The Lay of the Nibelungs/Chapter 6
ADVENTURE VI.—HOW GUNTHER WENT TO ICELAND AFTER BRUNHILDA.
325.
Fresh rumours now were coming from over Rhine: for there
As all the folk were saying was many a maiden fair.
Of these was good King Gunther now thinking one to woo,
And high his knightly ardour rose, as this purpose grew.
326.
There was a great queen, dwelling, somewhere beyond the sea,
Whose like none had seen ever, and ne’er again would see.
She was of matchless beauty, and strong withal of make;—
She shot with ready warriors, and made her love the stake.
327.
A stone she hurl’d far from her, then after it would spring;
He, who her love did covet, must, without wavering,
Win three games in succession from her, the highborn maid;—
And if he failed in any, his head was forfeited.
328.
Thus many a time and often the maid was wont to do,
’Twas one day heard in Rhineland, by a good knight and true,
Who turned his thoughts towards her, and sought to win the dame,
Through whom full many a hero to death foredooméd came.
329.
Upspake the Lord of Rhineland: “I’ll go down to the sea,
And yisit this Brunhilda, howe’er it fare with me!
For love of her I’m ready to venture limb and life:
I am content to lose them if she be not my wife.”
330.
“From that would I dissuade you!” in answer Siegfried said,
“In sooth this queen hath customs so terrible and dread,—
That whosoever woos her must pay a price too high;
Seek not to take this journey, I counsel earnestly!”
331.
“Now I would fain advise you,” thus Hagen to him spake, ~
“To bid Siegfried go with you, and half the burden take, ~
And share your risk and danger; I counsel this in faith,
Since he such good acquaintance w with Brunhild’s customs hath.”
332.
Quoth Gunther: “Wilt thou help me in very truth, Siegfried,
To woo and win this fair one? ah, if thou dost indeed
Get her for my betrothéd, my own, my noble wife,—
Then, for thy sake, I’ll venture mine honour and my life!”
333.
For answer gave him Siegftied, the royal Siegmund’s son:
“Giv’st thou to me thy sister, behold, it shall be done!
Give me the lovely Kriemhild, the high and noble queen;
No guerdon for my labour, save this I care to win.”
334.
“That swear I to thee, Siegfried,” cried Gunther “on thine hand!
And if the fair Brunhilda doth come here to this land,
I’ll give my sister to thee, to have and hold for wife:
So mayst thou, with thy fair one, aye lead a joyous life.”
335.
By solemn oath they swore it, the noble warriors twain.
But they had toilsome labour, and grief enough, and pain,
Before the high-born lady home to the Rhine they brought.
The gallant knights’ achievement must be with sorrow wrought.
336.
Siegfried his hood of darkness, Tarnhelm yclept, must take:
The same that the bold hero, after hard fight, did make
His own, from a dwarf wrested, whose name was Alberich.
The bold and mighty warriors sped on their journey quick.
337.
Whene’er the gallant Sicgfricd the wondrous Tarnhelm wore,
A hidden strength was in him he had not known before
He had the strength of twelve men, joined to his own, ’twas said;
And cunningly he plotted to win the noble maid.
338.
Now this same hood was fashion’d in such a wondrous way
That any man who wore it could carry out straightway
Whatever thing he wanted, whilst no man could him see.
Therewith he won Brunhilda; whence mickle woe had he.
339.
“Now answer me,” thane Siegfried, “ere yet our way begin,
How shall we, with due honour, across the water win?
Should we not take our warriors unto Brunhilda’s land?—
Full thirty thousand have I, who soon may be to hand.”
340.
“How many folk soever we take there,” Siegfried said,
“This queen doth cherish customs so terrible and dread,
That they will all fall victims to her o’erweening mood.
I’ll give thee better counsel, thou fearless knight and good.
341.
“Let us, as plain knights-errant, go sailing down the Rhine.
And I will name unto thee the knights we’ll take of thine.
Besides us two, two others shall go, none else at all:
So shall we win the lady, whatever may befall.
342.
“I one of these four comrades, another shall be thou;
The third had best be Hagen, we should do well enow.
And tet the fourth be Dankwart, he hath a dauntless hand;
A thousand others dare not in fight us four withstand.”
343.
I would I had some knowledge,’ the king said,—“verily,
Ere we from hither journey, ’twould much enhearten me,—
In what apparel should we before Brunhild appear;
What would be right and fitting? that, Siegfried, would I hear.”
344.
“Whatever be most handsome is worn, I understand,
By ev’ry man, at all times, in Queen Brunhilda’s land;
Therefore should we go finely before this haughty dame,—
That when men talk about us we need not blush for shame.”
345.
