The Nibelungenlied
1586
When now they all were gathered / upon the farther strand,
To wonder gan the monarch: / " Who shall through this land
On routes aright direct us, / that not astray we fare? "
Then spake the doughty Volker: / " Thereof will I alone have care. "
1587
" Now hark ye all, " quoth Hagen, / " knight and squire too,
And list to friendly counsel, / as fitting is to do.
Full strange and dark the tidings / now ye shall hear from me:
Home nevermore return we / unto the land of Burgundy.
1588
" Thus mermaids twain did tell me, / who spake to me this morn,
That back we come not hither. / You would I therefore warn
That armed well ye journey / and of all ills beware
To meet with doughty foemen / well behooveth us prepare.
1589
" I weened to turn to falsehood / what those wise mermaids spake,
Who said that safe this journey / none again should make
Home unto our country / save the chaplain alone:
Him therefore was I minded / to-day beneath the flood to drown. "
1590
From company to company / quickly flew the tale,
Whereon grew many a doughty / warrior's visage pale,
As gan he think in sorrow / how death should snatch away
All ere the journey ended; / and very need for grief had they.
1591
By Moeringen was it / they had the river crossed,
Where also Else's boatman / thus his life had lost.
There again spake Hagen: / " Since in such wise by me
Wrath hath been incurred, / assailed full surely shall we be.
1592
" Myself that same ferryman / did this morning slay
Far bruited are the tidings. / Now arm ye for the fray,
That if Gelfrat and Else / be minded to beset
Our train to-day, they surely / with sore discomfiture be met.
1593
" So keen they are, well know I / the thing they'll not forego.
Your horses therefore shall ye / make to pace more slow,
That never man imagine / we flee away in fear. "
" That counsel will I follow, " / spake the young knight Giselher.
1594
" Who will guide our vanguard / through this hostile land? "
" Volker shall do it, " spake they, / " well doth he understand
Where leadeth path and highway, / a minstrel brave and keen. "
Ere full the wish was spoken, / in armor well equipped was seen.
1595
Standing the doughty Fiddler / His helmet fast he bound,
And from his stately armor / shot dazzling light around.
Eke to a staff he fastened / a banner, red of hue.
Anon with royal masters / came he to sorest sorrow too.
1596
Unto Gelfrat meanwhile / had sure tidings flown,
How that was dead his boatman; / the story eke was known
Unto the doughty Else, / and both did mourn his fate.
Their warriors they summoned, / nor must long time for answer wait.
1597
But little space it lasted / — that would I have you know —
Ere that to them hasted / who oft a mickle woe
Had wrought in stress of battle / and injury full sore;
To Gelfrat now came riding / seven hundred knights or more.
1598
When they their foes to follow / so bitterly began,
Led them both their masters. / Yet all too fast they ran
After the valiant strangers / vengeance straight to wreak.
Ere long from those same leaders / did death full many a warrior take.
1599
Hagen then of Tronje / the thing had ordered there,
— How of his friends might ever / knight have better care? —
That he did keep the rearguard / with warriors many a one,
And Dankwart eke, his brother; / full wisely the thing was done.
1600
When now the day was over / and light they had no more,
Injury to his followers / gan he to dread full sore.
They shield in hand rode onward / through Bavarian land,
And ere they long had waited / beset they were by hostile band.
1601
On either side the highway / and close upon their rear
Of hoofs was heard the clatter; / too keen the chasers were.
Then spake the valiant Dankwart: / " The foe is close at hand.
Now bind we on the helmet, / — wisdom doth the same command. "
1602
Upon the way they halted, / nor else they safe had been.
Through the gloom perceived they / of gleaming shields the sheen.
Thereupon would Hagen / longer not delay:
" Who rideth on the highway? " — / That must Gelfrat tell straight-way.
1603
Of Bavaria the margrave / thereupon replied:
" Our enemies now seek we, / and swift upon them ride.
Fain would I discover / who hath my boatman slain.
A knight he was of valor, / whose death doth cause me grievous pain. "
1604
Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / " And was the boatman thine
That would not take us over? / The guilt herein is mine.
Myself did slay the warrior, / and had, in sooth, good need,
For that beneath his valor / I myself full nigh lay dead.
1605
" For pay I rich attire / did bid, and gold a store,
Good knight, that to thy country / he should us ferry o'er.
Thereat he raged full sorely / and on me swung a blow
With a mighty boat-pole, / whereat I eke did angry grow.
