The Song of the Nibelungs. Anonymous

      FIRST ADVENTURE

       Table of Contents

      Kriemhild's Dream

       1

      To us in olden story / are wonders many told

       Of heroes rich in glory, / of trials manifold:

       Of joy and festive greeting, / of weeping and of woe,

       Of keenest warriors meeting, / shall ye now many a wonder know.

      2

      There once grew up in Burgundy / a maid of noble birth,

       Nor might there be a fairer / than she in all the earth:

       Kriemhild hight the maiden, / and grew a dame full fair,

       Through whom high thanes a many / to lose their lives soon dooméd were.

      3

      'Twould well become the highest / to love the winsome maid,

       Keen knights did long to win her, / and none but homage paid.

       Beauty without measure, / that in sooth had she,

       And virtues wherewith many / ladies else adorned might be.

      4

      Three noble lords did guard her, / great as well in might,

       Gunther and Gernot, / each one a worthy knight,

       And Giselher their brother, / a hero young and rare.

       The lady was their sister / and lived beneath the princes' care.

      5

      These lords were free in giving, / and born of high degree;

       Undaunted was the valor / of all the chosen three.

       It was the land of Burgundy / o'er which they did command,

       And mighty deeds of wonder / they wrought anon in Etzel's land.

      6

      At Worms amid their warriors / they dwelt, the Rhine beside,

       And in their lands did serve them / knights of mickle pride,

       Who till their days were ended / maintained them high in state.

       They later sadly perished / beneath two noble women's hate.

      7

      A high and royal lady, / Ute their mother hight,

       Their father's name was Dankrat, / a man of mickle might.

       To them his wealth bequeathed he / when that his life was done,

       For while he yet was youthful / had he in sooth great honor won.

      8

      In truth were these three rulers, / as I before did say,

       Great and high in power, / and homage true had they

       Eke of knights the boldest / and best that e'er were known,

       Keen men all and valiant, / as they in battle oft had shown.

      9

      There was of Tronje Hagen, / and of that princely line

       His brother valiant Dankwart; / and eke of Metz Ortwein;

       Then further the two margraves, / Gere and Eckewart;

       Of Alzei was Volker, / a doughty man of dauntless heart.

      10

      Rumold the High Steward, / a chosen man was he,

       Sindold and Hunold / they tended carefully

       Each his lofty office / in their three masters' state,

       And many a knight beside them / that I the tale may ne'er relate.

      11

      Dankwart he was Marshal; / his nephew, then, Ortwein

       Upon the monarch waited / when that he did dine;

       Sindold was Cup-bearer, / a stately thane was he,

       And Chamberlain was Hunold, / masters all in courtesy.

      12

      Of the kings' high honor / and their far-reaching might,

       Of their full lofty majesty / and how each gallant knight

       Found his chiefest pleasure / in the life of chivalry,

       In sooth by mortal never / might it full related be.

      13

      Amid this life so noble / did dream the fair Kriemhild

       How that she reared a falcon, / in beauty strong and wild,

       That by two eagles perished; / the cruel sight to see

       Did fill her heart with sorrow / as great as in this world might be.

      14

      The dream then to her mother / Queen Ute she told,

       But she could not the vision / than thus more clear unfold:

       "The falcon that thou rearedst, / doth mean a noble spouse:

       God guard him well from evil / or thou thy hero soon must lose."

      15

      "Of spouse, O darling mother, / what dost thou tell to me?

       Without a knight to woo me, / so will I ever be,

       Unto my latest hour / I'll live a simple maid,

       That I through lover's wooing / ne'er be brought to direst need."

      16

      "Forswear it not so rashly," / her mother then replied.

       "On earth if thou wilt ever / cast all care aside,

       'Tis love alone will do it; / thou shalt be man's delight,

       If God but kindly grant thee / to wed a right good valiant knight."

       17

      "Now urge the case, dear mother," / quoth she, "not further here.

       Fate of many another / dame hath shown full clear

       How joy at last doth sorrow / lead oft-times in its train.

       That I no ruth may borrow, / from both alike I'll far remain."

       18

      Long time, too, did Kriemhild / her heart from love hold free,

       And many a day the maiden / lived right happily,

       Ere good knight saw she any / whom she would wish to woo.

       In honor yet she wedded / anon a worthy knight and true.

      19

      He was that same falcon / she saw the dream within

       Unfolded by her mother. / Upon her nearest kin,

       That they did slay him later, / how wreaked she vengeance wild!

       Through death of this one hero / died many another mother's child.

      SECOND ADVENTURE

       Table of Contents

      Siegfried

      20

      There grew likewise in Netherland / a prince of noble kind,

       Siegmund hight his father, / his mother Siegelind—

       Within a lordly castle / well known the country o'er,

       By the Rhine far downward: / Xanten was the name it bore.

      21

      Siegfried they did call him, / this bold knight and good;