Then cried the good king, “Surely, I will myself go ask
My own dear, gracious mother, that she do set the task
To her fair maids, to make us such garb, wherein array’d
We may appear with honour before the royal maid.”
346.
Then Hagen, knight of Tronjé, in courtly fashion spake:
“Why trouble you your mother with things to undertake?
Let your fair sister hear now all that you have in mind.
Her aid, in this state journey, you will of service find.”
347.
So sent he to his sister; saying, he fain would see
Her face, as would Sir Siegfried. But, long ere this, had she
Put on her goodliest raiment; and stood, so fair a maid,
I trow that at their coming she was not much dismay’d!
348.
Also her court-attendants array’d were as was meet
When princes twain were coming; and as she heard their feet,
Straight from her chair upstanding right modestly she went
To greet the noble comers with fitting compliment.
349.
“Right welcome is my brother, and his companion eke;
But fain would I have knowledge,” thus did the maiden speak,
“What is your lordships’ pleasure that ye at court appear?
With you two noble warriors how stands it? let me hear.”
350.
Then spake King Gunther: “Lady, to you the truth I’ll tell:
Although we have high courage, yet have we cares as well.
For we would go a-courting, far in a foreign land,
And now, unto this journey, fine raiment would command.”
351.
“So sit you down, dear brother,” bade the king’s daughter fair.
“And who may be the ladies, for I would rightly hear,
Whom you would go a-wooing in other ruler’s land?”
These favour’d knights the lady did take now by the hand.
352.
And with them straight returnéd to where she sat afore,
Rich mattresses, I doubt not were spread upon the floor,
With pictures fair embroidered, set off with golden thread.
Then must they with the ladies a pleasant time have had.
353.
And friendly mutual glances, and looks that were not loth,
Caused many a thought to waken within the hearts of both.
He in his heart aye bore her, dear as his very life;
And soon, by steadfast service, he won her for his wife.
354.
The rich king spake unto her: “O dearest sister mine,
This thing that we have purposed fails without help of thine.
In Queen Brunhilda’s country some pleasure we desire;
And need, in ladies’ presence, the goodliest attire.”
355.
Then did the maiden answer: “Belovéd brother mine,
Ready am I, at all times, to serve, in need of thine:—
Of that thou mayst be certain: it is Kriembhilda’s part.
Should any one deny thee ’twould vex her to the heart.
356.
“Nor shouldst thou, noble hero, beg of me anxiously,—
Thou shouldst command my service, in lordly style and free.
For whatsoever please thee, for that I’m ready aye,
And gladly will I do it;” the maiden sweet did say.
357.
“’Tis our desire, dear sister, in goodly garb to stand,
Which you may help provide us, with your own noble hand;
So set your women working, that all may be well done,—
For we about this journey will be gainsaid by none.”
358.
Then spake again the maiden: “Now mark what I shall say!
I have the silk already: see that we get, straightway,
Some gems from off your bucklers: we’ll work them on the cloth.”
Then Gunther and Sir Siegfried obeyed her, nothing loth.
359.
“And who may be the comrades,” inquired the royal maid,
“Who shall to court go with you, thus gorgeously arrayed?”
“I and three more,” he answered, “and two my men will be,
Sir Dankwart and Sir Hagen;— these go to court with me.
360.
”And mark you well, dear lady, and list to what I say!—
We four companions must have enough for four days’ stay.
Three shifts of clothing daily, of good stuff all of it,
That we Brunhilda’s country without disgrace may quit.”
361.
With kind farewells the heroes soon after did depart.
Then, of her maidens, thirty, well skilled in needle-art,
Did the young queen Kriemhilda call from their room, in haste;
These all for such-like labours had wit beyond the rest!
362.
Arabian samite was there, white as new-fallen snow,
And Zazemang silks also,— so green doth clover grow,—
Whereon they wrought the jewels; fine clothes, in sooth, they were;
The peerless maid, Kriemhilda, herself the cloth did shear.
363.
Of foreign fish-skin made they the linings, good and rare,
For stranger-folk to stare at,— as many as there were;
And these with silk were covered, as then the mode did hold.
There might be many a marvel of this bright raiment told.
364.
From far Morocco’s borders, and from the Libyan shore,
The very choicest samite, that e’er enriched the store
Of any king soever,— this had they, and to spare.
Right plainly showed Kriemhilda to whom she kindness bare!
365.
Since they on this state journey determined to set forth,
Plain ermine furs they reckoned of insufficient worth.
So over them fur trimmings of coal-black hue they set;
On high-days such like garments brave knights right well befit.
366.
Amidst Arabian gold-work there glittered many a gem.
So careful were the women, naught was too small for them.
in seven weeks the raiment was all prepared aright,
And eke the weapons thereto for every gallant knight.
367.
