The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) (10 page)

to be made ready to adorn many ladies and maidens, and many of the young warriors of Burgundy. She also had many splendid garments prepared for the strangers.

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D
AILY
now they could be seen riding to the Rhine, those who wanted to be present at the festivity. Many chargers and sumptuous garments were offered to those who came into the country for the sake of the king. Seating was fully ready for them all, for the highest and the

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best, as we are told, for thirty-two princes at the festivity there. The fair ladies vied in attiring themselves to meet the occasion. Young

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Giselher was very busy there. He and Gernot, and also their vassals, duly welcomed both strangers and acquaintances most graciously. They greeted the knights as honour demanded. They took with them

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into the land red-gold saddles in great numbers, splendid shields and sumptuous garments, which they brought to the Rhine for the festivity. Many who before had lacked health were seen be in joyful spirits. Those who lay in the beds and were suffering from their

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wounds had now to dismiss death’s harshness from their minds. They had to overcome their laments for the sick and unhealthy. They looked forward to the days of the festivity, to how they would meet

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with hospitality there, to happiness beyond measure. All the people to be found there enjoyed delight in plenty. This caused great happiness to arise all over Gunther’s land.

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One Whitsun morning
*
people saw bold men in great numbers emerging from their dwellings, splendidly dressed, five thousand or more, to go to the festivity there. People vied with one another in pastimes in many places.

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The host was well aware in his mind that the hero of the Netherlands loved his sister from his very heart, although he had never seen her—she whose great beauty was praised above all other maidens.

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Then Sir Ortwin said to the king: ‘If you wish to do full honour to the festivity, then you should let the lovely girls be seen—those who are present amid such great honour here in Burgundy. What would

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delight a man and cause him to rejoice, unless it were beautiful maidens and noble women? Let your sister walk before your guests.’ That counsel brought joy to many heroes.

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‘I will gladly agree to that,’ replied the king. All who came to hear of this were delighted. Gunther sent a message to Lady Uote and her well-favoured daughter that they should go to court with their maidens. Then fine garments were sought and taken out of the

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trunks. All the elegant clothes that were to be found in their folds, the torques and the braids, lay at their disposal. Comely maidens in great numbers took pains over their attire.

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Young warriors in great numbers were intent that day on looking their best before the ladies, and would not have accepted a rich king’s land in exchange for the privilege. They were delighted to see those they had never been acquainted with before.
Then the mighty king commanded a good hundred of his men to

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walk alongside his sister to be at her service, kinsmen of hers and his—they bore swords in their hands. That was the retinue of the Burgundian court.

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Uote, that most wealthy queen, was seen to approach with Kriemhilt. She had assembled some hundred or more beautiful ladies to bear her company—they wore sumptuous clothing. Her daughter was also followed by comely maidens in great numbers. The people saw them all

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emerge from a chamber. Then there was a great deal of jostling on the part of heroes pressing in that direction, who hoped it might come to pass that they should have the pleasure of seeing the noble maiden.

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Then the charming damsel walked forward, like dawn emerging from dim clouds. He who bore her in his heart there, and had long done so, was then parted from much anguish, now that he saw the lovely lady standing in great splendour there. Precious stones in

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great numbers gleamed from her garments. Her rose-pink complexion shone most charmingly. Even if anyone wished to do so, he could not aver that he had ever seen anyone more beautiful in this world.

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Just as the bright moon stands before the stars, its beams radiantly descending from the clouds, so she now stood out against many a noble lady. That raised the spirits of the gallant heroes there. The

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powerful chamberlains were seen to walk before her. The proud knights insisted on pressing forward to where they could see the charming maiden.

Lord Sivrit was both joyful and sorrowful. He thought to himself:

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‘How could it have come about that I should love you? It is a foolish hope. Yet if I am to be estranged from you,
*
I would rather be dead!’ These thoughts caused him to turn pale and blush time and again.

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Sigmunt’s son stood so charmingly there, as if he had been painted on parchment by a masterly artist’s skills.
*
They said of him that no such handsome hero had ever been beheld.

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Those who walked alongside the ladies ordered that all the ways be cleared to make space for them—many knights saw to that. The ladies’ high-spirited hearts brought joy to many. Many noble women could be seen in great good-breeding there.

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Then Lord Gernot of Burgundy said: ‘He who offered you his service so graciously—Gunther, dearest brother—you must act the same way by him before all these warriors. That is advice of which I shall never be ashamed. Tell Sivrit to approach my sister so that

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the maiden may give him her greeting—we’ll never be the poorer for that! She who has never greeted any warrior before must take pains to give him her greeting, and by that we shall have won over this most gallant knight.’

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Then the host’s kinsmen went to find the hero. They said to the warrior from the Netherlands: ‘The king has given you leave to go to court. His sister is to give you her greeting—this is to do you honour.’

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Lord Sivrit was most happy at heart. He bore joy without sorrow in his mind at the thought of seeing fair Uote’s daughter. She then greeted Sivrit with charming courtesy. When she saw the

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high-spirited knight standing before her, his complexion took fire. The fair maiden said: ‘Welcome, Sir Sivrit, noble and worthy knight!’ At that greeting his spirits were greatly raised. He bowed attentively

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to her. She took him by the hand. How very charmingly he walked alongside the lady! Both the lord and the lady looked at one another with fond glances—that was done in all secrecy. If white hands were

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lovingly pressed there at all out of heartfelt love, I know nothing of it, yet I cannot believe that it was left undone. She had soon made known to him that she held him in high favour.

