Twenty-Ninth Adventure: How Hagan Refused to Rise to Kriemhild

Then parted the bold couple, both hardy knights and stern,
Hagan the chief of Trony, and Dietrich lord of Bern.
Then, looking o'er his shoulder, King Gunther's liegeman eyed
The crowd to find a comrade, whom in a trice he spied.

Folker, the skilful minstrel, he saw by Giselher stand,
And pray'd him to come with him apart from all the band,
For well he knew his fierceness and danger-daring mood.
He was a knight in all things of dauntless hardihood.

They left the lords assembled where in the court they stood;
Alone retir'd this couple of hardy knights and good,
And cross'd the court far distant, and reach'd a palace fair.
Of hostile spite or outrage naught reck'd the peerless pair.

Before the house down sat they upon a bench hard by,
Facing a hall of Kriemhild's; a fairer ne'er met eye.
Bright from their stately persons their glittering armor shone.
Each knight would fain have known them of all who there look'd on.

As on wild beasts, grim rangers of wood or dreary wold,
The whispering Huns at distance gaz'd on the champions bold.
Queen Kriemhild from a window espied them thus apart,
And a frown o'ercast her beauty, and passion shook her heart.

She thought on all her sorrows, and straight began to weep.
There many a man of Etzel's stood lost in wonder deep.
All ask'd, what so disturb'd her, and chang'd her cheer anew.
"Hagan," she answer'd, "Hagan, ye warriors bold and true!"

Thus they bespake their lady, "How can this have been?
But now we saw you merry and blithe of mood, fair queen.
How bold soe'er the warrior who has wrong'd King Etzel's wife,
Give but the word of vengeance and cost shall it his life."

"Thanks, warriors, thanks for ever! on him who wreaks my woe,
All that he can ask for straight will I bestow.
At your feet I throw me," sobbing thus she spake,
"Revenge me on this Hagan, and slay him for my sake."

Straight ready made for mischief sixty men of might;
Instant would they have hasten'd in fair Kriemhild's right
To take the life of Hagan, that redoubted one,
And of the fearless gleeman; with forethought all was done.

But when the queen survey'd them, and found the band so few,
Thus she, amidst her fury, bespake her friends anew.
"Be still awhile, ye warriors! your martial mood restrain;
Ne'er can a troop so scanty stern Hagan's might sustain.

"Strong is the Knight of Trony, and oft in battle tried,
But stronger yet the warrior who sits him there beside,
Folker, the valiant gleeman; he is a dangerous man.
Attack them not so rashly; first muster all you can."

They hearken'd to her warning; then many more came on,
Till round her knights four hundred in burnish'd armor shone.
The furious queen was longing her rage on both to sate;
Thence came the chiefs soon after to stand in deadly strait.

When so she saw her meiny each in his harness stand,
Thus she sternly smiling bespake th' impatient band.
"Wait yet, my friends, a moment, ere with yon pair you close;
My crown upon my temples will I confront my foes.

"First hear, and from the doer, whose hand my heart has torn,
The wrongs, that I from Hagan, my brother's man, have borne,
I know him for so haughty, that out he'll speak them all;
And I too care as little what thence on him may fall."

When that redoubted minstrel, who kept good watch, I ween,
Descending swift a staircase beheld the noble queen,
And thence beyond the threshold--when he this espied
In a trice bespake he his comrade by his side.

"Look there! look there! friend Hagan! how hither there she hies,
Who to this land has drawn us with friendly seeming lies!
Queen yet saw I never begirt with such a band,
Each marching as to battle with naked sword in hand.

"Know you that here, friend Hagan, you're hated bitterly?
So keep you all the better from force or treachery;
Look to your life and honor; this is what I advise;
They're coming on in anger if rightly I surmise.

"And many there are among them so broad across the chest--
If we are to defend us, 'tis time to do our best.
Each about his body a shining mailcoat wears,
But whom therewith they threaten, not a tongue declares."

Thereto in wrath Sir Hagan gave answer stern and proud,
"Well know I wherefore musters yon armor-bearing crowd;
'Gainst me they gird the hauberk and wave the sword on high,
Yet back again to Rhineland in spite of them will I.

"Tell me now, friend Folker, will you stand me by,
If these men of Kriemhild's would my mettle try?
Show me, if you love me, faithful friend and true!
And when you need my service I'll do as much for you."

"To death will I stand by you," the minstrel answer made,
"Though came the king against us with all his knights to aid.
As long as life is in me, to fight I will not slack,
Nor from your side for terror one foot will I give back."

