How Siegfried Fought with the Saxons, XXXVI–LXX

"Sir King," said noble Siegfried, "here sit at home and play, While I and your vassals are fighting far away; Here frolic with the ladies and many a merry mate, And trust to me for guarding your honor and estate.

"Those foes of yours, that threaten'd as far as Worms to roam, I will be their surety, that they shall bide at home. So deep within their country we are resolv'd to ride, To wail shall turn their vaunting, to penitence their pride."

From Rhine through Hesse advancing they rode upon their way, Toward the Saxon country, where after happ'd the fray. Far and wide they ravag'd, and fiery brands they toss'd, Till both the princes heard it and felt it to their cost.

They now were on the borders; then hasten'd every man, When the stalwart Siegfried thus to ask began: "Who shall be appointed to guard our company? Sure ne'er was raid that threaten'd such ill to Saxony."

They answered, "Let to Dankwart the charge committed be To guard the young and heedless; more nimble none than he. We thus the less shall suffer from aught our foes design. To him commit the rearward, and with him too Ortwine."

"Myself alone," said Siegfried, "will ever forward ride, Till I have found our foemen and all their strength espied. Keep watch and ward unceasing till I this task have done." Then donn'd at once his armor fair Siegelind's martial son.

At parting he his people in charge to Hagan gave, And with him eke to Gernot the prudent and the brave; Then all alone went riding through the wide Saxon realm; And soon that day he shatter'd the band of many a helm.

That mighty host next spied he, as wide encamp'd it lay. It might his single puissance a hundred-fold outweigh. Better than forty thousand were muster'd there for fight, Sir Siegfried mark'd their numbers, and gladden'd at the sight.

Before the camp he noted a knight, that on his ground Strong watch and ward kept heedful, and peer'd on all around. At once of him was Siegfried, and he of Siegfried ware, And each began on the other angrily to glare.

Who was this watchful warder, now you shall be told. At hand by him lay ready a flashing shield of gold. Twas e'en the stout King Ludegast, that watch'd his gather'd might. Fiercely upon the monarch sprung the stranger knight.

As fiercely too against him the fiery monarch sped; In the flank of the war-horse each dash'd the rowels red: The lance with all his puissance each level'd at the shield. Ill chance befell King Ludegast in that disastrous field.

Beneath the spur blood-dripping the steeds together flew; Champion clos'd with champion as though a tempest blew. Then wheel'd they round full knightly; each well the bridle sway'd Again they met unsated, and with blade encounter'd blade.

Such strokes there struck Sir Siegfried, that all the field it rang; At each, as e'en from torches, the fire-red sparkles sprang From Ludegast's batter'd helmet. So strive they all they can And either stormy champion in th' other finds his man.

At Siegfried too Sir Ludegast struck many a sturdy stroke; Each on his foeman's buckler his gather'd fury broke. Full thirty men of Ludegast's meanwhile had spied the fray, But, ere they up could hasten, Siegfried had won the day.

Thrice smote he the bright breast-plate, and pierc'd it through and through; Thrice the blood in torrents from the king he drew, Those three strokes have ended that encounter keen. Down sunk woful Ludegast grovelling on the green.

He straight for life sued humbly, and yielded up his claim To all his lands, and told him that Ludegast was his name. On this up came his warriors, who from afar had seen The fight, that at the ward-post so fiercely fought had been.

Thence Siegfried thought to bring him, when sudden all the band Of thirty set upon him; well then the hero's hand Maintain'd his royal captive with many a mighty blow. The peerless champion wrought them yet heavier loss and woe.

He fought with all the thirty till all but one were slain; To him his life he granted; he trembling rode amain, And told the truth disastrous to all the gaping crew; On his bloody helmet they might see it written, too.

Woe were the men of Denmark to hear the deadly tale; Their king too was a captive; this added bale to bale. They told it to his brother; he straight to storm began. Wroth was he to have suffered such loss by arm of man.

So by the might of Siegfried was Ludegast led away To where the men of Gunther in watchful leaguer lay, And given in charge to Hagan; when they came to hear The prisoner was King Ludegast, they scarcely shed a tear.

Now rear they bade the banner the bold Burgundian crew. "Up!" cried the son of Siegelind, "more will be yet to do, If there be life in Siegfried, and that ere day be done. Woe to the Saxon mothers! they'll weep for many a son.

"Ye hardy knights of Rhineland, take of me good heed. Right through the ranks of Ludeger your valor will I lead. You'll see by hands of heroes helmets cleft amain. Shame shall they learn and sorrow ere we ride home again."

At once to horse good Gernot and all his meiny sprung, At once the glittering banner to the breeze was flung By the bold minstrel Folker riding in the van; So moved they on to battle, war-breathing every man.

No more than e'en a thousand went on the hard emprise; With them twelve stranger champions. Now 'gan the dust arise Along the paths they trampled; they rode by copse and field And startled all the country with the flash of many a shield.

Against them with their myriads came on the Saxons bold. Their swords they well were sharpen'd, as I have since been told. Keen cut the temper'd weapons in their well-practised hands, To guard from those fierce strangers their castles and their lands.

The war-directing marshal led on the troop amain, And thither too fierce Siegfried brought up the scanty train, That had his fortunes follow'd from distant Netherland. Busied that day in battle was many a bloody hand.

Sindolt and Hunolt and noble Gernot too In the fierce encounter many a champion slew, Who, ere they felt their puissance, little thought to quail; Many a noble lady then had cause to wail.

Folker and Hagan, and eke the fierce Ortwine, Death-defying champions, dimm'd many a helmet's shine With bloody streaming torrents that down began to run; There too were by Dankwart mighty marvels done.

Every man of Denmark frankly tried his hand; You might have heard a clatter ring throughout the land Of shiver'd shields and sword-blades; 'sooth the work was rough, And the hurtling Saxons damage did enough.

Where the stern Burgundians plung'd into the strife, Many a wound was given, and let out many a life. The blood from that red slaughter above the saddles stood; Woo'd as a bride was honor by heroes bold and good.

But louder still and louder in every hero's hand Clash'd the keen-ground weapons, when those of Netherland Behind their charging master rush'd into the fight. On they came with Siegfried; each bore him as a knight.

Not a lord of Rhineland could follow where he flew. You might see red spouting the riven helmets through Sudden streams of slaughter where Siegfried smote around, Till he at last King Ludeger before his comrades found.

Thrice pierc'd he through the Saxons, and thrice return'd again, From van to utmost rear-guard still trampling down the slain; Nor was it long, ere Hagan came up his part to bear. Down then must proudest champions before th' unconquer'd pair.

When the stalwart Ludeger saw noble Siegfried nigh, Who in his hand wide-wasting ever heav'd on high The storm-descending Balmung, and slew him many a slain, Grimly frown'd the monarch, and burn'd with wrath amain.

Dire was the storm and struggle, and loud the sword-blades clash'd, When both the thick battalions each on the other dash'd, Each angry leader panting to meet in stern debate. The crowd began to scatter; then fiercer rose their hate.