The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) (31 page)

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from Bavaria replied: ‘We are seeking our enemies and have pursued them as far as here. I don’t know who slew my ferryman today. He was a man of mettle, and so I am much grieved.’

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Then Hagen of Tronege said: ‘Was that ferryman yours? He wouldn’t ferry us across. The guilt lies with me, then. I slew the warrior, for truly I had no choice. I had very nearly gained death at his hands. I offered him gold and garments as a reward for ferrying

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us over into your land, hero, but he grew so angry then that he struck at me with a stout pole—that made me angry enough! I reached for

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my sword then, and paid him back for his anger with a wound so deep that the hero was lost. I shall make you amends for that as you think fit.’

Then it came to blows—they were stout-hearted warriors.

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‘I well knew,’ said Gelpfrat, ‘when Gunther and his company rode by here, that Hagen of Tronege would do us harm. He shall not survive now! The hero must pay the price here for the ferryman’s end.’

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They lowered their lances over their shields now for the thrust, Gelpfrat and Hagen, eager to get at one another. Else and Dancwart rode splendidly, trying each other’s mettle. There was fierce fighting then. How could heroes ever test one another better? Bold Hagen, by

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the force of Gelpfrat’s joust, sat on the ground behind his charger. The breast-straps had broken. Now battle had made his acquaintance.

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From their company sounded out the loud crack of shafts. Then Hagen, who had fallen down into the grass at Gelpfrat’s thrust, recovered himself there. I believe he had little love for Gelpfrat.

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Who held their chargers for them
*
is unknown to me. They had both ended up on the sand. Hagen and Gelpfrat ran at one another.
*
Their comrades helped them learn the meaning of battle.

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Grimly as Hagen leapt at Gelpfrat, the noble margrave hacked a huge piece out of his shield, so that fiery sparks flew up into the air. Bold Gunther’s vassal came very close to death. He called out to
Dancwart then: ‘Help me, dear brother! A man of mettle has attacked me—he’ll not let me live!’

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Bold Dancwart answered: ‘I’ll be the judge of that!’
*
The hero

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then leapt over and struck Gelpfrat such a blow with his sharp sword that he lay slain. Else would gladly have avenged him then. He and his company left with great losses. His brother was slain; he himself

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was wounded. Some eighty of his knights were left slain there and then by grim death. Their lord had no choice but to turn back in flight from Gunther’s men.

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When the Bavarians took to flight, fearsome blows were heard to be struck, as the men of Tronege pursued their foes. Those who had hoped not to pay such a price were all in great haste. When they had

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fled, Sir Dancwart said: ‘We must turn back, quickly, on these roads and let them ride—they are wet with blood. Let us hasten to our allies. That is what I advise, in all truth!’

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When they had returned to where the harm had happened, Hagen of Tronege said: ‘Heroes, you must look now to see whom we are missing here, or whom we have lost here in this battle by Gelpfrat’s wrath.’

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They had lost four—they had to resign themselves to that. They had been well paid for. In return a hundred or more of the Bavarians had been slain. Hence the shields of the men of Tronege were dulled and wet with blood.

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Part of the bright moon broke out of the clouds. Then Hagen spoke again: ‘Let no one tell my dear lords what we have done here. Let them remain untroubled until tomorrow.’

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When those who had done battle before had caught up with the others, weariness hurt the retinue hard. ‘How long are we to ride?’ asked many a man.

Bold Dancwart replied: ‘We cannot look for lodgings. You must all ride until daybreak.’

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Brave Volker, who had charge of the household, sent to ask the marshal: ‘Where shall we be tonight, so that our palfreys can rest, and also my dear lords?’

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Bold Dancwart replied: ‘I can’t tell you. We can’t rest until dawn breaks. Wherever we then find a meadow, let’s lie down.’

When they heard those tidings, how sorry some of them were! The

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hot red blood remained unremarked until the sun offered its bright beams to the morning over the hills, when the king saw that they had
been fighting. In great anger the hero said: ‘How now, friend Hagen?

