The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics)

by Cyril Edwards

  1097

  Then young Giselher gave them good escort. He took pains that the king and his warriors be brought out of that land afterwards and home to the Netherlands. How few of their kinsmen were found to rejoice there! How they then fared I cannot tell.

  1098

  Here in Burgundy Kriemhilt was heard to lament at all times, and no one comforted her heart and mind, unless it were Giselher, who was loyal and worthy. Fair Prünhilt resided there in arrogance. She

  1099

  cared little for all the tears that Kriemhilt shed. Never again was she ready to show her true kindness. In time to come Lady Kriemhilt would, for her part, cause her most heartfelt suffering.

  1100

  NINETEENTH ADVENTURE

  HOW THE HOARD OF THE NIBELUNGS

  WAS BROUGHT TO WORMS

  WHEN noble Kriemhilt was thus widowed, Count Eckewart remained with her in Burgundy, along with his men. He was at her service every day. He often helped his lady to lament over his lord.

  1101

  A closed chamber was built for her in Worms near the minster, broad, great in size, and costly, where she would then sit with her retinue, devoid of happiness. She went gladly to church, and did so with a good will. How seldom she failed to go at all times, sad at heart,

  1102

  to where her beloved lay buried! She besought gracious God to tend his soul. Time and again she wept over the knight in great loyalty.

  1103

  Uote and her retinue comforted her at all times. Yet her heart was so grievously wounded that all the comfort they offered her could be of no avail. The anguish she felt for her dearly beloved was the greatest

  1104

  any woman ever felt for her dear husband. Her great virtue could clearly be perceived by this. She mourned until her end, for as long as her life lasted. (In time to come bold Sivrit’s wife was to avenge herself with courage.)

  1105

  Thus she resided there after the grief that had befallen her—this is nothing but the truth I tell you—for some three-and-a-half years after her husband’s death, never speaking a single word to Gunther, nor ever beholding her foe Hagen in all that time.

  1106

  Then the hero of Tronege said: ‘If you could contrive that your sister might be on friendly terms with you, then Nibelunc’s gold might come to these lands. You might gain much of that if we were in the queen’s favour.’

  1107

  Gunther said: ‘Let’s make the attempt. My brothers are often with her. We’ll ask them to try to bring about friendly relations with her, and see if we can win her consent.’

  ‘I doubt’, said Hagen, ‘if that’ll ever happen.’

  1108

  Then Gunther bade Ortwin come to court, and Margrave Gere. When that was done, they also sent for Gernot and young Giselher. After that they tried a friendly approach to Lady Kriemhilt. Bold

  1109

  Gernot of Burgundy then said: ‘Lady, you lament Sivrit’s death too long. The king wants to testify to you publicly that he did not slay him. People hear you lamenting so very grievously at all times.’

  1110

  She said: ‘No one accuses him of it. It was Hagen’s hand that slew him. When he found out from me where he might be wounded, how was I to believe that he bore him enmity? I would have been on my guard’, said the queen, ‘against giving him away!* Then I could now

  1111

  abandon my weeping, most wretched woman that I am. Those who did that deed will never find favour with me.’ Then Giselher, that most gallant warrior, began to plead with her.

  1112

  ‘I will greet the king.’

  When she had conceded that to Giselher, they saw Gunther come before her with his best allies. Hagen did not then dare go before her. He was well aware of his guilt and the suffering he had caused her. When she decided to abandon her enmity towards Gunther, it

  1113

  would have better befitted him—if he were to kiss her*—if the wrong to her had not been done by his counsel. Then he might have approached Kriemhilt without trepidation. No reconciliation among friends was

  1114

  ever accompanied by so many tears. Her loss hurt her sorely. She renounced her enmity to all of them, except for one man. No one would have slain Sivrit if Hagen had not done so. Not very long after that they

  1115

  arranged that Lady Kriemhilt should acquire the great hoard from the land of the Nibelungs, and it was taken to the Rhine. It was her dowry and was rightly hers. Giselher and Gernot then went to fetch the

  1116

  hoard. Kriemhilt ordered eight thousand men to fetch it from where it lay hidden, where Sir Albrich guarded it along with his best allies.

