Adventure XXIV: How the Hun-King's Minstrels bade the Burgundians to the Feast

When Etzel forth to the Rhineland had his viol-minstrels sped,From land to land the story on the wings of rumour fled.By messengers swift to his barons request and command he gaveTo come to his festal high-tide; and they came--to the gates of thegrave.

Meanwhile forth rode the envoys, and afar from the Hunland wentTo the folk Burgundian, whither of their lord the King they were sentUnto those three noble Princes and to all their vassal-array,To bid them to Etzel's high-tide; and fast and far rode they.To the castle of Bechlaren those messengers came with speed:There blithe was their entertainment; and for this their hosts tookheedThat Rüdiger and Gotlind and their daughter sent by theseUnto the knights of Rhineland all loving messages.They loaded with gifts the envoys or ever they parted thence,That Etzel's servants might journey in the more magnificence;And to Uta and to her children this greeting did Rüdiger send,That never was living Margrave unto them so true a friend.They commended also to Brunhild their service and ready will,And in steadfast faith they pledged them her pleasure to fulfil.So when they had heard that message, onward the envoys would ride.Then prayed the Margravine Gotlind that God would guard them andguide.

Or ever the messengers wholly had traversed Bavarian ground,Werbel the eager minstrel the holy bishop found.What greetings he sent to his kinsmen, the dwellers beside the Rhine,This have the old bards told not; but of ruddy gold and fineHe gave to the heralds freely. When now they would forth again,Spake Pilgerin the bishop: "Mine heart were exceeding fainIf I might but see them before me, for my sister's sons they are.Right seldom indeed have I journeyed unto them by the Rhine afar!"

By what tracks fared they onward through the land on the Rhinewardway,Thereof no minstrel singeth. Of their silver and rich arrayNo spoiler dared to rob them, for the terror of Etzel layHeavy on all; so mighty was the high-born Hun-king's sway.

So they came, even Werbel and Schwemmel, to the folk by Rhine-riverside,Unto Worms the fortress-city, ere the light of the twelfth day died.Unto Gunther then and his liegemen did the watchman tidings bringOf the coming of stranger heralds; and straightway questioned theKing,And spake the warder of Rhineland: "Who maketh known unto usFrom whence these guests and strangers to our land come riding thus?"But none was able to answer, till Hagen, Troneg's Lord,Looked forth and beheld those envoys, and he spake unto Gunther theword:"This day is a day of tidings: your surety for this am I;For these be the men of Etzel, and the lords of his minstrelsy.None other than your sister to the Rhine hath sped their feet.For the sake of their noble master must we give them welcome meet."Even as he spake it, rode they into the castle court:Never king's viol-minstrels came in such gallant sort.And the servants of King Gunther to welcome them in made speed,And they gave unto them fair lodging, and looked to their gear withheed.

So rich were their travelling-garments, so goodly-fashioned withal,Unshamed they might have worn them in the King's own presence-hall;Yet they scorned for one hour longer to wear them in courts of kings,And they bade make inquisition whether any desired the things.Good sooth, there lacked not people that were right well contentThat their need be supplied so richly, and to these were the garmentssent.Then did the envoys array them in splendour of goodliest gear,Such as fitteth heralds royal in the presence of kings which appear.

Then gat they leave and license, those servants of Etzel, to goWhere the King sat throned: right gladly men looked on their gallantshow.And Hagen sprang from his high-seat, and met them hard by the door,And greeted with kindly welcome, and they gave him thank therefor.Then asked he them of their tidings, and prayed the heralds sayConcerning the welfare of Etzel and of all that owned his sway."Never the land hath prospered more," those bards replied;"Never the folk were happier: hereof be ye certified."

