The Nibelungenlied
285
He thought with heart despairing, / " How could it ever be,
That I should win thy favor? / There hoped I foolishly.
But had I e'er to shun thee, / then were I rather dead. "
And oft, to think upon it, / the color from his visage fled.
286
The noble son of Siegmund / did there so stately stand
As if his form were pictured / by good old master's hand
Upon a piece of parchment. / All who saw, confessed
That he of all good heroes / was the stateliest and the best.
287
The fair Kriemhild's attendants / gave order to make way
On all sides for the ladies, / and willing thanes obey.
To see their noble bearing / did every warrior cheer;
Full many a stately lady / of gentle manner born was there.
288
Then outspake of Burgundy / Gernot the valiant knight:
" To him who thus has helped thee / so bravely in the fight,
Gunther, royal brother, / shalt thou like favor show,
A thane before all others; / he's worthy of it well, I trow.
289
" Let then the doughty Siegfried / unto my sister go
To have the maiden's greetings, / — 'twill be our profit so.
She that ne'er greeted hero / shall greet him courteously,
That thus the stately warrior / for aye our faithful friend may be. "
290
The king's knights hastened gladly / upon his high command
And told these joyous tidings / to the prince of Netherland.
" It is the king's good pleasure / that thou to court shalt go,
To have his sister's greetings; / to honor thee 'tis ordered so. "
291
Then was the thane full valiant / thereat soon filled with joy.
Yea, bore he in his bosom / delight without alloy
At thought that he should straightway / Ute's fair daughter see
Siegfried anon she greeted / in courteous manner lovingly.
292
As she saw the knight high-hearted / there before her stand,
Blushed red and spake the maiden, / the fairest of the land:
" A welcome, brave Sir Siegfried, / thou noble knight and good. "
As soon as he had heard it, / the hearty greeting cheered his mood.
293
Before her low he bended; / him by the hand took she,
And by her onward wended / the knight full willingly.
They cast upon each other / fond glances many a one,
The knight and eke the maiden; / furtively it all was done.
294
Whether he pressed friendly / that hand as white as snow
From the love he bore her, / that I do not know;
Yet believe I cannot / that this was left undone,
For straightway showed the maiden / that he her heart had fully won.
295
In the sunny summer season / and in the month of May
Had his heart seen never / before so glad a day,
Nor one so fully joyous, / as when he walked beside
That maiden rich in beauty / whom fain he'd choose to be his bride.
296
Then thought many a warrior: / " Were it likewise granted me
To walk beside the maiden, / just as now I see,
Or to lie beside her, / how gladly were that done! "
But ne'er a knight more fully / had gracious lady's favor won.
297
From all the lands far distant / were guests distinguished there,
But fixed each eye was only / upon this single pair.
By royal leave did Kriemhild / kiss then the stately knight:
In all the world he never / before had known so rare delight.
298
Then full of strange forebodings, / of Denmark spake the king:
" This full loving greeting / to many woe will bring,
— My heart in secret warns me — / through Siegfried's doughty hand.
God give that he may never / again be seen within my land. "
299
On all sides then 'twas ordered / 'fore Kriemhild and her train
Of women make free passage. / Full many a valiant thane
With her unto the minster / in courtly way went on.
But from her side was parted / the full stately knight anon.
300
Then went she to the minster, / and with her many a maid.
In such rich apparel / Kriemhild was arrayed,
That hearty wishes many / there were made in vain:
Her comely form delighted / the eye of many a noble thane.
301
Scarce could tarry Siegfried / till mass was sung the while.
And surely did Dame Fortune / upon him kindly smile,
To him she was so gracious / whom in his heart he bore.
Eke did he the maiden, / as she full well deserved, adore.
302
As after mass then Kriemhild / came to the minster door,
The knight his homage offered, / as he had done before.
Then began to thank him / the full beauteous maid,
That he her royal brothers / did 'gainst their foes so nobly aid.
303
" God speed thee, Sir Siegfried, " / spake the maiden fair,
" For thou hast well deserved / that all these warriors are,
As it hath now been told me, / right grateful unto thee. "
Then gan he cast his glances / on the Lady Kriemhild lovingly.
304
" True will I ever serve them, " / — so spake the noble thane —
" And my head shall never / be laid to rest again,
Till I, if life remaineth, / have their good favor won.
