The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) (11 page)

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like no one knew of anywhere. She was exceedingly beautiful and great in physical strength. She shot the shaft with bold knights—love was the prize. She threw the stone far, and then leapt a great distance

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after it. Whoever desired her love had to win three games without fail against that well-born lady. If he failed in any one of them, he would lose his head. The damsel had won at such games countless times.

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A certain well-favoured knight by the Rhine heard about this, and he bent his mind on that beautiful woman. (That caused heroes to lose their lives thereafter.)
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Then the overlord of the Rhine said: ‘I will go downriver and over the sea to Prünhilt, no matter what befalls me. For her love I will risk my life—I will lose it unless she becomes my wife!’

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‘I advise against that,’ said Sivrit then. ‘Indeed, the queen has such dread customs that anyone who seeks her love will pay a high price. You ought therefore to dismiss this journey from your mind.’

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‘In that case I advise you’, said Hagen then, ‘to ask Sivrit to endure the arduous peril alongside you—that is my counsel now, since he is so well acquainted with how things stand with Prünhilt.’
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Gunther said: ‘Will you help me, noble Sivrit, to woo this lovely queen? If you do what I ask of you and this lovely woman becomes my beloved, I’ll risk my honour and life for you.’

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Sivrit, Sigmunt’s son, answered: ‘If you’ll give me your sister, fair Kriemhilt, that proud princess, then I’ll do it. In that case I desire no further reward for my labours.’

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‘I swear it,’ said Gunther then. ‘Here is my hand on it, Sivrit. If fair Prünhilt comes here to this land, then I’ll give you my sister for a wife, and you may live happily with the fair lady forever.’

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They then swore oaths on this, those most noble warriors. All the worse was the peril they were to undergo before they brought the lady to the Rhine. Those valiant heroes were subsequently to be sorely troubled. Sivrit had to take with him the cloak which

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the valiant hero had won with hardship from the dwarf called Albrich. The bold and powerful warriors made themselves ready for the journey. When mighty Sivrit wore the cape of invisibility he

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had, once inside it, strength in abundance—a good dozen men’s might in addition to his own. He set about the wooing of that most noble woman with great cunning. Moreover, the cloak of invisibility

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was of such a nature that anyone wearing it could do whatever he wanted without anyone seeing him. Thus he won Prünhilt. (It caused sorrow to befall him.)

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Gunther said: ‘Now tell me, Sir Sivrit, before my journey begins—if we are to go to sea in full honour, shall we take any warriors into Prünhilt’s land? Thirty thousand knights will soon be sent for.’

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‘No matter how great an army we were to take with us,’ Sivrit replied, ‘the queen holds to such dread customs that they would, nonetheless, have to die, so haughty is she. I must give you better counsel, bold and worthy knight. We must go down the Rhine

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in warrior fashion.
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I shall name to you who the party is to be. We shall be no more than four knights, all told, making our way seawards. Thus we shall win the lady, no matter what befalls us afterwards. I shall be one of the companions, you’ll be the

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second. Let the third be Hagen—then we may well hold on to our lives! As for the fourth, let it be Dancwart, that valiant man. No thousand men could ever take us on in battle.’

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‘Before we set off,’ said the king then, ‘I’d be glad to know what clothes we should wear before Prünhilt, which would befit us well there. You must tell Gunther this.’
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‘At all times in Prünhilt’s land they wear the best garments ever found. Therefore we must wear sumptuous clothes before the lady, lest we be at all disgraced when people hear tidings told of this.’

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Then the worthy knight said: ‘In that case I will go myself to my dear mother, to see if I can persuade her to have her fair maids help
prepare such garments for us as we may wear with honour before the noble maiden.’

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Then Hagen of Tronege said proudly: ‘Why do you want to ask such services of your mother? Let your sister hear what we intend—then her services will benefit you on this journey to a foreign court.’

