Chapter V Siegfried Goes to Burgundy
Now for a whole year Siegfried abode at home with his parents, but such were the tales that reached him of the wondrous beauty and grace of Kriemhild that he determined to go to Burgundy and woo her for his wife. His father warned him that the Burgundians were insolent and haughty, and bade him be on his guard against King Günther and his brethren, and most of all to beware of the fierce Hagen of Tronege (Treves), a near kinsman of the King. Whereupon Siegfried boldly declared he feared no man, neither the princes nor their kinsman, and would gladly meet them in combat, one or all. When Siegmund saw that his son’s resolve was not to be shaken, he wished to send a thousand knights to accompany him, but this Siegfried refused, nor would he have more than twelve stout warriors, and those of his own choice.
Now when ’twas told to Sieglind,
The Queen so fair and mild,
She sore distressed and troubled was
For her beloved child;
For well she knew King Günther’s court,
Likewise his stalwart men;
Wherefore she sought by tears to end
His wooing there and then.
But Siegfried’s words at length prevailed over his mother’s fears, and she too gave her consent, yet with a heavy heart. Soon all was ready, and Siegfried, with his trusty followers, well armed and equipped, bade a loving farewell to all and set forth upon his journey, followed by many tears and prayers.
The trappings of their prancing steeds
With ruddy gold did shine,
As Siegfried and his gallant knights
Behind them left the Rhine.
So gloriously attired and horsed
Was never martial band,
As they their stately progress made
Into King Günther’s land.
On the seventh day they came to Worms, where never before had such mighty heroes been seen. The people in the streets stood and stared to see them pass, and many ran after them; but Siegfried far surpassed them all in beauty and stature no less than in the splendor of his equipment. Before the King’s castle they halted, whereupon serving-men hastened to assist the strangers to dismount, and provide for their steeds. But Siegfried said:
Let bide the steeds belonging to
Myself and my brave men!
It may be we depart anon
From Burgundy again.
To him who knows and will reply,
In truth will I be bound,
If he will say where now perchance
King Günther may be found.
To this they replied that the King was in the great hall of the castle, and pointed thither. Meanwhile Günther had perceived the well-armed stranger knights from the window, and, greatly wondering thereat, questioned his brothers concerning them; but none could say who they might be. Then out-spoke one of his men:
“My Lord, were it not well to summon Hagen? He hath seen many lands, and perchance will have knowledge of these strangers.”
When Hagen came he said: “Never before, forsooth, have I laid eyes on yon bold heroes; yet much have I heard of Siegfried, and it may well be he that towers above the rest.”
And Günther replied:
“Meseemeth thou art right.
Yon dauntless chief of princely air
Is he, that valiant knight!
That he is bold and high of mind
I long have understood,
Let us go forth to greet our guest—
Now is his coming good!”
Though there was none in all Günther’s court so haughty as Hagen, yet he did not gainsay this. And the King went out to welcome Siegfried, whereupon that hero challenged him forthwith to mortal combat, whosoever should be the victor to fall heir to the crown and lands of the vanquished. But Hagen feared for the issue of this; wherefore he spoke soft words to Siegfried, greeting him as friend, not foe, and conducted him to the castle hall, where he drank of the King’s wine and was made welcome.
Thus did Siegfried become an honored guest at Günther’s court, and long he bided there, beguiling the time with tilting, casting the javelin, stone-throwing, and all manner of knightly sports; nor was there any that could surpass him in feats of skill and daring. But he saw naught of Kriemhild the fair, though her glances many a time fell upon him:
Full oft upon the tourney field,
Where met in knightly sport
The valorous knights or gallant squires
Of the Burgundian court,
Did Kriemhild from her window gaze,
To see how Siegfried bore
The honors from them all—for this
And naught else cared she more.
To know that on him thus she gazed,
Had rapture been, I ween;
And might his eyes but once behold
The face of her, his Queen,
Then could the earth no greater joy
Or happiness impart
To him who long had held so dear,
Her image in his heart.
Thus Siegfried dwelt in Günther’s court
Till full a year had flown,
Nor had these lords of Burgundy
E’er braver champion known;
And yet no sight was him vouchsafed
Of her he loved so well—
That love, wherefrom in after days
Such bliss and woe befell.