Now by this was the hour of their faring unto Burgundy…

Now by this was the hour of their faring unto Burgundy drawn full near; And the hearts of man and woman were heavy with boding fear Lest never the cherished faces should be seen in the land again. And they bade lade armour and raiment on the beasts of the sumpter-train. Goodly to see were the horses in their trappings of ruddy gold. Long should ye search and vainly more gallant sight to behold Than Siegfried the knight and the warrior-henchmen ranged at his side. Now for nought but the parting-blessing his feet for a space abide. And the King and the Queen there mingled their blessing with many a tear; But he spake to them words of comfort, and cried with loving cheer: "Nought have ye to do with weeping for my peril in any strife: Banish for aye foreboding as touching Siegfried's life!" Yet the earls were heavy-hearted, the maidens' tears ran free; Yea, the fear on their souls lay darkly that yet in the days to be For the dear ones unreturning they should sorrow with hearts bowed low:— Ah me, for their lamentation at the last was there cause enow!

So it fell on the seventh morning that to Worms by the Rhine-river shore Those fearless knights came riding. What raiment soever they wore Was all with the red gold broidered, and the harness glinted and shone As their steeds went softly pacing as they followed Siegfried on.

New-wrought were the knights' broad bucklers, bright without fleck or stain, And their helms were a flashing splendour, as rode that gallant train After the aweless Siegfried through the heart of Burgundia-land; Never therein did heroes so goodly-apparelled stand. Low as the spurs all-golden their mighty sword-points hung; Sharp battle-spears those champions in their strong hands lightly swung. Of two full spans was the blue blade of the lance that Siegfried bare; Keen were the long cold edges, and the lightning of death slept there. Starred reins all gold-embroidered swung light in the rider's hand, And the steeds' breast-bands were silken: so rode they through the land; And with parted lips of wonder around them all folk pressed.

Then Gunther's palace-marshals sped forth to meet the guest. They ran, the earls high-hearted; they hasted, henchman and knight, Toward these of the lordly presence, even as was meet and right; And they gave those guests fair greeting unto their liege-lord's land; And they grasped the good steed's bridle, and would take the shield from the hand. And they made as to lead the horses to the crib and the stall for their rest: Then stayed them the voice of Siegfried, that dauntless warrior-guest: "Let be the steeds; for a season still harnessed shall they stand, For yet am I girt for the journey, and I ride full soon from your land. Now if any man certainly knoweth, let him nowise hide the thing, For this would I have one tell me, where may I light on your King, Even Gunther the treasure-wealthy, Burgundia's mighty lord." Then one that thereof well wotted spake out the answering word: "If ye fain would behold that war-king, the wish may be lightly won. In the wide fair hall of his palace I marked him a little agone Begirt with his hero-vassals: thither to him go ye. There many a noble warrior beside him shall ye see."

But by this within his palace had the tale to the King been told How there waited without by the gateway strange warriors aweless-bold All-armed in sunbright hauberks and in royal-rich array, Whose names and whose kindred no man in Burgundy might say.

Thereat was the King astonied, and he marvelled whence they came, These lordly knights from whose raiment so shone the splendour-flame, These wielders of goodly bucklers, broad shields and stainless-fair: Yea, it misliked him that no man could say what folk they were. Then to the King made answer Ortwein, Metz's lord— Stalwart he was, and a dauntless wielder of spear and sword: "Forasmuch as in no wise we know them, bid one bring hither to thee Mine uncle, even Hagen: let him look on their company. Known unto him are kingdoms and strange lands far and wide. Of him, if he know yon chieftains, shall we surely be certified."

Then the King bade bring that baron and his knightly train therewithal. Full soon was his lordly presence beheld in Gunther's hall. "For what cause," then spake Hagen, "am I hitherward called of the King?" "Lo, yonder unknown heroes to mine halls come journeying; And no man knoweth to name them. Hast thou haply far away In a strange land looked on their faces? I pray thee, Hagen, say." "That will I," made answer Hagen. To the casement straight did he go, And his glance like the swoop of an eagle flashed o'er those guests below. With the warrior's joy their war-gear and their goodly array he scanned; Howbeit their faces he knew not: they were strangers in the land. And he spake: "Whencesoever the warriors to Rhineflood hitherward fare, Princes are they of a surety, or a message of princes they bear, So goodly are their war-steeds, so royal is their array. Sooth, whencesoe'er they have ridden, great-hearted heroes be they." Then a little pondered Hagen, and he spake: "It is sooth to say, Upon Siegfried's bodily presence have I looked not unto this day: Yet indeed and in truth meseemeth, howsoever the thing may be, That the knight who yonder beareth so princely a port, is he. Great tales shall be told, if it be so, of his coming to this our land. The lion-hearted Niblungs were slain by the hero's hand, Schilbung and Nibelung, scions of the King of the Golden Hoard;— Marvels he wrought against them when his strong arm swung the sword!

