The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) (34 page)

1799

Then the fiddler said: ‘We have clearly seen that we have found enemies here, as we heard tell before. We must go to court, to the kings—then no one will dare attack our lord in battle.’

1800

How often does a man fail to do many things out of fear, when a friend stands in friendship alongside a friend,
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and if a man’s wise, he won’t go ahead. Good sense will guard well against harm befalling many a man.

1801

‘I’ll take your advice now,’ said Hagen then. They walked over to where they found the gallant knights standing in the courtyard, being given a great welcome.

Valiant Volker spoke loudly to his lords: ‘How long do you want

1802

to stand here, letting men jostle you?
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You must go to court and hear what the king intends.’

Then those bold and worthy heroes were seen to pair off with companions. The Prince of Bern took most mighty Gunther of

1803

Burgundy by the hand. Irnfrit took valiant Gernot. Rüedeger was seen to walk to court with Giselher. No matter how they paired themselves

1804

off and walked to court, Volker and Hagen never parted, not until they met their end in battle. (Noble ladies were to weep grievously over that thereafter.) They then saw a thousand bold men of their noble company

1805

walk to court with the kings, as well as sixty warriors who had gone there with them. Bold Hagen had brought those from his land.

1806

Hawart, and also Irinc, two excellent warriors, were seen to walk in company with the kings. Dancwart and Wolf hart, a knight of high worth, were seen to excel in courtesy above all others.

1807

When the overlord of the Rhine went into the palace, mighty Etzel waited no longer, but leapt from his seat when he saw him coming. No king ever gave such a splendid greeting. ‘Welcome, Sir Gunther,

1808

and also Sir Gernot, and your brother Giselher. I was at pains to send you my loyal homage to Worms on the Rhine, and I welcome all your company. My lady and I now bid a warm welcome to this land to you

1809

two knights also, valiant Volker and Hagen. She sent many messengers to you by the Rhine.’

1810

Hagen of Tronege replied: ‘I have heard much of that. If I had not come here to the Huns for my lords’ sake, I would have ridden into the land in order to do you honour.’

Then that most noble host took his dear guests by the hand.

1811

He took them to the seat where he himself sat. They then poured out mead, mulberry juice, and wine in great golden goblets for the guests, taking great pains over this, and bade the foreigners be most welcome.

1812

Then King Etzel said: ‘I tell you willingly, no greater joy could befall me in this world than to welcome you heroes who have come to me here. The queen will be robbed of much sadness by this. I wonder

1813

greatly what wrong I have done you, now that I have gained so many most noble guests, that you never deigned to come to my lands before. Now that I have seen you, it gives me joy.’

1814

Rüedeger, that high-spirited knight, answered: ‘You may well be glad to see them. My lady’s kinsmen know how to practise loyalty so splendidly. They bring gallant knights in great numbers to your home.’

1815

It was on Midsummer’s Eve that those lords had arrived at mighty Etzel’s court. Seldom has such a noble greeting been heard of as that with which he welcomed the heroes. Now it was time to eat. The king went to table with them. No host ever sat in greater splendour

1816

alongside his guests. They gave them drink and food in plenty. All that they desired was at their disposal. They had heard great numbers of marvels told of those heroes.

1817

T
HE
day was at an end now, and night was nearing them. The way-weary warriors were wracked with anxiety, for they ought to rest and go to their beds. Hagen spoke up about this; the rest were quickly told.

1818

Gunther said to the host: ‘God give you good-night. We want to go and sleep now, by your leave. If you command it we will come to you tomorrow morning.’ Etzel parted most joyfully from his guests then.

1819

The guests were seen to be jostled on all sides. Bold Volker said to the Huns: ‘How dare you tread on these warriors’ toes? If you don’t stop this, it’ll cost you dear. I’ll give one or two of you such a heavy

1820

blow with my fiddle that if they have any loyal friends, they may well weep over it. Why won’t you give way to us warriors? It would be as well, I believe. All those present here are called knights, yet they are not all alike in mind.’

