Adventure
XII
How Gunther Bade Siegfried to the Festival
Now Gunther’s wife the meanwhile
was brooding ev’ry day:
“Why bears herself Dame Kriemhild
in such a lofty way?
Is not her husband Siegfried
a vassal of our own?
Scant service hath he paid us
in all these years agone!”
Within her heart this kept she,
and heed took thereanent.
Yet that they came not ever
did make her ill-content,
And that she got no service
out of Sir Siegfried’s land;
And wherefore this should happen
she fain would understand.
So of the king inquired she,
whether it might not be
That she the Lady Kriemhild
yet once again might see?
She privily spoke to him
of what her mind thus teased:
But when her lord had heard her,
he was but half well-pleased.
“And how are we to bring them,”
then said the mighty king,
“Here into this our country?
that were no easy thing!
Too far from us they’re dwelling;
to ask I am afraid.”
Then answer’d him Brunhilda,
with crafty air and said:
“However high and mighty
a king’s man be, I say
That he his lord’s commandments
should never dare gainsay.”
And to himself smiled Gunther
whilst she laid down the law:
He had no thought of service
whene’er he Siegfried saw.
She spake: “My lord belovèd,
I pray thee, for my sake,
Lend me thine aid; that Siegfried
may with thy sister take
Their journey to this country—
that here we them may see;—
For nothing that could happen
would be more sweet to me.
“Thy sister’s gentle breeding
and well-contented mood,
Whene’er I think upon them,
in sooth, it doth me good.
How we did sit together,
when first I was thy wife!
Right well hath she deservèd
bold Siegfried’s love and life.”
So long she thus besought him,
until the king did say:
“Be sure that guests more welcome
could ne’er be any day;
’Tis easy to persuade me!
and messengers of mine
I’ll send unto the couple,
to bring them to the Rhine.”
Then spake the queen yet further:
“Now also you must say
When you will send to fetch them,
and at what time we may
Look for our well-loved kinsfolk
to come unto our land:
And whom you purpose sending
I fain would understand.”
“That will I do,” the king said:
“thirty of mine own men
Will I send riding thither.”
These did he summon then,
And by them sent his message
unto Prince Siegfried’s land.
Dame Brunhild to content them
gave much apparel grand.
Then said the king: “This message
ye’ll take, my warriors bold,
Wherewith I now entrust ye
—see that ye naught withhold—
Unto the mighty Siegfried
and to my sister dear:
That in this world doth no one
more kindness to them bear.
“And pray that both do shortly
come to us on the Rhine,
For which we’ll ever thank them,
I and this lady mine.
Before this next midsummer
he and his men shall see
Things done, which to his pleasure
and honour great shall be.
“And likewise to King Siegmund
my service take and say,
That I and all my people
be bound to him alway.
Say also to my sister,
that she must tarry not;
More worthy entertainment
shall never be her lot.”
Brunhilda and Queen Uté,
and every dame at hand,
Sent messages of service
to all in Siegfried’s land;
Unto the lovely women,
and many a man of worth.—
Then by the king’s good pleasure
the messengers set forth.
In trav’lling guise they journey’d;
their steeds and wearing-gear
Were ready made beforehand;
so from the land they fare.
They made good progress onward
to where their goal did lie,
The king came with an escort
to speed his embassy.
At end of three weeks’ riding
they came into the land
Wherein the Niblung stronghold,
where they were sent, did stand
On the Norwegian border;
and there they found the thane.
Both steeds and men were weary
with their long journey’s pain.
Then was it unto Siegfried
and to Kriemhilda said
How knights had come on horseback
and so apparellèd
As in Burgundian country
the fashion was that day:
Straight from the couch upsprang she
whereon she resting lay.
And quickly to a window
she bade a maiden go,
Who saw the gallant Gere
stand in the court below,
Him and the comrades with him,
who had been thither sent;
Instead of all her heartache
how great was her content!
