The king gave them leave (this had not happed as yet), if they would
fain see Lady Brunhild, to go before her with his free will. This Folker
hindered, which pleased her much. "Forsooth, my Lady Brunhild is not
so well of mood, that ye may see her," spake the good knight. "Bide the
morrow, and men will let you see her." When they weened to gaze upon
her, it might not hap.
Then the mighty prince, who liked the envoys well, through his own
courtesie, bade his gold be carried forth on the broad shields of which
he had great store. Rich gifts were also given them by his kinsmen
Giselher and Gernot, Gere and Ortwin. Well they showed, that they were
generous, too. They offered the messengers such rich gifts, that for
fear of their lord they durst not take them.
Now spake the envoy Werbel to the king: "Sir King, let your gifts stay
here at home. We may carry none away; our lord forbade that we take
aught of gifts. Then too, there is but little need."
Then the ruler of the Rhine waxed wroth, that they should thus refuse
the gifts of so mighty a king. At last they were forced to take his gold
and weeds, the which they later bare to Etzel's land. They would fain
see the Lady Uta, or ever they departed hence, so the doughty Giselher
brought the minstrels before his mother Uta. The lady sent the message,
that whatever honors her daughter had, this gave her joy. Then the queen
bade give the minstrels of her edgings and her gold, for the sake of
King Etzel and Kriemhild whom she loved. Gladly they took the gifts; in
good faith 'twas done.
The messengers had now taken their leave from thence, from wives and
men. Merrily they rode away to Swabia. Thither Gernot bade his knights
escort them, that none might do them harm. When they parted from those
who should have them in their care, Etzel's power did guard them on all
their ways, so that none bereft them of either horse or trappings. With
great speed they hasted towards Etzel's land. To all the friends they
wot of, they made known that in a short time the Burgundians would come
hither from the Rhine to the Hunnish land. To the Bishop Pilgrim too,
the tale was told. As they rode adown the highway before Bechelaren, men
delayed not to tell Rudeger and Gotelind, the margrave's wife. Merry she
grew that she should see them. Men saw the minstrels hasting with the
tidings. They found King Etzel in the town of Gran. (2) Greeting after
greeting they gave the king, of which full many had been sent him. He
blushed for very joy.
Happy of mood was the queen, when she heard the tale aright that her
brothers should come into the land. She gave the minstrels great gifts
as meed. This was done for honor's sake. She spake: "Now tell me, both
of you, Werbel and Swemmel, which of my kin are minded to be at the
feast? Will the best of those we bade come hither to this land? Pray
tell me what Hagen said when he heard the tale."
The minstrel answered: "He came on a morning early to the council,
and but little of fair speech he spake thereby. When they pledged the
journey hither to the Hunnish lands, that was as words of death to the
wrathful Hagen. Your brothers, the three kings, will come in lordly
mood. Whoever else may come, this tale I know not of a surety. The brave
minstrel Folker vowed to ride along."
"Little do I reck," spake the queen, "whether I ever see Folker here. Of
Hagen I be fond, he is a doughty hero. My spirits stand high that we may
see him here."
Then the queen went to where she saw the king. How lovingly Dame
Kriemhild spake: "How like you these tales, dear my lord? What I have
ever craved, shall now be brought to pass."
"Thy wish is my joy," spake then the king. "Never have I been so blithe
of mine own kin, when they should come hither to my lands. Through the
kindness of thy kinsmen my care hath fled away."
King Etzel's officers bade everywhere palace and hall be purveyed with
benches for the guests which were to come. Thereafter the king heard
from them mickle weeping.
ENDNOTES:
(1) "Hostage", i.e., he has never betrayed you to your enemies.
(2) "Gran", royal free city of Hungary, on the right bank of the
Danube opposite the influx of the Gran, twenty-four miles
northwest of Budapest.
ADVENTURE XXV. How The Lords All Journeyed To The Huns.
Now let us leave the tale of how they lived at Etzel's court. More
high-mettled warriors never rode in such lordly wise to the land of any
king; they had whatever they listed, both of weapons and of weeds. The
ruler of the Rhineland clad his men, a thousand and sixty knights, (1)
as I have heard, and nine thousand footmen, for the courtly feast. Those
they left at home bewailed it in after time. The trappings were now
borne across the court at Worms; then spake an aged bishop from Speyer
to fair Uta: "Our friends would journey to the feasting. May God
preserve their honor there."
