The Nibelungenlied
" For my sword then reached I / and made his rage to close
With a wound all gaping: / so thou thy knight didst lose.
I'll give thee satisfaction / as to thee seemeth good. "
Straightway began the combat, / for high the twain in valor stood.
1607
" Well know I, " spake Gelfrat, / " when Gunther with his train
Rode through this my country / that we should suffer bane
From Hagen, knight of Tronje. / No more shall he go free,
But for my boatman's slaying / here a hostage must he be. "
1608
Against their shields then lowered / for the charge the spear
Gelfrat and Hagen; / eager to close they were.
Else and Dankwart / spurred eke in stately way,
Scanning each the other; / then both did valorous arm display.
1609
How might ever heroes / show doughty arm so well?
Backward from off his charger / from mighty tilt there fell
Hagen the valiant, / by Gelfrat's hand borne down.
In twain was rent the breast-piece: / to Hagen thus a fall was known.
1610
Where met in charge their followers, / did crash of shafts resound.
Risen eke was Hagen, / who erst unto the ground
Was borne by mighty lance-thrust, / prone upon the grass.
I ween that unto Gelfrat / nowise of gentle mood he was.
1611
Who held their horses' bridles / can I not recount,
But soon from out their saddles / did they all dismount
Hagen and Gelfrat / straightway did fierce engage,
And all their men around them / did eke a furious combat wage.
1612
Though with fierce onslaught Hagen / upon Gelfrat sprung,
On his shield the noble margrave / a sword so deftly swung
That a piece from off the border / 'mid flying sparks it clave.
Well-nigh beneath its fury / fell dead King Gunther's warrior brave.
1613
Unto Dankwart loudly / thereat he gan to cry:
" Help! ho! my good brother! / Encountered here have I
A knight of arm full doughty, / from whom I come not free. "
Then spake the valiant Dankwart: / " Myself thereof the judge will be. "
1614
Nearer sprang the hero / and smote him such a blow
With a keen-edged weapon / that he in death lay low.
For his slain brother Else / vengeance thought to take,
But soon with all his followers / 'mid havoc swift retreat must make.
1615
Slain was now his brother, / wound himself did bear,
And of his followers eighty / eke had fallen there,
By grim death snatched sudden. / Then must the doughty knight,
From Gunther's men to save him, / turn away in hasty flight.
1616
When that they of Bavaria / did from the carnage flee,
The blows that followed after / resounded frightfully;
For close the knights of Tronje / upon their enemies chased,
Who to escape the fury / did quit the field in mickle haste.
1617
Then spake upon their fleeing / Dankwart the doughty thane:
" Upon our way now let us / backward turn again,
And leave them hence to hasten / all wet with oozing blood.
Unto our friends return we, / this verily meseemeth good. "
1618
When back they were returned / where did the scathe befall,
Outspake of Ironje Hagen: / " Now look ye, warriors all,
Who of our tale is lacking, / or who from us hath been
Here in battle riven / through the doughty Gelfrat's spleen. "
1619
Lament they must for warriors / four from them were ta'en.
But paid for were they dearly, / for roundabout lay slain
Of their Bavarian foemen / a hundred or more.
The men of Tronje's bucklers / with blood were wet and tarnished o'er.
1620
From out the clouds of heaven / a space the bright moon shone.
Then again spake Hagen: / " Bear report let none
To my beloved masters / how we here did fare.
Let them until the morrow / still be free from aught of care. "
1621
When they were back returned / who bore the battle's stress,
Sore troubled was their company / from very weariness.
" How long shall we keep saddle? " / was many a warrior's quest.
Then spake the valiant Dankwart: / " Not yet may we find place of rest,
1622
" But on ye all must journey / till day come back again. "
Volker, knight of prowess, / who led the foremost train,
Bade to ask the marshal: / " This night where shall we be,
That rest them may our chargers, / and eke my royal masters three? "
1623
Thereto spake valiant Dankwart: / " The same I ne'er can say,
Yet may we never rest us / before the break of day.
Where then we find it fitting / we'll lay us on the grass. "
When they did hear his answer, / what source of grief to all it was!
1624
Still were they unbetrayed / by reeking blood and red,
Until the sun in heaven / its shining beams down shed
At morn across the hill-tops, / that then the king might see
How they had been in battle. / Spake he then full angrily:
1625
" How may this be, friend Hagen? / Scorned ye have, I ween,
That I should be beside you, / where coats of mail have been
Thus wet with blood upon you. / Who this thing hath done? "
Quoth he: " The same did Else, / who hath this night us set upon.
