Then gazed they across the Rhine-stream, and beheld on the farther shore The King with his guests around him, which had drawn nigh theretofore;
And they saw the good knights standing by the bridle of many a maid,
Even them that they looked to welcome, who now for their coming stayed.
So passed they down to the galleys, that host from the Northern Land,
They and the Niblung thousand, even Siegfried’s own war-band,
{p. 79}
And adown the bank they hasted: their toil the rowers plied,
Till all these friends of Gunther had won to the farther side.
Now list ye withal, how the story of the Queen of Burgundy
Telleth, how Uta the stately with her maiden-company
Went forth of the castle riding with that bright cavalcade:
Then were made known to each other many a knight and maid.
The Lord of the Marches, Gere, led Kriemhild’s steed by the rein
To the fortress-gate, no farther: Siegfried the noble thane
Should render her service thereafter—how queenly and lovely she shone!
Well was his service requited by the maiden’s love anon.
Ortwein the noble, the dauntless, led onward Uta the Queen,
And, each by a lady riding, was many a knight there seen.
Unto festal welcoming rode they, plain for all folk to see.
Never was seen of ladies so goodly a company!
In front of Kriemhild the lovely, through all the merry way
Those far-famed heroes jousted in gentle and joyous play:
’Twas the ancient and honoured custom. So when to the ships they came,
Then lifted they from their palfreys full many a noble dame.
Now the King had by this crossed over with many a stranger knight;
But in jousting still they shivered strong spears in ladies’ sight.
Ever the shields were ringing with echoing clash and clang;
In the press of the warriors charging rich bosses mightily rang.
So there these winsome ladies stood by the river-side;
And forth of the ships came Gunther with his guests, the folk of his bride;
And himself forth out of the galley by the hand led Brunhild the Queen.
As they met, bright raiment to raiment and stone unto stone flashed sheen.
Then stepped the Lady Kriemhild forward with queenly grace,
And she greeted the Lady Brunhild and her train with loving face.
Men saw white hands from their foreheads the coronals softly move,
As each fair queen kissed other in token of knitting of love.
Then sweet spake Kriemhild the maiden, the child of a royal line:
“Into this our land Burgundian welcome be thou and thine
{p. 80}
Unto me and to my mother, and to all this loyal crowd
Of liegemen and kinsfolk,” With stately grace Queen Brunhild bowed.
Ofttimes with arms enfolding those lovely ladies clung;—
Of such loving welcome aforetime hath never minstrel sung
As now to the bride was rendered of those noble ladies twain
Uta and Kriemhild: her sweet lips kissed they once and again.
Now as the ladies of Brunhild beside the river stand,
The goodly knights step forward, and they take them by the hand
In token of loving greeting to those fair ones lovely-eyed—
Ah, comely were they, the maidens at the Lady Brunhild’s side!
Ere all that greeting was ended, long time had fleeted by:
On rosebud lips full many fell kisses lovingly.
Long face to face communing those Daughters of Kings abode;
And the peerless knights looked on them with hearts that for gladness glowed.
With their own eyes then beheld they, who oft had heard it told
That so glorious beauty might no man in all the world behold
As the beauty of these two fair ones; and the rumour’s truth they learned;
For in all their lovely bodies might no blemish be discerned.
Of such as could weigh the fairness of form and winsome face,
Some to the bride of Gunther gave beauty’s chiefest praise;
But they that were more discerning, that wiselier looked thereon,
Said, “Nay, ye must own that Brunhild by Kriemhild is outshone.”
Now mingled they, home-abiders and strangers, matron and maid:
There many a comely woman was seen all costly-arrayed.
Rich tents and silken pavilions all round lay far and wide,
Wherewith were the green meads covered from Worms to the river-side.
Then nigher pressed to behold them King Gunther’s friends and kin.
Then prayed they the Lady Brunhild and Kriemhild to pass within,
And all their handmaids with them, ’neath the wavering silken shade.
Thither the knights Burgundian their noble guests conveyed.
Now by this upon their horses those knightly guests had sprung,
And with sport of the breaking of lances the shining bucklers rung.
{p. 81}
Over the field upsoaring was the dust, as though all the land
Were flame-devoured, as the heroes made proof of their might of hand.
To the eyes of the watching maidens those knights their prowess showed:
Right well with the host of his warriors Siegfried the valiant rode;
In tourney before the pavilion aye to and fro he wheeled:
With the hero a thousand Niblungs went sweeping across the field.
Then strode forth Hagen of Troneg at Gunther the King’s behest,
And courteously the hero bade the knights from their jousting rest,
That they should not o’erpall with the dust-cloud the maidens fair and sweet;
And the knightly guests blithe-hearted rendered obedience meet.
