Not often the heart of the hero had ache or sorrow known, Till the tidings came of a fair-one on a wind of rumour blown.
Fair past all heart’s desiring was the Star of Burgundy—
She was doomed to be joy and anguish unto him in the days to be!
With the fame of her glorious beauty there flew forth far and wide
The tale of the queenly spirit, of the heart of tameless pride;
And the souls of princely champions were set on fire of the word,
That from lands afar to the guest-hall of Gunther the King they spurred.
But for all the love of the wooers, and their burning words thereof,
No whit were Kriemhild’s heart-strings once swept by the finger of love,
That she deigned to take of them any for the love of her life and her king.
In a strange land yet was her Falcon with the victory in his wing.
When borne down love’s dream-river was the heart of Siegelind’s son,
As an idle wind was the wooing of all save him alone.
Above all men was Siegfried worthy the chosen of women to wed:—
Now soon to the fair shall the fearless by the hand of love be led.
Then his friends took thought for Siegfried, and the wise in council met,
When they knew the heart of the hero on the love of woman set.
{p. 8}
“Seek her for thy bride,” they counselled, “whose birth shall shame not thee.”
Answered the prince: “None other than Kriemhild this shall be!
Lo, she is a great king’s daughter, and the Star of Burgundia she is,
And she is the Queen of Beauty, and my heart knoweth certainly this—
Never Kaiser nor King is so mighty, but, if he would choose him a bride,
Kriemhild, the glory of women, for him were a crown of pride.”
Then was told the tale of his purpose unto Siegmund the ancient King,
For his people brought him the tidings, and so was he ware of the thing
Whereunto was his son’s mind steadfast; and the King was sore afraid
For the peril of Siegfried’s wooing of the haughty-hearted maid.
Yea also the selfsame rumour did the lady Siegelind hear;
And her heart was exceeding heavy with a burden of sorrow and fear;
For she wotted how grim was Gunther and the earls of his war-array:
And they laboured to turn Prince Siegfried from the perilous quest away.
Then answered the aweless Siegfried: “Heart’s dearest, father mine,
Never to love of woman shall the soul of me incline,
Except I may woo untrammelled where love leads forth mine heart!”
And never, for all their pleading, would he from the word depart.
“If thus thou abide unshaken,” the King made answer again,
“Know thou, of thine high-wrought purpose my soul is exceeding fain;
And with heart and hand will I aid thee to the uttermost of my might.
Yet mid King Gunther’s vassals is many a haughty knight:
Yea, had he none other than Hagen the stalwart to stand at his side,
That champion is so uplifted with overweening pride,
That I fear, I fear me sorely lest his malice bring us to bane
If we woo that high-born maiden, the Lady of Disdain.”
“Shall the pride of the haughty thwart us?” hot-hearted Siegfried cried.
“If they mock at the speech of friendship, if I be with scorn denied,
Then will I do my wooing with the strength of mine own right hand;
Yea, I will wrest from the proud ones their vassals and their land!”
Then answered and spake King Siegmund: “Woe’s me for this word of thine!
For if haply this thy defiance should be told by the waters of Rhine,
{p. 9}
Never couldst thou thereafter to the land of Gunther ride;—
Long time have I known them, Gunther and Gernot, the children of pride.
By violence may no man win her, that the maiden should stoop to his love,”
Spake Siegmund the King, “assurance most utter have I thereof.
Yet if thou with a host of warriors wouldst thitherward spur the steed,
Lo, all our battle-helpers shall with thee into Rhineland speed.”
“Now nay, it shall nowise please me,” the son of Siegmund said,
“That a host of knights into Rhineland by my banner should be led
Arrayed in the ranks of battle; for my sorrow should it be
To constrain that daughter of princes to yield her love unto me.
I will woo her alone, unholpen of aught but mine own right hand:
With none save with twelve companions will I unto Gunther’s land.
Thus far and no further, my father, mine emprise shall ye aid,
That my knights be in bright-hued vesture and grey furs costly arrayed.”
