Dankwart

“ Eke they within had gladly / gained the outer air;
Nor up nor down did Dankwart / suffer one to pass the stair.
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There before the portal / surged a mighty throng,
And with a mickle clangor / on helm the broadsword rung.
Thus on the valiant Dankwart / his foes did sorely press,
And soon his trusty brother / was anxious grown o'er his distress. ”

“ The men who stood around chief Hagen, and who saw the hero coming thus god-like through the greenwood, admired and trembled; and Dankwart whispered a word of caution to his dark-browed brother. But the old chief’s face grew gloomier than before; and he scowled fiercely upon the faint-hearted Dankwart, as he hoarsely whispered in return,—
“What though he be Odin himself, still will I dare! It is not I: it is the Norns, who shape every man’s fate.”
When Siegfried reached the camp with his prize, the huntsmen shouted with delight ”

“ Not long could he withstand such furious onslaught, and soon thereby did the brave minstrel meet his end. At the same moment also was Dankwart slain by Helferich. When Hagen saw both Volker and his brother dead, he swore most fearfully to avenge their fall, and therewith he rushed into the thickest of the fray, slaying right and left, and smiting so fiercely that all his former efforts seemed but as play. ”

“ Dankwart, Hagen's brother, and Ortwin, too, well could they serve with honor in this war.
"Sir King," spake then Siegfried, "stay ye at home; since that your warriors are willed to follow me, remain ye with the ladies and keep your spirits high. I trow well to guard for you both honor and estate. Well will I bring it to pass that those who thought to seek you out at Worms upon the Rhine, had better far have stayed at home. We shall ride so nigh unto their land that their proud defiance shall be turned to fear." ”

“ But up spake Dankwart, Hagen’s valiant brother: “Now is the day come on which we must bid farewell to our lives. An ill journey has this been, I trow, for in this land we shall perish at the hands of women. Oh, that my brother Hagen and I had but our good swords here! Then would these carles of Brunhild’s check their laughter. Without arms a man can do nothing, but had I a blade in hand even Brunhild herself should die ere harm came to our dear lord.”
This speech heard the warrior-maid. ”

“ Wild shrieks and shouts of vengeance arose, and all prepared to take part in the fight that had become inevitable. Dankwart made his way fighting to the hall, his armour bespattered with blood; but the defenceless serving-men were slain to a man.
“Up, brother Hagen!” he cried, “save me from the faithless Huns. Lord Blödelin attacked both me and the servants, in order to avenge Siegfried’s death. I slew him, but the servants are all dead, and I alone am escaped out of the traitorous toils that the Huns have laid for us.” ”

“ Hagen came nigh to lose his wits for sorrow, and Dankwart, his brother, said, “By my troth, I rue this adventure. Once we hight warriors, and shall we perish in this country by the hand of a woman? Alack! that we ever came hither! Had my brother Hagen but his sword, and I mine, Brunhild’s men would abate their pride; I ween they would walk softer. If I had sworn peace with a thousand oaths, that maid should die sooner than that my lord should lose his life.”
“It were easy to quit this land,” said Hagen, his brother, “if we had our harness for the strife, and our good swords. ”

“ How might he be more brave? His path was ever wet with reeking blood. Certes, no single champion might ever fight better with his foes than he had done. Men now saw Hagen's brother go to court in lordly wise. Sewers (4) and cupbearers heard the ring of swords, and full many a one cast from his hand the drink and whatever food he bare to court. Enow strong foes met Dankwart at the stairs.
"How now, ye sewers," spake the weary knight. "Forsooth ye should serve well the guests and bear to the lords good cheer and let me bring the tidings to my dear masters." ”

“ Whate'er the knights have done in strife, Dankwart and Hagen and other men of the king, however much they strove for honor, 'tis but as the wind compared with Siegfried, the son of Siegmund, the king. They slew full many a hero in the fray, but none might tell you of the wonders which Siegfried wrought, whenever he rode into the fight. Great woe he did the ladies through their kin; upon the field the love of many a dame lay dead. His blows were heard to ring so loud upon the helmets, that from the wounds they drew forth the blood in streams. ”

