The Nibelungenlied
1670
Yet whatsoe'er their wishes, / might none fulfilled be
Hither oft and thither / glanced they furtively
On maidens and fair ladies, / whereof were many there.
Right kind the noble Fiddler / disposed was to Ruediger.
1671
They parted each from other / as ancient custom was,
And knights and lofty ladies / did separating pass
When tables were made ready / within the spacious hall.
There in stately manner / they waited on the strangers all.
1672
To do the guests high honor / likewise the table sought
With them the lofty margravine. / Her daughter led she not,
But left among the maidens, / where fitting was she sat.
That they might not behold her, grieved were the guests in sooth thereat.
1673
The drinking and the feasting, / when 'twas ended all,
Escorted was the maiden / again into the hall.
Then of merry jesting / they nothing lacked, I ween,
Wherein was busy Volker, / a thane full gallant and keen.
1674
Then spake the noble Fiddler / to all in lofty tone:
" Great mercy, lordly margrave, / God to thee hath shown,
For that he hath granted / unto thee a wife
Of so surpassing beauty, / and thereto a joyous life.
1675
" If that I were of royal / birth, " the Fiddler spake,
" And kingly crown should carry, / to wife I'd wish to take
This thy lovely daughter, / — my heart thus prompteth me.
A noble maid and gentle / and fair to look upon is she. "
1676
Then outspake the margrave: / " How might such thing be,
That king should e'er desire / daughter born to me?
Exiled from my country / here with my spouse I dwell:
What avails the maiden, / be she favored ne'er so well? "
1677
Thereto gave answer Gernot, / a knight of manner kind:
" If to my desire / I ever spouse would find,
Then would I of such lady / right gladly make my choice. "
In full kindly manner / added Hagen eke his voice:
1678
" Now shall my master Giselher / take to himself a spouse.
The noble margrave's daughter / is of so lofty house,
That I and all his warriors / would glad her service own,
If that she in Burgundy / should ever wear a royal crown. "
1679
Glad thereat full truly / was Sir Ruediger,
And eke Gotelinde: / they joyed such words to hear.
Anon arranged the heroes / that her as bride did greet
The noble knight Giselher, / as was for any monarch meet.
1680
What thing is doomed to happen, / who may the same prevent?
To come to the assembly / they for the maidens sent,
And to the knight they plighted / the winsome maid for wife,
Pledge eke by him was given, / his love should yet endure with life.
1681
They to the maid allotted / castles and spreading land,
Whereof did give assurance / the noble monarch's hand
And eke the royal Gernot, / 'twould surely so be done.
Then spake to them the margrave: / " Lordly castles have I none,
1682
" Yet true shall be my friendship / the while that I may live.
Unto my daughter shall I / of gold and silver give
What hundred sumpter-horses / full laden bear away,
That her husband's lofty kinsmen / find honor in the fair array. "
1683
They bade the knight and maiden / within a ring to stand,
As was of old the custom. / Of youths a goodly band,
That all were merry-hearted, / did her there confront,
And thought they on her beauty / as mind of youth is ever wont.
1684
When they began to question / then the winsome maid,
Would she the knight for husband, / somewhat she was dismayed,
And yet forego she would not / to have him for her own.
She blushed to hear the question, / as many another maid hath done.
1685
Her father Ruediger prompted / that Yes her answer be,
And that she take him gladly. / Unto her instantly
Sprang the young Sir Giselher, / and in his arm so white
He clasped her to his bosom. / — Soon doomed to end was her delight.
1686
Then spake again the margrave: / " Ye royal knights and high,
When that home ye journey / again to Burgundy
I'll give to you my daughter, / as fitting is to do,
That ye may take her with you. " / They gave their plighted word thereto.
1687
What jubilation made they / yet at last must end.
The maiden then was bidden / unto her chamber wend,
And guests to seek their couches / and rest until the day.
For them the host provided / a feast in hospitable way.
1688
When they had feasted fully / and to the Huns' country
Thence would onward journey, / " Such thing shall never be, "
Spake the host full noble, / " but here ye still shall rest.
Seldom hath my good fortune / welcomed yet so many a guest. "
1689
Thereto gave answer Dankwart: / " In sooth it may not be
Bread and wine whence hast thou / and food sufficiently,
Over night to harbor / of guests so great a train? "
When the host had heard it, / spake he: " All thy words are vain.
