The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) (15 page)

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knights and maidens keeping each other company. We can readily
aver that never were so many ladies seen alongside one another at such a great welcoming.

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Magnificent bohorts in great numbers were seen, ridden by renowned heroes before beautiful Kriemhilt, all the way down to the skiffs. (It would have been ill if that had been overlooked!) Then many well-favoured ladies were helped down from their palfreys.

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The king had crossed the river, with many noble guests. Ah, what sturdy shafts were broken before the ladies! Many shields were heard to clash in the charge there. Ah, what splendid shield-buckles resounded loudly in the collisions!

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The lovely ladies stood in the harbour. Gunther and his guests disembarked from the skiffs. He himself led Prünhilt by the hand. Many bright gems and garments reflected one another there. With

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great decorum Lady Kriemhilt then walked over to welcome Lady Prünhilt and her retinue. Bright hands were seen to push back hairbands
*
there, as they kissed one another—that was a mark of courtesy.

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Then the maiden Kriemhilt said courteously: ‘I and my mother bid you welcome to these lands, as do all the loyal allies we have.’ They then bowed there. The ladies embraced one another time and again.

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Never was a more charming welcoming heard of than that which the two ladies bestowed upon the bride. Lady Uote and her daughter kissed her sweet mouth time and again.

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When all of Prünhilt’s ladies had landed on the shore, many well-favoured women were then taken by the hand, most charmingly, by handsome warriors. The beautiful maidens could be seen standing before Lady Prünhilt. It took a long time until all their greetings

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had been exchanged. Many rosy mouths were kissed there! The powerful princesses were still standing next to one another. Renowned warriors in great numbers rejoiced at the sight. Then those who had

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heard tell before that they would never have seen anyone as beautiful as those two ladies studied them with their eyes—it was no lie that had been told. Moreover, no trace of deception
*
was to be perceived in their persons. Those who knew how to judge ladies and lovely

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persons praised Gunther’s wife for her beauty. The discerning there said that they had observed more closely, and that Kriemhilt might readily be accounted more fair than Prünhilt. The maidens and married

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women went up to one another. Fair figures in great numbers could be seen there, well adorned.

Silken tents and many splendid pavilions stood there, so that the whole plain outside Worms was full to the brim. The king’s kinsmen

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jostled one another there. Then Prünhilt and Kriemhilt, with all the other ladies, were told to go into the shade.
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The knights of Burgundy escorted them there.

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Now the guests had also all mounted their chargers. Splendid jousts in great numbers pierced shields. So much dust was raised over the plain that it seemed as if the whole land were ablaze with fire. Heroes won renown there. Maidens in great numbers observed

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the prowess of the warriors there. I think Sir Sivrit charged backwards and forwards in front of the tents, time and again, with his knights. He led a thousand handsome men from the land of the Nibelungs.

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Then Hagen of Tronege arrived at his lord’s behest. The hero then parted the bohort amicably, so that the beautiful girls should not be covered in dust. The guests soon obeyed, with no ill feeling. Then

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Lord Gernot said: ‘Let the chargers stand until it begins to turn cool. Then we shall joust to serve fair women before the great hall. Make sure that you are ready when the king wishes to ride.’

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When the bohort was at an end all over the plain, the knights walked over to the ladies to converse pleasantly beneath many high pavilions, in the hope of great delights to come. There they passed the time until they wished to ride further. Before evening drew in,

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when the sun went down and it began to turn cool, they postponed their ride no longer; many men and women headed off towards the castle. Fair ladies in great numbers were gazed at with amorous eyes.

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Worthy heroes had ridden many of their clothes to rags there, as was the proud custom of the land, before the king dismounted outside the great hall. There the ladies were accorded such service as proud heroes still practise.

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Then the mighty queens were separated. Lady Uote and her daughter both went with their retinue into a most spacious chamber. Everywhere joyful clamour was to be heard then. Seats were set up.

