The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) by Cyril Edwards Read Free Book Online Page B

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    ‘I have this on good authority. Yet if you wish to ride with warriors into that land, then such friends as we have will soon be sent for.’
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    ‘I do not intend’, Sivrit replied, ‘that warriors should accompany me to the Rhine on any campaign to win that fairest of maidens by force—that would be very much against my wishes. My own
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    hands alone will be well capable of winning her there. I will go with twelve others * into Gunther’s land. You must help me in this, father Sigmunt.’
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    Then they gave to his knights grey and coloured garments. * His mother Siglint then also came to hear of these tidings. She grew sad, fearing to lose her dear son at the hands of Gunther’s men. The noble queen wept full sorely.
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    Lord Sivrit walked over to her. He spoke kind words to his mother: ‘Lady, you must not weep for my sake. Indeed, I am free of all fear of any fighting man. Help me on my journey into Burgundy, so
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    that I and my warriors may have such garments as proud heroes may honourably wear. I shall be truly grateful to you for that, rest assured.’
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    ‘Since you will not change your mind,’ said Lady Siglint, ‘then I will help you on your journey, my only child, with the best garmentsa knight ever wore, for you and your companions. You shall have plenty of them to take with you.’
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    Young Sivrit then bowed to the queen. He said: ‘I will have no more than twelve warriors with me on the journey. Have garments prepared for them. I look forward to seeing how things stand with regard to Kriemhilt.’
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    Then fair ladies sat night and day, few of them taking any rest, until Sivrit’s garments had been wrought. He would on no account abandon his journey. His father ordered that the knightly garb with
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    which he wanted to depart from Sigmunt’s land be well adorned, and gleaming breastplates were also made ready for them, together with sturdy helmets and beautiful, broad shields.
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    Then the time for their journey to Burgundy drew near. Both men and women grew anxious about them, worrying whether they would ever return to their homeland. The heroes ordered that both their armour and garments should be loaded onto packhorses. Their
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    horses were handsome, their harness red with gold. If anyone alive had greater pride than Sivrit and his men, then there was no need for it. He then asked for leave to depart for Burgundy. It was with sad
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    feelings that the king and his wife gave their consent. He then consoled them both with affection. He said: ‘You must not weep for my sake. You must always be free of any anxiety for me.’
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    The warriors grieved; many a maiden also wept. I believe that their hearts had rightly told them that so many of their friends would lie dead in consequence. It was only right that they then lamented—they had good reason to do so.
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    On the seventh morning after that the valiant warriors rode to the shore by Worms. All their garments were of red gold, their harness well-favoured. Their chargers walked at an even pace, those of bold Sivrit’s men. Their shields were new, bright, and broad, and their
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    helmets most handsome, when valiant Sivrit rode to court there, into Gunther’s land. Never were heroes seen to wear such splendid garments. The points of their swords reached down to their spurs.
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    Those outstanding knights carried sharp javelins. The one that Sivrit bore was some two spans * broad, its blades cutting with a most fearsome edge. They held the gold-coloured bridles in their hands. Their
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    horses’ breast-straps were of silk. Thus they arrived in Burgundy. The people everywhere gaped at the sight. Then many of Gunther’s men ran towards them. Those proud warriors, knights and squires, went to
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    meet those lords, as was only right, and welcomed those strangers into their lords’ land, taking their horses from them and their shields from their hands. They wanted to lead the chargers away to the stables.
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    Valiant