain, That they can free from insult / their country's honor well maintain.

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"Beneath their hands was often / full many a saddle bare, When o'er the field resounding / their bright swords cut the air. The warriors from Rhine river / did here such victory win That for their foes 'twere better / if they such meeting ne'er had seen.

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"Keen the knights of Tronje / 'fore all their valor showed, When with their stalwart followers / against their foes they rode; Slain by the hand of Hagen / must knights so many be, 'Twill long be in the telling / here in the land of Burgundy.

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"Sindold and Hunold, / Gernot's men each one, And the valiant Rumold / have all so nobly done, King Luedeger will ever / have right good cause to rue That he against thy kindred / at Rhine dared aught of harm to do.

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"And deeds of all most wondrous / e'er done by warrior keen In earliest time or latest, / by mortal ever seen, Wrought there in lusty manner / Siegfried with doughty hand. Rich hostages he bringeth / with him unto Gunther's land.

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"By his own strength subdued them / the hero unsurpassed And brought down dire ruin / upon King Luedegast, Eke on the King of Saxons / his brother Luedeger. Now hearken to the story / I tell thee, noble Princess fair.

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"Them both hath taken captive / Siegfried's doughty hand. Hostages were so many / ne'er brought into this land As to the Rhine come hither / through his great bravery." Than these could never tidings / unto her heart more welcome be.

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"With captives home they're hieing, / five hundred men or mo', And of the wounded dying / Lady shalt thou know, Full eighty blood-stained barrows / unto Burgundian land, Most part hewn down in battle / beneath keen Siegfried's doughty hand.

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"Who message sent defiant / unto the Rhine so late Must now as Gunther's prisoners / here abide their fate. Bringing such noble captives / the victors glad return." Then glowed with joy the princess / when she the tidings glad did learn.

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Her cheeks so full of beauty / with joy were rosy-red, That passed he had uninjured / through all the dangers dread, The knight she loved so dearly, / Siegfried with doughty arm. Good cause she had for joying / o'er all her friends escaped from harm.

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Then spake the beauteous maiden: / "Glad news thou hast told me, Wherefor now rich apparel / thy goodly meed shall be, And to thee shall be given / ten marks of gold as well." 'Tis thus a thing right pleasant / to ladies high such news to tell.

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The presents rich they gave him, / gold and apparel rare. Then hastened to the casement / full many a maiden fair, And on the street looked downward: / hither riding did they see Many a knight high-hearted / into the land of Burgundy.

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There came who 'scaped uninjured, / and wounded borne along, All glad to hear the greetings / of friends, a joyful throng. To meet his friends the monarch / rode out in mickle glee: In joying now was ended / all his full great anxiety.

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Then did he well his warriors / and eke the strangers greet; And for a king so mighty / 'twere nothing else but meet That he should thank right kindly / the gallant men each one, Who had in storm of battle / the victory so bravely won.

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Then of his friends King Gunther / bade tidings tell straightway, Of all his men how many / were fallen in the fray. Lost had he none other / than warriors three score: Then wept they for the heroes, / as since they did for many more.

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Shields full many brought they / all hewn by valiant hand, And many a shattered helmet / into King Gunther's hand. The riders then dismounted / from their steeds before the hall, And a right hearty welcome / from friends rejoicing had they all.

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Then did they for the warriors / lodging meet prepare, And for his guests the monarch / bade full well have care. He bade them take the wounded / and tend them carefully, And toward his enemies also / his gentle bearing might ye see.

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To Luedeger then spake he: / "Right welcome art thou here. Through fault of thine now have I / lost many friends full dear, For which, have I good fortune, / thou shall right well atone. God rich reward my liegemen, / such faithfulness to me they've shown."

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"Well may'st thou thank them, truly," / spake then Luedeger; "Hostages so noble / won a monarch ne'er. For chivalrous protection / rich goods we offer thee, That thou now right gracious / to us thy enemies shalt be."

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"I'll grant you both your freedom," / spake the king again; "But that my enemies surely / here by me remain, Therefor I'll have good pledges / they ne'er shall quit my land, Save at my royal pleasure." / Thereto gave Luedeger the hand.

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Sweet rest then found the weary / their tired limbs to aid, And gently soon on couches / the wounded knights were laid; Mead and wine right ruddy / they poured out plenteously: Than they and all their followers / merrier men there none might be.

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Their shields all hacked in battle / secure were laid away; And not a few of saddles / stained with blood that day, Lest women weep to see them, / hid they too from sight. Full many a keen rider / home came aweary from the fight.

