The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) (24 page)

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.’

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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.’

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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.

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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

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

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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.’

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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.’

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.
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When they entered the town of Pöchlarn, the host
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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

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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

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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

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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,

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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.’

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‘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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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Then the hero of Tronege said: ‘I haven’t seen anything of them. Once we’ve seen them, I may well be able to tell you where they’ve ridden from to this land. They must be from very far away if I’m not quick to recognize them.’

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By now the strangers had taken up their lodgings. The ambassador and his companions had donned luxurious clothing. Then they rode to court. Their garments were fine and of most elegant cut.

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Then bold Hagen said: ‘As I understand, although I have not seen the lord for a long time, their bearing suggests that it is Rüedeger, the bold and proud warrior from the lands of the Huns.’
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‘How am I to believe’, said the king at once, ‘that the Lord of Pöchlarn has come to this land?’

The moment King Gunther had finished speaking, bold Hagen glimpsed worthy Rüedeger. He and his friends all ran out of the

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palace. Five hundred men were seen to alight from their horses then. Those from Hungary were then given a good welcome. Never did messengers wear such splendid garments.

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Then Hagen of Tronege said in a loud voice: ‘In God’s name, welcome to these warriors, the overlord of Pöchlarn and all his men!’ This was the welcome given in honour of the bold Huns.

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The king’s closest kinsmen came up to see them. Ortwin of Metz said to Rüedeger: ‘We have not been so glad to see guests here for a very long time, I truly aver!’

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They thanked the warriors on all sides then for their greeting. With their servitors they went into the great hall, where they found the king alongside many a bold man. The lord rose from his seat. That was an act of great courtesy. How very courteously he walked

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over to the messengers! Gunther and Gernot took great pains to welcome the guest, as well befitted him, and also his men. Gunther took worthy Rüedeger by the hand. He led him over to the seat where

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he himself was sitting. They ordered that the guests be poured excellent mead—that was done with a will—and the best wine to be found in the lands all round the Rhine.

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Giselher and Gere had both arrived. Dancwart and Volker had also heard about these guests. They were happy at heart. Before the king they welcomed the noble and worthy knights. Then Hagen of

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Tronege said to his lord: ‘These warriors ought always to be in the margrave’s debt for what he has done for our sake.
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Fair Gotelint’s husband ought to receive his reward for that.’

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Then King Gunther said: ‘I cannot refrain from asking: how do they both fare, tell me, Etzel and Helche of Hungary?’

The margrave replied: ‘I will gladly inform you.’ Then he

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stood up from the seat, as did all his men. He said to the king: ‘If it so be, prince, that you give me leave, then I will no longer be silent about the tidings that I bring and will gladly tell them to you.’

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Gunther said: ‘Without my allies’ counsel,
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I give you leave to tell whatever tidings you have been sent to bear to us. Let me and my men hear them, for I grant you permission to fulfil your task in all honour here.’

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Then the deserving ambassador said: ‘My great overlord sends his loyal homage to you by the Rhine, and to all the friends you may have here. Moreover, this embassy is brought to you entirely in good faith. The noble king asked that you should grieve over his distress.

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His people are bereft of joy. My lady is dead, great Helche, my lord’s wife. Great numbers of damsels are now orphaned by her death, daughters of noble princes whom she has reared, and now the land

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is in a most wretched state. They now have no one, sadly, to care for them with kindness. For that reason I believe the king’s sorrow will also be very slow to wane.’

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‘Now God reward him’, said Gunther, ‘for so willingly sending his homage to me and my friends. I am glad to have heard his greeting here. Both my kinsmen and my vassals shall willingly serve to merit it.’

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Then Gernot, the warrior of Burgundy, said: ‘The world may ever rue fair Helche’s death because of the very many virtues she practised.’ Hagen agreed with his words, as did great numbers of other warriors.

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Then Rüedeger, that proud and noble ambassador, spoke again: ‘Since you give me leave, king, I shall tell you more of what tidings my dear lord has sent you here, now that his affairs are in such a wretched state after Helche’s death. My lord is told that Kriemhilt

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is bereft of a husband, that Sir Sivrit has died. If this is so, if you will grant her permission, then she shall wear a crown before Etzel’s warriors—my lord bade her be told this.’

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Then the mighty king said—he was of a well-bred disposition—‘She will hear my decision, if she’s willing to accept Etzel’s offer. I will tell you of it within three days. Why should I refuse Etzel before I have found out how she feels?’

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In the meantime they ordered that the guests be given every comfort. They were served so well that Rüedeger declared he had good friends there, among Gunther’s men. Hagen served him gladly; Rüedeger had done the same for him before. Thus Rüedeger then

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stayed until the third day. The king sent for counsel, acting most wisely, and asked whether his kinsmen thought it good that Kriemhilt should take King Etzel for her husband. They all advised it as one,

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except for Hagen, who said to Sir Gunther:
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‘If you were wise, then it would be well to forestall this. Even if she were to agree to it, you should never do this.’

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‘Why shouldn’t I agree to it?’ replied Gunther. ‘I shouldn’t begrudge the queen any happiness that befalls her—she is my sister. We ought to seek to bring this about ourselves, if it’s to her honour.’

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Then Hagen spoke again: ‘Now let the matter be. If you were as well acquainted with Etzel as I am, and if she then takes him for her beloved, as I hear you suggest, then sorrow of your own making will befall you as never before.’

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‘Why?’ replied Gunther. ‘I shall guard well against coming so close to him that I should suffer any enmity from him, if she were to become his wife.’

Hagen again said: ‘I will never counsel this.’

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They sent for Gernot and Giselher to ask whether those two lords thought it good that Kriemhilt should become the beloved of that mighty, proud king. Still Hagen alone advised against it, and no one else.

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Then Giselher, the warrior of Burgundy, said: ‘Now, friend Hagen, you may yet practise loyalty. Make her amends for the wrongs you have done her. You ought to have no quarrel with any good fortune that befalls her. After all, you have done so many wrongs to

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my sister.’ Giselher, that most gallant warrior, went on to say: ‘She has good reason to be bitter towards you. Never was any lady robbed of more joy.’

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[Hagen replied:]
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‘I’ll tell you what I know for certain: if she is to take Etzel for her husband, if she lives long enough she will yet cause us much sorrow, no matter how she brings it about. She will have great numbers of gallant men at her service.’

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At that bold Gernot answered Hagen: ‘It may well prove that we never ride into Etzel’s land until both he and Kriemhilt are dead. We must be loyal towards her, as befits our honour.’

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Hagen spoke in reply: ‘No one may gainsay me. If noble Kriemhilt is to wear Helche’s crown, she will do us harm, no matter how she contrives it. It would befit you warriors far better to let this be.’

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Giselher, fair Uote’s son, answered angrily: ‘It is not for all of us to act in bad faith. We ought to rejoice in any honours that befall her. No matter what you say, Hagen, I’ll serve her out of my loyalty.’

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When Hagen heard those words, he grew angry. Gernot and Giselher, those proud and worthy knights, and mighty Gunther at last agreed that if Kriemhilt assented, they would have no objection.

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Then Prince Gere said: ‘I’ll tell the lady she should let King Etzel find favour with her. So many warriors are subject to him, looking on him with awe. He can readily make amends to her for all the wrongs she has ever won.’

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Then the bold warrior went before Kriemhilt. She welcomed him graciously. How quick he was to speak then! ‘You may gladly greet me and give me my messenger’s bread! Good fortune desires to part you with all speed now from all your anguish! Lady, in pursuit of

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