The Nibelungenlied
By George Henry Needler, Translator

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Authorama
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Tenth Adventure - How Brunhild was received at Worms

On yonder side Rhine river / they saw a stately band,
The king and host of strangers, / ride down unto the strand,
And also many a lady / sitting on charger led.
By those who should receive them / was goodly preparation made.

Soon they of Isenland / the ship had entered then,
And with them Siegfried’s vassals / the Nibelungen men;
They strained unto the shore / with untiring hand
When they beheld the monarch’s / friends upon the farther strand.

Now list ye eke the story / of the stately queen,
Ute, how at her bidding / ladies fair were seen
Forth coming from the castle / to ride her company.
Then came to know each other / full many a knight and fair lady.

The Margrave Gere / but to the castle gate
The bridle held for Kriemhild; / the keen Siegfried did wait
Thenceforward upon her. / She was a beauteous maid.
Well was the knight’s good service / by the lady since repaid.

Ortwein the valiant / Queen Ute rode beside,
And many a knight full gallant / was stately lady’s guide.
At such a high reception, / that may we say, I ween,
Was ne’er such host of ladies / in company together seen.

With show of rider’s talent / the tilt was carried on,
For might the knights full gallant / naught fitting leave undone,
As passed down to the river / Kriemhild the lady bright.
Then helped was many a lady / fair from charger to alight.

The king had then come over / and many a stranger too.
Heigh-ho! What strong shafts splintered / before the ladies flew!
Many a shaft go crashing / heard you there on shield.
Heigh-ho! What din of costly / arms resounded o’er the field.

The full lovely maidens / upon the shore did stand,
As Gunther with the strangers / stepped upon the land;
He himself did Brunhild / by the hand lead on.
Then sparkled towards each other / rich dress and many a shining stone.

Then went Lady Kriemhild / with fullest courtesy due,
To greet the Lady Brunhild / and her retinue.
And saw ye each the head-band / with fair hand move aside
When they kissed each other: / high courtesy did the ladies guide.

Then spake the maiden Kriemhild, / a high-born lady she:
“Unto this our country / shalt thou right welcome be,
To me and to my mother / and each true friend of mine,
That we here have with us." / Then each did unto each incline.

Within their arms the ladies / oft-times clasped each other.
Like this fond reception / heard ye of ne’er another,
As when both the ladies / there the bride did greet,
Queen Ute and her daughter; / oft-times they kissed her lips so sweet.

When all of Brunhild’s ladies / were come upon the strand,
Then was there taken / full fondly by the hand
By the warriors stately / many a fair lady.
Before the Lady Brunhild / the train of fair maids might ye see.

Before their greetings ended / a mickle time was gone,
For lips of rosy color / were kissed there, many a one.
Long stood they together, / the royal ladies high,
And so to look upon them / pleased many a noble warrior’s eye.

Then spied with probing eye, too, / who before did hear
That till then was never / aught beheld so fair,
As those two royal ladies: / they found it was no lie.
In all their person might ye / no manner of deceit espy.

Who there could spy fair ladies / and judge of beauty rare,
They praised the wife of Gunther / that she was passing fair;
Yet spake again the wise men / who looked with keener gaze,
They rather would to Kriemhild / before Brunhild award the praise.

Then went unto each other / maid and fair lady.
Full many a fair one might ye / in rich adornment see.
There stood rich tents a many, / silken great and small,
Wherewith in every quarter / ’fore Worms the field was covered all.

Of the king’s high kindred / a mighty press there was.
Then bade they Brunhild / and Kriemhild on to pass,
And with them all the ladies, / where they in shade might be.
Thither did bring them warriors / of the land of Burgundy.

When now the strangers also / on horse sat every one,
Plenteous knightly tilting / at shield was there begun.
Above the field rose dust-clouds, / as had the country been
All in flames a-burning; / who bore the honors there was seen.

Looked on full many a maiden / as the knights did sport them so.
Meseemeth that Sir Siegfried / full many a to-and-fro
Did ride with his good followers / along ’fore many a tent.
With him of Nibelungen / a thousand stately men there went.