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The host in gentlest manner / did his guests attend: The land around with stranger / was crowded, and with friend. They bade the sorely wounded / nurse with especial care: Whereby the knights high-hearted / 'neath all their wounds knew not despair.

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Who there had skill in healing / received reward untold, Silver all unweighed / and thereto ruddy gold For making whole the heroes / after the battle sore. To all his friends the monarch / gave presents rich in goodly store.

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Who there again was minded / to take his homeward way They bade, as one a friend doth, / yet a while to stay. The king did then take counsel / how to reward each one, For they his will in battle / like liegemen true had nobly done.

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Then outspake royal Gernot: / "Now let them homeward go; After six weeks are over, / --thus our friends shall know-- To hold high feast they're bidden / hither to come again; Many a knight now lying / sore wounded will be healed ere then.

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Of Netherland the hero / would also then take leave. When of this King Gunther / did tidings first receive, The knight besought he kindly / not yet his leave to take: To this he'd ne'er consented / an it were not for Kriemhild's sake.

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A prince he was too noble / to take the common pay; He had right well deserved it / that the king alway And all his warriors held him / in honor, for they had seen What by his arm in battle / bravely had accomplished been.

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He stayed there yet a little / for the maiden's sake alone, Whom he would see so gladly. / And all fell out full soon As he at heart had wished it: / well known to him was she. Home to his father's country / joyously anon rode he.

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The king bade at all seasons / keep up the tournament, And many a youthful rider / forth to the lists there went. The while were seats made ready / by Worms upon the strand For all who soon were coming / unto the Burgundian land.

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In the meantime also, / ere back the knights returned, Had Kriemhild, noble lady, / the tidings likewise learned, The king would hold high feasting / with all his gallant men. There was a mickle hurry, / and busy were fair maidens then

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With dresses and with wimples / that they there should wear. Ute, queen so stately, / the story too did hear, How to them were coming / proud knights of highest worth. Then from enfolding covers / were store of dresses rich brought forth.

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Such love she bore her children / she bade rich dress prepare, Wherewith adorned were ladies / and many a maiden fair, And not a few young riders / in the land of Burgundy. For strangers many bade she / rich garments eke should measured be.

FIFTH ADVENTURE

How Siegfried first saw Kriemhild

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Unto the Rhine now daily / the knights were seen to ride, Who there would be full gladly / to share the festive tide. To all that thither journeyed / to the king to show them true, In plenty them were given / steeds and rich apparel too.

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And soon were seats made ready / for every noble guest, As we have heard the story, / for highest and for best, Two and thirty princes / at the festival. Then vied with one another / to deck themselves the ladies all.

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Never was seen idle / the young Prince Giselher: The guests and all their followers / received full kindly were By him and eke by Gernot / and their men every one. The noble thanes they greeted / as ever 'tis in honor done.

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With gold bright gleaming saddles / unto the land they brought, Good store of rich apparel / and shields all richly wrought Unto the Rhine they carried / to that high festival. And joyous days were coming / for the wounded warriors all.

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They who yet on couches / lay wounded grievously For joy had soon forgotten / how bitter death would be: The sick and all the ailing / no need of pity had. Anent the days of feasting / were they o'er the tidings glad,

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How they should make them merry / there where all were so. Delight beyond all measure, / of joys an overflow, Had in sooth the people / seen on every hand: Then rose a mickle joyance / over all King Gunther's land.

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Full many a warrior valiant / one morn at Whitsuntide All gorgeously apparelled / was thither seen to ride, Five thousand men or over, / where the feast should be; And vied in every quarter / knight with knight in revelry.

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Thereof the host was mindful, / for he well did understand How at heart right warmly / the hero of Netherland Loved alone his sister, / though her he ne'er had seen, Who praised for wondrous beauty / before all maidens else had been.

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Then spake the thane so noble / of Metz Sir Ortwein: "Wilt thou full be honored / by every guest of thine, Then do them all the pleasure / the winsome maids to see, That are held so high in honor / here in the land of Burgundy.

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"What were a man's chief pleasure, / his very joy of life, An 't were not a lovely maiden / or a stately wife? Then let the maid thy sister / before thy guests appear." --Brave thanes did there full many / at heart rejoice the rede to hear.

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"Thy words I'll gladly follow," / then the monarch said, And all the knights who heard him / ere thereat right glad. Then told was Queen Ute / and eke her daughter fair, That they with maids in waiting / unto the court should soon repair.

