That both our masters harbour for you the greatest hate.
They mean to come with armies to Worms upon the Rhine:
And many warriors aid them;— so warn we thee and thine.
145
“Within twelve weeks their journey must here accomplished be,
If you’ve good friends to help you, you’ll seek them speedily
To guard your land and castles, and fight in battlefield.
By them will here be cloven full many a helm and shield.
146
“Or, if ye will treat with them, so make your offer: then
They will not bring upon you their hosts of arméd men,
All bitter foes unto you, to work you grievous woe,
Destroying your fair knighthood with many a deadly blow.”
147
“Now tarry here a little,” replied the monarch good,
“Until I have bethought me— then shall ye learn my mood.
If I have faithful subjects I must not hide this thing;
This grievous errand must I unto my lieges bring.”
148
Rich as he was, to Gunther it was a trouble sore;
Within his heart the matter he pondered o’er and o’er.
He sent in quest of Hagen, and others of his men,
And bade them from the palace to fetch King Gernot then.
149
His worthiest came unto him, all that were found to hand.
He spake: “The foeman cometh here into this our land,
Bringing a mighty army; to work you all much woe.”
To which the bold knight Gernot made answer: “Nay, not so,
150
“Our good swords shall defend us!” undaunted Gernot said;
“None but the doomed die, ever— and they’re as good as dead!
For fear of death, I’ll never forget mine honour dear.
Let the foe come, and welcome! they’ll find us ready here!
151
Then Hagen spake, of Tronjé: “The thing doth bode no good;
Lud’gast and Lud’ger both are too arrogant of mood.
The time’s too short to gather, and furnish all our men;
Ye must advise with Siegfried.” Thus spake the bold Hagen.
152
They bade men take the heralds, and lodge them in the town.
However hostile to them, for sake of his renown
Gunther would have them cared for, as was their due and right;
Until he knew what friends would stand by him in the fight.
153
Yet the king’s heart was heavy and sad with anxious care.
But one beheld him mourning— a gallant knight and fair,
Who knew not of the sorrow that had befall’n the king;—
Therefore besought he Gunther to declare to him this thing.
154
“To me it is a marvel,” quoth Siegfried (for ’twas he),
“How all your merry custom hath changéd utterly,
Which was the rule among us, and hath so long held sway?”
To which, in answer, Gunther, the comely knight did say:
155
“Not unto every comer would I the grief declare,
Which close within my bosom in secret I must bear:
One keeps one’s deepest sorrow for stedfast friends,” he said.
At this did Siegfried’s colour change quick, ’twixt white and red.
156
“I never have denied you,” he spake unto the king;—
“And shall not, in this trouble, my strong arm succour bring?
If you for friends are seeking, lo, am I not your friend?
I trust to be so ever— with honour, till mine end.”
157
“Now God reward you, Siegfried, for what you now have said.
And though your strength should never be needed in mine aid,
Yet doth this news rejoice me, that you my friend will be;—
And you shall ne’er regret it, if life be granted me.
158
“And you shall hear the reason wherefore I now am sad:
From enemies, by heralds, this message I have had:
That they will, with their armies, assail us, at our door;—
The like no warriors ever did in these lands before.”
159
“Let not your heart be troubled,” quoth Siegfried, thereunto;
“And calm your anxious spirit, and as I pray you, do!
Leave it to me to win you honour and vantage both,
And bid your thanes come hither to aid you, nothing loth.
160
“Although your mighty foemen should have at their command
Full thirty thousand swordsmen, yet would I them withstand,
Though I had but a thousand: so leave this all to me.”
“For this,” said Gunther, “ever your debtor I shall be.”
161
“So let a thousand warriors at my disposal be,
Since I of mine own following, have only here with me
A dozen knights, all reckoned: thus will I guard your land,
And faithfully at all times shall serve you Siegfried’s hand.
162
“In this must Hagen help us, his nephew Ortwein too,
Dankwart and Sindold also, all knights beloved of you.
And Volker shall ride with us, Volker the gallant man,
A better one I know not, and he shall lead the van.
163
“And let the heralds ride back home to their masters’ land;
And that they soon shall see us give them to understand,
That peace within our castles may undisturbéd reign.”
For followers and kinsmen the king then sent amain.
164
The messengers of Lud’ger straightway to court repair.
At news of home-returning greatly rejoiced they were.
The good King Gunther gave them rich gifts to take away,
And promised them safe conduct: right glad of heart were they.
165
“Say now,” King Gunther bade them, “unto my foes who come,
They’d best forego this journey, and stay content at home.
But, if they be determined to seek me in my land,
Unless my good friends fail me, they’ll find their work to hand.”
166
Rich presents then they, straightway, before the heralds bore,
Gunther was rich in treasure, and had enough and more;
These men of Lud’ger’s durst not refuse the offered fee,
And when they leave had taken, departed joyfully.
167
Now when they unto Denmark returnéd were at last,
And had declared the tidings unto King Ludegast,
Which they had brought from Rhineland, and all to him was said,
The proud and haughty answer filled him with grief and dread.
168
They said that by the Rhine dwelt full many a gallant wight:
“Among them, with King Gunther, there was a certain knight,
Who bore the name of Siegfried— a knight of Netherland.”
Sore grieved was Lud’gast when he this news did understand.
169
As soon as they of Denmark had heard the news of war,
They made all haste to gather their friends from near and far,
Till Ludegast could reckon on twenty-thousand men,
All warriors bold, and ready the war-march to begin.
170
King Ludeger the Saxon assembled his men, too,
Till he had forty thousand or even more to show,
Ready to join the others, and ride to Burgundy.
Nor was King Gunther idle at home, for also he
171
Sent word to all his kinsmen, and to his brothers’ men,
To bid their troops assemble to go to battle then;
And likewise Hagen’s warriors— the heroes needed all.
Whereby must many a chieftain in death, thereafter, fall.
172
So made they all things ready. When perfect was each plan,
The gallant warrior, Volker, was bade to lead the van,
And thus they rode together from Worms, upon the Rhine.
The chief command to Hagen of Tronjé they assign.
173
With them did ride Sir Sindold, and eke the brave Hunold,
Two knights of