"Now God in heaven requite you, good friend in danger tried!
Let them come on, and welcome; what can I need beside!
If Folker is my second, as I rejoice to hear.
Yon knights, methinks, will ponder before they venture near."

"To rise would now become us," the gleeman straight replied,
"She is a king's companion, and nobly born beside.
As a queen and a lady, such honor is her due.
By fitly doing honor we both shall gain it too."

"Nay, as you love me, Folker," said Hagan, "do not so.
Were we to rise an instant in face of yonder foe,
They'd fancy we were flinching, and that through fear 'twere done.
Here will I sit before them, and rise will I for none.

"Sure it becomes us better here as we are to wait.
How can I ever honor who bears me deadly hate?
That will I do never as long as I have life.
I care not, I, a tittle for the wrath of Etzel's wife."

Across his legs his broadsword o'erweening Hagan laid,
A keen well-temper'd weapon; on the pummel fair display'd
A beaming precious jasper, greener than grass, it bore.
At a glance did Kriemhild know it for that which Siegfried wore.

At the sight she started; nigh her senses fled;
Golden was the handle, the scabbard trimm'd with red;
It brought back all her sorrow; her tears began to flow.
For that, I ween, had Hagan laid out the weapon so.

On the bench beside him Folker the swift and strong
A fiddlestick grasp'd closer, massy and broad and long,
As sharp as any razor, much like a battle-blade.
There sat the lofty couple unmov'd and undismay'd.

So proud they felt together that pair of champions bold,
That rise would they never for one of mortal mould.
Straight up to them went Kriemhild, scarce deigning to bestow
The stern contemptuous greeting that foe accords to foe.

Said she, "Now say, Sir Hagan, who has sent for you,
That you have dar'd hither to come with yonder crew?
And yet you must remember all you have done to me.
Had you been in your senses, you'd sure have let it be."

"'Tis true," straight answer'd Hagan, "no one sent for me.
To this land were invited royal brethren three;
My lords are those three brethren, and their man am I,
And courts they seldom visit but Hagan must be by."

Said she, "Now tell me further, why did you that ill deed,
That my undying hatred has won you, fitting meed?
'Twas you that did Sir Siegfried, my noble husband, slay,
For whom must I for ever weep to my dying day."

Said he, "Why question further? That were a waste of breath.
In a word, I am e'en Hagan, who Siegfried did to death.
How dearly paid the warrior, the best good knights among,
For all fair Brunhild suffer'd from Lady Kriemhild's tongue!

"What I have done, proud princess, I never will deny.
The cause of all the mischief, the wrong, the loss, am I.
So now, or man, or woman, revenge it who so will;
I scorn to speak a falsehood, I've done you grievous ill."

Said she, "You hear it, warriors, how he confesses all,
All the wrong he did me; what thence may him befall,
To me it nothing matters, ye knights, King Etzel's best!"
The haughty Huns stood doubting, and each look'd on the rest.

Whate'er had then befallen, had once the strife begun,
Sure had those two companions the palm of knighthood won;
Well had they prov'd their valor in many a field before.
The Huns their high adventure perforce through fear gave o'er.

Thus spake one of the warriors, "Why look ye so on me?
From this foolish promise at once I'll set me free.
No gifts shall ever move me to lose my precious life.
The queen misleads us merely; trust not King Etzel's wife."

"Ay, friend!" rejoin'd another, "I'm in the self-same case;
Yonder large-lim'b minstrel never would I face,
No, not if one would give me whole towers of good red gold.
Mark his sharp, quick glances; he's wary as he's bold.

"Well know I, too, Sir Hagan, e'en from his youthful days,
And so can well give credence when others speak his praise.
In two and twenty battles I've seen him sway the strife;
That arm of his, believe me, has widow'd many a wife.

"He and the valiant Spaniard many an adventure sought
While here they dwelt with Etzel, and many a battle fought
To the king's boot and glory; full oft they prov'd their might;
All tongues must so much honor yield Hagan as his right.

"Yet then the hardy warrior in years was but a child;
Now are they grave and grizzled who then were raw and wild.
Now is he proved in counsel, a champion stern and strong,
And eke wears trusty Balmung, which erst he gain'd by wrong."

Thus 'twas at once decided, and struck was not a blow.
Sore irk'd it angry Kriemhild; her heart was wrung with woe.
Thence back the knights departed, each fearing to be sped
By that redoubted couple; good cause had they for dread.