When now they all were gathered / upon the farther strand,
To wonder gan the monarch: / " Who shall through this land
On routes aright direct us, / that not astray we fare? "
Then spake the doughty Volker: / " Thereof will I alone have care. "
1587
" Now hark ye all, " quoth Hagen, / " knight and squire too,
And list to friendly counsel, / as fitting is to do.
Full strange and dark the tidings / now ye shall hear from me:
Home nevermore return we / unto the land of Burgundy.
1588
" Thus mermaids twain did tell me, / who spake to me this morn,
That back we come not hither. / You would I therefore warn
That armed well ye journey / and of all ills beware
To meet with doughty foemen / well behooveth us prepare.
1589
" I weened to turn to falsehood / what those wise mermaids spake,
Who said that safe this journey / none again should make
Home unto our country / save the chaplain alone:
Him therefore was I minded / to-day beneath the flood to drown. "
1590
From company to company / quickly flew the tale,
Whereon grew many a doughty / warrior's visage pale,
As gan he think in sorrow / how death should snatch away
All ere the journey ended; / and very need for grief had they.
1591
By Moeringen was it / they had the river crossed,
Where also Else's boatman / thus his life had lost.
There again spake Hagen: / " Since in such wise by me
Wrath hath been incurred, / assailed full surely shall we be.
1592
" Myself that same ferryman / did this morning slay
Far bruited are the tidings. / Now arm ye for the fray,
That if Gelfrat and Else / be minded to beset
Our train to-day, they surely / with sore discomfiture be met.
1593
" So keen they are, well know I / the thing they'll not forego.
Your horses therefore shall ye / make to pace more slow,
That never man imagine / we flee away in fear. "
" That counsel will I follow, " / spake the young knight Giselher.
1594
" Who will guide our vanguard / through this hostile land? "
" Volker shall do it, " spake they, / " well doth he understand
Where leadeth path and highway, / a minstrel brave and keen. "
Ere full the wish was spoken, / in armor well equipped was seen.
1595
Standing the doughty Fiddler / His helmet fast he bound,
And from his stately armor / shot dazzling light around.
Eke to a staff he fastened / a banner, red of hue.
Anon with royal masters / came he to sorest sorrow too.
1596
Unto Gelfrat meanwhile / had sure tidings flown,
How that was dead his boatman; / the story eke was known
Unto the doughty Else, / and both did mourn his fate.
Their warriors they summoned, / nor must long time for answer wait.
1597
But little space it lasted / — that would I have you know —
Ere that to them hasted / who oft a mickle woe
Had wrought in stress of battle / and injury full sore;
To Gelfrat now came riding / seven hundred knights or more.
1598
When they their foes to follow / so bitterly began,
Led them both their masters. / Yet all too fast they ran
After the valiant strangers / vengeance straight to wreak.
Ere long from those same leaders / did death full many a warrior take.
1599
Hagen then of Tronje / the thing had ordered there,
— How of his friends might ever / knight have better care? —
That he did keep the rearguard / with warriors many a one,
And Dankwart eke, his brother; / full wisely the thing was done.
1600
When now the day was over / and light they had no more,
Injury to his followers / gan he to dread full sore.
They shield in hand rode onward / through Bavarian land,
And ere they long had waited / beset they were by hostile band.
1601
On either side the highway / and close upon their rear
Of hoofs was heard the clatter; / too keen the chasers were.
Then spake the valiant Dankwart: / " The foe is close at hand.
Now bind we on the helmet, / — wisdom doth the same command. "
1602
Upon the way they halted, / nor else they safe had been.
Through the gloom perceived they / of gleaming shields the sheen.
Thereupon would Hagen / longer not delay:
" Who rideth on the highway? " — / That must Gelfrat tell straight-way.
1603
Of Bavaria the margrave / thereupon replied:
" Our enemies now seek we, / and swift upon them ride.
Fain would I discover / who hath my boatman slain.
A knight he was of valor, / whose death doth cause me grievous pain. "
1604
Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / " And was the boatman thine
That would not take us over? / The guilt herein is mine.
Myself did slay the warrior, / and had, in sooth, good need,
For that beneath his valor / I myself full nigh lay dead.
1605
" For pay I rich attire / did bid, and gold a store,
Good knight, that to thy country / he should us ferry o'er.
Thereat he raged full sorely / and on me swung a blow
With a mighty boat-pole, / whereat I eke did angry grow.
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