Gernot

“ So turn about and face me, thou bold and high-born man! Thy goodly gift to merit, I'll do the best I can." Ere through the press the margrave could come Sir Gernot nigh, Full many a glittering mail-coat was stain'd a bloody die. Then those fame-greedy champions each fierce on th' other leapt, And deadly wounds at distance with wary ward they kept. So sharp were both their broadswords, resistless was their dint, Sudden the good Sir Rüdeger through th' helmet hard as flint So struck the noble Gernot, that forth the blood it broke ”

“ 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. ”

“ At this mighty Gernot spake to the king: "May God then bid you act in merciful wise. Slay, if ye will, us homeless knights, but let us first descend to you into the open court. That will make to you for honor. Let be done quickly whatever shall hap to us. Ye have still many men unscathed, who dare well encounter us and bereave us storm-weary men of life. How long must we warriors undergo these toils?"
King Etzel's champions had nigh granted this boon and let them leave the hall, but Kriemhild heard it and sorely it misliked her. ”

“ Thy lands, and mine as well, shall lie alike; whether of us twain can triumph over the other, him shall both land and people serve."
Hagen and Gernot, too, straightway gainsaid this. "We have no wish," spake Gernot, "that we should conquer aught of lands, or that any man lie dead at hero's hands. We have rich lands, which serve us, as is meet, nor hath any a better claim to them than we."
There stood his kinsmen, grim of mood; among them, too, Ortwin of Metz. "It doth irk me much to hear these words of peace," spake he; "the mighty Siegfried hath defied you for no just cause. ”

“ I must die of grief but to look on Hagen.”
“Nay, I counsel thee, dear sister, to stay by thy brother Giselher; and I will make good to thee thy husband’s death.”
But the God-forsaken one answered, “Need enow hath Kriemhild of comfort.”
While the youth besought her so kindly, Uta and Gernot began to pray her, and her faithful kinsmen also, that she should tarry, for she had few kinsmen among Siegfried’s men.
“They are all strangers to thee,” said Gernot, “and however strong a friend may be, one day he must die. Consider it, dear sister, and take comfort and stay here by thy kinsfolk. ”

“ They would fain have parted the fighters, ere wilder the work should be,
But all in vain was their prudence, and nothing availed their might;
For those twain, Volker and Hagen, were mad with the fury of fight.
Now ware was the Lord of Rhineland that he could not still the fray:
Then himself unsheathed his war-glaive, and fell on the foes’ array,
And he cleft their shining hauberks, and dealt wounds deep and wide.
What man of his hands was the hero that havoc testified.
Then also Gernot the stalwart plunged mid the surges of strife:
Out of many a valiant champion of the Huns he smote the life. ”

“ To Gunther, the mighty king, it was loth enow, but in his heart he bare the speech in secret wise. He bade Hagen be fetched and others of his men, and sent eftsoon to court for Gernot. Then came the very best of men that could be found. The king spake: "Men would seek us here in this our land with mighty armies, now make ye wail for that."
To this Gernot, a brave and lusty knight, made answer: "That will we fend indeed with swords. Only the fey (2) will fall. So let them die; for their sake I will not forget my honor. Let these foes of ours be welcome to us." ”

“ 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.” ”

“ Where she shall reign a crowned queen—if to see that day we live—
There shall she be far richer than any the wide world through.
For all that beside ye have proffered I am ever beholden to you.”
Then answered the Lady Kriemhild: “Though lightly thou reck of my land,
As touching the thanes Burgundian not so doth the matter stand:
For the escort-royal homeward these may no king disdain.
Let my loving brethren give me of these for my princely train.”
{p. 95}
Answered and spake Lord Gernot: “Whomsoever thou wilt, take thou.
Thou shalt find here many that gladly will ride with thee, I trow. ”

“ If she take Etzel and live long enow, she'll do us still much harm in whatever way she can. Forsooth full many a stately vassal will own her service."
To this brave Gernot answered: "It may not happen, that we ever ride to Etzel's land before they both be dead. Let us serve her faithfully, that maketh for our honor."
Again Hagen spake: "None can gainsay me, an' the noble Kriemhild wear the crown of Helca, she will do us harm as best she may. Ye should give it over, 'twould beseem you knights far better."
Wrathfully then spake Giselher, fair Uta's son: "Let us not all act as traitors. ”

“ 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! ”

“ Than if ye pine in Hunland. / How there it is, who knows?
O Master, go not thither, / —such is the rede that Rumold owes."
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"We'll ne'er give o'er the journey," / Gernot then did say,
"When thus our sister bids us / in such friendly way
And Etzel, mighty monarch. / Wherefore should we refrain?
Who goes not gladly thither, / here at home may he remain."
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Thereto gave answer Hagen: / "Take not amiss, I pray,
These my words outspoken, / let befall what may.
Yet do I counsel truly, / as ye your safety prize,
That to the Huns ye journey / armed full well in warlike guise. ”

“ But the Prince did not linger with the army. Without delay he set out for the forefront of the fray, and close behind him rode his own eleven knights, while Gernot followed with a thousand men. And soon the great plain was a grim battlefield.
Loud and fierce was the conflict. Many a clanging blow fell upon uplifted shields, many an eager sword-thrust struck through helmet [52] and through mail, and ever in the thickest of the fight rode Siegfried, the valiant Prince of the Netherlands.
The hero was seeking for King Ludeger, the leader of the Saxon host. ”

