Saga Six Pack 2 (Illustrated)

How Siegfried fought with the Saxons-2

But ere they came to help him had doughty Siegfried won the fight.

With three mighty gashes which he had dealt the king

Through his shining breastplate made fast with many a ring.

The sword with sharpest edges from wounds brought forth the blood,

Whereat King Luedegast apace fell into gloomy mood.

To spare his life he begged him, his land he pledged the knight,

And told him straight moreover, that Luedegast he hight.

Then came his knights to help him, they who there had seen

How that upon the vanguard fierce fight betwixt the twain had been.

After duel ended, did thirty yet withstand

Of knights that him attended; but there the hero's hand

Kept safe his noble captive with blows of wondrous might.

And soon wrought greater ruin Siegfried the full gallant knight.

Beneath his arm of valor the thirty soon lay dead.

But one the knight left living, who thence full quickly sped

To tell abroad the story how he the others slew;

In sooth the blood-red helmet spake all the hapless tidings true.

Then had the men of Denmark for all their grief good cause,

When it was told them truly their king a captive was.

They told it to King Luedeger, when he to rage began

In anger all unbounded: for him had grievous harm been done.

The noble King Luedegast was led a prisoner then

By hand of mighty Siegfried back to King Gunther's men,

And placed in hands of Hagen: and when they did hear

That 'twas the king of Denmark they not a little joyful were.

He bade the men of Burgundy then bind the banners on.

"Now forward!" Siegfried shouted, "here shall yet more be done,

An I but live to see it; ere this day's sun depart,

Shall mourn in land of Saxons full many a goodly matron's heart.

"Ye warriors from Rhineland, to follow me take heed,

And I unto the army of Luedeger will lead.

Ere we again turn backward to the land of Burgundy

Helms many hewn asunder by hand of good knights there shall be."

To horse then hastened Gernot and with him mighty men.

Volker keen in battle took up the banner then;

He was a doughty Fiddler and rode the host before.

There, too, every follower a stately suit of armor wore.

More than a thousand warriors they there had not a man,

Saving twelve knights-errant. To rise the dust began

In clouds along the highway as they rode across the fields,

And gleaming in the sunlight were seen the brightly shining shields.

Meanwhile eke was nearing of Saxons a great throng,

Each a broadsword bearing that mickle was and long,

With blade that cut full sorely when swung in strong right hand.

'Gainst strangers were they ready to guard their castles and their land.

The leaders forth to battle led the warriors then.

Come was also Siegfried with his twelve chosen men,

Whom he with him hither had brought from Netherland.

That day in storm of battle was blood-bespattered many a hand.

Sindold and Hunold and Gernot as well,

Beneath their hands in battle full many a hero fell,

Ere that their deeds of valor were known throughout the host.

Through them must many a stately matron weep for warrior lost.

Volker and Hagen and Ortwein in the fight

Lustily extinguished full many a helmet's light

With blood from wounds down flowing,— keen fighters every one.

And there by Dankwart also was many a mickle wonder done.

The knights of Denmark tested how they could weapons wield.

Clashing there together heard ye many a shield

And 'neath sharp swords resounding, swung by many an arm.

The Saxons keen in combat wrought 'mid their foes a grievous harm.

When the men of Burgundy pressed forward to the fight,

Gaping wounds full many hewed they there with might.

Then flowing down o'er saddle in streams was seen the blood,

So fought for sake of honor these valiant riders keen and good.

Loudly were heard ringing, wielded by hero's hand,

The sharply-cutting weapons, where they of Netherland

Their master followed after into the thickest throng:

Wherever Siegfried led them rode too those valiant knights along.

Of warriors from Rhine river could follow not a one.

There could be seen by any a stream of blood flow down

O'er brightly gleaming helmet 'neath Siegfried's mighty hand,

Until King Luedeger before him with his men did stand.

Three times hither and thither had he the host cut through

From one end to the other. Now come was Hagen too

Who helped him well in battle to vent his warlike mood.

That day beneath his valor must die full many a rider good.

When the doughty Luedeger Siegfried there found,

As he swung high in anger his arm for blows around

And with his good sword Balmung knights so many slew,

Thereat was the keen warrior filled with grief and anger too.

Then mickle was the thronging and loud the broadswords clashed,

As all their valiant followers 'gainst one another dashed.

Then struggled all the fiercer both sides the fight to win;

The hosts joined with each other: 'twas frightful there to hear the din.

To the monarch of the Saxons it had been told before,

His brother was a captive, which grieved his heart right sore.

He knew not that had done it fair Siegelind's son,

For rumor said 'twas Gernot. Full well he learned the truth anon.

King Luedeger struck so mighty when fierce his anger rose,

That Siegfried's steed beneath him staggered from the blows,

But forthwith did recover; then straight his rider keen

Let all his furious mettle in slaughter of his foes be seen.

There helped him well grim Hagen, and Gernot in the fray,

Dankwart and Volker; dead many a knight there lay.

Sindold and Hunold and Ortwein, doughty thane,

By them in that fierce struggle was many a valiant warrior slain.

Unparted in storm of battle the gallant leaders were,

Around them over helmet flew there many a spear

Through shield all brightly shining, from hand of mighty thane:

And on the glancing armor was seen full many a blood-red stain.

