Chapter 19

1505

Straight did the royal provosts / give everywhere decree That hall and stately palace / well prepared should be With seats, that unprovided / no worthy guest be left. Anon by them the monarch / should be of mickle joy bereft.

TWENTY-FIFTH ADVENTURE

How the Knights all fared to the Huns

1506

Tell we now no further / how they here did fare. Knights more high in spirit / saw ye journey ne'er In so stately fashion / to the land of e'er a king. Of arms and rich attire / lacked they never anything.

1507

At Rhine the lordly monarch / equipped his warriors well, A thousand knights and sixty, / as I did hear tell, And eke nine thousand squires / toward the festivity. Whom they did leave behind them / anon must mourn full grievously.

1508

As at Worms across the courtyard / equipment full they bore Spake there of Speyer / a bishop old and hoar Unto Lady Ute: / "Our friends have mind to fare Unto the festivity; / may God their honor have in care."

1509

Then spake unto her children / Ute the noble dame: "At home ye here should tarry, / ye knights full high in fame. Me dreamt but yester even / a case of direst need, How that in this country / all the feathered fowl were dead."

1510

"Who recketh aught of dreamings," / Hagen then replied, "Distraught is sure his counsel / when trouble doth betide, Or he would of his honor / have a perfect care. I counsel that my master / straight to take his leave prepare.

1511

"Gladly shall we journey / into Etzel's land; There at their master's service / may good knights ready stand, For that we there shall witness / Kriemhild's festivity." That Hagen gave such counsel, / rue anon full sore did he.

1512

Yet in sooth far other / than this had been his word, Had not with bitter mocking / Gernot his anger stirred. He spake to him of Siegfried / whom Kriemhild loved so, And said: "Therefore the journey / would Hagen willingly forego."

1513

Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "Through fear I nothing do. Whenever will ye, Masters, / set straight your hand thereto, With you I'll gladly journey / unto Etzel's land." Many a shield and helmet / there hewed anon his mighty hand.

1514

The ships stood ready waiting, / whereunto ample store Of clothing for the journey / men full many bore, Nor had they time for resting / till shades of even fell. Anon in mood full joyous / bade they friends at home farewell.

1515

Tents full large and many / arose upon the green, Yonder side Rhine river. / But yet the winsome queen Caressed the doughty monarch / that night, and still did pray That far from Etzel's country / among his kinsmen might he stay.

1516

When sound of flute and trumpet / arose at break of day, A signal for their parting, / full soon they took their way. Each lover to his bosom / did friend more fondly press: King Etzel's wife full many / did part anon in dire distress.

1517

The sons of stately Ute, / a good knight had they, A brave man and a faithful. / When they would thence away, Apart unto the monarch / did he his mind reveal, And spake: "That ye will journey, / may I naught but sorrow feel."

1518

Hight the same was Rumold, / a man of doughty hand. He spake: "To whom now leave ye / people here and land? O that never any / might alter your intent! Small good, methinks, may follow / message e'er by Kriemhild sent."

1519

"The land to thee entrusted / and eke my child shall be, And tender care of ladies, / --so hast command from me. Whene'er thou seest weeping, / do there thy comfort give. Yea, trust we free from sorrow / at hand of Etzel's wife to live."

1520

For knight and royal master / the chargers ready were, As with fond embracing / parted many there, Who long in joy together / a merry life had led. By winsome dame full many / therefor must bitter tear be shed.

1521

As did those doughty warriors / into the saddle spring, Might full many a lady / be seen there sorrowing; For told them well their spirit / that thus so long to part Did bode a dire peril, / the which must ever cloud the heart.

1522

As mounted stood the valiant / thanes of Burgundy, Might ye a mickle stirring / in that country see, Both men and women weeping / on either riverside. Yet pricked they gaily forward, / let what might their folk betide.

1523

The Nibelungen warriors / in hauberks bright arrayed Went with them, a thousand, / while at home behind them stayed Full many a winsome lady, / whom saw they nevermore. The wounds of doughty Siegfried / still grieved the Lady Kriemhild sore.

1524

Their journey they directed / onward to the Main, Up through East Frankish country, / the men of Gunther's train Thither led by Hagen, / who well that country knew; Marshal to them was Dankwart, / a knight of Burgundy full true.