Unto Siegelind his mother were the tidings borne anon,
And the queen brake forth into weeping for her well-beloved son:
“If he meet the hosts of Gunther, he is lost unto me!” she said.
Then wept that daughter of princes as women weep for the dead.
But Siegfried the knight beheld her weeping, and came to her side
With speech of loving comfort, and blithe of heart he cried:
“Nought hast thou to do with weeping, dear lady and queen, for my sake.
Though a host should arise against me, mine heart should in no wise quake.
Nay, help me thou on my journey when to Burgundy I fare,
And for me and my war-fellows fashion such goodly raiment to wear
As shall be for the praise and the honour of knights so gallant as they;
And so shall mine heart go singing its thanks unto thee alway.”
“If in sooth thou abidest unshaken,” the lady Siegelind said,
“Then, O my child, my beloved, of me shall thy journey be sped;
For the costliest raiment and fairest that ever good knight wore
Shall ye have, even thou and thy war-thanes, an exceeding plenteous store.”
Then lowly in thanks he bent him, Siegfried the fair and young;
And he spake: “For my journeying-fellows shall I take no mighty throng,
{p. 10}
But only twelve of my champions: make ready their raiment thou;—
I am longing to learn, O mother, how fares it with Kriemhild now.”
Then nightlong, daylong toiling sat ladies lovely-eyed:
Was none that for rest or for pastime would lay her labour aside
Till the fingers of love had fashioned all Siegfried’s goodly gear:
For his heart was set on the journey, none other rede would he hear.
And his father bade make ready for the prince his knightly array
Wherein he should go forth riding from Siegmund’s land away;
And the warriors’ glittering hauberks withal were ready dight,
And their strong-knit helms and their war-shields broad and gleaming bright.
Now by this was the hour of their faring unto Burgundy drawn full near;
And the hearts of man and woman were heavy with boding fear
Lest never the cherished faces should be seen in the land again.
And they bade lade armour and raiment on the beasts of the sumpter-train.
Goodly to see were the horses in their trappings of ruddy gold.
Long should ye search and vainly more gallant sight to behold
Than Siegfried the knight and the warrior-henchmen ranged at his side.
Now for nought but the parting-blessing his feet for a space abide.
And the King and the Queen there mingled their blessing with many a tear;
But he spake to them words of comfort, and cried with loving cheer:
“Nought have ye to do with weeping for my peril in any strife:
Banish for aye foreboding as touching Siegfried’s life!”
Yet the earls were heavy-hearted, the maidens’ tears ran free;
Yea, the fear on their souls lay darkly that yet in the days to be
For the dear ones unreturning they should sorrow with hearts bowed low:—
Ah me, for their lamentation at the last was there cause enow!
So it fell on the seventh morning that to Worms by the Rhine-river shore
Those fearless knights came riding. What raiment soever they wore
Was all with the red gold broidered, and the harness glinted and shone
As their steeds went softly pacing as they followed Siegfried on.
{p. 11}
New-wrought were the knights’ broad bucklers, bright without fleck or stain,
And their helms were a flashing splendour, as rode that gallant train
After the aweless Siegfried through the heart of Burgundia-land;
Never therein did heroes so goodly-apparelled stand.
Low as the spurs all-golden their mighty sword-points hung;
Sharp battle-spears those champions in their strong hands lightly swung.
Of two full spans was the blue blade of the lance that Siegfried bare;
Keen were the long cold edges, and the lightning of death slept there.
Starred reins all gold-embroidered swung light in the rider’s hand,
And the steeds’ breast-bands were silken: so rode they through the land;
And with parted lips of wonder around them all folk pressed.
Then Gunther’s palace-marshals sped forth to meet the guest.
They ran, the earls high-hearted; they hasted, henchman and knight,
Toward these of the lordly presence, even as was meet and right;
And they gave those guests fair greeting unto their liege-lord’s land;
And they grasped the good steed’s bridle, and would take the shield from the hand.
And they made as to lead the horses to the crib and the stall for their rest:
Then stayed them the voice of Siegfried, that dauntless warrior-guest:
“Let be the steeds; for a season still harnessed shall they stand,
For yet am I girt for the journey, and I ride full soon from your land.
