The Nibelungenlied
2195
" Would that God in heaven / might grant in kindliness,
That I a shield so trusty / did for my own possess
As in thy hand thou bearest, / O noble Ruediger!
In battle-storm then need I / never hauberk more to wear. "
2196
" Full glad I'd prove my friendship / to thee with mine own shield,
Dared I the same to offer / before Lady kriemhild.
But take it, natheless, Hagen, / and bear it in thy hand.
Would that thou mightst take it / again unto Burgundian land! "
2197
When with mind so willing / he offered him his shield,
Saw ye how eyes full many / with scalding tears were filled;
For the last gift was it / that was offered e'er
Unto any warrior / by Bechelaren's margrave, Ruediger.
2198
How grim soe'er was Hagen / and stern soe'er of mind,
That gift to pity moved him / that there the chieftain kind,
So near his latest moment, / did on him bestow.
From eyes of many another / began likewise the tears to flow.
2199
" Now God in heaven requite thee, / O noble Ruediger!
Like unto thee none other / warrior was there e'er,
Unto knights all friendless / so bounteously to give.
God grant in his mercy / thy virtue evermore to live.
2200
" Woe's me to hear such tiding, " / Hagen did declare.
" Such load of grief abiding / already do we bear,
If we with friends must struggle, / to God our plaint must be. "
Thereto replied the margrave: / " 'Tis cause of sorrow sore to me. "
2201
" To pay thee for thy favor, / O noble Ruediger,
Howe'er these lofty warriors / themselves against thee bear,
Yet never thee in combat / here shall touch my hand,
E'en though complete thou slayest / them from out Burgundian land. "
2202
Thereat the lofty Ruediger / 'fore him did courteous bend.
On all sides was lamenting / that no man might end
These so great heart-sorrows / that sorely they must bear.
The father of all virtue / fell with noble Ruediger.
2203
Then eke the minstrel Volker / from hall down glancing said:
" Since Hagen thus, my comrade, / peace with thee hath made,
Lasting truce thou likewise / receivest from my hand.
Well hast thou deserved it / as fared we hither to this land.
2204
" Thou, O noble margrave, / my messenger shalt be.
These arm-bands ruddy golden / thy lady gave to me,
That here at this high festival / I the same should wear.
Now mayst thyself behold them / and of my faith a witness bear. "
2205
" Would God but grant, " / spake Ruediger, " who ruleth high in heaven,
That to thee by my lady / might further gift be given!
I'll gladly tell thy tidings / to spouse full dear to me,
An I but live to see her: / from doubt thereof thou mayst be free. "
2206
When thus his word was given, / his shield raised Ruediger.
Nigh to madness driven / bode he no longer there,
But ran upon the strangers / like to a valiant knight
Many a blow full rapid / smote the margrave in his might.
2207
Volker and Hagen / made way before the thane,
As before had promised / to him the warriors twain.
Yet found he by the portal / so many a valiant man
That Ruediger the combat / with mickle boding sore began.
2208
Gunther and Gernot / with murderous intent
Let him pass the portal, / as knights on victory bent
Backward yielded Giselher, / with sorrow all undone;
He hoped to live yet longer, / and therefore Ruediger would shun
2209
Straight upon their enemies / the margrave's warriors sprung,
And following their master / was seen a valiant throng.
Swords with cutting edges / did they in strong arm wield,
'Neath which full many a helmet / was cleft, and many a fair wrought shield.
2210
The weary strangers likewise / smote many a whirring slash,
Wherefrom the men of Bechelaren / felt deep and long the gash
Through the shining ring-mail / e'en to their life's core
In storm of battle wrought they / glorious deeds a many more.
2211
All his trusty followers / now eke had gained the hall,
On whom Volker and Hagen / did soon in fury fall,
And mercy unto no man / save Ruediger they showed
The blood adown through helmets, / where smote their swords, full plenteous flowed.
2212
How right furiously / were swords 'gainst armor driven!
On shields the well-wrought mountings / from their wards were riven,
And fell their jewelled facings / all scattered in the blood.
Ne'er again might warriors / show in fight so grim a mood.
2213
The lord of Bechelaren / through foemen cut his way,
As doth each doughty warrior / in fight his might display
On that day did Ruediger / show full plain that he
A hero was undaunted, / full bold and eke full praiseworthy.
2214
Stood there two knights right gallant, / Gunther and Gernot,
And in the storm of battle / to death full many smote.
Eke Giselher and Dankwart, / never aught recked they
How many a lusty fighter / saw 'neath their hand his latest day.
