The Nibelungenlied
239
" With captives home they're hieing, / five hundred men or mo',
And of the wounded dying / Lady shalt thou know,
Full eighty blood-stained barrows / unto Burgundian land,
Most part hewn down in battle / beneath keen Siegfried's doughty hand.
240
" Who message sent defiant / unto the Rhine so late
Must now as Gunther's prisoners / here abide their fate.
Bringing such noble captives / the victors glad return. "
Then glowed with joy the princess / when she the tidings glad did learn.
241
Her cheeks so full of beauty / with joy were rosy-red,
That passed he had uninjured / through all the dangers dread,
The knight she loved so dearly, / Siegfried with doughty arm.
Good cause she had for joying / o'er all her friends escaped from harm.
242
Then spake the beauteous maiden: / " Glad news thou hast told me,
Wherefor now rich apparel / thy goodly meed shall be,
And to thee shall be given / ten marks of gold as well. "
'Tis thus a thing right pleasant / to ladies high such news to tell.
243
The presents rich they gave him, / gold and apparel rare.
Then hastened to the casement / full many a maiden fair,
And on the street looked downward: / hither riding did they see
Many a knight high-hearted / into the land of Burgundy.
244
There came who 'scaped uninjured, / and wounded borne along,
All glad to hear the greetings / of friends, a joyful throng.
To meet his friends the monarch / rode out in mickle glee:
In joying now was ended / all his full great anxiety.
245
Then did he well his warriors / and eke the strangers greet;
And for a king so mighty / 'twere nothing else but meet
That he should thank right kindly / the gallant men each one,
Who had in storm of battle / the victory so bravely won.
246
Then of his friends King Gunther / bade tidings tell straightway,
Of all his men how many / were fallen in the fray.
Lost had he none other / than warriors three score:
Then wept they for the heroes, / as since they did for many more.
247
Shields full many brought they / all hewn by valiant hand,
And many a shattered helmet / into King Gunther's hand.
The riders then dismounted / from their steeds before the hall,
And a right hearty welcome / from friends rejoicing had they all.
248
Then did they for the warriors / lodging meet prepare,
And for his guests the monarch / bade full well have care.
He bade them take the wounded / and tend them carefully,
And toward his enemies also / his gentle bearing might ye see.
249
To Luedeger then spake he: / " Right welcome art thou here.
Through fault of thine now have I / lost many friends full dear,
For which, have I good fortune, / thou shall right well atone.
God rich reward my liegemen, / such faithfulness to me they've shown. "
250
" Well may'st thou thank them, truly, " / spake then Luedeger;
" Hostages so noble / won a monarch ne'er.
For chivalrous protection / rich goods we offer thee,
That thou now right gracious / to us thy enemies shalt be. "
251
" I'll grant you both your freedom, " / spake the king again;
" But that my enemies surely / here by me remain,
Therefor I'll have good pledges / they ne'er shall quit my land,
Save at my royal pleasure. " / Thereto gave Luedeger the hand.
252
Sweet rest then found the weary / their tired limbs to aid,
And gently soon on couches / the wounded knights were laid;
Mead and wine right ruddy / they poured out plenteously:
Than they and all their followers / merrier men there none might be.
253
Their shields all hacked in battle / secure were laid away;
And not a few of saddles / stained with blood that day,
Lest women weep to see them, / hid they too from sight.
Full many a keen rider / home came aweary from the fight.
254
The host in gentlest manner / did his guests attend:
The land around with stranger / was crowded, and with friend.
They bade the sorely wounded / nurse with especial care:
Whereby the knights high-hearted / 'neath all their wounds knew not despair.
255
Who there had skill in healing / received reward untold,
Silver all unweighed / and thereto ruddy gold
For making whole the heroes / after the battle sore.
To all his friends the monarch / gave presents rich in goodly store.
256
Who there again was minded / to take his homeward way
They bade, as one a friend doth, / yet a while to stay
The king did then take counsel / how to reward each one,
For they his will in battle / like liegemen true had nobly done.
257
Then outspake royal Gernot: / " Now let them homeward go;
After six weeks are over, / — thus our friends shall know —
To hold high feast they're bidden / hither to come again;
Many a knight now lying / sore wounded will be healed ere then.
258
Of Netherland the hero / would also then take leave.
When of this King Gunther / did tidings first receive,
The knight besought he kindly / not yet his leave to take:
To this he'd ne'er consented / an it were not for Kriemhild's sake.
259
A prince he was too noble / to take the common pay;
He had right well deserved it / that the king alway
And all his warriors held him / in honor, for they had seen
What by his arm in battle / bravely had accomplished been.
260
He stayed there yet a little / for the maiden's sake alone,
Whom he would see so gladly. / And all fell out full soon
As he at heart had wished it: / well known to him was she.
Home to his father's country / joyously anon rode he.
261
The king bade at all seasons / keep up the tournament,
And many a youthful rider / forth to the lists there went.
The while were seats made ready / by Worms upon the strand
For all who soon were coming / unto the Burgundian land.
262
In the meantime also, / ere back the knights returned,
Had Kriemhild, noble lady, / the tidings likewise learned,
The king would hold high feasting / with all his gallant men.
There was a mickle hurry, / and busy were fair maidens then
263
With dresses and with wimples / that they there should wear.
Ute, queen so stately, / the story too did hear,
How to them were coming / proud knights of highest worth.
Then from enfolding covers / were store of dresses rich brought forth.
264
Such love she bore her children / she bade rich dress prepare,
Wherewith adorned were ladies / and many a maiden fair,
And not a few young riders / in the land of Burgundy.
For strangers many bade she / rich garments eke should measured be.