1821

When the fiddler spoke so wrathfully, bold Hagen took a look behind him. He said: ‘The bold minstrel is giving you good counsel. You heroes of Kriemhilt, you must go to your lodgings. I don’t

1822

believe any of you will carry out what you have in mind. If you want to start anything, come to us tomorrow morning, and let us strangers have our rest tonight. That is the way I believe heroes with such warlike intentions have always acted.’

1823

Then the guests were taken into a spacious hall. They found it equipped on all sides with sumptuous beds,
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long and broad, for the warriors. (Lady Kriemhilt was plotting to cause them the greatest suffering that ever was.) They saw great numbers of finely worked

1824

cushions from Arras there, made of lustrous phellel-silk, and many sheets of Arabian silk, the best that might be. Braids lay over them which yielded a splendid sheen. They saw great numbers of bedcovers,

1825

of ermine and black sable there, beneath which they were to find their rest that night, until bright day came. No king with his company ever lay down in such splendour.

1826

‘Alas for our night’s lodgings here!’ said young Giselher. ‘And alas for my friends who have come with us! No matter how graciously my sister has treated us, I fear we must lie dead by her doing.’

1827

‘Now leave off your troubles,’ said Hagen the warrior. ‘I myself will take the watch tonight. I trust I can guard us well until day comes upon us. Have no fear whatever on that count. Then every man for himself !’

1828

At that they all bowed to him and said their thanks. They went to the beds. It did not take long till the gallant men had lain down. Bold Hagen the hero began to don his armour.

1829

Then the fiddler, Volker the warrior, said: ‘If you will not spurn my offer, Hagen, I would gladly stand guard with you tonight, until tomorrow morning.’

The hero thanked Volker with great affection then: ‘Now may God

1830

in Heaven reward you, dearest Volker! In all my troubles, I’d want no one other than you alone, no matter where I might be hard pressed. I shall repay it well unless death forestalls me.’

1831

Then they both donned their bright armour. Each of them took his shield in his hands, and they walked out of the house to stand
before the door. They stood guard then over the guests—that was loyally done. Bold Volker leant his good shield against the wall of the

1832

hall. He went back inside then and took up his fiddle. Then he served his friends as befitted that hero. He sat down on the stone threshold

1833

of the hall. No fiddler was ever bolder. When his strings’ melodies sounded so sweetly, the proud foreigners said their thanks to Volker.

1834

Then his strings sounded so loud that all the hall resounded. His courage and his skill were both great. He started to fiddle ever more sweetly and softly—he put to sleep great numbers of anxious men as they lay on the beds. Once they had fallen asleep and he was

1835

certain of it, the knight took up his shield again and went out of the chamber to stand before the doors and guard the foreigners against Kriemhilt’s men.

1836

Well into the middle of the night—I don’t know if it happened any earlier—bold Volker saw a helmet shining from a window far off. Kriemhilt’s men would gladly have done the guests harm. Then

1837

the fiddler said: ‘Friend Hagen, it befits us to bear these troubles together. I see armed men standing outside the hall. The way I see it, I think they want to attack us.’

1838

‘Then be silent,’ replied Hagen. ‘Let them come closer to us. Before they are aware of us, we two will have knocked helmets askew with our swords here. They will be sent back to Kriemhilt in a bad way.’

1839

One of the Huns’ warriors soon spotted that the door was guarded. How quick he was to speak then! ‘What we had in mind cannot be carried out. I see the fiddler standing guard. He wears on his head a

1840

shining helmet, bright and hard, stout and intact. His chainmail also burns like fire. Hagen is standing next to him—the guests are well guarded!’

1841

They turned back at once. When Volker saw that, he spoke wrath-fy to his companion: ‘Now let me go out from the hall to those warriors. I want to ask Lady Kriemhilt’s men for tidings.’