Yet whatsoe'er their wishes, / might none fulfilled be
Hither oft and thither / glanced they furtively
On maidens and fair ladies, / whereof were many there.
Right kind the noble Fiddler / disposed was to Ruediger.
1671
They parted each from other / as ancient custom was,
And knights and lofty ladies / did separating pass
When tables were made ready / within the spacious hall.
There in stately manner / they waited on the strangers all.
1672
To do the guests high honor / likewise the table sought
With them the lofty margravine. / Her daughter led she not,
But left among the maidens, / where fitting was she sat.
That they might not behold her, grieved were the guests in sooth thereat.
1673
The drinking and the feasting, / when 'twas ended all,
Escorted was the maiden / again into the hall.
Then of merry jesting / they nothing lacked, I ween,
Wherein was busy Volker, / a thane full gallant and keen.
1674
Then spake the noble Fiddler / to all in lofty tone:
" Great mercy, lordly margrave, / God to thee hath shown,
For that he hath granted / unto thee a wife
Of so surpassing beauty, / and thereto a joyous life.
1675
" If that I were of royal / birth, " the Fiddler spake,
" And kingly crown should carry, / to wife I'd wish to take
This thy lovely daughter, / — my heart thus prompteth me.
A noble maid and gentle / and fair to look upon is she. "
1676
Then outspake the margrave: / " How might such thing be,
That king should e'er desire / daughter born to me?
Exiled from my country / here with my spouse I dwell:
What avails the maiden, / be she favored ne'er so well? "
1677
Thereto gave answer Gernot, / a knight of manner kind:
" If to my desire / I ever spouse would find,
Then would I of such lady / right gladly make my choice. "
In full kindly manner / added Hagen eke his voice:
1678
" Now shall my master Giselher / take to himself a spouse.
The noble margrave's daughter / is of so lofty house,
That I and all his warriors / would glad her service own,
If that she in Burgundy / should ever wear a royal crown. "
1679
Glad thereat full truly / was Sir Ruediger,
And eke Gotelinde: / they joyed such words to hear.
Anon arranged the heroes / that her as bride did greet
The noble knight Giselher, / as was for any monarch meet.
1680
What thing is doomed to happen, / who may the same prevent?
To come to the assembly / they for the maidens sent,
And to the knight they plighted / the winsome maid for wife,
Pledge eke by him was given, / his love should yet endure with life.
1681
They to the maid allotted / castles and spreading land,
Whereof did give assurance / the noble monarch's hand
And eke the royal Gernot, / 'twould surely so be done.
Then spake to them the margrave: / " Lordly castles have I none,
1682
" Yet true shall be my friendship / the while that I may live.
Unto my daughter shall I / of gold and silver give
What hundred sumpter-horses / full laden bear away,
That her husband's lofty kinsmen / find honor in the fair array. "
1683
They bade the knight and maiden / within a ring to stand,
As was of old the custom. / Of youths a goodly band,
That all were merry-hearted, / did her there confront,
And thought they on her beauty / as mind of youth is ever wont.
1684
When they began to question / then the winsome maid,
Would she the knight for husband, / somewhat she was dismayed,
And yet forego she would not / to have him for her own.
She blushed to hear the question, / as many another maid hath done.
1685
Her father Ruediger prompted / that Yes her answer be,
And that she take him gladly. / Unto her instantly
Sprang the young Sir Giselher, / and in his arm so white
He clasped her to his bosom. / — Soon doomed to end was her delight.
1686
Then spake again the margrave: / " Ye royal knights and high,
When that home ye journey / again to Burgundy
I'll give to you my daughter, / as fitting is to do,
That ye may take her with you. " / They gave their plighted word thereto.
1687
What jubilation made they / yet at last must end.
The maiden then was bidden / unto her chamber wend,
And guests to seek their couches / and rest until the day.
For them the host provided / a feast in hospitable way.
1688
When they had feasted fully / and to the Huns' country
Thence would onward journey, / " Such thing shall never be, "
Spake the host full noble, / " but here ye still shall rest.
Seldom hath my good fortune / welcomed yet so many a guest. "
1689
Thereto gave answer Dankwart: / " In sooth it may not be
Bread and wine whence hast thou / and food sufficiently,
Over night to harbor / of guests so great a train? "
When the host had heard it, / spake he: " All thy words are vain.
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