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The Nibelungenlied

U >> Unkown >> The Nibelungenlied




Then Gunther grew wroth; he struggled for her love and rumpled
all her clothes. The high-born maid then seized her girdle, the
which was a stout band she wore around her waist, and with it she
wrought the king great wrong enow. She bound him hand and foot
and bare him to a nail and hung him on the wall. She forbade him
love, sith he disturbed her sleep. Of a truth he came full nigh
to death through her great strength.

Then he who had weened to be the master, began to plead. "Now
loose my bands, most noble queen. I no longer trow to conquer
you, fair lady, and full seldom will I lie so near your side."

She reeked not how he felt, for she lay full soft. There he had
to hang all night till break of day, until the bright morn shone
through the casements. Had he ever had great strength, it was
little seen upon him now.

"Now tell me, Sir Gunther, would that irk you aught," the fair
maid spake, "and your servants found you bound by a woman's
hand?"

Then spake the noble knight: "That would serve you ill; nor would
it gain me honor," spake the doughty man. "By your courtesie,
pray let me lie now by your side. Sith that my love mislike you
so, I will not touch your garment with my hands."

Then she loosed him soon and let him rise. To the bed again, to
the lady he went and laid him down so far away, that thereafter
he full seldom touched her comely weeds. Nor would she have
allowed it.

Then their servants came and brought them new attire, of which
great store was ready for them against the morn. However merry
men made, the lord of the land was sad enow, albeit he wore a
crown that day. As was the usage which they had and which they
kept by right, Gunther and Brunhild no longer tarried, but hied
them to the minster, where mass was sung. Thither, too, Sir
Siegfried came and a great press arose among the crowd. In
keeping with their royal rank, there was ready for them all that
they did need, their crowns and robes as well. Then they were
consecrated. When this was done, all four were seen to stand
joyful 'neath their crowns. Many young squires, six hundred or
better, were now girt with sword in honor of the kings, as ye
must know. Great joy rose then in the Burgundian land; one heard
spear-shafts clashing in the hands of the sworded knights. There
at the windows the fair maids sat; they saw shining afore them
the gleam of many a shield. But the king had sundered him from
his liegemen; whatso others plied, men saw him stand full sad.
Unlike stood his and Siegfried's mood. The noble knight and good
would fain have known what ailed the king. He hasted to him and
gan ask: "Pray let me know how ye have fared this night, Sir
King."

Then spake the king to his guest: "Shame and disgrace have I won;
I have brought a fell devil to my house and home. When I weened
to love her, she bound me sore; she bare me to a nail and hung me
high upon a wall. There I hung affrighted all night until the
day, or ever she unbound me. How softly she lay bedded there!
In hope of thy pity do I make plaint to thee as friend to
friend."

Then spake stout Siegfried: "That rueth me in truth. I'll do you
this to wit; and ye allow me without distrust, I'll contrive that
she lie by you so near this night, that she'll nevermore withhold
from you her love."

After all his hardships Gunther liked well this speech. Sir
Siegfried spake again: "Thou mayst well be of good cheer. I ween
we fared unlike last night. Thy sister Kriemhild is dearer to me
than life; the Lady Brunhild must become thy wife to-night. I'll
come to thy chamber this night, so secretly in my Cloud Cloak,
that none may note at all my arts. Then let the chamberlains
betake them to their lodgings and I'll put out the lights in the
pages' hands, whereby thou mayst know that I be within and that
I'll gladly serve thee. I'll tame for time thy wife, that thou
mayst have her love to-night, or else I'll lose my life."

"Unless be thou embrace my dear lady," spake then the king, "I
shall be glad, if thou do to her as thou dost list. I could
endure it well, an' thou didst take her life. In sooth she is a
fearful wife."

"I pledge upon my troth," quoth Siegfried, "that I will not
embrace her. The fair sister of thine, she is to me above all
maids that I have ever seen."

Gunther believed full well what Siegfried spake.

From the knightly sports there came both joy and woe; but men
forbade the hurtling and the shouting, since now the ladies were
to hie them to the hall. The grooms-in-waiting bade the people
stand aside; the court was cleared of steeds and folk. A bishop
led each of the ladies, as they should go to table in the
presence of the kings. Many a stately warrior followed to the
seats. In fair hope the king sate now full merrily; well he
thought on that which Siegfried had vowed to do. This one day
thought him as long as thirty days, for all his thoughts were
bent upon his lady's love. He could scarce abide the time to
leave the board. Now men let fair Brunhild and Kriemhild, too,
both go to their rest. Ho, what doughty knights were seen to
walk before the queens!