To the presence of King Gunther they passed the thronged hallsthrough;And the guests with courteous welcome were received, as aye is it dueThat envoys so be greeted in the land of another king.There round King Gunther standing were knights in a stately ring.Unto them the King gave greeting of princely courtesy:"O servants of King Etzel, ye minstrels, welcome be ye,Welcome your journeying-fellows! Wherefore hath Etzel your lordInto the land Burgundian sent you hitherward?"Before the King they bowed them, and Werbel answer made:"My dearly belovèd master and Kriemhild your sister badeThat hither we fare to your kingdom, and commend their service toyou.Unto you, O knights, have they sent us in kindness loving and true."And the mighty King made answer: "Of thy tidings am I fain.How fareth it now with Etzel?"--spake on that royal thane--"And how with Kriemhild my sister in the Hunland hath it sped?""I will tell thee all their story," the viol-harper said."Better in any kingdom never its lords have been,Nor blither, know of a surety, than Hunland's King and Queen,And all their kinsmen and liegemen, and all their knightly train.Right glad were they of our journey, when hither we fared, we twain.""Now thank we him for the message that he sendeth by your voice.Thanks unto him and my sister: herein do I greatly rejoiceThat your King and all his people in peace and in bliss abide;--For indeed I feared in mine asking lest haply worse might betide."

Now came the two young princes into the hall, and heard;For touching those glad tidings had come to them yet no word.Bright at beholding the envoys shone young Giselher's eyesFor the love that he bare to his sister: and he spake in friendliestwise:"Heralds twain, ye be welcome, right welcome to us this day!An ye came but oftener riding upon the Rhineward way,Here should ye find friends' faces that ye should gladly see.Small sorrow or scathe should betide you here in Burgundy!"

"Yea, in all honour," said Schwemmel, "we hail this greeting ofthine!Of a surety I cannot tell you by any words of mineWhat loving greetings be sent you of Etzel the Lord of the land,And your noble sister, who highest beside him in honour doth stand.And the Queen unto thy remembrance calleth thy faith and thy love,And the true heart's tender kindness, and the steadfastness thereof.Now first before all unto Gunther our King's request we bearThat ye of your grace into Hunland would ride, to greet them there.Etzel the King most mighty hath straitly commanded usThat by all his love we entreat you, and to each and to all saythus--If haply the love of your sister avail not to draw you hence,Yet fain would he know what trespass ye have found in him, oroffence,That ye hold you so far from his kingdom, and the land ye have neverseen.Yea, though unto you a stranger, and wholly unknown were the Queen,Yet himself might surely merit that ye deigned to look on his face!If to this ye consent, ye shall gladden his heart by this greatgrace."

Answered and spake King Gunther: "After the seventh nightWill I render to you mine answer, the thing that hath seemed me rightIn council with friends and kinsmen. Depart ye; tarry the whileIn the halls wherein we have lodged you, and find there rest fromyour toil!"But spake the minstrel Werbel: "May this not also be,That we come before Queen Uta, and the face of our Lady seeOr ever we pass from the presence royal unto our rest?"And Giselher the courteous made answer to his request:"That boon shall no man deny you: if ye to her presence would go,After the will of my mother and her heart's desire were it so.For my sister's sake your faces right gladly will she see.For the sake of the Lady Kriemhild welcome to her shall ye be."

Straightway to the presence of Uta leading the twain he went.Glad was she to see the envoys from the land of the Hunfolk sent;And she gave to them kindly welcome with queenly and gracious mien,And the heralds courtly and loyal their message spake to the Queen:"My Lady," said Schwemmel, "biddeth that I commend unto theeHer constant love and her service; and if so it might haply beThat she might oftener see thee, this of a surety believe,That in all the world no pleasure greater could she receive."Answered and spake Queen Uta: "That cannot now befall,Though fain would I oftener see her, my best beloved of all:Too far from us she dwelleth, that noble Queen, alas!Evermore upon her and Etzel all blessing come to pass!Send word to me--see that ye fail not--ere ye must hence away,When ye will go. I have seen not for many and many a dayMessengers so welcome as now, when I look upon you."Then did the young men pledge them her heart's desire to do.

