Chapter 13

"When from the wounded dragon / reeking flowed the blood, And therein did bathe him / the valiant knight and good, Fell down between his shoulders / full broad a linden leaf. There may he be smitten; / 'tis cause to me of mickle grief.'

903

Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "Upon his tunic sew Thou a little token. / Thereby shall I know Where I may protect him / when in the fight we strain." She weened to save the hero, / yet wrought she nothing save his bane.

904

She spake: "All fine and silken / upon his coat I'll sew A little cross full secret. / There, doughty thane, shalt thou From my knight ward danger / when battle rageth sore, And when amid the turmoil / he stands his enemies before."

905

"That will I do," quoth Hagen, / "lady full dear to me." Then weened eke the lady / it should his vantage be, But there alone did Kriemhild / her own good knight betray. Leave of her took Hagen, / and joyously he went away.

906

The followers of the monarch / were all of merry mood. I ween that knight thereafter / never any could Of treachery be guilty / such as then was he When that Queen Kriemhild / did rest on his fidelity.

907

With his men a thousand / upon the following day Rode thence Sir Siegfried / full joyously away. He weened he should take vengeance / for harm his friends did bear. That he might view the tunic / Hagen rode to him full near.

908

When he had viewed the token / sent Hagen thence away Two of his men in secret / who did other tidings say: How that King Gunther's country / had nothing now to fear And that unto the monarch / had sent them royal Luedeger.

909

'Twas little joy to Siegfried / that he must turn again Ere for the hostile menace / vengeance he had ta'en. In sooth the men of Gunther / could scarce his purpose bend. Then rode he to the monarch, / who thus began his thanks to lend:

910

"Now God reward thee for it, / my good friend Siegfried, That thou with mind so willing / hast holpen me in need. That shall I e'er repay thee, / as I may do of right. To thee before all other / friends do I my service plight.

911

"Now that from battle-journey / free we are once more, So will I ride a-hunting / the wild bear and the boar Away to the Vosges forest, / as I full oft have done." The same had counselled Hagen, / the full dark and faithless man.

912

"To all my guests here with me / shall now be told That we ride forth at daybreak: / themselves shall ready hold, Who will join the hunting; / will any here remain For pastime with fair ladies, / the thing behold I eke full fain."

913

Then outspake Sir Siegfried / as in manner due: "If that thou rid'st a-hunting, / go I gladly too. A huntsman shalt thou grant me / and good hound beside That shall the game discover; / so with thee to the green I'll ride."

914

Straightway spake the monarch: / "Wilt thou but one alone? And wilt thou, four I'll grant thee, / to whom full well is known The forest with the runways / where most the game doth stray, And who unto the camp-fires / will help thee back to find thy way."

915

Unto his spouse then rode he, / the gallant knight and bold. Full soon thereafter Hagen / unto the king had told How he within his power / would have the noble thane: May deed so dark and faithless / ne'er by knight be done again!

SIXTEENTH ADVENTURE

How Siegfried was slain

916

Gunther and Hagen, / the knights full keen, Proposed with evil forethought / a hunting in the green: The boar within the forest / they'd chase with pointed spear, And shaggy bear and bison. / --What sport to valiant men more dear?

917

With them rode also Siegfried / happy and light of heart: Their load of rich refreshments / was made in goodly part. Where a spring ran cooling / they took from him his life, Whereto in chief had urged them / Brunhild, royal Gunther's wife.

918

Then went the valiant Siegfried / where he Kriemhild found; Rich hunting-dress was laden / and now stood ready bound For him and his companions / across the Rhine to go. Than this a sadder hour / nevermore could Kriemhild know.

919

The spouse he loved so dearly / upon the mouth he kissed. "God grant that well I find thee / again, if so He list, And thine own eyes to see me. / 'Mid kin that hold thee dear May now the time go gently, / the while I am no longer near."

920

Then thought she of the story / --but silence must she keep-- Whereof once Hagen asked her: / then began to weep The princess high and noble / that ever she was born, And wept with tears unceasing / the valiant Siegfried's wife forlorn.

921

She spake unto her husband: / "Let now this hunting be. I dreamt this night of evil, / how wild boars hunted thee, Two wild boars o'er the meadow, / wherefrom the flowers grew red. That I do weep so sorely / have I poor woman direst need.

