Read Ebook: The Nibelungenlied Translated into Rhymed English Verse in the Metre of the Original by Needler G H George Henry Translator

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Ebook has 2390 lines and 119060 words, and 48 pages

There once grew up in Burgundy / a maid of noble birth, Nor might there be a fairer / than she in all the earth: Kriemhild hight the maiden, / and grew a dame full fair, Through whom high thanes a many / to lose their lives soon doomed were.

'Twould well become the highest / to love the winsome maid, Keen knights did long to win her, / and none but homage paid. Beauty without measure, / that in sooth had she, And virtues wherewith many / ladies else adorned might be.

Three noble lords did guard her, / great as well in might, Gunther and Gernot, / each one a worthy knight, And Giselher their brother, / a hero young and rare. The lady was their sister / and lived beneath the princes' care.

These lords were free in giving, / and born of high degree; Undaunted was the valor / of all the chosen three. It was the land of Burgundy / o'er which they did command, And mighty deeds of wonder / they wrought anon in Etzel's land.

At Worms amid their warriors / they dwelt, the Rhine beside, And in their lands did serve them / knights of mickle pride, Who till their days were ended / maintained them high in state. They later sadly perished / beneath two noble women's hate.

A high and royal lady, / Ute their mother hight, Their father's name was Dankrat, / a man of mickle might. To them his wealth bequeathed he / when that his life was done, For while he yet was youthful / had he in sooth great honor won.

In truth were these three rulers, / as I before did say, Great and high in power, / and homage true had they Eke of knights the boldest / and best that e'er were known, Keen men all and valiant, / as they in battle oft had shown.

There was of Tronje Hagen, / and of that princely line His brother valiant Dankwart; / and eke of Metz Ortwein; Then further the two margraves, / Gere and Eckewart; Of Alzei was Volker, / a doughty man of dauntless heart.

Rumold the High Steward, / a chosen man was he, Sindold and Hunold / they tended carefully Each his lofty office / in their three masters' state, And many a knight beside them / that I the tale may ne'er relate.

Dankwart he was Marshal; / his nephew, then, Ortwein Upon the monarch waited / when that he did dine; Sindold was Cup-bearer, / a stately thane was he, And Chamberlain was Hunold, / masters all in courtesy.

Of the kings' high honor / and their far-reaching might, Of their full lofty majesty / and how each gallant knight Found his chiefest pleasure / in the life of chivalry, In sooth by mortal never / might it full related be.

Amid this life so noble / did dream the fair Kriemhild How that she reared a falcon, / in beauty strong and wild, That by two eagles perished; / the cruel sight to see Did fill her heart with sorrow / as great as in this world might be.

The dream then to her mother / Queen Ute she told, But she could not the vision / than thus more clear unfold: "The falcon that thou rearedst, / doth mean a noble spouse: God guard him well from evil / or thou thy hero soon must lose."

"Of spouse, O darling mother, / what dost thou tell to me? Without a knight to woo me, / so will I ever be, Unto my latest hour / I'll live a simple maid, That I through lover's wooing / ne'er be brought to direst need."

"Forswear it not so rashly," / her mother then replied. "On earth if thou wilt ever / cast all care aside, 'Tis love alone will do it; / thou shalt be man's delight, If God but kindly grant thee / to wed a right good valiant knight."

"Now urge the case, dear mother," / quoth she, "not further here. Fate of many another / dame hath shown full clear How joy at last doth sorrow / lead oft-times in its train. That I no ruth may borrow, / from both alike I'll far remain."

Long time, too, did Kriemhild / her heart from love hold free, And many a day the maiden / lived right happily, Ere good knight saw she any / whom she would wish to woo. In honor yet she wedded / anon a worthy knight and true.

He was that same falcon / she saw the dream within Unfolded by her mother. / Upon her nearest kin, That they did slay him later, / how wreaked she vengeance wild! Through death of this one hero / died many another mother's child.

SECOND ADVENTURE

Siegfried

Siegfried they did call him, / this bold knight and good; Many a realm he tested, / for brave was he of mood. He rode to prove his prowess / in many a land around: Heigh-ho! what thanes of mettle / anon in Burgundy he found!

In the springtime of his vigor, / when he was young and bold, Could tales of mickle wonder / of Siegfried be told, How he grew up in honor, / and how fair he was to see: Anon he won the favor / of many a debonair lady.

As for a prince was fitting, / they fostered him with care: Yet how the knightly virtues / to him native were! 'Twas soon the chiefest glory / of his father's land, That he in fullest measure / endowed with princely worth did stand.

He soon was grown in stature / that he at court did ride. The people saw him gladly, / lady and maid beside Did wish that his own liking / might lead him ever there. That they did lean unto him / the knight was soon right well aware.

In youth they let him never / without safe escort ride; Soon bade Siegmund and Siegelind / apparel rich provide; Men ripe in wisdom taught him, / who knew whence honor came. Thus many lands and people / he won by his wide-honored name.