" Would that God in heaven / might grant in kindliness,
That I a shield so trusty / did for my own possess
As in thy hand thou bearest, / O noble Ruediger!
In battle-storm then need I / never hauberk more to wear. "
2196
" Full glad I'd prove my friendship / to thee with mine own shield,
Dared I the same to offer / before Lady kriemhild.
But take it, natheless, Hagen, / and bear it in thy hand.
Would that thou mightst take it / again unto Burgundian land! "
2197
When with mind so willing / he offered him his shield,
Saw ye how eyes full many / with scalding tears were filled;
For the last gift was it / that was offered e'er
Unto any warrior / by Bechelaren's margrave, Ruediger.
2198
How grim soe'er was Hagen / and stern soe'er of mind,
That gift to pity moved him / that there the chieftain kind,
So near his latest moment, / did on him bestow.
From eyes of many another / began likewise the tears to flow.
2199
" Now God in heaven requite thee, / O noble Ruediger!
Like unto thee none other / warrior was there e'er,
Unto knights all friendless / so bounteously to give.
God grant in his mercy / thy virtue evermore to live.
2200
" Woe's me to hear such tiding, " / Hagen did declare.
" Such load of grief abiding / already do we bear,
If we with friends must struggle, / to God our plaint must be. "
Thereto replied the margrave: / " 'Tis cause of sorrow sore to me. "
2201
" To pay thee for thy favor, / O noble Ruediger,
Howe'er these lofty warriors / themselves against thee bear,
Yet never thee in combat / here shall touch my hand,
E'en though complete thou slayest / them from out Burgundian land. "
2202
Thereat the lofty Ruediger / 'fore him did courteous bend.
On all sides was lamenting / that no man might end
These so great heart-sorrows / that sorely they must bear.
The father of all virtue / fell with noble Ruediger.
2203
Then eke the minstrel Volker / from hall down glancing said:
" Since Hagen thus, my comrade, / peace with thee hath made,
Lasting truce thou likewise / receivest from my hand.
Well hast thou deserved it / as fared we hither to this land.
2204
" Thou, O noble margrave, / my messenger shalt be.
These arm-bands ruddy golden / thy lady gave to me,
That here at this high festival / I the same should wear.
Now mayst thyself behold them / and of my faith a witness bear. "
2205
" Would God but grant, " / spake Ruediger, " who ruleth high in heaven,
That to thee by my lady / might further gift be given!
I'll gladly tell thy tidings / to spouse full dear to me,
An I but live to see her: / from doubt thereof thou mayst be free. "
2206
When thus his word was given, / his shield raised Ruediger.
Nigh to madness driven / bode he no longer there,
But ran upon the strangers / like to a valiant knight
Many a blow full rapid / smote the margrave in his might.
2207
Volker and Hagen / made way before the thane,
As before had promised / to him the warriors twain.
Yet found he by the portal / so many a valiant man
That Ruediger the combat / with mickle boding sore began.
2208
Gunther and Gernot / with murderous intent
Let him pass the portal, / as knights on victory bent
Backward yielded Giselher, / with sorrow all undone;
He hoped to live yet longer, / and therefore Ruediger would shun
2209
Straight upon their enemies / the margrave's warriors sprung,
And following their master / was seen a valiant throng.
Swords with cutting edges / did they in strong arm wield,
'Neath which full many a helmet / was cleft, and many a fair wrought shield.
2210
The weary strangers likewise / smote many a whirring slash,
Wherefrom the men of Bechelaren / felt deep and long the gash
Through the shining ring-mail / e'en to their life's core
In storm of battle wrought they / glorious deeds a many more.
2211
All his trusty followers / now eke had gained the hall,
On whom Volker and Hagen / did soon in fury fall,
And mercy unto no man / save Ruediger they showed
The blood adown through helmets, / where smote their swords, full plenteous flowed.
2212
How right furiously / were swords 'gainst armor driven!
On shields the well-wrought mountings / from their wards were riven,
And fell their jewelled facings / all scattered in the blood.
Ne'er again might warriors / show in fight so grim a mood.
2213
The lord of Bechelaren / through foemen cut his way,
As doth each doughty warrior / in fight his might display
On that day did Ruediger / show full plain that he
A hero was undaunted, / full bold and eke full praiseworthy.
2214
Stood there two knights right gallant, / Gunther and Gernot,
And in the storm of battle / to death full many smote.
Eke Giselher and Dankwart, / never aught recked they
How many a lusty fighter / saw 'neath their hand his latest day.
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