" With captives home they're hieing, / five hundred men or mo',
And of the wounded dying / Lady shalt thou know,
Full eighty blood-stained barrows / unto Burgundian land,
Most part hewn down in battle / beneath keen Siegfried's doughty hand.
240
" Who message sent defiant / unto the Rhine so late
Must now as Gunther's prisoners / here abide their fate.
Bringing such noble captives / the victors glad return. "
Then glowed with joy the princess / when she the tidings glad did learn.
241
Her cheeks so full of beauty / with joy were rosy-red,
That passed he had uninjured / through all the dangers dread,
The knight she loved so dearly, / Siegfried with doughty arm.
Good cause she had for joying / o'er all her friends escaped from harm.
242
Then spake the beauteous maiden: / " Glad news thou hast told me,
Wherefor now rich apparel / thy goodly meed shall be,
And to thee shall be given / ten marks of gold as well. "
'Tis thus a thing right pleasant / to ladies high such news to tell.
243
The presents rich they gave him, / gold and apparel rare.
Then hastened to the casement / full many a maiden fair,
And on the street looked downward: / hither riding did they see
Many a knight high-hearted / into the land of Burgundy.
244
There came who 'scaped uninjured, / and wounded borne along,
All glad to hear the greetings / of friends, a joyful throng.
To meet his friends the monarch / rode out in mickle glee:
In joying now was ended / all his full great anxiety.
245
Then did he well his warriors / and eke the strangers greet;
And for a king so mighty / 'twere nothing else but meet
That he should thank right kindly / the gallant men each one,
Who had in storm of battle / the victory so bravely won.
246
Then of his friends King Gunther / bade tidings tell straightway,
Of all his men how many / were fallen in the fray.
Lost had he none other / than warriors three score:
Then wept they for the heroes, / as since they did for many more.
247
Shields full many brought they / all hewn by valiant hand,
And many a shattered helmet / into King Gunther's hand.
The riders then dismounted / from their steeds before the hall,
And a right hearty welcome / from friends rejoicing had they all.
248
Then did they for the warriors / lodging meet prepare,
And for his guests the monarch / bade full well have care.
He bade them take the wounded / and tend them carefully,
And toward his enemies also / his gentle bearing might ye see.
249
To Luedeger then spake he: / " Right welcome art thou here.
Through fault of thine now have I / lost many friends full dear,
For which, have I good fortune, / thou shall right well atone.
God rich reward my liegemen, / such faithfulness to me they've shown. "
250
" Well may'st thou thank them, truly, " / spake then Luedeger;
" Hostages so noble / won a monarch ne'er.
For chivalrous protection / rich goods we offer thee,
That thou now right gracious / to us thy enemies shalt be. "
251
" I'll grant you both your freedom, " / spake the king again;
" But that my enemies surely / here by me remain,
Therefor I'll have good pledges / they ne'er shall quit my land,
Save at my royal pleasure. " / Thereto gave Luedeger the hand.
252
Sweet rest then found the weary / their tired limbs to aid,
And gently soon on couches / the wounded knights were laid;
Mead and wine right ruddy / they poured out plenteously:
Than they and all their followers / merrier men there none might be.
253
Their shields all hacked in battle / secure were laid away;
And not a few of saddles / stained with blood that day,
Lest women weep to see them, / hid they too from sight.
Full many a keen rider / home came aweary from the fight.
254
The host in gentlest manner / did his guests attend:
The land around with stranger / was crowded, and with friend.
They bade the sorely wounded / nurse with especial care:
Whereby the knights high-hearted / 'neath all their wounds knew not despair.
255
Who there had skill in healing / received reward untold,
Silver all unweighed / and thereto ruddy gold
For making whole the heroes / after the battle sore.
To all his friends the monarch / gave presents rich in goodly store.
256
Who there again was minded / to take his homeward way
They bade, as one a friend doth, / yet a while to stay
The king did then take counsel / how to reward each one,
For they his will in battle / like liegemen true had nobly done.
257
Then outspake royal Gernot: / " Now let them homeward go;
After six weeks are over, / — thus our friends shall know —
To hold high feast they're bidden / hither to come again;
Many a knight now lying / sore wounded will be healed ere then.
258
Of Netherland the hero / would also then take leave.
When of this King Gunther / did tidings first receive,
The knight besought he kindly / not yet his leave to take:
To this he'd ne'er consented / an it were not for Kriemhild's sake.
259
A prince he was too noble / to take the common pay;
He had right well deserved it / that the king alway
And all his warriors held him / in honor, for they had seen
What by his arm in battle / bravely had accomplished been.
260
He stayed there yet a little / for the maiden's sake alone,
Whom he would see so gladly. / And all fell out full soon
As he at heart had wished it: / well known to him was she.
Home to his father's country / joyously anon rode he.
261
The king bade at all seasons / keep up the tournament,
And many a youthful rider / forth to the lists there went.
The while were seats made ready / by Worms upon the strand
For all who soon were coming / unto the Burgundian land.
262
In the meantime also, / ere back the knights returned,
Had Kriemhild, noble lady, / the tidings likewise learned,
The king would hold high feasting / with all his gallant men.
There was a mickle hurry, / and busy were fair maidens then
263
With dresses and with wimples / that they there should wear.
Ute, queen so stately, / the story too did hear,
How to them were coming / proud knights of highest worth.
Then from enfolding covers / were store of dresses rich brought forth.
264
Such love she bore her children / she bade rich dress prepare,
Wherewith adorned were ladies / and many a maiden fair,
And not a few young riders / in the land of Burgundy.
For strangers many bade she / rich garments eke should measured be.
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