it befell, ere it rang unto vespers, that the clash of joyous sport
came up through the palace-casements from many a knight in the court
as they fell to the gallant tourney to wing with mirth the hours.
from the hall men hasted to watch them, and maidens from their bowers.
there sat those queens together, queens famous far and near,
and of two knights still were they thinking, two knights without a peer.
then spake kriemhild the lovely: “my lord is such a knight
that beneath him all these kingdoms might well be bowed as of right.”
answered the lady brunhild: “tush! how may such thing be?
if there lived on the earth no mortal save only thou and he,
then haply might this kingdom be subject to siegmund’s son;
but so long as gunther liveth, may such thing never be done.”
thereto made answer kriemhild: “dost mark how stands he there?
with the princely pride of his presence none other knight may compare,
as the full moon in her brightness doth all the stars outshine.
wherefore for good cause ever glad heart and proud is mine.”
but again made answer brunhild: “be he goodly as ye will,
and stately and noble-hearted, one standeth above him still,
gunther, the flower of knighthood, thine high-born brother: in sooth,
high stands he above all earth-kings, and this thou knowest for truth.”
but again made answer kriemhild: “my lord is of such high worth,
that with fullest right have i praised him for the mightiest man on earth.
{p. 112}
in many a thing is he worthy of honour’s chiefest meed.
doth thine heart not tell thee, brunhild, he is gunther’s peer indeed?”
“now this my word, o kriemhild, take not as said in despite,
in that i say that my boasting is made of fullest right.
this said they both—i heard it, when first these twain i beheld
in the day when in my contests my will by the king’s was quelled,
when he won my love, in fashion so knightly triumphing,
siegfried himself said, ‘vassal am i unto gunther the king.’
therefore i hold him his liegeman: of himself i heard it confessed.”
made answer kriemhild the lovely: “for me ’twere a bitter jest!
how like were my noble brethren so to have dealt with me
that they should abase me ever the bride of a vassal to be!
therefore will i, o brunhild, entreat thee even as a friend—
for courtesy’s sake, and my love’s sake, let this thy babble have end.”
made answer the queen: “i may not refrain me from this my claim.
am i like to renounce the service of all these knights of fame
which, even as thine, be bounden to homage unto my lord?”
then the anger of kriemhild the lovely leapt into flame at the word:
“this boast, thou must needs forego it, that my lord ever on earth
hath rendered thee aught of homage! mine hero is more of worth
than thy lord, my brother gunther, be he never so noble a king.
thou therefore shalt spare me the hearing of thy fond imagining.
yea, needs must i marvel ever, if he be thy vassal-thane,
and thou be exalted so highly in worship above us twain,
wherefore so long all tribute to thee hath of him been denied!
of right i demand to be pestered no more with thine arrogant pride.”
“too high dost thou exalt thee,” queen brunhild made reply:
“now will i prove of a surety if folk account thee as high
in royal esteem and honour as they hold the queen, even me!”
by this was the two queens’ anger kindled unquenchably.
{p. 113}
flashed out her answer kriemhild: “soon shall the issue be shown,
since thou darest to claim my siegfried for a vassal of thy throne!
by all the two kings’ barons this day shall it be seen
if i dare or dare not enter the minster before the queen!
i will show unto thee right plainly that noble am i and free!
i will prove my lord more worthy than thine may ever be!
yea i, even i, will brook not thy malapert insults!—know,
this day shalt thyself behold it, how thy vassal—quotha!—shall go
in royal procession leading her knights in burgundy.
mine head shall be higher than ever it hath happed unto any to see
the head of a daughter of princes—though a crown make the little great!”
by this betwixt those ladies exceeding stern was the hate.
fiercely made answer brunhild: “wouldst not for a vassal be known?
then of sore need must thou sever thyself with thy train from mine own,
when subject and queen in procession on to the minster go.”
“of a truth,” laughed scornfully kriemhild, “doubt not but it shall be so!”
“now array yourselves, my maidens,” to her damsels kriemhild cried.
“let see if unshamed i may not within this land abide!
be it seen to-day if ye have not royal-rich attire.
soon shall the lie be given to herself by brunhild the liar!”
small need was to urge them: raiment they sought out rich and rare.
swiftly radiant in splendour stood matron and maiden there.
now with the train of her handmaids paced to the minster the queen—
but lo, cometh kriemhild the lovely, a very glory-sheen,
with maidens three-and-forty, which had fared with her unto rhine:
in loveliest loomwork, woven in araby, did they shine.
so royally swept the maidens up to the minster-door;
and for her the vassals of siegfried were waiting therebefore.
then looked the people, and marvelled for what cause this befell
that they saw the queens from each other sundered, and none could tell
wherefore they walked not together side by side as of old.
—thence came unto many a baron affliction manifold.