Then came of Tronje Hagen, / whom the king did send;
He bade in pleasing manner / the tourney have an end,
Before in dust be buried / all the ladies fair.
And ready to obey him / soon the courteous strangers were.

Then spake Sir Gernot: / “Now let the chargers stand,
Until the air is cooler, / for we must be at hand
As escort for fair ladies / unto the stately hall;
And will the king take saddle, / so let him find you ready all.”

When now the sound of tourney / o’er all the field was spent,
Then went for pleasant pastime / ’neath many a lofty tent
The knights unto the ladies, / and willing thither hied.
And there they passed the hours / till such time as they thence should
      ride.

Just before the evening / when the sun was in the west,
And the air grew cooler, / no longer did they rest,
But both knights and ladies / unto the castle passed.
And eyes in loving glances / on many a beauteous maid were cast.

By hand of goodly warrior / many a coat was rent,
For in the country’s custom / they tourneyed as they went,
Until before the palace / the monarch did dismount.
They tended fairest ladies / as knights high-spirited are wont.

After fairest greeting / the queens did part again.
Dame Ute and her daughter, / thither passed the twain
With train of fair attendants / unto a hall full wide.
Din of merrymaking / heard ye there on every side.

Arranged were sitting-places / where the king would be
With his guests at table. / By him might ye see
Standing the fair Brunhild. / She wore a royal crown
In the monarch’s country, / the which might well such mistress own.

Seats for all the people / at many a spacious board
There were, as saith the story, / where victuals rich were stored.
How little there was lacking / of all that makes a feast!
And by the monarch saw ye / sitting many a stately guest.

The royal host’s attendants / in basins golden red
Carried water forward. / And should it e’er be said
By any that a better / service did receive
Ever guests of monarch, / I never could such thing believe.

Before the lord of Rhineland / with water was waited on,
Unto him Sir Siegfried, / as fitting was, had gone;
He called to mind a promise / that made by him had been
Ere that the Lady Brunhild / afar in Isenland he’d seen.

He spake: “Thou shalt bethink thee / what once did plight thy hand,
If that the Lady Brunhild / should come unto this land,
Thou’dst give to me thy sister. / Where now what thou hast sworn?
In this thy wooing journey / not small the labor I have borne.”

Then to his guest the monarch: / “Well hast thou minded me,
And by this hand shall never / false word plighted be.
To gain thy wish I’d help thee / in the way as best I know."
Bidden then was Kriemhild / forth unto the king to go.

With her full beauteous maidens / unto the Hall she passed.
Then sprang the youthful Giselher / adown the steps in haste
“Bid now these many maidens / wend their way again;
None but my sister only / unto the king shall enter in.”

Then led they Kriemhild thither / where the king was found,
With him were knights full noble / from many a land around.
Within that Hall so spacious / she waited the king’s behest,
What time the Lady Brunhild / betook her likewise to the feast.

Then spake the royal Gunther: / “Sister mine full fair,
Redeem the word I’ve given, / an hold’st thou virtue dear.
Thee to a knight I plighted: / An tak’st thou him to man,
Thereby my wish full truly / unto the warrior hast thou done.”

Then spake the noble maiden: / “Brother full dear to me,
Not long shalt thou entreat me. / In truth I’ll ever be
Obedient to thy bidding; / that shall now be done,
And him I’ll take full gladly, / my Lord, whom thou giv’st me for man.”

Before those fair eyes’ glances / grew Siegfried’s color red.
The knight to Lady Kriemhild / his service offered.
Within a ring together / then were led the twain,
And they asked the maiden, / if she to take the knight were fain.

Upon her face not little / was the modest glow;
Nathless to joy of Siegfried / did fortune will it so,
That the maiden would not / refuse the knight her hand.
Eke swore his wife to make her / the noble king of Netherland.

When he to her had plighted, / and eke to him the maid,
Siegfried to embrace her / nothing more delayed,
But clasped in arms full fondly / and oft the lady fair,
And stately knights were witness / how that he kissed the princess there.