Now was he of such stature / that he could weapons bear: Of what thereto he needed / had he an ample share. Then to think of loving / fair maids did he begin, And well might they be honored / for wooer Siegfried bold to win.

Then bade his father Siegmund / make known to one and all That he with his good kinsmen / would hold high festival. And soon were tidings carried / to all the neighboring kings; To friends at home and strangers / steeds gave he and rich furnishings.

Of this high time of revelry / might I great wonders tell. Siegmund and Siegelind / great honor won full well, Such store of goodly presents / they dealt with generous hand, That knights were seen full many / from far come pricking to their land.

Four hundred lusty squires / were there to be clad In knight's full garb with Siegfried. / Full many a beauteous maid At work did never tire, / for dear they did him hold, And many a stone full precious / those ladies laid within the gold,

That they upon the doublets / embroidered cunningly Of those soon to be knighted: / 't was thus it had to be, Seats bade the host for many / a warrior bold make right Against the high midsummer, / when Siegfried won the name of knight.

Then went unto the minster / full many a noble knight And gallant squires beside them. / The elder there with right Did wait upon the younger, / as once for them was done. They were all light-hearted, / in hope of pleasure every one.

God to praise and honor / they sang the mass' song; There, too, were crowds of people, / a great and surging throng, When after knightly custom / knighthood received they then, In such a stately pageant / as scarce might ever be again.

They hastened where they found them / saddled many a steed; In the court of Siegmund's castle / they tilted with such speed That far the din resounded / through castle and through hall, As in the play with clamor / did join the fiery riders all.

Well-tried old knights and youthful / met there in frequent clash, There was sound of shattered lances / that through the air did crash, And along before the castle / were splinters seen to fly From hands of knights a many: / each with other there did vie.

The king he bade give over: / they led the chargers out: There was seen all shattered / many a boss well-wrought, And many a stone full costly / lay there upon the sward From erstwhile shining shield-bands, / now broken in the jousting hard.

The guests all went thereafter / where seats for them were reared; They by the choicest viands / from weariness were cheered, And wine, of all the rarest, / that then in plenty flowed. Upon both friends and strangers / were fitting honors rich bestowed.

In such merry manner / all day did last the feast. Many a wandering minstrel / knew not any rest, But sang to win the presents / dealt out with bounteous hand; And with their praise was honored / far and wide King Siegmund's land.

The monarch then did order / Siegfried his youthful son In fee give lands and castles, / as he erstwhile had done. To all his sword-companions / he gave with such full hand, That joyed they o'er the journey / they now had made unto that land.

The festival yet lasted / until the seventh day. Siegelind after old custom / in plenty gave away --For so her son she honored-- / rich gifts of shining gold: In sooth deserved she richly / that all should him in honor hold.

Never a wandering minstrel / was unprovided found: Horses there and raiment / so free were dealt around, As if to live they had not / beyond it one day more. I ween a monarch's household / ne'er bestowed such gifts before.

Thus closed the merry feasting / in this right worthy way, And 't was well known thereafter / how those good knights did say That they the youthful hero / for king would gladly have; But this nowise he wished for, / Siegfried the stately knight and brave.

While that they both were living, / Siegmund and Siegelind, No crown their son desired, / --thereto he had no mind. Yet would he fain be master / o'er all the hostile might That in the lands around him / opposed the keen and fiery knight.

THIRD ADVENTURE.

How Siegfried came to Worms

Seldom in sooth, if ever, / the hero's heart was sad. He heard them tell the story, / how that a winsome maid There lived afar in Burgundy, / surpassing fair to see: Great joy she brought him later, / but eke she brought him misery.

Of her exceeding beauty / the fame spread far and near, And of the thing, moreover, / were knights oft-times aware How the maid's high spirit / no mortal could command: The thing lured many a stranger / from far unto King Gunther's land.

Although to win her favor / were many wooers bent, In her own heart would never / Kriemhild thereto consent That any one amongst them / for lover she would have: Still to her was he a stranger / to whom anon her troth she gave.

To true love turned his fancy / the son of Siegelind. 'Gainst his, all others' wooing / was like an idle wind: Full well did he merit / a lady fair to woo, And soon the noble Kriemhild / to Siegfried bold was wedded true.

"The noble royal maiden / in Burgundy that dwells, For sake of all her beauty. / Of her the story tells, Ne'er monarch was so mighty / that, if for spouse he sighed, 'Twere not for him befitting / to take the princess for his bride."

Unto King Siegmund also / the thing was soon made known. His people talked about it, / whereby to him was shown The Prince's fixed purpose. / It grieved him sorely, too, That his son intent was / the full stately maid to woo.

Siegelind asked and learned it, / the noble monarch's wife. For her loved son she sorrowed / lest he should lose his life, For well she knew the humor / of Gunther and his men. Then gan they from the wooing / strive to turn the noble thane.

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