And I must mourn for ever the noble Rüdeger:
The loss to me is double, and grievous ’tis to bear.”
2224
So Giselher, beholding his lady’s father dead:—
And they who still were living a grievous reckoning paid,
Death fell upon them sorely seeking to take his own;
Of them from Bechelaren there lived ere long not one.
2225
Now Giselher and Gunther and with them Hagen too,
Dankwart and Volker also— all warriors good and true—
Came forward all together, to where the twain were laid:
Then was there by the heroes great lamentation made.
2226
“Death sorely us despoileth,” spake the lad Giselher:
“But make an end of weeping, and get we to the air
To cool our mail-clad bodies, worn as we are with strife;
Here God, I ween, will grant us but scanty spell of life.”
2227
Some sitting, others leaning, one saw there many a thane.
They once again were idle: and round about them, slain,
Lay Rüdeger’s companions. The uproar all was laid.
So long the silence lasted, that Etzel grew afraid.
2228
“Woe on me for such service!” then spake the royal wife:
“These folk are not so trusty that on our foeman’s life
Shall vengeance due be taken by Rüdeger’s command:
He means to take them safely back to Burgundian land.
2229
“What boots it us, King Etzel, that we with him and his
Have shared whate’er he wanted? The chief hath done amiss:
He who should wreak our vengeance, doth wish a peace to gain.”
Thereunto answer’d Volker, the all-accomplish’d thane:
2230
“Not so, alas! the story, most noble queen, I rede;
And, dare I charge with falsehood a dame so nobly bred,
Thee, devilishly lying of Rüdeger, I heard;
For he and his companions from peace have sorely err’d.
2231
“That which the king commanded he did so zealously,
That he and all his people dead in yon chamber lie.
Now cast about, Kriemhilda, on errands whom to send!
For Rüdeger the hero hath served thee to the end.
2232
“And wilt thou not believe me, see it thou shalt anon!”
And to her heartfelt sorrow so was it straightway done:
They bore the mangled hero before the king and queen.
The thanes of Etzel never so sad a sight had seen.
2233
When they beheld the margrave thus borne before them dead,
No penman could have written, nor elsewise could be said,
How manifold the mourning of women and of men,
Who one and all bore witness unto their heartfelt pain.
2234
The sorrowing of Etzel so great was, that the noise
Was even as a lion’s— the mighty king his voice
So lifted in his anguish: eke mourn’d his wife no less:
Good Rüdeger bewail’d they with utmost bitterness.
Adventure XXXVIII
How Lord Dietrich’s Warriors All Were Slain
2235
So great a sound of mourning on every side was heard,
From palace walls and turrets the echoes all were stirr’d.
By one of Dietrich’s liegemen of Bern ’twas heard as well;
How swiftly then he started the direful news to tell.
2236
Unto the prince then spake he: “Hearken, my Lord Dietrich,
As long as I’ve been living, ne’er have I heard the like
Of such unearthly wailing as I have heard but now:
Some harm unto King Etzel himself hath come, I trow.
2237
“How else would all the people be in distress so dread?
The king, or may be Kriemhild, must one of them be dead—
Slain by those daring strangers, who bore them enmity:
And many goodly warriors are wailing bitterly.”
2238
Then spake of Bern the hero: “My trusty lieges dear,
Now be ye not too hasty! what hath befallen here
Was wrought by homeless warriors, by dire distresses driven;
And let them use the freedom that I to them have given.”
2239
Then spake the gallant Wolfhart: “I will myself be gone
And ask about the matter, what ’tis that they have done.
And then I will report it to you, my master dear,
When yonder I discover what mean the cries we hear.”
2240
Thereon Lord Dietrich answer’d: “When one has wrath to face,
Full oft, at ill-timed questions, ’tis found to be the case
That warriors too swiftly are apt offence to take:
In truth I will not, Wolfhart, that you the quest should make.”
2241
Thereon he summon’d Helfrich right speedily to go;
And from the men of Etzel he bade him get to know—
Or even from the strangers— what doings there had been;
For ne’er such great lamenting of people was there seen.
2242
The envoy made inquiry: “What hath there here been done?”
Then answer’d one among them: “Now is for ever gone
All that we had of pleasure in this Hungarian land!—
Here Rüdeger lies slaughter’d by the Burgundians’ hand.
2243
“Of those who enter’d with him not one came out again.”
Then verily to Helfrich ne’er could be greater pain.
In sooth he ne’er had carried news so unwillingly:
The messenger to Dietrich went weeping bitterly.
2244
“What hast thou,” then said Dietrich, “for us discoveréd?
And wherefore, warrior Helfrich, thy tears so freely shed?”
“Good cause have I for weeping,” answer’d the noble thane:
“Good Rüdeger is lying by the Burgundians slain.”
2245
The knight of Bern made answer: “God grant that may not be!
That were a fearful vengeance, and foul fiend’s pleasantry:
Howe’er were such requital deserved by Rüdeger?
For well am I persuaded he held the strangers dear.”
2246
Thereto made Wolfhart answer: “If they this deed have done
It verily shall cost them the life of everyone!
To us ’twould be disgraceful if this we were to stand,
For Rüdeger has served us right often with his hand.”
2247
But Amelung’s chieftain bade them better inform’d to be.
Meanwhile within his window right mournfully sat he;
And Hildebrand enjoin’d he unto the guests to go,
That he whate’er had happen’d from them might surely know.
2248
That warrior bold in battle, the ancient Hildebrand,
Nor shield nor any weapon took with him in his hand;
He to the guests was going in courtesy alone.
But sore were the upbraidings made by his sister’s son.
2249
For spake the fiery Wolfhart: “Wilt thou so simply go?
Then certes some misusage thou wilt not fail to know!
So, full of grief and trouble, thou needs must homeward fare:
But if thou takest thy weapons they each will have a care.”
2250
Then did the ancient gird him e’en as the stripling bade.
But lo! before he knew it, in fighting gear array’d,
Were standing Dietrich’s warriors, with drawn sword everyone.
This thing the hero liked not, and gladly had forgone.
2251
He asked where they were going. “Along with you we’ll fare!
Perchance Hagen of Tronjé so much the less may dare
With mocking speech to meet you— which well he knows to use.”
When that he heard, the warrior no longer could refuse.
2252
The gallant Volker saw them in armour fully dight,
Those knights of Bern come marching, all Dietrich’s men of might;
Their swords were girt upon them, they carried shield in hand.
Unto his lords he told it of the Burgundian land.
2253
Then spake the fiddle-player: “Yonder I see them go,
The followers of Dietrich— in semblance of a foe,
With weapons and in helmets: us mean they to withstand.
I trow for