The noble Lady Uta then spake to her sons: "Pray tarry here, good
knights. Me-dreamed last night of direst woe, how all the fowls in this
land lay dead."
"Who recketh aught of dreams," quoth Hagen, "he wotteth not how to say
the proper words, when 'twould bring him great store of honors. I wish
that my lord go to court to take his leave. We must gladly ride to
Etzel's land. The arms of doughty heroes may serve kings there full
well, where we shall behold Kriemhild's feast."
Hagen counseled the journey, but later it rued him sore. He would have
advised against it, but that Gernot encountered him with such rude
words. Of Siegfried, Lady Kriemhild's husband, he minded him; he spake:
"Because of him Hagen will not make the journey to the court."
At this Hagen of Troneg spake: "I do it not from fear. Heroes, when
it please you, begin the work. Certes I will gladly ride with you to
Etzel's land." Later he carved to pieces many a helm and shield.
The skiffs were now made ready; many a knight stood there. Thither men
bare whatever clothes they had. Busy they were until the even tide, then
full merrily they set forth from home. Tents and pavilions were raised
upon the green beyond the Rhine. When this had happed, the king bade
his fair wife tarry with him. That night she still embraced her stately
knight. Trumpeting and fluting rose early on the morn, as sign that they
should ride. Then to the work they went. Whoso held in his arms his love
caressed the fair. Later King Etzel's wife parted them with woe.
Fair Uta's sons, they had a liegeman, brave and true. When they would
hence, he spake to the king in secret wise his mind. Quoth he: "I must
bewail that ye make this journey to the court." He was hight Rumolt and
was a hero of his hands. He spake: "To whom will ye leave your folk and
lands? O that none can turn you warriors from your mind! These tidings
from Kriemhild have never thought me good."
"Be the land and my little child, too, commended to thy care; serve well
the ladies, that is my wish. Comfort any thou dost see in tears. Certes
King Etzel's bride will never do us harm."
The steeds were now ready for the kings and their men. Many a one who
lived there high of spirit, parted thence with loving kisses. This many
a stately dame must later needs bewail. When the doughty knights were
seen go toward the steeds, men spied full many ladies standing sadly
there. Their hearts did tell them that this long parting boded them
great harm. This doth never ease the heart.
The doughty Burgundians started on their way. Then in the land a mighty
turmoil rose; on either side of the mountains there wept both men and
wives. But however the folk might bear them, the knights jogged merrily
along. With them rode the men of Nibelung, a thousand hauberks strong,
who had left many comely dames at home whom they never saw again.
Siegfried's wounds gave Kriemhild pain.
Gunther's liegemen now wended their way towards the river Main, up
through Eastern Frankland. (2) Thither Hagen led them, for well he wot
the way. Dankwart was their marshal, the hero from Burgundian land. As
they rode away from the Eastern Frankland towards Swanfield, (3) men
could tell the princes and their kin, the worshipful knights, by their
lordly bearing. On the twelfth morning the king came to the Danube.
Hagen of Troneg rode foremost of them all, giving to the Nibelungs
helpful cheer. On the sandy shore the bold knight dismounted and bound
his steed full soon to a tree. The river was swollen, the skiffs hidden
away. Great fear the Nibelungs had, as to how they might come across,
for the stream was much too broad. Full many a lusty knight alighted on
the ground.
"Ill may it lightly hap with thee here," quoth Hagen, "O ruler of the
Rhine. Now mayst thou thyself see the river is swollen, its flood is
mighty. Certes, I ween, we shall lose here many a worthy knight to-day."
"Why dost thou rebuke me, Hagen?" spake the lordly king. "For thine own
prowess' sake discomfit me no more, but seek us the ford across to the
other bank, that we may take hence both steeds and trappings."
"Forsooth," quoth Hagen, "I be not so weary of life, that I would drown
me in these broad waves. Sooner shall men die by my hands in Etzel's
lands. That will I well. Stay by the water's side, ye proud knights and
good, and I will seek the ferryman myself along the stream, who shall
ferry us across to Gelfrat's (4) land."