“ In Burgundy there grew so noble a maid that in all the lands none fairer might there be. Kriemhild (3) was she called; a comely woman she became, for whose sake many a knight must needs lose his life. Well worth the loving was this winsome maid. Bold knights strove for her, none bare her hate. Her peerless body was beautiful beyond degree; the courtly virtues of this maid of noble birth would have adorned many another woman too.
Three kings, noble and puissant, did nurture her, Gunther (4) and Gernot, (5) warriors worthy of praise, and Giselher, (6) the youth, a chosen knight. ”

“ He spake: "Our land to harry / foes all unknown will send
Of men a mighty army; / a grievous wrong is this.
Small cause have we e'er given / that they should wish us aught amiss."
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"Our swords ward such things from us," / Gernot then said;
"Since but the fated dieth, / so let all such lie dead.
Wherefore I'll e'er remember / what honor asks of me:
Whoe'er hath hate against us / shall ever here right welcome be."
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Then spake the doughty Hagen: / "Methinks 'twould scarce be good;
Luedegast and Luedeger / are men of wrathful mood. ”

“ Then cried Gunther in wrath, “If ye would lay from you this stark hate against us homeless ones, it were well for both sides, for we are guiltless before Etzel.”
But the host answered the guests, “My scathe is greater than thine; because of the mickle toil of the strife, and its shame, not one of you shall come forth alive.”
Then said stark Gernot to the king, “Herein, at the least, incline thy heart to do mercifully with us. Stand back from the house, that we win out to you. We know that our life is forfeit; let what must come, come quickly. Thou hast many knights unwounded ”

“ Shields and saddles, and all the garments that they would take with them to Etzel's land, were now full ready for many a brave man-at-arms. Now men bade Kriemhild's messengers go before King Gunther. When they were come, Gernot spake: "The king will do as Etzel asked us, we will gladly come to his high feast to see our sister ”

“ For the Hero’s sake in whose keeping was her heart from long ago.
When stood that victory-bringer in her bower before her eyes,
Kriemhild the lovely bespake him in exceeding gracious wise:
{p. 31}
“Now tell me thy joyful tidings, and my gold shall thy guerdon be;
And, so nought of the truth be hidden, thou hast ever a friend in me.
Tell how hath my brother Gernot come forth of the battle-strife,
And other my friends and kinsmen. Be there many that lost their life?
Who in that day triumphant was in prowess chief?—say on!”
Spake the messenger true-hearted: “Sooth, battle-blencher was none ”

“ And Geraint went to the empty chair, and sat down therein. “Ah! chieftain,” said the maiden, “I would not counsel thee to sit in that chair.” “Wherefore?” said Geraint. “The man to whom that chair belongs has never suffered another to sit in it.” “I care not,” said Geraint, “though it displease him that I sit in the chair.” And thereupon they heard a mighty tumult around the tent. And Geraint looked to see what was the cause of the tumult. And he beheld without a knight mounted upon a warhorse, proudly snorting, high-mettled, and large of bone ”

“ In the morning Gerda told her all that the wood-pigeons had said; and the little maiden looked very serious, but she nodded her head, and said, “That’s no matter—that’s no matter. Do you know where Lapland lies?” asked she of the Reindeer.
“Who should know better than I?” said the animal; and his eyes rolled in his head. “I was born and bred there; there I leapt about on the fields of snow.”
“Listen,” said the robber-maiden to Gerda. “You see that the men are gone; but my mother is still here, and will remain. As soon as she sleeps a little I will do something for you.” ”

“ So Geraint alighted, and the youth took the maiden from off her horse. Then they washed, and took their repast. And the youth cut the bread in slices, and gave them drink, and served them withal. And when they had finished, the youth arose, and said to Geraint, “My Lord, with thy permission, I will now go and fetch some food for the mowers.” “Go, first, to the town,” said Geraint, “and take a lodging for me in the best place that thou knowest, and the most commodious one for the horses, and take thou whichever horse and arms thou choosest in payment for thy service and thy gift.” ”

“ On the wall there hung rusty weapons and helms, and through the cracks there crept the ivy from the outer wall. The horse was tethered in the hall by the old man.
Then he led Sir Geraint to a door upon the dais, and ushered him into the bower, and there he saw an old decrepit woman, sweet of look though thin and peaked. She rose from the cushion on which she sat, greeting him kindly, and he saw that the satin garments upon her were also old and tattered. Yet Sir Geraint thought she must have been a lovely woman in her happy youth. ”

“ She [231] embraced little Gerda, and said, “They shall not kill you as long as I am not displeased with you. You are, doubtless, a princess?”
“No,” said little Gerda, who then related all that had happened to her, and how much she cared about little Kay.
The little robber-maiden looked at her with a serious air, nodded her head slightly, and said, “They shall not kill you, even if I am angry with you: then I will do it myself;” and she dried Gerda’s eyes, and put both her hands in the handsome muff, which was so soft and warm. ”

“ She, therefore, went out into the garden, stretched out her crooked stick towards the rosebushes, which, beautifully as they were growing, all sank into the earth, and no one could tell where they had stood. The old woman feared that if Gerda should see the roses, she would then think of her own, would remember little Kay, and run away from her.
She now led Gerda into the flower-garden. [212] Oh, what odour and what loveliness was there! Every flower that one could think of, and of every season, stood there in fullest bloom; no picture-book could be gayer or more beautiful. ”