The Nibelungenlied
How they went to Mass
1849
" So cool doth grow my armor, " / Volker made remark,
" I ween but little longer / will endure the dark.
By the air do I perceive it, / that soon will break the day. "
Then waked they many a warrior / who still in deepest slumber lay.
1850
When brake the light of morning / athwart the spacious hall,
Hagen gan awaken / the stranger warriors all,
If that they to the minster / would go to holy mass.
After the Christian custom, / of bells a mickle ringing was.
1851
There sang they all uneven, / that plainly might ye see
How Christian men and heathen / did not full well agree.
Each one of Gunther's warriors / would hear the service sung,
So were they all together / up from their night-couches sprung.
1852
Then did the warriors lace them / in so goodly dress,
That never heroes any, / that king did e'er possess,
More richly stood attired; / that Hagen grieved to see.
Quoth he: " Ye knights, far other / here must your attire be.
1853
" Yea, know among you many / how here the case doth stand.
Bear ye instead of roses / your good swords in hand,
For chaplets all bejewelled / your glancing helmets good,
Since we have well perceived / how is the angry Kriemhild's mood.
1854
" To-day must we do battle, / that will I now declare.
Instead of silken tunic / shall ye good hauberks wear,
And for embroidered mantle / a trusty shield and wide,
That ye may well defend you, / if ye must others' anger bide.
1855
" My masters well beloved, / knights and kinsmen true,
'Tis meet that ye betake you / unto the minster too,
That God do not forsake you / in peril and in need,
For certain now I make you / that death is nigh to us indeed.
1856
" Forget ye not whatever / wrong ye e'er have done,
But there 'fore God right meekly / all your errors own;
Thereto would I advise you, / ye knights of high degree,
For God alone in heaven / may will that other mass ye see. "
1857
Thus went they to the minster, / the princes and their men.
Within the holy churchyard / bade them Hagen then
Stand all still together / that they part not at all.
Quoth he: " Knows not any / what may at hands of Huns befall.
1858
" Let stand, good friends, all ready, / your shields before your feet,
That if ever any / would you in malice greet,
With deep-cut wound ye pay him; / that is Hagen's rede,
That from men may never / aught but praises be your meed. "
1859
Volker and Hagen, / the twain thence did pass
Before the broad minster. / Therein their purpose was
That the royal Kriemhild / must meet them where they stood
There athwart her pathway. / In sooth full grim she was of mood.
1860
Then came the royal Etzel / and eke his spouse full fair.
Attired were the warriors / all in raiment rare
That following full stately / with her ye might see;
The dust arose all densely / round Kriemhild's mickle company.
1861
When the lofty monarch / thus all armed did see
The kings and their followers, / straightway then cried he:
" How see I in this fashion / my friends with helm on head?
By my troth I sorrow / if ill to them have happened.
1862
" I'll gladly make atonement / as doth to them belong.
Hath any them affronted / or done them aught of wrong,
To me 'tis mickle sorrow, / well may they understand.
To serve them am I ready, / in whatsoever they command. "
1863
Thereto gave answer Hagen: / " Here hath wronged us none.
'Tis custom of my masters / to keep their armor on
Till full three days be over, / when high festival they hold.
Did any here molest us, / to Etzel would the thing be told. "
1864
Full well heard Kriemhild likewise / how Hagen gave reply.
Upon him what fierce glances / flashed furtively her eye!
Yet betray she would not / the custom of her country,
Though well she long had known it / in the land of Burgundy.
1865
How grim soe'er and mighty / the hate to them she bore,
Had any told to Etzel / how stood the thing before,
Well had he prevented / what there anon befell.
So haughty were they minded / that none to him the same would tell.
1866
With the queen came forward / there a mighty train,
But no two handbreadths yielded / yet those warriors twain
To make way before her. / The Huns did wrathful grow,
That their mistress passing / should by them be jostled so.
1867
Etzel's highborn pages / were sore displeased thereat,
And had upon the strangers / straightway spent their hate,
But that they durst not do it / their high lord before.
There was a mickle pressing, / yet naught of anger happened more.
1868
When they thence were parting /from holy service done,
On horse came quickly prancing / full many a nimble Hun.
With the Lady Kriemhild / went many a maiden fair,
And eke to make her escort / seven thousand knights rode there.
