The Nibelungenlied
2275
Straight saw ye upon Hagen / rush Master Hildebrand,
And sword ye heard give music / in each foeman's hand.
Sore they were enraged, / as ye soon were ware,
For from their swinging broadswords / whirred the ruddy sparks in air.
2276
Yet soon the twain were parted / in the raging fight:
The men of Bern so turned it / by their dauntless might.
Ere long then was Hildebrand / from Hagen turned away,
While that the doughty Wolfhart / the valiant Volker sought to slay.
2277
Upon the helm the Fiddler / he smote with blow so fierce
That the sword's keen edges / unto the frame did pierce.
With mighty stroke repaid him / the valiant minstrel too,
And so belabored Wolfhart / that thick the sparks around him flew.
2278
Hewing they made the fire / from mail-rings scintillate,
For each unto the other / bore a deadly hate.
Of Bern the thane Wolfwein / at length did part the two, —
Which thing might none other / than man of mickle prowess do.
2279
Gunther, knight full gallant, / received with ready hand
There the stately warriors / of Amelungen land.
Eke did young Giselher / of many a helmet bright,
With blood all red and reeking, / cause to grow full dim the light.
2280
Dankwart, Hagen's brother, / was a warrior grim.
What erstwhile in combat / had been wrought by him
Against the men of Etzel / seemed now as toying vain,
As fought with flaming ire / the son of valiant Aldrian.
2281
Ritschart and Gerbart, / Helfrich and Wichart
Had oft in storm of battle / with valor borne their part,
As now 'fore men of Gunther / they did clear display.
Likewise saw ye Wolfbrand / glorious amid the fray.
2282
There old Master Hildebrand / fought as he were wode.
Many a doughty warrior / was stricken in the blood
By the sword that swinging / in Wolfhart's hand was seen.
Thus took dire vengeance / for Ruediger those knights full keen.
2283
Havoc wrought Sir Siegstab / there with might and main.
Ho! in the hurly-burly / what helms he cleft in twain
Upon the crowns of foemen, / Dietrich's sister's son!
Ne'er in storm of battle / had he more feats of valor done
2284
When the doughty Volker / there aright had seen
How many a bloody rivulet / was hewn by Siegstab keen
From out the well-wrought mail-rings, / the hero's ire arose.
Quick he sprang toward him, / Siegstab then his life must lose.
2285
Ere long time was over, / 'neath the Fiddler's hand,
Who of his art did give him / such share to understand
That beneath his broadsword / smitten to death he lay.
Old Hildebrand avenged him / as bade his mighty aim alway
2286
" Alack that knight so love, " / spake Master Hildebrand,
" Here should thus lie fallen / 'neath Volker's hand.
Now lived his latest hour / in sooth this Fiddler hath. "
Filled was the hero Hildebrand / straightway with a mighty wrath.
2287
With might smote he Volker / that severed flew the band
E'en to the hall's wide limit / far on either hand
From shield and eke from helmet / borne by the Fiddler keen;
Therewith the doughty Volker / reft of life at last had been.
2288
Pressed eager to the combat / Dietrich's warriors true,
Smiting that the mail-rings / afar from harness flew,
And that the broken sword-points / soaring aloft ye saw,
The while that reeking blood-stains / did they from riven helmets draw.
2289
There of Tronje Hagen / beheld Volker dead.
In that so bloody carnage / 'twas far the sorest need
Of all that did befall him / in death of friend and man.
Alack! for him what vengeance / Hagen then to wreak began!
2290
" Therefrom shall profit never / Master Hildebrand.
Slain hath been here my helper / 'neath the warrior's hand,
The best of feres in battle / that fortune ever sent. "
His shield upraised he higher / and hewing through the throng he went.
2291
Next saw ye Dankwart / by doughty Helfrich slain,
Gunther and Giselher / did full sorely plain,
When they beheld him fallen / where fiercely raged the fray.
For his death beforehand / dearly did his foemen pay.
2292
The while coursed Wolfhart / thither and back again,
Through Gunther's men before him / hewing wide a lane
Thrice in sooth returning / strode he down the hall,
And many a lusty warrior / 'neath his doughty hand must fall.
2293
Soon the young Sir Giselher / cried aloud to him:
" Alack, that I should ever / find such foeman grim!
Sir knight, so bold and noble, / now turn thee here to me.
I trow to end thy coursing, / the which will I no longer see. "
2294
To Giselher then turned him / Wolfhart in the fight,
And gaping wounds full many / did each the other smite.
With such a mighty fury / he to the monarch sped
That 'neath his feet went flying / the blood e'en high above his head.
