Then for the guests they bade pour out King Gunther's wine. The master of the land then spake: "All that we have, if ye desire it in honorable wise, shall owe fealty to you; with you shall both life and goods be shared."
At this Lord Siegfried grew of somewhat gentler mood. Then they bade that care be taken of the armor of the guests. The best of hostels that men might find were sought for Siegfried's squires; great easement they gave them. Thereafter they gladly saw the guest in Burgundy. Many a day they offered him great worship, a thousand fold more than I can tell you. This his prowess wrought; ye may well believe, full scant a one he saw who was his foe.
Whenever the lordings and their liegemen did play at knightly games, Siegfried was aye the best, whatever they began. Herein could no one match him, so mighty was his strength, whether they threw the stone or hurled the shaft. When through courtesie the full lusty knights made merry with the ladies, there were they glad to see the hero of Netherland, for upon high love his heart was bent. He was aye ready for whatso they undertook, but in his heart he bare a lovely maid, whom he had never seen. She too, who in secret spake full well of him, cherished him alone. Whenever the pages, squires, and knights would play their games within the court, Kriemhild, the noble queen, watched them from the windows, for no other pastime she needed on such days. Had he known that she gazed on him thus, whom he bare within his heart, then had he had pastime enough, I trow, for well I wot that no greater joy in all this world could chance to him.
Whenever he stood by the heroes in the court, as men still are wont to do, for pastime's sake, so winsome was the posture of Siegelind's son, that many a lady loved him for very joy of heart. But he bethought him many a day: "How shall that hap, that I with mine own eyes may see the noble maid, whom I do love with all my heart and so have done long time. Sadly must I stand, sith she be still a stranger to me."
Whenever the mighty kings fared forth into their land, the warriors all must needs accompany them at hand, and Siegfried, too. This the lady rued, and he, too, suffered many pangs for love of her. Thus he dwelt with the lordings, of a truth, full a year in Gunther's land, and in all this time he saw not once the lovely maid, from whom in later days there happed to him much joy and eke much woe.
ENDNOTES:
(1) "Guest" translates here the M.H.G. "gest", a word which may
mean either 'guest' or 'stranger,' and it is often
difficult, as here, to tell to which meaning the preference
should be given.
(2) "Eleven" translates the M.H.G. "selbe zwelfte", which means
one of twelve. The accounts are, however, contradictory, as
a few lines below mention is made of twelve companions of
Siegfried.
(3) "Vair" (O.F. "vair", Lat. "varius"), 'variegated', like the
fur of the squirrel.
(4) "Known". It was a mark of the experienced warrior, that he
was acquainted with the customs and dress of various
countries and with the names and lineage of all important
personages. Thus in the "Hildebrandslied" Hildebrand asks
Hadubrand to tell him his father's name, and adds: "If thou
tellest me the one, I shall know the other."
(5) "Schilbung" and "Nibelung", here spoken of as the sons of a
mighty king, were originally dwarfs, and, according to some
authorities, the original owners of the treasure. Boer, ix,
199, thinks, however, that the name Nibelungs was
transferred from Hagen to these dwarfs at a late stage in
the formation of the saga.
(6) "Angry of mood". The reason of this anger is apparent from
the more detailed account in "Biterolf", 7801. The quarrel
arose from the fact that, according to ancient law,
Siegfried acquired with the sword the rights of the first
born, which the brothers, however, refused to accord to him.
(7) "Balmung". In the older Norse version and in the
"Thidreksaga" Siegfried's sword bore the name of Gram.
(8) "Alberich" is a dwarf king who appears in a number of
legends, e.g., in the "Ortnit saga" and in "Biterolf".
Under the Romance form of his name, "Oberon", he plays an
important role in modern literature.
(9) "Cloak of Darkness". This translates the M.H.G.
"tarnkappe", a word often retained by translators. It is
formed from O.H.G. tarni, 'secret' (cf. O.E. "dyrne"), and
"kappe" from late Latin "cappa", 'cloak'. It rendered the
wearer invisible and gave him the strength of twelve men.
ADVENTURE IV. How He Fought with the Saxons. (1)
Now there came strange tales to Gunther's land, though messengers sent them from afar—tales of unknown warriors, who bare them hate. When they heard this word, in sooth it pleased them not. These warriors will I name to you: there was Liudeger of Saxon land, a great and lordly prince, and then from Denmark Liudegast, the king. For their journey they had gathered many a lordly stranger.
To Gunther's land were come the messengers his foes had sent. Men asked the strangers for their tidings and bade them hie them soon to court unto King Gunther. The king gave them greeting fair; he spake: "Be ye welcome. I have not heard who sent you hither, but let that now be told." So spake the right good king. But they feared full sore King Gunther's warlike mood.