Then spoke the valiant gleeman, "We now have seen too clear,
As we were told by Dietrich, that foes beset us here.
Best to court hence hurry, and with the kings unite;
Then none against our masters will dare provoke the fight."

How oft does the faint waverer let slip the lucky hour,
While friend by friend firm standing confronts the deadliest store.
Be they but bold and ready! no charm 'gainst sword and dart
Like that which smith ne'er temper'd, wise head and fearless heart.

"Lead on then," answer'd Hagan, "I'll follow close behind."
They went, where yet the warriors they were in time to find
In the court still waiting, girt by a glittering crowd.
Thereat the dauntless Folker cried to his lords aloud,

"Noble Burgundian princes! how long here will you stay
In all this crowd and pressure? better to court away,
And learn the mind of Etzel from his own proper tongue."
Then each chose his companion the well-prov'd knights among.

The Prince of Bern, Sir Dietrich, took friendly by the hand
Gunther the puissant ruler of Burgundy's fair land,
Irnfried went pair'd with Gernot the knight devoid of fear,
And to court strode Rudeger with youthful Giselher.

Howe'er the rest were coupled, as mov'd to court the train,
Folker and Hagan they parted ne'er again,
Save in one mortal struggle, e'en to their dying hour.
That strife high dames lamented each in her widow'd bower.

So on to court mov'd slowly the kings in royal state,
Their train a thousand nobles proud on such lords to wait; With them were
sixty champions, the flower of all contest,
Whom in his land Sir Hagan had chosen for the best.

Hawart and Iring, of knighthood each the pride,
With the royal brethren mov'd softly side by side;
Dankwart and Wolfhart, a valiant hardy knight,
Display'd their courteous bearing in each beholder's sight.

Soon as the Lord of Rhineland had come within the door,
The mighty monarch Etzel could keep his seat no more.
At the first glimpse of Gunther up you might see him spring,
And welcome him as warmly as king did ever king.

"Sir Gunther, welcome hither! welcome Sir Gernot too,
And your fair brother Giselher; my faithful service true
I sent you, as befitted, to Worms beyond the Rhine.
Your friends, too, all are welcome alike to me and mine.

"And you, bold pair, trice welcome, whom I together view,
Danger-defying Folker, and peerless Hagan too,
To me and to my lady; she'll see you nothing loath.
She many a friendly message to Rhine has sent for both."

Then said the Knight of Trony, "Such oft have reach'd my ear
And, had I not come hither to serve my lieges dear,
I fain, to do you honor, had ridd'n into this land."
His guests then noble Etzel took friendly by the hand.

Straight to the seat he led them where he had just been sitting;
Then to the guests were handed with grave and zeal befitting
Mead, morat, wine, successive, in golden goblets bright,
And each the noble strangers welcom'd as best he might.

Then thus resum'd King Etzel, "I will confess to all,
That in this world could nothing so to my wish befall
As your arrival hither; besides, this happy day
Has to my queen giv'n comfort, and charm'd her griefs away.

"Before, I own, I wonder'd what wrong I could have wrought,
That, while in crowds my table guests of high lineage sought,
You ne'er had ridden hither, as though from some annoy,
But now that here I see you my wonder's lost in joy."

The lofty-minded Rudeger thereto this answer gave,
"Well may you joy to see them; they're good and true as brave.
The kinsmen of my lady all honor's lore are taught;
They many a stately warrior have to your dwelling brought."

'Twas an eve of fair midsummer when the lords of Rhineland came
To the court of mighty Etzel, and seldom chiefs of fame
Met so warm a welcome as was on these bestow'd.
'Twas now the hour of revel: the king with them to table strode.

Host with guest together ne'er merrier took his seat.
They gave them in abundance alike of drink and meat.
Whate'er they wish'd or fancied was brought in plenteous store.
Great wonders of the warriors had oft been told before.

Etzel, the mighty monarch, had on th' Hungarian soil
Uprais'd a spacious fabric with mickle cost and toil,
Palaces and turrets within a fortress wide,
And chambers without number, and a splendid hall beside.

Long, high and wide had Etzel uprear'd this gorgeous frame,
For that to him such numbers of trooping champions came;
Beside his other courtiers, twelve kings that sceptres bore;
And crowds of worthy warriors had he at all times more

Than king had e'er assembled, as I for truth have found.
He lived in mirth and honor with his kin and men around.
The shouting and the pressing of knights from far and wide
Had the good prince ever about him; he thus the world defied.