now gunther the king and hagen, those knights of high-born blood,
have contrived with treacherous purpose the hunt through the glades of the wood.
o yea, with their spears keen-whetted will they pierce the forest-bear
and the wild boar and the bison—what sport for the brave more fair?
{p. 125}
forth rode with heart exultant siegfried amidst of the rest.
all manner of meats followed after for the feasting of host and guest.
in the wood’s dark heart cool-welling is a spring—there left he his life
by the counselling of brunhild, king gunther’s ruthless wife.
but the bold knight, ere he departed, farewell to his wife would say.
already on sumpters laden was his goodly hunting array,
and the gear of his woodland-fellows, for over the rhine would they now.
but behold, she wept—ah, never had she more cause, i trow!
soft on the lips he kissed her, his well-belovèd one:
“god grant me to see thee, belovèd, safe and sound anon,
and that thy sweet eyes may behold me!—with the friends thou boldest dear
fleet thou the time all-careless: i may not tarry here.”
then called she to mind the story—yet durst not tell him the tale—
told erewhile unto hagen: bitterly ’gan she bewail,
that noble daughter of princes, that ever she saw the light;
and brake into measureless weeping the bride of siegfried the knight.
and she spake to her lord: “i beseech thee, o let this hunting be!
last night was my dream a horror: two wild boars tracking thee
held thee in chase o’er a moorland—then flowers grew suddenly red!
cause have i for bitter weeping; for fear is mine heart as lead.
i fear—oh, i needs must shudder at the thought of a treacherous blow,
if haply offence hath been given to an unforgetting foe,
unto some who might visit their hatred and malice on thee and me.
stay here, dear lord: i beseech thee in love and in loyalty!”
but he said: “my wife, my belovèd, i shall be but a few days gone.
is there any that here bears hatred to me?—i know not one.
lo, one and all thy kinsmen unto me are gracious-willed,
and i, i have earned no guerdon save the love wherewith they be filled.”
“ah no, but my lord, but my siegfried, thy very death do i dread!
for i dreamed yet again for mine anguish: crashing down on thine head
suddenly fell two mountains—and i saw thee never again!
if now from me thou departest, it shall be for mine uttermost pain.”
{p. 126}
then cast he his arms about her, the utter-faithful and dear,
and essayed with loving kisses that fairest of women to cheer.
this was their last leave-taking: lo, he is gone from her bower.
alas and alas, never living she beheld him from that hour!
so the king rode forth to the wood-lawns that the forest’s arms enfold,
seeking the hunter’s pastime, and many a baron bold
with gunther rode and his liegemen. two only were lacking there,
twain in the city that tarried, gernot and giselher.
many a beast full-laden before them passed over rhine
for those blithe hunting-fellows bearing the bread and the wine,
the flesh and withal the fishes, and abundance of everything
which beseemeth the lord of a kingdom when he goeth journeying.
then chose they a place for their camping on the skirts of the forest green
or ever the game brake cover, those lordly hunters keen:
thence would they slip the sleuth-hounds—’twas a river-mead wide-spread.
and now overtook them siegfried, and this to the king one said.
then set they their watch of the huntsmen all round on every side
at the outlets of the wild-wood: then siegfried the mighty cried,
and spake the valiant hero: “now who shall show us the way,
o valiant knights and stalwart, to the lairs of the woodland prey?”
“let us sunder each from other,” spake hagen unto the rest,
“or ever in chase of the quarry thicket and glade we quest.
so shall i and my royal master make proof of you all, and say
who hath most cunning in woodcraft of all this hunter-array.
henchmen and hounds, we will part them, that each may take his share;
then, whithersoe’er each listeth, alone let each man fare.
who taketh the goodliest quarry, to him will we give the praise.”
then short time tarried the heroes from tracking the wild-wood ways.
again spake siegfried the noble: “unto hounds have i no will,
save for one only setter so blooded by woodcraft-skill
that he tracketh the slot unerring through the tangled forest wide.
now, ho for a fortunate hunting!” the lord of kriemhild cried.
