The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) (25 page)

your love, one of the very best who ever gained a king’s land in all honour, or rightly wore a crown, has sent here for the sake of your love. Noble knights have been sent to woo you. Your brother bade that you be told this.’

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Then the lady, rich in sorrow, said: ‘God forbid that you and all my friends should mock me, wretched woman that I am. What use would I be to any man who ever gained heartfelt love
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from a good woman?’

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She spoke strongly against it. Later Gernot, her brother, and young Giselher then came to her, asking her lovingly to find solace. If she were to take the king, it would truly be for her own good. Yet no one

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could persuade the lady to love any man. The knights then asked her: ‘Well, let it at least come to pass, even if you will go no further, that you deign to see the ambassador.’

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‘I will not refuse’, said that most noble lady, ‘to see Rüedeger willingly on account of his many virtues. If he’d not been sent here, if it were any messenger other than he, he’d never make my acquaintance.’ She said: ‘You must tell him to come to my chamber

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here tomorrow. I will let him hear in full what is my will, and shall tell him in person.’ Her most grievous mourning was renewed.

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Noble Rüedeger desired nothing else at that time but to see the proud queen. He knew himself to be so wise that if the meeting were ever to take place, she might allow the warrior to persuade her. Early

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the following morning, as mass was being sung, the noble messengers came up—there was great bustling there—those who wanted to go to court with Rüedeger. Proud men in great numbers were to be seen in their raiment there.

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Proud Kriemhilt, most sad in spirits, had been expecting Rüedeger, that noble and worthy ambassador. He found her in the garments that she wore every day, although her retinue wore sumptuous clothes in plenty. She walked over to the door to welcome him

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and received Etzel’s vassal most graciously. He entered her chamber with only eleven others. They offered him great homage; never had ambassadors of higher rank come to them. They bade the lord and

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his men be seated. Before her they saw the two margraves standing, Eckewart and Gere, those noble, worthy warriors. They saw that out of respect for the lady of the house no one was in high spirits there. They saw great numbers of beautiful women sitting before her.

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At that time Kriemhilt practised nothing but sorrow. Her dress was wet with hot tears, down to her breasts. The noble margrave saw that clearly.

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Then the lordly ambassador said: ‘Most noble king’s daughter, give myself and my companions who have come with me leave to stand before you and tell you the reason why we have ridden here.’

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‘Now be permitted’, said the queen, ‘to say all that you want. Such is my intent that I will gladly hear your tidings. You are a worthy ambassador.’

The others could clearly hear her reluctance then.

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Prince Rüedeger of Pöchlarn then said: ‘Etzel, that proud king, sends tidings of his great love in good faith, lady, to you in this land here. He has sent many worthy warriors here in pursuit of your love.

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He offers you his fervent love, without sorrow. He is ready to give you constant friendship, as he did before to Helche, who had her place in his heart. He has had many a joyless day since the death of that virtuous queen.’

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The queen replied: ‘Margrave Rüedeger, if anyone were aware of my great grief, he would not ask me to love any man yet. Indeed, I lost one of the best husbands a lady ever won.’

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‘What can make amends for sorrow,’ said the valiant warrior, ‘except loving affection, if a man is capable of that and then chooses one who befits him? Nothing is of such great avail against heartfelt sorrow. If you deign to love my noble lord, you will hold power over

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twelve prosperous crowns. Moreover, my lord will give you some thirty princes’ lands, all of them conquered by his most courageous hands. You will also be lady over many worthy vassals who were

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subject to my Lady Helche, and over many ladies over whom she
had power, of high princely kin,’ said the bold, valiant warrior.

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‘In addition, my lord will give you—this he bade me tell you—if you deign to wear a crown alongside the king, the greatest authority that Helche ever gained. You shall have such power over Etzel’s men.’

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Then the queen said: ‘How could I ever desire to become a hero’s wife? Death has injured me so greatly, depriving me of one hero, that I must remain joyless until the end of my days.’

