Adventure XXI: Of Kriemhild's journeying to the Land of the Huns

Let us suffer those heralds onward to ride:--let the minstrel singHow rode that Daughter of Princes through the land far-journeying,And where at the last she parted from Gernot and Giselher.In loyalty and honour had these twain holpen her.When they came where looks over Danube Bergen's citadel,Then at the last those heroes must bid the Queen farewell,For that backward unto the Rhineland now must they turn the rein.When the near and dear so parted could none from tears refrain.Then Giselher to his sister spake one parting word:"Sister, if ever thou needest help of my counsel or sword,What peril soever threatens, send thou word unto me;Into the land of Etzel will I straightway ride unto thee."Then kissed she the lips of her kinsfolk, and they parted in love andgrief;And with kindly word and with hand-clasp friend of friend took leave,The valiant men of Burgundia and Rüdiger's cavalcade.Then with the Queen rode onward many a high-born maid,Even four and a hundred fair ones: in bright hues rainbow-dyedGlistened their lovely vesture: broad shields upon either sideWent flashing down the highways on the arms of the Hun-queen's train.Then turned, after fair leave-taking, Volker the valiant thane.

Into the land of Bavaria over the Danube they won,And fast and far went the tidings of the long lines riding on,And the many unknown faces. Where stand a cloister's walls,And where the broad Inn-river into the Danube falls,There in the city of Passau a great prince-bishop abode.From their homes, yea, forth from the palace the folk streamed out tothe roadWhereby those guests through Bavaria-land came riding in.There met was Kriemhild the lovely by the bishop Pilgerin.Glad were the knights Bavarian to look on that winsome sight,That Queen of Beauty followed by many a maiden bright;And with loving glances and longing those daughters of earls did theygreet.Fair harbourage full swiftly was found for guests so sweet.(C) At Pledeling resting-places were prepared for the slumber-tide.All people came forth riding to meet them from every side;And they gave to them whatso they needed with willing hands and freeThere and elsewhere, and they took it with princely courtesy.Back rode the bishop to Passau with his niece the royal dame;And so soon as unto the burghers of the city the tidings came,That the child of their prince's sister, Kriemhild the Queen, drewnigh,The merchants greeted her entry with stately pageantry.Now the bishop had looked that a little there should his guests stayon;But Eckwart, Lord of the Marches, said: "Nay, it may nowise be done.We needs must still ride onward to the land of Rüdiger:Many knights unto whom our coming hath been heralded wait for usthere."

Now by this known too unto Gotlind the fair one the tidings were;And with diligent haste did the lady and her high-born daughterprepare:For a message had Rüdiger sent her that he held it a seemly thingThat to cheer the heart of Kriemhild she should ride to meet her, andbringWith her for a guard of honour all her vassal-arraySo far as Ems the river. Then hasted she to obey;And straightway thronged were the highways with folk that onwardpressed,Afoot, or riding, eager to meet that queenly guest.

Now was the Queen in her journey come unto Everding.They had passed through the land Bavarian unvexed of the plunderingOf the robber barons which haunted the ways, as their wont was aye.Well might they have done a mischief unto so rich a prey;But Rüdiger the noble from peril warded them still:With a thousand knights, yea, haply yet more, had he fenced them fromill.And now was the Lady Gotlind, Rüdiger's wife, at hand,And with her a host of good knights, a great and gallant band.

Now when they had crossed Traun-river by Ems, in the river-meadgreen,There many a booth fair-builded and many a tent was seenWherein those guests through the night-tide sweet rest and slumbershould win,Ready-reared at the Margrave's charges to honour his guests therein.From the palace prepared for the lodging of those guests Gotlind thefairRode forward to meet her Lady: along the highways wereLong lines of goodly horses with jingling bridle-reins:--Fair welcome! Fain was the Margrave of all their loving pains.

The knights that from eastward and westward along the highway rodeSpurred gallantly forth to the meeting: brave horsemanship theyshowed,Those charging ranks of heroes of many a fair maid seen!In sooth was the good knights' service well-pleasing to the Queen.When clashed Lord Rüdiger's vassals with the guests in the mimic war,Many a splintered lance-shaft went upward soaring farFrom the hands of the gallant heroes as they tilted in knightly wise;And ladies' smiles were their guerdon, and the light in ladies' eyes.Now stayed is the tide of combat, and the laughing warriors greetRight courteously the strangers; and forward riding, to meetThe Queen, the glorious Kriemhild, doth the Lady Gotlind go.Now knights that in ladies' service be perfect, have work enow.

To meet and to greet his lady rode on Bechlaren's Lord:Right glad was the noble Gotlind to hail the lost restoredWhole and unharmed from the Rhineland and from peril of the way.Vanished her fear and her sorrow as a dream at the dawning of day.So when she had given him welcome, "I pray thee light," said he,"On the grass with thy bower-maidens, all these which have followedthee."Then in knightly courtesy busy was many a high-born thaneWhich waited with eager service on the ladies of her train.

