The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) (39 page)

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Then young Giselher of Burgundy said: ‘I think dawn is about to break. A cool wind is rising. Now may God in Heaven let us yet live to see happier times! My sister Kriemhilt has given us a foul festivity.’

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Then another of them said: ‘I see day now. Since there is nothing else for it now, arm yourselves, heroes, remember your lives are at stake. King Etzel’s wife will soon come for us again.’

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The host would have liked to believe that the guests were dead as a result of their suffering and their ordeal by fire. Yet six hundred bold men were still alive in there. No king ever had better knights.

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The guards around the foreigners had clearly seen that the guests were still alive, despite all that had happened to harm and injure the lords and their vassals. Many could still be seen standing in good health in the chamber. They told Kriemhilt that many of them had

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survived. The queen replied that that could never be—that any of them should have survived that ordeal by fire: ‘I still believe that they all lie dead.’

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The princes and their vassals would gladly have survived, if anyone would yet show them mercy. They could find none from those of Hungary. Then they avenged their deaths with most willing hands.

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Come morning that day they were greeted by a fierce onslaught, which brought heroes into peril. Great numbers of hard javelins were hurled in at them. The bold and proud warriors defended themselves in knightly fashion.

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Etzel’s retinue were driven on by their desire to earn Kriemhilt’s wealth; moreover they wanted to carry out the king’s commands. (In consequence many of them were soon to meet with death.)

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Marvels might be told of the promises and gifts Kriemhilt offered. She ordered that red gold be carried there on shields. She gave it to any who desired it and would accept it. No greater reward was ever offered against foes.

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A huge body of warriors came up, armed. Then bold Volker said: ‘Well, here we stand again. I never saw heroes more willing to fight than those who have taken the king’s gold to harm us.’

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Plenty of them then called out: ‘Closer, heroes, closer, so that we can put an end here to this, and do so in good time. No one remains here, after all, except those doomed to die.’ At that their shields were soon seen to be shot full with javelins.

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What more can I say? Some twelve hundred men made fierce attempts, advancing and retreating. Then the guests cooled their ardour with the wounds they dealt them. No one could part the adversaries. Thus the blood was seen to flow from mortally deep wounds,

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many of which were struck there. Every one of them was then heard to lament for his friends. The proud and powerful king’s deserving warriors had all died. Their dear kinsmen grieved greatly for them.

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C
OME
morning, the foreigners had done good deeds. Gotelint’s spouse
*
came walking to court. Then he saw the grievous injuries on both sides. Most loyal Rüedeger wept fervently over that. ‘Woe is me,’

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said the warrior, ‘that ever I was born! Alas that no one can prevent this great suffering! Gladly though I would bring about a truce, the king will have nothing of it, for he sees his sorrows grow and grow.’

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Then good Rüedeger sent a message to Dietrich, asking whether they could yet change the proud king’s mind. The Lord of Bern sent a message back to him: ‘Who could prevent this? King Etzel will let no one part the foes.’

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Then one of the Hunnish warriors saw Rüedeger standing there with tears in his eyes, for he had shed many. The Hun said to the
queen: ‘See now how he stands there, he who after all has the greatest authority with Etzel here, and whom they all serve, people and

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lands. How is it that so many castles are made over to Rüedeger, great numbers of them by the gift of the king? He has never yet struck a praiseworthy blow in these attacks! It seems to me he does not care

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what is happening here, since he has all he wants in abundance. They say of him, he is bolder than anyone else could be—there has been wretchedly little sign of that in these troubles.’

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Sad at heart, that most loyal hero glanced at the man he heard speak those words. He thought: ‘You must pay for this—you call me a coward! You have said your piece too loudly at court!’

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He clenched his fist, then ran at him and struck the Hun such a powerful blow that he at once lay dead at his feet! King Etzel’s anguish was added to again.

