The news of this was bruited through many a prince’s land;
And the day when it should happen all did understand.
Soon the king’s great kindness from all won praises golden
In a year and three days after the festival of knighting them was holden.
For this the knights made busy, glad to be bidden there.
Soon they made them bucklers, bright and painted fair;
In making showy saddles the workmen were not idle;
With gold both red and shining the breastplate was bedecked, as was the bridle.
Upon a broad green meadow the guests of the mighty king
Were bidden then to gather. He left not anything
That they from him could ask for; seats were spread in order,
And many guests soon after were seen to ride to his land from every border.
To those from far now ready the sword with him to bear
Fighting-gear was given, that beseemed them well to wear.
They who from other kingdoms into his land were faring
A thousand men were reckoned; to give them clothes and steeds he was not sparing.
Unto his friends then said he: “If now you deem it fit
That men a king should call me, it therefore seemeth meet
That she my heart holds dearest a crown with me be wearing;
Never shall I rest happy until, for her love to me, she this is sharing.”
Then asked of him his followers who might the lady be,
Who, riding proudly before them, they at court should see?
He said: “Her name is Hilda, in India once living;
To me and to my kindred she, as our queen, no shame will e’er be giving.”
Well pleased was now his mother, when she the tidings had,
That they thought to crown the lady; his father, too was glad.
Of them was she so worthy, that high in heart they set her.
With him the sword was taken by full six hundred; the number e’en was greater.
As is the way of Christians, both of them were bid
First for the crown to be hallowed; this at once they did.
King Hagen with Queen Hilda in state were soon seen riding;
Many games of knighthood were played at court by his men, at Hagen’s bidding.
Sigeband, too, rode with them; high rose his heart as he went;
He reckoned very little the wealth that must be spent.
When in jousts they had ridden, in ways most true and knightly,
Then were pages busy to make the halls for the guests all fair and sightly.
Seats were brought together, strong, and broad, and long,
With stools besides, and tables. After the mass was sung,
U-te, his wife, came riding, with women round her thronging;
These the youthful warriors to gaze on, as they rode, right earnestly were longing.
While the great King Sigeband sat by U-te’s side,
And Hagen next to Hilda, all looked on with pride;
And said, in his child-belovèd happy was their master.
Before them, while at table, the throng was great; the clash of spears grew faster.
After the king of Ireland at the meal his fill had eat,
By riders the grass was trodden; flowers to dust they beat
With rude and heavy trampling, while in uproar riding.
The men best known for bravery, before the fair, in knightly jousts were leading.
Four and twenty warriors, bearing well the shield,
Over the plain came riding; bold were they in the field,
And now in many a struggle all their strength were spending.
’Twas done in sight of the ladies, and hard it was of their games to make an ending.
The brave young son of Sigeband himself in the onset rode.
Not loth was she to gaze on him who her with hope had wooed;
That she to him was friendly in a far-off land forsaken,
For this would he reward her. No truer knight the sword had ever taken.
Amid the throngs here riding, one thro’ the dust might see
Men whose birth was princely, in number twelve and three;
The Christian and the heathen to him their fiefs were owing,
And honor now, right heartily, to Sigeband and Hagen they were showing.
Long those high times lasted; their mirth, how loud it rose!
With crowding and with shouting great the bustle grows.
The king now bade the champions to end the strife so heated;
And leave to them was given that they beside the ladies should be seated.
Before his friends and kinsmen then spake King Sigeband:
“Unto my dear son Hagen give I now my land,
With the dwellers and the strongholds, be they far or nearer.
Let all my trusty liegemen have him now for their lord, and hold none dearer.”
As soon as his father, Sigeband, his sway did thus forego,
Hagen his lands and castles began in fief to bestow;
This he did right freely, and to those to whom he gave them
He seemed so true and worthy that they indeed from him would gladly have them.
As by feudal law is rightful, many stretched the hand
To the youthful king in fealty. To all, from every land,
Or far or near, then gave he clothes and riches hoarded.
A feast so freely given would now the poor not harm, and with thanks be rewarded.
At court now dwelt the maidens who had before been brought
With him within those borders; of these one now was sought,
And sent to the king and Hilda; there she soon was dwelling.
The maid it was from Iserland; of one more fair to see none e’er was telling.
A princely youth soon wooed her, who saw the maiden fair
Beside the king’s fair daughter. Soothly might he swear
That she by right was worthy to be of a crown the wearer.
She had erst been Hilda’s playmate; of widespread lands she now became the sharer.
At last the guests were scattered, and all now left the king.
That high-born lady also men did straightway bring
Into the land of Norway, to her youthful lord’s kind keeping.
After her heavy sorrows, blest with hope, she knew no more of weeping.
Now, throughout all Ireland, did Hagen his sway begin.
If ever among his lieges a deed of wrong was seen,
At once for this the doer must pay with pain well dreaded;
Of such, within a twelvemonth, eighty or more were for evil deeds beheaded.
An inroad made he later into the lands of his foes.
He spared the poor, and brought not flames, to add to their woes;
But if with pride and rudeness he was by any treated,
He quick laid waste their strongholds, and deadly wounds in bitter wrath he meted.
When it came to fighting, he was a goodly knight.
Of heroes high in breeding he soon brought low the might;
To all he showed his bravery, whether far or near him.
Of kings was he the Devil; in truth his many foes might greatly fear him.
The life he led was happy, nor of gladness asked he more.
His wife, from far-off India, to her lord and master bore
A fair and lovely daughter; she also, like her mother,
Bore
