Nibelungenlied,” a Mixture of Legend and Distorted Historical Fact, Is Among the Most Important Works of Medieval Times

1 1200 THE NIBELUNGENLIED Translated by Margaret Armour Anonymous Epic The Nibelungenlied (1200) - The chief battle epic of the Germanic peoples, it was probably written by an Austrian monk in the late 12th century but its exact authorship is unknown. “The Nibelungenlied,” a mixture of legend and distorted historical fact, is among the most important works of medieval times. Originally an oral tradition, it passed through centuries of Germanic history, absorbing many influences until it was recorded in written form. 2 Table Of Contents BOOK I FIRST 6 ADVENTURE CONCERNING THEN IBELUNGS SECOND 8 ADVENTURE CONCERNING SIEGFRIED THIRD 9 ADVENTURE HOW SIEGFRIED CAME TO WORMS FOURTH 18 ADVENTURE HOW SIEGFRIED FOUGHT WITH THE SAXONS FIFTH 28 ADVENTURE HOW SIEGFRIED FIRST SAW KRIEMHILD SIXTH 33 ADVENTURE HOW GUNTHER WENT TO ISLAND TO WOO BRUNHILD SEVENTH 38 ADVENTURE HOW GUNTHER WON BRUNHILD EIGHTH 44 ADVENTURE HOW SIEGFRIED JOURNEYED TO THE NIBELUNGS NINTH 49 ADVENTURE HOW SIEGFRIED WAS SENT TO WORMS TENTH 53 ADVENTURE HOW BRUNHILD WAS RECEIVED AT WORMS ELEVENTH 62 ADVENTURE HOW SIEGFRIED BROUGHT HIS WIFE HOME TWELFTH 65 3 ADVENTURE HOW GUNTHER INVITED SIEGFRIED TO THE HIGHTIDE THIRTEENTH 68 ADVENTURE HOW THEY RODE TO THE HIGH TIDE FOURTEENTH 72 ADVENTURE HOW THE QUEENS QUARRELLED FIFTEENTH 76 ADVENTURE HOW SIEGFRIED WAS BETRAYED SIXTEENTH ADVENTURE HOW SIEGFRIED WAS SLAIN SEVENTEENTH ADVENTURE HOW SIEGFRIED WAS MOURNED AND BURIED EIGHTEENTH ADVENTURE HOW SIEGMUND RETURNED HOME NINETEENTH ADVENTURE HOW THE NIBELUNG HOARD CAME TO WORMS 4 BOOK II TWENTIETH ADVENTURE HOW KING ETZEL SENT TO BURGUNDY FOR KRIEMHILD TWENTY-FIRST ADVENTURE HOW KRIEMHILD JOURNEYED TO THE HUNS TWENTY-SECOND ADVENTURE HOW SHE WAS RECEIVED AMONG THE HUNS TWENTY-THIRD ADVENTURE HOW KRIEMHILD THOUGHT OF REVENGING HER WRONG TWENTY-FOURTH ADVENTURE HOW WERBEL AND SCHWEMMEL BROUGHT THE MESSAGE TWENTY-FIFTH ADVENTURE HOW THE KINGS JOURNEYED TO THE HUNS . TWENTY-SIXTH ADVENTURE HOW DANKWART SLEW GELFRAT TWENTY-SEVENTH ADVENTURE HOW THEY CAME TO BECHLAREN TWENTY-EIGHTH ADVENTURE HOW KRIEMHILD RECEIVED HAGEN TWENTY-NINTH ADVENTURE HOW HAGEN AND FOLKER SAT BEFORE KRIEMHILD’S HALL THIRTIETH ADVENTURE HOW HAGEN AND FOLKER KEPT WATCH THIRTY-FIRST ADVENTURE HOW THE BURGUNDIANS WENT TO CHURCH THIRTY-SECOND ADVENTURE HOW BLOEDEL FOUGHT WITH DANKWART IN THE HALL THIRTY-THIRD 5 ADVENTURE HOW DANKWART BROUGHT THE NEWS TO HIS MASTERS THIRTY-FOURTH ADVENTURE HOW THEY THREW DOWN THE DEAD THIRTY-FIFTH ADVENTURE HOW IRING WAS SLAIN THIRTY-SIXTH ADVENTURE HOW THE QUEEN BADE THEM BURN DOWN THE HALL THIRTY-SEVENTH ADVENTURE HOW RUDEGER WAS SLAIN THIRTY-EIGHTH ADVENTURE HOW DIETRICH’S KNIGHTS WERE ALL SLAIN THIRTY-NINTH ADVENTURE HOW GUNTHER, HAGEN AND KRIEMHILD WERE SLAIN 6 BOOK I FIRST ADVENTURE CONCERNING THE NIBELUNGS IN OLD TALES they tell us many wonders of heroes and of high courage, of glad feasting, of weeping and of mourning; and herein ye shall read of the marvellous deeds and of the strife of brave men. There grew up in Burgundy a noble maiden, in no land was a fairer. Kriemhild was her name. Well favoured was the damsel, and by reason of her died many warriors. Doughty knights in plenty wooed her, as was meet, for of her body she was exceeding comely, and her virtues were an adornment to all women. Three kings noble & rich guarded her, Gunther and Gernot, warriors of fame, and Giselher the youth, a chosen knight. The damsel was their sister, and the care of her fell on them. These lords were courteous and of high lineage, bold and very strong, each of them the pick of knights. The name of their country was Burgundy, and they did great deeds, after, in Etzel’s land. At Worms, by the Rhine, they dwelled in might with many a proud lord for vassal. Their mother was a rich queen and hight Uta, and the name of their father was Dankrat, who, when his life was ended, left them his lands. A strong man was he in his time, and one that in his youth won great worship. These three princes, as I have said, were valiant men, overlords of the best knights that folk have praised, strong and bold and undismayed in strife. There were Hagen of Trony, and also his brother Dankwart the swift; & Ortwin of Metz; the two Margraves, Gary and Eckewart; Volker of Alzeia, strong of body; Rumolt, the steward, a chosen knight; Sindolt and Hunolt. These last three served at court and pursued honour. And other knights were there, more than I can name. 7 Dankwart was the marshal; the nephew of Ortwin of Metz carved at the board; Sindolt was the butler, a worthy warrior: each did his part as a good knight. The splendour of this court and its might, the high valour and chivalry of its lords, were a tale without end. Now it so fell that Kriemhild, the pure maid, dreamed a dream that she fondled a wild falcon, and eagles wrested it from her; the which to see grieved her more than any ill that had happened to her heretofore. This dream she told to Uta, her mother, who interpreted it on this wise. ‘The falcon that thou sawest is a noble man; yet if God keep him not, he is a lost man to thee.’ ‘What speakest thou to me of a man, mother mine? Without their love would I still abide, that I may remain fair till my death, nor suffer dole from any man’s love.’ Said her mother then, ‘Be not so sure; for wouldst thou ever on this earth have heart’s gladness, it cometh from the love of a man. And a fair wife wilt thou be, if God but lead to thee a true and trusty knight.’ ‘Say not so, mother mine,’ answered the maiden, ‘for on many a woman, and oft hath it been proven, that the meed of love is sorrow. From both I will keep me, that evil betide not.’ Long in such wise abode the high, pure maiden, nor thought to love any. Nevertheless, at the last, she wedded a brave man; that was the falcon she dreamed of erstwhile, as her mother foretold it. Yea, bitter was her vengeance on her kinsmen that slew him, and by reason of his death died many a mother’s son. 8 SECOND ADVENTURE CONCERNING SIEGFRIED THERE grew up in the Netherland a rich king’s child, whose father hight Siegmund and his mother Sieglind, in a castle high and famous called Xanten, down by the Rhine’s side. Goodly was this knight, by my troth, his body without blemish, a strong and valiant man of great worship; abroad, through the whole earth, went his fame. The hero hight Siegfried, and he rode boldly into many lands. Ha! in Burgundy, I trow, he found warriors to his liking. Or he was a man grown he had done marvels with his hand, as is said and sung, albeit now there is now time for more word thereof. Of his best days there were many wonders to tell, how he waxed in goodliness and honour; his, too, was the love of women. As was seemly for such an one, his breeding was well seen to, and of his nature, likewise, he was virtuous. His father’s land was famed for his worth, for in all things he was right noble. When he was of an age to ride to the court, the people saw him gladly, and wedded wives and maids were alike fain that he should tarry there. By order of Siegmund and Sieglind he was richly clad, and without guards he was suffered not to ride abroad. They that had him in charge were wise men versed in honour, to the end that he might win thereby liegemen and lands. Now was he grown a stark youth, of stature and strength to bear weapons; he lacked nothing needful thereto, and inclined him already to the wooing of women. Nor did these find the fair youth amiss. So Siegmund his father cried a hightide, and word thereof came to the kingdoms that were round about. To strangers and to friends alike he gave horses and apparel, and wheresoever they found one of knightly birth, that youth they bade to the hightide, to be dubbed a knight with Siegfried. Many wonders might one tell of that hightide, and rightly Siegmund and Sieglind won glory from the gifts of their hand, by reason whereof a multitude rode into the land. To four hundred sworded knights and to Siegfried was given rich apparel. Full many a fair damsel ceased not from working with her needle for 9 his sake. Precious stones without stint they set in gold, and embroidered them with silk on the vest of the proud youth. He was little loth thereto. And the king bade them set places for many a hero the mid-summer that Siegfried became a knight. The rich squires and great knights drew to the minster. Meet is it that the old help the young, even as they in their day were holpen. The time sped in merriment and sports. First, God to honour, they sang mass. Then the people pressed in hard to behold the youths dubbed knights with such pomp and high observance as we see not the like of nowadays. Then they ran where they found saddled horses. And the noise of tourney was so great at Siegmund’s court that palace and hall echoed therewith, for there was a mighty din of heroes. From old and young came the noise of hurtling and of broken shafts whizzing in the air; and from warring hands flew splintered lances as far as the castle; men and women looked on at the sport.

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