  1117

  When they saw the men from the Rhine come for the treasure, valiant Albrich said to his allies: ‘We dare not keep the hoard from her, since the noble queen claims it as her dowry. Yet this would never

  1118

  have been done’, said Albrich, ‘if we had not, to our misfortune, lost, along with Sivrit, the good cloak of invisibility, for fair Kriemhilt’s beloved bore that with him at all times. Now, sadly, Sivrit has met

  1119

  with an evil end, because the hero took the cloak of invisibility from us, and all this land has had to serve him.’

  Then the chamberlain went to fetch the keys. Kriemhilt’s men

  1120

  stood before the mountain, and also some of her kinsmen. They ordered the treasure to be carried to the sea, to the skiffs. They took it upstream over the waves to the Rhine.

  1121

  Now you may hear marvels told about the hoard: all that twelve waggons could carry at their utmost was taken away in four days and nights from the mountain. Moreover, each of the waggons had to go there three times a day. The treasure consisted entirely of

  1122

  precious stones and gold. Even if every man in all the world were to be paid out of it, it would not have been worth a mark less. It was not without good reason that Hagen had desired it. The most perfect

  1123

  that lay among the treasures was a little rod of gold.* A man who had learned its secrets might easily be master over every man in the world. Many of Albrich’s kinsfolk left along with Gernot.

  1124

  Once they had stored the hoard in Gunther’s land and the queen had taken charge of it all, the chambers and towers were filled with it. Never again were such marvels heard tell of treasure. Yet even if

  1125

  there had been a thousand times as much, if Lord Sivrit might be alive again, Kriemhilt would have stood beside him empty-handed. No hero ever won a more loyal wife.

  1126

  Now that she had charge of the hoard, she brought many foreign warriors into the land. The lady’s hands gave away so much that greater generosity was never beheld. She practised great courtesy, they said of the queen. She now set about giving gifts to rich and poor alike, to such

  1127

  an extent that Hagen said that if she were to live any longer, she would gain so many men for her service that it might cost them dear.

  1128

  Then King Gunther said: ‘The treasure is hers for life. How might I forestall anything she does with it? It was with great difficulty that I won her favour. Let us not trouble ourselves now over where she shares out her silver and her gold.’

  1129

  Hagen said to the king: ‘No right-thinking man ought to abandon the hoard to one woman alone. By her gifts she will yet bring about a day that the bold Burgundians may well rue.’

  1130

  King Gunther replied: ‘I swore an oath to her that I would never harm her again, and will guard against it from now on—she is my sister.’ Then Hagen answered: ‘Let me be the guilty party.’

  1131

  The oaths that several of them had sworn were not kept. They took the great treasure from the widow. Hagen took charge of all the keys. That angered her brothe
r Gernot when he found out about it.

  1132

  Then Lord Giselher said: ‘Hagen has done my sister much wrong. I ought to forestall this. If he were not my kinsman it would cost him his life.’ Sivrit’s wife then wept anew.

  1133

  Then Lord Gernot said: ‘Rather than be forever plagued by this gold, we should have it all sunk in the Rhine, so that it never belongs to any man.’

  Kriemhilt went to her brother Giselher and stood before him most piteously. She said: ‘Dearest brother, think of my plight. You ought

  1134

  to be the protector of both me and my property.’

  He replied to the lady: ‘That will be done when we come back. We have it in mind to go riding.’

  1135

  The king and his kinsmen, all the best among them there, then left the land, except for Hagen alone, who remained behind because of the enmity he bore Kriemhilt, and was most willing to do so.

