The Nibelungenlied
124
" Such strife would ill befit us, " / Gernot spake again;
" For though should die in battle / a host of valiant men
'Twould bring us little honor / and ye could profit none. "
Thereto gave Siegfried answer, / good King Siegmund's noble son:
125
" Wherefore bides thus grim Hagen, / and Ortwein tardy is
To begin the combat / with all those friends of his,
Of whom he hath so many / here in Burgundy? "
Answer him they durst not, / for such was Gernot's stein decree.
126
" Thou shalt to us be welcome, " / outspake young Giselher,
" And all thy brave companions / that hither with thee fare.
Full gladly we'll attend thee, / I and all friends of mine. "
For the guests then bade they / pour out in store of Gunther's wine.
127
Then spake the stately monarch: / " But ask thou courteously,
And all that we call ours / stands at thy service free;
So with thee our fortune / we'll share in ill and good. "
Thereat the noble Siegfried / a little milder was of mood.
128
Then carefully was tended / all their knightly gear,
And housed in goodly manner / in sooth the strangers were,
All that followed Siegfried; / they found a welcome rest.
In Burgundy full gladly / anon was seen the noble guest.
129
They showed him mickle honor / thereafter many a day,
And more by times a thousand / than I to you could say.
His might respect did merit, / ye may full well know that.
Scarce a man e'er saw him / who bore him longer any hate.
130
And when they held their pastime, / the kings with many a man,
Then was he ever foremost; / whatever they began,
None there that was his equal, / — so mickle was his might —
If they the stone were putting, / or hurling shaft with rival knight.
131
As is the knightly custom, / before the ladies fair
To games they turned for pastime, / these knights of mettle rare;
Then ever saw they gladly / the hero of Netherland.
But he had fixed his fancy / to win one fairest maiden's hand.
132
In all that they were doing / he'd take a ready part.
A winsome loving maiden / he bore within his heart;
Him only loved that lady, / whose face he ne'er had seen,
But she full oft in secret / of him spake fairest words, I ween.
133
And when before the castle / they sped in tournament,
The good knights and squires, / oft-times the maiden went
And gazed adown from casement, / Kriemhild the princess rare.
Pastime there was none other / for her that could with this compare.
134
And knew he she was gazing / whom in his heart he bore,
He joy enough had found him / in jousting evermore.
And might he only see her, / — that can I well believe —
On earth through sight none other / his eyes could such delight receive.
135
Whene'er with his companions / to castle court he went,
E'en as do now the people / whene'er on pleasure bent,
There stood 'fore all so graceful / Siegelind's noble son,
For whom in love did languish / the hearts of ladies many a one.
136
Eke thought he full often: / " How shall it ever be,
That I the noble maiden / with my own eyes may see,
Whom I do love so dearly / and have for many a day?
To me is she a stranger, / which sorely grieves my heart to say. "
137
Whene'er the kings so mighty / rode o'er their broad domain,
Then of valiant warriors / they took a stately train.
With them abroad rode Siegfried, / which grieved those ladies sore:
— He too for one fair maiden / at heart a mickle burden bore.
138
Thus with his hosts he lingered / — 'tis ever tittle true —
In King Gunther's country / a year completely through,
And never once the meanwhile / the lovely maid did see,
Through whom such joy thereafter / for him, and eke such grief should be.
" Such strife would ill befit us, " / Gernot spake again;
" For though should die in battle / a host of valiant men
'Twould bring us little honor / and ye could profit none. "
Thereto gave Siegfried answer, / good King Siegmund's noble son:
125
" Wherefore bides thus grim Hagen, / and Ortwein tardy is
To begin the combat / with all those friends of his,
Of whom he hath so many / here in Burgundy? "
Answer him they durst not, / for such was Gernot's stein decree.
126
" Thou shalt to us be welcome, " / outspake young Giselher,
" And all thy brave companions / that hither with thee fare.
Full gladly we'll attend thee, / I and all friends of mine. "
For the guests then bade they / pour out in store of Gunther's wine.
127
Then spake the stately monarch: / " But ask thou courteously,
And all that we call ours / stands at thy service free;
So with thee our fortune / we'll share in ill and good. "
Thereat the noble Siegfried / a little milder was of mood.
128
Then carefully was tended / all their knightly gear,
And housed in goodly manner / in sooth the strangers were,
All that followed Siegfried; / they found a welcome rest.
In Burgundy full gladly / anon was seen the noble guest.
129
They showed him mickle honor / thereafter many a day,
And more by times a thousand / than I to you could say.
His might respect did merit, / ye may full well know that.
Scarce a man e'er saw him / who bore him longer any hate.
130
And when they held their pastime, / the kings with many a man,
Then was he ever foremost; / whatever they began,
None there that was his equal, / — so mickle was his might —
If they the stone were putting, / or hurling shaft with rival knight.
131
As is the knightly custom, / before the ladies fair
To games they turned for pastime, / these knights of mettle rare;
Then ever saw they gladly / the hero of Netherland.
But he had fixed his fancy / to win one fairest maiden's hand.
132
In all that they were doing / he'd take a ready part.
A winsome loving maiden / he bore within his heart;
Him only loved that lady, / whose face he ne'er had seen,
But she full oft in secret / of him spake fairest words, I ween.
133
And when before the castle / they sped in tournament,
The good knights and squires, / oft-times the maiden went
And gazed adown from casement, / Kriemhild the princess rare.
Pastime there was none other / for her that could with this compare.
134
And knew he she was gazing / whom in his heart he bore,
He joy enough had found him / in jousting evermore.
And might he only see her, / — that can I well believe —
On earth through sight none other / his eyes could such delight receive.
135
Whene'er with his companions / to castle court he went,
E'en as do now the people / whene'er on pleasure bent,
There stood 'fore all so graceful / Siegelind's noble son,
For whom in love did languish / the hearts of ladies many a one.
136
Eke thought he full often: / " How shall it ever be,
That I the noble maiden / with my own eyes may see,
Whom I do love so dearly / and have for many a day?
To me is she a stranger, / which sorely grieves my heart to say. "
137
Whene'er the kings so mighty / rode o'er their broad domain,
Then of valiant warriors / they took a stately train.
With them abroad rode Siegfried, / which grieved those ladies sore:
— He too for one fair maiden / at heart a mickle burden bore.
138
Thus with his hosts he lingered / — 'tis ever tittle true —
In King Gunther's country / a year completely through,
And never once the meanwhile / the lovely maid did see,
Through whom such joy thereafter / for him, and eke such grief should be.
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