1525

On from East Frankish country / to Schwanefeld they went, A train of valiant warriors / of high accomplishment, The monarchs and their kinsmen, / all knights full worthy fame. Upon the twelfth morning / the king unto the Danube came.

1526

The knight of Tronje, Hagen, / the very van did lead, Ever to the Nibelungen / a surest help in need. First the thane full valiant / down leapt upon the ground, And straightway then his charger / fast unto a tree he bound.

1527

Flooded were the waters / and ne'er a boat was near, Whereat began the Nibelungen / all in dread to fear They ne'er might cross the river, / so mighty was the flood. Dismounted on the shore, / full many a stately knight then stood.

1528

"Ill may it," spake then Hagen, / "fare here with thee, Lord of Rhine river. / Now thyself mayst see How flooded are the waters, / and swift the current flows. I ween, before the morrow / here many a goodly knight we lose."

1529

"How wilt reproach me, Hagen?" / the lofty monarch spake. I pray thee yet all comfort / not from our hearts to take. The ford shalt thou discover / whereby we may pass o'er, Horse and equipment bringing / safely unto yonder shore."

1530

"In sooth, not I," quoth Hagen, / "am yet so weary grown Of life, that in these waters / wide I long to drown. Ere that, shall warriors sicken / in Etzel's far country Beneath my own arm stricken: / --'tis my intent full certainly.

1531

"Here tarry by the water, / ye gallant knights and good, The while I seek the boatmen / myself along the flood, Who will bring us over / into Gelfrat's land." With that the doughty Hagen / took his trusty shield in hand.

1532

He cap-a-pie was armed, / as thus he strode away, Upon his head a helmet / that gleamed with brilliant ray, And o'er his warlike harness / a sword full broad there hung, That on both its edges / did fiercely cut, in battle swung.

1533

He sought to find the boatmen / if any might be near, When sound of falling waters / full soon upon his ear. Beside a rippling fountain, / where ran the waters cool, A group of wise mermaidens / did bathe themselves within the pool.

1534

Ware of them soon was Hagen / and stole in secret near, But fast away they hurried / when they the sound did hear. That they at all escaped him, / filled they were with glee. The knight did take their clothing, / yet wrought none other injury.

1535

Then spake the one mermaiden, / Hadburg that hight: "Hagen, knight full noble, / tell will we thee aright, An wilt thou, valiant warrior, / our garments but give o'er, What fortune may this journey / to Hunland have for thee in store."

1536

They hovered there before him / like birds above the flood, Wherefore did think the warrior / that tell strange things they could, And all the more believed he / what they did feign to say, As to his eager question / in ready manner answered they.

1537

Spake one: "Well may ye journey / to Etzel's country. Thereto my troth I give thee / in full security That ne'er in any kingdom / might high guests receive Such honors as there wait you, / --this may ye in sooth believe."

1538

To hear such speech was Hagen / in sooth right glad of heart; He gave to them their garments, / and straightway would depart. But when in strange attire / they once more were dight, Told they of the journey / into Etzel's land aright.

1539

Spake then the other mermaid, / Siegelind that hight: "I warn thee, son of Aldrian, / Hagen valiant knight, 'Twas but to gain her clothing / my cousin falsely said, For, comest thou to Hunland, / sorely shalt thou be betrayed.

1540

"Yea, that thou turnest backward / is fitter far, I ween; For but your death to compass / have all ye warriors keen Received now the bidding / unto Etzel's land. Whose doth thither journey, / death leadeth surely by the hand."

1541

Thereto gave answer Hagen: / "False speech hath here no gain. How might it ever happen / that we all were slain Afar in Etzel's country / through hate of any man?" To tell the tale more fully / unto him she then began.

1542

Spake again the other: / "The thing must surely be, That of you never any / his home again shall see, Save only the king's chaplain; / well do we understand That he unscathed returneth / unto royal Gunther's land."

1543

Then spake the valiant Hagen / again in angry way: "Unto my royal masters / 'twere little joy to say That we our lives must forfeit / all in Hunland. Now show us, wisest woman, / how pass we safe to yonder strand."

1544

She spake: "Since from thy purposed / journey thou wilt not turn, Where upward by the water / a cabin stands, there learn Within doth dwell a boatman, / nor other find thou mayst." No more did Hagen question, / but strode away from there in haste.

