Few of their oaths were kept. From the widow they took the mighty
store and Hagen made him master of all the keys. This vexed her brother
Gernot, when he heard the tale aright. Lord Giselher spake: "Hagen hath
done my sister much of harm; I should prevent it. It would cost him his
life, were he not my kin."
Siegfried's wife shed tears anew. Then spake the Lord Gernot: "Or ever
we be imperiled by the gold, we should have it sunk entirely in the
Rhine, that it belong to none."
Full pitifully she went before her brother Giselher. She spake: "Dear
brother, thou shouldst think of me and be the guardian of both my life
and goods."
Quoth he then to the lady: "That shall be done when we return again, for
now we think to ride."
The king and his kindred voided then the land, the very best among them
that one might find. Only Hagen alone remained at home, through the
hatred he bare to Kriemhild, and did so willingly. Before the king was
come again, Hagen had taken the treasure quite and sunk it all at
Loche, (4) in the Rhine. He weened to use it, but that might not be. The
lordings came again and with them many men. With her maids and ladies
Kriemhild gan bewail her passing loss, for sore it grieved them. Gladly
would Giselher have helped in all good faith. All spake alike: "He hath
done wrong."
Hagen avoided the princes' wrath, until he gained their favor. They
did him naught, but Kriemhild might never have borne him greater hate.
Before Hagen of Troneg thus hid the treasure, they had sworn with mighty
oaths that it should lie concealed as long as any one of them might
live. Later they could not give it to themselves or any other.
Kriemhild's mind was heavy with fresh sorrow over her husband's end, and
because they had taken from her all her wealth. Her plaints ceased not
in all her life, down to her latest day. After Siegfried's death, and
this is true, she dwelt with many a grief full thirteen years, that she
could not forget the warrior's death. She was true to him, as most folk
owned.
ENDNOTES:
(1) "Marriage morning gift" was the gift which it was customary
for the bridegroom to give the bride on the morning after
the bridal night. On this custom see Weinhold, "Deutsche
Frauen im Mittelalter", i, p. 402.
(2) "Alberich", see Adventure III, note 8. It is characteristic
of the poem that even this dwarf is turned into a knight.
(3) "Wishing-rod", a magic device for discovering buried
treasure. Cf. Grimm, "Deutsche Mythologie," ii, 813.
(4) "Loche", according to Piper, is the modern "Locheim" in the
Rhine province.
ADVENTURE XX. How King Etzel (1) Sent To Burgundy For Kriemhild.
That was in a time when Lady Helca (2) died and the king Etzel sought
another wife, that his friends advised his marriage to a proud widow in
the Burgundian land, hight Lady Kriemhild. Since fair Helca was dead,
they spake: "Would ye gain a noble wife, the highest and the best king
ever won, then take this same lady; the stalwart Siegfried was her
husband."
Then spake the mighty king: "How might that chance, sith I am heathen
and be christened not a whit, whereas the lady is a Christian and
therefore would not plight her troth? It would be a marvel, and that
ever happed."
The doughty warriors answered: "What if she do it, perchance, for the
sake of your high name and your mickle goods? One should at least make a
trial for the noble dame. Well may ye love the stately fair."
The noble king then spake: "Which of you be acquaint with the people and
the land by the Rhine?"
Up spake then the good knight Rudeger of Bechelaren: (3) "I have known
from a child the three noble and lordly kings, Gunther and Gernot, the
noble knights and good; the third hight Giselher. Each of them doth use
the highest honors and courtesie, as their forebears, too, have always
done."
Then answered Etzel: "Friend, I prithee, tell me whether she should wear
the crown in this my land. An' she be so fair, as hath been told me, it
shall never rue my dearest kin."
"She compareth well in beauty with my Lady Helca, the royal queen.
Certes, there might not be in all this world a king's bride more fair.
He may well be of good cheer to whom she plight her troth."
He spake: "So bring it to pass, Rudeger, as I be dear to thee; and if
ever I do lie at Kriemhild's side, I will requite thee for it as best
I may. Then hast thou done my will in fullest wise. From my treasure
chambers I will bid thee be given such store of horses, of clothes and
all thou wilt, that thou and thy fellowship may live full merrily. I'll
bid full plenty of these things be made ready against thine errand."
To this the lordly margrave Rudeger replied: "Craved I thy goods, that
were not worthy of praise. With mine own goods, which I have from thy
hands, will I gladly be thy envoy to the Rhine."
Then spake the mighty king: "Now when wilt thou ride for the fair? May
God keep thee and my lady in all worship on the journey. May fortune
help me, that she look with favor on my suit."
Rudeger made answer: "Ere we void the land, we must first make ready
arms and trappings, that we may stand with honor before princes. I will
lead to the Rhine five hundred stately men, that wherever in Burgundy I
and mine be seen, all may say of thee: 'Never did any king send afar so
many men in better wise than thou hast done to the Rhine.' If thou, O
mighty king, wilt not turn back on this account, I'll tell thee that
her noble love was subject unto Siegfried, Siegmund's son. Him thou hast
seen here. (4) Men could in right truth ascribe to him great worship."
Then spake King Etzel: "Tho' she was the warrior's wife, yet was the
noble prince so peerless that I should not disdain the queen. She liketh
me well for her passing beauty."
The margrave answered: "Then I will tell thee that we will start hence
in four and twenty days. I'll send word to Gotelind, my dear lady, that
I myself will be the messenger to Kriemhild."
Rudeger sent word to Bechelaren, at which the margravine grew both
sorrowful and proud. He told her he should woo for the king a wife.
Lovingly she thought on Helca, the fair. When the margravine heard the
message, a deal she rued it; weeping beseemed her at the thought whether
she should gain a lady as afore. When she thought on Helca, it grieved
her heart full sore.
Rudeger should ride in seven days from Hungary; lusty and merry King
Etzel was at this. There in the town of Vienna men prepared their
weeds. Then might he no longer delay his journey. At Bechelaren Gotelind
awaited him; the young margravine, too, Rudeger's child, gladly saw her
father and his men. Many fair maids awaited them with joy. Ere the noble
Rudeger rode from the city of Vienna to Bechelaren, all their clothes
were placed upon the sumpters. They journeyed in such wise that not a
whit was taken from them.
When they were come to tho town of Bechelaren, the host full lovingly
bade lodge his fellowship and ease them well. The noble Gotelind saw
the host come gladly, as likewise his dear daughter did, the young
margravine. To her his coming could not be liefer. How fain she was to
see the heroes from the Hunnish land! With smiling mien the noble maiden
spake: "Now be my father and his men full welcome here."
Then great thanks were given to the young margravine by many a doughty
knight in courteous wise. Well wot Gotelind Sir Rudeger's mood. When at
night she lay close by his side, what kindly questions the margravine
put, whither the king of the Huns had sent him. He spake: "My Lady
Gotelind, I'll gladly make this known to thee. I must woo another
lady for my lord, sith that the fair Helca hath died. I will ride for
Kriemhild to the Rhine; she shall become a mighty queen here among the
Huns."
"Would to God," spake Gotelind, "an' that might hap, sith we do hear
such speech of her many honors, that she might perchance replace our
lady for us in our old age, and that we might be fain to let her wear
the crown in Hungary."
Then spake the margrave: "My love, ye must offer to those who are to
ride with me to the Rhine, your goods in loving wise. When heroes travel
richly, then are they of lofty mood."
She spake: "There be none that taketh gladly from my hand, to whom I
would not give what well beseemeth him, or ever ye and your men part
hence."