So passed they unto their hostels, those knights from the land ofthe Huns;And the King to a council summoned his kin and his mighty ones.Then Gunther the noble questioned the heroes man by manTouching their rede of the matter; and many an one beganThus saying: "It were for thine honour unto Etzel's land to ride."This was the rede of the chiefest of them that stood at his side,Save Hagen alone; but hateful to him was the counsel of those.To the King he whispered fiercely: "To your own lives are ye foes!Surely thou hast not forgotten what deeds unto her we wrought!For us are the wrongs of Kriemhild for ever peril-fraught.I smote unto death her husband, even I with mine own hand.How should we be so hardy as to ride into Etzel's land?"Made answer the King: "My sister of all wrath emptied her heart:With kisses of lovingkindness, ere she turned from this land todepart,She sealed her forgiveness of trespass, whatsoever to her we haddone.If she beareth a grudge, Lord Hagen, it shall be against thee alone.""Deceive not thyself," said Hagen, "whatsoever honied speechFall from this woman's envoys! Come within Kriemhild's reach,And thou well mayest lose thine honour; yea, and thou stakest thylife!A memory long and relentless hath this King Etzel's wife."

Before the council Gernot flung back his haughty reply:"Albeit with too good reason thou haply fear to dieIn the kingdom of the Hunfolk, shall we too show faint heart,And cower away from our sister?--that were a sorry part!"And scornfully Giselher answered the baron and bitterly:"If conscience, O friend Hagen, maketh a coward of thee,Here in the land abide thou, and guard thine health with care,And let such as fear no dangers with us to my sister fare."At his scoffing the hero of Troneg brake into fierceness of wrath--"I tell thee, that no man fareth with thee on the Hunward pathWho feareth so little as Hagen to Etzel's palace to ride!Ay, and by deeds will I prove it, since ye will not be turned aside."

Then spake the feast-arrayer, Rumold the noble thane:"The home-friend and the stranger at home can ye entertainAfter your own good pleasure, for here nought lacketh to you.I trow, the counsel of Hagen never yet had ye cause to rue.If ye will not be counselled by Hagen, I Rumold give you my rede--Unto you have I ever been faithful, I have served you with diligentheed--Here in the land, if ye hearken my will, do ye still abide,And leave King Etzel to tarry yonder by Kriemhild's side.Where can ye in all earth's compass be in better case than here?So safely here be ye shielded that no foe draweth near:Here in the goodliest raiment may your bodies be arrayed:Rich wine may ye drink, and for wooing is many a comely maid.Here meats be set before you the best that in all the earthBe arrayed for a great king's feasting:--and were all thisnothing-worth,Yet in the land should ye tarry for the sake of your winsome wives,Nor like little wanton children set at the hazard your lives.(C) Yea, though all other victual utterly failed us, stillOne dish could ye have of Rumold to eat thereof your fill"--And he laughed--"good oil-fried collops! Rumold's rede is this,Forasmuch as, my lords, mid the Hunfolk a hidden peril is.(C) Never to you-ward in kindness will Kriemhild's heart be turned.Of a surety nor ye nor Hagen such grace at her hands have earned!If ye will not tarry, who knoweth how sorely ye yet may rue?Yea, ye shall yet acknowledge that this I have said was true.Therefore I say to you, Go not! Rich is this your land:Here shall ye better acquit you of duties that lie to your handThan yonder amid the Hunfolk. Who knows what waiteth us there?Tarry ye here, my masters: saith Rumold, 'Avoid the snare!'"

"Nay, now will we nowise tarry!" did Gernot eagerly cry."Seeing that thus my sister bids so lovingly,And with her Etzel the mighty, why hold we back therefrom?Who is loth with us to journey, e'en let him linger at home!"(C) "In troth," made answer Rumold, "I will be one at the leastWho never will cross Rhine-river unto Etzel's high-tide feast.The better part I have chosen shall I on the hazard fling?So long as my strength availeth to my one life will I cling."(C) "So likewise am I minded," spake to him Ortwein the thane;"I will help thee to ward the kingdom, and the peace of the home tomaintain."And so spake many another: of the journey would they none."Dear Lords, God have you in keeping," said they, "in the land of theHun!"

