Then spake to his men King Gunther: “Who through the unknown land
Shall now on the right path guide us, that our feet err not from the same?”
Out spake the valiant Volker: “This office for mine I claim.”
“Nay, halt ye a space,” said Hagen: “halt, both squire and knight!
His friends must a man needs follow, it seemeth me meet and right.
But a tale of evil tidings now at my mouth must ye learn—
Home to the land Burgundian not one of us all shall return.
Unto me this morning early was it told of mermaids two
That for us was no more returning: now counsel I what ye shall do:
Gird on your armour, ye heroes: ward you with heedful care.
Stark foemen await us: ride ye as men that battleward fare.
I had hoped to prove those mermaids false in their prophecy,
When they said unto me, that no man of all our array should see
Again the home in the Rhineland, except the chaplain alone:
Therefore would I so gladly have drowned him a little agone.”
From rank unto rank of their thousands the evil tidings flew.
Pale with a ghastly foreboding many a good knight grew,
As the hideous terror gripped them of the bitter death so near
At the end of this festival-faring, and their hearts were cold with fear.
That place was nigh unto M?ring where they passed across the flood,
Where the ferryman of Elsè poured out his life in blood.
Again to the rest spake Hagen: “I have made for myself by the way
Foes, and our march shall shortly be beset by their array.
To-day have I slain their boatman while yet was the morning grey,
And by this have they heard the tidings. Haste ye, prepare for the fray,
{p. 218}
That, soon as Gelfrat and Elsè fall on our company,
They may fall on their own destruction, so stern shall their welcome be.
They will nowise fail to attack us, for I know how bold is the foe;
Wherefore let ye your horses all softly pacing go,
That none of them all may imagine that we flee before them in dread.”
“Yea, I will follow thy counsel,” the young Prince Giselher said.
“Now by whom to our host on-marching through the land shall the ways be shown?”
They answered: “Our guide shall be Volker, for unto him well-known
Be highways alike and byways, the lordly minstrel-knight.”
And lo, ere any could ask him, he was there, all-armed as for fight,
That valiant viol-minstrel: his helm on his head was laced;
With blazonry splendour-tinted was his armour overtraced:
On his spear was a crimson pennon, a fluttering tongue of flame.
—Ah, soon with his royal masters into terrible peril he came!
And by this of his certain knowledge unto Gelfrat had one brought word
Concerning the ferryman’s slaying; and another withal had heard
The tale, even Elsè the stalwart: they raged with wrathful pain,
And they summoned their vassals, and ready with speed was their warrior-train.
But a little while thereafter, as singeth still the Lay,
To their banner came riding champions, whose hands in many a fray
Had wrought wild havoc of carnage, a mighty chivalry;
Unto Gelfrat thronged seven hundred, yea, more it may haply be.
On the track of those grim foemen they set forth spurring in haste;
But their lords, their battle-leaders, afront of them all on-raced
Pursuing the fearless strangers: athirst for revenge they sped;
Yet on to their own destruction full many a friend they led.
Now Hagen the Lord of Troneg had ordered their marching so—
How could a hero better ward friends against a foe?—
That himself with the men of his war-band rode ever in the rear,
And with him Dankwart his brother: wise war-craft was verily here.
{p. 219}
Ran out the sands of the day-tide; all light faded away.
On the hero’s heart the peril of his comrades heavily lay.
With shield on arm still rode they on through Bavaria-land:
Well was it for them, for the onset of foes must they shortly withstand.
On either side of the highway and behind them thundering close
Heard they the sound of hoof-beats of reckless-riding foes.
Then cried the valiant Dankwart: “The foe be at point to set on!
Bind on your brows your helmets: I trow it were wisely done!”
Then, as needs must be, the riders drew rein, and rearward wheeled.
Gleamed dancing lights through the darkness, the glint of many a shield.
No longer might Hagen refrain him; he shouted his challenge-cry—
“Who followeth us on the highway?” From Gelfrat rang the reply,
And the lord of Bavarian marches flung fierce answer back:
“We are in search of our foemen, we follow fast on their track.
I know not who this morning my ferryman hath slain.
He was a valiant warrior, and mine heart is hot with pain!”
Made answer Hagen of Troneg: “And was that ferryman thine?
He refused to ferry us over: the guilt of his blood is mine;
I smote and I slew the strong one. Of a truth good cause had I,
For of this thy stalwart liegeman was mine own death brought full nigh.
I tendered to him fair guerdon, raiment and golden band,
And prayed him to ferry us over, hero, into thy land;
And thereat so flamed he with fury that he dealt me an evil blow
With his oar-blade strong and massy; and my wrath waxed grim enow.
Mine hand went unto my sword-hilt; from his wrath I warded mine head
With a wound that was past all healing, and lo, thine hero was dead.
For the deed am I ready to answer so soon as seemeth thee good.”
They addressed them straightway to battle, for exceeding fierce was their mood.
“Full well did I know,” cried Gelfrat, “that whene’er with his vassal-throng
Gunther passed over the river, to us would be wrought foul wrong
By the insolence of this Hagen! For this shall his heart’s blood pay!