When that the maids attendant / from thence had ta’en their leave,
In place of honor seated / Siegfried might ye perceive
And by him fairest Kriemhild; / and many a knight at hand
Was seen of the Nibelungen / at Siegfried’s service ready stand.

There too was Gunther seated / and with him Queen Brunhild.
At sight of Kriemhild sitting / by Siegfried was she filled
With anger such as never / before her heart did swell:
She wept, and tears in plenty / adown her shining face there fell.

Then spake who ruled the country: / “What aileth, lady mine,
That so thou let’st be dimmed / thine eyes that brightly shine?
Be straight of joyous spirit, / for now at thy command
My land and my good castles / and host of stately warriors stand.”

“Good cause to me for weeping," / spake the lady fair.
“For sake of this thy sister / sorrow now I bear,
Whom here behold I seated / by one that serveth thee.
That must forever grieve me, / shall she thus dishonored be.”

Then answered her King Gunther: / “But for the nonce be still.
At other time more fitting / the thing to thee I’ll tell,
Wherefore thus my sister / to Siegfried I did give.
And truly with the hero / may she ever joyous live.”

She spake: “Her name and beauty / thus lost it grieveth me.
An knew I only whither, / from hence I’d surely flee,
This night nor e’er hereafter / to share thy royal bed,
Say’st thou not truly wherefore / Kriemhild thus hath Siegfried wed.”

Then spake the noble monarch: / “Then unto thee be known
That he as stately castles, / lands wide as I, doth own.
And know thou that full surely / a mighty monarch he;
Wherefore the fairest maiden / I grant him thus his wife to be.”

Whate’er the king did tell her, / sad was she yet of mood.
Then hastened from the tables / full many a warrior good,
And jousted that the castle / walls gave back the din.
Amid his guests the monarch / waiting longingly was seen.

He deemed ’twere better lying / beside his fair lady.
Of thinking on that plaisance / his mind he could not free,
And what her love would bring him / before the night be past;
He many a glance full tender / upon the Lady Brunhild cast.

The guests they bade give over / in joust who combated,
For that with spouse new-wedded / the monarch would to bed.
Leaving then the banquet, / there together met
Kriemhild and Brunhild: / their bitter hate was silent yet.

At hand were their attendants; / they longer tarried not,
And chamberlains full lordly / lights for them had brought.
Then parted eke the followers / of the monarchs twain,
And bearing Siegfried company / went full many a worthy thane.

The lords were both come thither / where that they should lie.
As each one bethought him / of loving victory
To win o’er winsome lady, / merry he grew of mood.
The noble Siegfried’s pastime / it was beyond all measure good.

As there Sir Siegfried / by fair Kriemhild lay
And to the maid devoted / himself in such fond way
As noble knight beseemeth, / they twain to him were one,
And not a thousand others / had he then ta’en for her alone.

I’ll tell you now no further / how he the lady plied,
But list ye first the story / what Gunther did betide
By Lady Brunhild lying. / In sooth the noble thane
By side of other ladies / a deal more happily had lain.

Withdrawn were now attendants, / man and also maid;
Not long to lock the chamber / within the king delayed.
He weened to have good pleasure / of that fair lady,
Yet was the time still distant / when that she his wife should be.

In gown of whitest linen / unto the bed she passed.
Then thought the knight full noble: / “Now have I here at last
All that I e’er desired / as long as I can tell."
Perforce her stately beauty / did please the monarch passing well.

That they should shine more dimly / he placed the lights aside,
Then where did lie the lady / the thane full eager hied.
He placed himself a-nigh her, / his joy right great it was,
As in his arms the monarch / the winsome maid did there embrace.

A loving plaisance had he / with vigor there begun
If that the noble lady / had let the same be done.
She then did rage so sorely / that grieved was he thereat;
He weened to find who loved him, / –instead he found him naught but
      hate.