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Then in well-stored wardrobes / rich attire they sought, And forth from folding covers / their glittering dresses brought, Armbands and silken girdles / of which they many had. And zealous to adorn her / was then full many a winsome maid.

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Full many a youthful squire / upon that day did try, By decking of his person, / to win fair lady's eye; For the which great good fortune / he'd take no monarch's crown: They longed to see those maidens, / whom they before had never known.

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For her especial service / the king did order then To wait upon his sister / a hundred of his men, As well upon his mother: / they carried sword in hand. That was the court attendance / there in the Burgundian land.

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Ute, queen so stately, / then came forth with her: And with the queen in waiting / ladies fair there were, A hundred or over, / in festal robes arrayed. Eke went there with Kriemhild / full many a fair and winsome maid.

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Forth from their own apartments / they all were seen to go: There was a mickle pressing / of good knights to and fro, Who hoped to win the pleasure, / if such a thing might be, The noble maiden Kriemhild, / delight of every eye, to see.

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Now came she fair and lovely, / as the ruddy sun of morn From misty clouds emerging. / Straight he who long had borne Her in his heart and loved her, / from all his gloom was freed, As so stately there before him / he saw the fair and lovely maid.

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Her rich apparel glittered / with many a precious stone, And with a ruddy beauty / her cheeks like roses shone. Though you should wish to do so, / you could not say, I ween, That e'er a fairer lady / in all the world before was seen.

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As in a sky all starlit / the moon shines out so bright, And through the cloudlets peering / pours down her gentle light, E'en so was Kriemhild's beauty / among her ladies fair: The hearts of gallant heroes / were gladder when they saw her there.

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The richly clad attendants / moved stately on before, And the valiant thanes high-hearted / stood patiently no more, But pressed right eager forward / to see the lovely maid: In noble Siegfried's bosom / alternate joy and anguish swayed.

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He thought with heart despairing, / "How could it ever be, That I should win thy favor? / There hoped I foolishly. But had I e'er to shun thee, / then were I rather dead." And oft, to think upon it, / the color from his visage fled.

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The noble son of Siegmund / did there so stately stand As if his form were pictured / by good old master's hand Upon a piece of parchment. / All who saw, confessed That he of all good heroes / was the stateliest and the best.

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The fair Kriemhild's attendants / gave order to make way On all sides for the ladies, / and willing thanes obey. To see their noble bearing / did every warrior cheer; Full many a stately lady / of gentle manner born was there.

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Then outspake of Burgundy / Gernot the valiant knight: "To him who thus has helped thee / so bravely in the fight, Gunther, royal brother, / shalt thou like favor show, A thane before all others; / he's worthy of it well, I trow.

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"Let then the doughty Siegfried / unto my sister go To have the maiden's greetings, / --'twill be our profit so. She that ne'er greeted hero / shall greet him courteously, That thus the stately warrior / for aye our faithful friend may be."

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The king's knights hastened gladly / upon his high command And told these joyous tidings / to the prince of Netherland. "It is the king's good pleasure / that thou to court shalt go, To have his sister's greetings; / to honor thee 'tis ordered so."

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Then was the thane full valiant / thereat soon filled with joy. Yea, bore he in his bosom / delight without alloy At thought that he should straightway / Ute's fair daughter see. Siegfried anon she greeted / in courteous manner lovingly.

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As she saw the knight high-hearted / there before her stand, Blushed red and spake the maiden, / the fairest of the land: "A welcome, brave Sir Siegfried, / thou noble knight and good." As soon as he had heard it, / the hearty greeting cheered his mood.

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Before her low he bended; / him by the hand took she, And by her onward wended / the knight full willingly. They cast upon each other / fond glances many a one, The knight and eke the maiden; / furtively it all was done.

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Whether he pressed friendly / that hand as white as snow From the love he bore her, / that I do not know; Yet believe I cannot / that this was left undone, For straightway showed the maiden / that he her heart had fully won.

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In the sunny summer season / and in the month of May Had his heart seen never / before so glad a day, Nor one so fully joyous, / as when he walked beside That maiden rich in beauty / whom fain he'd choose to be his bride.

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Then thought many a warrior: / "Were it likewise granted me To walk beside the maiden, / just as now I see, Or to lie beside her, / how gladly were that done!" But ne'er a knight more fully / had gracious lady's favor won.

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From all the lands far distant / were guests distinguished there, But fixed each eye was only / upon this single pair. By royal leave did Kriemhild / kiss then the stately knight: In all the world he never / before had known so rare delight.

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