The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics)

by Cyril Edwards

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  her maidenly modesty, yet such was fate and Sivrit’s fortune that she did not wish at once to refuse him there. The noble King of the Netherlands pledged himself, for his part, to take her for his wife.

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  When he had made his vow, and the maiden hers, the lovely girl was most willing to be fondly embraced by Sivrit’s arms there. The fair queen was then kissed before the heroes.

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  When that had happened, the retinue separated, and Sivrit was seen to sit with Kriemhilt in the seat facing Gunther.* Many men went to serve him there. The Nibelungs were seen to walk over together with Sivrit.

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  The king had taken his seat, as had the maiden Prünhilt. Then she saw Kriemhilt—never had she grieved so greatly!—sitting next to Sivrit. She began to weep; her hot tears fell down her bright cheeks.

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  Then the lord of the land said: ‘What causes you, my lady, to let your bright eyes grow so dim? You have good cause to rejoice. My land and my castles and many a handsome man are subject to you.’

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  ‘I have good cause to weep,’ said the beautiful maiden. ‘I am grieved to the heart because of your sister. I see her sitting close by your bondsman. I must forever weep if she is to be so disgraced.’

  620

  King Gunther replied: ‘It would be as well if you were silent. I shall tell you on another occasion the reason why I have given my sister to Sivrit. Indeed, her life with the warrior may always be joyful.’

  621

  She said: ‘I am sorry forever for her beauty, and also her good breeding. If I knew where I might go, I’d gladly flee so that I would never have to lie with you—unless you tell me why Kriemhilt should be Sivrit’s bride.’

  622

  The noble king replied: ‘I’ll tell you the reason. He possesses as many castles as I and broad lands. Rest assured of that. He is a king of great power. That’s why I’m granting the admirable fair maiden to him for his beloved.’ Despite all the king told her, she was low in spirits.

  623

  Then worthy knights in great numbers hastened away from the tables. Their bohort grew so fierce that the whole castle resounded with the clamour. The host was far from happy amongst his guests.

  624

  He thought that he would rather be lying with the beautiful lady, and that great joy would befall him because of her. He began to cast amorous glances at Lady Prünhilt.

  625

  The guests were asked to abandon their chivalric pursuits. The king wanted to go to bed with his wife. Before the steps of the hall Kriemhilt and Prünhilt then met. As yet there was no anger between them.

  626

  Then their retinues came up without delay. Their wealthy chamberlains brought candles for them. The warriors, the two kings’ vassals, separated then. Many knights were then seen to leave with Sivrit.

  627

  The two lords went to where they were to lie for the night. Each of them then thought to conquer the charming ladies with love—that gave them good cheer. Sivrit’s pleasure was indeed to prove great.

  628

  When Lord Sivrit lay with Kriemhilt and he caressed the damsel so charmingly with his noble love-making, she became as dear to him as his life. He would not have taken a thousand other women in exchange for her. I’ll tell you no more of what he did with the lady.

  629

  Hear now tidings of how Gunther, that gallant knight, lay with Lady Prünhilt. He had often had greater comfort lying with other women. The people, both ladies and men, had left him; then the

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  chamber was quickly closed. He thought he was going to caress her lovely body—he was, however, a long way away from making her his wife as yet! In a shift of fine white linen she walked to the

  631

  bed. Then the noble knight thought: ‘Now I’ve everything here that I ever desired in all my days!’ She doubtless pleased him greatly by her beauty.

  632

  The noble king’s hand quenched the candles. Then the bold knight walked over to where the lady lay. He lay down close to her, full of joy. The hero embraced the lovely lady. He could have made love to

  633

  her charmingly if the noble lady had let him. Yet she grew so very angry that it troubled him. He had thought to find a friend—instead he found the enmity of a foe.

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  She said: ‘Noble knight, you must let it be. What you’re hoping for can’t come to pass. I want to remain a maiden still—be sure you mark this!—until I find out the truth of the matter.’

  Then Gunther grew hostile towards her. He struggled for her love

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  and tore her clothes apart. The proud maiden then reached for a girdle, a strong braid that she wore about her waist. She then caused the king sorrow in abundance. She bound together his feet

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  and hands; she carried him over to a nail and hung him up on the wall. When he deprived her of her sleep, she forbade his love-making. Her strength had almost proved the death of him.

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  Then he who had thought himself master began to plead with her: ‘Untie my bonds now, most noble queen. I don’t believe I’ll ever be the master of you, fair lady, and shall seldom lie so close to you again!’

  638

  She did not care how he fared, for she lay in all comfort there. He had to hang there all through the night until day broke, and the bright morning shone through the windows. If his body had ever possessed strength, there was little of it left.

  639

  ‘Now tell me, Sir Gunther, would it trouble you at all’, said the beautiful maiden, ‘if your chamberlains were to find you tied up by a lady’s hand?’

  The noble knight replied: ‘That would cost you dear! Nor would

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  I have much honour by it,’ said the bold king. ‘For the sake of your own repute let me come over to you now. Since my love-making causes you such great grief, I shall never again touch your clothes with my hands.’