Now if any man certainly knoweth, let him nowise hide the thing,
For this would I have one tell me, where may I light on your King,
Even Gunther the treasure-wealthy, Burgundia’s mighty lord.”
Then one that thereof well wotted spake out the answering word:
“If ye fain would behold that war-king, the wish may be lightly won.
In the wide fair hall of his palace I marked him a little agone
Begirt with his hero-vassals: thither to him go ye.
There many a noble warrior beside him shall ye see.”
But by this within his palace had the tale to the King been told
How there waited without by the gateway strange warriors aweless-bold
All-armed in sunbright hauberks and in royal-rich array,
Whose names and whose kindred no man in Burgundy might say.
{p. 12}
Thereat was the King astonied, and he marvelled whence they came,
These lordly knights from whose raiment so shone the splendour-flame,
These wielders of goodly bucklers, broad shields and stainless-fair:
Yea, it misliked him that no man could say what folk they were.
Then to the King made answer Ortwein, Metz’s lord—
Stalwart he was, and a dauntless wielder of spear and sword:
“Forasmuch as in no wise we know them, bid one bring hither to thee
Mine uncle, even Hagen: let him look on their company.
Known unto him are kingdoms and strange lands far and wide.
Of him, if he know yon chieftains, shall we surely be certified.”
Then the King bade bring that baron and his knightly train therewithal.
Full soon was his lordly presence beheld in Gunther’s hall.
“For what cause,” then spake Hagen, “am I hitherward called of the King?”
“Lo, yonder unknown heroes to mine halls come journeying;
And no man knoweth to name them. Hast thou haply far away
In a strange land looked on their faces? I pray thee, Hagen, say.”
“That will I,” made answer Hagen. To the casement straight did he go,
And his glance like the swoop of an eagle flashed o’er those guests below.
With the warrior’s joy their war-gear and their goodly array he scanned;
Howbeit their faces he knew not: they were strangers in the land.
And he spake: “Whencesoever the warriors to Rhineflood hitherward fare,
Princes are they of a surety, or a message of princes they bear,
So goodly are their war-steeds, so royal is their array.
Sooth, whencesoe’er they have ridden, great-hearted heroes be they.”
Then a little pondered Hagen, and he spake: “It is sooth to say,
Upon Siegfried’s bodily presence have I looked not unto this day:
Yet indeed and in truth meseemeth, howsoever the thing may be,
That the knight who yonder beareth so princely a port, is he.
Great tales shall be told, if it be so, of his coming to this our land.
The lion-hearted Niblungs were slain by the hero’s hand,
Schilbung and Nibelung, scions of the King of the Golden Hoard;—
Marvels he wrought against them when his strong arm swung the sword!
{p. 13}
For it chanced, when the hero was riding alone with no helpers near,
That he found by a misty mountain, as the tale hath been told in mine ear,
Enringing the Hoard of King Niblung a throng of fierce-eyed men:
He had seen not those strange faces till he lighted on them then.
There lay King Niblung’s Gold-hoard, haled forth from the dark abyss
Of the rifted heart of the mountain—a strange, wild tale is this
How the Niblung men were wrangling o’er the treasure’s portioning!
So came Knight Siegfried upon them, and he marvelled at that strange thing.
So nigh he drew unhindered that he saw each battle-lord,
And on him looked they: to his fellow a prince spake straightway the word:
“‘Lo, here cometh Siegfried the stalwart, the Low Land’s hero renowned!’—
Good sooth, a weird adventure mid the Niblung men he found!
Then Schilbung and Nibelung greeted the hero with courteous speech;
And now do the high-born princes that stranger knight beseech
That himself would consent between them that mighty treasure to share;
And they hung so sore upon him that he yielded at last to their prayer.
Such wealth of precious gemstones he beheld, as telleth the tale,
That fivescore wains had sufficed not that treasure thence to hale:
There were heaps yet huger of red gold, the wealth of the Niblung land:
And all that hoard must be portioned by the aweless Siegfried’s hand.
