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

shot the shaft. * Whenever, in their courtesy, those
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    most gallant knights were passing their time among the ladies, they were always delighted to see the hero of the Netherlands there. He had bent his mind on noble love.
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    He was always ready for any enterprise. He bore in his mind a lovely maiden, and, in return, one lady whom he had never yet seen bore him in mind, one who very often spoke kindly of him in private.
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    Whenever the young people, knights and squires, wanted to play their games in the courtyard, Kriemhilt, the noble queen, watched this very often through the windows. She had no need of any other pastime in those days.
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    If he knew that she whom he bore in his heart was watching him, it would have been ample pastime for him forever. If his eyes were to see her, I know full well that nothing in this world could have pleased him more. Whenever he stood among the heroes in the courtyard,
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    as people still do for pastime’s sake, Siglint’s son stood so winningly that in days to come many ladies loved him from their hearts.
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    Yet many times he thought: ‘How is it to come about that I may see the noble maiden with my own eyes? She whom I love from my heart, and have long done so, is still as yet very much a stranger to me—that causes me sadness.’
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    Whenever the powerful kings rode into their lands, * the warriors all had to ride with them, without delay. Sivrit had to go also, which grieved the lady. For his part, he often suffered much sorrow for love of her. Thus he lived among those lords in Gunther’s land for a full
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    year, if truth be told, without ever seeing the lovely princess in all that time—she through whom much joy was to befall him thereafter, but also much grief.
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FOURTH ADVENTURE
HOW SIVRIT FOUGHT AGAINST THE SAXONS
    Now strange tidings neared Gunther’s land, brought by messengers sent to them there from afar, by unknown warriors who bore the Burgundians enmity. There is no denying that they were troubled when they heard of this.
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    I will tell you the names of their foes: they were Liudeger, a powerful, proud prince from the land of the Saxons, and also King Liudegast of Denmark. They gathered together proud strangers in great numbers for their campaign. Their messengers had
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    arrived in Gunther’s land, sent there by his antagonists. Then those strangers were asked what tidings they had brought. The messengers were soon told to go before the king at court.
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    He greeted them with great courtesy, saying: ‘Welcome. I have not heard who has sent you here—let that be told,’ said the noble king. Then they were greatly afraid of grim Gunther’s mood.
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    ‘If you will allow us, King, to tell you the tidings we bring you here, then we shall not remain silent. We will name to you the lords who have sent us here: Liudegast and Liudeger want to invade your land. You have merited their wrath. Indeed, we have clearly heard
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    that both those lords bear great enmity towards you. They want to bring their armies on an expedition to Worms on the Rhine. Many knights will come to their aid—take my word for it. The campaign
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    is bound to take place within twelve weeks. If you have any good allies who can help you defend your castles and your land, let that soon be shown. Helmets and shield-rims * in great numbers will be hewn to pieces here by my lords. Or, if you wish to come to an
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    agreement with them, then send a message to them, and then those numerous bands of your mighty enemies, intent on causing you heartfelt suffering, will not ride so near you and cause many worthy knights to perish.’
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    ‘Now wait a while,’ said the worthy king, ‘until I have thought further on this. I’ll tell you my intentions then. If I have any loyal followers, I must not keep this from them. I must make complaint to my allies about these grave tidings.’
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    Gunther, that most powerful king, was more than a little distressed. He kept