  1136

  Before the mighty king had come back, Hagen meanwhile had taken charge of the treasure in its entirety. He sank it all in the Rhine by Lochheim. He thought he would find a use for it—that could not be.

  1137

  The princes came back with men in great numbers. Kriemhilt then began to lament over her great loss, together with her maidens and ladies. They were deeply grieved. Giselher would willingly have shown her nothing but loyalty. They all said as one then: ‘Hagen has acted ill.’

  1138

  Hagen stayed out of reach of the princes’ wrath for long enough, until he regained their favour. They let him live. Kriemhilt could never have been more hostile towards him than at that time. Before

  1139

  Hagen of Tronege thus hid the treasure they had sworn such strong oaths that it would be hidden until only one of them should be left alive. In time to come they could neither give it to themselves nor anyone else. Kriemhilt’s mind was saddened by new sorrows about

  1140

  her husband’s end, and when they had thus taken all her wealth from her, her mourning never ceased her whole life long, not until her very last day. After Sivrit’s death—I tell you nothing but the truth—she

  1141

  dwelt there in great sorrow for thirteen years, not being able to forget the warrior’s death. She was loyal to him, as all and sundry aver.

  1142

  TWENTIETH ADVENTURE

  HOW KING ETZEL SENT TO BURGUNDY FOR KRIEMHILT

  IT was about that time that Lady Helche died, and King Etzel sought another wife. Then his allies counselled him to look to Burgundy, where there lived a proud widow who was called Lady Kriemhilt.

  1143

  Now that fair Helche had died, they said: ‘If you ever want to win a noble wife, the highest in rank and the best a king ever won, then take that same lady. Mighty Sivrit was her husband.’

  1144

  Then the great king said: ‘How might that happen, since I am a heathen and am not baptized? The lady, for her part, is a Christian, which is why she won’t consent to this. It would be a marvel if it were ever to come about.’

  1145

  Yet his bold allies replied: ‘What if she will perhaps do so because of your high repute and your great wealth? We ought at least to make an attempt with that most noble lady. It would please you greatly to make love to that fair woman.’

  1146

  Then the noble king said: ‘Now who among you is acquainted with the people by the Rhine and the land?’

  Then worthy Rüedeger of Pöchlarn said: ‘I have known those proud, noble kings since childhood: Gunther and Gernot, those

  1147

  noble, worthy knights. The third is called Giselher. Each of them acts with all the best possible honour and virtue. Their ancestors had also always done the same.’

  1148

  Then Etzel spoke again: ‘Friend, you must tell me if she is fit to wear a crown in my land. If she is as beautiful as I am told, it would never be to the harm of my best allies.’

  1149

  ‘She may readily be likened in beauty to my dear lady, great Helche. No king’s wife could be fairer in this world. He whom she consents to have as her beloved has good reason to be content.’

  1150

  Etzel said: ‘Then undertake this, Rüedeger, by the love you bear me. If I am ever to lie with Kriemhilt I will reward you as best as I can, for you will have carried out all my wishes. From my treasury

  1151

  I’ll order that you be given all the horses and clothes that you desire, so that you and your companions may be of good cheer. I will have you well equipped for this embassy.’

  1152

  Rüedeger, the wealthy margrave, answered: ‘If I were to desire your possessions, it would not be to my credit. I will willingly be your messenger to the Rhine and pay for it with my own wealth, which I have from your hands.’

  1153

  Then the great king said: ‘Now, when do you want to leave to woo the lovely lady? May God keep you in all honour on this journey, and my lady also. May good fortune help me to make her gracious to us.’

  1154

  Rüedeger then spoke again: ‘Before we leave this land we must first prepare arms and clothing so that we can appear with honour before princes. I will take five hundred gallant men to the Rhine.

  1155

  Whenever they see me and my men in Burgundy, let them all say of you that never did any king send so many men so far and so well equipped as you have to the Rhine. That is if you won’t desist, great

  1156

  king, because her noble love was subject to Sivrit, Sigmunt’s son, whom you’ve seen here.* In all truth, much honour might be spoken of him.’