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I believe you disdained to have me with you when your chainmail was thus wetted by blood. Who has done this?’

Hagen said: ‘It was Else who did this—he attacked us at night. We

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were charged at because of his ferryman. Then my brother’s hand slew Gelpfrat. Afterwards Else escaped from us, hard pressed though he was. A hundred of them and four of us were left dead in the battle.’

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We can give no account of where they lay down to rest. All the countryfolk later came to hear that noble Uote’s sons were making their way to court. They were afterwards well received at Passau.

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The noble kings’ uncle, Bishop Pilgrim, was delighted when his nephews arrived in the land with so many warriors. It was soon made clear to them that he bore them goodwill. They were given a warm

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welcome by friends on the ways. In Passau itself they could not all be accommodated. They had to cross the river to where they found meadows. There huts and pavilions were pitched. They had to stay

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there for a whole day and all the following night. How splendidly they were tended! Thereafter they were to ride into Rüedeger’s land. He was taken tidings of that in all haste.

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When the way-weary men had rested and they came closer to Rüedeger’s land, they found a man asleep on the boundary, from whom Hagen of Tronege took a sturdy sword. That same worthy

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knight was called Eckewart. He was sad at heart to have lost his sword at the hand of the journeying heroes. They had found Rüedeger’s march ill guarded.

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‘Alas for this disgrace of mine!’ said Eckewart then. ‘I am greatly grieved by this journey of the Burgundians. Ever since I lost Sivrit my happiness has deserted me. Alas, Lord Rüedeger, how have I behaved towards you!’

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Hagen then heard clearly what anguish the noble warrior felt. He gave him back his sword, together with six torques of red gold. ‘Keep these, hero, in token of my friendship. You are a bold knight, lying alone at the march.’

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‘God reward you for your torques,’ replied Eckewart. ‘Yet I very much regret this journey of yours to the Huns. You slew Sivrit—they hate you here. I advise you in good faith to be on your guard.’

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‘Now may God protect us!’ said Hagen then. ‘These knights’ only concern—that of the kings and also of their vassals—is to seek lodgings, somewhere where we can find quarters before nightfall.

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Our horses are spent, the roads being so long, and our food has run out,’ said Sir Hagen. ‘We won’t find anything for money here. We stand in need of a host who, out of his courtesy, might yet give us his bread this night.’

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Then Eckewart replied: ‘I’ll show you such a host that you will seldom have come to a castle in any land and fared better than you may do here, if you bold warriors want to see Rüedeger. He

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resides close by the road here and is the best host who ever had a castle. His heart blossoms with courtesy, as the sweet May brings flowers to the meadow. Whenever he has to serve heroes, he is happy at heart.’

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Then King Gunther said: ‘If you will be my messenger, will you ask my dear friend Rüedeger if for my sake he will harbour us, my kinsmen and our vassals? I will always seek to repay that as best I can.’

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‘I will gladly be that messenger,’ replied Eckewart. With a good will, he made his way there to tell Rüedeger what he had heard. Not for many a day had such dear tidings come to him.

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They saw a knight hastening towards Pöchlarn. Rüedeger himself recognized him. He said: ‘Eckewart, one of Kriemhilt’s men, is hurrying here along these roads.’ He thought that enemies might have done him harm. Then he went out of the gate to meet the

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messenger.
*
Eckewart unbuckled his sword and laid it aside. The tidings he brought were not concealed from the host and his friends—they were soon told.

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He said to the margrave: ‘Lord Gunther of Burgundy has sent me to you, as has Giselher, his brother, and also Gernot. Each of the warriors offers you his homage, as do also Hagen and Volker, in fervent good

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faith. I have more to tell you still, a message that the king’s marshal sent by me: the knights are in need of your hospitality.’

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With a smile Rüedeger replied: ‘Happy am I at these tidings, that the proud kings desire my services! They will not be denied them. If they enter my castle, I shall be well pleased.’