Then the stalwart Hagen seized his good shield. Well was he armed. The
shield he bare along, his helmet bound upon his head, bright enow it
was. Above his breastplate he bare a sword so broad that most fiercely
it cut on either edge. To and fro he sought the ferryman. He heard the
splash of water and began to listen. In a fair spring wise women (5)
were bathing for to cool them off. Now Hagen spied them and crept toward
them stealthily. When they grew ware of this, they hurried fast to
escape him; glad enow they were of this. The hero took their clothes,
but did them naught else of harm.
Then spake one of the mermaids (Hadburg she was called): "Sir Knight
Hagen, we'll do you here to wit, an' ye give us our weeds again, bold
knight, how ye will fare upon this journey to the Hunnish court."
Like birds they floated before him on the flood. Therefore him-thought
their senses strong and good; he believed the more what they would tell
him. Well they answered what he craved of them. Hadburg spake again: "Ye
may safely ride to Etzel's land. I'll stake my troth at once as pledge,
that heroes never rode better to any realm for such great honors. Now
believe that in truth."
In his heart Hagen was joyous at this rede. He gave them back their
clothes and no longer tarried. As they donned their strange attire, they
told him rightly of the journey to Etzel's land. The other mermaid spake
(Siegelind she hight): "I will warn thee, Hagen, son of Aldrian. (6) For
the sake of her weeds mine aunt hath lied to thee. An' thou comest to
the Huns, thou wilt be sore deceived. Time is, that thou shouldst turn
again, for ye heroes be bidden, that ye may die in Etzel's land. Whose
rideth hither, hath taken death by the hand."
Answered Hagen: "Ye deceive us needlessly. How might it come to pass
that we should all die there, through anybody's hate?"
Then gan they tell him the tale still more knowingly. The same one spake
again: "It must needs be that none of you shall live, save the king's
chaplain; this we know full well. He will come again safe and sound to
Gunther's land."
Then spake bold Hagen, fierce of mood: "It were not well to tell my
lords that we should all lose our lives among the Huns. Now show us over
the stream, thou wisest of all wives."
She answered: "Sith ye will not turn you from the journey, up yonder
where an inn doth stand, by the waterside, there is a ferryman and
elsewhere none."
At once he ceased to ask for further tidings. After the angry warrior
she called: "Pray bide a time, Sir Hagen! Forsooth ye are too much in
haste. List further to the tale of how ye may cross to the other bank.
The lord of these marches beareth the name of Else. (7) His brother is
hight Knight Gelfrat, a lord in the Bavarian land. 'Twill go hard with
you, an' ye will cross his land. Ye must guard you well and deal full
wisely with the ferryman. So grim of mood is he that he'll not let you
live, unless be that ye have your wits about you with the knight. An'
ye will that he guide you, then give him his meed. He guardeth this land
and is liegeman unto Gelfrat. And cometh he not betimes, so call across
the flood and say, ye hight Amelrich. (8) He was a doughty here that;
because of a feud did void this land. The ferryman will come when he
heareth this name."
Haughty Hagen bowed then to the dames; he spake no more, but held his
peace. Then by the river he hied him higher up upon the sandy shore,
to where he found an inn upon the other bank. Loudly he began to call
across the flood: "Now come and fetch me, ferryman," quoth the good
knight, "and I will give thee as meed an arm ring of ruddy gold. Know,
that of this passage I have great need in truth."
So noble was the ferryman that it behooved him not to serve, therefore
he full seldom took wage of any wight. His squires, too, were full lofty
of mood. All this time Hagen still stood alone, this side of the flood.
He called with might and main, that all the water rang, for mickle and
great was the hero's strength. "Now fetch me. I am Amelrich, Else's
liegeman, that because of a great feud did void these lands."
High upon his spear (9) he offered him an arm band, bright and fair it
was, of ruddy gold, that one should ferry him over to Gelfrat's land.
