The Nibelungenlied
1310
When him she had received, / her on the green he bade
Dismount with all the ladies / that in her train she led.
There saw ye all unidle / many a knight of high estate,
Who with full ready service / upon the ladies then did wait.
1311
Then saw the Lady Kriemhild / the margravine where she stood
Amid her fair attendants: / nearer not she rode.
Upon the steed that bore her / the rein she drew full tight,
And bade them straightway help her / adown from saddle to alight.
1312
The bishop saw ye leading / his sister's daughter fair,
And with him eke went Eckewart / to Gotelinde there.
The willing folk on all sides / made way before their feet.
With kiss did Gotelinde / the dame from land far distant greet.
1313
Then spake in manner kindly / the wife of Ruediger;
" Right glad am I, dear lady, / that I thy visage fair
Have in this our country / with mine own eyes seen.
In these times might never / greater joy to me have been. "
1314
" God give thee meed, " spake Kriemhild, / " Gotelinde, for this grace.
If with son of Botelung / happy may be my place,
May it henceforth be thy profit / that me thou here dost see. "
Yet all unknown to either / was that which yet anon must be.
1315
With curtsy to each other / went full many a maid,
The knights a willing service / unto the ladies paid.
After the greeting sat they / adown upon the green;
Knew many then each other / that hitherto had strangers been.
1316
For the ladies they poured refreshment. / Now was come mid-day,
And did those high attendants / there no longer stay,
But went where found they ready / many a spreading tent.
Full willing was the service / unto the noble guests they lent.
1317
The night through until morning / did they rest them there.
They of Bechelaren / meanwhile did prepare
That into fitting quarters / each high guest be brought.
'Twas by the care of Ruediger / that never one did want for aught.
1318
Open ye saw the windows / the castle walls along,
And the burgh at Bechelaren / its gates wide open flung,
As through the guests went pricking, / that there full welcome were.
For them the lord full noble / had bidden quarters meet prepare.
1319
Ruediger's fair daughter / with her attendant train
Came forth in loving manner / to greet the lofty queen.
With her was eke her mother / the stately margravine;
There full friendly greeting / of many a maiden fair was seen.
1320
By the hand they took each other / and thence did pass each pair
Into a Hall full spacious, / the which was builded fair,
And 'neath its walls the Danube / flowed down with rushing tide.
As breezes cool played round them, / might they full happy there abide.
1321
What they there did further, / tell it not I can.
That they so long did tarry, / heard ye the knights complain
That were of Kriemhild's company, / who unwilling there abode.
What host of valiant warriors / with them from Bechelaren rode!
1322
Full kindly was the service / did render Ruediger,
Likewise gave Lady Kriemhild / twelve golden armbands rare
To Gotelinde's daughter, / and dress so richly wrought
That finer was none other / that into Etzel's land she brought.
1323
Though Nibelungen treasure / from her erstwhile was ta'en,
Good-will of all that knew her / did she e'er retain
With such little portion / as yet she did command.
Unto her host's attendants / dealt she thereof with bounteous hand.
1324
The Lady Gotelinde / such honors high again
Did pay in gracious manner / to the guests afar from Rhine
That of all the strangers / found ye never one
That wore not rich attire / from her, and many a precious stone.
1325
When they their fast had broken / and would thence depart,
The lady of the castle / did pledge with faithful heart
Unto the wife of Etzel / service true to bear.
Kriemhild caressed full fondly / the margravine's young daughter fair.
1326
To the queen then spake the maiden: / " If e'er it pleaseth thee,
Well know I that my father / dear full willingly
Unto thee will send me / where thou livest in Hunland. "
That faithful was the maiden, / full well did Kriemhild understand.
1327
Now ready were the horses / the castle steps before,
And soon the queen full stately / did take her leave once more
Of the lovely daughter / and spouse of Ruediger.
Eke parted with fair greeting / thence full many a maiden fair.
1328
Each other they full seldom / thereafter might behold.
From Medelick were carried / beakers rich of gold
In hand and eke full many, / wherein was sparkling wine:
Upon the way were greeted / thus the strangers from the Rhine.
1329
High there a lord was seated, / Astold the name he bore,
Who that into Osterland / did lead the way before
As far as to Mautaren / adown the Danube's side.
There did they fitting service / for the lofty queen provide.
1330
Of his niece the bishop / took leave in loving wise.
That she well should bear her, / did he oft advise,
And that she win her honor / as Helke erst had done.
Ah, how great the honor / anon that 'mid the Huns she won!
1331
Unto the Traisem brought they / forth the strangers then.
Fair had they attendance / from Ruediger's men,
Till o'er the country riding / the Huns came them to meet.
With mickle honor did they / then the royal lady greet.
1332
For had the king of Hunland, / Traisem's stream beside,
A full mighty castle, / known afar and wide,
The same hight Traisenmauer: / Dame Helke there before
Did sit, such bounteous mistress / as scarce ye ever might see more,
1333
An it were not Kriemhild / who could such bounty show,
That after days of sorrow / the pleasure she might know,
To be held in honor / by Etzel's men each one:
That praise in fullest measure / had she amid those thanes anon.
1334
Afar the might of Etzel / so well was known around,
That at every season / within his court were found
Knights of all the bravest, / whereof ye e'er did hear
In Christian lands or heathen: / with him all thither come they were.
1335
By him at every season, / as scarce might elsewhere be,
Knights both of Christian doctrine / and heathen use saw ye.
Yet in what mind soever / did each and every stand,
To all in fullest measure / dealt the king with bounteous hand.
