swords, grim Hagen smiled his grimmest, and cried, "Nay, our swords
will we e'en keep lest we have need of them." Nor was he too well
pleased when Siegfried told him that the custom in Isenland was
that no guest should enter the castle carrying a weapon. It was but
sullenly that he let his sword be taken away along with his mighty
shield.
After the strangers had been refreshed with wine, her liegemen sent to
the Queen to tell her that strange guests had arrived.
"Who are the strangers who come thus unheralded to my land?" haughtily
demanded Brunhild.
But no one could tell her who the warriors were, though some murmured
that the tallest and fairest might be the great hero Siegfried.
It may be that the Queen thought that if the knight were indeed
Siegfried she would revenge herself on him now for the mischievous
pranks he had played the last time he was in her kingdom. In any case
she said, "If the hero is here he shall enter into contest with me,
and he shall pay for his boldness with his life, for I shall be the
victor."
Then with five hundred warriors, each with his sword in hand, Brunhild
came down to the knights from Burgundy.
"Be welcome, Siegfried," she cried, "yet wherefore hast thou come
again to Isenland?"
"I thank thee for thy greeting, lady," said the Prince, "but thou
hast welcomed me before my lord. He, King Gunther, ruler over the fair
realms of Burgundy, hath come hither to wed with thee."
Brunhild was displeased that the mighty hero should not himself seek
to win her as a bride, yet since for all his prowess he seemed but a
vassal of the King, she answered, "If thy master can vanquish me in
the contests to which I bid him, then I will be his wife, but if I
conquer thy master, his life, and the lives of his followers will be
forfeited."
"What dost thou demand of my master?" asked Hagen.
"He must hurl the spear with me, throw the stone from the ring, and
leap to where it has fallen," said the Queen.
Now while Brunhild was speaking, Siegfried whispered to the King to
fear nothing, but to accept the Queen's challenge. "I will be near
though no one will see me, to aid thee in the struggle," he whispered.
Gunther had such trust in the Prince that he at once cried boldly,
"Queen Brunhild, I do not fear even to risk my life that I may win
thee for my bride."
Then the bold maiden called for her armor, but when Gunther saw her
shield, "three spans thick with gold and iron, which four chamberlains
could hardly bear," his courage began to fail.
While the Queen donned her silken fighting doublet, which could turn
aside the sharpest spear, Siegfried slipped away unnoticed to the
ship, and swiftly flung around him his Cloak of Darkness. Then unseen
by all, he hastened back to King Gunther's side.
A great javelin was then given to the Queen, and she began to fight
with her suitor, and so hard were her thrusts that but for Siegfried
the King would have lost his life.
"Give me thy shield," whispered the invisible hero in the King's ear,
"and tell no one that I am here." Then as the maiden hurled her spear
with all her force against the shield which she thought was held by
the King, the shock well-nigh drove both Gunther and his unseen friend
to their knees.
But in a moment Siegfried's hand had dealt the Queen such a blow with
the handle of his spear (he would not use the sharp point against a
woman) that the maiden cried aloud, "King Gunther, thou hast won this
fray." For as she could not see Siegfried because of his Cloak of
Darkness, she could not but believe that it was the King who had
vanquished her.
In her wrath the Queen now sped to the ring, where lay a stone so
heavy that it could scarce be lifted by twelve strong men.
But Brunhild lifted it with ease, and threw it twelve arms' length
beyond the spot on which she stood. Then, leaping after it, she
alighted even farther than she had thrown the stone.
Gunther now stood in the ring, and lifted the stone which had again
been placed within it. He lifted it with an effort, but at once
Siegfried's unseen hand grasped it and threw it with such strength
that it dropped even beyond the spot to which it had been flung by the
Queen. Lifting King Gunther with him Siegfried next jumped far
beyond the spot on which the Queen had alighted. And all the warriors
marveled to see their Queen thus vanquished by the strange King. For
you must remember that not one of them could see that it was Siegfried
who had done these deeds of prowess.
Now in the contest, still unseen, Siegfried had taken from the Queen
her ring and her favorite girdle.
With angry gestures Brunhild called to her liegemen to come and lay
their weapons down at King Gunther's feet to do him homage. Henceforth
they must be his thralls and own him as their lord.
As soon as the contests were over, Siegfried had slipped back to the
ship and hidden his Cloak of Darkness. Then boldly he came back to the
great hall, and pretending to know nothing of the games begged to be
told who had been the victor, if indeed they had already taken place.