{p. 127}
then a certain grey-haired hunter in the leash a sleuth-hound led,
and he brought those barons, or ever long time in seeking had fled,
where they came on the wildwood’s children; whatsoe’er from covert burst
was chased of those merry comrades, as huntsmen have done from the first.
whatsoe’er his sleuth-hound started, that by the swift right hand
was slain of siegfried the valiant, the hero of netherland.
so fleet were the feet of his good steed, that nought might his speed outrun;
so the praise of cunning woodcraft before them all he won:
in all manner of hunter’s prowess he stood without a peer.
the first of the forest-children that fell before his spear
was a strong young boar, and the javelin of siegfried drank its blood.
not long thereafter a lion fierce-eyed before him stood.
the hound gave tongue—forth leapt he—the hero shot with the bow
speeding the keen-tipped arrow drawn on his woodland foe.
the shot struck home, and the lion thereafter leapt but thrice;
and the hero’s hunting-fellows acclaimed him with gladsome cries.
a bison he smote thereafter; a huge elk low hath he laid;
four urochs strong, and a great stag, a giant of the glade.
so swiftly his good horse bare him, there was nought that his speed outsped.
harts and hinds uncounted beneath his wood-spear bled.
and now, uproused by the sleuth-hound, a wild boar burst from his lair:
even as to flight he turned him, behold, before him there
was the fleet-foot lord of the woodland, and siegfried barred his path.
then charged on the gallant hero the monster foaming in wrath;
but the sword of the lord of kriemhild with a swift thrust laid him low:
none other hunter living so featly had dealt the blow.
when dead he lay by the thicket, they leashed the hound again.
now marvelled all burgundians at the wealth of prey he had ta’en.
“if the thing may be asked offenceless,” his huntsman merrily said,
“leave unto us, lord siegfried, of the wild things some few head.
mountain and forest thou makest of tenants dispossessed!”
sunnily smiled the hero at the old rough woodland jest.
{p. 128}
then halloo of men and baying of dogs burst forth all round:
uprose so mighty a clamour of voices of huntsman and hound
that the mountain-side and the forest rang and rang again,
for that four and twenty couples were unleashed by the hunters then.
from the hearts of many children of the wild the life was riven,
while hoped full many a hunter that unto him should be given
the chiefest prize of woodcraft; but such might ne’er have been
while yet beside the camp-fire siegfried the mighty was seen.
by now came the hunt to an ending, but not so wholly so,
but that still were the hunters bringing to the light of the camp-fire’s glow
fells full many of wild things, and of venison good store:—
how busy now were the henchmen as the flesh to the spits they bore!
then gave the king commandment that the hunters princely-born
unto the supper be bidden: one long blast on the horn
pealed far through the aisles of the forest, telling to all their band
that now at the place of the trysting waited the lord of the land.
then spake a hunter of siegfried: “my lord, i hear the blast
of a horn that giveth us token that now must all we haste
back to the place of the trysting. now will i answer thereto.”
then long blasts crying “where are ye?” to their fellow-hunters flew.
made answer siegfried the noble, “now forth of the wood must we.”
smoothly the good steed bare him, fast followed his company.
they roused with their crashing and clamour a forest-beast fierce-eyed,
a savage bear; and the hero unto them that followed cried:
“i will show to our hunting-fellows a sport of merry glee.
yonder a bear have i sighted: the hound from the leash slip ye.
sir bear to the place of the camping shall ride with us this day.
o nay, he shall not escape us, flee he as fast as he may!”
they slipped from the leash the sleuth-hound; swift turned the bear and fled,
and kriemhild’s lord hard after to ride him down on-sped.
but he won a ravine all-rocky, too rugged for hoof of steed;
and the strong beast thought: “from the hunters now am i verily freed!”
{p. 129}
but the good knight leapt exultant from the saddle, and so on foot
rushed through the brake pursuing, and came unwares on the brute
as slowly he threaded the tangle: his strong hands gripped straightway
and cast it to earth unwounded, and swiftly bound the prey.
fangs, claws were all unavailing against his masterful might:
fast to the saddle he lashed it; then mounted the gallant knight,
and on to the place of the camp-fire he bare it triumphant-souled
to make sport for his hunting-fellows, that goodly thane and bold.
ha, in what lordly splendour he rode amidst the throng,
with the mighty hunting-javelin, of the keen broad blade and long,
with the goodly battle-broadsword that low as his spur-tip hung,
with the ruddy golden bugle from the hero’s baldric slung!