922

"Yea, do I fear, Sir Siegfried, / something treacherous, If perchance have any / of those been wronged by us Who might yet be able / to vent their enmity. Tarry thou here, Sir Siegfried: / let that my faithful counsel be."

923

Quoth he: "I come, dear lady, / when some short days are flown. Of foes who bear us hatred / here know I never one. All of thine own kindred / are gracious unto me, Nor know I aught of reason / why they should other-minded be."

924

"But nay, beloved Siegfried, / thy death I fear 'twill prove. This night I dreamt misfortune, / how o'er thee from above Down there fell two mountains: / I never saw thee more. And wilt thou now go from me, / that must grieve my heart full sore."

925

The lady rich in virtue / within his arms he pressed, And with loving kisses / her fair form caressed. From her thence he parted / ere long time was o'er: Alas for her, she saw him / alive thereafter nevermore.

926

Then rode from thence the hunters / deep within a wold In search of pleasant pastime. / Full many a rider bold Followed after Gunther / in his stately train. Gernot and Giselher, / --at home the knights did both remain.

927

Went many a horse well laden / before them o'er the Rhine, That for the huntsmen carried / store of bread and wine, Meat along with fishes / and other victualling, The which upon his table / were fitting for so high a king.

928

Then bade they make encampment / before the forest green Where game was like to issue, / those hunters proud and keen, Who there would join in hunting, / on a meadow wide that spread. Thither also was come Siegfried: / the same unto the king was said.

929

By the merry huntsmen / soon were watched complete At every point the runways. / The company then did greet Siegfried the keen and doughty: / "Who now within the green Unto the game shall guide us, / ye warriors so bold and keen?"

930

"Now part we from each other," / answered Hagen then, "Ere that the hunting / we do here begin! Thereby may be apparent / to my masters and to me Who on this forest journey / of the hunters best may be.

931

"Let then hounds and huntsmen / be ta'en in equal share, That wheresoever any / would go, there let him fare. Who then is first in hunting / shall have our thanks this day." Not longer there together / did the merry hunters stay.

932

Thereto quoth Sir Siegfried: / "Of dogs have I no need, More than one hound only / of trusty hunting breed For scenting well the runway / of wild beast through the brake. And now the chase begin we!" / --so the spouse of Kriemhild spake.

933

Then took a practised hunter / a good tracking-hound, That did bring them where they / game in plenty found, Nor kept them long awaiting. / Whate'er did spring from lair Pursued the merry huntsmen, / as still good hunters everywhere.

934

As many as the hound started / slew with mighty hand Siegfried the full doughty / hero of Netherland. So swiftly went his charger / that none could him outrun; And praise before all others / soon he in the hunting won.

935

He was in every feature / a valiant knight and true. The first within the forest / that with his hand he slew Was a half-grown wild-boar / that he smote to ground; Thereafter he full quickly / a wild and mighty lion found.

936

When it the hound had started, / with bow he shot it dead, Wherewith a pointed arrow / he had so swiftly sped That the lion after / could forward spring but thrice. All they that hunted with him / cried Siegfried's praise with merry voice.

937

Soon fell a prey unto him / an elk and bison more, A giant stag he slew him / and huge ure-oxen four. His steed bore him so swiftly / that none could him outrun; Of stag or hind encountered / scarce could there escape him one.

938

A boar full huge and bristling / soon was likewise found, And when the same bethought him / to flee before the hound, Came quick again the master / and stood athwart his path. The boar upon the hero / full charged straightway in mickle wrath.

939

Then the spouse of Kriemhild, / with sword the boar he slew, A thing that scarce another / hunter had dared to do. When he thus had felled him / they lashed again the hound, And soon his hunting prowess / was known to all the people round.

940

Then spake to him his huntsmen: / "If that the thing may be, So let some part, Sir Siegfried, / of the forest game go free; To-day thou makest empty / hillside and forest wild." Thereat in merry humor / the thane so keen and valiant smiled.

941

Then they heard on all sides / the din, from many a hound And huntsmen eke the clamor / so great was heard around That back did come the answer / from hill and forest tree-- Of hounds had four-and-twenty / packs been set by hunter free.