When he had heard that Queen Brunhild had been vanquished, the hero
laughed, and cried gaily, "Then, noble maiden, thou must go with us to
Rhineland to wed King Gunther."
"A strange way for a vassal to speak," thought the angry Queen, and
she answered with a proud glance at the knight, "Nay, that will I not
do until I have summoned my kinsmen and my good lieges. For I will
myself say farewell to them ere ever I will go to Rhineland."
Thus heralds were sent throughout Brunhild's realms, and soon from
morn to eve her kinsmen and her liegemen rode into the castle, until
it seemed as though a mighty army were assembling.
"Does the maiden mean to wage war against us," said Hagen grimly. "I
like not the number of her warriors."
Then said Siegfried, "I will leave thee for a little while and go
across the sea, and soon will I return with a thousand brave warriors,
so that no evil may befall us."
So the Prince went down alone to the little ship and set sail across
the sea.
VII
SIEGFRIED AND THE PRINCESS
The ship in which Siegfried set sail drifted on before the wind, while
those in Queen Brunhild's castle marveled, for no one was to be seen
on board. This was because the hero had again donned his Cloak of
Darkness.
On and on sailed the little ship until at length it drew near to
the land of the Nibelungs. Then Siegfried left his vessel and again
climbed the mountain-side, where long before he had cut off the heads
of the little Nibelung princes.
He reached the cave into which he had thrust the treasure, and knocked
loudly at the door. The cave was the entrance to Nibelheim the dark,
little town beneath the glad, green grass.
Siegfried might have entered the cave, but he knocked that he might
see if the treasure were well guarded.
Then the porter, who was a great giant, when he heard the knock
buckled on his armor and opened the door. Seeing, as he thought in his
haste, a strange knight standing before him he fell upon him with a
bar of iron. So strong was the giant that it was with difficulty that
the Prince overcame him and bound him hand and foot.
Alberich meanwhile had heard the mighty blows, which indeed had shaken
Nibelheim to its foundations.
Now the dwarf had sworn fealty to Siegfried, and when he, as the giant
had done, mistook the Prince for a stranger, he seized a heavy whip
with a gold handle and rushed upon him, smiting his shield with the
knotted whip until it fell to pieces.
Too pleased that his treasures were so well defended to be angry,
Siegfried now seized the little dwarf by his beard, and pulled it
so long and so hard that Alberich was forced to cry for mercy. Then
Siegfried bound him hand and foot as he had done the giant.
Alberich, poor little dwarf, gnashed his teeth with rage. Who would
guard the treasure now, and who would warn his master that a strong
man had found his way to Nibelheim?
But in the midst of his fears he heard the stranger's merry laugh.
Nay, it was no stranger, none but the hero-prince could laugh thus
merrily.
"I am Siegfried your master," then said the Prince. "I did but test
thy faithfulness, Alberich," and laughing still, the hero undid the
cords with which he had bound the giant and the dwarf.
"Call me here quickly the Nibelung warriors," cried Siegfried, "for I
have need of them." And soon thirty thousand warriors stood before him
in shining armor.
Choosing one thousand of the strongest and biggest, the Prince marched
with them down to the seashore. There they embarked in ships and
sailed away to Isenland.
Now it chanced that Queen Brunhild was walking on the terrace of her
sea-guarded castle with King Gunther when she saw a number of sails
approaching.
"Whose can these ships be?" she cried in quick alarm.
"These are my warriors who have followed me from Burgundy," answered
the King, for thus had Siegfried bidden him speak.
"We will go to welcome the fleet," said Brunhild, and together they
met the brave Nibelung army and lodged them in Isenland.
"Now will I give of my silver and my gold to my liegemen and to
Gunther's warriors," said Queen Brunhild, and she held out the keys
of her treasury to Dankwart that he might do her will. But so lavishly
did the knight bestow her gold and her costly gems and her rich
raiment upon the warriors that the Queen grew angry.
"Naught shall I have left to take with me to Rhineland," she cried
aloud in her vexation.
"In Burgundy," answered Hagen, "there is gold enough and to spare.
Thou wilt not need the treasures of Isenland."
But these words did not content the Queen. She would certainly take at
least twenty coffers of gold as well as jewels and silks with her to
King Gunther's land.
At length, leaving Isenland to the care of her brother, Queen
Brunhild, with twenty hundred of her own warriors as a bodyguard,
with eighty-six dames and one hundred maidens, set out for the royal
city of Worms.
For nine days the great company journeyed homeward, and then King
Gunther entreated Siegfried to be his herald to Worms.
