The Nibelungenlied
1566
The gallant knight they greeted / with right hearty mood.
When in the boat perceived they / reeking still the blood
That from the wound had issued / where Hagen's sword did swing,
Scarce could his companions / bring to an end their questioning.
1567
When that royal Gunther / the streaming blood did see
Within the boat there running, / straightway then spake he:
" Where is now the ferryman, / tell me, Hagen, pray?
By thy mighty prowess / his life, I ween, is ta'en away. "
1568
Thereto replied he falsely: / " When the boat I found
Where slopeth a wild meadow, / I the same unbound.
Hereabout no ferryman / I to-day have seen,
Nor ever cause of sorrow / unto any have I been. "
1569
The good knight then of Burgundy, / the gallant Gernot, spake:
" Dear friends full many, fear I, / the flood this day will take,
Since we of the boatmen / none ready here may find
To guide us o'er the current. / 'Tis mickle sorrow to my mind. "
1570
Full loudly cried then Hagen: / " Lay down upon the grass,
Ye squires, the horse equipments. / I ween a time there was,
Myself was best of boatmen / that dwelt the Rhine beside.
To Gelfrat's country trow I / to bring you safely o'er the tide. "
1571
That they might come the sooner / across the running flood,
Drove they in the horses. / Their swimming, it was good,
For of them never any / beneath the waves did sink,
Though many farther downward / must struggle sore to gain the brink.
1572
Their treasure and apparel / unto the boat they bore,
Since by no means the journey / thought they to give o'er.
Hagen was director, / and safely reached the strand
With many a stalwart warrior / bound unto the unknown land.
1573
Gallant knights a thousand / first he ferried o'er,
Whereafter came his own men. / Of others still were more,
For squires full nine thousand / he led unto that land.
That day no whit was idle / that valiant knight of Tronje's hand.
1574
When he them all in safety / o'er the flood had brought,
Of that strange story / the valiant warrior thought,
Which erstwhile had told him / those women of the sea.
Lost thereby the chaplain's / life well-nigh was doomed to be.
1575
Beside his priestly baggage / he saw the chaplain stand,
Upon the holy vestments / resting with his hand.
No whit was that his safety; / when Hagen him did see,
Must the priest full wretched / suffer sorest injury.
1576
From out the boat he flung him / ere might the thing be told,
Whereat they cried together: / " Hold, O Master, hold! "
Soon had the youthful Giselher / to rage thereat begun,
And mickle was his sorrow / that Hagen yet the thing had done.
1577
Then outspake Sir Gernot, / knight of Burgundy:
" What boots it thee, Sir Hagen, / that thus the chaplain die?
Dared any else to do it, / thy wrath 'twould sorely stir.
Wherein the priest's offending, / thus thy malice to incur? "
1578
To swim the chaplain struggled. / He thought him yet to free,
If any but would help him. / Yet such might never be,
For that the doughty Hagen / full wrathful was of mood,
He sunk him to the bottom, / whereat aghast each warrior stood.
1579
When that no help forthcoming / the wretched priest might see,
He sought the hither shore, / and fared full grievously.
Though failed his strength in swimming, / yet helped him God's own hand,
That he came securely / back again unto the land.
1580
Safe yonder stood the chaplain / and shook his dripping dress.
Thereby perceived Hagen / how true was none the less
The story that did tell him / the strange women of the sea.
Thought he: " Of these good warriors / soon the days must ended be. "
1581
When that the boat was emptied, / and complete their store
All the monarch's followers / had borne upon the shore,
Hagen smote it to pieces / and cast it on the flood,
Whereat in mickle wonder / the valiant knights around him stood.
1582
" Wherefore dost this, brother, " / then Sir Dankwart spake;
" How shall we cross the river / when again we make
Our journey back from Hunland, / riding to the Rhine? "
Behold how Hagen bade him / all such purpose to resign.
1583
Quoth the knight of Tronje: / " This thing is done by me,
That if e'er coward rideth / in all our company,
Who for lack of courage / from us away would fly,
He beneath these billows / yet a shameful death must die. "
1584
One there journeyed with them / from the land of Burgundy,
That was a knight of valor, / Volker by name was he.
He spake in cunning manner / whate'er might fill his mind,
And aught was done by Hagen / did the Fiddler fitting find.
1585
Ready stood their chargers, / the carriers laden well;
At passage of the river / was there naught to tell
Of scathe to any happened, / save but the king's chaplain.
Afoot must he now journey / back unto the Rhine again.