With a wound all gaping: / so thou thy knight didst lose.
I'll give thee satisfaction / as to thee seemeth good. "
Straightway began the combat, / for high the twain in valor stood.
1607
" Well know I, " spake Gelfrat, / " when Gunther with his train
Rode through this my country / that we should suffer bane
From Hagen, knight of Tronje. / No more shall he go free,
But for my boatman's slaying / here a hostage must he be. "
1608
Against their shields then lowered / for the charge the spear
Gelfrat and Hagen; / eager to close they were.
Else and Dankwart / spurred eke in stately way,
Scanning each the other; / then both did valorous arm display.
1609
How might ever heroes / show doughty arm so well?
Backward from off his charger / from mighty tilt there fell
Hagen the valiant, / by Gelfrat's hand borne down.
In twain was rent the breast-piece: / to Hagen thus a fall was known.
1610
Where met in charge their followers, / did crash of shafts resound.
Risen eke was Hagen, / who erst unto the ground
Was borne by mighty lance-thrust, / prone upon the grass.
I ween that unto Gelfrat / nowise of gentle mood he was.
1611
Who held their horses' bridles / can I not recount,
But soon from out their saddles / did they all dismount
Hagen and Gelfrat / straightway did fierce engage,
And all their men around them / did eke a furious combat wage.
1612
Though with fierce onslaught Hagen / upon Gelfrat sprung,
On his shield the noble margrave / a sword so deftly swung
That a piece from off the border / 'mid flying sparks it clave.
Well-nigh beneath its fury / fell dead King Gunther's warrior brave.
1613
Unto Dankwart loudly / thereat he gan to cry:
" Help! ho! my good brother! / Encountered here have I
A knight of arm full doughty, / from whom I come not free. "
Then spake the valiant Dankwart: / " Myself thereof the judge will be. "
1614
Nearer sprang the hero / and smote him such a blow
With a keen-edged weapon / that he in death lay low.
For his slain brother Else / vengeance thought to take,
But soon with all his followers / 'mid havoc swift retreat must make.
1615
Slain was now his brother, / wound himself did bear,
And of his followers eighty / eke had fallen there,
By grim death snatched sudden. / Then must the doughty knight,
From Gunther's men to save him, / turn away in hasty flight.
1616
When that they of Bavaria / did from the carnage flee,
The blows that followed after / resounded frightfully;
For close the knights of Tronje / upon their enemies chased,
Who to escape the fury / did quit the field in mickle haste.
1617
Then spake upon their fleeing / Dankwart the doughty thane:
" Upon our way now let us / backward turn again,
And leave them hence to hasten / all wet with oozing blood.
Unto our friends return we, / this verily meseemeth good. "
1618
When back they were returned / where did the scathe befall,
Outspake of Ironje Hagen: / " Now look ye, warriors all,
Who of our tale is lacking, / or who from us hath been
Here in battle riven / through the doughty Gelfrat's spleen. "
1619
Lament they must for warriors / four from them were ta'en.
But paid for were they dearly, / for roundabout lay slain
Of their Bavarian foemen / a hundred or more.
The men of Tronje's bucklers / with blood were wet and tarnished o'er.
1620
From out the clouds of heaven / a space the bright moon shone.
Then again spake Hagen: / " Bear report let none
To my beloved masters / how we here did fare.
Let them until the morrow / still be free from aught of care. "
1621
When they were back returned / who bore the battle's stress,
Sore troubled was their company / from very weariness.
" How long shall we keep saddle? " / was many a warrior's quest.
Then spake the valiant Dankwart: / " Not yet may we find place of rest,
1622
" But on ye all must journey / till day come back again. "
Volker, knight of prowess, / who led the foremost train,
Bade to ask the marshal: / " This night where shall we be,
That rest them may our chargers, / and eke my royal masters three? "
1623
Thereto spake valiant Dankwart: / " The same I ne'er can say,
Yet may we never rest us / before the break of day.
Where then we find it fitting / we'll lay us on the grass. "
When they did hear his answer, / what source of grief to all it was!
1624
Still were they unbetrayed / by reeking blood and red,
Until the sun in heaven / its shining beams down shed
At morn across the hill-tops, / that then the king might see
How they had been in battle. / Spake he then full angrily:
1625
" How may this be, friend Hagen? / Scorned ye have, I ween,
That I should be beside you, / where coats of mail have been
Thus wet with blood upon you. / Who this thing hath done? "
Quoth he: " The same did Else, / who hath this night us set upon.
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