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‘Away with you, infamous coward!’ said Rüedeger then. ‘I have sorrows and suffering enough. Why do you reproach me for not fighting here? I would have every right to be hostile to the guests,

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and would have done them all the harm I could, except it was I who led the warriors here. I myself was their escort into my lord’s land. For that reason the hands of this exile must not fight with them.’

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Then Etzel, that proud king, said to the margrave: ‘How have you helped us, most noble Rüedeger? For we have so many doomed to death here in this land—we needed no more of them. You have acted most ill.’

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The noble knight replied: ‘He harassed me and taunted me with the honour and possessions, so many of which I have received from your hands. That has cost the liar somewhat dear.’

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Then the queen came up, having also seen what had happened to the Hun as a result of the hero’s anger. She lamented it beyond measure; her eyes grew wet. She said to Rüedeger: ‘How have we deserved that you should add to the suffering of myself and the king?

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Now you have always told us, noble Rüedeger, that you would risk your honour and even your life for our sake. I’ve heard many warriors accord you most great praise. I remind you of your goodwill, and

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that you swore to me, when you advised me to take Etzel, excellent knight, that you would serve me until one of us died. Never was I, poor woman, in such grievous need of that.’

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‘There is no denying it. I swore to you, noble lady, that I would risk my honour and even my life for you. I did not swear that I would
forfeit my soul. It was I who brought the well-born princes to this festivity.’

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She said: ‘Think, Rüedeger, on your great loyalty, your constancy, and also the oaths you swore, that you would always avenge any harm done to me and all my wrongs.’

The margrave replied: ‘I have seldom refused you anything.’

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Mighty Etzel also began to plead. They both then knelt at his feet. The noble margrave was visibly in distress at that. That most loyal warrior said in his great misery: ‘Alas for me, Godforsaken wretch,

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that I have lived to see this! I must relinquish all my honour, the loyalty and courtesy that God commanded of me. Alas, God in Heaven, that death does not avert this from me! Whatever I now leave

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undone, whatever I undertake, I will have acted basely and most ill. Yet if I do neither, all the people will curse me. Let Him guide me now who brought about my birth!’

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The king, and also his wife, pleaded intensely with him then. Because of this warriors were afterwards to lose their lives at Rüedeger’s hands, and the hero himself was also to die. You can hear for yourselves now what a most wretched course he followed. He knew he

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would gain harm and suffering beyond measure. He would most willingly have refused the king’s request, and also that of the queen. He was sorely afraid that if he slew a single one of the guests, the whole world would bear him ill-will.

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Then the valiant warrior said to the king: ‘Sir King, take back now all that I hold at your hands. Neither the land nor the castles shall remain mine. I will go on foot into exile.’

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King Etzel replied: ‘Who would help me then? I’ll give it all to you outright, the land and the people, if you’ll avenge me, Rüedeger, on my foes. You shall be a powerful king at Etzel’s side.’

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Rüedeger answered: ‘How am I to go about this? I invited them home to my house, I kindly offered them drink and food and gave them my gifts—how can I plot their deaths? The people perhaps

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think that I am a coward. I have not denied the most noble princes and their vassals any service of mine. Yet I regret the friendship I have entered upon with them. I gave my daughter to Giselher

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the warrior. She could not be better bestowed upon anyone in this world—he possesses such courtesy and honour, such loyalty and also wealth. Never did I see so young a king of such true excellence.’

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Then Kriemhilt spoke again: ‘Most noble Rüedeger, take pity now upon our sorrows, mine and the king’s also. Consider that no host ever acquired such accursed guests.’

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The margrave replied to the noble queen: ‘Today Rüedeger himself must pay for all the kindness which you and my lord have shown me. I must die in return. That can no longer be delayed. I know full well

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that before the day is out my castles and my lands must fall vacant to you, when I die at the hands of one or other of them. I commend to your mercy my wife and my children, and also the many exiles who are there at Pöchlarn.’