"Beg Queen Uté and the Princess Kriemhild," said the King, "beg them
to ride forth to meet my bride and to prepare to hold high festival in
honor of the wedding-feast."
Thus Siegfried with four-and-twenty knights sailed on more swiftly
than the other ships, and landing at the mouth of the river Rhine,
rode hastily toward the royal city.
The Queen and her daughter, clad in their robes of state, received the
hero, and his heart was glad, for once again he stood in the presence
of his dear lady, Kriemhild.
"Be welcome, my Lord Siegfried," she cried, "thou worthy knight,
be welcome. But where is my brother? Has he been vanquished by the
warrior-queen? Oh, woe is me if he is lost, wo is me that ever I
was born," and the tears rolled down the maiden's cheeks.
"Nay, now," said the Prince, "thy brother is well and of good cheer.
I have come, a herald of glad tidings. For even now the King is on his
way to Worms, bringing with him his hard-won bride."
Then the Princess dried her tears, and graciously did she bid the hero
to sit by her side.
"I would I might give thee a reward for thy services," said the gentle
maiden, "but too rich art thou to receive my gold."
"A gift from thy hands would gladden my heart," said the gallant
Prince.
Blithely then did Kriemhild send for four-and-twenty buckles, all
inlaid with precious stones, and these did she give to Siegfried.
Siegfried bent low before the lady Kriemhild, for well did he love the
gracious giver, yet would he not keep for himself her gifts, but gave
them, in his courtesy, to her four-and-twenty maidens.
Then the Prince told Queen Uté that the King begged her and the
Princess to ride forth from Worms to greet his bride, and to prepare
to hold high festival in the royal city.
"It shall be done even as the King desires," said the Queen, while
Kriemhild sat silent, smiling with gladness, because her knight Sir
Siegfried had come home.
In joy and merriment the days flew by, while the court at Worms
prepared to hold high festival in honor of King Gunther's matchless
bride.
As the royal ships drew near, Queen Uté and the Princess Kriemhild,
accompanied by many a gallant knight, rode along the banks of the
Rhine to greet Queen Brunhild.
Already the King had disembarked, and was leading his bride toward his
gracious mother. Courteously did Queen Uté welcome the stranger, while
Kriemhild kissed her and clasped her in her arms.
Some, as they gazed upon the lovely maidens, said that the warlike
Queen Brunhild was more beautiful than the gentle Princess Kriemhild,
but others, and these were the wiser, said that none could excel the
peerless sister of the King.
In the great plain of Worms silk tents and gay pavilions had been
placed. And there the ladies took shelter from the heat, while before
them knights and warriors held a gay tournament. Then, in the cool of
the evening, a gallant train of lords and ladies, they rode toward the
castle at Worms.
Queen Uté and her daughter went to their own apartments, while the
King with Brunhild went into the banquet-hall where the wedding-feast
was spread.
But ere the feast had begun, Siegfried came and stood before the King.
"Sire," he said, "hast thou forgotten thy promise, that when Brunhild
entered the royal city thy lady sister should be my bride?"
"Nay," cried the King, "my royal word do I ever keep," and going out
into the hall he sent for the Princess.
"Dear sister," said Gunther, as she bowed before him, "I have pledged
my word to a warrior that thou wilt become his bride, wilt thou help
me to keep my promise?" Now Siegfried was standing by the King's side
as he spoke.
Then the gentle maiden answered meekly, "Thy will, dear brother,
is ever mine. I will take as lord him to whom thou hast promised my
hand." And she glanced shyly at Siegfried, for surely this was the
warrior to whom her royal brother had pledged his word.
Right glad then was the King, and Siegfried grew rosy with delight
as he received the lady's troth. Then together they went to
the banquet-hall, and on a throne next to King Gunther sat the
hero-prince, the lady Kriemhild by his side.
When the banquet was ended, the King was wedded to Queen Brunhild, and
Siegfried to the maiden whom he loved so well, and though he had no
crown to place upon her brow, the Princess was well content.
HERO OF FRANCE
ROLAND
ADAPTED BY H.E. MARSHALL
I
BLANCANDRIN'S MISSION
For seven long years the great Emperor Charlemagne had been fighting
in Spain against the Saracens; Saragossa alone remained unconquered,
but word had gone forth that it, too, was doomed.
King Marsil, not knowing how to save his city from the conqueror,
called a council of his wise men. Blancandrin, a knight of great
valor, was chosen with ten others to set out with olive-branches in
their hands, followed by a great train of slaves bearing presents, to
seek the court of the great Christian King and sue for peace.