The haughty ferryman, the which was newly wed himself, did take the oar
in hand. As he would earn Hagen's gold so red, therefore he died the
sword-grim death at the hands of the knight. The greed for great goods
(10) doth give an evil end. Speedily the boatman rowed across to the
sandy bank. When he found no trace of him whose name he heard, wroth he
grew in earnest. When he spied Hagen, with fierce rage he spake to the
hero: "Ye may perchance hight Amelrich, but ye are not like him whom
I weened here. By father and by mother he was my brother. Sith ye have
bewrayed me, ye may stay on this hither shore."
"No, by the mighty God," spake then Hagen, "I am a stranger knight and
have warriors in my care. Now take ye kindly my meed to-day and ferry me
over. I am in truth your friend."
The ferryman replied: "This may not be. My dear lords have foes,
wherefore I never ferry strangers to this land. If ye love your life,
step out quickly on the sand."
"Now do it not," spake Hagen; "sad is my mind. Take this good gold from
me as a token of my love and ferry us across: a thousand horse and just
as many men."
The grim boatman answered: "'Twill ne'er be done." He raised a mighty
rudder oar, mickle and broad, and struck at Hagen (full wroth he grew
at this), so that he fell upon his knees in the boat. The lord of Troneg
had never met so fierce a ferryman. Still more the boatman would vex the
haughty stranger. He smote with an oar, so that it quite to-broke (11)
over Hagen's head (a man of might was he); from this the ferryman of
Else took great harm. Hagen, fierce of mood, seized straightway his
sheath, wherein he found his sword. His head he struck off and cast
it on the ground. Eftsoon these tidings were made known to the proud
Burgundians. At the very moment that he slew the boatman, the skiff gan
drifting down the stream. Enow that irked him. Weary he grew before he
brought it back. King Gunther's liegeman pulled with might and main.
With passing swift strokes the stranger turned it, until the sturdy oar
snapped in his hand. He would hence to the knights out upon the shore.
None other oar he had. Ho, how quickly he bound it with a shield strap,
a narrow band! Towards a wood he floated down the stream, where he found
his sovran standing by the shore.
Many a stately man went down to meet him. The doughty knights and good
received him with a kindly greeting. When they beheld in the skiff the
blood reeking from a gaping wound which he had dealt the ferryman, Hagen
was plied enow with questions by the knights. When that King Gunther
spied the hot blood swirling in the skiff, how quickly he spake:
"Wherefore tell ye me not, Hagen, whither the ferryman be come? I ween
your prowess hath bereft him of his life."
At this he answered craftily: "When I found the skiff hard by a willow
tree, I loosed it with my hand. I have seen no ferryman here to-day, nor
hath harm happed to any one through fault of mine."
Then spake Sir Gernot of Burgundy: "I must needs fear the death of dear
friends to-day. Sith we have no boatmen here at hand, how shall we come
over? Therefore I must perforce stand sad."
Loudly then called Hagen: "Ye footmen, lay the trappings down upon the
grass. I bethink me that once I was the very best of boatmen that one
might find along the Rhine. I trow to bring you all safe across to
Gelfrat's land."
They struck the horses, that these might the sooner come across the
flood; passing well they swam, for the mighty waves bereft them of not
a one. Some few drifted far adown the stream, as did befit their
weariness. Then the knights bare to the skiff their gold and weeds, sith
there was no help for the crossing. Hagen played the steersman, and so
he ferried full many mighty warriors over to the sandy shore, into the
unknown land. First he took across a thousand noble knights, then his
own men-at-arms. Still there were more to come. Nine thousand footmen he
ferried over to the land. Aught but idle was Hagen's hand that day. When
he had carried them all safe across the flood, the doughty knight and
good bethought him of the strange tales which the wild mermaids had told
him afore. For this cause the king's chaplain near lost his life. He
found the priest close by the chapel luggage, leaning with his hand upon
the relics. Little might that boot him. When Hagen spied him, ill fared
it with the hapless priest; he threw him from the skiff in haste. Enow
of them called out: "Hold on, Sir Hagen, hold!"
Giselher, the youth, gan rage, but Hagen let none come between. Then
spake Sir Gernot of Burgundy: "What availeth you now, Hagen, the
chaplain's death? Had another done the deed, 'twould have irked you
sore. For what cause have ye sworn enmity to the priest?"