Unto the king then spake she:
“Now look you down below,
How they with doughty Gere
about the courtyard go,
Whom my good brother Gunther
here down the Rhine hath sent!”
The stalwart Siegfried answered:
“We’ll make them well content.”
Then all the court attendants
did hasten out to greet,
And every one among them
did speak a welcome meet;
They gave unto the envoys
the best words that they had.
The old King Siegmund likewise
was of their coming glad.
A lodging was appointed
for Gere and his men,
The horses too were cared for.
The messengers went then
Unto the hall where Siegfried
near to Kriemhilda sat.
At court they had free entry:
and therefore did they that.
The host rose with the hostess
and near to them did stand.
Right well was Gere welcomed
from the Burgundian land,
With all his knightly comrades—
King Gunther’s men to wit.
The noble Gere bade they
upon the bench to sit.
“Before we sit allow us
to tell you of our news;
Though weary with our journey,
to stand the while we choose.
We have to give a message
which unto you we bring
From Gunther and Brunhilda—
and weighty is this thing.
“And likewise what Dame Uté,
your mother, sendeth you,
And Giselher the young knight,
and noble Gernot too,
And all your nearest kinsfolk,
from whom we have command
To offer you their greeting
from the Burgundian land.”
“Now God reward ye, heralds,”
cried Siegfried, “and I trust
Unto your truth and kindness—
as towards friends we must—
So likewise doth their sister;—
and now your tidings give
If still our friends belovèd
at home in gladness live.
“Since we from them departed
hath no one evil done
Unto Kriemhilda’s kinsmen?
let that to me be known.
My faithful help is ready
in ev’ry time of need,
Until mine aid and service
their foes shall rue indeed!”
Then quoth the Margrave Gere—
he was a warrior good:
“Right happily abide they
in all good livelihood;
They bid you to the Rhineland,
to a high festival;
Right gladly will they see you,
of that doubt not at all.
“They pray my lady also
that she will thither wend
So soon as e’er the winter
shall come unto its end.
Before this next midsummer
your faces would they see.”
Then spake the stalwart Siegfried:
“Nay, that can hardly be!”
But further spake Sir Gere,
from the Burgundian land:
“It is your mother Uté
who maketh this demand;
Eke Giselher and Gernot,
ye must not them gainsay:
That ye be so far distant
I hear complaints each day.
“Brunhilda, too, my mistress,
and all her maidens fair
Rejoice at this my errand;
if likelihood there were
That they once more might see you,
happy would be their mood.”
Unto the fair Kriemhilda
this message seemed right good.
As Gere was her kinsman,
the host then bade him sit.
Wine for the guests he ordered;
nor long they wanted it.
And thither, too, came Siegmund,
who had the heralds seen;
To the Burgundian heroes
he spake with friendly mien:
“Be welcome, Gunther’s liegemen,
ye warriors, every one!
Since it hath happ’d that Siegfried
my son to wife hath won
Kriemhilda fair, more often
ye would we gladly see
In this our land, if truly
to us ye’ll friendly be.”
They said that if he wish’d it
they’d gladly come again.
And so in pleasure vanish’d
their weariness and pain.
The messengers were seated,
and food was brought them there:
For guests so welcome Siegfried
had plenty of good fare.
For nine days’ space and longer
to stay they were constrain’d.
Until, at last, the horsemen,
who would be gone, complain’d
That back into their country
they never more would ride.
Meanwhile his friends King Siegfried
had summon’d to his side,
To ask them what they counsell’d:
would they go to the Rhine?
“He hath sent here to fetch me,
Gunther, that friend of mine—
He and his kinsfolk bid us
to keep festivity:
I’d gladly go there, save that
his land too far doth lie.
“They also bid Kriemhilda
to go along with me.
Now counsel me, dear kinsmen,
how thither come shall she?
If I through thirty kingdoms
my men, for them, must lead,
Still Siegfried’s hand to serve them
must ready be indeed.”