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The king wanted to go to table with his guests. Fair Prünhilt was then seen standing at his side. She wore a crown then in the king’s land. She did, indeed, have power in plenty.

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We are told that seats were set up in great numbers for the people there, with good, broad tables laden with food. How little was lacking of what they needed there! Proud guests in great numbers were to be
seen then in the king’s presence. The host’s chamberlains brought

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the water
*
in basins of red gold. There would be little point in anyone telling you that better service took place at any other prince’s festivity—I wouldn’t believe it!

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Before the overlord of the Rhine took water, Lord Sivrit then acted as became him. He reminded him of his loyalty and what he had promised him before he saw Prünhilt at her home in Iceland.

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He said: ‘You must bear in mind the oath that your hand swore,
*
that if Lady Prünhilt ever came to this land you would give me your sister. What has become of those oaths? I underwent great hardship during your journey.’

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The king replied to his guest: ‘You do right to remind me. Indeed, my hand shall not commit perjury. I’ll help you bring this about as best I can.’

Then they bade Kriemhilt go to court before the king. With her

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fair maidens she came up to the hall. Giselher then leapt down a staircase: ‘Now, bid these maidens turn back! None but my sister is to be here with the king!’

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Then Kriemhilt was taken into the king’s presence. Noble knights stood there from many princes’ lands. They were ordered to stand in silence in the spacious hall. Lady Prünhilt had then made her way right up to the king’s table. Then King Gunther said: ‘Most comely

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sister, fulfil my oath out of your own courtesy! I have promised you by oath to a warrior, and if he becomes your husband, then you will have carried out my wishes with great loyalty.’

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The noble maiden replied: ‘My dearest brother, there is no need for you to plead with me. It will always be my wish to carry out all that you command of me. I will gladly pledge myself to the man whom you, lord, give me for a husband.’

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Sivrit blushed as a loving glance was bestowed on him. The warrior pledged himself to Lady Kriemhilt’s service. They were told to stand next to one another in the ring.
*
They asked if she were willing to take the handsome man. She was somewhat embarrassed in

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her maidenly modesty, yet such was fate and Sivrit’s fortune that she did not wish at once to refuse him there. The noble King of the Netherlands pledged himself, for his part, to take her for his wife.

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When he had made his vow, and the maiden hers, the lovely girl was most willing to be fondly embraced by Sivrit’s arms there. The fair queen was then kissed before the heroes.

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When that had happened, the retinue separated, and Sivrit was seen to sit with Kriemhilt in the seat facing Gunther.
*
Many men went to serve him there. The Nibelungs were seen to walk over together with Sivrit.

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The king had taken his seat, as had the maiden Prünhilt. Then she saw Kriemhilt—never had she grieved so greatly!—sitting next to Sivrit. She began to weep; her hot tears fell down her bright cheeks.

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Then the lord of the land said: ‘What causes you, my lady, to let your bright eyes grow so dim? You have good cause to rejoice. My land and my castles and many a handsome man are subject to you.’

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‘I have good cause to weep,’ said the beautiful maiden. ‘I am grieved to the heart because of your sister. I see her sitting close by your bondsman. I must forever weep if she is to be so disgraced.’

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King Gunther replied: ‘It would be as well if you were silent. I shall tell you on another occasion the reason why I have given my sister to Sivrit. Indeed, her life with the warrior may always be joyful.’

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She said: ‘I am sorry forever for her beauty, and also her good breeding. If I knew where I might go, I’d gladly flee so that I would never have to lie with you—unless you tell me why Kriemhilt should be Sivrit’s bride.’

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The noble king replied: ‘I’ll tell you the reason. He possesses as many castles as I and broad lands. Rest assured of that. He is a king of great power. That’s why I’m granting the admirable fair maiden to him for his beloved.’ Despite all the king told her, she was low in spirits.