1842

‘No, by the love you bear me,’ replied Hagen. ‘If you walk away from the hall, those bold knights might perhaps bring you into such peril with their swords that I would have to come to your aid, even if it meant the death of all my kinsmen. If we both entered battle then,

1843

some three or four of them would in no time at all leap towards the hall and wreak such harm on our sleepers as would never cease to be mourned over.’

1844

Then Volker answered: ‘Well, let us in any case make it clear to them that I have seen them, so that Kriemhilt’s men can make no denial of the treachery they would gladly have done.’

1845

Volker called out to them at once: ‘Why do you walk about thus armed, you bold knights? Do you want to ride out robbing, you men of Kriemhilt? You shall have me and my companion-in-arms to help you in that!’

1846

No one answered him. He was in an angry mood: ‘Fie on you, you base cowards!’ said the worthy hero. ‘Would you have murdered us in our sleep? Seldom has that been inflicted upon such worthy heroes!’

1847

Then the queen was told in full that her messengers had achieved nothing. She had good reason to be grieved. She then resorted to a different plan—she was in a savage mood. (Bold and worthy heroes were to die in consequence.)

1848

’M
Y
chainmail is getting so cold,’ said Volker. ‘I doubt if this night will last us much longer now. I can tell by the air that it will very soon be day.’

Then they woke the many who still lay sleeping. The bright morning then shone towards the guests, into the hall. Hagen walked about waking the knights on all sides, asking them if they wanted go to the minster for mass. Many bells began to toll according to Christian custom. They sang in different ways there, as was clearly apparent—

1849

Christians and heathens were not in unison.

1850

Gunther’s men then wanted to go to church. They had all risen from the beds. Then the warriors laced themselves into such fine

1851

garments that no heroes ever brought better clothes into any king’s land. That irked Hagen. He said: ‘You heroes ought to wear other clothing here. Enough of you have no doubt heard the tidings. Instead

1852

of roses, bear swords in your hands now; instead of hats adorned with gems, wear bright, sturdy helmets, now that we are well aware of evil Kriemhilt’s intent. We must do battle today, I tell you. Instead

1853

of silken shifts you must wear hauberks, and instead of costly cloaks
good, broad shields, so that if anyone is angry at you, you are ready for the fray. My dear lords, and my kinsmen and vassals, you must

1854

go to church most willingly and lament to Almighty God your fearful peril, in certain knowledge that death is nearing us. Nor should

1855

you forget what wrongs you have done, and you must stand dutifully before God there. I warn you, most proud warriors, that unless God in Heaven wills it, you will never hear mass again.’

1856

Thus the princes and their vassals walked to the minster. In the sacred precinct bold Hagen ordered them to halt and stay close together. He said: ‘No one yet knows what will happen to us at the hands of the Huns. Lay your shields at your feet, my friends, and if

1857

anyone offers you a mean greeting, pay him back with deep, mortal wounds—that is Hagen’s counsel. Let it be said of you that you have acquitted yourselves with renown.’

1858

Volker and Hagen, those two, walked towards the spacious minster. They did so because they wanted it to be known that the king’s wife might have to jostle past them. Their mood was most grim indeed.

1859

Then the lord of that land, and also his fair wife, arrived. She was attired in costly garments, as were the courageous warriors people saw riding alongside her. Kriemhilt’s companies then caused the dust to fly high.

1860

When the mighty king saw that the kings and their company were thus armed, how quick he was to speak! ‘How is it that I see my friends walking beneath helmets? By my loyalty, I am sorry if anyone has done them any harm. I will gladly make amends to them in whatever

1861

way they think right, if anyone has offended their hearts and minds. I shall make them well aware that I am deeply sorry for it. No matter what they command of me, I am ready and willing to do it all.’

1862

Hagen answered: ‘No one has done us any wrong. It is my lords’ custom to walk armed at all festivities for fully three days. If anyone did us any wrong here, we would tell Etzel of it.’

1863

Kriemhilt heard clearly what Hagen had then said. What hostile looks she cast at him! She did not want, however, to betray what was the custom of her land, long though she had been acquainted with it over there in Burgundy. No matter how grim and how hostile she