“ Now the knights that Blödel gathered arrayed themselves forthright.
To the feast-hall they hied them, a thousand in hauberks harnessed for fight,
To the hall where ranged at the tables the squires with Dankwart sate.
Soon brake there forth between heroes the deadliest of all hate.
In strode the war-thane Blödel, and afront of the board stood grim.
But with friendly courtesy Dankwart the Marshal greeted him:
“With welcoming to our mansion, Lord Blödel, I hail thee now;
Yet I marvel at thy coming. What tidings bringest thou?”
“Thou hast nothing to do to greet me,” sternly Blödel spake ”

“ So grimly they fought, that men will never do the like again. The lord of Bechelaren raged to and fro, as one who wotteth how to use great prowess in the fray. Passing like to a worshipful champion and a bold did Rudeger bear him on that day. Here stood the warriors, Gunther and Gernot, and smote many a hero dead in the fray. Giselher and Dankwart, the twain, recked so little, that they brought full many a knight to his last day of life. Full well did Rudeger make appear that he was strong enow, brave and well-armed. Ho, what knights he slew! ”

“ Sindolt and Hunolt and eke Gernot smote many heroes dead in the fight, that were bold enow till they felt their prowess. For their sake sorrowed women not a few. Folker and Hagen and Ortwin, the fierce warriors, quenched the flash of many helmets with blood. Dankwart, also, did wonders. The Danes proved their mettle, and loud were heard the hurtling of shields and the clash of sharp swords swung mightily. The Saxons, bold in strife, made havoc enow. Wide were the wounds hewn by the men of Burgundy when they rushed to the encounter. ”

“ For he had learned from a friendly Hun of Kriemhild’s promise to Blödelin.
When the Huns saw their leader fall they burst into the hall with howls of vengeance. Dankwart shouted to his men to defend themselves to the death and therewith began a terrible conflict. Those of the Burgundians who had no swords made weapons of whatever came to hand, but the greater part were well armed, and so fiercely did they fight that soon the Huns were driven from the hall leaving more than a hundred of their dead upon the floor and in the passage. ”

“ Kriemhild, hearing of this accident, vainly tried to use it as an excuse to bribe Dietrich, or his man Hildebrand, to slay her foe. She finally won over Blödelin, the king's brother, by promising him a fair bride. To earn this reward the prince went with an armed host to the hall where all the Burgundian squires were feasting under Dankwart's care, and there treacherously slew them all, Dankwart alone escaping to the king's hall to join his brother Hagen. ”

“ She bade purvey her with good armor for the strife: a breastplate of ruddy gold and a right good shield. A silken surcoat, (2) too, the maid put on, which sword had never cut in any fray, of silken cloth of Libya. Well was it wrought. Bright embroidered edging was seen to shine thereon.
Meanwhile the knights were threatened much with battle cries. Dankwart and Hagen stood ill at ease; their minds were troubled at the thought of how the king would speed. Thought they: "Our journey will not bring us warriors aught of good." ”

“ Events now march quickly. Kriemhild offered gold untold to him who would slay Hagen, but although her enemy was within her grasp, so doughty was the warrior and so terrible his appearance that none dared do battle with him. A Hun was killed by accident in a tournament, but Etzel protected his Burgundian guests. At length Blodelin was bribed by Kriemhild to attack Dankwart with a thousand followers. Dankwart’s men were all slain, but he himself made good his escape by fighting his way through the closely packed Hunnish ranks. ”

“ Flee from the men of Gunther in headlong-hasty flight.
{p. 221}
As the men of the land Bavarian fled from the face of their foes,
Ringing and clanging behind them ever echoed the dread death-blows,
As the vassals of Troneg’s hero held them close in chase.
Whoso would ’scape, small respite had he in that terrible race!
But amidst of pursuit and slaughter, to the rest cried Dankwart the thane:
“Halt! on the path of our journey backward turn we the rein.
Let us leave them riding in panic, while fast their gashes bleed.
Back to our friends let us hasten: of a truth ’tis the better rede.” ”

