was there never seen so mighty and so dire a combat. Thrice had the
fiery Wolfhart encircled the hall, hewing down all before him, when he
encountered Giselher. Fiercely the young prince sprang at him, and so
truly and so mightily he smote that his sword clove Wolfhart’s shield
and hauberk. Yet summoning all his strength, the dying hero dealt
Giselher too his death stroke so that he fell lifeless at his feet.
When Hildebrand saw his nephew Wolfhart fatally smitten he sprang
quickly to his side and sought to bear him from the hall.
Then said the wounded-unto-death:
“Kind uncle, all is o’er!
No help canst thou or any one
Render to Wolfhart more.
One parting word I leave with thee--
Beware of Hagen’s brand;
He has in heart and arm a power
That nothing may withstand.
“If that my friends, when I am dead,
Do weep and mourn for me,
Then to my best and nearest kin
Say, with much clemency,
That they desist from heart-lament,
Nor of my fall complain,
For that I found a glorious death
And was by king’s hand slain.”
And therewith he died.
At last, in all the great hall there were but three heroes left
alive,--Günther, Hagen, and Hildebrand.
Then Hagen smote Sir Hildebrand,
For that he Volker slew;
The ancient chief did ward his blows
With skill and courage too.
Yet could he not prevail against the might of the Burgundian hero,
but soon received a grievous wound from Balmung’s flashing blade;
whereupon, using his shield for cover, he turned and fled to the
courtyard without.
Now lived of all those stalwart knights
No more than these bold two:
Günther, the King of Burgundy,
And Hagen keen and true.
Sorrowfully sat Dietrich in his chamber meanwhile, hoping for better
news from Hildebrand. Little was he aware that his knights had followed
the old warrior, and still less that all by the Burgundians’ swords
were slain. Wherefore, when Hildebrand appeared before him, his armor
stained with blood, the hero shrank aghast and sternly asked if he
had been at strife with the Burgundians against his strict commands.
Hildebrand replied that Hagen had wounded him, and barely had he
escaped with his life from that arch-fiend.
Then said Sir Dietrich, haughtily:
“Thou hast been rightly served;
For thou didst know that from these guests
My friendship never swerved;
Also thou hast infringed the peace
I proffered with my breath:
Were’t not that ’twould be lasting shame,
Thou shouldst atone by death.”
Then Hildebrand sought to excuse himself, saying they had but asked for
the body of Rüdiger, and this the Burgundians had refused them. When
Dietrich thus learned that Rüdiger indeed was dead he abandoned himself
to grief, but after a space asked by whose hand he fell. Hildebrand
replied that Gernot had slain him, and by his hand, in turn, had been
slain. Thereupon Dietrich resolved to go himself and have speech with
the Burgundians; and calling for his armor, he bade Hildebrand summon
his knights forthwith.
“Alas! my lord,” cried Hildebrand, “thou seest before thee all thy
warriors!” And while Dietrich gazed at him horror-stricken, he told him
all that had passed.
Now was Dietrich indeed plunged in sorrow. Loudly did he lament the
loss of Wolfhart and all his brave knights, and cried: “This is the
last day of my joy on earth!”
_Chapter XXXIII_
_Kriemhild’s Revenge and Death_
When Dietrich of Bern had regained his wonted composure he asked how
many of the Burgundians yet were left alive, and Hildebrand told him
none save Günther and Hagen,--all the rest were slain. Whereupon,
filled with grief and wrath, he seized his arms and went forth with
Hildebrand to seek them.
Leaning against the arched doorway stood the two Burgundian heroes,
their shields before them on the ground; and when they saw the knights
approaching, Hagen, still undaunted, declared himself ready to do
battle with Sir Dietrich; nor did he fear to meet him, mighty as he
deemed himself, for then would it be proved who was the better knight.
Dietrich heard this bold speech, but vouchsafed no reply. Laying down
his shield and looking sorrowfully at them, he asked: “Wherein, O
knights of Burgundy, have I injured you, that you should slay the noble
Rüdiger, and with him all my friends and warriors?”
“Not all the blame lies with us, Sir Knight,” said Hagen, “for to this
hall thy men came in arms. Thou hast been misinformed.”
“Alas!” replied Dietrich, “I know only too well what passed; for
Hildebrand but now brought me word that he desired of you the corpse of
Rüdiger, and you treated his suit with scorn.”
“Now, by my faith,” cried Günther, “’twas in despite of Etzel that we
refused; but forthwith Wolfhart grew insolent, and thus it came to
strife.”
Then said Dietrich: “Günther of Burgundy, for the evil thou hast
wrought, methinks thou owest me some amends, and thou likewise, Sir
Hagen. If you will yield yourselves captives to my sword, then I will
guard you from the wrathful Huns,--at peril of my life, if need be.”
“God in heaven forbid,” cried Hagen, “that two such knights should give
up their trusty swords while alive and well armed withal!”