Bending low before Charlemagne, Blancandrin promised for King Marsil
vassalage to the Emperor and baptism in the name of the Holy Christ.
To assure the truth of his words, he said "We will give thee hostages,
I will even send my own son if we keep not faith with thee."
In the morning Charlemagne called his wise men and told them the
message of Blancandrin.
Then Roland, one of the twelve chosen knights and the nephew of
Charlemagne, rose flushed with anger and cried, "Believe not this
Marsil, he was ever a traitor. Carry the war to Saragossa. War! I say
war!"
Ganelon a knight, who hated Roland, strode to the foot of the throne,
saying, "Listen not to the counsel of fools but accept King Marsil's
gifts and promises."
Following the counsel of Duke Naimes the wisest of the court,
Charlemagne declared that some one should be sent to King Marsil and
asked the lords whom he should send.
"Send me," cried Roland. "Nay," said Oliver, "let me go rather." But
the Emperor said, "Not a step shall ye go, either one or other of
you."
"Ah!" said Roland, "if I may not go, then send Ganelon my stepfather."
"Good!" replied the great Emperor, "Ganelon it shall be."
Ganelon trembled with passion and said, "this is Roland's work," for
he knew he would never return alive to his wife and child. The quarrel
between Roland and Ganelon was bitter indeed. "I hate thee," Ganelon
hissed at last. "I hate thee!" Then, struggling to be calm, he turned
to the Emperor and said, "I am ready to do thy will."
"Fair Sir Ganelon," said Charlemagne, "this is my message to the
heathen King Marsil. Say to him that he shall bend the knee to gentle
Christ and be baptized in His name. Then will I give him full half of
Spain to hold in fief. Over the other half Count Roland, my nephew,
well beloved, shall reign."
Without a word of farewell Ganelon went to his own house. There he
clad himself in his finest armor. Commending his wife and child to the
care of the knights who pressed round to bid him Godspeed, Ganelon,
with bent head, turned slowly from their sight and rode to join the
heathen Blancandrin.
II
GANELON'S TREASON
As Ganelon and Blancandrin rode along together beneath the olive-trees
and through the fruitful vineyards of sunny Spain, the heathen began
to talk cunningly. "What a wonderful knight is thy Emperor," he said.
"He hath conquered the world from sea to sea. But why cometh he within
our borders? Why left he us not in peace?"
"It was his will," replied Ganelon. "There is no man in all the world
so great as he. None may stand against him."
"You Franks are gallant men indeed," said Blancandrin, "but your dukes
and counts deserve blame when they counsel the Emperor to fight with
us now."
"There is none deserveth that blame save Roland," said Ganelon. "Such
pride as his ought to be punished. Oh, that some one would slay him!"
he cried fiercely. "Then should we have peace."
"This Roland is very cruel," said Blancandrin, "to wish to conquer all
the world as he does. But in whom does he trust for help?"
"In the Franks," said Ganelon. "They love him with such a great love
that they think he can do no wrong. He giveth them gold and silver,
jewels and armor, so they serve him. Even to the Emperor himself he
maketh rich presents. He will not rest until he hath conquered all the
world, from east to west."
The Saracen looked at Ganelon out of the corner of his eye. He was a
noble knight, but now that his face was dark with wrath and jealousy,
he looked like a felon.
"Listen thou to me," said Blancandrin softly. "Dost wish to be avenged
upon Roland? Then, by Mahomet! deliver him into our hands. King Marsil
is very generous; for such a kindness he will willingly give unto thee
of his countless treasure."
Ganelon heard the tempter's voice, but he rode onward as if unheeding,
his chin sunken upon his breast, his eyes dark with hatred.
But long ere the ride was ended and Saragossa reached, the heathen
lord and Christian knight had plotted together for the ruin of Roland.
At length the journey was over, and Ganelon lighted down before King
Marsil, who awaited him beneath the shadow of his orchard-trees,
seated upon a marble throne covered with rich silken rugs. Around
him crowded his nobles, silent and eager to learn how Blancandrin had
fared upon his errand.
Bowing low, Blancandrin approached the throne, leading Ganelon by the
hand. "Greeting," he said, "in the name of Mahomet. Well, O Marsil,
have I done thy behest to the mighty Christian King. But save that he
raised his hands to heaven and gave thanks to his God, no answer did
he render to me. But unto thee he sendeth one of his nobles, a very
powerful man in France. From him shalt thou learn if thou shalt have
peace or war."
