The Nibelungenlied
1526
The knight of Tronje, Hagen, / the very van did lead,
Ever to the Nibelungen / a surest help in need.
First the thane full valiant / down leapt upon the ground,
And straightway then his charger / fast unto a tree he bound.
1527
Flooded were the waters / and ne'er a boat was near,
Whereat began the Nibelungen / all in dread to fear
They ne'er might cross the river, / so mighty was the flood.
Dismounted on the shore, / full many a stately knight then stood.
1528
" Ill may it, " spake then Hagen, / " fare here with thee,
Lord of Rhine river. / Now thyself mayst see
How flooded are the waters, / and swift the current flows.
I ween, before the morrow / here many a goodly knight we lose. "
1529
" How wilt reproach me, Hagen? " / the lofty monarch spake.
I pray thee yet all comfort / not from our hearts to take.
The ford shalt thou discover / whereby we may pass o'er,
Horse and equipment bringing / safely unto yonder shore. "
1530
" In sooth, not I, " quoth Hagen, / " am yet so weary grown
Of life, that in these waters / wide I long to drown.
Ere that, shall warriors sicken / in Etzel's far country
Beneath my own arm stricken: / — 'tis my intent full certainly.
1531
" Here tarry by the water, / ye gallant knights and good,
The while I seek the boatmen / myself along the flood,
Who will bring us over / into Gelfrat's land. "
With that the doughty Hagen / took his trusty shield in hand.
1532
He cap-a-pie was armed, / as thus he strode away,
Upon his head a helmet / that gleamed with brilliant ray,
And o'er his warlike harness / a sword full broad there hung,
That on both its edges / did fiercely cut, in battle swung.
1533
He sought to find the boatmen / if any might be near,
When sound of falling waters / full soon upon his ear.
Beside a rippling fountain, / where ran the waters cool,
A group of wise mermaidens / did bathe themselves within the pool.
1534
Ware of them soon was Hagen / and stole in secret near,
But fast away they hurried / when they the sound did hear.
That they at all escaped him, / filled they were with glee.
The knight did take their clothing, / yet wrought none other injury.
1535
Then spake the one mermaiden, / Hadburg that hight:
" Hagen, knight full noble, / tell will we thee aright,
An wilt thou, valiant warrior, / our garments but give o'er,
What fortune may this journey / to Hunland have for thee in store. "
1536
They hovered there before him / like birds above the flood,
Wherefore did think the warrior / that tell strange things they could,
And all the more believed he / what they did feign to say,
As to his eager question / in ready manner answered they.
1537
Spake one: " Well may ye journey / to Etzel's country.
Thereto my troth I give thee / in full security
That ne'er in any kingdom / might high guests receive
Such honors as there wait you, / — this may ye in sooth believe. "
1538
To hear such speech was Hagen / in sooth right glad of heart;
He gave to them their garments, / and straightway would depart.
But when in strange attire / they once more were dight,
Told they of the journey / into Etzel's land aright.
1539
Spake then the other mermaid, / Siegelind that hight:
" I warn thee, son of Aldrian, / Hagen valiant knight,
'Twas but to gain her clothing / my cousin falsely said,
For, comest thou to Hunland, / sorely shalt thou be betrayed.
1540
" Yea, that thou turnest backward / is fitter far, I ween;
For but your death to compass / have all ye warriors keen
Received now the bidding / unto Etzel's land.
Whose doth thither journey, / death leadeth surely by the hand. "
1541
Thereto gave answer Hagen: / " False speech hath here no gain.
How might it ever happen / that we all were slain
Afar in Etzel's country / through hate of any man? "
To tell the tale more fully / unto him she then began.
1542
Spake again the other: / " The thing must surely be,
That of you never any / his home again shall see,
Save only the king's chaplain; / well do we understand
That he unscathed returneth / unto royal Gunther's land. "
1543
Then spake the valiant Hagen / again in angry way:
" Unto my royal masters / 'twere little joy to say
That we our lives must forfeit / all in Hunland.
Now show us, wisest woman, / how pass we safe to yonder strand. "
1544
She spake: " Since from thy purposed / journey thou wilt not turn,
Where upward by the water / a cabin stands, there learn
Within doth dwell a boatman, / nor other find thou mayst. "
No more did Hagen question, / but strode away from there in haste.
1545
As went he angry-minded / one from afar did say:
" Now tarry still, Sir Hagen; / why so dost haste away?
Give ear yet while we tell thee / how thou reachest yonder strand.
Master here is Else, / who doth rule this borderland.