But again Dietrich urged them to accept his terms, and Hildebrand
added: “God knows, Sir Hagen, there is little need for shame in such
atonement. And soon, it may be, the hour will come when you would
gladly obtain such peace.”
[Illustration: _DEATH OF KRIEMHILD_]
“In faith,” replied Hagen, scornfully, “I would indeed accept such
terms ere I, like thee, would fly full-armed, from a single knight.”
Hildebrand would have returned this taunt, but Dietrich forbade them
thus to bandy words like two old market-wives, and turning to Hagen
he said, sternly: “Tell me, valiant hero, did I hear aright that you
wished to measure swords with me?”
Well as he knew Sir Dietrich’s giant strength, he could not gainsay
this; wherefore he replied that he would willingly abide the issue of a
combat with him, so his good Nibelung sword did not fail him.
Thereupon Dietrich raised his shield as signal for attack, and Hagen
sprang fiercely down to meet him, the sword of the Nibelungs ringing
loudly on the stout shield of his foe. Sir Dietrich, too, was well
aware of Hagen’s might, and sought at first with caution merely to ward
his powerful blows, yet did he lose no chance for skilful sword-strokes
here and there. At last he dealt stout Hagen such a deadly wound that
powerless he sank upon the ground. Then casting his sword and shield
aside, Dietrich quickly bound him fast and led him thus unto the Queen.
Now, indeed, did Kriemhild’s joy and triumph know no bounds. Vowing her
lasting gratitude to Dietrich, she promised to reward him well that
he had thus delivered up her deadly foe into her hands. But Dietrich
urged her to spare Sir Hagen, saying: “Be merciful, O Queen! and it may
chance that one day he shall make amends to thee for all thy wrongs.”
To this Kriemhild made no reply, but ordered Hagen to be put in chains
and cast into a dungeon where none might see him.
Meanwhile Günther loudly called for Dietrich, that he might avenge
Hagen’s downfall. Soon he returned and then followed another fierce
encounter; but though Günther fought with the courage of despair, he
was overpowered at last, as Hagen had been, and taken before the Queen.
Kriemhild bade him welcome; but Günther replied: “Small thanks will I
bestow on thee for thy greetings, for well I know they bode us little
good.”
Then said the gallant prince of Bern:
“Most high and potent Queen!
There ne’er appeared as captive bound
So brave a knight, I ween,
As he whom unto thee I gave
With loyal courtesy,
At thy fair hands let him partake
Of favor due to me!”
Kriemhild declared she would perform his wish; whereupon Dietrich
departed, his eyes wet with tears. But no thought had she for aught
save vengeance. Causing Günther to be also chained and cast into a
separate dungeon, she betook herself to Hagen. Again she demanded of
him her treasure, promising him his life if he would confess where he
had hidden it.
Hagen, although a captive, wounded and in chains, was still undaunted.
With a scornful glance at Kriemhild he replied: “I gave a solemn oath
to my lord Günther, that never while he drew breath would I divulge
the spot where it lies.”
“Now will I quickly make an end of that, forsooth!” cried Kriemhild;
and thereupon she ordered Günther’s head to be struck off. Then she
took it to Hagen, saying: “Now doth thy lord no longer live and thereby
art thou freed from thy sworn oath!”
But Hagen cried:
“Thou hast indeed thy will fulfilled,
As I did fear thou wouldst!
Now where the hoard lies hid is known
To none but God and me,
And shall from thee, accursed Queen!
Forever hidden be!”
She said: “Thou’st foul atonement made
In purpose, deed, and word;
Therefore will I possess myself
Of virtuous Siegfried’s sword,
Which he did bear upon his thigh
When last I saw that chief,
Whose death has ever been to me
A keen heart-rending grief.”
She drew it from the well-known sheath
Nor could he this prevent;
To take the warrior’s life forthwith
Was her unmasked intent.
She swung it with both hands, and smote
His head from off its trunk.
King Etzel saw the vengeful deed,
And from its horror shrunk.
Just at this moment the King had appeared in the dungeon with
Hildebrand.
“Alas!” the King of Huns did cry,
“How doth the matter stand--
That he, the boldest of all knights,
Should fall by woman’s hand?
He who in onslaught was the first,
The bravest that bore shield!
Although he was mine enemy,
I fain to sorrow yield.”
But Hildebrand shouted in wrath: “She shall rue this shameful deed!
Though he hath well-nigh slain me, yet will I forthwith take vengeance
for valiant Hagen’s death!”
And drawing his sword he rushed on Kriemhild, and despite her shrieks
he smote the terrified Queen so that she fell dead upon the ground.
Thus were the mighty of the earth
By hand of death laid low.
The people all lamented loud
And bitter grief did show.
In suffering did the King’s feast end--
That joyous time was past,
For love to sorrow aye must turn,
So long as life shall last.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.
Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.
New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the
public domain.