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‘Now God reward you, Rüedeger!’ said the king then. He and the queen both rejoiced. ‘We shall take good care of your people. Yet I trust to my good fortune that you yourself may well survive.’

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Now he set at risk both body and soul. Etzel’s wife then began to weep. Rüedeger said: ‘I must carry out what I vowed to you. Alas for my friends, whom I am loath to attack!’

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People saw him walk away from the king, full of sadness. He found his warriors standing close by him. He said: ‘You must arm your-selves, all my men. To my sorrow, I must attack the bold Burgundians.’

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They ordered the squires to leap quickly over to where their arms were to be found. Whether helmets or shield-rims, they were carried over to them by their retinue. (The proud foreigners were soon to hear sad tidings told.)

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Rüedeger was then armed, along with five hundred men. He also acquired twelve warriors to help him, who wanted to win fame in battle’s peril. (They had no knowledge that death was thus nearing them.) Then Rüedeger was seen to walk beneath his helmet.

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Rüedeger’s men bore sharp swords, and bright, broad shields before their hands. The fiddler saw that, much to his grief.

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Then young Giselher saw his father-in-law walking with his helmet strapped on. How could he then imagine that he intended anything but good? The noble king was greatly cheered at this. ‘Happy am

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I now to have such allies’, said Giselher the warrior, ‘as we have won on these ways! We shall profit full well by my wife here. I rejoice in good faith that the betrothal ever took place!’

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‘I don’t know why your hopes are so high,’ said the minstrel then. ‘Where did you ever see, seeking reconciliation, so many heroes walk with helmets strapped on, bearing swords in their hands? Rüedeger wants to earn his castles and his lands at our cost.’

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Even before the fiddler had finished speaking, they saw noble Rüedeger outside the hall. He laid his good shield down at his feet. The time had come for him to deny his friends his service and greeting.

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The noble margrave called out into the hall: ‘You bold Nibelungs, defend yourselves now on all sides. You ought to have benefited by me, but now you will pay dearly at my hands. Once we were friends—I renounce that loyalty now.’

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Those men beset by peril were shocked at those tidings then, for not one of them rejoiced that he whom they held dear wanted to do battle with them there—from their
foes
they had suffered great hardship.

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‘Now God in Heaven forbid,’ said Gunther the warrior, ‘that you should renounce the kindness you have shown us and the great loyalty we did indeed expect of you. I trust that you will never do this.’

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‘Indeed, I have no choice,’ said the bold warrior then. ‘I must do battle with you, for I’ve vowed to do so. Defend yourselves now, bold heroes, as you value your lives. King Etzel’s wife would not spare me this.’

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‘This is too late in the day now for you to declare hostilities against us,’ replied the proud king. ‘Now may God reward you, most noble Rüedeger, for the loyalty and love you have shown us, if you would only treat us more kindly now the end has come. We would always

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seek to repay you, I and my kinsmen, for what you have given us, if you would let us live. Think, noble Rüedeger, of those splendid gifts you gave us when you brought us in good faith here into Etzel’s land.’

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‘How willingly I would grant you,’ said Rüedeger the warrior, ‘such gifts as I would gladly heap upon you in abundance, as I had hoped! Then no abuse would ever fall upon me.’

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‘Change your mind, noble Rüedeger,’ said Gernot then, ‘for no host ever treated his guests with such true friendship as you did us. You ought to profit well by that if we live any longer.’

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‘Would God,’ said Rüedeger, ‘most noble Gernot, that you were by the Rhine and I were dead with some honour, since I must attack you! Never yet did friends act worse by heroes!’

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‘Now God reward you, Sir Rüedeger,’ replied Gernot, ‘for your most sumptuous gifts. I grieve for your death if such virtue is to perish with you. I bear your sword here which you gave me, worthy hero.

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Never has it failed me in all this peril. Many a knight lies dead beneath
its blades. It is clean and constant, splendid and worthy. I believe no warrior will ever give so rich a gift again. If you will not change your