(C) Indignant was then King Gunther, when he saw how many were theseThat were minded in Rhineland to tarry, and there to take their ease."We will not be turned from our purpose," he said; "we will forth onthe way.Whoso is prudent of spirit can ward him in peril aye."Answered and spake to him Hagen: "Now in ill part take not yeThis last word of my counsel, whatsoever your fate may be,--For in all true faith I give it:--if aught for your lives ye care,Arrayed in harness of battle to the Hunland do ye fare.Since ye will not be swayed from your purpose, summon your men ofwar,The best ye may find in your war-band, or hear of near or far;And out of them all will I choose us a thousand chiefest of might:So shall ye not be defenceless against this Kriemhild's spite."

"Yea, I will follow thy counsel," answered the King straightway.Then sent he all through his kingdom to summon his array.Soon brought they back with them heroes three thousand, yea, haplymore.Little they thought of the death-snare, of the evil days in store!So onward they rode high-hearted through King Gunther's land.Horses to all and raiment were given by the King's commandWhich were ready to fare with the princes forth to the land of theHuns.Eager he found for the journey full many valiant ones.Then at the bidding of Hagen Dankwart his brother rodeWith fourscore knights of their war-band unto where Rhine-riverflowed.Gallantly rode they and proudly: war-harness the keen knights broughtUnto the land of Gunther, and raiment richly wrought.There came the aweless Volker, the lord of the viol-string,With thrice ten stalwart warriors, to ride where rode the King.Lordly was all their vesture; it was meet for a king to wear."These also," he said unto Gunther, "with thee to the Huns willfare."What manner of man was Volker, now be it told in the song.Sooth, he was a noble baron, and in his vassal-throngWas many a knight; none stouter were found in Burgundia-land:"The Minstrel" they named him, for cunning upon the strings was hishand.Of them all chose Hagen a thousand, men throughly tested of him:What deeds had been done by their prowess in the storm of battlegrim,And in many a desperate emprise, oft had he seen and known:Yea, and their peerless valour no man could choose but own.

Now the messengers of Kriemhild chafed that so long they shouldwait;For their dread of the King their master was beyond all measuregreat,And day by day were they longing to take fair leave and be gone.Yet by Hagen still were they hindered; of his cunning this was done.For he said to his lord King Gunther: "We needs must have a careThat we let them not ride homeward, ere ourselves be ready to fareIn seven days thereafter unto Etzel's land afar:So, if any mean us a mischief, the better forearmed we are.Then also shall Lady Kriemhild have scant time so to plotThat by her devising shall mischief to any of us be wrought;Or, if she should haply essay it, evilly shall she speed:So many chosen warriors to the land of the Huns do we lead."

The saddles and the war-shields, and all the goodly gearWherewithal in the land of King Etzel they purposed to appear,By this were fully ready for many a valiant thane.Then at last to the presence of Gunther they summoned the minstrelstwain.When the messengers stood before him, Lord Gernot spake to them thus:"The King unto that consenteth which Etzel asketh of us.We will come, and that right gladly, unto his festal tide,And to see the face of our sister: thereof be ye certified."Then spake unto them King Gunther: "This know ye so as to say,When beginneth the high-tide, or to tell us on what dayThe King will look for our coming?" Schwemmel made answer again:"At the next Mid-summer season; without fail shall it be then."

Then the King to the envoys granted what had not aforetime been,That, if they would fain have audience of the Lady Brunhild theQueen,Speech of her might be granted unto them by his consent.But Volker set him to thwart them--for this was the Queen's intent."As touching the Lady Brunhild, as yet it doth not pleaseThe Queen," that noble baron answered, "to look upon these.Wait ye till the morrow morning: before her then shall ye come."Then trusted they to behold her, but again were they hinderedtherefrom.