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The Huns spoke again: ‘Mighty queen, your life with Etzel will be so truly renowned that it will give you constant joy if it comes to pass, for the mighty king has splendid knights in great numbers.

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If Helche’s damsels and your maidens were to form one retinue together, warriors would be in high spirits. Accept this counsel, lady—it will truly be for your own good.’

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She spoke courteously: ‘Let the matter rest now until tomorrow morning; then come here again. I will give you my answer to what you have in mind.’ The bold and worthy warriors had no choice then but to do as she said.

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When they had all gone to their lodgings, the noble lady sent for Giselher, and also for her mother. She said to both of them that weeping best became her, and nothing else. Then her brother

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Giselher said: ‘Sister, I am told and will readily believe that King Etzel will put an end to all your sorrows if you take him as a husband. No matter what anyone else advises, I think it would be well done. He can readily make you amends,’ Giselher went on. ‘From the

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Rhone to the Rhine, from the Elbe to the Mediterranean,
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no king is so powerful. You will have good reason to rejoice if he proclaims you his wife.’

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She said: ‘My dear brother, why do you give me such counsel? To lament and weep forever would become me better. How could I go to court there before the warriors? If I ever possessed beauty, I am bereft of it now.’

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Then Lady Uote said to her dear daughter: ‘Do all that your brothers advise, dear child. Act on the advice of your friends, and you may well prosper. I have seen you in great grief for so long now.’

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Then Kriemhilt implored God time and again to grant her the power to give away gold, silver, and clothing, as she had done before at the side of her husband when he was still alive. Never afterwards did she live through such joyful times. She thought to herself: ‘If I,

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being a Christian woman, am to give myself to a pagan, I must be
forever disgraced in this world. Even if he were to give me all his kingdoms, I will never do this.’

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She let matters rest at that. Through the night until dawn came the lady lay in her bed, troubled by many thoughts. Her bright eyes were never dry until she went to matins again in the morning.

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The kings had arrived promptly for mass. Again they had taken their sister in hand. They advised her to take the King of Hungary for her beloved. They all found the lady far from happy.

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Then they sent for Etzel’s men, who would by now willingly have taken their leave, whether their wooing should have by then proved successful or not. Rüedeger then came to court. The heroes agreed amongst themselves that they should find out the noble prince’s
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intentions, and do so speedily. That seemed to all of them a good idea. The ways back to their own land were long. Rüedeger was taken into Kriemhilt’s presence. The warrior then began to ask the noble

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queen, in all friendship, to let him hear what message she wanted to send to Etzel’s land. I believe he heard nothing but her denial that

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she would ever love any man again. Then the margrave said: ‘That would be ill done. Why would you thus waste such beauty as yours? You may yet with honour become a worthy man’s wife.’

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None of their pleading was of avail until Rüedeger spoke in private with the proud queen, saying that he would make amends to her for all that ever befell her. At that her great distress began to abate somewhat.

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Rüedeger said to the queen: ‘Let your weeping be. If you had among the Huns none but myself alone, my loyal kinsmen and also my vassals, if anyone did you any harm he would have to pay for it dearly.’

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The lady’s mind was greatly relieved at that. She said: ‘In that case, swear oaths to me that whatever wrongs anyone does to me, you will be the first to make amends for my sufferings.’

The margrave replied: ‘I am ready and willing to do so, lady.’

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Rüedeger, together with all his men, then swore to her that they would always serve her loyally, and that the proud warriors from Etzel’s land would never deny her anything that would be to her honour. Rüedeger’s hand assured her of this.

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The loyal lady then thought: ‘Since I have won so many allies, then I shall let people say what they will, wretched woman that I am. What if my dear husband may yet be avenged?’ She thought: ‘Since Etzel

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has so many warriors, if I am to have command over them I can do whatever I will. Moreover, he is, I believe, so wealthy that I will have
the wherewithal to make gifts. That accursed Hagen has robbed me of my wealth.’

