Then halloo of men and baying of dogs burst forth all round

Then halloo of men and baying of dogs burst forth all round: Uprose so mighty a clamour of voices of huntsman and hound That the mountain-side and the forest rang and rang again, For that four and twenty couples were unleashed by the hunters then. From the hearts of many children of the wild the life was riven, While hoped full many a hunter that unto him should be given The chiefest prize of woodcraft; but such might ne'er have been While yet beside the camp-fire Siegfried the mighty was seen.

By now came the hunt to an ending, but not so wholly so, But that still were the hunters bringing to the light of the camp-fire's glow Fells full many of wild things, and of venison good store:— How busy now were the henchmen as the flesh to the spits they bore! Then gave the King commandment that the hunters princely-born Unto the supper be bidden: one long blast on the horn Pealed far through the aisles of the forest, telling to all their band That now at the place of the trysting waited the lord of the land. Then spake a hunter of Siegfried: "My lord, I hear the blast Of a horn that giveth us token that now must all we haste Back to the place of the trysting. Now will I answer thereto." Then long blasts crying "Where are ye?" to their fellow-hunters flew.

Made answer Siegfried the noble, "Now forth of the wood must we." Smoothly the good steed bare him, fast followed his company. They roused with their crashing and clamour a forest-beast fierce-eyed, A savage bear; and the hero unto them that followed cried: "I will show to our hunting-fellows a sport of merry glee. Yonder a bear have I sighted: the hound from the leash slip ye. Sir Bear to the place of the camping shall ride with us this day. O nay, he shall not escape us, flee he as fast as he may!" They slipped from the leash the sleuth-hound; swift turned the bear and fled, And Kriemhild's lord hard after to ride him down on-sped. But he won a ravine all-rocky, too rugged for hoof of steed; And the strong beast thought: "From the hunters now am I verily freed!"

But the good knight leapt exultant from the saddle, and so on foot Rushed through the brake pursuing, and came unwares on the brute As slowly he threaded the tangle: his strong hands gripped straightway And cast it to earth unwounded, and swiftly bound the prey. Fangs, claws were all unavailing against his masterful might: Fast to the saddle he lashed it; then mounted the gallant knight, And on to the place of the camp-fire he bare it triumphant-souled To make sport for his hunting-fellows, that goodly thane and bold.

Ha, in what lordly splendour he rode amidst the throng, With the mighty hunting-javelin, of the keen broad blade and long, With the goodly battle-broadsword that low as his spur-tip hung, With the ruddy golden bugle from the hero's baldric slung! Of goodlier hunting-raiment never hath story told. His mighty frame did a doublet of the velvet black enfold: With the sable's fur dark-lustrous his golden hair was crowned; And ah, what rich-wrought fringes bordered his quiver round! A panther's fell, by reason that ever about it clung A strange sweet scent, encased it: from his shoulders a cross-bow swung So mighty, that, save with a windlass, none but himself alone Could bend its arch, yet lightly by his fingers was it done. Sea-otter's skin was his mantle, the fell from a far shore brought; From shoulder to heel with white tufts was it richly overwrought; And all throughout the fur-gloss shone flicker and glint of gold That over-rippled the mantle of that forest-master bold. Girt to his side was Balmung, that broad and sunbright brand, Of such exceeding sharpness that none might its edge withstand When lightened through battle's tempest that helmet-sundering sword. Well might he be heart-uplifted, that princely hunter-lord! If I needs must tell the story from end to end all o'er, I must sing of the goodly quiver and its plenteous arrow-store, Whose shafts had gold bands clamping the handbreadth heads thereto. Woe to the mark of that archer, for death on the points of them flew.