219
Each whom he would took captive, / now they had won the fight.
Gernot, the noble hero, / and Hagen, doughty knight,
Bade bear forth the wounded / Back led they with them then
Unto the land of Burgundy / five hundred stalwart fighting-men.
220
The knights, of victory cheated, / their native Denmark sought,
Nor had that day the Saxons / with such high valor fought,
That one could praise them for it, / which caused the warriors pain.
Then wept their friends full sorely / at home for those in battle slain.
221
For the Rhine then laden / they let their armor be.
Siegfried, the knight so doughty, / had won the victory
With his few chosen followers; / that he had nobly done,
Could not but free acknowledge / King Gunther's warriors every one.
222
To Worms sent Gernot riding / now a messenger,
And of the joyous tiding / soon friends at home were ware,
How that it well had prospered / with him and all his men.
Fought that day with valor / for honor had those warriors keen.
223
The messenger sped forward / and told the tidings o'er.
Then joyfully they shouted / who boded ill before,
To hear the welcome story / that now to them was told.
From ladies fair and noble / came eager questions manifold,
224
Who all the fair fortune / of King Gunther's men would know.
One messenger they ordered / unto Kriemhild to go.
But that was done in secret: / she durst let no one see,
For he was 'mongst those warriors / whom she did love so faithfully.
225
When to her own apartments / was come the messenger
Joyfully addressed him / Kriemhild the maiden fair:
" But tell me now glad tidings, / and gold I'll give to thee,
And if thou tell'st not falsely, / good friend thou'lt ever find in me.
226
" How has my good brother / Gernot in battle sped,
And how my other kinsmen? / Lies any of them dead?
Who wrought most deeds of valor? / — That shall thou let me know. "
Then spake the messenger truly: / " No knight but did high valor show.
227
" But in the dire turmoil / rode rider none so well,
O Princess fair and noble, / since I must truly tell,
As the stranger knight full noble / who comes from Netherland;
There deeds of mickle wonder / were wrought by doughty Siegfried's hand.
228
" Whate'er have all the warriors / in battle dared to do,
Dankwart and Hagen / and the other knights so true,
Howe'er they fought for honor, / 'twas naught but idle play
Beside what there wrought Siegfried, / King Siegmund's son, amid the fray.
229
" Beneath their hands in battle / full many a hero fell,
Yet all the deeds of wonder / no man could ever tell,
Wrought by the hand of Siegfried, / when rode he 'gainst the foe:
And weep aloud must women / for friends by his strong arm laid low.
230
" There, too, the knight she loved / full many a maid must lose.
Were heard come down on helmet / so loud his mighty blows,
That they from gaping gashes / brought forth the flowing blood.
In all that maketh noble / he is a valiant knight and good.
231
" Many a deed of daring / of Metz Sir Ortwein wrought:
For all was evil faring / whom he with broadsword caught,
Doomed to die that instant, / or wounded sore to fall.
And there thy valiant brother / did greater havoc work than all.
232
" That e'er in storm of battle / was done by warrior bold.
Of all those chosen warriors / let eke the truth be told:
The proud Burgundian heroes / have made it now right plain,
That they can free from insult / their country's honor well maintain.
233
" Beneath their hands was often / full many a saddle bare,
When o'er the field resounding / their bright swords cut the air.
The warriors from Rhine river / did here such victory win
That for their foes 'twere better / if they such meeting ne'er had seen.
234
" Keen the knights of Ironje / 'fore all their valor showed,
When with their stalwart followers / against their foes they rode;
Slain by the hand of Hagen / must knights so many be,
'Twill long be in the telling / here in the land of Burgundy.
235
" Sindold and Hunold, / Gernot's men each one,
And the valiant Rumold / have all so nobly done,
King Luedeger will ever / have right good cause to rue
That he against thy kindred / at Rhine dared aught of harm to do.
236
" And deeds of all most wondrous / e'er done by warrior keen
In earliest time or latest, / by mortal ever seen,
Wrought there in lusty manner / Siegfried with doughty hand
Rich hostages he bringeth / with him unto Gunther's land.
237
" By his own strength subdued them / the hero unsurpassed
And brought down dire ruin / upon King Luedegast,
Eke on the King of Saxons / his brother Luedeger.
Now hearken to the story / I tell thee, noble Princess fair.
238
" Them both hath taken captive / Siegfried's doughty hand.
Hostages were so many / ne'er brought into this land
As to the Rhine come hither / through his great bravery. "
Than these could never tidings / unto her heart more welcome be.