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Then Gunther sent a message to his sister, telling her he wished to see her, as also did Sir Sivrit. Before that came about, the fair maiden had dressed herself to perfection. It was small sorrow to her that those valiant men were coming to see her. Her retinue were also

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now attired as well became them.

The two princes had arrived. When she heard that, she stood up from her chair and walked courteously over to welcome the most noble stranger, and also her brother. ‘Welcome to my brother and his

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companion. I would gladly know’, said the maiden, ‘what you lords want, since you have come to court. Let me hear what you noble warriors have in mind.’

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King Gunther replied: ‘Lady, I’ll tell you. We must endure many troubles, yet stay in high spirits. We want to ride on a wooing expedition, far off into foreign lands; we must have elegant garments for the journey.’

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‘Sit down now, dear brother,’ said the princess, ‘and let me hear who exactly the ladies are whom you desire to court in other kings’ lands.’ The lady took both the excellent knights by the hand. Then

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she walked over with the pair of them to where she had been seated before, on sumptuous couches, as I well know, embroidered with fine pictures, well adorned with raised gold. They passed their time pleasantly among the ladies. Many amorous glances and well-meaning

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looks passed between the pair. He bore her in his heart; she was as dear to him as life itself. Fair Kriemhilt was afterwards to become mighty Sivrit’s wife.

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Then the powerful king said: ‘My dearest sister, we can’t do without your help. We want to pass the time pleasantly in Prünhilt’s land. We need to have splendid garments to wear before the ladies there.’

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The damsel replied: ‘My dearest brother, I’ll show you most willingly that I’m at your disposal and will give you all the help I can. If anyone were to refuse you, that would grieve Kriemhilt. You must

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not ask me anxiously, noble knight, but must proudly give me your commands. I am ready and willing to do whatever I can to please you,’ said the charming maiden.

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‘We want, dear sister, to wear fine garments. Your noble hands must help prepare them. Let your maidens see to it that our clothing suits us well, for we are resolved to go on this journey.’

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Then the damsel said: ‘Now mark my words. I myself have silk.
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See to it now that they carry precious stones in to us, loaded on shields, and then we will fashion the garments.’ Both Gunther and Sivrit were ready and willing to do that.

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‘Who are the companions,’ said the queen, ‘who are to go thus clad to court with you?’

Gunther said: ‘There will be four of us, all told. Two of my vassals, Dancwart and Hagen, are to go to court with me. Pay close

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heed, lady, to what I tell you: my three companions and I must have three changes of clothes for four days, and such fine garments that we may leave Prünhilt’s land without disgrace.’

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With a cordial leave-taking the lords departed. Then Queen Kriemhilt ordered thirty maidens from amongst her damsels to come out of their chambers—they were well skilled in such work.

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Into the Arabian silk, white as snow, and the noble silk from Zazamanc,
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green as clover, they worked gems—fine garments were the outcome. They were cut by Kriemhilt herself, that most noble maiden. Fair linings made from outlandish fish-skins,
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strange to

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behold, all that they could acquire, they covered with silk for the warriors to wear. Hear great marvels now told of that bright garb!

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They had silk in plenty from the land of Morocco, and also from Lybia, the very best that any king’s kin ever acquired. Kriemhilt made it apparent that she held them in high favour. Since they were

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now desirous of this noble expedition, they disdained ermine skins.
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Furs lay on top, black as coal, such as even today would well suit brave heroes at festivities. Many precious stones shone forth from

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Arabian gold. The labour of the ladies was not small. Within seven weeks they had prepared the garments. By then the worthy warriors’ armour was also prepared.

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When they were ready, a stout little skiff had been painstakingly constructed for them to sail on the Rhine. It was to take them downriver, all the way to the sea.

The noble damsels ached from their labours. Then the warriors

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were told that the elegant garments that they were to take with them were now ready for them, as they had requested. The work had now been done.

They then wanted to stay by the Rhine no longer. A messenger

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was sent to the companions-in-arms to ask if they wanted to look at their new garments, to see whether they were too short or too long for the heroes. They fitted them well, for which they thanked the ladies.