Then looked the Lady Kriemhild, and beheld the MargravineStand in the midst of her ladies. No further rode the Queen;But she checked with bit and bridle the onward-pacing steed,And she bade them from the saddle lift her to earth with speed.Leading the child of his sister the princely bishop strode,With Eckwart beside him, where Lady Gotlind their coming abode.To right and to left all people fell back as onward they came;And the stranger Queen kissed sweetly the lips of the noble dame.With words all lowly-loving did the wife of Rüdiger say:"Now happy am I, dear mistress, and a blessing on this dayThat in this our land hath given to mine eyes thy face to see!No sight so heart-rejoicing could now have appeared unto me.""O noble Gotlind," said Kriemhild, "God guerdon thee for this!If I with the son of Botlung see days of weal and bliss,Well may it be for thee truly that I have been seen of thee."--Ah, neither of these foreboded the things that were yet to be!

Then met with courteous greeting the maidens of either land,And around them tendering service did many a good knight stand;And they sat down after the greeting on earth's clover-mantled floor.So were they made acquainted which were strangers theretofore,As they poured the wine for the ladies. By this the sun was high,Nor longer lingered thereafter that noble company.On rode they, and came to pavilions broad and fair-arrayedWherein might perfect service to the noble guests be paid.There till the new day's dawning they rested through the night.Now the folk of Bechlaren bestirred them that all should be orderedaright,That guests so many and worthy should be welcomed with honour due:Such heed had Rüdiger taken, that nothing lacked thereto.There thrown wide open for welcome were the windows in the walls;Through the castle of Bechlaren flung wide were the doors of herhalls.There amid welcoming faces the guests through the gateway rode,And in many a fair-dight chamber by Rüdiger were they bestowed.

The Margravine's fair daughter drew with her maidens nighTo the palace-portal, and welcomed the Queen right lovingly,And there by her side did her mother, the wife of Rüdiger, stand;And maidens to bower-maidens outstretched the welcoming hand,And two by two they drew them with fingers that lovingly clungTo a wide hall stately-builded, with tapestries fair-hung.Afront of the windows the Danube-river flowed below.There sat they in merry converse, and felt the cool breeze blow.

Of all that befell as they tarried the minstrel may not sing:Yet certes the knights of Kriemhild at such long tarryingMurmured, for now were they chafing that so slowly the goal was won.What gallant knights from Bechlaren thereafter escorted them on!Service the Margrave tendered most loving and manifold.Then gave that Daughter of Princes twelve armlets of red goldUnto the daughter of Gotlind, and raiment lovely-wrought.Into the land of Etzel none fairer had Kriemhild brought.Albeit the gold of the Niblungs out of her hand had been reft,Yet with the little treasure that still unto her was leftShe won the hearts of all folk that looked upon her face.Great gifts unto Rüdiger's household she gave of her royal grace.And for her part Lady Gotlind to the guests from Rhineland showedSuch high and bounteous honour in the gifts that she bestowed,That hard had it been mid the strangers to find so much as oneWho had not of her hands fair-woven vesture or precious stone.

So when these guests had eaten, and would forth on their journeyagain,Her loyal service commended that noble chatelaineIn speech most lowly-loving unto great Etzel's Queen;And Kriemhild embraced at parting the fair young Margravine.Then spake unto Kriemhild the damsel: "If this my Queen content,Well know I, my dear-loved father thereto would gladly consentTo send me to thee into Hunland, to wait on my Lady there."How loyal could be that maiden, full well was Kriemhild ware.

All bridled waited the horses before the castle-port,When the noble Queen had taken her leave in gracious sortOf the wife of the Lord of the Marches and the fair young child ather side;And with many a farewell spoken thence did the maidens ride.Seldom indeed thereafter from that day forth met they!Out of Medelick came the people, and stood beside the wayWith many a golden goblet rich-wrought filled high with wineThat the guests might drink, and "Welcome!" they bade them by wordand sign.The Lord of the place in his castle dwelt there, Astolf hight:On the road to the Easterlings' country he set their feet aright:Over against Mautaren by the Danube runs that road.There worshipful observance to the great Queen all folk showed.Of his sister's daughter the bishop took loving farewell there.That long she might live and prosper how earnest was his prayer,And might for herself earn honour as Helka of yore had done!Ha, what high honour and worship in the hearts of the Huns she won!

So they came in a little season unto the Traisem's flow,And still did the knights of the Margrave heedfully guarding them go,Till far off riding to meet them was a host of the Hunfolk seen.Ha, then was fulness of honour rendered unto the Queen!On the Traisem's bank did a castle of the Lord of the Hunfolk stand,A passing-stately fortress, well known through all the land;And the same hight Traisenmauer: there Helka dwelt of old,A lady beyond all other exceeding bounteous-souled,Except that other were Kriemhild, for her bounty withal was free.Well might she be henceforth happy after all her misery,For all the people of Etzel her kindness extolled and her grace;Yea, in abundant measure she won the heroes' praise.

Now the majesty of King Etzel was grown so world-renowned,That at every time and season about his court were foundAll knights on earth most valiant that ever man had knownMid Christian nations and heathen: all gathered round his throne.Year in, year out, around him--such sight none now may see--Were Christian knights and heathen dwelling in amity,Each after his own land's custom, even as such might fall.So full and so free was his bounty, that aye it sufficed for all.