With not a boatman ready to put our people o'er, 'Twere hard to cross the river; this I must needs deplore."

LXV

Loud then shouted Hagan, "Lay down upon the gra.s.s Our riding-gear, ye yeomen! I recollect I was On Rhine the best of ferrymen that e'er took oar in hand.

Trust me, I'll put you over safe into Gelfrat's land."

XLVI

To make their pa.s.sage quicker, the horses in a throng They drove into the river; these swam so well and strong, That by the forceful current the warriors lost not one; A few down lower landed with weary toil foredone.

LXVII

Long and broad and ma.s.sy was that huge ferry-boat.

Five hundred men and better it all at once could float With their food and weapons from sounding sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e.

That day many a good warrior perforce strain'd at the oar.

LXVIII

Aboard then plac'd the heroes their gold and eke their weed.

The goal of dark destruction they sought with fatal speed.

Hagan was master-boatman; his luckless skill alone Full many a gallant champion brought to that land unknown.

LXIX

n.o.ble knights a thousand first he ferried o'er, Thereto his own stout followers; behind still tarried more.

Nine thousand l.u.s.ty varlets he after brought away.

The hand of him of Trony had little rest that day.

LXX

As the good knight thus deftly was putting o'er his freight, He thought on the strange warning he had receiv'd so late From those wise river-ladies with their prophetic breath; It brought King Gunther's chaplain within a hair of death.

LXXI

By his holy things close seated he found the priest at rest, With one hand gently leaning above a relique-chest; But in the grasp of Hagan that help'd him not the least.

Sore wrong perforce he suffer'd, that heaven-forsaken priest.

LXXII

He caught and cast him over sooner than can be told.

Many a voice loud shouted, "Hold, hold, Sir Hagan, hold!"

Wroth at the deed was Giselher, Dame Uta's youngest son, But hold would not Sir Hagan till the mischief he had done.

LXXIII

Then the bold Burgundian the good Sir Gernot spake, "What can it boot you, Hagan, the chaplain's life to take?

Had any other done it, he should have rued it straight.

What can thus have mov'd you the holy man to hate?"

LXXIV

Stoutly swam the chaplain; to 'scape ne'er doubted he, Would any but a.s.sist him, but that was not to be; Stern Hagan, fierce and furious, as close he swam along, Dash'd him to the bottom, wrong heaping still on wrong.

LXXV

None there but thought it outrage, yet none came to his aid, Which when he saw, back turning for th' other bank he made; Though fail'd his strength o'erwearied, yet G.o.d's almighty hand Back bore him through the billows, and brought him safe to land.

LXXVI

There stood the poor clerk shivering, and shook his dripping weed.

By this well knew Sir Hagan that their dark doom decreed, As those wild mermaids warn'd him, 'twas all in vain to shun.

Thought he, "These hopeful champions must perish every one."

LXXVII

Soon as the bark was emptied, and all the goods it bore By the three brethren's va.s.sals were safely brought to sh.o.r.e, Stern Hagan broke it piecemeal and down the current cast; The good knights star'd upon him, with wonder all aghast.

LXXVIII

"What are you doing, brother?" Dankwart sudden cried, "How shall we cross the river, when back we have to ride To the Rhine from Hungary our homes again to see?"

Thereafter Hagan told him, that that was ne'er to be.

LXXIX

Then said the Knight of Trony, "I do it to this end, That, should a coward among us upon this journey wend, Who would perchance desert us through heart-appalling fear, A shameful death may meet him in the wild waters here."

Lx.x.x

Then when the priest saw Hagan the bark in pieces break, Far o'er the boiling billows to the stern knight he spake.

"What did I to you ever, base murderer," he began, "That you this day attempted to drown a guiltless man?"

Lx.x.xI