The Nibelungenlied
2068
Eke spake he to them of Thuringia / and to them of Danish land:
" Of you shall never any / receive the gift in hand
From your royal mistress / of shining gold full red.
Whoe'er withstandeth Hagen / death calleth down upon his head. "
2069
From cheek the color faded, / death's sure token wore
Iring the gallant warrior: / thereat they grieved full sore.
Nor more in life might tarry / Hawart's valiant knight:
Enraged the men of Denmark / again did arm them for the fight.
2070
Irnfried and Hawart / before the hall then sprang
Leading thousand warriors. / Full furious a clang
Of weapons then on all sides / loud and great ye hear.
Against the men of Burgundy / how hurled they many a mighty spear!
2071
Straight the valiant Irnfried / the minstrel rushed upon,
But naught but grievous injury / 'neath his hand he won:
For the noble Fiddler / did the landgrave smite
E'en through the well-wrought helmet; / yea, grim and savage was the knight.
2072
Sir Irnfried then in answer / the valiant minstrel smote,
That must fly asunder / the rings of his mailed coat
Which showered o'er his cuirass / like sparks of fire red.
Soon must yet the landgrave / fall before the Fiddler dead.
2073
Eke were come together / Hawart and Hagen bold,
And saw he deeds of wonder / who did the sight behold.
Swift flew the sword and fiercely / swung by each hero's hand.
But soon lay Hawart prostrate / before him of Burgundian land.
2074
When Danish men and Thuringians / beheld their masters fall,
Fearful was the turmoil / that rose before the hall
As to the door they struggled, / on dire vengeance bent.
Full many a shield and helmet / was there 'neath sword asunder rent.
2075
" Now backward yield, " cried Volker / " and let them pass within;
Thus only are they thwarted / of what they think to win.
When but they pass the portals / are they full quickly slain.
With death shall they the bounty / of their royal mistress gain. "
2076
When thus with pride o'erweening / they did entrance find,
The head of many a warrior / was so to earth inclined,
That he must life surrender / 'neath blows that thickly fell.
Well bore him valiant Gernot / and eke Sir Giselher as well.
2077
Four knights beyond a thousand / were come into the house;
The light from sword-blades glinted, / swift swung with mighty souse.
Not one of all their number / soon might ye living see;
Tell might ye mickle wonders / of the men of Burgundy.
2078
Thereafter came a stillness, / and ceased the tumult loud.
The blood in every quarter / through the leak-holes flowed,
And out along the corbels / from men in death laid low.
That had the men of Rhineland / wrought with many a doughty blow.
2079
Then sat again to rest them / they of Burgundian land,
Shield and mighty broadsword / they laid from out the hand.
But yet the valiant Fiddler / stood waiting 'fore the door,
If peradventure any / would seek to offer combat more.
2080
Sorely did King Etzel / and eke his spouse lament,
Maidens and fair ladies / did sorrow sore torment.
Death long since upon them, / I ween, such ending swore.
To fall before the strangers / was doomed full many a warrior more.
Eke spake he to them of Thuringia / and to them of Danish land:
" Of you shall never any / receive the gift in hand
From your royal mistress / of shining gold full red.
Whoe'er withstandeth Hagen / death calleth down upon his head. "
2069
From cheek the color faded, / death's sure token wore
Iring the gallant warrior: / thereat they grieved full sore.
Nor more in life might tarry / Hawart's valiant knight:
Enraged the men of Denmark / again did arm them for the fight.
2070
Irnfried and Hawart / before the hall then sprang
Leading thousand warriors. / Full furious a clang
Of weapons then on all sides / loud and great ye hear.
Against the men of Burgundy / how hurled they many a mighty spear!
2071
Straight the valiant Irnfried / the minstrel rushed upon,
But naught but grievous injury / 'neath his hand he won:
For the noble Fiddler / did the landgrave smite
E'en through the well-wrought helmet; / yea, grim and savage was the knight.
2072
Sir Irnfried then in answer / the valiant minstrel smote,
That must fly asunder / the rings of his mailed coat
Which showered o'er his cuirass / like sparks of fire red.
Soon must yet the landgrave / fall before the Fiddler dead.
2073
Eke were come together / Hawart and Hagen bold,
And saw he deeds of wonder / who did the sight behold.
Swift flew the sword and fiercely / swung by each hero's hand.
But soon lay Hawart prostrate / before him of Burgundian land.
2074
When Danish men and Thuringians / beheld their masters fall,
Fearful was the turmoil / that rose before the hall
As to the door they struggled, / on dire vengeance bent.
Full many a shield and helmet / was there 'neath sword asunder rent.
2075
" Now backward yield, " cried Volker / " and let them pass within;
Thus only are they thwarted / of what they think to win.
When but they pass the portals / are they full quickly slain.
With death shall they the bounty / of their royal mistress gain. "
2076
When thus with pride o'erweening / they did entrance find,
The head of many a warrior / was so to earth inclined,
That he must life surrender / 'neath blows that thickly fell.
Well bore him valiant Gernot / and eke Sir Giselher as well.
2077
Four knights beyond a thousand / were come into the house;
The light from sword-blades glinted, / swift swung with mighty souse.
Not one of all their number / soon might ye living see;
Tell might ye mickle wonders / of the men of Burgundy.
2078
Thereafter came a stillness, / and ceased the tumult loud.
The blood in every quarter / through the leak-holes flowed,
And out along the corbels / from men in death laid low.
That had the men of Rhineland / wrought with many a doughty blow.
2079
Then sat again to rest them / they of Burgundian land,
Shield and mighty broadsword / they laid from out the hand.
But yet the valiant Fiddler / stood waiting 'fore the door,
If peradventure any / would seek to offer combat more.
2080
Sorely did King Etzel / and eke his spouse lament,
Maidens and fair ladies / did sorrow sore torment.
Death long since upon them, / I ween, such ending swore.
To fall before the strangers / was doomed full many a warrior more.
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