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‘Dancwart the marshal bid it be made known to you whom you are to have in your house along with them: sixty bold warriors and a thousand worthy knights, and nine thousand squires.’

Rüedeger was happy at heart then. ‘Happy am I to have these

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guests,’ he replied, ‘and that these proud warriors, whom I have as yet seldom served, are coming to my castle! Ride now to meet them, both my kinsmen and vassals!’

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Then knights and squires hastened to their horses. Whatever their lord ordered them to do seemed just to all of them. They hastened all the more readily to serve him then. As yet Lady Gotelint, sitting in her chamber, knew nothing of this.

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T
HEN
the margrave went in search of his lady; he found his wife with his daughter and told them at once of the most welcome tidings he had heard—that their lady’s brothers were to come to their castle there.

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‘My most dearly beloved,’ said Rüedeger then, ‘you must give the warmest of welcomes to these noble, proud kings, when they come to court here with their company. You must also give a good greeting to Hagen, Gunther’s vassal. Together with them there also comes one

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who is called Dancwart—another is called Volker, his courtesy well guarded. These six you and my daughter must kiss, and be courteous and gracious to the other warriors also.’

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The ladies then promised that they would and were willing to do so. They sought sumptuous clothes out from the chests, which they wanted to wear when they went to meet the warriors. Fair women were hard at work there. There were very few counterfeit ladies’

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complexions
*
to be found there. On their heads they wore bright bands of gold—costly garlands those were!—so that the winds should not disarray their beautiful hair. I swear this by my loyalty.

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Let us leave the ladies to such tasks. In great haste Rüedeger’s friends rode across the fields to where they found the princes. They were given a warm welcome into the margrave’s land. When bold

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Rüedeger the margrave saw them approaching him, he joyfully said: ‘Be welcome, you lords, and your men also, here in my land! I am very glad to see you!’

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Then the warriors bowed to him in good faith, without rancour. He showed clearly that he bore them goodwill. He greeted Hagen separately—he knew him from former times. He gave the same greeting to Volker of Burgundy. He also welcomed Dancwart. Then that

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bold knight said: ‘Since you want to look after us, who then is to take care of the company we have brought with us?’

The margrave replied: ‘You shall pass a good night, as will all your

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company. All that you have brought into the land with you, horses and garments, I shall put under such guard that nothing of it will be lost; not a single spur of yours will be harmed. Squires, put up the

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huts in the meadow. I stand surety for anything that you lose here. Take the reins off, let the horses walk free.’

Seldom had any host treated them like that before. The guests

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were well pleased. When that had been seen to, the lords rode away. The squires lay down in the grass everywhere; they were very much at their ease. I believe they had never met with such kind treatment in the course of their journey.

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The noble margravine had come out of the castle, with her most beautiful daughter. Then, standing by her, lovely ladies and many fair maidens could be seen, wearing many torques and splendid dresses.

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The precious stones in their sumptuous garments shone from afar. They were well-favoured women.

Then the guests also arrived and dismounted at once. Oh, what great good-breeding they found in the Burgundians! Thirty-six

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maidens and many more women, all of them perfectly formed, walked towards them, along with many a bold vassal. Pretty greetings were given by noble ladies there. The young margravine kissed

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all three kings, as did her mother. Hagen was also standing close by. Her father bade her kiss him. Then she glanced at him. He seemed so fearsome to her that she’d gladly have omitted to kiss him.
*
Yet

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she had to do what the host commanded her. Her complexion turned mixed, both pale and red. She kissed Dancwart also, and after that the minstrel. That greeting was given him because of the courage he possessed.

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The young margravine took Giselher, the warrior of Burgundy, by the hand. Her mother did the same by bold Gunther. Joyfully they walked away with the heroes. The host walked with Gernot into

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a spacious hall. Knights and ladies sat down there. Then the order was quickly given for good wine to be poured for the guests. Never, indeed, can heroes have been treated better!