“ Gernot indignantly cried.
“Though yet we numbered a thousand, we would all die side by side—
We who are yet thy kinsmen!—ere one man of us all
Shall be rendered up for a hostage: that shame shall never befall.”
“So then we must needs all perish,” did the young Prince Giselher say;
“Yet none shall hinder our dying like knights in our war-array.
If any be fain to fight us, ready here we stand.
No friend I forsake, betraying the troth of my right hand!”
Then spake the valiant Dankwart; in the word was his true heart shown:
“Verily Hagen my brother standeth not here alone. ”

“ I will prevail upon my knights here to grant a truce.”
“God in Heaven forbid!” cried Gernot. “Though we were a thousand, liefer would we all die by thy kinsmen, than give one single man for our ransom. That we will never do.”
“We must perish then,” said Giselher; “but we will fall as good knights. We are still here; would any fight with us? I will never do falsely by my friend.”
Cried bold Dankwart too (he had done ill to hold his peace) , “My brother Hagen standeth not alone. They that have denied us quarter may rue it yet. By my troth, ye will find it to your cost.” ”

“ The confusion was so great that often those who wished to meet could not find each other. Thus Volker and Wolfhart were kept apart; the minstrel fell upon Sigestap, who had slain many of the Burgundians, and gave him his death-blow, only to meet Hildebrand a little later and himself to fall under his hand. Dankwart was slain by Helfrich; Wolfhart did many a deed of valour, until Giselher attacked him. After a tremendous struggle, the young king thrust him through the breast, but even then, though in mortal agony, he grasped his sword in both hands, and slew his adversary. ”

“ He answered: "Brother Dankwart, / now take thy stand before,
And Huns let never any / make passage by the door.
I'll speak unto these warriors, / as needs must spoken be:
Dead lie all our followers, / slain by foulest treachery."
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"Must I here be chamberlain," / replied the warrior keen,
"Well know I such high monarchs / aright to serve, I ween.
So will I guard the stairway / as sorts with honor well."
Ne'er to the thanes of Kriemhild / so sorry case before befell.
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"To me 'tis mickle wonder," / Hagen spake again,
"What thing unto his neighbor / whispers each Hunnish thane. ”

“ And now that Queen of Beauty her hand in his hath laid,
And to him all rule she yielded over all her wide domain.
Then glad in his heart was Hagen, that bold and knightly thane.
{p. 64}
She besought that noble chieftain to her palace builded wide
With her to return, and thither strode Gunther at her side.
There all men fearing before him in homage lowly bent.
So the brethren, Dankwart and Hagen, thereat were well content.
Now Siegfried, the swift war-helper, in all deep craft was wise:
Back bare he the Hood of Darkness, and hid it from all men’s eyes. ”

“ More to their hurt the Saxons never took the field.
They answered, “Let bold Dankwart guard the younger knights. He is a good warrior. So shall we come in less scathe by Ludger’s men. He and Ortwin shall guard the rear.”
“I will myself ride forward,” said Siegfried, “and spy out the foe, that I may know rightly who the warriors be.”
Fair Sieglind’s son did on his armour in haste. He gave his knights in charge to Hagen and bold Gernot when he set out. He rode into Saxony all alone, and won honour by his quest. ”

“ Then one bade lodge the Burgundian men, but Gunther's fellowship was placed apart. This the queen advised, who bare him much hate, and therefore men later slew the footmen in their lodgings. Dankwart, Hagen's brother, he was marshal. The king earnestly commended to him his followers, that he purvey them well and give them enow to eat; The hero of Burgundy bare them all good will. Kriemhild, the fair, went with her maids-in-waiting to where, false of mood, she greeted the Nibelungs. Giselher alone she kissed and took by the hand. That Hagen of Troneg saw, and bound his helmet tighter. ”

“ To my guests and the monarch's, / for goodly store I have."
Thereto an answer Dankwart, / Giselher's good warrior, gave:
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"Full noble royal Lady, / give me the keys to hold.
I trow I'll so divide it," / spake the warrior bold,
"If blame there be about it, / that shall be mine alone."
That he was not a niggard, / beyond a doubt he soon had shown.
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When now Hagen's brother / the treasure did command,
So many a lavish bounty / dealt out the hero's hand,
Whoso mark did covet, / to him was given such store
That all who once were poor men / might joyous live for evermore. ”