The Nibelungenlied
84
" That will I do, 'tis certain. " — / To a window then he went,
And on the unknown strangers / his keen eye he bent.
Well pleased him their equipment / and the rich dress they wore,
Yet ne'er had he beheld them / in land of Burgundy before.
85
He said that whencesoever / these knights come to the Rhine,
They bear a royal message, / or are of princely line.
" Their steeds are so bedizened, / and their apparel rare:
No matter whence they journey, / high-hearted men in truth they are. "
86
Further then spake Hagen: / " As far as goes my ken,
Though I the noble Siegfried / yet have never seen,
Yet will I say meseemeth, / howe'er the thing may be,
This knight who seeks adventure, / and yonder stands so proud, is he.
87
" 'Tis some new thing he bringeth / hither to our land.
The valiant Nibelungen / fell by the hero's hand,
Schilbung and Nibelung, / from royal sire sprung;
Deeds he wrought most wondrous / anon when his strong arm he swung.
88
" As once alone the hero / rode without company,
Found he before a mountain / — as hath been told to me —
With the hoard of Nibelung / full many stalwart men;
To him had they been strangers / until he chanced to find them then.
89
" The hoard of King Nibelung / entire did they bear
Forth from a mountain hollow. / And now the wonder hear,
How that they would share it, / these two Nibelung men.
This saw the fearless Siegfried, / and filled he was with wonder then.
90
" He came so near unto them / that he the knights espied,
And they in turn him also. / One amongst them said:
" Here comes the doughty Siegfried, / hero of Netherland."
Since 'mongst the Nibelungen / strange wonders wrought his mighty hand.
91
" Right well did they receive him, / Schilbung and Nibelung,
And straight they both together, / these noble princes young,
Bade him mete out the treasure, / the full valorous man,
And so long time besought him / that he at last the task began.
92
" As we have heard in story, / he saw of gems such store
That they might not be laden / on wagons full five score;
More still of gold all shining / from Nibelungenland.
'Twas all to be divided / between them by keen Siegfried's hand.
93
" Then gave they him for hire / King Nibelung's sword.
And sooth to say, that service / brought them but small reward,
That for them there performed / Siegfried of dauntless mood.
His task he could not finish; / thereat they raged as were they wood.
94
" They had there of their followers / twelve warriors keen,
And strong they were as giants: / what booted giants e'en?
Them slew straightway in anger / Siegfried's mighty hand,
And warriors seven hundred / he felled in Nibelungenland
95
" With the sword full trusty, / Balmung that hight.
Full many a youthful warrior / from terror at the sight
Of that deadly weapon / swung by his mighty hand
Did render up his castle / and pledge him fealty in the land.
96
" Thereto the kings so mighty, / them slew he both as well.
But into gravest danger / through Alberich he fell,
Who thought for his slain masters / vengeance to wreak straightway,
Until the mighty Siegfried / his wrath with strong arm did stay.
97
" Nor could prevail against him / the Dwarf, howe'er he tried.
E'en as two wild lions / they coursed the mountainside,
Where he the sightless mantle / from Alberich soon won.
Then Siegfried, knight undaunted, / held the treasure for his own.
98
" Who then dared join the struggle, / all slain around they lay.
Then he bade the treasure / to draw and bear away
Thither whence 'twas taken / by the Nibelungen men.
Alberich for his valor / was then appointed Chamberlain.
99
" An oath he had to swear him, / he'd serve him as his slave;
To do all kinds of service / his willing pledge he gave " —
Thus spake of Tronje Hagen — / " That has the hero done;
Might as great before him / was never in a warrior known.
100
" Still know I more about him, / that has to me been told.
A dragon, wormlike monster, / slew once the hero bold.
Then in its blood he bathed him, / since when his skin hath been
So horn-hard, ne'er a weapon / can pierce it, as hath oft been seen.
101
" Let us the brave knight-errant / receive so courteously
That we in nought shall merit / his hate, for strong is he
He is so keen of spirit / he must be treated fair:
He has by his own valor / done many a deed of prowess rare. "
102
The monarch spake in wonder: / " In sooth thou tellest right.
Now see how proudly yonder / he stands prepared for fight,
He and his thanes together, / the hero wondrous keen!
To greet him we'll go thither, / and let our fair intent be seen. "
103
" That canst thou, " out spake Hagen, / " well in honor do.
He is of noble kindred, / a high king's son thereto.