For it chanced, when the hero was riding alone with no helpers near, That he found by a misty mountain, as the tale hath been told in mine ear, Enringing the Hoard of King Niblung a throng of fierce-eyed men: He had seen not those strange faces till he lighted on them then. There lay King Niblung's Gold-hoard, haled forth from the dark abyss Of the rifted heart of the mountain—a strange, wild tale is this How the Niblung men were wrangling o'er the treasure's portioning! So came Knight Siegfried upon them, and he marvelled at that strange thing. So nigh he drew unhindered that he saw each battle-lord, And on him looked they: to his fellow a prince spake straightway the word:

"'Lo, here cometh Siegfried the stalwart, the Low Land's hero renowned!'— Good sooth, a weird adventure mid the Niblung men he found! Then Schilbung and Nibelung greeted the hero with courteous speech; And now do the high-born princes that stranger knight beseech That himself would consent between them that mighty treasure to share; And they hung so sore upon him that he yielded at last to their prayer. Such wealth of precious gemstones he beheld, as telleth the tale, That fivescore wains had sufficed not that treasure thence to hale: There were heaps yet huger of red gold, the wealth of the Niblung land: And all that hoard must be portioned by the aweless Siegfried's hand. And for hire did they give to the hero King Niblung's dwarf-wrought sword— But, ere all was done, for their guerdon they won them an evil reward; Yea, enforced was Siegfried to deal them therewith great slaughter and grim; For his sharing might nowise content them, and they turned their fury on him. (C) So there in the midst that treasure yet all unportioned lay; And fell on the hero the war-thanes of either king's array. But he thrust and he hewed with Balmung, their sire's enchanted sword, Nor stayed, till his might had wrested from the Niblung men the Hoard. Twelve fearful battle-helpers 'gainst that lone warrior fought, Strong men, and in stature giants; but their might availed them nought, For the hand of Siegfried smote them in his fury of battle-lust. Seven hundred knights of the Niblung land he laid in the dust

With the Sword, the good sword Balmung of the world-renownèd name. And the heart of many a champion for terror as water became, Quelled by the lightning-flasher and its lord's undaunted mood. Yea, the Niblung land and her castles were under his might subdued. Yea, those two kings in the battle he met, and he smote them dead; Yet himself through the might of Albrich the Dwarf was sorely bestead; For the vassal dwarf burned fiercely to avenge his liege-lords slain, Till quelled by the might of Siegfried his purpose he needs must refrain. That demon-dwarf all vainly strove with the hero's might: Like the grapple of raging lions round the mountain stormed their fight, Till the Hood of Darkness was yielded by Albrich to this new lord, And Siegfried the Terrible master was left of the Niblung Hoard, For all which had dared to withstand him on that stricken field lay slain. Then bade he bear that treasure to the mountain-fastness again Whence the Niblung vassals had haled it forth as the dead kings bade; And the warder of the treasure strong Alberich he made. By an oath most mighty he bound him his thrall, to be faithful and true, And ever in loyal service his uttermost bidding to do."

So ended Hagen of Troneg—"All this hath the hero done: Through the world in battle-prowess peer unto him is there none. Men tell of another emprise—as I heard it, I tell it to you— A Worm, a winged fen-dragon, the hand of the hero slew: Then he bathed in the blood of the monster, and his skin became as horn, That no weapon may wound him: witness thereof full many have borne. Now wisely and well do I rede you—receive him in courteous wise, That the fiery wrath of the hero by no deed of ours may arise. Since utterly aweless his heart is, let no man do him despite. Bethink you how many a marvel hath been wrought by his quenchless might." And the King of the land made answer: "Thy counsel is meet and right. Mark ye how proudly he standeth, as defying peril of fight! Dauntless they be, yon warrior and the vassals that follow him. We will fare down unto the gateway, and greet yon champion grim."

"Yea, greet him with worship and honour," spake Hagen answering; "For he cometh of noble lineage, and is son of a mighty king; And his port, meseemeth, is princely—yea, by Christ the Lord! Great tales shall be told of the issues of his riding hitherward."

Then the lord of the land made answer: "Right welcome to us be he! Valiant he is and noble, as well may mine own eyes see. Yea, Burgundy-land shall hold him for a guest of passing worth." Unto where Prince Siegfried tarried then Gunther the King passed forth. And the lord of the land and his earlfolk bade the hero welcome there With greeting exceeding gracious, with courtesy passing fair; And before them the Knight all-peerless bowed him in courtly wise In thanks for their lovingkindness, and the worship in their eyes. Spake Gunther the king: "I marvel, and fain would be certified, Whence, O most noble Siegfried, unto this our land ye ride, And what thing come ye seeking at Worms by the waters of Rhine." And the guest to the King made answer: "I hide no purpose of mine. Afar in the land of my fathers the tidings have I heard How that here, O King, in thy palace—and fain would I prove the word— Be the knights in the world most valiant—yea, oft have I hearkened their fame— And the best that king gat ever: and for this cause hither I came. Yea, and I hear men praise thee for the Star of Chivalry. 'Never was king so valiant unto this day seen,' they cry. Through all my land thy glory is blown upon rumour's wind. No rest may my spirit give me till the truth hereof I find. Lo, I withal am a warrior; a crown must I wear one day; And fain am I that all men of me in that hour should say That I take the folk and the kingdom of right for mine heritage. Lo, mine head and mine honour, I lay them in the lists for battle's gage. Thou then, if thou be so valiant as is sung by the lips of fame— I ask no man of my challenge, if he joy or chafe at the same— I challenge thee here, do battle for all thou accountest thine! Thy land and thy castles, I claim them for spoil of this sword of mine!"