The Nibelungenlied
502
The giant and Alberich / straightway he unbound.
Then ran Alberich quickly / where the knights he found.
The warriors of Nibelung / he wakened full of fear.
Quoth he: " Be up, ye heroes, / before Siegfried shall ye appear. "
503
From their couches sprang they / and ready were full soon,
Clothed well in armor / a thousand warriors boon,
And went where they found standing / Siegfried their lord
Then was a mickle greeting / courteously in act and word.
504
Candles many were lighted, / and sparkling wine he drank
That they came so quickly, / therefor he all did thank.
Quoth he: " Now shall ye with me / from hence across the flood. "
Thereto he found full ready / the heroes valiant and good.
505
Good thirty hundred warriors / soon had hither pressed,
From whom were then a thousand / taken of the best.
For them were brought their helmets / and what they else did need
For unto Brunhild's country / would he straightway the warriors lead.
506
He spake: " Ye goodly nobles, / that would I have you hear,
In full costly raiment / shall ye at court appear,
For yonder must there see us / full many a fair lady.
Therefore shall your bodies / dight in good apparel be. "
507
Upon a morning early / went they on their way.
What host of brave companions / bore Siegfried company!
Good steeds took they with them / and garments rich to wear,
And did in courtly fashion / unto Brunhild's country fare.
508
As gazed from lofty parapet / women fair to see,
Spake the queen unto them: / " Knows any who they be,
Whom I see yonder sailing / upon the sea afar?
Rich sails their ships do carry, / whiter than snow they are. "
509
Then spake the king of Rhineland: / " My good men they are,
That on my journey hither / left I lying near.
I've sent to call them to me: / now are they come, O Queen. "
With full great amazing / were the stately strangers seen.
510
There saw they Siegfried / out on the ship's prow stand
Clad in costly raiment, / and with him his good band.
Then spake Queen Brunhild: / " Good monarch, let me know,
Shall I go forth to greet them, / or shall I greetings high forego? "
511
He spake: " Thou shalt to meet them / before the palace go,
So that we see them gladly / they may surely know. "
Then did the royal lady / fulfil the king's behest.
Yet Siegfried in the greeting / was not honored with the rest.
512
Lodgings were made ready / and their armor ta'en in hand.
Then was such host of strangers / come into that land,
On all sides they jostled / from the great company.
Then would the knights full valiant / homeward fare to Burgundy.
513
Then spake Queen Brunhild: / " In favor would I hold
Who might now apportion / my silver and my gold
To my guests and the monarch's, / for goodly store I have. "
Thereto an answer Dankwart, / Giselher's good warrior, gave:
514
" Full noble royal Lady, / give me the keys to hold.
I trow I'll so divide it, " / spake the warrior bold,
" If blame there be about it, / that shall be mine alone. "
That he was not a niggard, / beyond a doubt he soon had shown.
515
When now Hagen's brother / the treasure did command,
So many a lavish bounty / dealt out the hero's hand,
Whoso mark did covet, / to him was given such store
That all who once were poor men / might joyous live for evermore.
516
In sooth good pounds a hundred / gave he to each and all
A host in costly raiment / were seen before the hall,
Who in equal splendor / ne'er before were clad.
When the queen did hear it, / verily her heart was sad.
517
Then spake the royal lady: / " Good King, it little needs,
That now thy chamberlain / of all my stately weeds
Leave no whit remaining, / and squander clean my gold.
Would any yet prevent it, / him would I aye in favor hold.
518
" He deals with hand so lavish, / in sooth doth ween the thane
That death I've hither summoned; / but longer I'll remain.
Eke trow I well to spend all / my sire hath left to me. "
Ne'er found queen a chamberlain / of such passing generosity.
519
Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / " Lady, be thou told,
That the king of Rhineland / raiment hath and gold
So plenteous to lavish / that we may well forego
To carry with us homeward / aught that Brunhild can bestow. "
520
" No; as high ye hold me, " / spake the queen again,
" Let me now have filled / coffers twice times ten
Of gold and silken raiment, / that may deal out my hand,
When that we come over / into royal Gunther's land. "
521
Then with precious jewels / the coffers they filled for her.
The while her own chamberlain / must be standing near:
For no whit would she trust it / unto Giselher's man.
Whereat Gunther and Hagen / heartily to laugh began.
522
Then spake the royal lady: / " To whom leave I my lands?
First must they now be given / in charge from out our hands. "
Then spake the noble monarch: / " Whomsoe'er it pleaseth thee,
Bid him now come hither, / the same we'll let our Warden be. "
523
One of her highest kindred / near by the lady spied,
— He was her mother's brother — / to him thus spake the maid:
" Now be to thee entrusted / the castles and eke the land,
Until that here shall govern / Gunther the king by his own hand. "
524
Trusty knights two thousand / from her company
Chose she to journey with her / unto Burgundy,
Beyond those thousand warriors / from Nibelungenland.
They made ready for the journey, / and downward rode unto the strand.
525
Six and eighty ladies / led they thence with her,
Thereto good hundred maidens / that full beauteous were.
They tarried no whit longer, / for they to part were fain.
Of those they left behind them, / O how they all to weep began!
526
In high befitting fashion / quitted she her land:
She kissed of nearest kindred / all who round did stand.
After fair leave-taking / they went upon the sea.
Back to her father's country / came never more that fair lady.
527
Then heard you on the journey / many a kind of play:
Every pleasant pastime / in plenty had they.
Soon had they for their journey / a wind from proper art:
So with full great rejoicing / did they from that land depart.
528
Yet would she on the journey / not be the monarch's spouse:
But was their pleasant pastime / reserved for his own house
At Worms within his castle / at a high festival,
Whither anon full joyous / came they with their warriors all.