When this was all made ready, upon the banks of Rhine
Was diligently fashion’d a little vessel, fine
And strong, which down the river should bear them to the sea.
The noble maids by this time were of their tasks weary.
368.
’Twas told unto the warriors that all things were to hand
That they were to take with them;— all their apparel grand,
Such as they had desiréd; it all was now complete:
So would they on the Rhine-bank no longer stay their feet.
369.
Therefore, to fetch their comrades, a messenger was bade,
That they should come and look on this raiment newly made;—
It might be, for the heroes, too long, or else too small.
But ’twas of the right measure: they thanked the ladies all.
370.
For all who came and saw it were bounden to confess,
In all the world they never had seen more noble dress.
They might be proud such clothing in any court to wear;—
Of finer knights’ apparel, in sooth, knew no one there.
371.
Thanks manifold and hearty their judgment did receive.
And then these joyous warriors desired to take their leave;—
This did the noble comrades with knightly courtesy.
Bright eyes were then, with weeping, all sad and watery.
372.
She said: “My dearest brother, you still have time to stay,
And woo some other woman, ’twould be the better way.
You would not then endanger your body and your life:
Here might you find, much nearer, as highly-born a wife!”
373.
Her heart, I ween, foreboded what, later, did befall:
As ev’ry word was spoken they fell to weeping all.
The gold upon their bosoms was tarnished with the tears
Which rainéd from their eyelids, by reason of their fears.
374.
Again she spake: “Sir Siegfried, let me commend, I pray,
Unto your truth and kindness, my brother dear alway;—
That no mischance befall him in Queen Brunhilda’s land.”
The gallant here swore it, upon Kriemhilda’s hand.
375.
The mighty thane thus answered: “So long as I shall live,
You, to his safety, lady, no anxious thought need give;
I safe and sound will bring him home to the Rhine;” he said,
“That know now of a surety.” The fair maid bow’d her head.
376.
Their gilded shields were carried straight down unto the shore,
And to the ship was taken of clothing their whole store;
They bade men bring their horses, they hasted to be gone.
Then was by beauteous women much bitter weeping done.
377.
There, standing, at the windows, was many a lovely child;
A high wind fair was blowing— the ship’s sail soon was fill’d.
The gallant band of heroes on Rhine were floating free;
Then spake the royal Gunther: “Who now shall skipper be?”
378.
“That will I be!” cried Siegfried, “for I can down the flood
Right well and safely steer you, doubt not, ye heroes good;
The proper water-channels, I well do understand.”
Then joyously they parted from the Burgundian land.
379.
Sir Siegfried took a boathook, and stoutly did it grip,
And, leaning on it strongly, from strand he shoved the ship;
The mighty man, King Gunther, did likewise seize an oar,
And soon these worthy heroes had cleared them from the shore.
380.
They carried costly viands, and plenty of good wine,—
The best that had been vintaged upon the banks of Rhine.
Their horses stood right firmly,— they had a well-found stall;—
Their vessel voyaged smoothly; small ill did them befall.
381.
Then they unfurl’d the sailcloths,— the stout sails, strained and tight,—
And twenty miles they sailéd, or ever it was night,
With a good wind to help them down stream, toward the sea.
Their steadfast toil was later those brave ones’ woe to be.
382.
Upon the twelfth day morning, as we have heard men say,
The wind had borne the vessel far distant, and away
Toward Isenstein the fortress, in Queen Brunhilda’s land:
To all of them, save Siegfried, it was an unknown strand.
383.
Now, when the royal Gunther so many towers did see,
And eke so wide a marchland, he spake, all suddenly:
“Tell me, my good friend Siegfried, if it be known to thee,
Whose are these many castles, and this fair land we see?”
384.
Then answered Siegfried: “Truly it is to me well known:
This people and this country doth Queen Brunhilda own,
And Isenstein’s her fortress, as you have heard me say;—
And many comely women you well might see this day.
385.
“I’ll give ye heroes counsel all of one mind to be,—
Agree in all your discourse,— so seemeth best to me,
If we to-day, as may be, before Brunhilda go,
We shall need all our prudence to deal with her, I trow.
386.
“When we behold that fair one, attended by her train,
One speech, and but one only, ye heroes must maintain:
King Gunther is my chieftain, and of his men I’m one;
Thereby what he hath purposed shall all be duly done.”
387.
They ready were to promise whate’er he asked of them;
With all their pride o’erweening none did his word contemn.
They vowed whate’er he wanted: so better did they fare,
What time the royal Gunther beheld Brunhilda fair.
388.
“This not so much for thy sake, I do,” Sir Siegfried said,
“As for love of thy sister,— the ever-beauteous maid!
She’s as my soul unto me, and as my very life;
I’ll gladly do this service, so her I win to wife!”