1545

As went he angry-minded / one from afar did say: "Now tarry still, Sir Hagen; / why so dost haste away? Give ear yet while we tell thee / how thou reachest yonder strand. Master here is Else, / who doth rule this borderland.

1546

"Hight is his brother Gelfrat, / and is a thane full rare, Lord o'er Bavarian country. / Full ill with you 'twill fare, Will ye pass his border. / Watchful must ye be, And eke with the ferryman / 'twere well to walk right modestly.

1547

"He is so angry-minded / that sure thy bane 'twill be, Wilt thou not show the warrior / all civility. Wilt thou that he transport thee, / give all the boatman's due. He guardeth well the border / and unto Gelfrat is full true.

1548

"If he be slow to answer, / then call across the flood That thy name is Amelrich. / That was a knight full good, Who for a feud did sometime / go forth from out this land. The ferryman will answer, / when he the name doth understand.

1549

Hagen high of spirit / before those women bent, Nor aught did say, but silent / upon his way he went. Along the shore he wandered / till higher by the tide On yonder side the river / a cabin standing he espied.

1550

He straight began a calling / across the flood amain. "Now fetch me over, boatman," / cried the doughty thane. "A golden armband ruddy / I'll give to thee for meed. Know that to make this crossing / I in sooth have very need."

1551

Not fitting 'twas high ferryman / his service thus should give, And recompense from any / seldom might he receive; Eke were they that served him / full haughty men of mood. Still alone stood Hagen / on the hither side the flood.

1552

Then cried he with such power / the wave gave back the sound, For in strength far-reaching / did the knight abound: "Fetch me now, for Amelrich, / Else's man, am I, That for feud outbroken / erstwhile from this land did fly."

1553

Full high upon his sword-point / an armband did he hold, Fair and shining was it / made of ruddy gold, The which he offered to him / for fare to Gelfrat's land. The ferryman high-hearted / himself did take the oar in hand.

1554

To do with that same boatman / was ne'er a pleasant thing; The yearning after lucre / yet evil end doth bring. Here where thought he Hagen's / gold so red to gain, Must he by the doughty / warrior's fierce sword be slain.

1555

With might across the river / his oar the boatman plied, But he who there was named / might nowhere be espied. His rage was all unbounded / when he did Hagen find, And loud his voice resounded / as thus he spake his angry mind:

1556

"Thou mayst forsooth be called / Amelrich by name: Whom I here did look for, / no whit art thou the same. By father and by mother / brother he was to me. Since me thou thus hast cozened, / so yet this side the river be."

1557

"Nay, by highest Heaven," / Hagen did declare. "Here am I a stranger / that have good knights in care. Now take in friendly manner / here my offered pay, And guide me o'er the ferry; / my favor hast thou thus alway."

1558

Whereat replied the boatman: / "The thing may never be. There are that to my masters / do bear hostility; Wherefore I never stranger / do lead into this land. As now thy life thou prizest, / step straightway out upon the strand."

1559

"Deny me not," quoth Hagen, / "for sad in sooth my mood. Take now for remembrance / this my gold so good, And carry men a thousand / and horses to yonder shore." Quoth in rage the boatman: / "Such thing will happen nevermore."

1560

Aloft he raised an oar / that mickle was and strong, And dealt such blow on Hagen, / (but rued he that ere long,) That in the boat did stumble / that warrior to his knee. In sooth so savage boatman / ne'er did the knight of Tronje see.

1561

With thought the stranger's anger / the more to rouse anew, He swung a mighty boat-pole / that it in pieces flew Upon the crown of Hagen;-- / he was a man of might. Thereby did Else's boatman / come anon to sorry plight.

1562

Full sore enraged was Hagen, / as quick his hand he laid Upon his sword where hanging / he found the trusty blade. His head he struck from off him / and flung into the tide. Known was soon the story / to the knights of Burgundy beside.

1563

While the time was passing / that he the boatman slew, The waters bore him downward, / whereat he anxious grew. Ere he the boat had righted / began his strength to wane, So mightily was pulling / royal Gunther's doughty thane.

1564

Soon he yet had turned it, / so rapid was his stroke, Until the mighty oar / beneath his vigor broke. As strove he his companions / upon the bank to gain, No second oar he found him. / Yet soon the same made fast again.

1565

With quickly snatched shield-strap, / a fine and narrow band. Downward where stood a forest / he sought again the land, And there his master found he / standing upon the shore. In haste came forth to meet him / many a stately warrior more.

