Their true and loyal service all vow'd to her alone; Silver, and gold, and raiment, and many a precious stone, She freely shar'd among them; on that auspicious day, All she had brought from Rhineland was giv'n at once away.

L

To her, as to their mistress, whoe'er the king obey'd, His kinsmen and his va.s.sals, true liegemen's service paid, That never Lady Helca ruled with such mighty sway.

Such service held Queen Kriemhild e'en to her dying day.

LI

So court and country flourish'd with such high honors crown'd, And all at every season fresh joy and pastime found.

Every heart was merry, smiles on each face were seen; So kind the king was ever, so liberal the queen.

TWENTY-THIRD ADVENTURE

HOW KRIEMHILD THOUGHT OF REVENGING HER INJURIES

I

King Etzel and Queen Kriemhild in proudest honor dwelt For seven whole years together, nor woe nor sorrow felt; Meanwhile to her fond husband the queen produced a boy; Never before did Etzel exult so high with joy.

II

She never ceas'd entreating till her good lord she won To have the right of baptism giv'n to her infant son After the Christian custom; Ortlieb call'd was he; Thereat all Etzel's kingdoms were fill'd with mirth and glee.

III

Whatever queenly virtues had fame to Helca brought, Dame Kriemhild daily practis'd, and love, like Helca, sought.

From the foreign maiden Herrat, who still in secret yearn'd For Helca's loss, the customs of all the land she learn'd.

IV

Her praise both friends and strangers alike were glad to tell; 'Twas own'd that never kingdom so graciously and well By queen had e'er been governed; so much to all was clear.

This fame she bore in Hungary e'en to the thirteenth year.

V

When now she knew for certain that none would thwart her will (So deal with wives of princes their husbands' va.s.sals still), And saw twelve kings for ever standing her before, Her home-bred wrongs and sorrows again she brooded o'er.

VI

She thought how all the honors of the Nibelungers' land, That once were her possession, fierce Hagan's rugged hand, After the death of Siegfried, had torn from her away, And how the proud wrong-doer with wrong she might repay.

VII

"'Twere done, if I could only lure him to this land!"

Still would she dream, that often she wander'd hand in hand With Giselher her brother, and often on the mouth Kiss'd him in her slumber; too soon came bale on both.

VIII

Sure the foul fiend possess'd her, and lurking in her heart Prompted her from King Gunther so lovingly to part, Kissing, but not forgiving, close harboring still the feud.

Hot tears of wrath and malice once more her vesture dew'd.

IX

At her heart for ever early and late it lay, How, guiltless, from her country she had been driven away, And forc'd to take for husband a man of heathen creed.

Gunther and b.l.o.o.d.y Hagan had brought her to such need.

X

One long and dreary yearning she foster'd hour by hour; She thought, "I am so wealthy and hold such boundless power, That I with ease a mischief can bring on all my foes, But most on him of Trony, the deadliest far of those.

XI

"Full oft for its beloved my heart is mourning still; Them could I but meet with, who wrought me so much ill, Revenge should strike at murder, and life atone for life; Wait can I no longer." So murmur'd Etzel's wife.

XII

All the great king's va.s.sals much love unto her bore, And to do her service were ready evermore.

Her chamberlain was Eckewart, who thus made hosts of friends; So none could thwart her pleasure, whate'er might be her ends.

XIII

Ever was she thinking, "I'll ask the king a boon, Which he, I know, will grant me readily and soon, To bid my friends and kinsmen hither to Hunnish ground,"

None guess'd her secret malice, or harm in Kriemhild found.

XIV

So on a night reposing, as by the king she lay (He in his arms embrac'd her, and bless'd the happy day, That gave him such a consort, dear to him as his life; She on her foes was thinking and th' old intestine strife),