"Let him speak," said King Marsil. "We will listen."
"Greeting," said Ganelon, "in the name of God--the God of glory whom
we ought all to adore. Listen ye to the command of Charlemagne: Thou,
O King, shalt receive the Christian faith, then half of Spain will he
leave to thee to hold in fief. The other half shall be given to Count
Roland--a haughty companion thou wilt have there. If thou wilt not
agree to this, Charlemagne will besiege Saragossa, and thou shalt be
led captive to Aix, there to die a vile and shameful death."
King Marsil shook with anger and turned pale. In his hand he held an
arrow fledged with gold. Now, springing from his throne, he raised his
arm as if he would strike Ganelon. But the knight laid his hand upon
his sword and drew it half out of the scabbard. "Sword," he cried,
"thou art bright and beautiful; oft have I carried thee at the court
of my King. It shall never be said of me that I died alone in a
foreign land, among fierce foes, ere thou wert dipped in the blood of
their bravest and best."
For a few moments the heathen King and the Christian knight eyed each
other in deep silence. Then the air was filled with shouts. "Part
them, part them!" cried the Saracens.
The noblest of the Saracens rushed between their King and Ganelon. "It
was a foolish trick to raise thy hand against the Christian knight,"
said Marsil's calif, seating him once more upon his throne. "'Twere
well to listen to what he hath to say."
"Sir," said Ganelon proudly, "thinkest thou for all the threats in the
wide world I will be silent and not speak the message which the mighty
Charlemagne sendeth to his mortal enemy? Nay, I would speak, if ye
were all against me." And keeping his right hand still upon the golden
pommel of his sword, with his left he unclasped his cloak of fur and
silk and cast it upon the steps of the throne. There, in his strength
and splendor, he stood defying them all.
"'Tis a noble knight!" cried the heathen in admiration.
Then once more turning to King Marsil, Ganelon gave him the Emperor's
letter. As he broke the seal and read, Marsil's brow grew black with
anger. "Listen, my lords," he cried; "because I slew yonder insolent
Christian knights, the Emperor Charlemagne bids me beware his wrath.
He commands that I shall send unto him as hostage mine uncle the
calif."
"This is some madness of Ganelon!" cried a heathen knight. "He is only
worthy of death. Give him unto me, and I will see that justice is done
upon him." So saying, he laid his hand upon his sword.
Like a flash of lightning Ganelon's good blade Murglies sprang from
its sheath, and with his back against a tree, the Christian knight
prepared to defend himself to the last. But once again the fight was
stopped, and this time Blancandrin led Ganelon away.
Then, walking alone with the King, Blancandrin told of all that he
had done, and of how even upon the way hither, Ganelon had promised
to betray Roland, who was Charlemagne's greatest warrior. "And if he
die," said Blancandrin, "then is our peace sure."
"Bring hither the Christian knight to me," cried King Marsil.
So Blancandrin went, and once more leading Ganelon by the hand,
brought him before the King.
"Fair Sir Ganelon," said the wily heathen, "I did a rash and foolish
thing when in anger I raised my hand to strike at thee. As a token
that thou wilt forget it, accept this cloak of sable. It is worth five
hundred pieces of gold." And lifting a rich cloak, he clasped it about
the neck of Ganelon.
"I may not refuse it," said the knight, looking down. "May Heaven
reward thee!"
"Trust me, Sir Ganelon," said King Marsil, "I love thee well. But keep
thou our counsels secret. I would hear thee talk of Charlemagne. He is
very old, is he not?--more than two hundred years old. He must be worn
out and weary, for he hath fought so many battles and humbled so many
kings in the dust. He ought to rest now from his labors in his city of
Aix."
Ganelon shook his head. "Nay," he said, "such is not Charlemagne. All
those who have seen him know that our Emperor is a true warrior. I
know not how to praise him enough before you, for there is nowhere a
man so full of valor and of goodness. I would rather die than leave
his service."
"In truth," said Marsil, "I marvel greatly. I had thought that
Charlemagne had been old and worn. Then if it is not so, when will he
cease his wars?"
"Ah," said Ganelon, "that he will never do so long as his nephew
Roland lives. Under the arch of heaven there bides no baron so
splendid or so proud. Oliver, his friend, also is full of prowess and
of valor. With them and his peers beside him, Charlemagne feareth no
man."
"Fair Sir Ganelon," said King Marsil boldly, knowing his hatred, "tell
me, how shall I slay Roland?"