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She said to Rüedeger: ‘If I had not heard that he is a heathen, then I would gladly go wherever he wished and would take him for a husband.’

The margrave replied: ‘Do not speak so, lady. He has so many warriors

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of the Christian faith that you will never be sorry at the king’s side. What if you were to succeed in bringing about his baptism? For that reason you may gladly become King Etzel’s wife.’

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Then her brothers spoke again: ‘Give your promise, now, my sister. You must let your distress be.’ They pleaded with her so long until the sad queen at last promised before the heroes that she would be Etzel’s wife.

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She said: ‘I will take your advice, poor queen that I am, and will go to Hungary as soon as that may now be, once I have found friends to escort me into Etzel’s land.’ Fair Kriemhilt offered her hand on this oath before the heroes.

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Then the margrave said: ‘For any two men that you have, I have all the more. It will be carried out well, and we will take you across the Rhine in all honour. You must stay here no longer, lady, in Burgundy.

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I have five hundred men and also my kinsmen, who will be at your service here and do all that you command of them at home, lady. I myself shall do the same whenever you remind me of my words, provided I never do anything of which I might be ashamed. Now bid them prepare

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your riding habit for you! You will never rue Rüedeger’s counsels—and tell your maidens of this, those that you want to take there with you, that great numbers of excellent heroes will meet us on the road.’

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They still had such smithcraft on their horses, from their riding back in Sivrit’s times, that she could in all honour lead maidens in great numbers, whenever she wanted to leave. Ah, what fine saddles were found for the fair ladies! If they had ever before worn any sumptuous

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clothing, that was now made ready for their journey in abundance, for they had been told so much of King Etzel. They opened up the chests which had been well locked until then. They were fully occupied for

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a good four-and-a-half days, seeking out clothes from the folds in which they lay in abundance. Kriemhilt then set about having her treasury unlocked. She wanted to make all Rüedeger’s men rich.

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She still had so much gold from the land of the Nibelungs—she intended that her hands should share it out among the Huns—
that a good hundred packhorses could never carry it. Hagen then heard tell of these tidings about Kriemhilt. He said: ‘Since I will

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never find favour with Lady Kriemhilt, then Sivrit’s gold must remain here. Why should I abandon so much wealth to my foes? I know full well what Kriemhilt will do with this treasure. If she

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were to take it away from here, I fully believe it would be shared out to incite enmity against me. They shan’t even have the horses to carry it. Hagen wants to keep it here—let Kriemhilt be told as much!’

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When she came to hear those tidings she was deeply grieved. It was also told to all three kings. They would gladly have forestalled this. When that did not come about, noble Rüedeger said merrily:

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‘Mighty queen, why do you mourn over the gold? King Etzel is so well disposed towards you that, once his eyes have beheld you, he’ll give you so much that you’ll never be able to squander it away. This I swear to you, lady.’

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The queen replied: ‘Noblest Rüedeger, no king’s daughter ever gained such wealth as that of which Hagen has deprived me.’ Then her brother Gernot went into her treasury. With the king’s

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authority he thrust the key into the door. Thirty thousand marks or even more of Kriemhilt’s gold was handed out. He bade the guests take it. That met with Gunther’s approval.

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At that Gotelint’s husband, the Lord of Pöchlarn, said: ‘Even if my lady Kriemhilt were to possess all the gold that was ever brought from the land of the Nibelungs, neither mine nor the queen’s hands ought to lay hands on it. Now tell them to keep it, for I want nothing

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of it. I’ve brought so much of my own wealth from my land that we can easily do without that gold on the road, and our costs on the journey from here will be splendidly covered.’

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Meanwhile her maidens had filled twelve coffers with the very best gold to be found anywhere. That was taken away with them from there, along with many ladies’ ornaments for them to take on their journey. Grim Hagen’s power seemed too great to her. Of the offerings