Classic Poem

How Kriemhild mourned for Siegfried, and How he was Buried

1002

There till the night they tarried / and o'er the Rhine they went.
By knights in chase might never / more evil day be spent;
For the game that there they hunted / wept many a noble maid.
In sooth by many a valiant / warrior must it since be paid.

1003

Of humor fierce and wanton / list now and ye shall hear,
And eke of direst vengeance. / Hagen bade to bear
Siegfried thus lifeless, / of the Nibelung country,
Unto a castle dwelling / where Lady Kriemhild found might be.

1004

He bade in secret manner / to lay him there before
Where she should surely find him / when she from out the door
Should pass to matins early, / ere that had come the day.
In sooth did Lady Kriemhild / full seldom fail the hour to pray.

1005

When, as was wont, in minster / the bell to worship bade,
Kriemhild, fair lady, wakened / from slumber many a maid:
A light she bade them bring her / and eke her dress to wear.
Then hither came a chamberlain / who Siegfried's corse found waiting there.

1006

He saw him red and bloody, / all wet his clothing too.
That it was his master, / in sooth no whit he knew.
On unto the chamber / the light in hand he bore,
Whereby the Lady Kriemhild / did learn what brought her grief full sore.

1007

When she with train of ladies / would to the minster go,
Then spake the chamberlain: / " Pause, I pray thee now:
Here before thy dwelling / a noble knight lies slain. "
Thereat gan Lady Kriemhild / in grief unmeasured sore to plain.

1008

Ere yet that 'twas her husband / she did rightly find,
Had she Hagen's question / begun to call to mind,
How might he protect him: / then first did break her heart,
For all her joy in living / did with his death from her depart.

1009

Unto the earth then sank she / ere she a word did say,
And reft of all her pleasure / there the fair lady lay.
Soon had Kriemhild's sorrow / all measure passed beyond:
She shrieked, when past the swooning, / that did the chamber all resound.

1010

Then spake her attendants: / " What if't a stranger were? "
From out her mouth the heart-blood / did spring from anguish sore.
Then spake she: " It is Siegfried / my husband, other none:
This thing hath counselled Brunhild, / and Hagen's hand the deed hath done. "

1011

The lady bade them lead her / where did lie the knight,
And his fair head she raised / with her hand full white.
Red though it was and bloody / she knew him yet straightway,
As all forlorn the hero / of Nibelungenland there lay.

1012

Then cried the queen in anguish, / whose hand such wealth might wield:
" O woe is me for sorrow! / Yet is not thy shield
With blow of sword now battered, / but murdered dost thou lie.
And knew I who hath done it, / by my counsel should he die. "

1013

All of her attendants / did weep and wail enow
With their beloved mistress, / for filled they were with woe
For their noble master / whom they should see no more.
For anger of Queen Brunhild / had Hagen wrought revenge full sore.

1014

Then spake Kriemhild sorrowing: / " Hence now the message take,
And all the men of Siegfried / shall ye straightway awake.
Unto Siegmund likewise / tell ye my sorrow deep,
If that he will help me / for the doughty Siegfried weep. "

1015

Then ran straightway a messenger / and soon he found at hand,
Siegfried's valiant warriors / of Nibelungenland.
Of joy he all bereft him / with tale that he did bear,
Nor would they aught believe it / till sound of weeping met their ear.

1016

The messenger came eke quickly / where the king did lie,
Yet closed was not in sleeping / the monarch Siegmund's eye:
I ween his heart did tell him / the thing that there had been,
And that his dear son living / might nevermore by him be seen.

1017

" Awake, awake, Lord Siegmund. / Hither hath sent for thee
Kriemhild my mistress. / A wrong now beareth she,
A grief that 'fore all others / unto her heart doth go:
To mourn it shalt thou help her, / for sorely hast thou need thereto. "

1018

Up raised himself then Siegmund. / He spake: " What may it be
Of wrong that grieveth Kriemhild, / as thou hast told to me? "
The messenger spake weeping: / " Now may I naught withhold:
Know thou that of Netherland / Siegfried brave lies slain and cold. "

1019

Thereto gave answer Siegmund: / " Let now such mocking be
And tale of such ill tidings / — an thou regardest me —
As that thou say'st to any / now he lieth slain:
An were it so, I never / unto my end might cease to plain. "

1020

" Wilt thou now believe not / the tidings that I bear,
So may'st thyself the Lady / Kriemhild weeping hear,
And all of her attendants, / that Siegfried lieth dead. "
With terror filled was Siegmund: / whereof in very sooth was need.

1021

He and his men a hundred / from their beds they sprang,
Then snatched in hand full quickly / swords both sharp and long,
And toward the sound of weeping / in sorrow sore did speed
There came a thousand warriors / eke of the valiant knight Siegfried.