Classic Poem

How the Burgundians came to Etzel's Castle


1718

When that the men of Burgundy / were come into the land,
He of Bern did hear it, / the aged Hildebrand.
He told it to his master, / who sore thereat did grieve;
The knight so keen and gallant / bade he in fitting way receive.

1719

Wolfhart the valiant / bade lead the heroes forth.
In company with Dietrich / rode many a thane of worth,
As out to receive them / across the plain he went,
Where might ye see erected / already many a stately tent.

1720

When that of Tronje Hagen / them far away espied,
Unto his royal masters / full courteously he said:
" Now shall ye, doughty riders, / down from the saddle spring,
And forward go to meet them / that here to you a welcome bring.

1721

" A train there cometh yonder, / well knew I e'en when young.
Thanes they are full doughty / of the land of Amelung.
He of Bern doth lead them, / and high of heart they are;
To scorn their proffered greeting / shall ye in sooth full well beware. "

1722

Dismounted then with Dietrich, / (as was meet and right,)
Attended by his squire / many a gallant knight
They went unto the strangers / and greeted courteously
The knights that far had ridden / from the land of Burgundy.

1723

When then Sir Dietrich / saw them coming near,
What words the thane delivered, / now may ye willing hear,
Unto Ute's children. / Their journey grieved him sore.
He weened that Ruediger knowing / had warned what lay for them in store.

1724

" Welcome be ye, Masters, / Gunther and Giselher,
Gernot and Hagen, / welcome eke Volker
And the valiant Dankwart. / Do ye not understand?
Kriemhild yet sore bemoaneth / the hero of Nibelungen land. "

1725

" Long time may she be weeping, " / Hagen spake again;
" In sooth for years a many / dead he lies and slain.
To the monarch now of Hunland / should she devoted be:
Siegfried returneth never, / buried now long time is he. "

1726

" How Siegfried's death was compassed, / let now the story be:
While liveth Lady Kriemhild, / look ye for injury. "
Thus did of Bern Sir Dietrich / unto them declare:
" Hope of the Nibelungen, / of her vengeance well beware. "

1727

" Whereof shall I be fearful? " / the lofty monarch spake:
" Etzel hath sent us message, / (why further question make?)
That we should journey hither / into his country.
Eke hath my sister Kriemhild / oft wished us here as guests to see.

1728

" I give thee honest counsel, " / Hagen then did say,
" Now shalt thou here Sir Dietrich / and his warriors pray
To tell thee full the story, / if aught may be designed,
And let thee know more surely / how stands the Lady Kriemhild's mind. "

1729

Then went to speak asunder / the lordly monarchs three,
Gunther and Gernot, / and Dietrich went he
" Now tell us true, thou noble / knight of Bern and kind,
If that perchance thou knowest / how stands thy royal mistress' mind. "

1730

The lord of Bern gave answer: / " What need to tell you more?
I hear each day at morning / weeping and wailing sore
The wife of royal Etzel, / who piteous doth complain
To God in heaven that Siegfried / her doughty spouse from her was ta'en. "

1731

" Then must we e'en abide it, " / was the fearless word
Of Volker the Fiddler, / " what we here have heard.
To court we yet shall journey / and make full clear to all,
If that to valiant warriors / may aught amid the Huns befall. "

1732

The gallant thanes of Burgundy / unto court then rode,
And went in stately manner / as was their country's mode.
Full many a man in Hunland / looked eagerly to see
Of what manner Hagen, / Tronje's doughty thane, might be.

1733

For that was told the story (and great the wonder grew)
How that of Netherland / Siegfried he slew,
That was the spouse of Kriemhild, / in strength without a peer,
Hence a mickle questioning / after Hagen might ye hear.

1734

Great was the knight of stature, / may ye know full true,
Built with breast expansive; / mingled was the hue
Of his hair with silver; / long he was of limb;
As he strode stately forward / might ye mark his visage grim.

1735

Then were the thanes of Burgundy / unto quarters shown,
But the serving-man of Gunther / by themselves alone.
Thus the queen did counsel, / so filled she was with hate.
Anon where they were harbored / the train did meet with direst fate.

1736

Dankwart, Hagen's brother, / marshal was he
To him the king his followers / commended urgently,
That he provide them plenty / and have of them good care.
The noble knight of Burgundy / their safety well in mind did bear.

1737

By her train attended, / Queen Kriemhild went
To greet the Nibelungen, / yet false was her intent.
She kissed her brother Giselher / and took him by the hand:
Thereat of Tronje Hagen / did tighter draw his helmet's band.