Thirty-Fourth Adventure: How They Cast Out the Dead
2009
From toil of battle weary / rested the warriors all.
Volker and Hagen / passed out before the hall,
And on their shields did lean them, / those knights whom naught could daunt.
Then with full merry converse / gan the twain their foes to taunt.
2010
Spake meanwhile of Burgundy / Giselher the thane:
" Not yet, good friends, may ye / think to rest again.
Forth from the hall the corses / shall ye rather bear.
Again we'll be assailed, / that would I now in sooth declare.
2011
" Beneath our feet no longer / here the dead must lie.
But ere in storm of battle / at hand of Huns to die,
We'll deal such wounds around us / as 'tis my joy to see.
Thereon, " spake Giselher, / " my heart is fixed right steadfastly. "
2012
" I joy in such a master, " / Hagen spake again:
" Such counsel well befitteth / alone so valiant thane
As my youthful master / hath shown himself this day.
Therefor, O men of Burgundy, / every one rejoice ye may. "
2013
Then followed they his counsel / and from the hall they bore
Seven thousand bodies / and cast them from the door.
Adown the mounting stairway / all together fell,
Whereat a sound of wailing / did from mourning kinsmen swell.
2014
Many a man among them / so slight wound did bear
That he were yet recovered / had he but gentle care,
Who yet falling headlong / now surely must be dead.
Thereat did grieve their kinsmen / as verily was sorest need.
2015
Then outspake the Fiddler, / Volker a hero bold:
" Now do I find how truly / hath to me been told
That cowards are the Hun-men / who do like women weep.
Rather should be their effort / their wounded kin alive to keep. "
2016
These words deemed a margrave / spoken in kindly mood.
He saw one of his kinsmen / weltering in his blood.
In his arms he clasped him / and thought him thence to bear,
But as he bent above him / pierced him the valiant minstrel's spear.
2017
When that beheld the others / all in haste they fled,
Crying each one curses / on that same minstrel's head.
From the ground then snatched he / a spear with point full keen,
That 'gainst him up the stairway / by a Hun had hurled been.
2018
Across the court he flung it / with his arm of might
Far above the people. / Then did each Hunnish knight
Seek him safer quarters / more distant from the hall.
To see his mighty prowess / did fill with fear his foemen all.
2019
As knights full many thousand / far 'fore the palace stood,
Volker and Hagen / gan speak in wanton mood
" Unto King Etzel, / nor did they aught withhold;
Wherefrom anon did sorrow / o'ertake those doughty warriors bold.
2020
" 'Twould well beseem, " quoth Hagen, / " the people's lofty lord
Foremost in storm of battle / to swing the cutting sword,
As do my royal masters / each fair example show.
Where hew they through the helmets / their swords do make the blood to flow. "
2021
To hear such words brave Etzel / snatched in haste his shield
" Now well beware of rashness, " / cried Lady Kriemhild,
" And offer to thy warriors / gold heaped on shield full high:
If yonder Hagen reach thee, / straightway shalt thou surely die. "
2022
So high was the king's mettle / that he would not give o'er,
Which case is now full seldom / seen in high princes more;
They must by shield-strap tugging / him perforce restrain.
Grim of mood then Hagen / began him to revile again.
2023
" It was a distant kinship, " / spake Hagen, dauntless knight,
" That Etzel unto Siegfried / ever did unite,
And husband he to Kriemhild / was ere thee she knew.
Wherefore, O king faint-hearted, / seek'st thou such thing 'gainst me to do? "
2024
Thereto eke must listen / the noble monarch's spouse,
And grievously to hear it / did Kriemhild's wrath arouse.
That he 'fore men of Etzel / durst herself upbraid;
To urge them 'gainst the strangers / she once more her arts essayed.
2025
Cried she: " Of Tronje Hagen / whoso for me will slay,
And his head from body severed / here before me lay,
For him the shield of Etzel / I'll fill with ruddy gold,
Eke lands and lordly castles / I'll give him for his own to hold. "
2026
" I wot not why they tarry, " / — thus the minstrel cried;
" Ne'er saw I heroes any / so their courage hide,
When to them was offered, / like this, reward so high.
'Tis cause henceforth that Etzel / for aye to them goodwill deny. "
2027
" Who in such craven manner / do eat their master's bread,
And like caitiffs fail him / in time of greatest need,
Here see I standing many / of courage all forlorn,
Yet would be men of valor; / all time be they upheld to scorn. "
From toil of battle weary / rested the warriors all.