The Lord Siegfried sate in loving wise by his fair wife, in bliss
without alloy. With her snow-white hands she fondled his, till
that he vanished from before her eyes, she wist not when. When
now she no longer spied him, as she toyed, the queen spake to his
followers: "Much this wondereth me, whither the king be gone.
Who hath taken his hands from mine?"

She spake no other word, but he was gone to where he found many
grooms of the chamber stand with lights. These he gan snuff out
in the pages' hands. Thus Gunther knew that it was Siegfried.
Well wist he what he would; he bade the maids and ladies now
withdraw. When that was done, the mighty king himself made fast
the door and nimbly shoved in place two sturdy bolts. Quickly
then he hid the lights behind the hangings of the bed. Stout
Siegfried and the maiden now began a play (for this there was no
help) which was both lief and loth to Gunther. Siegfried laid
him close by the high-born maid. She spake: "Now, Gunther, let
that be, and it be lief to you, that ye suffer not hardship as
afore."

Then the lady hurt bold Siegfried sore. He held his peace and
answered not a whit. Gunther heard well, though he could not see
his friend a bit, that they plied not secret things, for little
ease they had upon the bed. Siegfried bare him as though he were
Gunther, the mighty king. In his arms he clasped the lovely
maid. She cast him from the bed upon a bench near by, so that
his head struck loudly against the stool. Up sprang the valiant
man with all his might; fain would he try again. When he thought
now to subdue her, she hurt him sore. Such defense, I ween,
might nevermore be made by any wife.

When he would not desist, up sprang the maid. "Ye shall not
rumple thus my shift so white. Ye are a clumsy churl and it
shall rue you sore, I'll have you to know fall well," spake the
comely maid. In her arms she grasped the peerless knight; she
weened to bind him, as she had done the king, that she might have
her case upon the bed. The lady avenged full sore, that he had
rumpled thus her clothes. What availed his mickle force and his
giant strength? She showed the knight her masterly strength of
limb; she carried him by force (and that must needs be) and
pressed him rudely 'twixt a clothes-press and the wall.

"Alas," so thought the knight, "if now I lose my life at a
maiden's hands, then may all wives hereafter bear towards their
husbands haughty mien, who would never do it else."

The king heard it well and feared him for his liegeman's life.
Siegfried was sore ashamed; wrathful he waxed and with surpassing
strength he set himself against her and tried it again with Lady
Brunhild in fearful wise. It thought the king full long, before
he conquered her. She pressed his hands, till from her strength
the blood gushed forth from out the nails: this irked the hero.
Therefore he brought the highborn maiden to the pass that she
gave over her unruly will, which she asserted there afore. The
king heard all, albeit not a word he spake. Siegfried pressed
her against the bed, so that she shrieked aloud. Passing sore
his strength did hurt her. She grasped the girdle around her
waist and would fain have bound him, but his hand prevented it in
such a wise that her limbs and all her body cracked. Thus the
strife was parted and she became King Gunther's wife.

She spake: "Most noble king, pray spare my life. I'll do thee
remedy for whatso I have done thee. I'll no longer struggle
against thy noble love, for I have learned full well that thou
canst make thee master over women."

Siegfried let the maiden be and stepped away, as though he would
do off his clothes. From her hand he drew a golden finger ring,
without that she wist it, the noble queen. Thereto he took her
girdle, a good stout band. I know not if he did that for very
haughtiness. He gave it to his wife and rued it sore in after
time.

Then lay Gunther and the fair maid side by side. He played the
lover, as beseemed him, and thus she must needs give over wrath
and shame. From his embrace a little pale she grew. Ho, how her
great strength failed through love! Now was she no stronger than
any other wife. He caressed her lovely form in lover's wise.
Had she tried her strength again, what had that availed? All
this had Gunther wrought in her by his love. How right lovingly
she lay beside him in bridal joy until the dawn of day!

Now was Sir Siegfried gone again to where he was given fair
greetings by a woman fashioned fair. He turned aside the
question she had thought to put and hid long time from her what
he had brought, until she ruled as queen within his land. How
little he refused to give her what he should!