Spake she: “Good knight and noble, / from this thing give o’er.
That which thou here hast hope of, / it may be nevermore.
A maid I still will keep me / –well mayest thou know that–
Until I learn that story." / Gunther wrathy grew thereat.

Her gown he wrought to ruin / to win her maidenhead.
Whereat did seize a girdle / the full stately maid,
A strong and silken girdle / that round her sides she wore,
And with the same the monarch / she soon had brought to pains full sore.

His feet and his hands also, / together bound she all,
Unto a nail she bore him / and hung him on the wall.
Him who disturbed her sleeping / in his love she sorely let,
And from her mighty prowess, / he full nigh his death had met.

Then gan he to entreat her, / who master late had been.
“From these my bonds now loose me, / my full noble queen.
Nor trow I e’er, fair lady, / victor o’er thee to be,
And henceforth will I seldom / seek to lie thus nigh to thee.”

She recked not how ’twere with him, / as she full softly lay.
There hung he, will he nill he, / the night through unto day,
Until the light of morning / through the windows shone.
Could he e’er boast of prowess, / small now the measure he did own.

“Now tell me, lordly Gunther, / wert thou thereat so sad,
If that in bonds should find thee" / –spake the fairest maid–
“Thy royal men-in-waiting, / bound by lady’s hand?"
Then spake the knight full noble: / “Thou should’st in case most evil
      stand.

“Eke had I little honor / therefrom,” continued he.
“For all thy royal honor / let me then go to thee.
Since that my fond embracements / do anger thee so sore,
With these my hands I pledge thee / to touch thy garment nevermore.”

Then she loosed him straightway / and he once more stood free.
To the bed he went as erstwhile / where rested his lady.
But far from her he laid him / and well he now forebore
To stir the lady’s anger / by touching e’en the gown she wore.

At length came their attendants / who garments fresh did bring,
Whereof was ready for them / good store on that morning.
Yet merry as his folk were, / a visage sad did own
The lord of that proud country, / for all he wore that day a crown.

As was the country’s custom, / a thing folk do of right,
Gunther and Brunhild / presently were dight
To go unto the minster / where the mass was sung.
Thither eke came Siegfried, / and in their trains a mighty throng.

As fitted royal honor / for them was thither brought
The crown that each should carry / and garments richly wrought.
There were they consecrated; / and when the same was done,
Saw ye the four together / happy stand and wearing crown.

There was knighted many a squire, / –six hundred or beyond–
In honor of the crowning, / that shall ye understand.
Arose full great rejoicing / in the land of Burgundy
As hand of youthful warrior / did shatter shaft right valiantly.

Then sat in castle casement / maidens fair to see,
And many a shield beneath them / gleamed full brilliantly.
Yet himself had sundered / from all his men the king;
Though joyous every other, / sad-visaged stood he sorrowing.

He and the doughty Siegfried, / how all unlike their mood!
Well wist the thing did grieve him / that noble knight and good.
He went unto the monarch / and straight addressed him so:
“This night how hast thou fared? / In friendship give thou me to know.”

To his guest the king gave answer: / “Than shame and scathe I’ve naught.
The devil’s dam I surely / into my house have brought.
When as I thought to have her / she bound me like a thrall;
Unto a nail she bore me / and hung me high upon the wall.

“There hung I sore in anguish / the night through until day
Ere that she would unbind me, / the while she softly lay!
And hast thou friendly pity / know then the grief I bear."
Then spake the doughty Siegfried: / “Such grieves me verily to hear.

“The which I’ll show thee truly, / wilt thou me not deny.
I’ll bring it that to-night she / so near to thee shall lie
That she to meet thy wishes / shall tarry nevermore."
Thereat rejoice did Gunther / to think perchance his trials o’er.

Then further spake Sir Siegfried: / “With thee ’twill yet be right.
I ween that all unequal / we twain have fared this night.
To me thy sister Kriemhild / dearer is than life;
Eke shall the Lady Brunhild / be yet this coming night thy wife.”

“I’ll come unto thy chamber / this night all secretly,"
Spake he, “and wrapped in mantle / invisible I’ll be,
That of this my cunning / naught shall any know;
And thy attendants shalt thou / bid to their apartments go.

