Classic Poem

1971

How bold soe'er was any, / of kings and warrior band,
Saw ye yet the foremost / Giselher to stand
There against the foemen, / a knight of valor good;
Wounded deep full many / made he to fall in oozing blood.

1972

Eke full well defend them / did Etzel's warriors too.
There might ye see the strangers / their gory way to hew
With swords all brightly gleaming / adown that royal hall;
Heard ye there on all sides / loudly ring the battle-call.

1973

Join friends within beleaguered / would they without full fain,
Yet might they at the portal / but little vantage gain.
Eke they within had gladly / gained the outer air;
Nor up nor down did Dankwart / suffer one to pass the stair.

1974

There before the portal / surged a mighty throng,
And with a mickle clangor / on helm the broadsword rung.
Thus on the valiant Dankwart / his foes did sorely press,
And soon his trusty brother / was anxious grown o'er his distress.

1975

Full loudly cried then Hagen / unto Volker:
" Trusty fere, behold'st thou / my brother standing there,
Where on him Hunnish warriors / their mighty blows do rain?
Good friend, save thou my brother / ere we do lose the valiant thane. "

1976

" That will I do full surely, " / thereat the minstrel spake.
Adown the hall he fiddling / gan his way to make;
In his hand full often / a trusty sword rang out,
While grateful knights of Rhineland / acclaimed him with a mickle shout.

1977

Soon did the valiant Volker / Dankwart thus address:
" Hard this day upon thee / hath weighed the battle's stress.
That I should come to help thee / thy brother gave command;
Keep thou without the portal, / I inward guarding here will stand. "

1978

Dankwart, thane right valiant, / stood without the door
And guarded so the stairway / that none might pass before.
There heard ye broadswords ringing, / swung by warrior's hand,
While inward in like manner / wrought Volker of Burgundian land.

1979

There the valiant Fiddler / above the press did call:
" Securely now, friend Hagen, / closed is the hall.
Yea, so firmly bolted / is King Etzel's door
By hands of two good warriors, / as thousand bars were set before, "

1980

When Hagen thus of Tronje / the door did guarded find,
The warrior far renowned / swung his shield behind;
He first for harm received / revenge began to take,
Whereat all hope of living / did soon his enemies forsake.

1981

When of Bern Sir Dietrich / rightly did perceive
How the doughty Hagen / did many a helmet cleave,
The king of Amelungen / upon a bench leaped up;
Quoth he: " Here poureth Hagen / for us exceeding bitter cup. "

1982

Great fear fell eke on Etzel, / as well might be the case,
(What trusty followers snatched they / to death before his face!)
For well nigh did his enemies / on him destruction bring.
There sat he all confounded / What booted him to be a king?

1983

Cried then aloud to Dietrich / Kriemhild, the high lady:
" Now help me, knight so noble, / that hence with life I flee,
By princely worth, I pray thee, / thou lord of Amelung's land;
If here do reach me Hagen, / straight find I death beneath his hand. "

1984

" How may my help avail thee, / noble queen and high? "
Answered her Sir Dietrich, / " Fear for myself have I.
Too sorely is enraged / each knight in Gunther's band,
To no one at this season / may I lend assisting hand. "

1985

" But nay, but nay, Sir Dietrich, / full noble knight and keen,
What maketh thy bright chivalry, / let it this day be seen,
And bring me hence to safety, / else am I death's sure prey. "
Good cause was that on Kriemhild's / bosom fear so heavy lay.

1986

" So will I here endeavor / to help thee as I may;
Yet shalt thou well believe me, / hath passed full many a day
Since saw I goodly warriors / of so bitter mood.
'Neath swords behold I flowing / through helmets plenteously the blood. "

1987

Lustily then cried he, / the warrior nobly born,
That his voice rang loudly / like blast from bison's horn,
That all around the palace / gave back the lusty sound;
Unto the might of Dietrich / never limit yet was found.

1988

When did hear King Gunther / how called the doughty man
Above the storm of combat, / to hearken he began.
Quoth he: " The voice of Dietrich / hath fallen upon mine ear;
I ween some of his followers / before our thanes have fallen here.

1989

" High on the board I see him; / he beckons with the hand.
Now my good friends and kinsmen / of Burgundian land,
Stay ye your hands from conflict, / let us hear and see
If done upon the chieftain / aught by my men of scathe there be. "

1990

When thus King Gunther / did beg and eke command,
With swords in stress of battle / stayed they all the hand.
'Twas token of his power / that straight the strife did pause
Then him of Bern he questioned / what of his outcry were the cause.