On the morn the host was far cheerier of mood than he had been
afore. Through this the joy of many a noble man was great in all
his lands, whom he had bidden to his court, and to whom he
proffered much of service. The wedding feast now lasted till the
fourteenth day, so that in all this while the sound never died
away of the many joys which there they plied. The cost to the
king was rated high. The kinsmen of the noble host gave gifts in
his honor to the strolling folk, as the king commanded: vesture
and ruddy gold, steeds and silver, too. Those who there craved
gifts departed hence full merrily. Siegfried, the lord from
Netherland, with a thousand of his men, gave quite away the
garments they had brought with them to the Rhine and steeds and
saddles, too. Full well they wot how to live in lordly wise.
Those who would home again thought the time too long till the
rich gifts had all been made. Nevermore have guests been better
eased. Thus ended the wedding feast; Gunther, the knight, would
have it so.


ENDNOTES:
(1) "Chaplet" (O.F. "chaplet", dim. of "chapel", M.H.G.
"schapel" or "schapelin") or wreath was the headdress
especially of unmarried girls, the hair being worn flowing.
It was often of flowers or leaves, but not infrequently of
gold and silver. (See Weinhold, "Deutsche Frauen im
Mittelalter", i, 387.)



ADVENTURE XI
How Siegfried Journeyed Homeward With His Wife.

When now the strangers had all ridden hence, Siegmund's son spake
to his fellowship: "We must make us ready, too, to journey to my
lands."

Lief was it to his wife, when the lady heard the tale aright.
She spake to her husband: "When shall we ride? I pray thee, make
me not haste too sore. First must my brothers share their lands
with me."

It was loth to Siegfried, when he heard this from Kriemhild. The
lordings hied them to him and all three spake: "Now may ye know,
Sir Siegfried, that our true service be ever at your bidding till
our death."

Then he made obeisance to the knights, as it was proffered him in
such kindly wise. "We shall share with you," spake Giselher, the
youth, "both land and castles which we do own and whatever broad
realms be subject to our power. Of these ye and Kriemhild shall
have a goodly share."

The son of Siegmund spake to the princes, as he heard and saw the
lordings' will: "God grant that ye be ever happy with your
heritage and the folk therein. My dear bride can well forego in
truth the share which ye would give. There where she shall wear
a crown, she shall be mightier than any one alive, and live to
see the day. For whatsoever else ye do command, I stand ready to
your bidding."

Then spake the Lady Kriemhild: "Though ye forego my heritage, yet
is it not so light a matter with the Burgundian men-at-arms. A
king might gladly lead them to his land. Forsooth my brothers'
hands must share them with me."

Then spake the Lord Gernot: "Now take whomsoever thou dost wish.
Thou wilt find here really a one who'll gladly ride with thee.
We will give thee a thousand of our thirty hundred warriors; be
they thy court retainers."

Kriemhild then gan send for Hagen of Troneg and also for Ortwin,
to ask if they and their kinsfolk would be Kriemhild's men.

At this Hagen waxed wonderly wroth. He spake: "Certes, Gunther
may not give us to any in the world. Let others follow as your
train. Ye know full well the custom of the men of Troneg: we
must in duty bound remain here with the kings at court. We must
serve them longer, whom we till now have followed."

They gave that over and made them ready to ride away. Lady
Kriemhild gained for herself two and thirty maids and five
hundred men, a noble train. The Margrave Eckewart (1) followed
Kriemhild hence. They all took leave, both knights and squires
and maids and ladies, as was mickle right. Anon they parted with
a kiss and voided merrily King Gunther's land. Their kinsmen
bare them company far upon the way and bade them pitch their
quarters for the night, whereso they listed, throughout the
princes' land.

Then messengers were sent eftsoon to Siegmund, that he might
know, and Siegelind, too, that his son would come with Lady Uta's
child, Kriemhild, the fair, from Worms beyond the Rhine. Liefer
tidings might they never have. "Well for me," spake then
Siegmund, "that I have lived to see fair Kriemhild here as queen.
My heritage will be thereby enhanced. My son, the noble
Siegfried, shall himself be king."

Then the Lady Siegelind gave much red velvet, silver, and heavy
gold; this was the envoy's meed. The tale well liked her, which
then she heard. She clad her and her handmaids with care, as did
beseem them. Men told who was to come with Siegfried to the
land. Anon they bade seats be raised, where he should walk
crowned before his friends. King Siegmund's liegemen then rode
forth to meet him. Hath any been ever better greeted than the
famous hero in Siegmund's land, I know not. Siegelind, the fair,
rode forth to meet Kriemhild with many a comely dame (lusty
knights did follow on behind), a full day's journey, till one
espied the guests. Home-folk and the strangers had little
easement till they were come to a spacious castle, hight Xanten,
(2) where they later reigned.