The giant and Alberich / straightway he unbound.
Then ran Alberich quickly / where the knights he found.
The warriors of Nibelung / he wakened full of fear.
Quoth he: " Be up, ye heroes, / before Siegfried shall ye appear. "
503
From their couches sprang they / and ready were full soon,
Clothed well in armor / a thousand warriors boon,
And went where they found standing / Siegfried their lord
Then was a mickle greeting / courteously in act and word.
504
Candles many were lighted, / and sparkling wine he drank
That they came so quickly, / therefor he all did thank.
Quoth he: " Now shall ye with me / from hence across the flood. "
Thereto he found full ready / the heroes valiant and good.
505
Good thirty hundred warriors / soon had hither pressed,
From whom were then a thousand / taken of the best.
For them were brought their helmets / and what they else did need
For unto Brunhild's country / would he straightway the warriors lead.
506
He spake: " Ye goodly nobles, / that would I have you hear,
In full costly raiment / shall ye at court appear,
For yonder must there see us / full many a fair lady.
Therefore shall your bodies / dight in good apparel be. "
507
Upon a morning early / went they on their way.
What host of brave companions / bore Siegfried company!
Good steeds took they with them / and garments rich to wear,
And did in courtly fashion / unto Brunhild's country fare.
508
As gazed from lofty parapet / women fair to see,
Spake the queen unto them: / " Knows any who they be,
Whom I see yonder sailing / upon the sea afar?
Rich sails their ships do carry, / whiter than snow they are. "
509
Then spake the king of Rhineland: / " My good men they are,
That on my journey hither / left I lying near.
I've sent to call them to me: / now are they come, O Queen. "
With full great amazing / were the stately strangers seen.
510
There saw they Siegfried / out on the ship's prow stand
Clad in costly raiment, / and with him his good band.
Then spake Queen Brunhild: / " Good monarch, let me know,
Shall I go forth to greet them, / or shall I greetings high forego? "
511
He spake: " Thou shalt to meet them / before the palace go,
So that we see them gladly / they may surely know. "
Then did the royal lady / fulfil the king's behest.
Yet Siegfried in the greeting / was not honored with the rest.
512
Lodgings were made ready / and their armor ta'en in hand.
Then was such host of strangers / come into that land,
On all sides they jostled / from the great company.
Then would the knights full valiant / homeward fare to Burgundy.
513
Then spake Queen Brunhild: / " In favor would I hold
Who might now apportion / my silver and my gold
To my guests and the monarch's, / for goodly store I have. "
Thereto an answer Dankwart, / Giselher's good warrior, gave:
514
" Full noble royal Lady, / give me the keys to hold.
I trow I'll so divide it, " / spake the warrior bold,
" If blame there be about it, / that shall be mine alone. "
That he was not a niggard, / beyond a doubt he soon had shown.
515
When now Hagen's brother / the treasure did command,
So many a lavish bounty / dealt out the hero's hand,
Whoso mark did covet, / to him was given such store
That all who once were poor men / might joyous live for evermore.
516
In sooth good pounds a hundred / gave he to each and all
A host in costly raiment / were seen before the hall,
Who in equal splendor / ne'er before were clad.
When the queen did hear it, / verily her heart was sad.
517
Then spake the royal lady: / " Good King, it little needs,
That now thy chamberlain / of all my stately weeds
Leave no whit remaining, / and squander clean my gold.
Would any yet prevent it, / him would I aye in favor hold.
518
" He deals with hand so lavish, / in sooth doth ween the thane
That death I've hither summoned; / but longer I'll remain.
Eke trow I well to spend all / my sire hath left to me. "
Ne'er found queen a chamberlain / of such passing generosity.
519
Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / " Lady, be thou told,
That the king of Rhineland / raiment hath and gold
So plenteous to lavish / that we may well forego
To carry with us homeward / aught that Brunhild can bestow. "
520
" No; as high ye hold me, " / spake the queen again,
" Let me now have filled / coffers twice times ten
Of gold and silken raiment, / that may deal out my hand,
When that we come over / into royal Gunther's land. "
521
Then with precious jewels / the coffers they filled for her.
The while her own chamberlain / must be standing near:
For no whit would she trust it / unto Giselher's man.
Whereat Gunther and Hagen / heartily to laugh began.
522
Then spake the royal lady: / " To whom leave I my lands?
First must they now be given / in charge from out our hands. "
Then spake the noble monarch: / " Whomsoe'er it pleaseth thee,
Bid him now come hither, / the same we'll let our Warden be. "
523
One of her highest kindred / near by the lady spied,
— He was her mother's brother — / to him thus spake the maid:
" Now be to thee entrusted / the castles and eke the land,
Until that here shall govern / Gunther the king by his own hand. "
524
Trusty knights two thousand / from her company
Chose she to journey with her / unto Burgundy,
Beyond those thousand warriors / from Nibelungenland.
They made ready for the journey, / and downward rode unto the strand.
525
Six and eighty ladies / led they thence with her,
Thereto good hundred maidens / that full beauteous were.
They tarried no whit longer, / for they to part were fain.
Of those they left behind them, / O how they all to weep began!
526
In high befitting fashion / quitted she her land:
She kissed of nearest kindred / all who round did stand.
After fair leave-taking / they went upon the sea.
Back to her father's country / came never more that fair lady.
527
Then heard you on the journey / many a kind of play:
Every pleasant pastime / in plenty had they.
Soon had they for their journey / a wind from proper art:
So with full great rejoicing / did they from that land depart.
528
Yet would she on the journey / not be the monarch's spouse:
But was their pleasant pastime / reserved for his own house
At Worms within his castle / at a high festival,
Whither anon full joyous / came they with their warriors all.
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