  1157

  Then King Etzel said: ‘If she was that warrior’s wife, then that noble prince was so worthy that I should not disdain the queen. She pleases me well because of her great beauty.’

  1158

  The margrave then said: ‘That being so, I say to you that we will set off from here in twenty-four days. I shall send tidings to Gotelint, my dear wife, that I myself want to be the ambassador to Kriemhilt.’

  1159

  Rüedeger sent the tidings to Pöchlarn. The margravine was both sad and proud then. He told her the tidings that he was to woo a wife for the king. She thought lovingly of fair Helche. When the margravine

  1160

  heard the tidings, she was somewhat sad—it befitted her to weep, wondering whether she would gain such a lady as she had before. When she thought of Helche, it hurt her deeply.

  1161

  Rüedeger rode away from Hungary in seven days’ time. King Etzel was pleased and well content with that. They prepared clothes for them in the city of Vienna. Then he could put off his journey no longer.

  1161

  Gotelint was expecting him over in Pöchlarn. The young margravine, Rüedeger’s daughter, was always glad to see her father and his men. Then fair maidens were full of fond expectations. Before noble

  1163

  Rüedeger rode out of the city of Vienna, heading for Pöchlarn, their clothes had been loaded in their entirety onto the packhorses. They travelled in such fashion that little might be taken from them.*

  1164

  When they entered the town of Pöchlarn, the host* asked in most friendly fashion that his travelling companions be given lodgings and saw to it that they were given every comfort. Noble Gotelint was glad to see her lord arrive, as was his dear daughter, the young margravine—nothing

  1165

  could be dearer to her than his arrival. How glad she was to see the heroes from the lands of the Huns! Smiling, the noble damsel said: ‘You are heartily welcome here, my father and his

  1166

  vassals!’ Many a worthy knight took pains to give good thanks to the young margravine there.

  Gotelint knew Lord Rüedeger’s intent full well. Yet as she lay close

  1167

  by Rüedeger that night, how kindly she questioned him as to where
the King of Hungary had sent him! He said: ‘My lady Gotelint, I’ll willingly make it known to you. I am to woo a new wife for my lord,

  1168

  now that fair Helche has perished. I want to ride to the Rhine, to woo Kriemhilt. She is to be queen in power over the Huns here.’

  1169

  ‘Would God that might come to pass,’ said Gotelint, ‘since we hear such high honour spoken of her! She might well make amends for the loss of my lady, in our old age. Moreover, we would be glad to see her wearing a crown among the Huns.’

  1170

  Then the margrave said: ‘My beloved, you must in friendship offer your wealth to those who are to ride with me to the Rhine. When heroes ride richly accoutred, their spirits are high.’

  1171

  She said: ‘There is no one amongst them to whom I will not give whatever they are willing to accept, and whatever befits them, before you and your vassals depart from here.’

  The margrave replied: ‘That pleases me well.’

  1172

  Oh, what rich phellel-silks were carried out of her chamber! They were given to the noble warriors in profusion then, carefully lined with fur from the neck down to the spur. Rüedeger had chosen companions who pleased him for his purpose.

  1173

  On the seventh morning the lord rode away from Pöchlarn with his warriors. They took with them abundant weapons and clothes through Bavaria. Seldom were they attacked by robbers on the road. Within twelve days they had come to the Rhine. Then those

  1174

  tidings could no longer be concealed. King Gunther and also his vassals were told that foreign strangers were arriving. The lord then asked if anyone were acquainted with them—he was to be told who

  1175

  they were. They saw that their packhorses were so heavily burdened. It was evident that they were very wealthy. Lodgings were at once provided for them in the spacious city. When these entire

  1176

  strangers had entered the city, those lords were the subject of much scrutiny. They wondered from where the warriors had ridden to the Rhine. The king sent for Hagen to see if he might be acquainted with them.