Classic Poem

2235

On all sides so great sorrow / heard ye there around,
That palace and high tower / did from the wail resound.
Of Bern a man of Dietrich / eke the same did hear,
And speedily he hastened / the tidings to his lord to bear.

2236

Spake he unto his master: / " Sir Dietrich give me ear.
What yet hath been my fortune, / never did I hear
Lamenting past all measure, / as at this hour hath been.
Scathe unto King Etzel / himself hath happened, I ween.

2237

" Else how might they ever / all show such dire need?
The king himself or Kriemhild, / one of them lieth dead,
By the doughty strangers / for sake of vengeance slain.
Unmeasured is the weeping / of full many a stately thane. "

2238

Then spake of Bern Sir Dietrich: / " Ye men to me full dear,
Now haste ye not unduly. / The deeds performed here
By the stranger warriors / show sore necessity.
That peace with them I blighted, / let it now their profit be. "

2239

Then spake the valiant Wolfhart: / " Thither will I run
To make question of it / what they now have done,
And straight will tidings bring thee, / master full dear to me,
When yonder I inform me, / whence may so great lamenting be. "

2240

Answer gave Sir Dietrich: / " Fear they hostility,
The while uncivil questioning / of their deed there be,
Lightly are stirred to anger / good warriors o'er the thing
Yea, 'tis my pleasure, Wolfhart, / thou sparest them all such questioning.

2241

Helfrich he then commanded / thither with speed to go
That from men of Etzel / he might truly know,
Or from the strangers straightway, / what thing there had been.
As that, so sore lamenting / of people ne'er before was seen.

2242

Questioned then the messenger: / " What hath here been wrought? "
Answered one among them: / " Complete is come to naught
What of joy we cherished / here in Hunnish land.
Slain here lieth Ruediger, / fallen 'neath Burgundian hand.

2243

" Of them that entered with him / not one doth longer live. "
Naught might ever happen / Helfrich more to grieve,
Nor ever told he tidings / so ruefully before.
Weeping sore the message / unto Dietrich then he bore.

2244

" What the news thou bringst us? " / Dietrich spake once more;
" Yet, O doughty Helfrich, / wherefore dost weep so sore? "
Answered the noble warrior: / " With right may I complain:
Yonder faithful Ruediger / lieth by the Burgundians slain. "

2245

The lord of Bern gave answer: / " God let not such thing be!
That were a mighty vengeance, / and eke the Devil's glee.
Whereby had ever Ruediger / from them deserved such ill?
Well know I to the strangers / was ever well disposed his will. "

2246

Thereto gave answer Wolfhart: / " In sooth have they this done,
Therefor their lives shall forfeit / surely, every one.
And make we not requital, / our shame for aye it were;
Full manifold our service / from hand of noble Ruediger. "

2247

Then bade the lord of Amelungen / the case more full to learn.
He sat within a casement / and did full sadly mourn.
He prayed then that Hildebrand / unto the strangers go,
That he from their own telling / of the case complete might know.

2248

The warrior keen in battle, / Master Hildebrand,
Neither shield nor weapon / bore he in his hand,
But would in chivalrous manner / unto the strangers go.
His sister's son reviled him / that he would venture thus to do.

2249

Spake in anger Wolfhart: / " Goest thou all weaponless,
Must I of such action / free my thought confess:
Thou shalt in shameful fashion / hither come again;
Goest thou armed thither, / will all from harm to thee refrain. "

2250

So armed himself the old man / at counsel of the young.
Ere he was ware of it, / into their armor sprung
All of Dietrich's warriors / and stood with sword in hand.
Grieved he was, and gladly / had turned them Master Hildebrand.

2251

He asked them whither would they. / " Thee company we'll bear,
So may, perchance, less willing / Hagen of Tronje dare,
As so oft his custom, / to give thee mocking word. "
The thane his leave did grant them / at last when he their speech had heard.

2252

Keen Volker saw approaching, / in armor all arrayed,
Of Bern the gallant warriors / that Dietrich's word obeyed,
With sword at girdle hanging / and bearing shield in hand.
Straight he told the tidings / to his masters of Burgundian land.

2253

Spake the doughty Fiddler: / " Yonder see I come near
The warriors of Dietrich / all clad in battle gear
And decked their heads with helmets, / as if our harm they mean.
For us knights here homeless / approacheth evil end, I ween. "

2254

Meanwhile was come anigh them / Master Hildebrand.
Before his foot he rested / the shield he bore in hand,
And soon began to question / the men of Gunther there:
" Alack, ye gallant warriors, / what harm hath wrought you Ruediger?