The Nibelungenlied - Anonymous

Скачать книгу

thought he full often: / "How shall it ever be,

       That I the noble maiden / with my own eyes may see,

       Whom I do love so dearly / and have for many a day?

       To me is she a stranger, / which sorely grieves my heart to say."

      137

      Whene'er the kings so mighty / rode o'er their broad domain,

       Then of valiant warriors / they took a stately train.

       With them abroad rode Siegfried, / which grieved those ladies sore:

      —He too for one fair maiden / at heart a mickle burden bore.

      138

      Thus with his hosts he lingered /—'tis every tittle true—

       In King Gunther's country / a year completely through,

       And never once the meanwhile / the lovely maid did see,

       Through whom such joy thereafter / for him, and eke such grief should be.

       Table of Contents

      How Siegfried fought with the Saxons

      139

      Now come wondrous tidings / to King Gunther's land,

       By messengers brought hither / from far upon command

       Of knights unknown who harbored / against him secret hate.

       When there was heard the story, / at heart in sooth the grief was great.

      140

      Of these I now will tell you: / There was King Luedeger

       From out the land of Saxons, / a mighty warrior,

       And eke from land of Denmark / Luedegast the king:

       Whene'er they rode to battle / went they with mighty following.

      141

      Come were now their messengers / to the land of Burgundy,

       Sent forth by these foemen / in proud hostility.

       Then asked they of the strangers / what tidings they did bring:

       And when they heard it, straightway / led them to court before the king.

      142

      Then spake to them King Gunther: / "A welcome, on my word.

       Who 'tis that send you hither, / that have I not yet heard:

       Now shall ye let me know it," / spake the monarch keen.

       Then dreaded they full sorely / to see King Gunther's angry mien.

      143

      "Wilt them, O king, permit us / the tidings straight to tell

       That we now have brought thee, / no whit will we conceal,

       But name thee both our masters / who us have hither sent:

       Luedegast and Luedeger, /—to waste thy land is their intent.

      144

      "Their hate hast thou incurréd, / and thou shalt know in sooth

       That high enraged against thee / are the monarchs both.

       Their hosts they will lead hither / to Worms upon the Rhine;

       They're helped by thanes full many—/ of this put off all doubts of thine.

      145

      "Within weeks a dozen / their march will they begin;

       And if thy friends be valiant, / let that full quick be seen,

       To help thee keep in safety / thy castles and thy land:

       Full many a shield and helmet / shall here be cleft by warrior's hand.

      146

      "Or wilt thou with them parley, / so let it quick be known,

       Before their hosts so mighty / of warlike men come down

       To Worms upon Rhine river / sad havoc here to make,

       Whereby must death most certain / many a gallant knight o'ertake."

      147

      "Bide ye now the meanwhile," / the king did answer kind,

       "Till I take better counsel; / then shall ye know my mind.

       Have I yet warriors faithful, / from these I'll naught conceal,

       But to my friends I'll straightway / these warlike tidings strange reveal."

      The lordly Gunther wondered / thereat and troubled sore,

       As he the message pondered / in heart and brooded o'er.

       He sent to fetch grim Hagen / and others of his men,

       And bade likewise in hurry / to court bring hither Gernot then.

      149

      Thus at his word his trusted / advisers straight attend.

       He spake: "Our land to harry / foes all unknown will send

       Of men a mighty army; / a grievous wrong is this.

       Small cause have we e'er given / that they should wish us aught amiss."

      150

      "Our swords ward such things from us," / Gernot then said;

       "Since but the fated dieth, / so let all such lie dead.

       Wherefore I'll e'er remember / what honor asks of me:

       Whoe'er hath hate against us / shall ever here right welcome be."

      151

      Then spake the doughty Hagen: / "Methinks 'twould scarce be good;

       Luedegast and Luedeger / are men of wrathful mood.

       Help can we never summon, / the days are now so few."

       So spake the keen old warrior, / "'Twere well Siegfried the tidings knew."

      152

      The messengers in the borough / were harbored well the while,

       And though their sight was hateful, / in hospitable style

       As his own guests to tend them / King Gunther gave command,

       Till 'mongst his friends he learnéd / who by him in his need would stand.

      153

      The king was filled with sorrow / and his heart was sad.

       Then saw his mournful visage / a knight to help full glad,

       Who could not well imagine / what 'twas that grieved him so.

       Then begged he of King Gunther / the tale of this his grief to know.

      154

      "To me it is great wonder," / said Siegfried to the king,

       "How thou of late hast changéd / to silent sorrowing

       The joyous ways that ever / with us thy wont have been."

       Then unto him gave answer / Gunther the full stately thane:

      155

      "'Tis not to every person / I can the burden say

       That ever now in secret / upon my heart doth weigh:

       To well-tried friends and steady / are told our inmost woes."

      —Siegfried at first was pallid, / but soon his blood like fire up-rose.

      156

      He spake unto the monarch: / "To thee I've naught denied.

       All ills

Скачать книгу