“The lights I’ll all extinguish / held by each page in hand,
By the which same token / shalt thou understand
I present am to serve thee. / I’ll tame thy shrewish wife
That thou this night enjoy her, / else forfeit be my caitiff life.”

“An thou wilt truly leave me" / –answered him the king–
’My lady yet a maiden, / I joy o’er this same thing.
So do thou as thou willest; / and takest thou her life,
E’en that I’ll let pass o’er me, / –to lose so terrible a wife.”

“Thereto,” spake then Siegfried, / “plight I word of mine,
To leave her yet a maiden. / A sister fair of thine
Is to me before all women / I ever yet have seen."
Gunther believed right gladly / what had by Siegfried plighted been.

Meanwhile the merry pastime / with joy and zest went on.
But all the din and bustle / bade they soon be done,
When band of fairest ladies / would pass unto the hall
’Fore whom did royal chamberlains / bid backward stand the people all.

The chargers soon and riders / from castle court were sped.
Each of the noble ladies / by bishop high was led,
When that before the monarchs / they passed to banquet board,
And in their train did follow / to table many a stately lord.

There sat the king all hopeful / and full of merriment;
What him did promise Siegfried, / thereon his mind was bent.
To him as long as thirty / did seem that single day;
To plaisance with his lady, / thither turned his thought alway.

And scarce the time he bided / while that the feast did last.
Now unto her chamber / the stately Brunhild passed,
And for her couch did Kriemhild / likewise the table leave.
Before those royal ladies / what host ye saw of warriors brave!

Full soon thereafter Siegfried / sat right lovingly
With his fair wife beside him, / and naught but joy had he.
His hand she clasped full fondly / within her hand so white,
Until–and how she knew not– / he did vanish from her sight.

When she the knight did fondle, / and straightway saw him not,
Unto her maids attendant / spake the queen distraught:
“Meseemeth a mickle wonder / where now the king hath gone.
His hands in such weird fashion / who now from out mine own hath drawn?”

Yet further not she questioned. / Soon had he hither gone
Where with lights were standing / attendants many a one.
The same he did extinguish / in every page’s hand;
That Siegfried then was present / Gunther thereby did understand.

Well wist he what he would there; / so bade he thence be gone
Ladies and maids-in-waiting. / And when that was done,
Himself the mighty monarch / fast did lock the door:
Two bolts all wrought securely / he quickly shoved the same before.

The lights behind the curtains / hid he presently.
Soon a play was started / (for thus it had to be),
Betwixt the doughty Siegfried / and the stately maid:
Thereat was royal Gunther / joyous alike and sad.

Siegfried there laid him / by the maid full near.
Spake she: “Let be, now, Gunther, / an hast thou cause to fear
Those troubles now repeated / which befell thee yesternight."
And soon the valiant Siegfried / through the lady fell in sorry plight.

His voice did he keep under / and ne’er a word spake he.
Intently listened Gunther, / and though he naught could see,
Yet knew he that in secret / nothing ’twixt them passed.
In sooth nor knight nor lady / upon the bed had mickle rest.

He did there as if Gunther / the mighty king he were,
And in his arms he pressed her, / the maiden debonair.
Forth from the bed she hurled him / where a bench there stood,
And head of valiant warrior / against a stool went ringing loud.

Up sprang again undaunted / the full doughty man,
To try for fortune better. / When he anew began
Perforce to curb her fury, / fell he in trouble sore.
I ween that ne’er a lady / did so defend herself before.

When he would not give over, / up the maid arose:
“My gown so white thou never / thus shalt discompose.
And this thy villain’s manner / shall sore by thee be paid,
The same I’ll teach thee truly," / further spake the buxom maid.

Within her arms she clasped him, / the full stately thane,
And thought likewise to bind him, / as the king yestreen,
That she the night in quiet / upon her couch might lie.
That her dress he thus did rumple, / avenged the lady grievously.