942

Full many a forest denizen / from life was doomed to part. Each of all the hunters / thereon had set his heart, To win the prize in hunting. / But such could never be, When they the doughty Siegfried / at the camping-place did see.

943

Now the chase was ended, / --and yet complete 'twas not. All they to camp who wended / with them thither brought Skin of full many an animal / and of game good store. Heigho! unto the table / how much the king's attendants bore!

944

Then bade the king the noble / hunters all to warn That he would take refreshment, / and loud a hunting-horn In one long blast was winded: / to all was known thereby That the noble monarch / at camp did wait their company.

945

Spake one of Siegfried's huntsmen: / "Master, I do know By blast of horn resounding / that we now shall go Unto the place of meeting; / thereto I'll make reply." Then for the merry hunters / blew the horn right lustily.

946

Then spake Sir Siegfried: / "Now leave we eke the green." His charger bore him smoothly, / and followed huntsmen keen. With their rout they started / a beast of savage kind, That was a bear untamed. / Then spake the knight to those behind

947

"For our merry party / some sport will I devise. Let slip the hound then straightway, / a bear now meets my eyes, And with us shall he thither / unto the camp-fire fare. Full rapid must his flight be / shall he our company forbear."

948

From leash the hound was loosened, / the bear sprang through the brake, When that the spouse of Kriemhild / did wish him to o'ertake. He sought a pathless thicket, / but yet it could not be, As bruin fondly hoped it, / that from the hunter he was free.

949

Then from his horse alighted / the knight of spirit high, And gan a running after. / Bruin all unguardedly Was ta'en, and could escape not. / Him caught straightway the knight, And soon all unwounded / had him bound in fetters tight.

950

Nor claws nor teeth availed him / for aught of injury, But bound he was to saddle. / Then mounted speedily The knight, and to the camp-fire / in right merry way For pastime led he bruin, / the hero valiant and gay.

951

In what manner stately / unto the camp he rode! He bore a spear full mickle, / great of strength and broad. A sword all ornamented / hung down unto his spur, And wrought of gold all ruddy / at side a glittering horn he wore.

952

Of richer hunting-garments / heard I ne'er tell before. Black was the silken tunic / that the rider wore, And cap of costly sable / did crown the gallant knight. Heigho, and how his quiver / with well-wrought hands was rich bedight!

953

A skin of gleaming panther / covered the quiver o'er, Prized for its pleasant odor. / Eke a bow he bore, The which to draw if ever / had wished another man, A lever he had needed: / such power had Siegfried alone.

954

Of fur of costly otter / his mantle was complete, With other skins embroidered / from head unto the feet. And 'mid the fur all shining, / full many a golden seam On both sides of the valiant / huntsman saw ye brightly gleam.

955

Balmung, a goodly weapon / broad, he also wore, That was so sharp at edges / that it ne'er forbore To cleave when swung on helmet: / blade it was full good. Stately was the huntsman / as there with merry heart he rode.

956

If that complete the story / to you I shall unfold, Full many a goodly arrow / did his rich quiver hold Whereof were gold the sockets, / and heads a hand-breadth each. In sooth was doomed to perish / whate'er in flight the same did reach.

957

Pricking like goodly huntsman / the noble knight did ride When him the men of Gunther / coming thither spied. They hasted out to meet him / and took from him his steed, As bruin great and mighty / by the saddle he did lead.

958

When he from horse alighted / he loosed him every band From foot and eke from muzzle. / Straight on every hand Began the dogs a howling / when they beheld the bear. Bruin would to the forest: / among the men was mickle stir.

959

Amid the clamor bruin / through the camp-fires sped: Heigho, how the servants / away before him fled! O'erturned was many a kettle / and flaming brands did fly: Heigho, what goodly victuals / did scattered in the ashes lie!

960

Then sprang from out the saddle / knights and serving-men. The bear was wild careering: / the king bade loosen then All the dogs that fastened / within their leashes lay. If this thing well had ended, / then had there passed a merry day.

961

Not longer then they waited / but with bow and eke with spear Hasted the nimble hunters / to pursue the bear, Yet none might shoot upon him / for all the dogs around. Such clamor was of voices / that all the mountain did resound.

