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Translated by H. Weber
IN ancient song and story marvels high are told | |
| Of knights of high emprise and adventures manifold; | |
| Of joy and merry feasting, of lamenting, woe, and fear, | |
| Of champions’ bloody battles, many marvels shall ye hear. | |
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| A noble maid, and fair, grew up in Burgundy; | 5 |
| In all the land about fairer none might be: | |
| She became a queen full high; Chrimhild was she hight; | |
| But for her matchless beauty fell many a blade of might. | |
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| For love and for delight was framed that lady gay; | |
| Many a champion bold sighed for the gentle may: | 10 |
| Full beauteous was her form, beauteous without compare; | |
| The virgin’s virtues might adorn many a lady fair. | |
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| Three kings of might and power had the maiden in their care,— | |
| King Günther and King Ghernot (champions bold they were), | |
| And Ghisler the young, a chosen, peerless blade: | 15 |
| The lady was their sister, and much they loved the maid. | |
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| These lords were mild and gentle, born of the noblest blood; | |
| Unmatched for power and strength were the heroes good: | |
| Their realm was Burgundy, a realm of mickle might; | |
| Since then, in the land of Etzel, dauntless did they fight. | 20 |
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| At Worms, upon the Rhine, dwelt they with their meiny bold; | |
| Many champions served them, of countries manifold, | |
| With praise and honor nobly, even to their latest day, | |
| When, by the hate of two noble dames, dead on the ground they lay. | |
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| Bold were the kings, and noble, as I before have said; | 25 |
| Of virtues high and matchless, and served by many a blade; | |
| By the best of all the champions whose deeds were ever sung: | |
| Of trust and truth withouten fail; hardy, bold, and strong. | |
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| There was Hagen of Tronek, and Dankwart, Hagen’s brother | |
| (For swiftness was he famed), with heroes many other; | 30 |
| Ortwin of Metz, with Eckewart and Ghere, two margraves they; | |
| And Folker of Alsace; no braver was in his day. | |
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| Rumolt was caterer to the king; a chosen knight was he; | |
| Sir Sindold and Sir Hunold bore them full manfully; | |
| In court and in the presence they served the princes three, | 35 |
| With many other knights; bolder none might be. | |
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| Dankwart was the marshal; his nephew Ortewin | |
| Was sewer to the king; much honor did he win: | |
| Sindold held the cup the royal prince before: | |
| Chamberlain was Hunold: braver knights ne’er hauberk bore. | 40 |
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| Of the court’s gay splendor, of all the champions free, | |
| Of their high and knightly worth, and of the chivalry, | |
| Which still they held in honor to their latest day, | |
| No minstrel, in his song, could rightly sing or say. | |
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| One night the Queen Chrimhild dreamed her, as she lay, | 45 |
| How she had trained and nourished a falcon wild and gay, | |
| When suddenly two eagles fierce the gentle hawk have slain: | |
| Never, in this world, felt she such bitter pain. | |
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| To her mother, Dame Ute, she told her dream with fear: | |
| Full mournfully she answered to what the maid did speer: | 50 |
| “The falcon whom you nourished, a noble knight is he; | |
| God take him to his ward! thou must lose him suddenly.” | |
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| “What speak you of the knight? dearest mother, say: | |
| Without the love of champion, to my dying day | |
| Ever thus fair will I remain, nor take a wedded fere, | 55 |
| To gain such pain and sorrow, though the knight were without peer.” | |
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| “Speak thou not too rashly,” her mother spake again; | |
| “If ever in this world thou heartfelt joy wilt gain; | |
| Maiden must thou be no more; leman must thou have: | |
| God will grant thee for thy mate some gentle knight, and brave.” | 60 |
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| “O, leave thy words, lady mother, nor speak of wedded mate! | |
| Full many a gentle maiden has found the truth too late; | |
| Still has their fondest love ended with woe and pain: | |
| Virgin will I ever be, nor the love of leman gain.” | |
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| In virtues high and noble that gentle maiden dwelt | 65 |
| Full many a night and day, nor love for leman felt; | |
| To never a knight or champion would she plight her truth, | |
| Till she was gained for wedded fere by a right noble youth. | |
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| That youth he was the falcon she in her dream beheld, | |
| Who by the two fierce eagles dead to the ground was felled: | 70 |
| But since right dreadful vengeance she took upon his foen; | |
| For the death of that bold hero died full many a mother’s son. | |
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