Eleventh Adventure — How Siegfried Brought His Wife Home
When the guests were all gone, the son of Siegmund spake to his friends, “We will also go forth to our land.” And his wife was glad when she heard the news.
She said to her husband, “When shall we start? Yet be not in too great haste. My brothers shall first divide the land with me.” But the word irked Siegfried.
The princes went to him and said, all the three, “Sir Siegfried, we be thy true servants till death. Know this of a surety.” And he thanked the knights that they spake him so fair.
“We would also divide with thee,” said Giselher the youth, “land and castles, and the rich kingdom that we rule. A full share thereof shalt thou receive with Kriemhild.”
But the son of Siegmund made answer, when he had heard their honourable intent. “Blest be your heritage to you evermore, and also the people thereof. The share you would give to my dear wife she may well forego, for when she will wear the crown, she will be, if she live long enough, the richest woman on earth. Command me in aught else, and I will obey.”
But Kriemhild said, “Though thou scorn my land, not so lightly shalt thou treat Burgundian warriors. These any king might be proud to take with him, and them, at the least, shall my brothers’ hand share with me.”
Gunther answered, “Take whom thou wilt. Thou wilt find many ready to ride with thee. Of three thousand knights, choose thou one thousand for thy following.”
Then Kriemhild sent for Hagen of Trony and for Ortwin, and asked them if they and their kinsmen would ride with her. But Hagen fell in a fury and cried, “To no man in this world shall Gunther give us. Others can ride with thee. Thou knowest the men of Trony and their way. By the king at the court will we bide, to serve him and follow him as heretofore.”
So she let the matter rest, and made ready for the journey; for her followers she won two and thirty maidens and five hundred men, among the which was Eckewart the Margrave. And they took their leave, as was meet: knights and squires, damsels and dames. They parted thence with kisses, and set out from Gunther’s land joyfully.
Her kinsmen brought her far on her way, and had night quarters put up where they desired them, in the king’s land. And they despatched envoys to King Siegmund, to tell him and Queen Sieglind how that their son drew nigh with fair Kriemhild, Queen Uta’s child, from Worms on the Rhine.
They could not have brought them better news.
Siegmund said, “Praised be God that I have lived to see the day when Kriemhild shall wear the crown here. My heritage is increased in worth, and Siegfried himself shall be king.”
Queen Sieglind gave the envoys, for fee, red velvet and heavy silver and gold, for she was glad at the news.
Her women began to adorn them in haste, and when Sieglind knew who came with Siegfried, she let seats be builded, where he might be crowned in presence of his kinsmen.
King Siegmund’s knights rode out to meet them. Never heroes were better welcomed, I trow, than these, into Siegmund’s land. Sieglind rode forth, herself, to greet fair Kriemhild, with beautiful women and bold knights, a day’s journey or they spied the guests. And strangers and friends were pressed alike for room, till that they came to a great castle that hight Xanten, where Siegfried and his wife were crowned afterward.
Siegmund and Sieglind kissed Kriemhild, and Siegfried also, many times with smiling mouth for their sorrow was ended; and Kriemhild’s attendants got a gracious welcome.
They brought the guests into Siegmund’s palace, and lifted the fair damsels from the horses. There were knights enow eager to serve them.
Howso rich had been the hightide by the Rhine, here the knights received costlier apparel than ever before in their lives. Many marvels might be told of their splendour. So they sat in honour and had plenty. The courtiers wore robes of red gold embroidered with precious stones and silk, that Sieglind, the noble queen, gave them.
Then Siegmund spake in presence of his kinsmen, “Be it known to you all that Siegfried shall henceforth wear my crown.” They of the Netherland heard the news gladly. So he made over to Siegfried his crown and his rule and his land, that he became lord and king. And to him that he acquitted, and to him that he condemned, it was done according to his judgment. The husband of Kriemhild was a man greatly feared.
Thus, in high honour (and this is sooth that I say) he lived and reigned, a crowned king, till the tenth year, when a son was born, whereby the king’s liegemen saw their desire accomplished. They hasted and christened him, and called him Gunther, after his uncle; that was no shame, for, took he after his kinsmen, he must grow to be a bold man. They reared him well, as was meet.
And in these days Sieglind died, and many wept because death had taken her. Then Uta’s child held supreme rule, as befitted so rich a queen.
Now at the same time, they tell us, in Gunther’s land of Burgundy, the beautiful Brunhild had borne a son, that, for love of the hero, they named Siegfried. With all care they trained him. Gunther let him be reared by his liegemen at the court in all virtues that might serve him if he grew to be a man. Soon, alack, by an evil fate, he was to lose all his kin!
The fame of Siegfried’s court ceased not to be noised abroad, and with what worship his knights abode there; great was the fame also of Gunther’s chosen warriors in Burgundy.
The Nibelungs held their land in fee from Siegfried, and none of his kinsmen were so rich as he. For he was overlord to the knights of Shilbung, and owned the treasure of the two brothers. Wherefore his heart was the more uplifted.
The biggest hoard that ever hero won was his; that he had got by means of his strong hand before a mountain, and for the which he smote many heroes to death.
He had honour to the full; yet, if he had possessed nothing at all, none that saw him had denied him to be the prowest champion that ever rode a horse. With good cause the folk feared him.