962

When by the dogs pursued / the bear away did run, None there that could o'ertake him / but Siegfried alone. With his sword he came upon him / and killed him at a blow, And back unto the camp-fire / bearing bruin they did go.

963

Then spake who there had seen it, / he was a man of might. Soon to the table bade they / come each noble knight, And on a smiling meadow / the noble company sat. Heigho, with what rare victuals / did they upon the huntsmen wait!

964

Ne'er appeared a butler / wine for them to pour. Than they good knights were never / better served before, And had there not in secret / been lurking treachery, Then were the entertainers / from every cause of cavil free.

965

Then spake Sir Siegfried: / "A wonder 'tis to me, Since that from the kitchen / so full supplied are we, Why to us the butlers / of wine bring not like store: If such the huntsman's service / a huntsman reckon me no more.

966

"Meseems I yet did merit / some share of courtesy." The king who sat at table / spake then in treachery: "Gladly shall be amended / wherein we're guilty so. The fault it is of Hagen, / he'd willing see us thirsting go."

967

Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "Good master, hear me say, I weened for this our hunting / we did go to-day Unto the Spessart forest: / the wine I thither sent. Go we to-day a-thirsting, / I'll later be more provident."

968

Thereto replied Sir Siegfried: / "Small merit here is thine. Good seven horses laden / with mead and sparkling wine Should hither have been conducted. / If aught the same denied, Then should our place of meeting / have nearer been the Rhine beside."

969

Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "Ye noble knights and bold, I know here nigh unto us / a spring that's flowing cold. Be then your wrath appeased, / and let us thither go." Through that same wicked counsel / came many a thane to grievous woe.

970

Sore was the noble Siegfried / with the pangs of thirst: To bid them rise from table / was he thus the first. He would along the hillside / unto the fountain go: In sooth they showed them traitors, / those knights who there did counsel so.

971

On wagons hence to carry / the game they gave command Which had that day been slaughtered / by Siegfried's doughty hand. He'd carried off the honors, / all who had seen did say. Hagen his faith with Siegfried / soon did break in grievous way.

972

When now they would go thither / to where the linden spread, Spake of Tronje Hagen: / "To me hath oft been said, That none could follow after / Kriemhild's nimble knight Or vie with him in running: / would that he'd prove it to our sight!"

973

Then spake of Netherland / bold Siegfried speedily: "That may ye well have proof of, / will ye but run with me In contest to the fountain. / When that the same be done, To him be given honor / who the race hath fairly won."

974

"Now surely make we trial," / quoth Hagen the thane. Thereto the doughty Siegfried: / "I too will give you gain, Afore your feet at starting / to lay me in the grass." When that he had heard it, / thereat how joyous Gunther was!

975

And spake again the warrior: / "And ye shall further hear: All my clothing likewise / will I upon me wear, The spear and shield full heavy / and hunting-dress I'll don." His sword as well as quiver / had he full quickly girded on.

976

Doffed they their apparel / and aside they laid it then: Clothed in white shirts only / saw you there the twain. Like unto two wild panthers / they coursed across the green: Yet first beside the fountain / was the valiant Siegfried seen.

977

No man in feats of valor / who with him had vied. The sword he soon ungirded / and quiver laid aside, The mighty spear he leaned / against the linden-tree: Beside the running fountain / stood the knight stately to see.

978

To Siegfried naught was lacking / that doth good knight adorn. Down the shield then laid he / where did flow the burn, Yet howsoe'er he thirsted / no whit the hero drank Before had drunk the monarch: / therefor he earned but evil thank.

979

There where ran clear the water / and cool from out the spring, Down to it did bend him / Gunther the king. And when his thirst was quenched / rose he from thence again: Eke the valiant Siegfried, / how glad had he done likewise then.

980

For his courtesy he suffered. / Where bow and sword there lay, Both did carry Hagen / from him thence away, And again sprang quickly thither / where the spear did stand: And for a cross the tunic / of the valiant knight he scanned.

981

As there the noble Siegfried / to drink o'er fountain bent, Through the cross he pierced him, / that from the wound was sent The blood nigh to bespatter / the tunic Hagen wore. By hand of knight such evil / deed shall wrought be nevermore.