1849
" So cool doth grow my armor, " / Volker made remark,
" I ween but little longer / will endure the dark.
By the air do I perceive it, / that soon will break the day. "
Then waked they many a warrior / who still in deepest slumber lay.
1850
When brake the light of morning / athwart the spacious hall,
Hagen gan awaken / the stranger warriors all,
If that they to the minster / would go to holy mass.
After the Christian custom, / of bells a mickle ringing was.
1851
There sang they all uneven, / that plainly might ye see
How Christian men and heathen / did not full well agree.
Each one of Gunther's warriors / would hear the service sung,
So were they all together / up from their night-couches sprung.
1852
Then did the warriors lace them / in so goodly dress,
That never heroes any, / that king did e'er possess,
More richly stood attired; / that Hagen grieved to see.
Quoth he: " Ye knights, far other / here must your attire be.
1853
" Yea, know among you many / how here the case doth stand.
Bear ye instead of roses / your good swords in hand,
For chaplets all bejewelled / your glancing helmets good,
Since we have well perceived / how is the angry Kriemhild's mood.
1854
" To-day must we do battle, / that will I now declare.
Instead of silken tunic / shall ye good hauberks wear,
And for embroidered mantle / a trusty shield and wide,
That ye may well defend you, / if ye must others' anger bide.
1855
" My masters well beloved, / knights and kinsmen true,
'Tis meet that ye betake you / unto the minster too,
That God do not forsake you / in peril and in need,
For certain now I make you / that death is nigh to us indeed.
1856
" Forget ye not whatever / wrong ye e'er have done,
But there 'fore God right meekly / all your errors own;
Thereto would I advise you, / ye knights of high degree,
For God alone in heaven / may will that other mass ye see. "
1857
Thus went they to the minster, / the princes and their men.
Within the holy churchyard / bade them Hagen then
Stand all still together / that they part not at all.
Quoth he: " Knows not any / what may at hands of Huns befall.
1858
" Let stand, good friends, all ready, / your shields before your feet,
That if ever any / would you in malice greet,
With deep-cut wound ye pay him; / that is Hagen's rede,
That from men may never / aught but praises be your meed. "
1859
Volker and Hagen, / the twain thence did pass
Before the broad minster. / Therein their purpose was
That the royal Kriemhild / must meet them where they stood
There athwart her pathway. / In sooth full grim she was of mood.
1860
Then came the royal Etzel / and eke his spouse full fair.
Attired were the warriors / all in raiment rare
That following full stately / with her ye might see;
The dust arose all densely / round Kriemhild's mickle company.
1861
When the lofty monarch / thus all armed did see
The kings and their followers, / straightway then cried he:
" How see I in this fashion / my friends with helm on head?
By my troth I sorrow / if ill to them have happened.
1862
" I'll gladly make atonement / as doth to them belong.
Hath any them affronted / or done them aught of wrong,
To me 'tis mickle sorrow, / well may they understand.
To serve them am I ready, / in whatsoever they command. "
1863
Thereto gave answer Hagen: / " Here hath wronged us none.
'Tis custom of my masters / to keep their armor on
Till full three days be over, / when high festival they hold.
Did any here molest us, / to Etzel would the thing be told. "
1864
Full well heard Kriemhild likewise / how Hagen gave reply.
Upon him what fierce glances / flashed furtively her eye!
Yet betray she would not / the custom of her country,
Though well she long had known it / in the land of Burgundy.
1865
How grim soe'er and mighty / the hate to them she bore,
Had any told to Etzel / how stood the thing before,
Well had he prevented / what there anon befell.
So haughty were they minded / that none to him the same would tell.
1866
With the queen came forward / there a mighty train,
But no two handbreadths yielded / yet those warriors twain
To make way before her. / The Huns did wrathful grow,
That their mistress passing / should by them be jostled so.
1867
Etzel's highborn pages / were sore displeased thereat,
And had upon the strangers / straightway spent their hate,
But that they durst not do it / their high lord before.
There was a mickle pressing, / yet naught of anger happened more.
1868
When they thence were parting /from holy service done,
On horse came quickly prancing / full many a nimble Hun.
With the Lady Kriemhild / went many a maiden fair,
And eke to make her escort / seven thousand knights rode there.
Translation:
Language:
Reviews
No reviews yet.