Each whom he would took captive, / now they had won the fight.
Gernot, the noble hero, / and Hagen, doughty knight,
Bade bear forth the wounded / Back led they with them then
Unto the land of Burgundy / five hundred stalwart fighting-men.
220
The knights, of victory cheated, / their native Denmark sought,
Nor had that day the Saxons / with such high valor fought,
That one could praise them for it, / which caused the warriors pain.
Then wept their friends full sorely / at home for those in battle slain.
221
For the Rhine then laden / they let their armor be.
Siegfried, the knight so doughty, / had won the victory
With his few chosen followers; / that he had nobly done,
Could not but free acknowledge / King Gunther's warriors every one.
222
To Worms sent Gernot riding / now a messenger,
And of the joyous tiding / soon friends at home were ware,
How that it well had prospered / with him and all his men.
Fought that day with valor / for honor had those warriors keen.
223
The messenger sped forward / and told the tidings o'er.
Then joyfully they shouted / who boded ill before,
To hear the welcome story / that now to them was told.
From ladies fair and noble / came eager questions manifold,
224
Who all the fair fortune / of King Gunther's men would know.
One messenger they ordered / unto Kriemhild to go.
But that was done in secret: / she durst let no one see,
For he was 'mongst those warriors / whom she did love so faithfully.
225
When to her own apartments / was come the messenger
Joyfully addressed him / Kriemhild the maiden fair:
" But tell me now glad tidings, / and gold I'll give to thee,
And if thou tell'st not falsely, / good friend thou'lt ever find in me.
226
" How has my good brother / Gernot in battle sped,
And how my other kinsmen? / Lies any of them dead?
Who wrought most deeds of valor? / — That shall thou let me know. "
Then spake the messenger truly: / " No knight but did high valor show.
227
" But in the dire turmoil / rode rider none so well,
O Princess fair and noble, / since I must truly tell,
As the stranger knight full noble / who comes from Netherland;
There deeds of mickle wonder / were wrought by doughty Siegfried's hand.
228
" Whate'er have all the warriors / in battle dared to do,
Dankwart and Hagen / and the other knights so true,
Howe'er they fought for honor, / 'twas naught but idle play
Beside what there wrought Siegfried, / King Siegmund's son, amid the fray.
229
" Beneath their hands in battle / full many a hero fell,
Yet all the deeds of wonder / no man could ever tell,
Wrought by the hand of Siegfried, / when rode he 'gainst the foe:
And weep aloud must women / for friends by his strong arm laid low.
230
" There, too, the knight she loved / full many a maid must lose.
Were heard come down on helmet / so loud his mighty blows,
That they from gaping gashes / brought forth the flowing blood.
In all that maketh noble / he is a valiant knight and good.
231
" Many a deed of daring / of Metz Sir Ortwein wrought:
For all was evil faring / whom he with broadsword caught,
Doomed to die that instant, / or wounded sore to fall.
And there thy valiant brother / did greater havoc work than all.
232
" That e'er in storm of battle / was done by warrior bold.
Of all those chosen warriors / let eke the truth be told:
The proud Burgundian heroes / have made it now right plain,
That they can free from insult / their country's honor well maintain.
233
" Beneath their hands was often / full many a saddle bare,
When o'er the field resounding / their bright swords cut the air.
The warriors from Rhine river / did here such victory win
That for their foes 'twere better / if they such meeting ne'er had seen.
234
" Keen the knights of Ironje / 'fore all their valor showed,
When with their stalwart followers / against their foes they rode;
Slain by the hand of Hagen / must knights so many be,
'Twill long be in the telling / here in the land of Burgundy.
235
" Sindold and Hunold, / Gernot's men each one,
And the valiant Rumold / have all so nobly done,
King Luedeger will ever / have right good cause to rue
That he against thy kindred / at Rhine dared aught of harm to do.
236
" And deeds of all most wondrous / e'er done by warrior keen
In earliest time or latest, / by mortal ever seen,
Wrought there in lusty manner / Siegfried with doughty hand
Rich hostages he bringeth / with him unto Gunther's land.
237
" By his own strength subdued them / the hero unsurpassed
And brought down dire ruin / upon King Luedegast,
Eke on the King of Saxons / his brother Luedeger.
Now hearken to the story / I tell thee, noble Princess fair.
238
" Them both hath taken captive / Siegfried's doughty hand.
Hostages were so many / ne'er brought into this land
As to the Rhine come hither / through his great bravery. "
Than these could never tidings / unto her heart more welcome be.
Reviews
No reviews yet.