Yea, for my ferryman’s murder his life shall atone straightway!”
{p. 220}
Then couched they over the bucklers for the onset-shock their spears,
Gelfrat and Hagen the mighty: their rage was exceeding fierce.
Dankwart the while and Elsè in fight clashed man against man.
Right well did they prove their prowess, and stern was the strife that began.
When was more gallant encounter of champions so renowned?
In the mighty shock of their clashing was Hagen borne to the ground,
Over his charger’s crupper by Gelfrat’s hand back-forced,
Since the breast-band had snapped asunder: then first was Hagen unhorsed.
With crashing of shivering lances then met their men withal.
Swift to his feet leapt Hagen, more terrible from that fall
Wherein by his enemy’s lance-thrust he was hurled from the selle to the sward.
As flaming fire against Gelfrat was the wrath of Troneg’s lord.
I know not in battle-travail who held each warrior’s steed,
For both had voided the saddle, and face to face on the mead
Stood they, Hagen and Gelfrat: then each at the other sprang.
Knights aided their lords: all round them the din of conflict rang.
How furiously soever Hagen on Gelfrat leapt,
Yet the sword of the noble Margrave from the hero’s buckler swept
A huge shard earthward-clanging; the sparks were as lightning-flame.
Then the champion of King Gunther even to death’s brink came.
He lifted his voice, and to Dankwart he cried for aid, and he said:
“Help me, O brother belovèd, for now am I hardly bestead
Of a mighty-handed hero; he putteth in peril my life!”
Answered him Dankwart the fearless, “Lo, I will part your strife!”
With a leap of his horse he was on them: so fierce and fell a blow
With the keen sword dealt he to Gelfrat, that in death he laid him low.
Then Elsè would fain take vengeance for the mighty champion slain;
But, so fast were they falling, backward borne were his vassal-train.
Slain was his hero-brother, himself had a grievous wound:
Full eighty of his war-thanes already were stretched on the ground
A prey unto death the relentless: of need must the princely knight
Flee from the men of Gunther in headlong-hasty flight.
{p. 221}
As the men of the land Bavarian fled from the face of their foes,
Ringing and clanging behind them ever echoed the dread death-blows,
As the vassals of Troneg’s hero held them close in chase.
Whoso would ’scape, small respite had he in that terrible race!
But amidst of pursuit and slaughter, to the rest cried Dankwart the thane:
“Halt! on the path of our journey backward turn we the rein.
Let us leave them riding in panic, while fast their gashes bleed.
Back to our friends let us hasten: of a truth ’tis the better rede.”
When back to the place of their conflict they came, where many had died,
Spake Hagen of Troneg: “Heroes, now let us be certified
Who from our ranks be missing, whom of our friends we have lost
Here, where the wrath of Gelfrat so many lives hath cost.”
So they numbered, and four were lacking; but for these they made short moan.
Well were they avenged of a surety! For the deaths of these to atone
There lay of Bavaria’s champions more than a hundred dead.
The shields of the men of Troneg with blood were bedimmed and red.
Fitfully out of the cloud-rack brake the clear moon’s light.
Then to the rest spake Hagen: “Let no man tell this night
To my well-belovèd liege-lords what hap hath befallen us here.
Till the morrow, as touching our welfare, no care let them know nor fear.”
When the rest of the host was o’ertaken by these which had come from the fray,
Behold, all men were complaining for weariness of the way.
“How long must we ride unresting?” many a warrior cried.
Spake Dankwart the brave: “No hostel is here wherein to abide.
Needs must ye still ride onward till breaketh the light of day.”
Then Volker the swift war-helper, which ordered their array,
Sent one to ask of the Marshal: “Where shall we halt to-morn,
Where the steeds and our well-loved masters may rest with toil outworn?”
But answered Dankwart the fearless: “I may not certainly say.
But we cannot and may not rest us till dawn in the sky is grey:
{p. 222}
Then, wheresoever we find us, on the grass must we lay us to rest.”
Heavily weighed the tidings on many a warrior’s breast.
Unbewrayed by the blood red-reeking through those dark hours they rode,
Till the sun shot forth, for a greeting to Morning’s feet, as they trode
The crests of the hills, his flame-shafts. Then straightway the King espied
The tokens of that grim conflict, and in indignation he cried:
“What meaneth this, friend Hagen? And thought ye scorn of our aid,
That I might not come to your helping when the rings of your mail were made
Red with the blood of battle? Who brought you unto this plight?”
He answered: “The deed was Elsè’s: he fell on us in the night.
To avenge his ferryman’s slaying his riders pursued us fast.
Dead by the hand of my brother Gelfrat to earth was cast.
Then Elsè fleeing outran us—of sore need surely he fled!
Of us but four, but a hundred of them, on the field lie dead.”
Where stayed they for rest and for slumber, no witness hath testified.
Swift ran the tale of their coming through all the country-side,
How the sons of Uta the noble unto Etzel’s feast would fare.
At the last they won unto Passau, and good was their welcome there.
The noble princes’ uncle, the bishop Pilgerin,
Was exceeding gladdened in spirit to behold his royal kin,
When into his land with comrades so many and knightly they rode.
