The Nibelungenlied
710
The train of strangers bade they / 'fore Siegmund's Hall to lead,
And maidens fair a many / down from gallant steed
Helped they there dismounting. / Full many a man was there
To do them willing service / as was meet for ladies fair.
711
How great soe'er the splendor / erstwhile beside the Rhine,
Here none the less was given / raiment yet more fine,
Nor were they e'er attired / in all their days so well.
Full many a wonder might I / of their rich apparel tell.
712
How there in state resplendent / they sat and had full store,
And how each high attendant / gold-broidered raiment wore,
With stones full rare and precious / set with skill therein!
The while with care did serve them / Siegelind the noble queen.
713
Then spake the royal Siegmund / before his people so:
" To every friend of Siegfried / give I now to know
That he before these warriors / my royal crown shall wear. "
And did rejoice that message / the thanes of Netherland to hear.
714
His crown to him he tendered / and rule o'er wide domain
Whereof he all was master. / Where'er did reach his reign
Or men were subject to him / bestowed his hand such care
That evil-doers trembled / before the spouse of Kriemhild fair.
715
In such high honor truly / he lived, as ye shall hear,
And judged as lofty monarch / unto the tenth year,
What time his fairest lady / to him a son did bear.
Thereat the monarch's kinsmen / filled with mickle joyance were.
716
They soon the same did christen / and gave to him a name,
Gunther, as hight his uncle, / nor cause was that for shame:
Grew he but like his kinsmen / then happy might he be.
As well he did deserve it, / him fostered they right carefully.
717
In the selfsame season / did Lady Siegelind die,
When was full power wielded / by Ute's daughter high,
As meet so lofty lady / should homage wide receive.
That death her thus had taken / did many a worthy kinsman grieve.
718
Now by the Rhine yonder, / as we likewise hear,
Unto mighty Gunther / eke a son did bear
Brunhild his fair lady / in the land of Burgundy.
In honor to the hero / Siegfried named eke was he.
719
The child they also fostered / with what tender care!
Gunther the noble monarch / anon did masters rare
Find who should instruct him / a worthy man to grow.
Alas! by sad misfortune / to friends was dealt how fell a blow!
720
At all times the story / far abroad was told,
How that in right worthy / way the warriors bold
Lived there in Siegmund's country / as noble knights should do.
Likewise did royal Gunther / eke amid his kinsmen true.
721
Land of the Nibelungen / Siegfried as well did own,
— Amid his lofty kindred / a mightier ne'er was known —
And Schilbung's knights did serve him, / with all that theirs had been.
That great was thus his power / did fill with joy the knight full keen.
722
Hoard of all the greatest / that hero ever won,
Save who erstwhile did wield it, / now the knight did own,
The which before a mountain / he seized against despite,
And for whose sake he further / slew full many a gallant knight.
723
Naught more his heart could wish for; / yet had his might been less,
Rightly must all people / of the high knight confess,
One was he of the worthiest / that e'er bestrode a steed.
Feared was his mickle prowess, / and, sooth to say, thereof was need.
The train of strangers bade they / 'fore Siegmund's Hall to lead,
And maidens fair a many / down from gallant steed
Helped they there dismounting. / Full many a man was there
To do them willing service / as was meet for ladies fair.
711
How great soe'er the splendor / erstwhile beside the Rhine,
Here none the less was given / raiment yet more fine,
Nor were they e'er attired / in all their days so well.
Full many a wonder might I / of their rich apparel tell.
712
How there in state resplendent / they sat and had full store,
And how each high attendant / gold-broidered raiment wore,
With stones full rare and precious / set with skill therein!
The while with care did serve them / Siegelind the noble queen.
713
Then spake the royal Siegmund / before his people so:
" To every friend of Siegfried / give I now to know
That he before these warriors / my royal crown shall wear. "
And did rejoice that message / the thanes of Netherland to hear.
714
His crown to him he tendered / and rule o'er wide domain
Whereof he all was master. / Where'er did reach his reign
Or men were subject to him / bestowed his hand such care
That evil-doers trembled / before the spouse of Kriemhild fair.
715
In such high honor truly / he lived, as ye shall hear,
And judged as lofty monarch / unto the tenth year,
What time his fairest lady / to him a son did bear.
Thereat the monarch's kinsmen / filled with mickle joyance were.
716
They soon the same did christen / and gave to him a name,
Gunther, as hight his uncle, / nor cause was that for shame:
Grew he but like his kinsmen / then happy might he be.
As well he did deserve it, / him fostered they right carefully.
717
In the selfsame season / did Lady Siegelind die,
When was full power wielded / by Ute's daughter high,
As meet so lofty lady / should homage wide receive.
That death her thus had taken / did many a worthy kinsman grieve.
718
Now by the Rhine yonder, / as we likewise hear,
Unto mighty Gunther / eke a son did bear
Brunhild his fair lady / in the land of Burgundy.
In honor to the hero / Siegfried named eke was he.
719
The child they also fostered / with what tender care!
Gunther the noble monarch / anon did masters rare
Find who should instruct him / a worthy man to grow.
Alas! by sad misfortune / to friends was dealt how fell a blow!
720
At all times the story / far abroad was told,
How that in right worthy / way the warriors bold
Lived there in Siegmund's country / as noble knights should do.
Likewise did royal Gunther / eke amid his kinsmen true.
721
Land of the Nibelungen / Siegfried as well did own,
— Amid his lofty kindred / a mightier ne'er was known —
And Schilbung's knights did serve him, / with all that theirs had been.
That great was thus his power / did fill with joy the knight full keen.
722
Hoard of all the greatest / that hero ever won,
Save who erstwhile did wield it, / now the knight did own,
The which before a mountain / he seized against despite,
And for whose sake he further / slew full many a gallant knight.
723
Naught more his heart could wish for; / yet had his might been less,
Rightly must all people / of the high knight confess,
One was he of the worthiest / that e'er bestrode a steed.
Feared was his mickle prowess, / and, sooth to say, thereof was need.
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