The Nibelungenlied
469
Into the spacious palace / with her thence to go
Bade she the noble monarch / When they had done so,
Then still greater honors / unto the knight were shown.
Dankwart and Hagen, / right willingly they saw it done.
470
Siegfried the valiant, / by no means was he slow,
His sightless mantle did he / away in safety stow.
Then went he again thither / where many a lady sat.
He spake unto the monarch — / full cunningly was done all that:
471
" Why bidest thus, my master? / Wilt not the play begin,
To which so oft hath challenged / thee the noble queen?
Let us soon have example / what may the trial be. "
As knew he naught about it, / did the knight thus cunningly.
472
Then spake the queen unto him: / " How hath this ever been,
That of the play, Sir Siegfried, / nothing thou hast seen,
Wherein hath been the victor / Gunther with mighty hand? "
Thereto gave answer Hagen / a grim knight of Burgundian land.
473
Spake he: " There dost thou, Lady, / think ill without a cause:
By the ship down yonder / the noble Siegfried was,
The while the lord of Rhineland / in play did vanquish thee:
Thus knows he nothing of it, " / spake Gunther's warrior courteously.
474
" A joy to me these tidings, " / the doughty Siegfried spoke,
" That so thy haughty spirit / is brought beneath the yoke,
And that yet one there liveth / master to be of thine.
Now shalt thou, noble maiden, / us follow thither to the Rhine. "
475
Then spake the maiden shapely: / " It may not yet be so.
All my men and kindred / first the same must know.
In sooth not all so lightly / can I quit my home.
First must I bid my trusty / warriors that they hither come. "
476
Then bade she messengers / quickly forth to ride,
And summoned in her kindred / and men from every side.
Without delay she prayed them / to come to Isenstein,
And bade them all be given / fit apparel rare and fine.
477
Then might ye see daily / 'twixt morn and eventide
Unto Brunhild's castle / many a knight to ride.
" God wot, God wot, " quoth Hagen, / " we do an evil thing,
To tarry here while Brunhild / doth thus her men together bring.
478
" If now into this country / their good men they've brought
— What thing the queen intendeth / thereof know we naught:
Belike her wrath ariseth, / and we are men forlorn —
Then to be our ruin / were the noble maiden born. "
479
Then spake the doughty Siegfried: / " That matter leave to me.
Whereof thou now art fearful, / I'll never let it be.
Ready help I'll bring thee / hither unto this land,
Knights of whom thou wotst not / till now I'll bring, a chosen band.
480
" Of me shalt thou ask not: / from hence will I fare.
May God of thy good honor / meanwhile have a care.
I come again right quickly / with a thousand men for thee,
The very best of warriors / hitherto are known to me. "
481
" Then tarry not unduly, " / thus the monarch said.
" Glad we are full fairly / of this thy timely aid. "
He spake: " Till I come to thee / full short shall be my stay.
That thou thyself hast sent me / shalt thou unto Brunhild say. "
Into the spacious palace / with her thence to go
Bade she the noble monarch / When they had done so,
Then still greater honors / unto the knight were shown.
Dankwart and Hagen, / right willingly they saw it done.
470
Siegfried the valiant, / by no means was he slow,
His sightless mantle did he / away in safety stow.
Then went he again thither / where many a lady sat.
He spake unto the monarch — / full cunningly was done all that:
471
" Why bidest thus, my master? / Wilt not the play begin,
To which so oft hath challenged / thee the noble queen?
Let us soon have example / what may the trial be. "
As knew he naught about it, / did the knight thus cunningly.
472
Then spake the queen unto him: / " How hath this ever been,
That of the play, Sir Siegfried, / nothing thou hast seen,
Wherein hath been the victor / Gunther with mighty hand? "
Thereto gave answer Hagen / a grim knight of Burgundian land.
473
Spake he: " There dost thou, Lady, / think ill without a cause:
By the ship down yonder / the noble Siegfried was,
The while the lord of Rhineland / in play did vanquish thee:
Thus knows he nothing of it, " / spake Gunther's warrior courteously.
474
" A joy to me these tidings, " / the doughty Siegfried spoke,
" That so thy haughty spirit / is brought beneath the yoke,
And that yet one there liveth / master to be of thine.
Now shalt thou, noble maiden, / us follow thither to the Rhine. "
475
Then spake the maiden shapely: / " It may not yet be so.
All my men and kindred / first the same must know.
In sooth not all so lightly / can I quit my home.
First must I bid my trusty / warriors that they hither come. "
476
Then bade she messengers / quickly forth to ride,
And summoned in her kindred / and men from every side.
Without delay she prayed them / to come to Isenstein,
And bade them all be given / fit apparel rare and fine.
477
Then might ye see daily / 'twixt morn and eventide
Unto Brunhild's castle / many a knight to ride.
" God wot, God wot, " quoth Hagen, / " we do an evil thing,
To tarry here while Brunhild / doth thus her men together bring.
478
" If now into this country / their good men they've brought
— What thing the queen intendeth / thereof know we naught:
Belike her wrath ariseth, / and we are men forlorn —
Then to be our ruin / were the noble maiden born. "
479
Then spake the doughty Siegfried: / " That matter leave to me.
Whereof thou now art fearful, / I'll never let it be.
Ready help I'll bring thee / hither unto this land,
Knights of whom thou wotst not / till now I'll bring, a chosen band.
480
" Of me shalt thou ask not: / from hence will I fare.
May God of thy good honor / meanwhile have a care.
I come again right quickly / with a thousand men for thee,
The very best of warriors / hitherto are known to me. "
481
" Then tarry not unduly, " / thus the monarch said.
" Glad we are full fairly / of this thy timely aid. "
He spake: " Till I come to thee / full short shall be my stay.
That thou thyself hast sent me / shalt thou unto Brunhild say. "
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