The gallant knight they greeted / with right hearty mood.
When in the boat perceived they / reeking still the blood
That from the wound had issued / where Hagen's sword did swing,
Scarce could his companions / bring to an end their questioning.
1567
When that royal Gunther / the streaming blood did see
Within the boat there running, / straightway then spake he:
" Where is now the ferryman, / tell me, Hagen, pray?
By thy mighty prowess / his life, I ween, is ta'en away. "
1568
Thereto replied he falsely: / " When the boat I found
Where slopeth a wild meadow, / I the same unbound.
Hereabout no ferryman / I to-day have seen,
Nor ever cause of sorrow / unto any have I been. "
1569
The good knight then of Burgundy, / the gallant Gernot, spake:
" Dear friends full many, fear I, / the flood this day will take,
Since we of the boatmen / none ready here may find
To guide us o'er the current. / 'Tis mickle sorrow to my mind. "
1570
Full loudly cried then Hagen: / " Lay down upon the grass,
Ye squires, the horse equipments. / I ween a time there was,
Myself was best of boatmen / that dwelt the Rhine beside.
To Gelfrat's country trow I / to bring you safely o'er the tide. "
1571
That they might come the sooner / across the running flood,
Drove they in the horses. / Their swimming, it was good,
For of them never any / beneath the waves did sink,
Though many farther downward / must struggle sore to gain the brink.
1572
Their treasure and apparel / unto the boat they bore,
Since by no means the journey / thought they to give o'er.
Hagen was director, / and safely reached the strand
With many a stalwart warrior / bound unto the unknown land.
1573
Gallant knights a thousand / first he ferried o'er,
Whereafter came his own men. / Of others still were more,
For squires full nine thousand / he led unto that land.
That day no whit was idle / that valiant knight of Tronje's hand.
1574
When he them all in safety / o'er the flood had brought,
Of that strange story / the valiant warrior thought,
Which erstwhile had told him / those women of the sea.
Lost thereby the chaplain's / life well-nigh was doomed to be.
1575
Beside his priestly baggage / he saw the chaplain stand,
Upon the holy vestments / resting with his hand.
No whit was that his safety; / when Hagen him did see,
Must the priest full wretched / suffer sorest injury.
1576
From out the boat he flung him / ere might the thing be told,
Whereat they cried together: / " Hold, O Master, hold! "
Soon had the youthful Giselher / to rage thereat begun,
And mickle was his sorrow / that Hagen yet the thing had done.
1577
Then outspake Sir Gernot, / knight of Burgundy:
" What boots it thee, Sir Hagen, / that thus the chaplain die?
Dared any else to do it, / thy wrath 'twould sorely stir.
Wherein the priest's offending, / thus thy malice to incur? "
1578
To swim the chaplain struggled. / He thought him yet to free,
If any but would help him. / Yet such might never be,
For that the doughty Hagen / full wrathful was of mood,
He sunk him to the bottom, / whereat aghast each warrior stood.
1579
When that no help forthcoming / the wretched priest might see,
He sought the hither shore, / and fared full grievously.
Though failed his strength in swimming, / yet helped him God's own hand,
That he came securely / back again unto the land.
1580
Safe yonder stood the chaplain / and shook his dripping dress.
Thereby perceived Hagen / how true was none the less
The story that did tell him / the strange women of the sea.
Thought he: " Of these good warriors / soon the days must ended be. "
1581
When that the boat was emptied, / and complete their store
All the monarch's followers / had borne upon the shore,
Hagen smote it to pieces / and cast it on the flood,
Whereat in mickle wonder / the valiant knights around him stood.
1582
" Wherefore dost this, brother, " / then Sir Dankwart spake;
" How shall we cross the river / when again we make
Our journey back from Hunland, / riding to the Rhine? "
Behold how Hagen bade him / all such purpose to resign.
1583
Quoth the knight of Tronje: / " This thing is done by me,
That if e'er coward rideth / in all our company,
Who for lack of courage / from us away would fly,
He beneath these billows / yet a shameful death must die. "
1584
One there journeyed with them / from the land of Burgundy,
That was a knight of valor, / Volker by name was he.
He spake in cunning manner / whate'er might fill his mind,
And aught was done by Hagen / did the Fiddler fitting find.
1585
Ready stood their chargers, / the carriers laden well;
At passage of the river / was there naught to tell
Of scathe to any happened, / save but the king's chaplain.
Afoot must he now journey / back unto the Rhine again.
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