'Tis seen in all his bearing; / meseems in truth, God wot,
The tale is worth the hearing / that this bold knight has hither brought. "
" That will I do, 'tis certain. " — / To a window then he went,
And on the unknown strangers / his keen eye he bent.
Well pleased him their equipment / and the rich dress they wore,
Yet ne'er had he beheld them / in land of Burgundy before.
85
He said that whencesoever / these knights come to the Rhine,
They bear a royal message, / or are of princely line.
" Their steeds are so bedizened, / and their apparel rare:
No matter whence they journey, / high-hearted men in truth they are. "
86
Further then spake Hagen: / " As far as goes my ken,
Though I the noble Siegfried / yet have never seen,
Yet will I say meseemeth, / howe'er the thing may be,
This knight who seeks adventure, / and yonder stands so proud, is he.
87
" 'Tis some new thing he bringeth / hither to our land.
The valiant Nibelungen / fell by the hero's hand,
Schilbung and Nibelung, / from royal sire sprung;
Deeds he wrought most wondrous / anon when his strong arm he swung.
88
" As once alone the hero / rode without company,
Found he before a mountain / — as hath been told to me —
With the hoard of Nibelung / full many stalwart men;
To him had they been strangers / until he chanced to find them then.
89
" The hoard of King Nibelung / entire did they bear
Forth from a mountain hollow. / And now the wonder hear,
How that they would share it, / these two Nibelung men.
This saw the fearless Siegfried, / and filled he was with wonder then.
90
" He came so near unto them / that he the knights espied,
And they in turn him also. / One amongst them said:
" Here comes the doughty Siegfried, / hero of Netherland."
Since 'mongst the Nibelungen / strange wonders wrought his mighty hand.
91
" Right well did they receive him, / Schilbung and Nibelung,
And straight they both together, / these noble princes young,
Bade him mete out the treasure, / the full valorous man,
And so long time besought him / that he at last the task began.
92
" As we have heard in story, / he saw of gems such store
That they might not be laden / on wagons full five score;
More still of gold all shining / from Nibelungenland.
'Twas all to be divided / between them by keen Siegfried's hand.
93
" Then gave they him for hire / King Nibelung's sword.
And sooth to say, that service / brought them but small reward,
That for them there performed / Siegfried of dauntless mood.
His task he could not finish; / thereat they raged as were they wood.
94
" They had there of their followers / twelve warriors keen,
And strong they were as giants: / what booted giants e'en?
Them slew straightway in anger / Siegfried's mighty hand,
And warriors seven hundred / he felled in Nibelungenland
95
" With the sword full trusty, / Balmung that hight.
Full many a youthful warrior / from terror at the sight
Of that deadly weapon / swung by his mighty hand
Did render up his castle / and pledge him fealty in the land.
96
" Thereto the kings so mighty, / them slew he both as well.
But into gravest danger / through Alberich he fell,
Who thought for his slain masters / vengeance to wreak straightway,
Until the mighty Siegfried / his wrath with strong arm did stay.
97
" Nor could prevail against him / the Dwarf, howe'er he tried.
E'en as two wild lions / they coursed the mountainside,
Where he the sightless mantle / from Alberich soon won.
Then Siegfried, knight undaunted, / held the treasure for his own.
98
" Who then dared join the struggle, / all slain around they lay.
Then he bade the treasure / to draw and bear away
Thither whence 'twas taken / by the Nibelungen men.
Alberich for his valor / was then appointed Chamberlain.
99
" An oath he had to swear him, / he'd serve him as his slave;
To do all kinds of service / his willing pledge he gave " —
Thus spake of Tronje Hagen — / " That has the hero done;
Might as great before him / was never in a warrior known.
100
" Still know I more about him, / that has to me been told.
A dragon, wormlike monster, / slew once the hero bold.
Then in its blood he bathed him, / since when his skin hath been
So horn-hard, ne'er a weapon / can pierce it, as hath oft been seen.
101
" Let us the brave knight-errant / receive so courteously
That we in nought shall merit / his hate, for strong is he
He is so keen of spirit / he must be treated fair:
He has by his own valor / done many a deed of prowess rare. "
102
The monarch spake in wonder: / " In sooth thou tellest right.
Now see how proudly yonder / he stands prepared for fight,
He and his thanes together, / the hero wondrous keen!
To greet him we'll go thither, / and let our fair intent be seen. "
103
" That canst thou, " out spake Hagen, / " well in honor do.
He is of noble kindred, / a high king's son thereto.
'Tis seen in all his bearing; / meseems in truth, God wot,
The tale is worth the hearing / that this bold knight has hither brought. "
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