The Song of the Nibelungs (Medieval Literature Classic). Anonymous

near,

       Had knights full twenty thousand / all furnished well with shield and spear.

      170

      Then too his men did summon / of Saxony Luedeger,

       Till they good forty thousand, / and more, had gathered there,

       With whom to make the journey / 'gainst the land of Burgundy.

      —At home likewise the meanwhile / King Gunther had sent forth decree

      171

      Mighty men to summon / of his own and brothers twain,

       Who against the foemen / would join the armed train.

       In haste they made them ready, / for right good cause they had.

       Amongst them must thereafter / full many a noble thane lie dead.

      172

      To march they quick made ready. / And when they thence would fare,

       The banner to the valiant / Volker was given to bear,

       As they began the journey / from Worms across the Rhine;

       Strong of arm grim Hagen / was chosen leader of the line.

      173

      With them there rode Sindold / and eke the keen Hunold

       Who oft at hands of Gunther / had won rewards of gold;

       Dankwart, Hagen's brother, / and Ortwein beside,

       Who all could well with honor / in train of noble warriors ride.

      174

      "King Gunther," spake then Siegfried, / "stay thou here at home;

       Since now thy knights so gallant / with me will gladly come,

       Rest thou here with fair ladies, / and be of merry mood:

       I trow we'll keep in safety / thy land and honor as we should.

      175

      "And well will I see to it / that they at home remain,

       Who fain would ride against thee / to Worms upon the Rhine.

       Against them straight we'll journey / into their land so far

       That they'll be meeker minded / who now such haughty vaunters are."

      176

      Then from the Rhine through Hesse / the hosts of knights rode on

       Toward the land of Saxons, / where battle was anon.

       With fire and sword they harried / and laid the country waste,

       So that both the monarchs / full well the woes of war did taste.

       177

      When came they to the border / the train-men onward pressed.

       With thought of battle-order / Siegfried the thanes addressed:

       "Who now shall guard our followers / from danger in the rear?"

       In sooth like this the Saxons / in battle worsted never were.

      178

      Then said they: "On the journey / the men shall guarded be

       By the valiant Dankwart, /—a warrior swift is he;

       So shall we lose the fewer / by men of Luedeger.

       Let him and Ortwein with him / be chosen now to guard the rear."

      179

      Spake then the valiant Siegfried: / "Myself will now ride on,

       And against our enemies / will keep watch in the van,

       Till I aright discover / where they perchance may be."

       The son of fair Queen Siegelind / did arm him then immediately.

      180

      The folk he left to Hagen / when ready to depart,

       And as well to Gernot, / a man of dauntless heart.

       Into the land of Saxons / alone he rode away,

       And by his hand was severed / many a helmet's band that day.

      181

      He found a mighty army / that lay athwart the plain,

       Small part of which outnumbered / all those in his own train:

       Full forty thousand were they / or more good men of might.

       The hero high in spirit / saw right joyfully the sight.

      182

      Then had eke a warrior / from out the enemy

       To guard the van gone forward, / all arméd cap-a-pie.

       Him saw the noble Siegfried, / and he the valiant man;

       Each one straight the other / to view with angry mien began.

      183

      Who he was I'll tell you / that rode his men before,

      —A shield of gold all shining / upon his arm he bore—

       In sooth it was King Luedegast / who there the van did guard.

       Straightway the noble Siegfried / full eagerly against him spurred.

      184

      Now singled out for combat / him, too, had Luedegast.

       Then full upon each other / they spurred their chargers fast,

       As on their shields they lowered / their lances firm and tight,

       Whereat the lordly monarch / soon found himself in sorry plight.

      185

      After the shock their chargers / bore the knights so fast

       Onward past each other / as flew they on the blast.

       Then turned they deftly backward / obedient to the rein,

       As with their swords contested / the grim and doughty fighters twain.

      186

      When Siegfried struck in anger / far off was heard the blow,

       And flew from off the helmet, / as if 'twere all aglow,

       The fiery sparks all crackling / beneath his hand around.

       Each warrior in the other / a foeman worth his mettle found.

      187

      Full many a stroke with vigor / dealt eke King Luedegast,

       And on each other's buckler / the blows fell thick and fast.

       Then thirty men discovered / their master's sorry plight:

       But ere they came to help him / had doughty Siegfried won the fight.

       188

      With three mighty gashes / which he had dealt the king

       Through his shining breastplate / made fast with many a ring.

       The sword with sharpest edges / from wounds brought forth the blood,

       Whereat King Luedegast / apace fell into gloomy mood.

      189

      To spare his life he begged him, / his land he pledged the knight,

       And told him straight moreover, / that Luedegast he hight.

       Then came his knights to help him, / they who there had seen

       How that upon the vanguard / fierce fight betwixt the twain had been.

       190

      After duel ended, / did thirty yet withstand

       Of knights that him attended; / but there the hero's hand

       Kept safe his noble captive / with blows of wondrous might.

       And soon wrought greater ruin / Siegfried the full gallant knight.

      191

      Beneath his arm of valor /