The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) by Cyril Edwards
Authors: Cyril Edwards
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Sivrit was quick to speak then: ‘Let the horses stand alongside us, by me and my men. We want to depart from here soon, so I fully intend. If anyone knows where I may find the king, most powerful
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Gunther of Burgundy, let him tell me.’ Then one of them who knew all about it told him.
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‘If you wish to find the lord, that can come about easily enough. I saw him there in that spacious hall, together with his heroes—you must make your way over there. You may find great numbers of proud vassals with him there.’
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By now the tidings had been told to the king that most gallant knights had arrived there, wearing shining breastplates and splendid garments. No one in Burgundy recognized them. The king wondered
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where those noble knights in their bright garments and with such good shields, new and broad, had come from. It irked Gunther that no one could tell him.
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Ortwin of Metz, who was reputed to be mighty and bold, replied to the king: ‘Since we recognize none of them, you must have my uncle Hagen come—have him see them. The kingdoms and foreign lands are all well known to him. If he has knowledge of these lords, he will tell us.’
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The king asked that he and his men be brought. They saw him walk nobly to court with his warriors. Hagen asked what the king wanted of him.
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‘There are knights in my castle, strangers to us, whom no one here recognizes. If you have ever seen them, Hagen, tell me in truth who they are.’
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‘I will do so,’ said Hagen. He then walked over to a window. He turned his eye, * then, upon the strangers. Both their bearing and their garments pleased him well. They were complete strangers to him, there in Burgundy. He said that wherever those warriors had come
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from to the Rhine, they might be princes themselves, or princes’ messengers. Their chargers were handsome, their garments excellent. No matter where they had travelled from, they were high-spirited.
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Hagen then spoke as follows: ‘I would go so far as to say, although I have never seen Sivrit, that I do indeed believe that he is the warrior who walks so proudly there, whatever his purpose may be.
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He is bringing new tidings into this land.’ Hagen went on: ‘That hero’s hands slew the bold Nibelungs, Schilbunc and Nibelunc, those powerful king’s sons. * Thereafter he achieved mighty marvels by his great strength. When the hero was riding alone, without any
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assistance, he found bold men in great numbers at the foot of a mountain, standing by the hoard of Nibelunc, so I am reliably informed. They were as yet strangers to him, until he made their acquaintance there. The entire hoard of the Nibelungs had all been
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carried out of a hollow hill. Now hear marvels told of how the men of the Nibelungs wanted to share it out. Sir Sivrit saw that—the hero wondered at it. He came so close to them that he could see the heroes,
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and the knights could see him, too. One amongst them said: “Here comes mighty Sivrit, the hero of the Netherlands.” He found very strange tidings among the Nibelungs. Schilbunc and Nibelunc gave
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the warrior a good welcome. By common consent the young, noble princes asked the handsome man to share out the treasure among them, imploring him to do so. The lord promised them that he would.
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He saw so many precious stones, so we hear tell, that a hundred waggons could not carry them—more still of the red gold of the land of the Nibelungs. Bold Sivrit’s hands were to share all this out among them. Then they gave him as a reward Nibelunc’s sword. They were
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rewarded very ill for the service that Sivrit, the worthy hero, was to perform for them there. He couldn’t put an end to the dispute—they were in an angry mood.
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They had twelve bold men among their friends there who were mighty giants. What did that avail them? Next Sivrit in his anger slew them with his hands, and he forced into submission seven hundred men of the land of the
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Gunther of Burgundy, let him tell me.’ Then one of them who knew all about it told him.
77
‘If you wish to find the lord, that can come about easily enough. I saw him there in that spacious hall, together with his heroes—you must make your way over there. You may find great numbers of proud vassals with him there.’
78
By now the tidings had been told to the king that most gallant knights had arrived there, wearing shining breastplates and splendid garments. No one in Burgundy recognized them. The king wondered
79
where those noble knights in their bright garments and with such good shields, new and broad, had come from. It irked Gunther that no one could tell him.
80
Ortwin of Metz, who was reputed to be mighty and bold, replied to the king: ‘Since we recognize none of them, you must have my uncle Hagen come—have him see them. The kingdoms and foreign lands are all well known to him. If he has knowledge of these lords, he will tell us.’
81
The king asked that he and his men be brought. They saw him walk nobly to court with his warriors. Hagen asked what the king wanted of him.
82
‘There are knights in my castle, strangers to us, whom no one here recognizes. If you have ever seen them, Hagen, tell me in truth who they are.’
83
‘I will do so,’ said Hagen. He then walked over to a window. He turned his eye, * then, upon the strangers. Both their bearing and their garments pleased him well. They were complete strangers to him, there in Burgundy. He said that wherever those warriors had come
84
from to the Rhine, they might be princes themselves, or princes’ messengers. Their chargers were handsome, their garments excellent. No matter where they had travelled from, they were high-spirited.
85
Hagen then spoke as follows: ‘I would go so far as to say, although I have never seen Sivrit, that I do indeed believe that he is the warrior who walks so proudly there, whatever his purpose may be.
86
He is bringing new tidings into this land.’ Hagen went on: ‘That hero’s hands slew the bold Nibelungs, Schilbunc and Nibelunc, those powerful king’s sons. * Thereafter he achieved mighty marvels by his great strength. When the hero was riding alone, without any
87
assistance, he found bold men in great numbers at the foot of a mountain, standing by the hoard of Nibelunc, so I am reliably informed. They were as yet strangers to him, until he made their acquaintance there. The entire hoard of the Nibelungs had all been
88
carried out of a hollow hill. Now hear marvels told of how the men of the Nibelungs wanted to share it out. Sir Sivrit saw that—the hero wondered at it. He came so close to them that he could see the heroes,
89
and the knights could see him, too. One amongst them said: “Here comes mighty Sivrit, the hero of the Netherlands.” He found very strange tidings among the Nibelungs. Schilbunc and Nibelunc gave
90
the warrior a good welcome. By common consent the young, noble princes asked the handsome man to share out the treasure among them, imploring him to do so. The lord promised them that he would.
91
He saw so many precious stones, so we hear tell, that a hundred waggons could not carry them—more still of the red gold of the land of the Nibelungs. Bold Sivrit’s hands were to share all this out among them. Then they gave him as a reward Nibelunc’s sword. They were
92
rewarded very ill for the service that Sivrit, the worthy hero, was to perform for them there. He couldn’t put an end to the dispute—they were in an angry mood.
93
They had twelve bold men among their friends there who were mighty giants. What did that avail them? Next Sivrit in his anger slew them with his hands, and he forced into submission seven hundred men of the land of the
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