The clerk (12) now tried to swim with might and main, for he would fain
save his life, if perchance any there would help him. That might not be,
for the stalwart Hagen was wroth of mood. He thrust him to the bottom,
the which thought no one good. When the poor priest saw naught of help,
he turned him back again. Sore was he discomfited, but though he could
not swim, yet did God's hand help him, so that he came safe and sound
to the land again. There the poor clerk stood and shook his robe. Hagen
marked thereby that naught might avail against the tidings which the
wild mermaids told him. Him-thought: "These knights must lose their
lives."
When the liegemen of the three kings unloaded the skiff and had borne
all away which they had upon it, Hagen brake it to pieces and threw it
in the flood, at which the bold knights and good did marvel much.
"Wherefore do ye that, brother," quoth Dankwart, "how shall we come
over, when we ride homeward from the Huns, back to the Rhine?"
Later Hagen told him that might not be. The hero of Troneg spake: "I
do it in the hope that if we have a coward on this journey, who through
faint-heartedness would run away, that in this stream he may die a
shameful death."
They had with them from Burgundy land a hero of his hands, the which
was named Folker. Wisely he spake all his mind. Whatever Hagen did,
it thought the fiddler good. Their steeds were now ready, the sumpters
laden well. On the journey they had taken no harm that irked them, save
the king's chaplain alone. He must needs wander back on foot to the
Rhine again.
ENDNOTES:
(1) "a thousand and sixty". This does not agree with the
account in Adventure XXIV, where we read of a thousand of
Hagen's men, eighty of Dankwart's, and thirty of Folker's.
The nine thousand foot soldiers mentioned here are a later
interpolation, as the "Thidreksaga" speaks of only a
thousand all told.
(2) "Eastern Frankland", or East Franconia, is the ancient
province of "Franconia Orientalis", the region to the east
of the Spessart forest, including the towns of Fulda,
Würzburg and Barnberg. In _Biterolf_ Dietlieb journeys
through Eastern Frankland to the Danube.
(3) "Swanfield" (M.H.G. "Swanevelde") is the ancient province of
"Sualafeld" between the Rezat and the Danube.
(4) "Gelfrat" is a Bavarian lord and the brother of "Else",
mentioned below. Their father's name was also Else.
(5) "Wise women", a generic name for all supernatural women of
German mythology. While it is not specifically mentioned,
it is probable that the wise women, or mermaids, as they are
also called here, were 'swan maidens', which play an
important role in many legends and are endowed with the gift
of prophecy. They appear in the form of swans, and the
strange attire of the wise women mentioned here refers to
the so-called swan clothes which they wore and which enabled
Hagen to recognize them as supernatural beings. On bathing
they lay aside this garment, and he who obtains possession
of it has them in his power. This explains their eagerness
to give Hagen information, if he will return their garments
to them. For an account of them see Grimm's "Mythologie",
355.
(6) "Aldrian" is not an historical personage; the name is merely
a derivative of "aldiro", 'the elder', and signifies
'ancestor', just as Uta means 'ancestress'. In the
"Thidreksaga" Aldrian is the king of the Nibelung land and
the father of Gunther, Giselher, and Gernot, whereas Hagen
is the son of an elf by the same mother.
(7) Else appears also in "Biterolf"; in the "Thidreksaga" he is
called "Elsung", the younger, as his father bore the same
name. See Adventure XXV, note 4.
(8) "Amelrich" is the ferryman's brother.
(9) "Spear". It was the custom to offer presents on a spear
point, perhaps to prevent the recipient from treacherously
using his sword. Compare the similar description in the
"Hildebrandslied", 37, where we are told that gifts should
be received with the spear.
(10) "Goods". In the "Thidreksaga" the ferryman desires the ring
for his young wife, which explains better the allusion to
marriage and the desire for wealth.
(11) "To-broke", see Adventure II, note 9.
(12) "Clerk", 'priest'.
ADVENTURE XXVI (1) How Gelfrat Was Slain By Dankwart.
Now when all were come upon the shore, the king gan ask: "Who will show
us the right roads through this land, that we go not astray?"