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All whom they passed by had to concede to them that they had seen nothing better in the whole world. They took delight, therefore, in wearing the clothes at court there. No one could ever find a word to say of better warriors’ garments. They did not hold back words of

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great gratitude. Then the gallant heroes desired to take their leave. The lords did so with knightly courtesy. Bright eyes were dimmed and wet at that.

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Kriemhilt said: ‘Dearest brother, you would be better off staying here and wooing other ladies, so that your life should not be so very much at risk—that I would call wise. You can find as high-born a wife closer to home.’

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I think her heart was telling them what was to happen to them in consequence. The ladies all wept as one, no matter what anyone said. Their gold breastplates were dimmed by the tears that rained down from their eyes.

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Kriemhilt said: ‘Sir Sivrit, let my dear brother be commended to your loyalty and your favour, so that nothing ill befalls him in Prünhilt’s land.’

The valiant warrior vowed to protect him, taking Lady Kriemhilt’s hand.
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The mighty knight replied: ‘As long as I live you may be free,

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lady, of all anxiety. I’ll bring him back to you safe and sound, to the Rhine here—rest assured of that.’ The fair maiden bowed to him.

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Their golden shields were carried down to the shore and all their garments were brought to them. They ordered their horses to be led over—they wanted to ride off. Fair ladies wept profusely there. The

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charming maidens stood then at the windows. A high wind swept their ship and its sail along. The proud companions-in-arms were afloat on the Rhine. King Gunther then said: ‘Who is to be the ship’s captain now?’

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‘I will,’ said Sivrit. ‘I am well capable of guiding you there over the waves. I tell you, worthy heroes, that I am well acquainted with the right sea-roads.’ In high spirits they departed from Burgundy.

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Sivrit then quickly took a pole; powerfully he pushed off from the bank. Bold Gunther took an oar himself. Thus the brave, renowned knights drew away from the land. They took with them excellent

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food and also much good wine, the best to be found in the lands around the Rhine. Their warhorses were in good condition—they were well tended. Their skiff sailed very smoothly—little harm befell them. Their stout halyards were stretched to the full. They sailed

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for twenty miles before night fell, a favourable wind blowing them downstream to the sea. (Afterwards their arduous toil would cost those proud warriors dear.)

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On the twelfth morning, so we hear tell, the winds had borne them far off towards Isenstein, in Prünhilt’s land. That was unknown territory to all of them except Sivrit. When King Gunther saw so many

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castles, and also the broad marches, how quick he was to speak then! ‘Tell me, friend Sivrit, do you know whose are these castles, and also this splendid land?’

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Sivrit replied: ‘It is well known to me. These are Prünhilt’s people and land, and the fortress of Isenstein, of which you heard me tell. There, before the day is out, you may see many fair ladies.

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Moreover, I advise you heroes to be of one mind and all say the same thing—that seems good counsel to me—when we walk into Prünhilt’s presence, before the day is out. We may have good reason to be troubled when we stand before the queen. When we see the

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lovely lady amid her retinue, then, famed
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heroes, you must all say the same: Gunther is my lord and I am his vassal. All that he hopes for there will be done.’

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They were ready to do all that he ordered them to vow. In their pride, none of them desisted, but they all asserted whatever he wanted—that turned out well for them when King Gunther saw fair Prünhilt.

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[Sivrit said:]
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‘I don’t swear this oath so much for your sake as for love of your sister, that fair maiden. She is as dear to me as my life and soul. I will gladly serve to earn her for my wife.’

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B
Y
that time their skiff had come so close to the castle that the king could see fair maidens in great numbers standing high up at the windows. Gunther was sorry to know nothing of their identity.

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He asked Sivrit, his companion: ‘Do you know anything about these maidens who are looking down towards us, here on the waves? No matter what their lord is called, their spirits are most high.’