The knight of Tronje, Hagen, / the very van did lead,
Ever to the Nibelungen / a surest help in need.
First the thane full valiant / down leapt upon the ground,
And straightway then his charger / fast unto a tree he bound.
1527
Flooded were the waters / and ne'er a boat was near,
Whereat began the Nibelungen / all in dread to fear
They ne'er might cross the river, / so mighty was the flood.
Dismounted on the shore, / full many a stately knight then stood.
1528
" Ill may it, " spake then Hagen, / " fare here with thee,
Lord of Rhine river. / Now thyself mayst see
How flooded are the waters, / and swift the current flows.
I ween, before the morrow / here many a goodly knight we lose. "
1529
" How wilt reproach me, Hagen? " / the lofty monarch spake.
I pray thee yet all comfort / not from our hearts to take.
The ford shalt thou discover / whereby we may pass o'er,
Horse and equipment bringing / safely unto yonder shore. "
1530
" In sooth, not I, " quoth Hagen, / " am yet so weary grown
Of life, that in these waters / wide I long to drown.
Ere that, shall warriors sicken / in Etzel's far country
Beneath my own arm stricken: / — 'tis my intent full certainly.
1531
" Here tarry by the water, / ye gallant knights and good,
The while I seek the boatmen / myself along the flood,
Who will bring us over / into Gelfrat's land. "
With that the doughty Hagen / took his trusty shield in hand.
1532
He cap-a-pie was armed, / as thus he strode away,
Upon his head a helmet / that gleamed with brilliant ray,
And o'er his warlike harness / a sword full broad there hung,
That on both its edges / did fiercely cut, in battle swung.
1533
He sought to find the boatmen / if any might be near,
When sound of falling waters / full soon upon his ear.
Beside a rippling fountain, / where ran the waters cool,
A group of wise mermaidens / did bathe themselves within the pool.
1534
Ware of them soon was Hagen / and stole in secret near,
But fast away they hurried / when they the sound did hear.
That they at all escaped him, / filled they were with glee.
The knight did take their clothing, / yet wrought none other injury.
1535
Then spake the one mermaiden, / Hadburg that hight:
" Hagen, knight full noble, / tell will we thee aright,
An wilt thou, valiant warrior, / our garments but give o'er,
What fortune may this journey / to Hunland have for thee in store. "
1536
They hovered there before him / like birds above the flood,
Wherefore did think the warrior / that tell strange things they could,
And all the more believed he / what they did feign to say,
As to his eager question / in ready manner answered they.
1537
Spake one: " Well may ye journey / to Etzel's country.
Thereto my troth I give thee / in full security
That ne'er in any kingdom / might high guests receive
Such honors as there wait you, / — this may ye in sooth believe. "
1538
To hear such speech was Hagen / in sooth right glad of heart;
He gave to them their garments, / and straightway would depart.
But when in strange attire / they once more were dight,
Told they of the journey / into Etzel's land aright.
1539
Spake then the other mermaid, / Siegelind that hight:
" I warn thee, son of Aldrian, / Hagen valiant knight,
'Twas but to gain her clothing / my cousin falsely said,
For, comest thou to Hunland, / sorely shalt thou be betrayed.
1540
" Yea, that thou turnest backward / is fitter far, I ween;
For but your death to compass / have all ye warriors keen
Received now the bidding / unto Etzel's land.
Whose doth thither journey, / death leadeth surely by the hand. "
1541
Thereto gave answer Hagen: / " False speech hath here no gain.
How might it ever happen / that we all were slain
Afar in Etzel's country / through hate of any man? "
To tell the tale more fully / unto him she then began.
1542
Spake again the other: / " The thing must surely be,
That of you never any / his home again shall see,
Save only the king's chaplain; / well do we understand
That he unscathed returneth / unto royal Gunther's land. "
1543
Then spake the valiant Hagen / again in angry way:
" Unto my royal masters / 'twere little joy to say
That we our lives must forfeit / all in Hunland.
Now show us, wisest woman, / how pass we safe to yonder strand. "
1544
She spake: " Since from thy purposed / journey thou wilt not turn,
Where upward by the water / a cabin stands, there learn
Within doth dwell a boatman, / nor other find thou mayst. "
No more did Hagen question, / but strode away from there in haste.
1545
As went he angry-minded / one from afar did say:
" Now tarry still, Sir Hagen; / why so dost haste away?
Give ear yet while we tell thee / how thou reachest yonder strand.
Master here is Else, / who doth rule this borderland.
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