The Nibelungenlied (romantic story to read TXT) 📖

thanes, for valour chosen, each with his shield, were there,
A thousand and one hundred, ready at hand they were
To follow noble Siegmund. The murder of his son
He to avenge was eager⁠— ’twas needful to be done.

1029

Nor knew they ’gainst what foemen they had to strive withal,
Unless it might be Gunther and his bold liegemen all,
With whom their master Siegfried, did late a-hunting go.
Kriemhilda saw them arming, and grievous was her woe.

1030

However deep her sorrow, and dire as was her need,
Yet did she for the Niblungs fear with such mighty dread
Death, by her brother’s liegemen, that she would have them stay:
She warn’d them in all kindness, as friends each other may.

1031

Thus spake the grief-lorn lady; “My lord Siegmund, what dost
Thou think to take in hand now? Thou hast not weigh’d the cost.
King Gunther hath so many bold warriors at command,
That all of ye will perish if ye his knights withstand.”

1032

With shields already lifted, they needs must to the fray;
The noble queen besought them and even bade them stay,
And seek not for a conflict⁠— these knights of courage high.
Yet would they not forego it; which grieved her verily.

1033

So said she: “Noble Siegmund, ’twere best to let it be
Until a fitter season: then will I readily
Avenge with you mine husband. Who me hath widow made,
To him, when it is proven, shall evil be repaid.

1034

“Hereby upon the Rhine-strand dwells many a haughty knight:
I cannot therefore counsel that you with them should fight.
Full thirty warriors have they against our every one.
God grant that they may prosper as they to us have done!

1035

“Ye must remain beside me, this grief with me to share;
And, when the day is dawning, ye heroes bold prepare
To help me in his coffin my husband dear to lay.”
Then all the thanes made answer: “It shall be as you say.”

1036

No tongue could ever tell you the marvel of it, how
From knights as well as ladies arose the cries of woe,
So that throughout the city the noise thereof did sound.
The noble burghers heard it, and quickly throng’d around.

1037

They mournéd with the strangers, for they themselves were sad.
If fault had been with Siegfried, none told them that it had,
Nor why the noble warrior had forfeited his life.
Then wept, too, with the women, each worthy burgher’s wife.

1038

The smiths were bidden quickly a coffin to devise
Of gold y-wrought and silver, strong and of mickle size;
They bade them firmly bind it, with temper’d steel and good.
Then truly all the people were sorrowful of mood.

1039

The night was spent, and daylight ’twas said would soon appear.
The noble lady bade them unto the minster bear
Siegfried their noble master, her husband well-beloved.
One saw his friends all weeping, as they the body moved.

1040

They brought him to the minster, and toll’d was many a bell:
On every side the chanting of priests was heard to swell.
And thither came King Gunther, and all his folk with him,
To take part in the mourning; and likewise Hagen grim.

1041

He said: “My dearest sister, alas, indeed, for thee!
That from thy sorrow’s burden can none of us be free:
We must bewail for ever the loss of Siegfried’s life.”
“That do ye without reason,” answer’d the mourning wife.

1042

“It never need have happen’d if real your sorrow were;
Me must ye have forgotten⁠— that may I well aver⁠—
When I was there bereft of my own belovéd one.
I would to God,” said Kriemhild, “it had to me been done!”

1043

They clave unto their lying. Kriemhild began again:
“Whoso of you is guiltless, now let him make it plain;⁠—
Let each before the people walk up unto the bier;
Thereby the truth that’s in him shall presently appear.”

1044

It is a wondrous marvel that oft hath happenéd:
That when one sees the slayer beside the murder’d dead,
The wounds afresh start bleeding; as here, too, came to pass.
Whereby men saw that Hagen the malefactor was.

1045

Again the wounds bled freely, as they had done afore;
They who had mourn’d him sorely bewail’d him now the more.
Then spake aloud King Gunther: “I tell you everyone
’Twas vagabonds that slew him: ’twas not by Hagen done.”

1046

“These vagabonds, too surely are known to me,” she spake,
“By friendly hands, God willing, we’ll vengeance on them take!
Thou Gunther and thou Hagen have surely done this thing.”
By this time Siegfried’s warriors for strife were hankering.

1047

Kriemhilda spake yet further: “Now share with me my need.”
Then came those twain unto her who found him lying dead⁠—
They were her brother Gernot and Giselher the youth.
As many a man did later, these mourn’d for him in sooth.

1048

With all their hearts they mourn’d him, the husband of Kriemhild.
Now masses must be chanted: the minster soon was fill’d
With men, and wives, and children⁠— from every side they came.
E’en they who little miss’d him mourn’d Siegfried all the same.

1049

Gernot, and Giselher with him, spake: “Sister dear to me,
Now, for this death, take comfort, as verily must be.
We will atone unto you as long as we shall live.”
Yet on the earth was no one who could her comfort give.

1050

His coffin was made ready well-nigh about midday;
Then from the bier they raised him, whereon till then he lay.
Fain would the noble lady have kept him from the grave;
Which unto her attendants sore trouble surely gave.

1051

In richly broider’d vestment they wrapp’d the body round,
And then, I ween, that no one unweeping there was found.
With all her heart wept Uté⁠— a noble woman she⁠—
And each of her attendants the goodly corpse to see.

1052

When people heard the chanting within the church begin,
And knew that he was coffin’d, they throng’d to enter in:
For his soul’s weal and profit what offerings were made!
In sooth, among the foemen good friends enough he had!

1053

Kriemhilda, the poor lady, said to her chamberlain:
“The love they bear towards me will be to them a bane,
Seeing they grudge him nothing and hold me also dear;
For Siegfried’s weal ’tis fitting that they his gold should share.

1054

There was no child so little, who any wit might have,
But join’d in the almsgiving, ere he was laid in grave.
More than a hundred masses were sung ere day was done
And Siegfried’s friends and kinsmen came thronging ev’ry one.

1055

When ended was the chanting the people went away.
Then spake the lady Kriemhild: “Ye must not let me stay
Alone to watch beside him, this knight exceeding brave.
My joys are, with his body, all buried in the grave.

1056

“Three days and three nights longer here would I keep him still,
Until of my dear husband my heart has had its fill.
Then what if God should order that death should take me too?
Then would poor Kriemhild’s sorrows no longer trouble you.”

1057

The people from the city now homewards went their way.
The priests and monks Kriemhilda besought with her to stay,
And eke her own attendants, to watch