Classic Poem

1183

Hagen of Tronje, / with voice full loud spake he:
" Unto these thanes full noble / a hearty welcome be,
To the lord of Bechelaren / and his men every one. "
Thereat was fitting honor / done to every valiant Hun.

1184

The monarch's nearest kinsmen / went forth the guests to meet.
Of Metz the knight Sir Ortwein / Ruediger thus did greet:
" The while our life hath lasted, / never yet hath guest
Here been seen so gladly: / be that in very truth confessed. "

1185

For that greeting thanked they / the brave knights one and all.
With train of high attendants / they passed unto the hall,
Where valiant men a many / stood round the monarch's seat.
The king arose from settle / in courteous way the guests to greet.

1186

Right courteously he greeted / then the messenger.
Gunther and Gernot, / full busy both they were
For stranger and companions / a welcome fit to make.
The noble knight Sir Ruediger / by the hand the king did take.

1187

He led him to the settle / where himself he sat:
He bade pour for the strangers / (a welcome work was that)
Mead the very choicest / and the best of wine,
That e'er ye might discover / in all the lands about the Rhine.

1188

Giselher and Gere / joined the company too,
Eke Dankwart and Volker, / when that they knew
The coming of the strangers: / glad they were of mood,
And greeted 'fore the monarch / fair the noble knights and good.

1189

Then spake unto his master / of Tronje the knight:
" Let our thanes seek ever / fully to requite
What erstwhile the margrave / in love to us hath done:
Fair Gotelinde's husband / our gratitude full well hath won. "

1190

Thereto spake King Gunther: / " Withhold it not I may.
How they both do bear them, / tell me now, I pray,
Etzel and Helke / afar in Hunland. "
Then answered him the margrave: / " Fain would I have thee understand. "

1191

Then rose he from the settle / and his men every one.
He spake unto the monarch: / " An may the thing be done,
And is't thy royal pleasure, / so will I naught withhold,
But the message that I bring thee / shall full willingly be told. "

1192

He spake: " What tale soever, / doth this thy message make,
I grant thee leave to tell it, / nor further counsel take.
Now shalt thou let us hear it, / me and my warriors too,
For fullest leave I grant thee / thy high purpose to pursue. "

1193

Then spake the upright messenger: / " Hither to thee at Rhine
Doth faithful service tender / master high of mine;
To all thy kinsmen likewise, / as many as may be:
Eke is this my message / borne in all good will to thee.

1194

" To thee the noble monarch / bids tell his tale of need.
His folk 's forlorn and joyless; / my mistress high is dead,
Helke the full stately / my good master's wife,
Whereby now is orphaned / full many a fair maiden's life,

1195

" Children of royal parents / for whom hath cared her hand:
Thereby doth the country / in plight full sorry stand.
Alack, nor is there other / that them with love may tend.
I ween the time long distant / eke when the monarch's grief shall end. "

1196

" God give him meed, " spake Gunther, / " that he so willingly
Doth offer thus good service / to my kinsmen and to me —
I joy that I his greeting / here have heard this day —
The which with glad endeavor / my kinsmen and my men shall pay. "

1197

Thereto the knight of Burgundy, / the valiant Gernot, said:
" The world may ever rue it / that Helke fair lies dead,
So manifold the virtues / that did her life adorn. "
A willing testimony / by Hagen to the words was borne.

1198

Thereto again spake Ruediger / the noble messenger:
" Since thou, O king, dost grant it, / shalt thou now further hear
What message 'tis my master / beloved hath hither sent,
For that since death of Helke / his days he hath in sorrow spent.

1199

" 'Tis told my lord that Kriemhild / doth widowed live alone,
And dead is doughty Siegfried. / May now such thing be done,
And wilt thou grant that favor, / a crown she then shall wear
Before the knights of Etzel: / this message from my lord I bear. "

1200

Then spake the mighty monarch / — a king he was of grace —
" My will in this same matter / she'll hear, an so she please.
Thereof will I instruct thee / ere three days are passed by —
Ere I her mind have sounded, / wherefore to Etzel this deny? "

1201

Meanwhile for the strangers / bade they make cheer the best
In sooth so were they tended / that Ruediger confessed
He had 'mong men of Gunther / of friends a goodly store.
Hagen full glad did serve him, / as he had Hagen served of yore.

1202

Thus there did tarry Ruediger / until the third day.
The king did counsel summon / — he moved in wisest way —
If that unto his kinsmen / seemed it fitting thing,
That Kriemhild take unto her / for spouse Etzel the king.