Fifteenth Adventure: How Siegfried Was Betrayed
How Siegfried was Betrayed
877
Upon the fourth morning / two and thirty men
Saw ye to court a-riding. / Unto King Gunther then
Were tidings borne that ready / he should make for foe —
This lie did bring to women / many, anon full grievous woe.
878
Leave had they 'fore the monarch's / presence to appear,
There to give themselves out / for men of Luedeger,
Him erstwhile was conquered / by Siegfried's doughty hand
And brought a royal hostage / bound unto King Gunther's land.
879
The messengers he greeted / and to seat them gave command.
Then spake one amongst them: / " Allow that yet we stand
Until we tell the tidings / that to thee are sent.
Know thou that warriors many / on thee to wreak their hate are bent.
880
" Defiance bids thee Luedegast / and eke Luedeger
Who at thy hands full sorely / erstwhile aggrieved were:
In this thy land with hostile / host they'll soon appear. "
To rage begin the monarch / when such tidings he did hear.
881
Those who did act thus falsely / they bade to lodge the while.
How himself might Siegfried / guard against such guile
As there they planned against him, / he or ever one?
Unto themselves 'twas sorrow / great anon that e'er 'twas done.
882
With his friends the monarch / secret counsel sought.
Hagen of Tronje / let him tarry not.
Of the king's men yet were many / who fain would peace restore:
But nowise would Hagen / his dark purpose e'er give o'er.
883
Upon a day came Siegfried / when they did counsel take,
And there the knight of Netherland / thus unto them spake:
" How goeth now so sorrowful / amid his men the king?
I'll help you to avenge it, / hath he been wronged in anything. "
884
Then spake the monarch Gunther: / " Of right do I lament,
Luedegast and Luedeger / have hostile message sent:
They will in open manner / now invade my land. "
The knight full keen gave answer: / " That in sooth shall Siegfried's
hand,
885
" As doth befit thy honor, / know well to turn aside.
As erstwhile to thy enemies, / shall now from me betide:
Their lands and eke their castles / laid waste by me shall be
Ere that I give over: / thereof my head be surety.
886
" Thou and thy good warriors / shall here at home abide,
And let me with my company / alone against them ride
That I do serve thee gladly, / that will I let them see;
By me shall thy enemies, / — that know thou — full requited be. "
887
" Good tidings, that thou sayest, " / then the monarch said,
As if he in earnest / did joy to have such aid.
Deep did bow before him / the king in treachery.
Then spake Sir Siegfried: / " Bring that but little care to thee. "
888
Then serving-men full many / bade they ready be:
'Twas done alone that Siegfried / and his men the same might see.
Then bade he make them ready / the knights of Netherland,
And soon did Siegfried's warriors / for fight apparelled ready stand.
889
" My royal father Siegmund, / here shalt thou remain, "
Spake then Sir Siegfried. / " We come full soon again
If God but give good fortune, / hither the Rhine beside;
Here shalt thou with King Gunther / full merrily the while abide. "
890
Then bound they on the banners / as they thence would fare.
Men of royal Gunther / were full many there,
Who naught knew of the matter, / or how that thing might be:
There with Siegfried saw ye / of knights a mickle company.
891
Their helms and eke their mail-coats / bound on horse did stand:
And doughty knights made ready / to fare from out that land.
Then went of Tronje Hagen / where he Kriemhild found
And prayed a fair leave-taking, / for that to battle they were bound.
892
" Now well is me, such husband / I have, " Kriemhild said,
" That to my loving kindred / can bring so potent aid,
As my lord Siegfried / doth now to friends of me.
Thereby, " spake the high lady, / " may I full joyous-minded be.
893
" Now full dear friend Hagen, / call thou this to mind,
Good-will I e'er have borne thee, / nor hate in any kind.
Let now therefrom have profit / the husband dear to me.
If Brunhild aught I've injured / may't not to him requited be.
894
" For that I since have suffered, " / spake the high lady.
" Sore punishment hath offered / therefor the knight to me.
That I have aught e'er spoken / to make her sad of mood,
Vengeance well hath taken / on me the valiant knight and good. "
895
" In the days hereafter shall ye / be reconciled full well.
Kriemhild, beloved lady, / to me shalt thou tell
How that in Siegfried's person / I may service do to thee.
