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

seen full many a blood-red stain.

      213

      Amid the hurly-burly / down fell many a man

       To ground from off his charger. / Straight 'gainst each other ran

       Siegfried the keen rider / and eke King Luedeger.

       Then flew from lance the splinters / and hurled was many a pointed spear.

      214

      'Neath Siegfried's hand so mighty / from shield flew off the band.

       And soon to win the victory / thought he of Netherland

       Over the valiant Saxons, / of whom were wonders seen.

       Heigh-ho! in shining mail-rings / many a breach made Dankwart keen!

      215

      Upon the shining buckler / that guarded Siegfried's breast

       Soon espied King Luedeger / a painted crown for crest;

       By this same token knew he / it was the doughty man,

       And to his friends he straightway / amid the battle loud began:

      216

      "Give o'er from fighting further, / good warriors every one!

       Amongst our foes now see I / Siegmund's noble son,

       Of netherland the doughty / knight on victory bent.

       Him has the evil Devil / to scourge the Saxons hither sent."

      217

      Then bade he all the banners / amid the storm let down.

       Peace he quickly sued for: / 'Twas granted him anon,

       But he must now a hostage / be ta'en to Gunther's land.

       This fate had forced upon him / the fear of Siegfried's mighty hand.

      218

      They thus by common counsel / left off all further fight.

       Hacked full many a helmet / and shields that late were bright

       From hands down laid they weary; / as many as there might be,

       With stains they all were bloody / 'neath hands of the men of Burgundy.

      219

      Each whom he would took captive, / now they had won the fight.

       Gernot, the noble hero, / and Hagen, doughty knight,

       Bade bear forth the wounded. / Back led they with them then

       Unto the land of Burgundy / five hundred stalwart fighting-men.

      220

      The knights, of victory cheated, / their native Denmark sought,

       Nor had that day the Saxons / with such high valor fought,

       That one could praise them for it, / which caused the warriors pain.

       Then wept their friends full sorely / at home for those in battle slain.

      221

      For the Rhine then laden / they let their armor be.

       Siegfried, the knight so doughty, / had won the victory

       With his few chosen followers; / that he had nobly done,

       Could not but free acknowledge / King Gunther's warriors every one.

       222

      To Worms sent Gernot riding / now a messenger,

       And of the joyous tiding / soon friends at home were ware,

       How that it well had prospered / with him and all his men.

       Fought that day with valor / for honor had those warriors keen.

      223

      The messenger sped forward / and told the tidings o'er.

       Then joyfully they shouted / who boded ill before,

       To hear the welcome story / that now to them was told.

       From ladies fair and noble / came eager questions manifold,

      224

      Who all the fair fortune / of King Gunther's men would know.

       One messenger they ordered / unto Kriemhild to go.

       But that was done in secret: / she durst let no one see,

       For he was 'mongst those warriors / whom she did love so faithfully.

      225

      When to her own apartments / was come the messenger

       Joyfully addressed him / Kriemhild the maiden fair:

       "But tell me now glad tidings, / and gold I'll give to thee,

       And if thou tell'st not falsely, / good friend thou'lt ever find in me.

      226

      "How has my good brother / Gernot in battle sped,

       And how my other kinsmen? / Lies any of them dead?

       Who wrought most deeds of valor? /—That shall thou let me know."

       Then spake the messenger truly: / "No knight but did high valor show.

      227

      "But in the dire turmoil / rode rider none so well,

       O Princess fair and noble, / since I must truly tell,

       As the stranger knight full noble / who comes from Netherland;

       There deeds of mickle wonder / were wrought by doughty Siegfried's hand.

      228

      "Whate'er have all the warriors / in battle dared to do,

       Dankwart and Hagen / and the other knights so true,

       Howe'er they fought for honor, / 'twas naught but idle play

       Beside what there wrought Siegfried, / King Siegmund's son, amid the fray.

      229

      "Beneath their hands in battle / full many a hero fell,

       Yet all the deeds of wonder / no man could ever tell,

       Wrought by the hand of Siegfried, / when rode he 'gainst the foe:

       And weep aloud must women / for friends by his strong arm laid low.

      230

      "There, too, the knight she loved / full many a maid must lose.

       Were heard come down on helmet / so loud his mighty blows,

       That they from gaping gashes / brought forth the flowing blood.

       In all that maketh noble / he is a valiant knight and good.

       231

      "Many a deed of daring / of Metz Sir Ortwein wrought:

       For all was evil faring / whom he with broadsword caught,

       Doomed to die that instant, / or wounded sore to fall.

       And there thy valiant brother / did greater havoc work than all

      232

      "That e'er in storm of battle / was done by warrior bold.

       Of all those chosen warriors / let eke the truth be told:

       The proud Burgundian heroes / have made it now right plain,

       That they can free from insult / their country's honor well maintain.

      233

      "Beneath their hands was often / full many a saddle bare,

       When o'er the field resounding / their bright swords cut the air.

       The warriors from Rhine river / did here such victory win

       That for their foes 'twere better / if they such meeting ne'er had seen.

      234

      "Keen the knights of Tronje / 'fore all their valor showed,