When him she had received, / her on the green he bade
Dismount with all the ladies / that in her train she led.
There saw ye all unidle / many a knight of high estate,
Who with full ready service / upon the ladies then did wait.
1311
Then saw the Lady Kriemhild / the margravine where she stood
Amid her fair attendants: / nearer not she rode.
Upon the steed that bore her / the rein she drew full tight,
And bade them straightway help her / adown from saddle to alight.
1312
The bishop saw ye leading / his sister's daughter fair,
And with him eke went Eckewart / to Gotelinde there.
The willing folk on all sides / made way before their feet.
With kiss did Gotelinde / the dame from land far distant greet.
1313
Then spake in manner kindly / the wife of Ruediger;
" Right glad am I, dear lady, / that I thy visage fair
Have in this our country / with mine own eyes seen.
In these times might never / greater joy to me have been. "
1314
" God give thee meed, " spake Kriemhild, / " Gotelinde, for this grace.
If with son of Botelung / happy may be my place,
May it henceforth be thy profit / that me thou here dost see. "
Yet all unknown to either / was that which yet anon must be.
1315
With curtsy to each other / went full many a maid,
The knights a willing service / unto the ladies paid.
After the greeting sat they / adown upon the green;
Knew many then each other / that hitherto had strangers been.
1316
For the ladies they poured refreshment. / Now was come mid-day,
And did those high attendants / there no longer stay,
But went where found they ready / many a spreading tent.
Full willing was the service / unto the noble guests they lent.
1317
The night through until morning / did they rest them there.
They of Bechelaren / meanwhile did prepare
That into fitting quarters / each high guest be brought.
'Twas by the care of Ruediger / that never one did want for aught.
1318
Open ye saw the windows / the castle walls along,
And the burgh at Bechelaren / its gates wide open flung,
As through the guests went pricking, / that there full welcome were.
For them the lord full noble / had bidden quarters meet prepare.
1319
Ruediger's fair daughter / with her attendant train
Came forth in loving manner / to greet the lofty queen.
With her was eke her mother / the stately margravine;
There full friendly greeting / of many a maiden fair was seen.
1320
By the hand they took each other / and thence did pass each pair
Into a Hall full spacious, / the which was builded fair,
And 'neath its walls the Danube / flowed down with rushing tide.
As breezes cool played round them, / might they full happy there abide.
1321
What they there did further, / tell it not I can.
That they so long did tarry, / heard ye the knights complain
That were of Kriemhild's company, / who unwilling there abode.
What host of valiant warriors / with them from Bechelaren rode!
1322
Full kindly was the service / did render Ruediger,
Likewise gave Lady Kriemhild / twelve golden armbands rare
To Gotelinde's daughter, / and dress so richly wrought
That finer was none other / that into Etzel's land she brought.
1323
Though Nibelungen treasure / from her erstwhile was ta'en,
Good-will of all that knew her / did she e'er retain
With such little portion / as yet she did command.
Unto her host's attendants / dealt she thereof with bounteous hand.
1324
The Lady Gotelinde / such honors high again
Did pay in gracious manner / to the guests afar from Rhine
That of all the strangers / found ye never one
That wore not rich attire / from her, and many a precious stone.
1325
When they their fast had broken / and would thence depart,
The lady of the castle / did pledge with faithful heart
Unto the wife of Etzel / service true to bear.
Kriemhild caressed full fondly / the margravine's young daughter fair.
1326
To the queen then spake the maiden: / " If e'er it pleaseth thee,
Well know I that my father / dear full willingly
Unto thee will send me / where thou livest in Hunland. "
That faithful was the maiden, / full well did Kriemhild understand.
1327
Now ready were the horses / the castle steps before,
And soon the queen full stately / did take her leave once more
Of the lovely daughter / and spouse of Ruediger.
Eke parted with fair greeting / thence full many a maiden fair.
1328
Each other they full seldom / thereafter might behold.
From Medelick were carried / beakers rich of gold
In hand and eke full many, / wherein was sparkling wine:
Upon the way were greeted / thus the strangers from the Rhine.
1329
High there a lord was seated, / Astold the name he bore,
Who that into Osterland / did lead the way before
As far as to Mautaren / adown the Danube's side.
There did they fitting service / for the lofty queen provide.
1330
Of his niece the bishop / took leave in loving wise.
That she well should bear her, / did he oft advise,
And that she win her honor / as Helke erst had done.
Ah, how great the honor / anon that 'mid the Huns she won!
1331
Unto the Traisem brought they / forth the strangers then.
Fair had they attendance / from Ruediger's men,
Till o'er the country riding / the Huns came them to meet.
With mickle honor did they / then the royal lady greet.
1332
For had the king of Hunland, / Traisem's stream beside,
A full mighty castle, / known afar and wide,
The same hight Traisenmauer: / Dame Helke there before
Did sit, such bounteous mistress / as scarce ye ever might see more,
1333
An it were not Kriemhild / who could such bounty show,
That after days of sorrow / the pleasure she might know,
To be held in honor / by Etzel's men each one:
That praise in fullest measure / had she amid those thanes anon.
1334
Afar the might of Etzel / so well was known around,
That at every season / within his court were found
Knights of all the bravest, / whereof ye e'er did hear
In Christian lands or heathen: / with him all thither come they were.
1335
By him at every season, / as scarce might elsewhere be,
Knights both of Christian doctrine / and heathen use saw ye.
Yet in what mind soever / did each and every stand,
To all in fullest measure / dealt the king with bounteous hand.
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