That do I gladly, lady, / and unto none more willingly. "
896
" No longer were I fearful, " / spake his noble wife,
" That e'er in battle any / should take from him his life,
Would he but cease to follow / his high undaunted mood:
Secure were then forever / the thane full valiant and good. "
877
Upon the fourth morning / two and thirty men
Saw ye to court a-riding. / Unto King Gunther then
Were tidings borne that ready / he should make for foe —
This lie did bring to women / many, anon full grievous woe.
878
Leave had they 'fore the monarch's / presence to appear,
There to give themselves out / for men of Luedeger,
Him erstwhile was conquered / by Siegfried's doughty hand
And brought a royal hostage / bound unto King Gunther's land.
879
The messengers he greeted / and to seat them gave command.
Then spake one amongst them: / " Allow that yet we stand
Until we tell the tidings / that to thee are sent.
Know thou that warriors many / on thee to wreak their hate are bent.
880
" Defiance bids thee Luedegast / and eke Luedeger
Who at thy hands full sorely / erstwhile aggrieved were:
In this thy land with hostile / host they'll soon appear. "
To rage begin the monarch / when such tidings he did hear.
881
Those who did act thus falsely / they bade to lodge the while.
How himself might Siegfried / guard against such guile
As there they planned against him, / he or ever one?
Unto themselves 'twas sorrow / great anon that e'er 'twas done.
882
With his friends the monarch / secret counsel sought.
Hagen of Tronje / let him tarry not.
Of the king's men yet were many / who fain would peace restore:
But nowise would Hagen / his dark purpose e'er give o'er.
883
Upon a day came Siegfried / when they did counsel take,
And there the knight of Netherland / thus unto them spake:
" How goeth now so sorrowful / amid his men the king?
I'll help you to avenge it, / hath he been wronged in anything. "
884
Then spake the monarch Gunther: / " Of right do I lament,
Luedegast and Luedeger / have hostile message sent:
They will in open manner / now invade my land. "
The knight full keen gave answer: / " That in sooth shall Siegfried's
hand,
885
" As doth befit thy honor, / know well to turn aside.
As erstwhile to thy enemies, / shall now from me betide:
Their lands and eke their castles / laid waste by me shall be
Ere that I give over: / thereof my head be surety.
886
" Thou and thy good warriors / shall here at home abide,
And let me with my company / alone against them ride
That I do serve thee gladly, / that will I let them see;
By me shall thy enemies, / — that know thou — full requited be. "
887
" Good tidings, that thou sayest, " / then the monarch said,
As if he in earnest / did joy to have such aid.
Deep did bow before him / the king in treachery.
Then spake Sir Siegfried: / " Bring that but little care to thee. "
888
Then serving-men full many / bade they ready be:
'Twas done alone that Siegfried / and his men the same might see.
Then bade he make them ready / the knights of Netherland,
And soon did Siegfried's warriors / for fight apparelled ready stand.
889
" My royal father Siegmund, / here shalt thou remain, "
Spake then Sir Siegfried. / " We come full soon again
If God but give good fortune, / hither the Rhine beside;
Here shalt thou with King Gunther / full merrily the while abide. "
890
Then bound they on the banners / as they thence would fare.
Men of royal Gunther / were full many there,
Who naught knew of the matter, / or how that thing might be:
There with Siegfried saw ye / of knights a mickle company.
891
Their helms and eke their mail-coats / bound on horse did stand:
And doughty knights made ready / to fare from out that land.
Then went of Tronje Hagen / where he Kriemhild found
And prayed a fair leave-taking, / for that to battle they were bound.
892
" Now well is me, such husband / I have, " Kriemhild said,
" That to my loving kindred / can bring so potent aid,
As my lord Siegfried / doth now to friends of me.
Thereby, " spake the high lady, / " may I full joyous-minded be.
893
" Now full dear friend Hagen, / call thou this to mind,
Good-will I e'er have borne thee, / nor hate in any kind.
Let now therefrom have profit / the husband dear to me.
If Brunhild aught I've injured / may't not to him requited be.
894
" For that I since have suffered, " / spake the high lady.
" Sore punishment hath offered / therefor the knight to me.
That I have aught e'er spoken / to make her sad of mood,
Vengeance well hath taken / on me the valiant knight and good. "
895
" In the days hereafter shall ye / be reconciled full well.
Kriemhild, beloved lady, / to me shalt thou tell
How that in Siegfried's person / I may service do to thee.
That do I gladly, lady, / and unto none more willingly. "
896
" No longer were I fearful, " / spake his noble wife,
" That e'er in battle any / should take from him his life,
Would he but cease to follow / his high undaunted mood:
Secure were then forever / the thane full valiant and good. "
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