Amid the hurly-burly down fell many a man

To ground from off his charger. Straight 'gainst each other ran

Siegfried the keen rider and eke King Luedeger.

Then flew from lance the splinters and hurled was many a pointed spear.

'Neath Siegfried's hand so mighty from shield flew off the band.

And soon to win the victory thought he of Netherland

Over the valiant Saxons, of whom were wonders seen.

Heigh-ho! in shining mail-rings many a breach made Dankwart keen!

Upon the shining buckler that guarded Siegfried's breast

Soon espied King Luedeger a painted crown for crest;

By this same token knew he it was the doughty man,

And to his friends he straightway amid the battle loud began:

"Give o'er from fighting further, good warriors every one!

Amongst our foes now see I Siegmund's noble son,

Of netherland the doughty knight on victory bent.

Him has the evil Devil to scourge the Saxons hither sent."

Then bade he all the banners amid the storm let down.

Peace he quickly sued for: 'Twas granted him anon,

But he must now a hostage be ta'en to Gunther's land.

This fate had forced upon him the fear of Siegfried's mighty hand.

They thus by common counsel left off all further fight.

Hacked full many a helmet and shields that late were bright

From hands down laid they weary; as many as there might be,

With stains they all were bloody 'neath hands of the men of Burgundy.

Each whom he would took captive, now they had won the fight.

Gernot, the noble hero, and Hagen, doughty knight,

Bade bear forth the wounded. Back led they with them then

Unto the land of Burgundy five hundred stalwart fighting-men.

The knights, of victory cheated, their native Denmark sought,

Nor had that day the Saxons with such high valor fought,

That one could praise them for it, which caused the warriors pain.

Then wept their friends full sorely at home for those in battle slain.

For the Rhine then laden they let their armor be.

Siegfried, the knight so doughty, had won the victory

With his few chosen followers; that he had nobly done,

Could not but free acknowledge King Gunther's warriors every one.

To Worms sent Gernot riding now a messenger,

And of the joyous tiding soon friends at home were ware,

How that it well had prospered with him and all his men.

Fought that day with valor for honor had those warriors keen.

The messenger sped forward and told the tidings o'er.

Then joyfully they shouted who boded ill before,

To hear the welcome story that now to them was told.

From ladies fair and noble came eager questions manifold,

Who all the fair fortune of King Gunther's men would know.

One messenger they ordered unto Kriemhild to go.

But that was done in secret: she durst let no one see,

For he was 'mongst those warriors whom she did love so faithfully.

When to her own apartments was come the messenger

Joyfully addressed him Kriemhild the maiden fair:

"But tell me now glad tidings, and gold I'll give to thee,

And if thou tell'st not falsely, good friend thou'lt ever find in me.

"How has my good brother Gernot in battle sped,

And how my other kinsmen? Lies any of them dead?

Who wrought most deeds of valor? —That shall thou let me know."

Then spake the messenger truly: "No knight but did high valor show.

"But in the dire turmoil rode rider none so well,

O Princess fair and noble, since I must truly tell,

As the stranger knight full noble who comes from Netherland;

There deeds of mickle wonder were wrought by doughty Siegfried's hand.

"Whate'er have all the warriors in battle dared to do,

Dankwart and Hagen and the other knights so true,

Howe'er they fought for honor, 'twas naught but idle play

Beside what there wrought Siegfried, King Siegmund's son, amid the fray.

"Beneath their hands in battle full many a hero fell,

Yet all the deeds of wonder no man could ever tell,

Wrought by the hand of Siegfried, when rode he 'gainst the foe:

And weep aloud must women for friends by his strong arm laid low.

"There, too, the knight she loved full many a maid must lose.

Were heard come down on helmet so loud his mighty blows,

That they from gaping gashes brought forth the flowing blood.

In all that maketh noble he is a valiant knight and good.

"Many a deed of daring of Metz Sir Ortwein wrought:

For all was evil faring whom he with broadsword caught,

Doomed to die that instant, or wounded sore to fall.

And there thy valiant brother did greater havoc work than all

"That e'er in storm of battle was done by warrior bold.

Of all those chosen warriors let eke the truth be told:

The proud Burgundian heroes have made it now right plain,

That they can free from insult their country's honor well maintain.

"Beneath their hands was often full many a saddle bare,

When o'er the field resounding their bright swords cut the air.

The warriors from Rhine river did here such victory win

That for their foes 'twere better if they such meeting ne'er had seen.

"Keen the knights of Tronje 'fore all their valor showed,

When with their stalwart followers against their foes they rode;

Slain by the hand of Hagen must knights so many be,

'Twill long be in the telling here in the land of Burgundy.

"Sindold and Hunold, Gernot's men each one,

And the valiant Rumold have all so nobly done,

King Luedeger will ever have right good cause to rue

That he against thy kindred at Rhine dared aught of harm to do.

"And deeds of all most wondrous e'er done by warrior keen

In earliest time or latest, by mortal ever seen,

Wrought there in lusty manner Siegfried with doughty hand.

Rich hostages he bringeth with him unto Gunther's land.

"By his own strength subdued them the hero unsurpassed

And brought down dire ruin upon King Luedegast,

Eke on the King of Saxons his brother Luedeger.