Читать книгу The Song of the Nibelungs (Medieval Literature Classic) - Anonymous - Страница 20

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Kriemhild's Dream

1

To us in olden story / are wonders many told

Of heroes rich in glory, / of trials manifold:

Of joy and festive greeting, / of weeping and of woe,

Of keenest warriors meeting, / shall ye now many a wonder know.

2

There once grew up in Burgundy / a maid of noble birth,

Nor might there be a fairer / than she in all the earth:

Kriemhild hight the maiden, / and grew a dame full fair,

Through whom high thanes a many / to lose their lives soon dooméd were.

3

'Twould well become the highest / to love the winsome maid,

Keen knights did long to win her, / and none but homage paid.

Beauty without measure, / that in sooth had she,

And virtues wherewith many / ladies else adorned might be.

4

Three noble lords did guard her, / great as well in might,

Gunther and Gernot, / each one a worthy knight,

And Giselher their brother, / a hero young and rare.

The lady was their sister / and lived beneath the princes' care.

5

These lords were free in giving, / and born of high degree;

Undaunted was the valor / of all the chosen three.

It was the land of Burgundy / o'er which they did command,

And mighty deeds of wonder / they wrought anon in Etzel's land.

6

At Worms amid their warriors / they dwelt, the Rhine beside,

And in their lands did serve them / knights of mickle pride,

Who till their days were ended / maintained them high in state.

They later sadly perished / beneath two noble women's hate.

7

A high and royal lady, / Ute their mother hight,

Their father's name was Dankrat, / a man of mickle might.

To them his wealth bequeathed he / when that his life was done,

For while he yet was youthful / had he in sooth great honor won.

8

In truth were these three rulers, / as I before did say,

Great and high in power, / and homage true had they

Eke of knights the boldest / and best that e'er were known,

Keen men all and valiant, / as they in battle oft had shown.

9

There was of Tronje Hagen, / and of that princely line

His brother valiant Dankwart; / and eke of Metz Ortwein;

Then further the two margraves, / Gere and Eckewart;

Of Alzei was Volker, / a doughty man of dauntless heart.

10

Rumold the High Steward, / a chosen man was he,

Sindold and Hunold / they tended carefully

Each his lofty office / in their three masters' state,

And many a knight beside them / that I the tale may ne'er relate.

11

Dankwart he was Marshal; / his nephew, then, Ortwein

Upon the monarch waited / when that he did dine;

Sindold was Cup-bearer, / a stately thane was he,

And Chamberlain was Hunold, / masters all in courtesy.

12

Of the kings' high honor / and their far-reaching might,

Of their full lofty majesty / and how each gallant knight

Found his chiefest pleasure / in the life of chivalry,

In sooth by mortal never / might it full related be.

13

Amid this life so noble / did dream the fair Kriemhild

How that she reared a falcon, / in beauty strong and wild,

That by two eagles perished; / the cruel sight to see

Did fill her heart with sorrow / as great as in this world might be.

14

The dream then to her mother / Queen Ute she told,

But she could not the vision / than thus more clear unfold:

"The falcon that thou rearedst, / doth mean a noble spouse:

God guard him well from evil / or thou thy hero soon must lose."

15

"Of spouse, O darling mother, / what dost thou tell to me?

Without a knight to woo me, / so will I ever be,

Unto my latest hour / I'll live a simple maid,

That I through lover's wooing / ne'er be brought to direst need."

16

"Forswear it not so rashly," / her mother then replied.

"On earth if thou wilt ever / cast all care aside,

'Tis love alone will do it; / thou shalt be man's delight,

If God but kindly grant thee / to wed a right good valiant knight."

17

"Now urge the case, dear mother," / quoth she, "not further here.

Fate of many another / dame hath shown full clear

How joy at last doth sorrow / lead oft-times in its train.

That I no ruth may borrow, / from both alike I'll far remain."

18

Long time, too, did Kriemhild / her heart from love hold free,

And many a day the maiden / lived right happily,

Ere good knight saw she any / whom she would wish to woo.

In honor yet she wedded / anon a worthy knight and true.

19

He was that same falcon / she saw the dream within

Unfolded by her mother. / Upon her nearest kin,

That they did slay him later, / how wreaked she vengeance wild!

Through death of this one hero / died many another mother's child.