{p. 114}
even as in front of the minster the wife of gunther stood,
and the gallant knights burgundian made sport in frolic mood
with them of the queen’s train-royal, fair dame and winsome maid,
came thither the lady kriemhild with her troop all splendour-arrayed.
what raiment soever the daughter of a noble knight might wear,
by the gorgeous attire of her maidens had all been as empty air.
her wealth was so all-unmeasured that wives of kings thrice ten
never had shown such splendour as was flaunted by kriemhild then.
how much he desired soever, no man had dared to say
that in all his days he had gazed on such royal-rich array
as shone in that hour on her maidens magnifical-bedight.
never kriemhild had done it, but to render to brunhild despite for despite.
each face to face met other at that wide minster-gate;
and thereat the wife of gunther in her jealousy and hate
cried out, “stand still, thou kriemhild!”—her rage in her voice rang keen—
“it beseems not the wife of a vassal to pass before a queen!”
swift answer made kriemhild the lovely in angry and scornful mood:
“hadst had but the grace to be silent, for thee had it been right good.
thou!—thou hast on thy fair body brought shame by wantoning!
how might another’s leman ever be wife of a king?”
“whom hast thou here named leman?”—the cry from the queen’s lips burst.
“that have i thee!” hissed kriemhild; “for thy fair body first
was embraced by none other than siegfried, mine own belovèd lord.
of a surety it was not my brother—nay, but by him wert thou whored!
how was thy wit so hoodwinked?—a cunning wile was it all!
how couldst thou let him embrace thee who is but thy vassal-thrall?
i hear thee,” scoffed on kriemhild, “complain where no cause is!”
“in veriest deed,” cried brunhild, “i will tell unto gunther this!”
“wherein unto me is the peril? thyself hath thine arrogance snared!
to summon me to render homage to thee hast thou dared!
this one thing know of a surety—i grieve, but the cause art thou—
all trust and friendship is ended between us for ever now.”
{p. 115}
brake brunhild forth into weeping: but kriemhild tarried no more,
and before the wife of gunther she entered the minster-door,
she and her train. most bitter hate did her words beget.
therefrom bright eyes full many were grief-overclouded and wet.
for all the solemn service, and the holy chant and song,
that hour of worship to brunhild lasted all too long;
she was heart-overclouded with anguish, and darkly did she brood;
and for this full penalty lighted on warriors brave and good.
in front of the gate of the minster with her maids did brunhild stay;
and she said to her heart: “now kriemhild unto me shall the whole truth say
of those loud-throated railings, who hath whetted her tongue like a sword.
if siegfried thus hath vaunted, his life shall pay for the word!”
now kriemhild with bold knights many came forth of the holy place;
and sharply spake queen brunhild: “abide thou there for a space!
thou hast chosen to call me leman: the proof thereof will i see.
thy word, know thou, is an evil and a loathly word to me.”
spake kriemhild the fair: “it were better for thee hadst thou let me go!
with the golden ring i prove it on mine hand that glittereth—lo!
unto me did siegfried bring this what time by thy side he lay.”
never had dawned on brunhild such an utter-wretched day.
she cried: “this gold ring royal—even this was stolen from me!
it hath been for long years hidden by caitiff treachery!
i am now on the track of the felon, the thief that my jewel hath ta’en!”
raging in reinless fury were now these ladies twain.
spake kriemhild again: “of thy jewel the thief was nowise i.
far better hadst thou kept silence, hadst thou held thine honour high!
lo, i prove it again by the girdle which compasseth my waist.
not i am the liar!—by siegfried first was thy body embraced.”
fair-plaited of silk of the orient was the girdle that she ware,
with precious stones thick-studded, a marvel passing fair.
that brunhild beheld, and she brake forth into stormy weeping then,
crying, “this shall be known of gunther and of all his mighty men!”
{p. 116}
then spake the queen of rhineland: “send unto me straightway
gunther the lord of the kingdom, for he shall hear this day
how foully his sister hath slandered and spoken shame of the queen.
she saith before all people that siegfried’s wife have i been.”
the king came girt with his barons: he saw the grief-bowed head
and the tears of his dear wife brunhild, and lovingly he said:
“of whom, my wife, my belovèd, hath a hurt been done unto thee?”
and she spake to the king, and she answered: “joyless for aye must i be!
of all my wifely honour this thy sister is fain
to strip me by shameful accusing: unto thee i must needs complain.
she saith that with siegfried her husband i have wantoned in shame and sin.”
answered and spake king gunther: “she hath wickedly done herein!”