Smilingly Siegelind and Siegmund kissed Kriemhild many times for
joy and Siegfried, too; their sorrow was taken from them. All
their fellowship received great welcome. One bade now bring the
guests to Siegmund's hall, and lifted the fair young maids down
from the palfreys. Many a knight gan serve the comely dames with
zeal. However great the feasting at the Rhine was known to be,
here one gave the heroes much better robes than they had worn in
all their days. Of their splender great marvels might be told.
When now they sate in lofty honors and had enow of all, what
gold-hued clothes their courtiers wore with precious stones well
worked thereon! Thus did Siegelind, the noble queen, purvey them
well.

Then to his friends Lord Siegmund spake: "I do all Siegfried's
kin to wit, that he shall wear my crown before these knights."
Those of Netherland heard full fain the tale. He gave his son
the crown, the cognizance, (3) and lands, so that he then was
master of them all. When that men went to law and Siegfried
uttered judgment, that was done in such a wise that men feared
sore fair Kriemhild's husband.

In these high honors Siegfried lived, of a truth, and judged as
king, till the tenth year was come, when his fair lady bare a
son. This was come to pass after the wish of the kinsmen of the
king. They hastened to baptize and name him Gunther for his
uncle; nor had he need to be ashamed of this. Should he grow
like to his kinsman, he would fare full well. They brought him
up with care, as was but due. In these same times the Lady
Siegelind died, and men enow made wail when death bereft them of
her. Then the child of the noble Uta held withal the power over
the lands, which well beseemed such high-born dames. (4)

Now also by the Rhine, as we hear tell, at mighty Gunther's
court, in the Burgundian land, Brunhild, the fair, had born a
son. For the hero's sake they named him Siegfried. With what
great care they bade attend him! The noble Gunther gave him
masters who well wot how to bring him up to be a doughty man.
Alas, what great loss of kin he later suffered through
misfortune!

Many tales were told all time, of how right worshipfully the
lusty knights dwelt alway in Siegmund's land. Gunther dealt the
same with his distinguished kin. The Nibelung land and
Schilbung's knights and the goods of both served Siegfried here
(none of his kinsmen ever waxed mightier than he). So much the
higher rose the mood of the valiant man. The very greatest heard
that any hero ever gained, save those who owned it aforetime, the
bold man had, the which he had won by his own hand hard by a
hill, and for which he did many a lusty knight to death. He had
honors to his heart's desire, and had this not been so, yet one
must rightly aver of the noble champion, that he was one of the
best that ever mounted horse. Men feared his might and justly,
too.


ENDNOTES:
(1) "Eckewart", see Adventure I, note 15.
(2) "Xanten", see Adventure II, note 3.
(3) "Cognizance", 'jurisdiction.'
(4) "Dames", i.e., Siegelind and Kriemhild.



ADVENTURE XII
How Gunther Bade Siegfried To The Feasting.

Now Gunther's wife thought alway: "How haughtily doth Lady
Kriemhild bear her! Is not her husband Siegfried our liegeman?
Long time now hath he done us little service." This she bare
within her heart, but held her peace. It irked her sore that
they did make themselves such strangers and that men from
Siegfried's land so seldom served her. Fain would she have known
from whence this came. She asked the king if it might hap that
she should see Kriemhild again. Secretly she spake what she had
in mind. The speech like the king but moderately well. "How
might we bring them," quoth he, "hither to our land? That were
impossible, they live too far away; I dare not ask them this."

To this Brunhild replied in full crafty wise: "However high and
mighty a king's vassal be, yet should he not leave undone
whatsoever his lord command him."

King Gunther smiled when she spake thus. However oft he saw
Siegfried, yet did he not count it to him as service.

She spake: "Dear lord, for my sake help me to have Siegfried and
thy sister come to this land, that we may see them here. Naught
liefer might ever hap to me in truth. Whenso I think on thy
sister's courtesie and her well-bred mind, how it delighteth me!
How we sate together, when I first became thy wife! She may with
honor love bold Siegfried."

She besought so long, till the king did speak: "Now know that I
have never seen more welcome guests. Ye need but beg me gently.
I will send my envoys for the twain, that they may come to see us
to the Rhine."

Then spake the queen: "Pray tell me then, when ye are willed to
send for them, or in what time our dear kinsmen shall come into
the land. Give me also to know whom ye will send thither."

"That will I," said the prince. "I will let thirty of my men ride
thither."

He had these come before him and bade them carry tidings to
Siegfried's land. To their delight Brunhild did give them full
lordly vesture.