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In that summer season and as the May days approached, he could never have borne in his heart so much high happiness as he gained there, when she whom he wished to have for his beloved walked hand-in-hand with him. Many warriors then thought: ‘Ah, if the same fate

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were to befall me, to walk side by side with her, as I have seen him do—or to lie with her! I’d not object to that!’

No warrior had ever served more to merit a queen. No matter what

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kingdom the guests had arrived from, they all had eyes only for those two. She was given leave to kiss the handsome knight. Never in all the world had he enjoyed such happiness. The King of Denmark said

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at once: ‘Many lie sick at Sivrit’s hands for the sake of this most noble greeting, as I well know to my cost. May God never let him come into my kingdom again!’

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Then they gave the command that they should make way on all sides for fair Kriemhilt. Many bold knights were seen to go to church with her, in all decorum. (In time to come that most handsome man was to be parted from her.) She went then into the minster; many

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women followed her. The queen was so well attired that high hopes in great numbers were wasted there. She was a feast there for many warriors’ eyes.

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Sivrit could scarcely wait for the singing of mass to cease. He could have thanked his good fortune forever, that she whom he bore in his heart was so fond of him. He, for his part, had good reason to hold the fair maiden dear. When she came out of the minster, he having done

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so before her, they asked the bold knight to approach her again. Only then did the lovely maiden begin to thank him for having fought so splendidly in the forefront of her kinsmen.
*

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‘Now, God reward you, Sir Sivrit,’ said that very lovely girl, ‘for earning such true loyalty and favour from the warriors as I hear them tell of you.’

Then he began to cast loving looks at Lady Kriemhilt.

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‘I shall always serve them,’ said the knight, ‘and will never lay my head low unless I have done their will, as long as I live. This will be done to earn your favour, my Lady Kriemhilt.’

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For all of twelve days, every day alike, the admirable maiden was seen by the knight’s side, whenever she was to go to court before her friends. Such attention was bestowed on the warrior out of great affection. Joy and delight, a mighty clamour, were to be heard and

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seen every day before Gunther’s hall, both outside and inside, on the part of many bold men. Ortwin and Hagen wrought great marvels.

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No matter what anyone wished to undertake, they were ready for it in full measure, those most gallant heroes, so that those warriors became well known to the guests. All Gunther’s land was embellished by this.

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Those who lay wounded there were seen to emerge from their dwellings. They were eager to join in the household’s pastimes, ducking behind shields
*
and shooting many shafts. Plenty assisted them in this, for the company was great in number. During that

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festivity the host gave order that they be provided with the best food possible. He had renounced any kind of disgrace that a king might ever have. They saw him walk over to his guests with a friendly bearing.

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He said: ‘You worthy warriors, before you depart from here, accept my gifts. I am determined to serve you always. If you do not disdain my possessions, I will share them with you most willingly.’

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The men of Denmark said at once: ‘Before we ride back home to our land, we desire a lasting truce—we warriors have need of that. We have lost many a dear friend, dead at the hands of your knights.’ Liudegast

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was healed of his wounds. The overlord of the Saxons had fully recovered from the battle. They left several dead behind them in that land.

Then King Gunther walked over to Sivrit. He said to the warrior:

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‘Now give me counsel as to what I should do. Our adversaries want to ride off tomorrow morning, and request a lasting truce of me and my men. Now counsel me, Sir Sivrit, as to what seems best to you.

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I will tell you what these lords offer me: they would willingly give me all the gold that five hundred packhorses could carry, if I were to let them go free.’

Mighty Sivrit replied: ‘That would be an ill deed. You must let

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them leave here freely, provided that these noble warriors forever refrain from riding in enmity into your land again. Let oaths be sworn to you on this by both these lords’ hands here.’

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‘I will follow that counsel.’ At that they parted. His foes were told that no one desired the gold they had offered. Back at home their dear friends were longing for the return of the battle-spent men.

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Many shields full of treasure were brought forward. Gunther shared it out amply, not weighing the cost, among his friends—some five hundred marks, and more besides. Gernot, that valiant warrior, had advised Gunther to do so.

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They all took their leave when they wanted to depart. The guests were then seen to walk over to Kriemhilt, and also to where Lady Uote the queen sat. Never again were knights given a better farewell.

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The lodgings were emptied when they rode away. The king still remained at home there, celebrating nobly together with his kinsmen and noble vassals in great numbers. They were seen to go daily to Lady Kriemhilt.

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The worthy hero Sivrit then wanted to take his leave. He had no hope that he would gain what he had in mind there. The king heard it said that he wanted to depart. Young Giselher dissuaded him from the journey: ‘Where do you want to ride now, most noble Sivrit? Stay

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with the warriors here, do as I ask you, stay with King Gunther and also his vassals. There are many beautiful ladies here, whom we shall gladly have you see.’

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Mighty Sivrit then replied: ‘Let the chargers stand. I had intended to ride away from here, but I have changed my mind. Take the shields away also. I did indeed want to go back to my own land. Sir Giselher in his great loyalty has dissuaded me.’

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Thus the bold warrior remained there out of affection for his friends. Indeed, he could not have felt so much at ease anywhere
else in the lands.
*
That was because he now saw fair Kriemhilt daily.

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The lord stayed there because of her exceeding beauty. They now passed the time with many entertainments. Yet love of her oppressed him—it often caused him anguish. (That caused the bold warrior to die a most wretched death in time to come.)

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U
NHEARD-OF
tidings came across the Rhine. There was talk of a land where there were many beautiful maidens. Gunther, that worthy king, took it into his head to win one—the warrior’s spirits rose high at the thought. There was a queen who resided across the sea, whose