1566

The gallant knight they greeted / with right hearty mood. When in the boat perceived they / reeking still the blood That from the wound had issued / where Hagen's sword did swing, Scarce could his companions / bring to an end their questioning.

1567

When that royal Gunther / the streaming blood did see Within the boat there running, / straightway then spake he: "Where is now the ferryman, / tell me, Hagen, pray? By thy mighty prowess / his life, I ween, is ta'en away."

1568

Thereto replied he falsely: / "When the boat I found Where slopeth a wild meadow, / I the same unbound. Hereabout no ferryman / I to-day have seen, Nor ever cause of sorrow / unto any have I been."

1569

The good knight then of Burgundy, / the gallant Gernot, spake: "Dear friends full many, fear I, / the flood this day will take, Since we of the boatmen / none ready here may find To guide us o'er the current. / 'Tis mickle sorrow to my mind."

1570

Full loudly cried then Hagen: / "Lay down upon the grass, Ye squires, the horse equipments. / I ween a time there was, Myself was best of boatmen / that dwelt the Rhine beside. To Gelfrat's country trow I / to bring you safely o'er the tide."

1571

That they might come the sooner / across the running flood, Drove they in the horses. / Their swimming, it was good, For of them never any / beneath the waves did sink, Though many farther downward / must struggle sore to gain the brink.

1572

Their treasure and apparel / unto the boat they bore, Since by no means the journey / thought they to give o'er. Hagen was director, / and safely reached the strand With many a stalwart warrior / bound unto the unknown land.

1573

Gallant knights a thousand / first he ferried o'er, Whereafter came his own men. / Of others still were more, For squires full nine thousand / he led unto that land. That day no whit was idle / that valiant knight of Tronje's hand.

1574

When he them all in safety / o'er the flood had brought, Of that strange story / the valiant warrior thought, Which erstwhile had told him / those women of the sea. Lost thereby the chaplain's / life well-nigh was doomed to be.

1575

Beside his priestly baggage / he saw the chaplain stand, Upon the holy vestments / resting with his hand. No whit was that his safety; / when Hagen him did see, Must the priest full wretched / suffer sorest injury.

1576

From out the boat he flung him / ere might the thing be told, Whereat they cried together: / "Hold, O Master, hold!" Soon had the youthful Giselher / to rage thereat begun, And mickle was his sorrow / that Hagen yet the thing had done.

1577

Then outspake Sir Gernot, / knight of Burgundy: "What boots it thee, Sir Hagen, / that thus the chaplain die? Dared any else to do it, / thy wrath 'twould sorely stir. Wherein the priest's offending, / thus thy malice to incur?"

1578

To swim the chaplain struggled. / He thought him yet to free, If any but would help him. / Yet such might never be, For that the doughty Hagen / full wrathful was of mood, He sunk him to the bottom, / whereat aghast each warrior stood.

1579

When that no help forthcoming / the wretched priest might see, He sought the hither shore, / and fared full grievously. Though failed his strength in swimming, / yet helped him God's own hand, That he came securely / back again unto the land.

1580

Safe yonder stood the chaplain / and shook his dripping dress. Thereby perceived Hagen / how true was none the less The story that did tell him / the strange women of the sea. Thought he: "Of these good warriors / soon the days must ended be."

1581

When that the boat was emptied, / and complete their store All the monarch's followers / had borne upon the shore, Hagen smote it to pieces / and cast it on the flood, Whereat in mickle wonder / the valiant knights around him stood.

1582

"Wherefore dost this, brother," / then Sir Dankwart spake; "How shall we cross the river / when again we make Our journey back from Hunland, / riding to the Rhine?" Behold how Hagen bade him / all such purpose to resign.

1583

Quoth the knight of Tronje: / "This thing is done by me, That if e'er coward rideth / in all our company, Who for lack of courage / from us away would fly, He beneath these billows / yet a shameful death must die."

1584

One there journeyed with them / from the land of Burgundy, That was a knight of valor, / Volker by name was he. He spake in cunning manner / whate'er might fill his mind, And aught was done by Hagen / did the Fiddler fitting find.

1585

Ready stood their chargers, / the carriers laden well; At passage of the river / was there naught to tell Of scathe to any happened, / save but the king's chaplain. Afoot must he now journey / back unto the Rhine again.