  641

  She quickly freed him then. When she had let him get up he went back over to the lady’s bed. He lay down so far away from her that he very seldom touched her beautiful garments from then on. She, for her part, was glad then to be spared. Then their retinue came in,

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  bringing fresh clothes for them. That morning those were at their disposal in great abundance. No matter how well they conducted themselves, the lord of the land was sad enough, although he wore a crown that day.*

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  According to the customs they practised and which were legally observed there, Gunther and Prünhilt delayed no longer, but went to the minster where mass was to be sung. Sir Sivrit also went to the minster. A great press of people arose there. All that they required to

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  do them royal honour on the way there, their crowns and also their robes, was prepared for them. Then they were given the Church’s blessing. When that had been done, all four were seen to stand in good spirits, wearing their crowns.

  645

  Many young men took sword there, six hundred or more, all in honour of the kings, let me tell you. Great joy arose in Burgundy. Shafts were heard resounding in the hands of the knights who had taken sword there. In the windows the fair maidens sat; they saw

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  the glint of shields in great numbers shining before them. The king had parted then from his vassals. No matter what pastimes anyone else indulged in, he was seen to walk in sorrow.

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  He and Sivrit were in unequal mood. The noble, worthy knight well knew what troubled Gunther. He walked over to the king then. He asked: ‘How did you fare last night? You must tell me about it now.’

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  The host replied to the guest: ‘I suffer disgrace and loss, for I have invited the foul fiend home to my house. When I thought to make love to her, she tied me up in tight bonds. She carried me over to a nail and hung me
high up on the wall. There I hung in fear throughout

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  the night until daybreak, before she untied me. How softly she then lay! Let this complaint be made to you in confidence and friendship!’

  Strong Sivrit replied: ‘I am truly sorry for that. I’ll prove it to you,

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  if you’ve no objection. I’ll bring it about that she lies so close to you tonight that she’ll never again be slow to give you her love.’ Gunther was happy to hear those words then, after the hardship he had suffered.

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  Then Lord Sivrit said: ‘You will come through this well. I believe we fared unequally last night. Your sister Kriemhilt is dearer to me than my life. Lady Prünhilt must become your wife before the night is out.’ He went on: ‘I’ll come to your chamber this very night in

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  secret, in my cloak of invisibility, so that no one will be aware of my wiles. Then have the chamberlains go to their lodgings. Then I will

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  quench the pages’ candles to show you that I am in the room. By that sign you will know that I am willing to serve you. Thus I will compel your wife to let you make love to her tonight, or else I will lose my life.’

  654

  ‘Provided that you do not make love at all to my dear lady,’ the king replied, ‘I am happy with this. Do to her otherwise all that you will. Even if you were to take her life, I would leave it unavenged. She is a terror of a woman!’

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  ‘I swear by my loyalty,’ said Sivrit, ‘that I will not make love to her. I prefer your fair sister to all I have ever beheld.’ Gunther readily believed what Sivrit then promised.

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  The pleasures the knights took there brought about both joy and peril. Bohorts and clamour were all forbidden when the ladies were to go up to the great hall. Then the chamberlains bade the people make way. The courtyard was cleared of chargers and of people. Each of the

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  ladies was led by a bishop, when they were to go to table before the kings. Handsome men in great numbers followed them to the seats.

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  The king then sat down there in hopeful mood, in good spirits. He was thinking hard on what Sivrit had promised him. That one day seemed to him as long as a good thirty. All his thoughts were bent on love of his lady. He could hardly wait for them to leave the tables.

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  Then they had both the fair Prünhilt and Lady Kriemhilt go to their chambers. Ah, what bold knights were to be seen standing before the queens!

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  Lord Sivrit sat, full of love, together with his wife, with joy without rancour. She was caressing his hands with her own white hands, until he vanished from her sight—she didn’t know when! Caressing

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  him, and then seeing him no longer, the queen said to his retinue: ‘I wonder greatly where the king may have gone. Who has taken his hands out of mine?’

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  She let the matter lie. He had gone, then, to where he found many chamberlains standing with candles. He set about quenching the pages’ lights. Gunther knew then that it was Sivrit. Gunther was

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  well aware of what he had in mind. He bade the maidens and ladies leave the chamber then. Once that had been done, the powerful king himself locked the door, quickly sliding two very sturdy bolts across it. Quickly he hid the lights under the bedclothes.* Then strong

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  Sivrit set about playing his game—there was nothing else for it!—with the fair maiden. That caused King Gunther both joy and sorrow. Sivrit laid himself down close to the damsel. She said: ‘Now

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  let it be, Gunther, dearly though you desire it, or else you will suffer the same hardship as before!’ (The lady was to cause bold Sivrit harm in time to come.)

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  He refrained from speech, concealing himself. Gunther could clearly hear, although he could not see him at all, that nothing intimate passed between them there. They had very little comfort in that bed! Sivrit acted as if he were Gunther, that powerful king. He

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  embraced the admirable maiden. She threw him out of the bed, down onto a seat nearby, so that his head banged loudly against a stool. The

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  bold warrior leapt up again with all his might, wanting to make another attempt. When he set about overcoming her, she caused him much pain. I doubt if such defiance will ever be made by a lady again.