“she weareth here my girdle, which long time since i lost,
and withal my ring of the red gold—o me, to my bitter cost
was i born, and i rue it ever! if thou clear not my name
from the stain of such utter abasement, my love never more shalt thou claim.”
then spake to a lord king gunther: “summon him hither thou.
if he of such deed have boasted, he must make confession now,
or must give to the lie denial, this hero of netherland.”
so unto that presence siegfried was called by the king’s command.
so then when the good knight siegfried saw faces disquieted,
and the cause thereof divined not, straightway he spake and said:
“now wherefore weep these ladies? this unto me make known;
and wherefore the king hath called me hither, be this too shown.”
then spake king gunther: “sorrow i find here bitter as death.
the lady brunhild hath told me a tale of venomous breath,
even this, that thou hast vaunted that thou in bridal bed
first didst embrace her. of kriemhild thy wife is this thing said.”
made answer the hero siegfried: “if kriemhild hath said this thing,
i will take no rest or ever she rue her slandering!
yea, and thereof will i clear me in presence of all thy lords
by the faith of my solemn oath-plight, that never i spake such words.”
{p. 117}
answered the lord of rhineland: “give that assurance thou.
let the oath that thou hast tendered be spoken before these now.
so shalt thou of treacherous dealing be acquitted, and stand without stain.”
then made they the proud burgundians in a ring draw round these twain.
his hand stretched siegfried the dauntless to the hand of the king to swear;
but gunther spake: “thine utter guiltlessness here i declare
out of mine heart’s assurance. thou goest of this charge free.
that whereof kriemhild accused thee never was done of thee.”
then yet again spake siegfried: “and if ever my wife reap joy
of her sowing for lady brunhild this seed of heart-annoy,
this unto me of a surety shall be nought but measureless grief.”
then looked on each other the good knights with faces of glad relief.
“so must men’s wives be governed,” again spake siegfried the thane,
“that from all such arrogant speeches they may for ever refrain.
thou then to thy wife forbid them; this likewise to mine will i.
for such overweening railing i take shame verily.”
but by reason of words once spoken fair ladies held them apart.
and the lady brunhild sorrowed with such sore anguish of heart
that in all her affliction afflicted were gunther’s vassal-train.
then went in hagen of troneg to commune with the queen of her pain.
and he asked of her what ailed her, that weeping he found her there;
and she told him the shameful story. a grim oath straightway he sware:
“for this shall the lord of kriemhild to the uttermost atone,
or never hereafter joyance by hagen shall be known!”
joined in their plotting were gernot and ortwein, metz’s lord.
“death unto siegfried!” the heroes counselled with one accord.
then giselher, child of uta, did these into council take;
but swiftly against their sentence the lad true-hearted spake:
“alas, good knights, now wherefore would ye do so black a deed?
never such ruthless hatred hath siegfried earned for meed
{p. 118}
that e’er he should pay you forfeit of the precious life for this!
by very nothings enkindled is the wrath of a woman, i wis.”
“shall men say that we rear his bastards?” cried hagen savagely:
“it should bring right little honour unto good knights such as we!
the name of our lady belovèd hath he blasted with arrogant breath!
if his life for the slander atone not, myself will die the death!”
then the king’s self spake: “nay, nothing hath he done to us unto this day
save lovingkindness and honour: let him therefore live, i say.
what boots it that i should harbour hatred of this good knight?
loyally aye hath he helped us, and hath had therein his delight.”
then the knight of metz, lord ortwein, made answer passion-hot:
“though passing-great be his prowess, it shall verily help him not:
i will wreak on him deadliest vengeance, so my lord will but suffer me.”
so the heroes imagined mischief against him causelessly.
yet further went none with the matter, save that hagen ever and aye
in season and out of season, still unto gunther would say:
“if but siegfried live no longer, lordships many shall come
under thine hand.” the spirit of the king was wrapped in gloom.
but awhile the matter rested. men jousted even as before:
strong spear-shafts many they shivered from afront of the minster-door
up the broad green space to the palace, escorting siegfried’s wife.
but of gunther’s liegemen were many that lowered on the joyous strife.
spake the king: “put away for ever the murderous hate ye nurse.
he was born to be honour and profit to us, and nowise a curse;
yea also, so battle-resistless is the marvellous hero’s hand,
that, if aught he divined of your purpose, before him should no man stand.”
“that shall he never,” said hagen. “beware thou reveal it not!
with secrecy so deadly will i handle the matter, i wot,
that to him shall the weeping of brunhild be ruin’s baleful breath.
evermore unto him shall hagen be hate and the shadow of death!”
{p. 119}
but spake unto him king gunther: “how then may ye compass the deed?”
thereunto answered hagen: “hearken to this my rede:
there shall ride into this land heralds, as it were from a land afar,
men known unto none in thy city, denouncing against us war.
then say thou in these guests’ presence: ‘lo, i must forth to the fight
with all my warrior vassals’—then is thy goal in sight.
he will offer himself for thine helping: thereby shall he spill his life,
if i win but his woundless secret from the fearless hero’s wife.”
alas and alas! and he hearkened unto hagen’s evil wile;
and these twain fell to devising of treachery and guile—
these two knights chivalrous-nurtured!—ere any divined their intent.
so through two women’s wrangling to their death many heroes were sent.