Then out spake Gernot the noble: “Awhile let the horses abide
Till the day on-draweth to coolness, and so shall our escort ride
Beside the lovely ladies to the wide-roofed palace-hall.
When the word of the King shall be given, ‘To horse!’ be ye ready all.”
Through the length and the breadth of the lealand stayed was the tournament;
Then the knights sought unto the ladies in many a stately tent
To while the hours in converse, and to make them merry of heart:
So fleeted fast the moments, till time was thence to depart.
Before the falling of even, when sank the light of the sun,
And came thereafter the coolness, no more would they linger on.
Then cityward knight and lady rode the summer ways,
And on many a form most winsome fell warrior’s loving gaze.
As they rode, were there tourney-courses; oft mantles with sudden hand[8]
Were twitched from the gallant riders, after the wont of the land,
Till afront of the gate of the palace the King his war-horse stayed:
So by the knights to the ladies was honour-service paid.
Then from the throng departed those Queens in their royal pride;
And the Lady Uta and Kriemhild straightway turned aside
{p. 82}
With all the train of their handmaids into a fair wide hall:
There did bright tides of laughter and of voices rise and fall.
Now set they in order the high-seats, and on King Gunther passed
Leading his guests to the banquet. Then saw they beside him at last
A Queen!—it was Brunhild the lovely. A crown on her brow she bare
As a queen in her king’s dominions—ah, stately she was and fair!
For the banquet were seats rich-carven, broad tables goodly to see
Laden with plenty, as singeth the ancient minstrelsy.
Of all the due of the feasters there lacked not anything.
Sat many a noble baron in the presence of the King.
Then entered the chamberlains bringing in basons golden-red
For the hands of the guests bright water—all vainly his labour were sped
Who would say that courtlier service was rendered ever on earth
At a prince’s feast—I would reckon his word as nothing-worth.
But or ever the Lord of the Rhineland set hand to the water clear,
Siegfried—unshamed might he do it—unto Gunther the King drew near:
“Bethink thee of that faith royal and the pledge thou gavest me,”
He said, “ere thou sawest Brunhild in Iceland far oversea.”
Yea, he added and said, “Remember how thou swarest by thy right hand,
In the day we should bring Queen Brunhild home unto this your land,
Thou wouldst give me to wife thy sister—doth the oath unbroken remain?
Thou knowest, for that thy journey I begrudged nor travail nor pain.”
The host to the guest made answer: “Well dost thou to call it to mind.
I will break not the oath that with hand-clasp close to my soul did I bind.
Lo, I help thee to its fulfilment—may blessing thereof befall!”
Then sent he his word unto Kriemhild to come to the King in the hall[9].
With the train of her lovely maidens on to the hall she swept;
Then from the dais of honour Giselher lightly stept:—
{p. 83}
“Now give ye command to the handmaids that backward they turn to their bower:
It befits that alone my sister commune with the King in this hour.”
Thither bring they the Lady Kriemhild where waiting doth Gunther stand,
And noble knights stood round him, and princes of many a land.
And now proclaimed they silence through the Hall of the Presence vast.
—In the midst of the hush Queen Brunhild to the feast-hall proudly passed.
(C) So entered the maid, nothing wotting of work whose fulfilment was nigh.
But first spake the son of Dankart to his knights that stood thereby:
“Help me at need, that my sister may take for her lord Siegfried.”
With one accord they answered: “In sooth ’twere a goodly deed!”
Then spake unto her King Gunther: “My sister, noble maid,
Let thy queenly blood and thine heart’s love for mine oath’s redemption aid.
I have pledged thine hand to a warrior; if thou take him for thy lord,
Then thou by thy loyal obedience hast redeemed my plighted word.”
Answered the noble maiden: “Heart’s dearest, brother mine,
Needs not that thou supplicate me: my will shall be even as thine.
What thing thou commandest soever, of a surety shall that be done:
Whom thou, Lord, appointest my bridegroom, I will wed that noble one.”
As a fire was the face of Siegfried, his eyes were rapture-ablaze
As the knight unto Kriemhild tendered love-service through all his days.
Then hand in hand they set them in the midst of the great hushed ring,
And they asked, “Wilt thou take this hero for thy lord and for thine heart’s king?”
A little she hung in the balance in maiden shamefastness;
But the Fortune of Siegfried whispered to her heart’s love, “Answer ‘Yes!’”
That she could not, and ah, she would not, deny unto him her hand;
And he plighted him her husband, the Hero of Netherland.
And so soon as his troth was spoken, and her troth unto his had replied,
Swiftly in arms enfolding he drew unto him his bride.
There in the arms of Siegfried that tender maiden lay,
And he kissed the noble princess in the midst of that knightly array.