Then spake his chiefs unto him:
“If you’ve a mind unto
The journey to this hightide,
we’ll counsel what to do:
You with a thousand warriors
unto the Rhine shall ride;
So may you with all honour
in Burgundy abide.”
Then spake the noble Siegmund,
of Netherland the lord:
“Will ye unto this feasting,
and tell me not a word?
An if it will not shame you
I’ll ride along with you;
I’ll take a hundred swordsmen
to swell your retinue.”
“Wilt thou in sooth ride with us,
my own good father dear?”
Exclaimed the gallant Siegfried:
“right gladly that I hear.
Before twelve days are over
my fatherland I’ll leave.”
To all who did desire them
they steeds and raiment gave.
Now that the noble ruler
was minded soon to start,
The heralds swift were bidden
straight homewards to depart,
And unto his wife’s kinsmen
upon the Rhine to say,
That he would very gladly
with them keep holyday.
Both Siegfried and Kriemhilda,
as doth the story say,
More gifts gave to the heralds
than could be borne away
On their own horses homewards:
a wealthy man was he!
Their sturdy beasts of burden
they drove right merrily.
Their folk were cloth’d by Siegfried
and Siegmund worthily.
And Eckewart the margrave
gave orders speedily
To seek out women’s raiment,
the best that could be found,
Or anywhere be heard of
in Siegfried’s lands around.
The saddles and the bucklers
began they to prepare.
And to the knights and ladies
who should the journey share,
Was given whate’er they wanted,
that they might fail in naught.
Unto his friends full many
a noble guest he brought.
The heralds did not loiter
upon the journey home.
And soon the gallant Gere
to Burgundy was come,
Where right well was he welcomed:
they then alighted all
From chargers and from palfreys
before King Gunther’s hall.
The youths went and the elders,
as men are wont to do,
To ask what might the news be.
Then spake the good knight true:
“When to the king I’ve told it
the rest of you shall know.”
Then straightway with his comrades
did he to Gunther go.
The king, in joy to see them,
rose quickly from his chair.
That they had come so swiftly
also from Brunhild fair
Received they thanks, while Gunther
unto the envoys spake:
“How fares it now with Siegfried?
much wrought he for my sake.”
Then spake the gallant Gere:
“For joy his face grew red—
Both his and your fair sister’s;
and ne’er was message sped,
From any man of honour
unto his friends, more true
Than Siegfried and his father
by me have sent to you.”
Then thus unto the margrave
the noble king’s wife spake:
“Say, now, is Kriemhild coming?
and care doth she yet take
To keep the outward fairness,
which she to foster knew?”
“Aye,” said the warrior Gere,
“doubtless she comes to you.”
Then Uté to her presence
the heralds did command,
And by her question might one
right plainly understand
What she to hear was longing:
“Still well did Kriemhild fare?”
He told how he had found her,
and that she’d soon be there.
Nor from the court retainers
did they the gifts withhold
That they had had from Siegfried:
the raiment and the gold
In sight of all the liegemen
of the three kings were spread.
For their abundant largesse
were many thanks repaid.
“ ’Tis easy,” then said Hagen,
“for him such gifts to give:
He could not spend his riches
did he for ever live.
The treasure of the Niblungs
he holds within his hand.
Ha, what if it should ever
come to Burgundian land!”
Then was there great rejoicing
among the people all
That soon the guests were coming.
From dawn till evenfall
The three kings’ craftsmen labour’d,
with zeal untiring fill’d.
Grand rows of seats in plenty
they then began to build.
The valiant Sir Hunold
and Sindold too, the thane,
Had little time for leisure;
they too must work amain,
As steward and cupbearer
the places they must set.
And Ortwein help’d them: wherefore
they Gunther’s thanks did get.
Rumold the kitchen-master,
knew well to rule aright
His underlings and scullions!
Ay me! it was a sight
To see the polish’d kettles
and pots and pans at hand!
For food must be made ready
when guests were in the land.