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Then worthy knights in great numbers hastened away from the tables. Their bohort grew so fierce that the whole castle resounded with the clamour. The host was far from happy amongst his guests.

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He thought that he would rather be lying with the beautiful lady, and that great joy would befall him because of her. He began to cast amorous glances at Lady Prünhilt.

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The guests were asked to abandon their chivalric pursuits. The king wanted to go to bed with his wife. Before the steps of the hall Kriemhilt and Prünhilt then met. As yet there was no anger between them.

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Then their retinues came up without delay. Their wealthy chamberlains brought candles for them. The warriors, the two kings’ vassals,
separated then. Many knights were then seen to leave with Sivrit.

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The two lords went to where they were to lie for the night. Each of them then thought to conquer the charming ladies with love—that gave them good cheer. Sivrit’s pleasure was indeed to prove great.

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When Lord Sivrit lay with Kriemhilt and he caressed the damsel so charmingly with his noble love-making, she became as dear to him as his life. He would not have taken a thousand other women in exchange for her. I’ll tell you no more of what he did with the lady.

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Hear now tidings of how Gunther, that gallant knight, lay with Lady Prünhilt. He had often had greater comfort lying with other women. The people, both ladies and men, had left him; then the

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chamber was quickly closed. He thought he was going to caress her lovely body—he was, however, a long way away from making her his wife as yet! In a shift of fine white linen she walked to the

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bed. Then the noble knight thought: ‘Now I’ve everything here that I ever desired in all my days!’ She doubtless pleased him greatly by her beauty.

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The noble king’s hand quenched the candles. Then the bold knight walked over to where the lady lay. He lay down close to her, full of joy. The hero embraced the lovely lady. He could have made love to

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her charmingly if the noble lady had let him. Yet she grew so very angry that it troubled him. He had thought to find a friend—instead he found the enmity of a foe.

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She said: ‘Noble knight, you must let it be. What you’re hoping for can’t come to pass. I want to remain a maiden still—be sure you mark this!—until I find out the truth of the matter.’

Then Gunther grew hostile towards her. He struggled for her love

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and tore her clothes apart. The proud maiden then reached for a girdle, a strong braid that she wore about her waist. She then caused the king sorrow in abundance. She bound together his feet

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and hands; she carried him over to a nail and hung him up on the wall. When he deprived her of her sleep, she forbade his love-making. Her strength had almost proved the death of him.

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Then he who had thought himself master began to plead with her: ‘Untie my bonds now, most noble queen. I don’t believe I’ll ever be the master of you, fair lady, and shall seldom lie so close to you again!’

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She did not care how he fared, for she lay in all comfort there. He had to hang there all through the night until day broke, and the bright
morning shone through the windows. If his body had ever possessed strength, there was little of it left.

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‘Now tell me, Sir Gunther, would it trouble you at all’, said the beautiful maiden, ‘if your chamberlains were to find you tied up by a lady’s hand?’

The noble knight replied: ‘That would cost you dear! Nor would

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I have much honour by it,’ said the bold king. ‘For the sake of your own repute let me come over to you now. Since my love-making causes you such great grief, I shall never again touch your clothes with my hands.’

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She quickly freed him then. When she had let him get up he went back over to the lady’s bed. He lay down so far away from her that he very seldom touched her beautiful garments from then on. She, for her part, was glad then to be spared. Then their retinue came in,

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bringing fresh clothes for them. That morning those were at their disposal in great abundance. No matter how well they conducted themselves, the lord of the land was sad enough, although he wore a crown that day.
*

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According to the customs they practised and which were legally observed there, Gunther and Prünhilt delayed no longer, but went to the minster where mass was to be sung. Sir Sivrit also went to the minster. A great press of people arose there. All that they required to

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do them royal honour on the way there, their crowns and also their robes, was prepared for them. Then they were given the Church’s blessing. When that had been done, all four were seen to stand in good spirits, wearing their crowns.