Volker and Hagen / passed out before the hall,
And on their shields did lean them, / those knights whom naught could daunt.
Then with full merry converse / gan the twain their foes to taunt.
2010
Spake meanwhile of Burgundy / Giselher the thane:
" Not yet, good friends, may ye / think to rest again.
Forth from the hall the corses / shall ye rather bear.
Again we'll be assailed, / that would I now in sooth declare.
2011
" Beneath our feet no longer / here the dead must lie.
But ere in storm of battle / at hand of Huns to die,
We'll deal such wounds around us / as 'tis my joy to see.
Thereon, " spake Giselher, / " my heart is fixed right steadfastly. "
2012
" I joy in such a master, " / Hagen spake again:
" Such counsel well befitteth / alone so valiant thane
As my youthful master / hath shown himself this day.
Therefor, O men of Burgundy, / every one rejoice ye may. "
2013
Then followed they his counsel / and from the hall they bore
Seven thousand bodies / and cast them from the door.
Adown the mounting stairway / all together fell,
Whereat a sound of wailing / did from mourning kinsmen swell.
2014
Many a man among them / so slight wound did bear
That he were yet recovered / had he but gentle care,
Who yet falling headlong / now surely must be dead.
Thereat did grieve their kinsmen / as verily was sorest need.
2015
Then outspake the Fiddler, / Volker a hero bold:
" Now do I find how truly / hath to me been told
That cowards are the Hun-men / who do like women weep.
Rather should be their effort / their wounded kin alive to keep. "
2016
These words deemed a margrave / spoken in kindly mood.
He saw one of his kinsmen / weltering in his blood.
In his arms he clasped him / and thought him thence to bear,
But as he bent above him / pierced him the valiant minstrel's spear.
2017
When that beheld the others / all in haste they fled,
Crying each one curses / on that same minstrel's head.
From the ground then snatched he / a spear with point full keen,
That 'gainst him up the stairway / by a Hun had hurled been.
2018
Across the court he flung it / with his arm of might
Far above the people. / Then did each Hunnish knight
Seek him safer quarters / more distant from the hall.
To see his mighty prowess / did fill with fear his foemen all.
2019
As knights full many thousand / far 'fore the palace stood,
Volker and Hagen / gan speak in wanton mood
" Unto King Etzel, / nor did they aught withhold;
Wherefrom anon did sorrow / o'ertake those doughty warriors bold.
2020
" 'Twould well beseem, " quoth Hagen, / " the people's lofty lord
Foremost in storm of battle / to swing the cutting sword,
As do my royal masters / each fair example show.
Where hew they through the helmets / their swords do make the blood to flow. "
2021
To hear such words brave Etzel / snatched in haste his shield
" Now well beware of rashness, " / cried Lady Kriemhild,
" And offer to thy warriors / gold heaped on shield full high:
If yonder Hagen reach thee, / straightway shalt thou surely die. "
2022
So high was the king's mettle / that he would not give o'er,
Which case is now full seldom / seen in high princes more;
They must by shield-strap tugging / him perforce restrain.
Grim of mood then Hagen / began him to revile again.
2023
" It was a distant kinship, " / spake Hagen, dauntless knight,
" That Etzel unto Siegfried / ever did unite,
And husband he to Kriemhild / was ere thee she knew.
Wherefore, O king faint-hearted, / seek'st thou such thing 'gainst me to do? "
2024
Thereto eke must listen / the noble monarch's spouse,
And grievously to hear it / did Kriemhild's wrath arouse.
That he 'fore men of Etzel / durst herself upbraid;
To urge them 'gainst the strangers / she once more her arts essayed.
2025
Cried she: " Of Tronje Hagen / whoso for me will slay,
And his head from body severed / here before me lay,
For him the shield of Etzel / I'll fill with ruddy gold,
Eke lands and lordly castles / I'll give him for his own to hold. "
2026
" I wot not why they tarry, " / — thus the minstrel cried;
" Ne'er saw I heroes any / so their courage hide,
When to them was offered, / like this, reward so high.
'Tis cause henceforth that Etzel / for aye to them goodwill deny. "
2027
" Who in such craven manner / do eat their master's bread,
And like caitiffs fail him / in time of greatest need,
Here see I standing many / of courage all forlorn,
Yet would be men of valor; / all time be they upheld to scorn. "
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