The Nibelungenlied
1121
There stood before the mountain / ready Kriemhild's men,
And her kinsmen with them. / The treasure bore they then
Down unto the water / where the ships they sought:
To where the Rhine flowed downward / across the waves the hoard they brought.
1122
Now of the treasure further / may ye a wonder hear:
Heavy wains a dozen / scarce the same might bear
In four days and nights together / from the mountain all away,
E'en did each one of them / thrice the journey make each day.
1123
In it was nothing other / than gold and jewels rare.
And if to every mortal / on earth were dealt a share,
Ne'er 'twould make the treasure / by one mark the less.
Not without good reason / forsooth would Hagen it possess.
1124
The wish-rod lay among them, / of gold a little wand.
Whosoe'er its powers / full might understand,
The same might make him master / o'er all the race of men.
Of Alberich's kin full many / with Gernot returned again.
1125
When they did store the treasure / in King Gunther's land,
And to royal Kriemhild / 'twas given 'neath her hand,
Storing-rooms and towers / could scarce the measure hold.
Nevermore such wonder / might of wealth again be told.
1126
And had it e'en been greater, / yea a thousandfold,
If but again might Kriemhild / safe her Siegfried hold,
Fain were she empty-handed / of all the boundless store.
Spouse than she more faithful / won a hero nevermore.
1127
When now she had the treasure, / she brought into that land
Knights many from far distance. / Yea, dealt the lady's hand
So freely that such bounty / ne'er before was seen.
High in honor held they / for her goodly heart the queen.
1128
Unto both rich and needy / began she so to give
That fearful soon grew Hagen, / if that she would live
Long time in such high power, / lest she of warriors true
Such host might win to serve her, / that cause would be her strength to rue.
1129
Spake Gunther then: / " The treasure is hers and freedom too.
Wherefore shall I prevent her, / whate'er therewith she do?
Yea, nigh she did her friendship / from me evermore withhold.
Now reck we not who shareth / or her silver or her gold. "
1130
Unto the king spake Hagen: / " No man that boasteth wit
Should to any woman / such hoard to hold permit.
By gifts she yet will bring it / that will come the day
When valiant men of Burgundy / rue it with good reason may. "
1131
Then spake the monarch Gunther: / " To her an oath I swore,
That I would cause of evil / to her be nevermore,
Whereof henceforth I'll mind me: / sister she is to me. "
Then spake further Hagen: / " Let me bear the guilt for thee. "
1132
Many they were that kept not / there their plighted word:
From the widow took they / all that mighty hoard:
Every key had Hagen / known to get in hand.
Rage filled her brother Gernot / when he the thing did understand.
1133
Then spake the knight Giselher: / " Hagen here hath wrought
Sore evil to my sister: / permit this thing I'll not.
And were he not my kinsman, / he'd pay it with his life. "
Anew did fall aweeping / then the doughty Siegfried's wife.
1134
Then spake the knight Gernot: / " Ere that forever we
Be troubled with this treasure, / let first commanded be
Deep in the Rhine to sink it, / that no man have it more. "
In sad manner plaining / Kriemhild stood Giselher before.
1135
She spake: " Beloved brother, / be mindful thou of me:
What life and treasure toucheth / shalt thou my protector be. "
Then spake he to the lady: / " That shall sure betide,
When we again come hither: / now called we are away to ride. "
1136
The monarch and his kinsmen / rode from out the land,
And in his train the bravest / ye saw on any hand:
Went all save Hagen only, / and there he stayed for hate,
That he did bear to Kriemhild, / and full gladly did he that.
1137
Ere that the mighty monarch / was thither come again,
In that while had Hagen / all that treasure ta'en.
Where Loch is by the river / all in the Rhine sank he.
He weened thereof to profit, / yet such thing might never be.
1138
The royal knights came thither / again with many a man.
Kriemhild with her maidens / and ladies then began
To mourn the wrong they suffered, / that pity was to hear.
Fain had the faithful Giselher / been unto her a comforter.
1139
Then spake they all together: / " Done hath he grievous wrong. "
But he the princes' anger / avoided yet so long
At last to win their favor / They let him live sans scathe.
Then filled thereat was Kriemhild / as ne'er before with mickle wrath.
1140
Ere that of Tronje Hagen / had hidden thus the hoard,
Had they unto each other / given firm plighted word,
That it should lie concealed / while one of them might live.
Thereof anon nor could they / to themselves nor unto other give.
1141
With renewed sorrows / heavy she was of heart
That so her dear-loved husband / perforce from life must part,
And that of wealth they reft her. / Therefor she mourned alway,
Nor ever ceased her plaining / until was come her latest day.
1142
After the death of Siegfried / dwelt she in sorrow then,
— Saith the tale all truly — / full three years and ten,
Nor in that time did ever / for the knight mourn aught the less.
To him she was right faithful, / must all the folk of her confess.