Then spake the king: "Ye knights must say from me all that I bid
you to mighty Siegfried and the sister of mine; this must ye not
conceal: that no one in the world doth love them more, and beg
them both to come to us to the Rhine. For this I and my lady
will be ever at your service. At the next Midsummer's Day shall
he and his men gaze upon many here, who would fain do them great
honor. Give to the king Siegmund my greetings, and say that I
and my kinsmen be still his friends, and tell my sister, too,
that she fail not to ride to see her kin. Never did feasting
beseem her better."

Brunhild and Uta and whatever ladies were found at court all
commended their service to the lovely dames and the many valiant
men in Siegfried's land. With the consent of the kinsmen of the
king the messengers set forth. They rode as wandering knights;
their horses and their trappings had now been brought them. Then
they voided the land, for they had haste of the journey, whither
they would fare. The king bade guard the messengers well with
convoys. In three weeks they came riding into the land, to
Nibelung's castle, in the marches of Norway, (1) whither they
were sent. Here they found the knight. The mounts of the
messengers were weary from the lengthy way.

Both Siegfried and Kriemhild were then told that knights were
come, who wore such clothes as men were wont to wear at Burgundy.
She sprang from a couch on which she lay to rest and bade a
maiden hie her to the window. In the court she saw bold Gere
standing, him and the fellowship that had been sent thither.
What joyful things she there found against her sorrow of heart!
She spake to the king: "Now behold where they stand, who walk in
the court with the sturdy Gere, whom my brother sendeth us adown
the Rhine.

Spake Then the valiant Siegfried: "They be welcome to us."

All the courtiers ran to where one saw them. Each of them in
turn then spake full kindly, as best he could to the envoys.
Siegmund, the lord, was right blithe of their coming. Then Gere
and his men were lodged and men bade take their steeds in charge.
The messengers then went hence to where Lord Siegfried sate by
Kriemhild. This they did, for they had leave to go to court.
The host and his lady rose from their seats at once and greeted
well Gere of the Burgundian land with his fellowship, Gunther's
liegemen. One bade the mighty Gere go and sit him down.

"Permit us first to give our message, afore we take our seats;
let us way-worn strangers stand the while. We be come to tell
you tidings which Gunther and Brunhild, with whom all things
stand well, have sent you, and also what Lady Uta, your mother,
sendeth. Giselher, the youth, and Sir Gernot, too, and your
dearest kin, they have sent us hither and commend their service
to you from out the Burgundian land."

"Now God requite them," quoth Siegfried; "I trow them much troth
and good, as one should to kinsfolk; their sister doth the same.
Ye must tell us more, whether our dear friends at home be of good
cheer? Since we have been parted from them, hath any done amiss
to my lady's kinsmen? That ye must let me know. If so, I'll
ever help them bear it in duty bound, until their foes must rue
my serviceú"

Then spake the Margrave Gere, a right good knight: "They are in
every virtue of such right high mood, that they do bid you to a
feasting by the Rhine. They would fain see you, as ye may not
doubt, and they do beg my lady that she come with you, when the
winter hath taken an end. They would see you before the next
Midsummer's Day."

Quoth the stalwart Siegfried: "That might hardly hap."

Then answered Gere from the Burgundian land: "Your mother Uta,
Gernot, and Giselher have charged you, that ye refuse them not.
I hear daily wail, that ye do live so far away. My Lady Brunhild
and all her maids be fain of the tidings, if that might be that
they should see you again; this would raise their spirits high."
These tidings thought fair Kriemhild good.

Gere was of their kin; the host bade him be seated and had wine
poured out for the guests; no longer did they tarry. Now
Siegmund was come to where he saw the messengers. The lord said
to the Burgundians in friendly wise: "Be welcome, Sir Knights, ye
men of Gunther. Sith now Siegfried, my son, hath won Kriemhild
to wife, one should see you more often here in this our land, if
ye would show your kinship."

They answered that they would gladly come, when so he would. Of
their weariness they were cased with joyous pastime. Men bade
the messengers be seated and brought them food, of which
Siegfried had them given great store. They must needs stay there
full nine days, till at last the doughty knights made plaint,
that they durst not ride again to their land.

Meantime king Siegfried had sent to fetch his friends; he asked
them what they counseled, whether or no they should to the Rhine.
"My kinsman Gunther and his kin have sent to fetch me for a
feasting. Now I would go full gladly, but that his land doth lie
too far away. They beg Kriemhild, too, that she journey with me.
Now advise, dear friends, in what manner she shall ride thither.
Though I must harry for them through thirty lands, yet would
Siegfried's arm fain serve them there."

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