The Lay of the Nibelung Men. Anonymous

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      As before that queenly lady with honour we may wear.”

      Then out spake Hagen of Troneg, that lord of stately port:

      “What boots it to trouble thy mother for service in such a sort?

      Breathe but a word to thy sister of thy thought and thy desire,

      And cunning fingers shall frame you exceeding rich attire.”

      Then the King sent word to his sister that fain would he confer

      With her, even he and Siegfried. But, or ever they came unto her,

      That lovely one had adorned her in such royal-rich array

      That with right scant heart-misgivings their coming did she stay.

      Stood the ladies that waited upon her clad richly in their degree:

      Then came to her bower the Princes: at their entering-in rose she

      To meet them, from her high seat: ah, with what queenly grace

      She greeted the noble stranger and her brother with radiant face!

      “Blithe welcome unto my brother, and welcome to his friend!

      I am fain,” spake on that sweet one, “I am fain to know the end

      Of your coming to this bower royal, what thing your hearts would crave.

      I beseech you, let me hearken what the noble knights would have.”

      Then spake King Gunther: “Lady, this will I tell:—we bear,

      For all our knightly courage, the burden of a care.

      We be minded to ride a-wooing to a strange land far away,

      And fain would we have for our journey exceeding goodly array.”

      “Now seat thee, belovèd brother,” that child of kings ’gan say,

      “And of this thing first instruct me, what fairest of fair ones be they

      Whom ye are so fain to be wooing in a strange king’s far-off land.”

      And therewith those chosen chieftains did the maiden take by the hand,

      And with these twain onward paced she, and seated them royally

      On splendour-gleaming couches—nought passing the truth tell I—

      With imagery fair-fashioned with the red gold threads entwined:

      Of a truth, in that bower of ladies fair pleasure might they find!

      Flashes of swift love-lightning and of yearning of the heart,

      From the eyes of each unto other, well might they ofttimes dart!

      For shrined in his soul he bare her; she was more unto him than life,

      And ere long by noble service he won her to be his wife.

      Then spake that goodly war-king: “Belovèd sister mine,

      Our desire may be nowise accomplished saving with help of thine.

      We would fare forth pleasure-questing to the Lady Brunhild’s land,

      And knights need fair arrayal that in presence of ladies stand.”

      Then spake that Daughter of Princes: “Belovèd brother mine,

      If aught mine help may avail you to compass your design,

      Hereof have utter assurance, I am ready to bear my part.

      Yea, if another denied thee, it were pain unto Kriemhild’s heart.

      O noble knight, it needs not that ye ask as in fear and doubt:

      What best ye bring soever in lordly wise tell out.

      Whatsoever may do you a pleasure, ready awaiteth mine aid,

      And with all mine heart I do it.” So spake that winsome maid.

      “Our will is, sister belovèd, to array us in vesture fair,

      And we pray that thine own white fingers may this our apparel prepare.

      And let these thy maidens be heedful that each man be arrayed like a king;

      For no gainsaying shall turn us from this our journeying.”

      Answered and spake that Fair One: “To this my request give heed:

      Silks have we beside us in plenty; command that one bring for our need

      The gemstones that gleam on your bucklers; these on the silk will we lay.”

      Thereunto Gunther and Siegfried glad-hearted answered yea.

      “Now who be the journeying-fellows,” the Princess asked again,

      “Who shall wend so goodly-apparelled unto where this queen doth reign?”

      “Myself am the fourth: first Siegfried; two of my liegemen withal,

      Dankwart and Hagen, shall journey with us to her palace-hall.

      Heed well, O sister belovèd, what now unto thee we say:—

      See to it, that we four comrades three several times a day

      May through four days change our raiment, and still go gorgeously,

      So that none, when we pass from her country, may scoff at our bravery.”

      With outpouring of thanks, from her chamber then passed they in knightly wise.

      Then to seek help of her women did Kriemhild the princess arise,

      And of all her bower-maidens thirty summoned she

      Which above all others were cunning in needle-mastery.

      On white Arabian samite—as the snow was its pearly sheen—

      And on far-fetched velvet of Orient, as the springtide clover green,

      Laid they the flashing gemstones—O rich was the vesture and rare,

      For by hands of Kriemhild the lovely were the garments shapen fair.

      Sea-otter furs and sealskins for lining thereof chose they,

      A marvel to all beholders—was never such rich array!—

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