And for hire did they give to the hero King Niblung’s dwarf-wrought sword—
But, ere all was done, for their guerdon they won them an evil reward;
Yea, enforced was Siegfried to deal them therewith great slaughter and grim;
For his sharing might nowise content them, and they turned their fury on him.
(C) So there in the midst that treasure yet all unportioned lay;
And fell on the hero the war-thanes of either king’s array.
But he thrust and he hewed with Balmung, their sire’s enchanted sword,
Nor stayed, till his might had wrested from the Niblung men the Hoard.
Twelve fearful battle-helpers ’gainst that lone warrior fought,
Strong men, and in stature giants; but their might availed them nought,
For the hand of Siegfried smote them in his fury of battle-lust.
Seven hundred knights of the Niblung land he laid in the dust
{p. 14}
With the Sword, the good sword Balmung of the world-renownèd name.
And the heart of many a champion for terror as water became,
Quelled by the lightning-flasher and its lord’s undaunted mood.
Yea, the Niblung land and her castles were under his might subdued.
Yea, those two kings in the battle he met, and he smote them dead;
Yet himself through the might of Albrich the Dwarf was sorely bestead;
For the vassal dwarf burned fiercely to avenge his liege-lords slain,
Till quelled by the might of Siegfried his purpose he needs must refrain.
That demon-dwarf all vainly strove with the hero’s might:
Like the grapple of raging lions round the mountain stormed their fight,
Till the Hood of Darkness was yielded by Albrich to this new lord,
And Siegfried the Terrible master was left of the Niblung Hoard,
For all which had dared to withstand him on that stricken field lay slain.
Then bade he bear that treasure to the mountain-fastness again
Whence the Niblung vassals had haled it forth as the dead kings bade;
And the warder of the treasure strong Alberich he made.
By an oath most mighty he bound him his thrall, to be faithful and true,
And ever in loyal service his uttermost bidding to do.”
So ended Hagen of Troneg—“All this hath the hero done:
Through the world in battle-prowess peer unto him is there none.
Men tell of another emprise—as I heard it, I tell it to you—
A Worm, a winged fen-dragon, the hand of the hero slew:
Then he bathed in the blood of the monster, and his skin became as horn,
That no weapon may wound him: witness thereof full many have borne.
Now wisely and well do I rede you—receive him in courteous wise,
That the fiery wrath of the hero by no deed of ours may arise.
Since utterly aweless his heart is, let no man do him despite.
Bethink you how many a marvel hath been wrought by his quenchless might.”
And the King of the land made answer: “Thy counsel is meet and right.
Mark ye how proudly he standeth, as defying peril of fight!
Dauntless they be, yon warrior and the vassals that follow him.
We will fare down unto the gateway, and greet yon champion grim.”
{p. 15}
“Yea, greet him with worship and honour,” spake Hagen answering;
“For he cometh of noble lineage, and is son of a mighty king;
And his port, meseemeth, is princely—yea, by Christ the Lord!
Great tales shall be told of the issues of his riding hitherward.”
Then the lord of the land made answer: “Right welcome to us be he!
Valiant he is and noble, as well may mine own eyes see.
Yea, Burgundy-land shall hold him for a guest of passing worth.”
Unto where Prince Siegfried tarried then Gunther the King passed forth.
And the lord of the land and his earlfolk bade the hero welcome there
With greeting exceeding gracious, with courtesy passing fair;
And before them the Knight all-peerless bowed him in courtly wise
In thanks for their lovingkindness, and the worship in their eyes.
Spake Gunther the king: “I marvel, and fain would be certified,
Whence, O most noble Siegfried, unto this our land ye ride,
And what thing come ye seeking at Worms by the waters of Rhine.”
And the guest to the King made answer: “I hide no purpose of mine.
Afar in the land of my fathers the tidings have I heard
How that here, O King, in thy palace—and fain would I prove the word—
Be the knights in the world most valiant—yea, oft have I hearkened their fame—
And the best that king gat ever: and for this cause hither I came.