982

The spear he left projecting / where it had pierced the heart. In terror as that moment / did Hagen never start In flight from any warrior / he ever yet had found. Soon as the noble Siegfried / within him felt the mighty wound,

983

Raging the knight full doughty / up from the fountain sprang, The while from 'twixt his shoulders / stood out a spearshaft long. The prince weened to find there / his bow or his sword: Then in sooth had Hagen / found the traitor's meet reward.

984

When from the sorely wounded / knight his sword was gone, Then had he naught to 'venge him / but his shield alone. This snatched he from the fountain / and Hagen rushed upon, And not at all escape him / could the royal Gunther's man.

985

Though he nigh to death was wounded / he yet such might did wield That out in all directions / flew from off the shield Precious stones a many: / the shield he clave in twain. Thus vengeance fain had taken / upon his foe the stately thane.

986

Beneath his hand must Hagen / stagger and fall to ground. So swift the blow he dealt him, / the meadow did resound. Had sword in hand been swinging, / Hagen had had his meed, So sorely raged he stricken: / to rage in sooth was mickle need.

987

Faded from cheek was color, / no longer could he stand, And all his might of body / soon complete had waned, As did a deathly pallor / over his visage creep. Full many a fairest lady / for the knight anon must weep.

988

So sank amid the flowers / Kriemhild's noble knight, While from his wound flowed thickly / the blood before the sight. Then gan he reviling / --for dire was his need-- Who had thus encompassed / his death by this same faithless deed.

989

Then spake the sorely wounded: / "O ye base cowards twain, Doth then my service merit / that me ye thus have slain? To you I e'er was faithful / and so am I repaid. Alas, upon your kindred / now have ye shame eternal laid.

990

"By this deed dishonored / hereafter evermore Are their generations. / Your anger all too sore Have ye now thus vented / and vengeance ta'en on me. With shame henceforth be parted / from all good knights' company."

991

All the hunters hastened / where he stricken lay, It was in sooth for many / of them a joyless day. Had any aught of honor, / he mourned that day, I ween, And well the same did merit / the knight high-spirited and keen.

992

As there the king of Burgundy / mourned that he should die, Spake the knight sore wounded: / "To weep o'er injury, Who hath wrought the evil / hath smallest need, I trow. Reviling doth he merit, / and weeping may he well forego."

993

Thereto quoth grim Hagen: / "Ye mourn, I know not why: This same day hath ended / all our anxiety. Few shall we find henceforward / for fear will give us need, And well is me that from his / mastery we thus are freed."

994

"Light thing is now thy vaunting," / did Siegfried then reply. "Had I e'er bethought me / of this thy infamy Well had I preserved / 'gainst all thy hate my life. Me rueth naught so sorely / as Lady Kriemhild my wife.

995

"Now may God have mercy / that to me a son was born, That him alack!, the people / in times to come shall spurn, That those he nameth kinsmen / have done the murderer's deed. An had I breath," spake Siegfried, / "to mourn o'er this I well had need."

996

Then spake, in anguish praying, / the hero doomed to die: "An wilt thou, king, to any / yet not good faith deny, In all the world to any, / to thee commended be And to thy loving mercy / the spouse erstwhile was wed to me.

997

"Let it be her good fortune / that she thy sister is: By all the princely virtues, / I beg thee pledge me this. For me long time my father / and men henceforth must wait: Upon a spouse was never / wrought, as mine, a wrong so great."

998

All around the flowers / were wetted with the blood As there with death he struggled. / Yet not for long he could, Because the deadly weapon / had cut him all too sore: And soon the keen and noble / knight was doomed to speak no more.

999

When the lords perceived / how that the knight was dead, Upon a shield they laid him / that was of gold full red, And counsel took together / how of the thing should naught Be known, but held in secret / that Hagen the deed had wrought.

1000

Then spake of them a many: / "This is an evil day. Now shall ye all conceal it / and all alike shall say, When as Kriemhild's husband / the dark forest through Rode alone a-hunting, / him the hand of robber slew."

1001

Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "Myself will bring him home. In sooth I reck but little / if to her ears it come, Who my Lady Brunhild / herself hath grieved so sore. It maketh me small worry, / an if she weep for evermore."

SEVENTEENTH ADVENTURE

How Kriemhild mourned for Siegfried, and How he was Buried

1002