Classic Poem

How the Queens Berated Each Other

814

Before the time of vespers / arose a mickle stir
On part of warriors many / upon the courtyard there.
In knightly fashion made they / the time go pleasantly;
Thither knights and ladies / went their merry play to see.

815

There did sit together / the queens, a stately pair,
And of two knights bethought them, / that noble warriors were.
Then spake the fair Kriemhild: / " Such spouse in sooth have I,
That all these mighty kingdoms / might well beneath his sceptre lie. "

816

Then spake the Lady Brunhild: / " How might such thing be?
If that there lived none other / but himself and thee,
So might perchance his power / rule these kingdoms o'er;
The while that liveth Gunther, / may such thing be nevermore. "

817

Then again spake Kriemhild: / " Behold how he doth stand
In right stately fashion / before the knightly band,
Like as the bright moon beameth / before the stars of heaven.
In sooth to think upon it / a joyous mood to me is given. "

818

Then spake the Lady Brunhild: / " How stately thy spouse be,
Howe'er so fair and worthy, / yet must thou grant to me
Gunther, thy noble brother, / doth far beyond him go:
In sooth before all monarchs / he standeth, shalt thou truly know. "

819

Then again spake Kriemhild: / " So worthy is my spouse,
That I not have praised him / here without a cause
In ways to tell full many / high honor doth he bear:
Believe well may'st thou, Brunhild, / he is the royal Gunther's peer. "

820

" Now guard thee, Lady Kriemhild, / my word amiss to take,
For not without good reason here / such thing I spake.
Both heard I say together, / when them I first did see,
When that erstwhile the monarch / did work his royal will o'er me,

821

And when in knightly fashion / my love for him he won,
Then himself said Siegfried / he were the monarch's man.
For liegeman thus I hold him, / since he the same did say. "
Then spake fair Lady Kriemhild: / " With me 'twere dealt in sorry way.

822

" And these my noble brothers, / how could they such thing see,
That I of their own liegeman / e'er the wife should be?
Thus will I beg thee, Brunhild, / as friend to friend doth owe,
That thou, as well befits thee, / shalt further here such words forego. "

823

" No whit will I give over, " / spake the monarch's spouse.
" Wherefore should I so many / a knight full valiant lose,
Who to us in service / is bounden with thy man? "
Kriemhild the fair lady / thereat sore to rage began.

824

" In sooth must thou forego it / that he should e'er to thee
Aught of service offer. / More worthy e'en is he
Than is my brother Gunther, / who is a royal lord.
So shalt thou please to spare me / what I now from thee have heard.

825

" And to me is ever wonder, / since he thy liegeman is,
And thou dost wield such power / over us twain as this,
That he so long his tribute / to thee hath failed to pay.
'Twere well thy haughty humor / thou should'st no longer here display. "

826

" Too lofty now thou soarest, " / the queen did make reply.
" Now will I see full gladly / if in such honor high
This folk doth hold thy person / as mine own it doth. "
Of mood full sorely wrathful / were the royal ladies both.

827

Then spake the Lady Kriemhild: / " That straightway shall be seen.
Since that thou my husband / dost thy liegeman ween,
To-day shall all the followers / of both the monarchs know,
If I 'fore wife of monarch / dare unto the minster go.

828

" That I free-born and noble / shalt thou this day behold,
And that my royal husband, / as now to thee I've told,
'Fore thine doth stand in honor, / by me shall well be shown.
Ere night shalt thou behold it, / how wife of him thou call'st thine own.

829

To court shall lead good warriors / in the land of Burgundy.
And ne'er a queen so lofty / as I myself shall be
Was seen by e'er a mortal, / or yet a crown did wear. "
Then mickle was the anger / that rose betwixt the ladies there.

830

Then again spake Brunhild: / " Wilt thou not service own,
So must thou with thy women / hold thyself alone
Apart from all my following, / as we to minster go. "
Thereto gave answer Kriemhild: / " In truth the same I fain will do. "

831

" Now dress ye fair, my maidens, " / Kriemhild gave command.
" Nor shall shame befall me / here within this land.
An have ye fair apparel, / let now be seen by you.
What she here hath boasted / may Brunhild have full cause to rue. "

832

But little need to urge them: / soon were they richly clad
In garments wrought full deftly, / lady and many a maid.
Then went with her attendants / the spouse of the monarch high;
And eke appeared fair Kriemhild, / her body decked full gorgeously,

833

With three and forty maidens, / whom to the Rhine led she,
All clad in shining garments / wrought in Araby.
So came unto the minster / the maidens fair and tall.
Before the hall did tarry / for them the men of Siegfried all.