Yea, and I hear men praise thee for the Star of Chivalry.
‘Never was king so valiant unto this day seen,’ they cry.
Through all my land thy glory is blown upon rumour’s wind.
No rest may my spirit give me till the truth hereof I find.
Lo, I withal am a warrior; a crown must I wear one day;
And fain am I that all men of me in that hour should say
That I take the folk and the kingdom of right for mine heritage.
Lo, mine head and mine honour, I lay them in the lists for battle’s gage.
Thou then, if thou be so valiant as is sung by the lips of fame—
I ask no man of my challenge, if he joy or chafe at the same—
I challenge thee here, do battle for all thou accountest thine!
Thy land and thy castles, I claim them for spoil of this sword of mine!”
{p. 16}
Then the King was exceeding astonied, amazed did the earl-folk stand,
As they hearkened to that strange challenge, to the champion’s haughty demand,
As he claimed for his victory-guerdon the people and land of their lord;
And as flame burst forth their anger to hear that arrogant word.
“Nay, how should it be for mine honour,” answered the King thereto,
“If I staked the realm that my father ruled nobly his whole life through
On a combat’s issue, to lose it or hold it by bodily might?
Sooth, this were a sorry maintaining of the name and the fame of a knight!”
“Nay, nought I abate of my challenge,” that aweless champion cried;
“If the peace of thy land safe warded by the strength of thine arm abide,
Now from thy grasp will I wrest it; and mine heritage withal,
If thou win it by battle-prowess, shall be held of thee in thrall.
Let thou and I stake straightway our land and throne and crown;
And whichsoever in combat shall strike the other down,
Unto him shall all be subject, the lands of twain and the folk.”
Then against it Hagen the mighty and Gernot the valiant spoke.
“Of a surety not so are we minded,” spake Gernot proudly and high,
“That for winning of new possessions should any good knights die
In the strife of warring heroes: lo, fair our heritage is,
And of right is it ours; and no man hath claim more righteous to this.”
In burning indignation there stood they, the friends of the King;
And the Lord of Metz, Knight Ortwein, stepped forth from the warrior-ring,
Crying, “Out upon these soft answers! My very heart have they wrung!
Lo, a causeless challenge Siegfried the strong at you all hath flung!
Though thou and thy brothers before him were standing with none to aid,
Though he brought a kingdom’s army against thee, my King, arrayed,
Yet would I maintain, I only, thy right against yon foe:
I would still his malapert vaunting, I would bring his high heart low!”
Outflamed the wrath of the hero, the lord of the Nether Land:
“Not against me may be measured the might of thy low-born hand!
I am the heir to a kingdom, a king’s mere vassal thou;
Yet twelve such as thou should vainly withstand me in battle, I trow!”
{p. 17}
Then the Lord of Metz, Knight Ortwein, cried hotly, “Bring me a sword!”—
True son was he of the sister of Hagen Troneg’s lord!—
Sore vexed was the King that Hagen so long should silent stand.
Then for peace yet again spake Gernot, bold-hearted and ready of hand:
“Now nay, rein in thine anger”—with Ortwein so did he plead—
“Not yet hath the noble Siegfried done us any despiteful deed.
For kindness and reconciling still all my counsel is,
And for winning of his friendship: yea, more for our honour were this.”
At the last spake Hagen the stalwart: “There were reason enow for our wrath
And the good knights’ indignation, if he rode on the Rhineward path
For nought but for this defiance—what ailed him to do this thing?
Never so evil-entreated had he been of our lord the King.”
Then Siegfried the mighty hero flashed out all scornfully:
“If that I have said, Lord Hagen, in aught misliketh thee,
I will let it be seen of all men how ready is this mine hand
To maintain my words to the utmost in the face of Burgundia-land.”
“Nay, this thing, I trust, shall I hinder,” spake Gernot yet again;
And he gave command to be silent unto all his mighty men,
Howsoever they chafed, from saying one word that should chafe their guest.
Mid the hush flew a peace-dove, a vision of Kriemhild, to Siegfried’s breast.