In sooth, my Lady Kriemhild, / for thy fair grace it all is done. "
He thought with heart despairing, / " How could it ever be,
That I should win thy favor? / There hoped I foolishly.
But had I e'er to shun thee, / then were I rather dead. "
And oft, to think upon it, / the color from his visage fled.
286
The noble son of Siegmund / did there so stately stand
As if his form were pictured / by good old master's hand
Upon a piece of parchment. / All who saw, confessed
That he of all good heroes / was the stateliest and the best.
287
The fair Kriemhild's attendants / gave order to make way
On all sides for the ladies, / and willing thanes obey.
To see their noble bearing / did every warrior cheer;
Full many a stately lady / of gentle manner born was there.
288
Then outspake of Burgundy / Gernot the valiant knight:
" To him who thus has helped thee / so bravely in the fight,
Gunther, royal brother, / shalt thou like favor show,
A thane before all others; / he's worthy of it well, I trow.
289
" Let then the doughty Siegfried / unto my sister go
To have the maiden's greetings, / — 'twill be our profit so.
She that ne'er greeted hero / shall greet him courteously,
That thus the stately warrior / for aye our faithful friend may be. "
290
The king's knights hastened gladly / upon his high command
And told these joyous tidings / to the prince of Netherland.
" It is the king's good pleasure / that thou to court shalt go,
To have his sister's greetings; / to honor thee 'tis ordered so. "
291
Then was the thane full valiant / thereat soon filled with joy.
Yea, bore he in his bosom / delight without alloy
At thought that he should straightway / Ute's fair daughter see
Siegfried anon she greeted / in courteous manner lovingly.
292
As she saw the knight high-hearted / there before her stand,
Blushed red and spake the maiden, / the fairest of the land:
" A welcome, brave Sir Siegfried, / thou noble knight and good. "
As soon as he had heard it, / the hearty greeting cheered his mood.
293
Before her low he bended; / him by the hand took she,
And by her onward wended / the knight full willingly.
They cast upon each other / fond glances many a one,
The knight and eke the maiden; / furtively it all was done.
294
Whether he pressed friendly / that hand as white as snow
From the love he bore her, / that I do not know;
Yet believe I cannot / that this was left undone,
For straightway showed the maiden / that he her heart had fully won.
295
In the sunny summer season / and in the month of May
Had his heart seen never / before so glad a day,
Nor one so fully joyous, / as when he walked beside
That maiden rich in beauty / whom fain he'd choose to be his bride.
296
Then thought many a warrior: / " Were it likewise granted me
To walk beside the maiden, / just as now I see,
Or to lie beside her, / how gladly were that done! "
But ne'er a knight more fully / had gracious lady's favor won.
297
From all the lands far distant / were guests distinguished there,
But fixed each eye was only / upon this single pair.
By royal leave did Kriemhild / kiss then the stately knight:
In all the world he never / before had known so rare delight.
298
Then full of strange forebodings, / of Denmark spake the king:
" This full loving greeting / to many woe will bring,
— My heart in secret warns me — / through Siegfried's doughty hand.
God give that he may never / again be seen within my land. "
299
On all sides then 'twas ordered / 'fore Kriemhild and her train
Of women make free passage. / Full many a valiant thane
With her unto the minster / in courtly way went on.
But from her side was parted / the full stately knight anon.
300
Then went she to the minster, / and with her many a maid.
In such rich apparel / Kriemhild was arrayed,
That hearty wishes many / there were made in vain:
Her comely form delighted / the eye of many a noble thane.
301
Scarce could tarry Siegfried / till mass was sung the while.
And surely did Dame Fortune / upon him kindly smile,
To him she was so gracious / whom in his heart he bore.
Eke did he the maiden, / as she full well deserved, adore.
302
As after mass then Kriemhild / came to the minster door,
The knight his homage offered, / as he had done before.
Then began to thank him / the full beauteous maid,
That he her royal brothers / did 'gainst their foes so nobly aid.
303
" God speed thee, Sir Siegfried, " / spake the maiden fair,
" For thou hast well deserved / that all these warriors are,
As it hath now been told me, / right grateful unto thee. "
Then gan he cast his glances / on the Lady Kriemhild lovingly.
304
" True will I ever serve them, " / — so spake the noble thane —
" And my head shall never / be laid to rest again,
Till I, if life remaineth, / have their good favor won.
In sooth, my Lady Kriemhild, / for thy fair grace it all is done. "
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