of goodlier hunting-raiment never hath story told.
his mighty frame did a doublet of the velvet black enfold:
with the sable’s fur dark-lustrous his golden hair was crowned;
and ah, what rich-wrought fringes bordered his quiver round!
a panther’s fell, by reason that ever about it clung
a strange sweet scent, encased it: from his shoulders a cross-bow swung
so mighty, that, save with a windlass, none but himself alone
could bend its arch, yet lightly by his fingers was it done.
sea-otter’s skin was his mantle, the fell from a far shore brought;
from shoulder to heel with white tufts was it richly overwrought;
and all throughout the fur-gloss shone flicker and glint of gold
that over-rippled the mantle of that forest-master bold.
girt to his side was balmung, that broad and sunbright brand,
of such exceeding sharpness that none might its edge withstand
when lightened through battle’s tempest that helmet-sundering sword.
well might he be heart-uplifted, that princely hunter-lord!
if i needs must tell the story from end to end all o’er,
i must sing of the goodly quiver and its plenteous arrow-store,
whose shafts had gold bands clamping the handbreadth heads thereto.
woe to the mark of that archer, for death on the points of them flew.
{p. 130}
on came that stately rider forth of the forest-glade,
and the liegemen of gunther beheld him like a king of hunters arrayed;
and they ran to meet him coming, and his bridle held they for him:—
lo, cast across his saddle a huge bear mighty of limb!
soon as on earth he lighted, from muzzle and shaggy paw
loosed he the bands that bound it, and all the bandogs saw
that bear in their midst, and straightway all furiously they bayed.
then rushed for the forest the monster: ha, many were sore afraid;
for the beast, from the tumult fleeing, through their woodland cooking-hall
burst—how from the fires did the henchmen leap, and asunder fall!
overturned was many a caldron, the brands hurled every way—
woe’s me for the goodly victual flung mid the ashes grey!
up from their seats on the greensward did earl and henchman spring:
fiercely the bear snarled fleeing: straightway commanded the king
to loose the hound-pack on him, for by this all leashed they lay.
ah, the day had had blithe ending—had that been the end of the day!
with bows and with spears on rushed they, was none that tarried there.
fast followed the swift pursuers on the track of the fleeing bear:
yet no man dared loose arrow, so thronged the hounds at his heels.
so loud was the tumult, the forest rang with the echo-peals.
the brute from the host of the bandogs fled with his uttermost might:
none save the lord of kriemhild could follow that headlong flight;
but he swooped on the maddened quarry, with his sword he smote him and slew;
and the shaggy spoil to the camp-fire back the henchmen drew.
then cried they all which beheld it, “sooth, here is a stalwart lord!”
now bade they the princely hunters to the forest banquet-board.
there in a fair green wood-lawn they sat in a great wide ring.
unto these lordly hunters what goodly meats did they bring!
but the cupbearers far off lingered: no man with wine drew near,
else never had feasting heroes been served with nobler cheer.
{p. 131}
had false hearts not thereunder been contriving treachery,
those royal banquet-givers from reproach had been wholly free.
(c) by the wings of death overshadowed, nought knew he, the hero betrayed,
neither dreamed of the snares of treason that round his feet were laid.
yea, he was the flower of knighthood, deceit in him there was none.
—ah, many that gat no profit thereof for his death must atone!
then out spake siegfried the noble: “in sooth, i marvel sore
that, seeing they bring from the camp-fires of meat such plenteous store,
the cupbearers bring not also therewithal the wine!
if this be your wont, ye are henceforth no hunting-fellows of mine.
yet sure might i well deserve it, that ye fairly entreat your guest.”
then spake from his place at the table the king with guileful breast:
“for this will we yet make atonement, this one day’s oversight.
blameworthy is hagen only, who would slay us with thirst outright.”
made answer hagen of troneg: “my lord and master dear,
i weened that to-day our hunting should have been afar from here
in the forest of the spessart, and thither the wine i sent.
if to-day ye be wineless, hereafter shall your hearts be well content.”
made answer siegfried the noble: “small thank for thy promise have thou!
of mead and of wine of the clearest seven sumpter-loads even now
should have been in our midst unladen; or, if this too hard were found,
nigher the good rhine-water should have been our camping-ground.”
made answer hagen of troneg: “my lords, and thou, o king,
i know where nigh to us lieth a cool-upwelling spring.
that ye be not indignant against me, i counsel that thither we go.”
