To the gates of the royal city men saw on the fourth day’s morn Come two-and-thirty riders. Straightway was their message borne
Unto Gunther, to wit, a defiance unto war from a far-off foe.
—That lie unto wives and mothers was a fathomless wellspring of woe.
Unto these was licence given to appear before the King.
Then said they to him: “We be liegemen of Lüdeger’s following,
The King overcome in battle, time was, by Siegfried’s hand,
And by him led thence as a hostage into King Gunther’s land.”
Then Gunther greeted the heralds, and bade them sit at the meat.
But spake of them one, and answered: “Lord King, let us stand on our feet
Till we tell out all the tidings wherewith we be sent unto thee.
Of many children of women be ye holden in enmity.
King Lüdegast bids thee defiance, and with him King Lüdeger,
Because at thine hands aforetime despitefully used they were.
They will ride now into thy kingdom with a host for battle arrayed.”
Great semblance of indignation at their message Gunther made.
{p. 120}
Then lodged they those feigned heralds, as who would take counsel awhile.
How might it be that Siegfried should beware of such deep guile—
He, yea, or any other, when the snare for his feet was cast?
Ha, in the net they had hidden were their own feet taken at last!
To and fro the King with his kinsmen whispering ever went:
Ever Hagen of Troneg was pricking the sides of his intent.
In sooth, of Gunther’s liegemen was many a man for peace,
But never from dark devising of murder would Hagen cease.
Thus as they whispered, Siegfried found these thanes on a day;
And the Hero of Netherland marvelled, and questioning thus ’gan say:
“Why goeth the King with his liegemen in heaviness of heart?
In avenging your wrongs am I ever ready to bear my part.”
Answered and spake King Gunther: “Good cause for trouble have I.
Me do the Dane and the Saxon again unto battle defy.
With their war-hosts now be they minded to ride into Burgundy-land.”
Answered the aweless Hero: “Their onset shall Siegfried’s hand,
As best befitteth your honour, meet in the battle’s strain.
That I did to the kings aforetime, shall now be done yet again:
I will ravage their land and their strongholds beneath the spoiler’s tread
Or ever from war I refrain me: hereon will I stake mine head.
As for thee, do thou and thy liegemen here in the homeland stay.
Let me ride forth against them with mine own war-array.
That I render you service gladly, shall ye and all men see.
Be ye sure, full evil entreated at mine hand shall your enemies be.”
“Now welcome to me is thy saying,” the King said joyful-voiced,
As though in the proffered helping indeed and in truth he rejoiced.
In his falseness lowly he bowed him, that King of the traitor-heart!
Yet again spake Siegfried the noble, “Let all your fears depart.”
Plotters and vassals prepared them, as it were for the war-march, then;
But all was done for a semblance unto Siegfried and his men.
And the hero bade his warriors of Netherland arm for the fray;
And straightway the knights of Siegfried sought out their war-array.
{p. 121}
To his sire spake Siegfried the mighty: “Here in the land remain,
Siegmund my father: returning soon shalt thou see us again,
So God but grant good fortune to us, to the land of the Rhine.
While thou with the King abidest fair days and glad shall be thine.”
Now all were at point of departing: banners to staves they bound.
Many of Gunther’s liegemen the while were standing round:
But that all was hollow semblance no man of these was ware.
Sooth, mighty was the war-host arrayed round Siegfried there.
The hauberks and the helmets on the horses laded they:
Knights many stalwart and fearless would forth of the land straightway.
Then stole thence Hagen of Troneg: to the presence of Kriemhild he came,
As who, ere they marched unto battle, would take his leave of the dame.
“Now happy am I,” said Kriemhild, “to have won to myself such a lord
Who unto my friends belovèd is so mighty a battle-ward
As Siegfried is to my brethren when he aideth them in fight;
And for this am I heart-uplifted,” said the Queen, “with abiding delight.
Hagen, friend well-belovèd, I pray thee, of this take thought—
I have joyed to do thee service, nor borne thee malice in aught:
Let this be requited in kindness to my belovèd lord.
Let him suffer not for my speaking to Brunhild a hasty word.
Thereof,” said the noble lady, “constrained have I been to repent:
He hath visited on my body in sorest chastisement
My folly of speech in stirring the Queen unto angry mood:
He hath verily well avenged her, that noble knight and good.”
“Yet a little while, and atonement shall she accept of thee,”
He said, “dear Lady Kriemhild: now I pray thee, tell unto me
In what wise I may do thee service through Siegfried thy lord and thy knight.
None living would I, O lady, for thy kindness so gladly requite.”
“For him were I wholly dreadless,” made answer Siegfried’s wife,
“Lest any in storm of battle should imperil mine hero’s life,
{p. 122}
Were it not for his reckless defying of danger in battle’s van;
Else would he aye go scatheless, that good and valiant man.”
“O Lady, if this thou fearest,” in his subtlety Hagen replied,
“Lest in battle he haply be wounded, then unto me confide
How best I ............