Then commanded the King, of his favour to the envoys of Hunland'sking,And of his royal bounty, that on broad shields men should bringGold from his treasure-chamber--sooth, great store lay therein:Rich gifts moreover were given unto them by his friends and his kin.With Gere and Ortwein, the Princes Gernot and GiselherShowed unto all beholders how open of hand they were;For unto the herald-minstrels such rich gifts offered theyThat for dread of their King they dared not but say the givers nay.For the messenger-minstrel Werber unto Gunther the King replied:"Lord King, e'en suffer thy presents here in thy land to abide.We may not carry them with us, for my Lord hath forbidden us this,Even accepting of presents--and little we need them, I wis."Then the Lord of the Rhine was angered, for he held it discourtesyThat these should reject the bounty of so great a King as he,So that of force they accepted his gold and raiment at last,And homeward they needs must bear them when to Etzel's land theypassed.

Fain were they to see Queen Uta, ere homeward they should fare;Wherefore brought were the minstrels by the young prince GiselherTo the presence of his mother; and she charged them with this word:"For the honour rendered my daughter mine heart is gladness-stirred."Then for the sake of Kriemhild and the love that to her she bare,The old Queen gave commandment that gold and girdles fairBe given to those two heralds, yea also for Etzel's sake.For the true heart of the giver those gifts they needs must take.

Now the messengers of Kriemhild of all, both dame and knight,Courteous farewell had taken, and with merry hearts and lightOn into Suabia rode they, and Gernot sent thus farA warrior-band to escort them, that none their peace might mar.When the knights of the Rhine had departed, who thus had warded theirway,By the power of the terror of Etzel were they shielded from that day.No reiver there was so daring as to touch or vesture or steed.So back to the land of the Hunfolk they rode with fiery speed.

Wheresoever they found friends dwelling, they told, as they passed,the taleHow the lords of the land Burgundian in few days would not failTo come from the Rhineland riding unto the Hun-king's home;And to Pilgerin the bishop withal did the tidings come.When, riding adown the highways, they came to Bechlaren's hold,Unto Rüdiger were the tidings of those swift messengers told,And withal to the Lady Gotlind, the noble Margravine.With exceeding joy rejoiced they that these of their eyes should beseen.

Ever their foaming horses the minstrels twain spurred on,Until to the presence of Etzel in his city of Gram they won.As by greeting upon greeting unto the King they showedThe love of the far-off kinsfolk, for joy his visage glowed.Now unto the Lady Kriemhild were the welcome tidings comeThat her brethren had consented to fare to her Hunland home.Then was she glad: of her bounty did the messengers receiveRich gifts, such as are for the honour of so great a queen to give.She said: "Now give ye answer, Werbel and Schwemmel, to me:Who of my kinsmen be minded at my festal tide to beOf their noblest whom we have bidden to ride to the land of the Hun?When Hagen heard the tidings, what said that mighty one?"They answered and said: "To their council he came with earliest day;But little good of the high-tide would he be moved to say.When others commended the journey hither with eager breath,Hagen the grim withstood them, and named it the Ride unto Death.Hitherward come thy brethren, the royal Princes three,Uplifted in spirit: what other shall be of their company--Of the rest can I speak not surely that thou shouldst be certified,Save this, that the valiant minstrel Volker with these will ride.""I could well have foregone his presence," answered Kriemhild theQueen:"Small longing had I that Volker should here in our halls be seen.But I joy for the coming of Hagen, for he is a hero good:In the thought that we shall behold him, lightsome am I of mood."

Then went that Daughter of Princes where sat the King in hall:How lovingly did the accents from the lips of Kriemhild fall!"How pleaseth thee the tidings, my lord, my belovèd?" she cried."The long desire of my spirit shall at last be satisfied!""Thy will is my chiefest pleasure," the King made answer to her."Were these mine own blood-kinsmen, less joyful my spirit wereFor the tidings of their drawing nigh to my land this day.For the love of these thy kinsmen my cares have vanished away."Then did the great King's stewards send forth urgent behestsThat palace and hall with high-seats should be adorned for theguests,For the loved and long expected who were drawing near at last.--Yet out of the life of Etzel by these all gladness was cast!