—that rede unto many a hero was fraught with bitter woe!
now by this was the good knight siegfried with thirst-pangs sore distressed.
“now thrust ye aside the table,” the hero cried to the rest;
“i will hence away to the hill-side, and drink thereby of the well.”
so all that counsel of treason as the false lords plotted befell.
{p. 132}
the woodland spoil they laded upon wains, and bore through the land,
even all that in that day’s hunting had fallen to siegfried’s hand.
what folk soever beheld it the praise of the hero spoke
even in the hour when hagen his faith with siegfried broke.
when these to the broad lime shading the spring were at point to have sped,
even then spake hagen of troneg: “oft have i heard this said,
that none with the lord of kriemhild in fleetness of foot may vie,
if he put forth his strength in running: lo now, the truth let us try.”
then the noble thane and valiant, the hero of netherland, spake:
“thereof may ye well make trial, if with me ye be minded to make
a running-match to the well-head. if this shall of us be done,
whoso is first, account we him our fleetest one.”
“good, let us thereof make trial,” made answer hagen the thane.
then again spake siegfried the stalwart: “if ye pass me, either of twain,
then on the grass my body before your feet will i fling.”
how blithe to hear that promise was gunther the traitor king!
then spake that fearless hero: “this too unto you will i say:
i will bear on my body my raiment and all my war-array,
my boar-spear, yea, and my buckler, and all mine hunter’s weed.”
therewithal with his sword and his quiver he girded himself with speed.
then these twain stripped all raiment from their limbs, and on earth they laid,
and in nought save thin white tunics men saw their bodies arrayed.
bounding as two wild panthers they raced o’er the clover green;
but long ere they won to the fountain, there standing was siegfried seen.
in all manner of prowess ever men gave him the chiefest renown.
straightway he unbuckled his war-glaive, his quiver laid he down,
and he leaned the stubborn boar-spear on the linden-tree’s smooth shaft.
and the princely guest stood waiting where the dimpling ripples laughed:
yea, siegfried then, as ever, his knightly courtesy showed.
he laid on the earth his buckler hard by where the runnel flowed.
how sorely he thirsted soever, not yet the hero drank
till first the king had drunken—he earned right evil thank!
{p. 133}
clear was the spring as crystal, pure was the water and cool.
down on the brink bowed gunther, and stooped his lips to the pool;
and when to the full he had drunken, again to his feet did he rise,
while still looked siegfried the fearless on the water with longing eyes.
for his courtesy heavily paid he!—his bow and his mighty sword
were borne away by hagen from their noble-hearted lord.
back swiftly sprang the traitor; on the javelin his grasp he laid,
and glared in search of the token at the vest of the man betrayed.
even as siegfried the noble drank of the life-giving flood,
fair through the crosslet he stabbed him. sprang from the wound the blood,
his heart’s blood; and hagen’s tunic was besprent with murder’s stain.
—never may hand of warrior such villainy do again!
there in his heart deep-planted the murderer left the spear.
how swiftly thence did hagen flee in his deadly fear!
never on earth so fleetly from the face of man fled he
as when siegfried’s limbs at the death-stab leapt convulsively.
forthright did the maddened hero up from the well-brink spring:
stood far out ’twixt his shoulders the long shaft quivering:
swift glanced he around, as thinking to find there bow or sword—
good sooth, he had dealt unto hagen a richly-earned reward!
but now when the deadly-wounded might nowhere find his brand,
no weapon save only his buckler lay ready there to his hand:
that snatched he up from the well-side, and in chase of the murderer ran.
full soon was the fleeing hagen outrun by the dying man.
albeit to death he was stricken, he smote with such mighty power
that out of the shield-face started and fell to earth in a shower
the costly gemstones: rifted was the very buckler’s rim—
grim earnest of what stern vengeance he fain would have wreaked upon him!
by his hands’ resistless smiting was hagen hurled to the ground:
with the clang of that mighty buffet the wood-lawn echoed round.
had he gripped in his hand but his war-glaive, surely had hagen been slain.
maddened him now that death-wound, a very torment of pain.