“For what cause should we battle against thee?” yet again did Gernot cry:
“Yea, though a host of the good knights in the grapple of fight should die,
Small honour were ours, small profit were thine, of such strife unmeet!”
Yet again did the son of Siegmund, Siegfried, his challenge repeat:
“Why linger they, Hagen and Ortwein?—why hang they yet aback,
They and their friends, their champions, from the storm of the battle-wrack?
And of all Burgundia’s chosen is none to the combat stirred?”
But they heeded Gernot’s counsel, and they answered him not a word.
“Our guest shalt thou be full welcome,” the young lad Giselher cried,
“Thou and thy valiant champions which wait hereby at thy side.
{p. 18}
We will joyfully do thee service, even all these friends of mine.”
Then they cried to the cupbearers, “Pour ye for the guests of King Gunther the wine!”
Spake the lord of the land yet further, “Lo, all that was ours hitherto,
Is yours, so in honour ye ask it; we will hold back nought from you.
Yea, ye shall with us be partners in our goods and our very blood!”
Then soft grew the eyes of Siegfried, and melted his angry mood.
Then they took from the warriors their war-gear, and heedfully laid it by;
And they sought for them stately chambers, and lodged them royally:
Yea, even Siegfried’s henchmen were housed in noble wise.
And in Burgundy nought met Siegfried thereafter save welcoming eyes.
All rendered to him high worship and honour day by day,
Yea, a thousandfold more richly than minstrel’s tongue may say.
All this was his valour’s guerdon—no marvel that so it should be,
For the hero was passing winsome, and sweet were his eyes to see.
Whensoever the kings and their vassals in knightly pastime strove,
Evermore was Siegfried the foremost, howsoever his strength they might prove.
There was none that with Siegfried could match him, so passing great was his might,
Or in hurling the massy rock-shard, or in speeding the lance’s flight.
In presence of high-born ladies full oft was their prowess tried,
And proved was the strength of the valiant before the lovely-eyed;
And the Netherland’s knight found favour still with the passing-fair:
But his love was set on the highest, his heart was otherwhere.
(C) Yea, lovely palace-ladies, as the knights rode flashing by,
Would ask of the warrior-stranger of bearing proud and high—
“How stately is his stature, how rich his arraying!” they cried.
“’Tis the hero of the Low Land!” full many a voice replied.
What deeds they essayed soever, still foremost Siegfried pressed:
But ever a lovely vision, a dream-face, haunted his breast;
And the eyes of his soul were yearning on an unbeholden face:
And she—her heart had received him, her lips low murmured his praise.
{p. 19}
What time in the lists of the palace the good knights ran the course,
And the squires, and shivered the spear-shafts, ever on rider and horse
Unseen from the casement gazing was the daughter of kings, Kriemhild:
She craved none other pastime, in this was her joy fulfilled.
Had he known, had he known that she watched him, whom shrined in his heart he bore,
Content in those lists enchanted had he ridden evermore;
But ah, had his eyes but beheld her!—I know of a surety this,
Nought else upon earth had he longed for, whose soul had won to its bliss.
Whensoe’er in the castle-courtyard he chanced mid the knights to stand,
As amidst of their gallant pastime they are wont in every land,
How winsome then and how graceful he stood, Queen Siegelind’s child!
Ah, the heart of many a maiden unwares was love-beguiled.
But he, he was thinking, thinking, “Shall the day-dawn ever arise
In mine heart?—shall the Queen of women be ever beheld of mine eyes,
The love of my soul, my darling, my dream of long agone?
She is far from me, far; and with anguish of spirit I muse thereon!”
Whensoe’er those mighty war-kings rode through Burgundia-land,
Still did their knights attend them arrayed on either hand;
Rode Siegfried with these: at his going that lovely lady sighed;
And his heart the while was aching for her through a weary tide.
So abode he with those three war-lords—true is it, how strange soe’er—
In the land of Gunther the royal through all the space of a year;
Yet in all that season his heart’s love not once did he behold,
Of whom he should yet have gladness and sorrow manifold.