How fain he was to behold them his deeds right speedily showed.
Friends thronged to meet them and greet them afar from the city-wall;
And, seeing that lodging in Passau could not be found for them all,
To the farther side of the river to a mead were the more part led
Wherein by the squires were pavilions and many a fair tent spread.
There were they constrained to tarry for the space of one whole day
And the night that followed thereafter: right well entreated were they.
Thence riding forth and onward, unto Rüdiger’s land they passed,
And to him the joyful tidings of their coming sped full fast.
Now when by the night’s rest strengthened those way-worn warriors were,
And by this were drawing nearer to the land of Rüdiger,
{p. 223}
There, hard by the marches sleeping, on a certain man did they light,
From whose side was stolen by Hagen a goodly glaive of fight.
Now the name of the sleeper was Eckwart, a good and noble knight;
And exceeding sorrowful-hearted was he for his swordless plight,
For the weapon lost through the passing of heroes the while he slept.
He was warder of Rüdiger’s marches, but for once ill guard had he kept.
“Ah, woe is me,” cried Eckwart, “that I wake to know this shame!
Alas for me, that ever the Burgundians hitherward came!
Siegfried’s death was the well-spring of all my calamity!
Alas for my betrayal of Rüdiger’s trust in me!”
Full well was heard by Hagen the sorrow of that good knight.
He restored him his sword, and he added six armlets of red gold bright:
“Take these for thy guerdon, hero, and be thou a friend to us now.
Though here unguarded thou liest, a valiant thane art thou.”
“God guerdon thee for thine armlets!” Eckwart the knight replied.
“Yet must I surely sorrow that ye to the Huns will ride.
Thou wast the slayer of Siegfried: here hate is undying still.
Look well to thyself!—I counsel in all faith and good-will.”
“Why then, may God protect us,” spake Hagen answering;
“But now these thanes be troubled concerning none other thing
Save for their harbourage only—my lords and their vassals withal—
Even where we shall rest and refresh us at this day’s evenfall:
For by this forspent be our horses with the weary way they have gone;
And consumed is all our victual”—Hagen the thane spake on—
“Neither see we where we may buy it. Some noble host would we meet
Whose open-handed bounty might give to us bread to eat.”
And to him made answer Eckwart: “Such a host unto you will I show,
That entertainment so goodly on you should none bestow
As here shall be your portion, in all lands far or near,
If ye, O valiant warriors, will seek unto Rüdiger.
Nigh to the highway he dwelleth: the noblest host is he
That ever hath dwelt in mansion: his heart with charity
{p. 224}
Blooms as the grass with flowers at the touch of May’s bright feet.
Blithe is he and thankful ever such heroes with service to greet.”
Then spake unto him King Gunther: “Mine herald wilt thou be
To my dear friend Rüdiger? Ask him if, for a grace unto me,
To me and to these my kinsmen and vassals he will be host.
So will I requite that service unto mine uttermost.”
“Gladly will I be thine herald,” answering Eckwart said.
Straightway forth on the errand with eager haste he sped
Unto Rüdiger, bearing the message told even now in his ear.
There had come no such glad tidings to his lord for many a year.
Men saw from the towers of Bechlaren a knight spur thitherward fast.
Well Rüdiger knew that rider, and he said: “In furious haste
Cometh Eckwart, vassal of Kriemhild, galloping hitherward.”
He weened that of foes some mischief had been done to that valiant lord.
To the castle-gateway he hied him, and there did the messenger stand
Who unclasped his sword from his girdle and laid at his feet the brand.
Spake Rüdiger unto the warrior: “What tidings hast thou brought
That so hath constrained thee to hasten? hath any spoiled us of aught?”
“No man hath done us a mischief,” straightway Eckwart replied,
“But to-day of three kings bidden unto thee have I hitherward hied,
Of the King of Burgundia, Gunther, of Gernot and Giselher:
And of these knights each commendeth unto thee his service fair.
The like do Hagen and Volker; and each man sayeth it
In loyal faith and hearty. Moreover I do thee to wit
Of the message that the marshal of Gunther hath charged me withal,
That the good knights pray thee to grant them lodging at evenfall.”
With smiling lips of kindness unto him did Rüdiger say:
“Welcome to me be the tidings that kings so noble as they
Now stand in need of my service: nothing to these I deny.
So they will but come to my dwelling, exceeding glad am I.”
“From Dankwart the marshal moreover a message to thee I bring,
How many unto thy castle this day be journeying.
{p. 225}
Threescore valiant champions and a thousand knights draw near,
And with these be squires nine thousand.” Blithe was the host of cheer.
“Welcome be these guests! Welcome the tidings,” did Rüdiger cry,
“That such noble and valiant heroes to my castle-halls draw nigh
Unto whom I have ne’er shown kindness for kindness shown unto me!
What ho, my kinsmen and vassals, ride forth to meet them ye!”
Then hasted they to their horses, and rode forth, squire and knight.
Whatsoever their lord commanded, that seemed them meet and right;
For so with swifter obedience they rendered him service due.
But still in her bower sat Gotlind, and nothing thereof she knew.