Straight saw ye upon Hagen / rush Master Hildebrand,
And sword ye heard give music / in each foeman's hand.
Sore they were enraged, / as ye soon were ware,
For from their swinging broadswords / whirred the ruddy sparks in air.
2276
Yet soon the twain were parted / in the raging fight:
The men of Bern so turned it / by their dauntless might.
Ere long then was Hildebrand / from Hagen turned away,
While that the doughty Wolfhart / the valiant Volker sought to slay.
2277
Upon the helm the Fiddler / he smote with blow so fierce
That the sword's keen edges / unto the frame did pierce.
With mighty stroke repaid him / the valiant minstrel too,
And so belabored Wolfhart / that thick the sparks around him flew.
2278
Hewing they made the fire / from mail-rings scintillate,
For each unto the other / bore a deadly hate.
Of Bern the thane Wolfwein / at length did part the two, —
Which thing might none other / than man of mickle prowess do.
2279
Gunther, knight full gallant, / received with ready hand
There the stately warriors / of Amelungen land.
Eke did young Giselher / of many a helmet bright,
With blood all red and reeking, / cause to grow full dim the light.
2280
Dankwart, Hagen's brother, / was a warrior grim.
What erstwhile in combat / had been wrought by him
Against the men of Etzel / seemed now as toying vain,
As fought with flaming ire / the son of valiant Aldrian.
2281
Ritschart and Gerbart, / Helfrich and Wichart
Had oft in storm of battle / with valor borne their part,
As now 'fore men of Gunther / they did clear display.
Likewise saw ye Wolfbrand / glorious amid the fray.
2282
There old Master Hildebrand / fought as he were wode.
Many a doughty warrior / was stricken in the blood
By the sword that swinging / in Wolfhart's hand was seen.
Thus took dire vengeance / for Ruediger those knights full keen.
2283
Havoc wrought Sir Siegstab / there with might and main.
Ho! in the hurly-burly / what helms he cleft in twain
Upon the crowns of foemen, / Dietrich's sister's son!
Ne'er in storm of battle / had he more feats of valor done
2284
When the doughty Volker / there aright had seen
How many a bloody rivulet / was hewn by Siegstab keen
From out the well-wrought mail-rings, / the hero's ire arose.
Quick he sprang toward him, / Siegstab then his life must lose.
2285
Ere long time was over, / 'neath the Fiddler's hand,
Who of his art did give him / such share to understand
That beneath his broadsword / smitten to death he lay.
Old Hildebrand avenged him / as bade his mighty aim alway
2286
" Alack that knight so love, " / spake Master Hildebrand,
" Here should thus lie fallen / 'neath Volker's hand.
Now lived his latest hour / in sooth this Fiddler hath. "
Filled was the hero Hildebrand / straightway with a mighty wrath.
2287
With might smote he Volker / that severed flew the band
E'en to the hall's wide limit / far on either hand
From shield and eke from helmet / borne by the Fiddler keen;
Therewith the doughty Volker / reft of life at last had been.
2288
Pressed eager to the combat / Dietrich's warriors true,
Smiting that the mail-rings / afar from harness flew,
And that the broken sword-points / soaring aloft ye saw,
The while that reeking blood-stains / did they from riven helmets draw.
2289
There of Tronje Hagen / beheld Volker dead.
In that so bloody carnage / 'twas far the sorest need
Of all that did befall him / in death of friend and man.
Alack! for him what vengeance / Hagen then to wreak began!
2290
" Therefrom shall profit never / Master Hildebrand.
Slain hath been here my helper / 'neath the warrior's hand,
The best of feres in battle / that fortune ever sent. "
His shield upraised he higher / and hewing through the throng he went.
2291
Next saw ye Dankwart / by doughty Helfrich slain,
Gunther and Giselher / did full sorely plain,
When they beheld him fallen / where fiercely raged the fray.
For his death beforehand / dearly did his foemen pay.
2292
The while coursed Wolfhart / thither and back again,
Through Gunther's men before him / hewing wide a lane
Thrice in sooth returning / strode he down the hall,
And many a lusty warrior / 'neath his doughty hand must fall.
2293
Soon the young Sir Giselher / cried aloud to him:
" Alack, that I should ever / find such foeman grim!
Sir knight, so bold and noble, / now turn thee here to me.
I trow to end thy coursing, / the which will I no longer see. "
2294
To Giselher then turned him / Wolfhart in the fight,
And gaping wounds full many / did each the other smite.
With such a mighty fury / he to the monarch sped
That 'neath his feet went flying / the blood e'en high above his head.
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