{p. 84}
As parted the throngs asunder, and the banquet’s order was seen,
Lo, in the place of honour, facing the King and the Queen,
Was Siegfried by Kriemhild seated, with service of many a knight;
And there were the Niblung warriors beside him to left and to right.
Beside the King at the banquet sat Brunhild the maiden Queen:
Then Kriemhild she saw—no dagger to her heart had stabbed more keen—
By the side of Siegfried seated; and from weeping she could not refrain,
So that adown her fair cheeks fast did the hot tears rain.
Then spake the Lord of Rhineland: “What aileth thee, lady mine,
That thou drawest a cloud of grieving o’er the brightness of thine eyne?
Thou shouldst rather be heart-uplifted, for bowed in subjection to thee
This day are my land and my castles and all her chivalry.”
“Nay, I do well to be weeping,” unto him did the maid-queen say;
“My heart for the sake of thy sister is in bitterness this day,
That I see her beside one sitting who is nought but thy vassal, thy thrall!
Well may I weep unceasing that she unto this should fall.”
Answered and spake King Gunther: “Thy peace as now do thou hold.
Unto thee at a fitting season shall all the tale be told,
For what cause unto this Siegfried I have given my sister to wife.
A blessing on them! With the hero be hers a happy life!”
She answered: “I cease not to pity her fairness, her royal birth.
Of a truth would I flee hence, knew I a place of refuge on earth!
—Never, I tell thee, never will I couch me by thy side,
Or ever I know cause wherefore is Kriemhild Siegfried’s bride!”
Answered and spake King Gunther to her: “Unto thee be it known,
He hath in possession castles and lands as wide as mine own.
Yea, I tell thee this of a surety, a mighty king is he,
And I give him my comely sister with a glad heart and free.”
Yet, how pleaded the King soever, she sat with lowering eyes.
But by this from the banquet-table doth many a good knight rise,
And they clash so hotly in tourney that the courts of the castle ring.
—But amidst of his guests for the host-king time traileth a broken wing.
{p. 85}
“By the side of my love, my fair one,” he thought, “how sweet to lie!”
His heart to the dream was captive, he could not thrust it by,
The dream of her lovingkindness, and all the joy thereof.
And ever on Lady Brunhild he glanced with eyes of love.
So they gave command to the good knights from tourney-sport to refrain,
For that now for the peace of the night-tide the King and his bride were fain.
And before the great hall-stairway face to face they met,
Kriemhild and Brunhild—nothing had sundered their love as yet.
Followed the train of the handmaids; they lingered there no more
As on to the bridal-chamber the torches led before.
Now came the Kings, and parted the knights of either’s train.
Then followed after Siegfried full many a noble thane.
Now over the bridal threshold are King and Hero gone,
And the heart of either was leaping at the thought of a winsome one,
And of Love the Overcomer—how glad were their souls for this!
And for Siegfried the arms of the loving were a haven of infinite bliss.
As Siegfried the hero gathered Kriemhild unto his breast,
And poured out his love upon her in the glory of love’s twin-rest,
As a knight all-courteous, his darling became unto him as his life.
Not for a thousand fair ones had he given his belovèd—his wife!
Now no more singeth the minstrel of his joy in that lady bright;
But thereafter the story telleth how Gunther fared that night
In the bride-bower of Queen Brunhild—O me, that gentle thane
By any other woman in easier plight had lain!
All folk were gone out from before him, maid and man were gone:
Fast shut was the door of the bridal bower; they twain were alone.
He looked that in arms fond-clasping he should fold her loveliness—
Ah, not but through weary waiting he won her and bitter stress!
Vestured in fair white linen to the couch that Lady passed;
And the noble knight to his heart cried—“Now all is mine at last,
Even all that mine heart hath longed for my life through unto this hour!”
Well might she to him be delightsome for her beauty’s priceless dower.
{p. 86}
Then the hand of the King in a darkling nook set the lamp aside;
And he turned him, the valiant warrior, to the bed of the maiden bride,
And he laid himself anear her, and the tide of his joy was at flood,
As he stretched arms fain of embracing to that glory of womanhood.
Upon nought but gentle dalliance the King in that sweet hour thought,
Had the noble lady but suffered the will of love to be wrought.
But she raged with exceeding fury, that the heart of the King was stung:
He looked but for lovingkindness, and hate in his face was flung.
For she said to him, “Noble warrior, I say unto thee, refrain!
That which thine heart desireth in no wise shalt thou attain.
I still will abide a maiden, Sir King, I do thee to wit,
Till I know truth touching Siegfried.” Then the flame of his wrath was lit.
By force he essayed to embrace her, that her fair white vesture was torn.
Then the proud maid caught at her girdle in her terrible anger and scorn,
Wherewithal was her waist encompas............