{p. 134}
now fled from his face all colour, he was reeling on tottering feet:
fainted his strength from his body as when earth-spilt waters fleet:
death set on his brow his token, his lips were ashen-grey.
—ah, many a comely woman for this mourned many a day!
on flowers with red dew sprinkled the belovèd of kriemhild fell,
with the blood from his wound outbursting as the streams from a spring outwell.
then he brake into bitter upbraiding from the lips by anguish wrung
against them which had compassed his murder by the snare of a lying tongue.
loud cried the deadly-wounded: “dastards, accursèd be ye!
where now is my guerdon for service to you who have murdered me?
your stay was i still and your helper: for all this death is my meed!
o caitiffs, that do unto kinsman and friend so evil a deed!
accursèd for this your offspring, even all that shall see the light,
shall be ever from this day onward! your malice and your spite
ruthlessly on my body have ye wreaked all causelessly!
by all good knights shunned ever for your villainy ye shall be!”
now by this had the knights run thither, and saw where murdered he lay.
to many a man true-hearted was that a joyless day.
who cherished faith and honour, they wailed for the glory slain:
well of them all he deserved it, that battle-fearless thane!
the traitor king that consented to his death wept now for it:
but the death-stricken cried: “thou needest not this, thou hypocrite!
what doth he to weep for the mischief, who the profit thereof hath won?
o’erlate the accursèd repenteth the deed best left undone!”
spake hagen then, the relentless: “i see not why ye should rue.
there is an end of the terror that hath haunted us hitherto.
few now are the foes remaining that against our might shall stand.
glad am i that this man’s lordship is brought to an end by mine hand.”
{p. 135}
“lightly enow may ye vaunt you!” did the hero of netherland cry:
“had i known thy murderous purpose, thou serpent of treachery,
full well against this thy plotting had siegfried warded his life!
ah, now is my chiefest sorrow for kriemhild my widowed wife.
now god forgive it, that ever to me hath a son been born
on whom shall be cast his life long the flouts of men and their scorn,
because of the man whom his kinsfolk betrayed to his death with a kiss!
had i but time—had i respite—well might i wail for this!
(c) never was murder compassed so with villainy fraught,”
unto the king said siegfried, “as this that on me ye have wrought!
in the day of your dread i saved you, i helped you in bitterest need:
and for all my service rendered this is mine evil meed!”
yet again that death-stricken hero spake with an anguished moan:
“if it be possible, gunther, that to any on earth can be shown
by thee true faith hereafter, let one be commended now,
my dear-loved wife, to thine honour as a king: protect her thou.
may this for her profit avail her, that she is thy sister still.
by all the honour of princes, defend her thou from ill!
for me, for me shall my father and my liegemen tarry long.
ne’er from her nearest and dearest hath woman received such wrong!”
(c) then writhed he in mortal sufferance: he gasped with hard-drawn breath;
and he groaned from a heart sore anguished: “for this my murderous death
through all your days hereafter shall ye bear the brand of cain.
know me herein true prophet—your own selves have ye slain!”
to right and to left were the flowers all drenched with the crimson flow.
now hard with death is he wrestling, but short is the agony-throe,
for the wound that the blade death-dealing had stricken was all too sore.
now the peerless knight and stainless shall never speak word more.
when they saw, those lords there standing, that the noble hero was dead,
they lifted him up, and they laid him on a golden buckler red.
{p. 136}
then took they counsel together that the truth might be known unto none,
and how this thing should be hidden, that of hagen the deed had been done.
spake of them many: “evil this day is, a day of bale!
remaineth only concealment: ye needs must be all in a tale.
we must say, as alone he was riding, robbers beset and slew
the hero, the lord of kriemhild, as he fared the wildwood through.”
spake hagen of troneg: “to rhineland will i bear him, even i.
no whit shall it trouble hagen, though she know all certainly,
that woman who dared flout brunhild, and fill her heart with woe!
let her weep, let her do as she listeth—i shall reck of it little enow.”
(c) now as touching that selfsame fountain—if ye peradventure be fain
to learn where welleth the water whereby was siegfried slain—
on the odenwald’s fringe a village, hight odenheim, doth lie:
still floweth the stream—of a surety siegfried died thereby.