TWENTY-SIXTH ADVENTURE

How Gelfrat was Slain by Dankwart

1586

When now they all were gathered / upon the farther strand, To wonder gan the monarch: / "Who shall through this land On routes aright direct us, / that not astray we fare?" Then spake the doughty Volker: / "Thereof will I alone have care."

1587

"Now hark ye all," quoth Hagen, / "knight and squire too, And list to friendly counsel, / as fitting is to do. Full strange and dark the tidings / now ye shall hear from me: Home nevermore return we / unto the land of Burgundy.

1588

"Thus mermaids twain did tell me, / who spake to me this morn, That back we come not hither. / You would I therefore warn That armed well ye journey / and of all ills beware. To meet with doughty foemen / well behooveth us prepare.

1589

"I weened to turn to falsehood / what those wise mermaids spake, Who said that safe this journey / none again should make Home unto our country / save the chaplain alone: Him therefore was I minded / to-day beneath the flood to drown."

1590

From company to company / quickly flew the tale, Whereon grew many a doughty / warrior's visage pale, As gan he think in sorrow / how death should snatch away All ere the journey ended; / and very need for grief had they.

1591

By Moeringen was it / they had the river crossed, Where also Else's boatman / thus his life had lost. There again spake Hagen: / "Since in such wise by me Wrath hath been incurred, / assailed full surely shall we be.

1592

"Myself that same ferryman / did this morning slay. Far bruited are the tidings. / Now arm ye for the fray, That if Gelfrat and Else / be minded to beset Our train to-day, they surely / with sore discomfiture be met.

1593

"So keen they are, well know I / the thing they'll not forego. Your horses therefore shall ye / make to pace more slow, That never man imagine / we flee away in fear." "That counsel will I follow," / spake the young knight Giselher.

1594

"Who will guide our vanguard / through this hostile land?" "Volker shall do it," spake they, / "well doth he understand Where leadeth path and highway, / a minstrel brave and keen." Ere full the wish was spoken, / in armor well equipped was seen

1595

Standing the doughty Fiddler. / His helmet fast he bound, And from his stately armor / shot dazzling light around. Eke to a staff he fastened / a banner, red of hue. Anon with royal masters / came he to sorest sorrow too.

1596

Unto Gelfrat meanwhile / had sure tidings flown, How that was dead his boatman; / the story eke was known Unto the doughty Else, / and both did mourn his fate. Their warriors they summoned, / nor must long time for answer wait.

1597

But little space it lasted / --that would I have you know-- Ere that to them hasted / who oft a mickle woe Had wrought in stress of battle / and injury full sore; To Gelfrat now came riding / seven hundred knights or more.

1598

When they their foes to follow / so bitterly began, Led them both their masters. / Yet all too fast they ran After the valiant strangers / vengeance straight to wreak. Ere long from those same leaders / did death full many a warrior take.

1599

Hagen then of Tronje / the thing had ordered there, --How of his friends might ever / knight have better care?-- That he did keep the rearguard / with warriors many a one, And Dankwart eke, his brother; / full wisely the thing was done.

1600

When now the day was over / and light they had no more, Injury to his followers / gan he to dread full sore. They shield in hand rode onward / through Bavarian land, And ere they long had waited / beset they were by hostile band.

1601

On either side the highway / and close upon their rear Of hoofs was heard the clatter; / too keen the chasers were. Then spake the valiant Dankwart: / "The foe is close at hand. Now bind we on the helmet, / --wisdom doth the same command."

1602

Upon the way they halted, / nor else they safe had been. Through the gloom perceived they / of gleaming shields the sheen. Thereupon would Hagen / longer not delay: "Who rideth on the highway?"-- / That must Gelfrat tell straight-way.

1603

Of Bavaria the margrave / thereupon replied: "Our enemies now seek we, / and swift upon them ride. Fain would I discover / who hath my boatman slain. A knight he was of valor, / whose death doth cause me grievous pain."

1604

Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "And was the boatman thine That would not take us over? / The guilt herein is mine. Myself did slay the warrior, / and had, in sooth, good need, For that beneath his valor / I myself full nigh lay dead.

1605

"For pay I rich attire / did bid, and gold a store, Good knight, that to thy country / he should us ferry o'er. Thereat he raged full sorely / and on me swung a blow With a mighty boat-pole, / whereat I eke did angry grow.

1606