What booted now his prowess / and eke his mickle might?
Her sovereignty of body / she proved upon the knight;
By force of arm she bore him, / –’twixt wall and mighty chest
(For so it e’en must happen) / him she all ungently pressed.

“Ah me!"–so thought the hero– / “shall I now my life
Lose at hand of woman, / then will every wife
Evermore hereafter / a shrewish temper show
Against her lord’s good wishes, / who now such thing ne’er thinks to do.”

All heard the monarch meanwhile / and trembled for the man.
Sore ashamed was Siegfried, / and a-raging he began.
With might and main he struggled / again to make him free,
Ere which to sorest trouble / ’neath Lady Brunhild’s hand fell he.

Long space to him it seemed / ere Siegfried tamed her mood.
She grasped his hand so tightly / that ’neath the nails the blood
Oozed from the pressure, / which made the hero wince.
Yet the stately maiden / subdued he to obedience since.

Her unrestrained temper / that she so late displayed,
All overheard the monarch, / though ne’er a word he said.
’Gainst the bed did press her Siegfried / that aloud she cried,
Ungentle was the treatment / that he meted to the bride.

Then grasped she for a girdle / that round her sides she wore,
And thought therewith to bind him; / but her limbs and body o’er
Strained beneath the vigor / that his strong arm displayed.
So was the struggle ended / –Gunther’s wife was vanquished.

She spake: “O noble monarch, / take not my life away.
The harm that I have done thee / full well will I repay.
No more thy royal embraces / by me shall be withstood,
For now I well have seen it, / thou canst be lord o’er woman’s mood.”

From the couch rose Siegfried, / lying he left the maid,
As if that he would from him / lay his clothes aside.
He drew from off her finger / a ring of golden sheen
Without that e’er perceived / his practice the full noble queen.

Thereto he took her girdle / that was all richly wrought:
If from wanton spirit / he did it, know I not.
The same he gave to Kriemhild: / the which did sorrow bear.
Then lay by one another / Gunther and the maiden fair.

Hearty were his embraces / as such king became:
Perforce must she relinquish / her anger and her shame.
In sooth not little pallid / within his arms she grew,
And in that love-surrender / how waned her mighty prowess too!

Then was e’en she not stronger / than e’er another bride;
He lay with fond embraces / the beauteous dame beside.
And had she struggled further, / avail how could it aught?
Gunther, when thus he clasped her, / such change upon her strength had
      wrought.

And with right inward pleasure / she too beside him lay
In warmest love embracings / until the dawn of day!
Meantime now had Siegfried / departure ta’en from there,
And was full well received / by a lady debonair.

Her questioning he avoided / and all whereon she thought,
And long time kept he secret / what he for her had brought,
Until in his own country / she wore a royal crown;
Yet what for her he destined, / how sure at last it was her own.

Upon the morn was Gunther / by far of better mood
Than he had been before it; / joy thus did spread abroad
’Mid host of knights full noble / that from his lands around
To his court had been invited, / and there most willing service found.

The merry time there lasted / until two weeks were spent,
Nor all the while did flag there / the din of merriment
And every kind of joyance / that knight could e’er devise;
With lavish hand expended / the king thereto in fitting wise.

The noble monarch’s kinsmen / upon his high command
By gifts of gold and raiment / told forth his generous hand,
By steed and thereto silver / on minstrel oft bestowed.
Who there did gift desire / departed thence in merry mood.

All the store of raiment / afar from Netherland,
The which had Siegfried’s thousand / warriors brought to hand
Unto the Rhine there with them, / complete ’twas dealt away,
And eke the steeds well saddled: / in sooth a lordly life led they.

Ere all the gifts so bounteous / were dealt the guests among,
They who would straightway homeward / did deem the waiting long.
Ne’er had guests of monarch / such goodly gifts before;
And so as Gunther willed it / the merry feast at last was o’er.

Continue...

The NibelungenliedBy George Henry Needler, Translator

Tenth Adventure - How Brunhild was received at Worms

The Nibelungenlied
By George Henry Needler, Translator