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  When he would not give up, the maiden then leapt up: ‘You are not to tear apart my shift, so white as it is! You are most uncouth—this will cost you dear! I’ll make the consequences clear to you!’ said the comely maiden.

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  She grasped the mettlesome knight in her arms. She wanted to tie him up as she had done the king, so that she might be at peace in the bed. The lady had avenged herself abundantly upon Gunther for tearing her clothes. What use was his great strength and massive

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  might to Sivrit? She showed her superior strength to the warrior. She carried him by sheer force—he had no choice!—and squeezed him roughly between the wall and a chest.

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  ‘Alas!’ thought the warrior. ‘If I am now to lose my life at the hands of a maiden, then all women will forever be high and mighty in their dealings with their husbands after this, little though they act like that now!’

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  The king could hear the struggle clearly. He feared for Sivrit. Sivrit was greatly ashamed and began to wax wrath. Exerting his monstrous strength, he sat upright. Perilously he made another attempt on Lady Prünhilt. It seemed a long time to the king before

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  he overcame her. She gripped his hands so tightly that the blood spurted from his nails—that hurt the hero hard! Yet he was to make the haughty maiden take back the monstrous desire* she had spoken

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  of before. The king heard all this, though he did not speak. Sivrit thrust her onto the bed, causing her to scream out loud. His strength caused her anguish in abundance. Then she reached down to her side

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  to the braid, intent on tying him up. His hand then prevented it with such strength that her limbs and all her body creaked. It was that which ended the battle—then she became Gunther’s wife.

  677

  She said: ‘Noble king, you must let me live! I will make full amends for all that I have done to you. Never again shall I defy your noble love. I have found out for certain that you can be a lady’s master.’

  678

  Sivrit stood back as if he wanted to take off his clothes, leaving the maiden lying there. He took a golden ring off her finger, without the noble queen ever noticing it. He also took her girdle, a fine braid.

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  I don’t know if he did that out of his high spirits.* He gave it to his wife; that was to cost him dear in time to come.

  Then Gunther and the beautiful maiden lay with one another.

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  He caressed her lovingly, as well became him. She was then obliged to renounce her anger and her shame. His intimacies caused her to become a little pale. Oh, how much of her great strength abandoned her because of that love-making! After that she was no stronger, indeed,

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  than any other woman. He made ardent love to the beautiful lady. If she were to try to resist again, how would that have helped her? Gunther and his love-making had done away with all that.

  682

  How truly lovingly she then lay with him, with amorous affection, until bright day dawned! Meanwhile Lord Sivrit had gone out of the chamber to where he was warmly welcomed by a certain well-favoured lady. He prevented her asking the question that was in

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  her mind, hiding from her for a very long time what he had brought her, until she wore a crown in his own land. As for what he ought to have given her, how little of that he left undone!

  684

  The lord of the
land was in far better spirits the following morning than he had been before. This brought great joy to many nobles in all his land. Many services were rendered to those whom he had invited to his castle. The festivity then lasted for a fortnight, the clamour

  685

  caused by the various pleasures that are rightly practised on such occasions never ceasing all the while. The king’s expenditure weighed very dear. The noble host’s kinsmen, at the command of the king,

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  gave away, to do him honour, clothes and bright red gold, chargers, and also silver, to great numbers of strangers. Those who desired gifts there departed in good spirits.

  687

  Lord Sivrit of the Netherlands, along with a thousand of his men, gave away all the garments they had brought to the Rhine, as also their chargers together with their saddles. They knew how to live in splendour! Even before all those rich gifts had been flung away there,

  688

  it seemed to those who wanted to return home that they had been there too long. Never were guests given greater hospitality. Thus the festivity ended, as Gunther the warrior wanted.

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  ELEVENTH ADVENTURE

  HOW SIVRIT RETURNED TO HIS HOMELAND WITH HIS WIFE

  WHEN the guests had all departed, Sigmunt’s son said to his retinue: ‘We must also prepare to return home to my lands.’ That brought pleasure to his wife when the lady learned of it.* She said

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  to her husband: ‘When are we to depart? I would advise against any great haste on my part. Before we leave, my brothers must share their lands with me.’ It grieved Sivrit to learn of this from Kriemhilt.

  691

  The princes approached him, and all three said: ‘Now know, Sir Sivrit, that we are loyally at your service until death.’ He bowed to the knights when they treated him so graciously.

  692

  ‘Moreover, we must share with you’, said young Giselher, ‘the lands and castles that are our property, and all the wide realms that are subject to us. You must have a good share of these, together with Kriemhilt.’

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  Sigmunt’s son said to the princes, when he had heard and seen those lords’ resolve: ‘May God forever bless your inheritance, and also the people that dwell there. Yet my dearly beloved can readily dispense with the share you would give her. There where she is to wear