There stood before the mountain / ready Kriemhild's men,
And her kinsmen with them. / The treasure bore they then
Down unto the water / where the ships they sought:
To where the Rhine flowed downward / across the waves the hoard they brought.
1122
Now of the treasure further / may ye a wonder hear:
Heavy wains a dozen / scarce the same might bear
In four days and nights together / from the mountain all away,
E'en did each one of them / thrice the journey make each day.
1123
In it was nothing other / than gold and jewels rare.
And if to every mortal / on earth were dealt a share,
Ne'er 'twould make the treasure / by one mark the less.
Not without good reason / forsooth would Hagen it possess.
1124
The wish-rod lay among them, / of gold a little wand.
Whosoe'er its powers / full might understand,
The same might make him master / o'er all the race of men.
Of Alberich's kin full many / with Gernot returned again.
1125
When they did store the treasure / in King Gunther's land,
And to royal Kriemhild / 'twas given 'neath her hand,
Storing-rooms and towers / could scarce the measure hold.
Nevermore such wonder / might of wealth again be told.
1126
And had it e'en been greater, / yea a thousandfold,
If but again might Kriemhild / safe her Siegfried hold,
Fain were she empty-handed / of all the boundless store.
Spouse than she more faithful / won a hero nevermore.
1127
When now she had the treasure, / she brought into that land
Knights many from far distance. / Yea, dealt the lady's hand
So freely that such bounty / ne'er before was seen.
High in honor held they / for her goodly heart the queen.
1128
Unto both rich and needy / began she so to give
That fearful soon grew Hagen, / if that she would live
Long time in such high power, / lest she of warriors true
Such host might win to serve her, / that cause would be her strength to rue.
1129
Spake Gunther then: / " The treasure is hers and freedom too.
Wherefore shall I prevent her, / whate'er therewith she do?
Yea, nigh she did her friendship / from me evermore withhold.
Now reck we not who shareth / or her silver or her gold. "
1130
Unto the king spake Hagen: / " No man that boasteth wit
Should to any woman / such hoard to hold permit.
By gifts she yet will bring it / that will come the day
When valiant men of Burgundy / rue it with good reason may. "
1131
Then spake the monarch Gunther: / " To her an oath I swore,
That I would cause of evil / to her be nevermore,
Whereof henceforth I'll mind me: / sister she is to me. "
Then spake further Hagen: / " Let me bear the guilt for thee. "
1132
Many they were that kept not / there their plighted word:
From the widow took they / all that mighty hoard:
Every key had Hagen / known to get in hand.
Rage filled her brother Gernot / when he the thing did understand.
1133
Then spake the knight Giselher: / " Hagen here hath wrought
Sore evil to my sister: / permit this thing I'll not.
And were he not my kinsman, / he'd pay it with his life. "
Anew did fall aweeping / then the doughty Siegfried's wife.
1134
Then spake the knight Gernot: / " Ere that forever we
Be troubled with this treasure, / let first commanded be
Deep in the Rhine to sink it, / that no man have it more. "
In sad manner plaining / Kriemhild stood Giselher before.
1135
She spake: " Beloved brother, / be mindful thou of me:
What life and treasure toucheth / shalt thou my protector be. "
Then spake he to the lady: / " That shall sure betide,
When we again come hither: / now called we are away to ride. "
1136
The monarch and his kinsmen / rode from out the land,
And in his train the bravest / ye saw on any hand:
Went all save Hagen only, / and there he stayed for hate,
That he did bear to Kriemhild, / and full gladly did he that.
1137
Ere that the mighty monarch / was thither come again,
In that while had Hagen / all that treasure ta'en.
Where Loch is by the river / all in the Rhine sank he.
He weened thereof to profit, / yet such thing might never be.
1138
The royal knights came thither / again with many a man.
Kriemhild with her maidens / and ladies then began
To mourn the wrong they suffered, / that pity was to hear.
Fain had the faithful Giselher / been unto her a comforter.
1139
Then spake they all together: / " Done hath he grievous wrong. "
But he the princes' anger / avoided yet so long
At last to win their favor / They let him live sans scathe.
Then filled thereat was Kriemhild / as ne'er before with mickle wrath.
1140
Ere that of Tronje Hagen / had hidden thus the hoard,
Had they unto each other / given firm plighted word,
That it should lie concealed / while one of them might live.
Thereof anon nor could they / to themselves nor unto other give.
1141
With renewed sorrows / heavy she was of heart
That so her dear-loved husband / perforce from life must part,
And that of wealth they reft her. / Therefor she mourned alway,
Nor ever ceased her plaining / until was come her latest day.
1142
After the death of Siegfried / dwelt she in sorrow then,
— Saith the tale all truly — / full three years and ten,
Nor in that time did ever / for the knight mourn aught the less.
To him she was right faithful, / must all the folk of her confess.
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