Hagen von Tronje

“ To hear the same did Hagen / begin to rage full sore.
Quoth he: "E'en royal Gunther / may thus bestow us nevermore.
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"Other men that serve thee, / let them follow thee;
Thou know'st the men of Tronje / and what their pledges be:
Here must we by the monarchs / in service true abide;
Hereto as them we followed, / so shall we henceforth keep their side."
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And so the thing was ended: / to part they ready make.
A high and noble escort / did Kriemhild to her take,
Maidens two and thirty / and five hundred men also.
In Lady Kriemhild's company / the Margrave Eckewart did go. ”

“ And the warder of the treasure strong Alberich he made.
By an oath most mighty he bound him his thrall, to be faithful and true,
And ever in loyal service his uttermost bidding to do.”
So ended Hagen of Troneg—“All this hath the hero done:
Through the world in battle-prowess peer unto him is there none.
Men tell of another emprise—as I heard it, I tell it to you—
A Worm, a winged fen-dragon, the hand of the hero slew:
Then he bathed in the blood of the monster, and his skin became as horn,
That no weapon may wound him: witness thereof full many have borne. ”

“ How against Hagen of Troneg her champion had borne him in fight,
For this that Daughter of Princes poured forth her thanks to the knight:
“Now God reward thee, Iring, thou thane renowned and bold!
To mine heart hast thou brought comfort, and made me joyful-souled.
Lo, I see on the battle-harness of Hagen a bloody stain!”
And for joy took Kriemhild the buckler herself from the hand of the thane.
“Small cause wilt thou have to thank him,” cried Hagen in fierce disdain:
“Let but thy valorous champion essay the deed again;
If alive he win back ever, a hero indeed shall he be ”

“ Quoth one of them within: "We must all lie dead. What avail us now the greetings which the king did send us? Thirst from this great heat giveth me such dole, that soon, I ween, my life must ebb away in anguish."
Then spake Hagen of Troneg: "Ye noble knights and good, let him whom pangs of thirst constrain, drink here this blood. In such great heat, 'tis better still than wine. We can purvey us at this time none better."
One of the warriors hied him then to where he found a corpse, and knelt him down beside the wound; then he unbound his helmet and began to drink the flowing blood. ”

“ Unto Hagen of Troneg and Ortwein, and asked that mighty twain
If they and their kinsmen accepted Kriemhild for suzerain.
But an answer of scornful anger from Hagen her message won:
“Unto no one on earth can Gunther pass us as chattels on!
Let other escort-vassals with you on your journey go.
The Law of the Men of Troneg full well by this should ye know:
We be bound to abide with our liege-lord the King in hall and field,
And to them which have had our homage, our homage ever to yield.”
So they spake no more of the matter, but they dight them for the way ”

“ Then out spake Hagen of Troneg: “Suffer us, Queen, to see
To what manner of play thou dost challenge. Ere Gunther my lord unto thee
Shall yield up the mastery, surely he shall strive with bitter strain.
A maiden so passing lovely full well to his wife might he gain.”
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“He shall cast the massy quoit-stone, and far as it flies shall he leap,
And shall hurl against me the javelin—hold not this trial cheap!
Ye may lose not honour only: your life and limb be at stake.
Therefore, I rede you, bethink you!” So that fair woman spake. ”

“ For his great loyalty I would gladly have him here. Tell my mother also of the honors which I have, and if Hagen of Troneg be minded to stay at home, who then should lead them through the lands? From a child he knoweth the roads to Hungary. ”

“ So then when Hagen of Troneg saw that the door was fast,
That battle-eager hero his shield behind him cast;
Then, then in grimmest earnest he began to avenge the wrong.
Then faint grew the hearts of the valiant, and palsied the might of the strong.
When the Prince of Bern, Lord Dietrich, saw the marvels that he wrought,
Saw Hagen the valiant cleaving the morions as he fought,
Then sprang the chief of the Amals on a bench amidst of the hall,
And he cried: “Here Hagen poureth a death-draught bitter as gall!”
Well might the Lord of the Hunfolk be stricken with sore affright. ”

“ My dear lords have foes, wherefore I never ferry strangers to this land. If ye love your life, step out quickly on the sand."
"Now do it not," spake Hagen; "sad is my mind. Take this good gold from me as a token of my love and ferry us across: a thousand horse and just as many men."
The grim boatman answered: "'Twill ne'er be done." He raised a mighty rudder oar, mickle and broad, and struck at Hagen (full wroth he grew at this) , so that he fell upon his knees in the boat. The lord of Troneg had never met so fierce a ferryman. Still more the boatman would vex the haughty stranger. ”

“ In his hand was the gift of the Margrave; he swung on high that steel:
Though unto death he was wounded, yet one grim stroke did he deal:
It crashed through the hard-knit buckler, it shore through the helmet-band—
Alas, the doom went with it of the lord of the open hand!
Ah me! such rich gifts never so ill requited were.
Down fell they dead together, Gernot and Rüdiger.
In the war-storm each by other smitten on one doom came;
And Hagen saw, and his anger burst into sudden flame,
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And shouted the Hero of Troneg: “Evil hath come upon us! ”

“ And, if haply Hagen of Troneg would fain hang back from the way,
Who then through those strange marches shall be guide to the mighty ones?
For hath not he known from childhood the paths to the land of the Huns?”
Now the messengers knew not wherefore so fixed it was in her mind
That they should not suffer Hagen of Troneg to tarry behind
Beside the Rhine. To their sorrow were they to learn it yet,
When with grim death many a hero face to face should be set.
Unto these were messages given and tokens from Etzel’s hand.
With wealth enriched they journeyed: they might bear them as lords of the land. ”

“ Never before suffered heroes such sore pain.
Then said Hagen of Trony, “Stand fast by the wall. Let not the brands fall on your helmets. Trample them with your feet deeper in the blood. A woeful hightide is the queen’s.”
The night ended at last. The bold gleeman, and Hagen, his comrade, stood before the house and leaned upon their shields. They waited for further hurt from Etzel’s knights. It advantaged the strangers much that the roof was vaulted. ”

“ In the kingdom of the Hunfolk, shall we too show faint heart,
And cower away from our sister?—that were a sorry part!”
And scornfully Giselher answered the baron and bitterly:
“If conscience, O friend Hagen, maketh a coward of thee,
Here in the land abide thou, and guard thine health with care,
And let such as fear no dangers with us to my sister fare.”
At his scoffing the hero of Troneg brake into fierceness of wrath—
“I tell thee, that no man fareth with thee on the Hunward path
Who feareth so little as Hagen to Etzel’s palace to ride! ”

“ Forth came the fair Queen Kriemhild with a goodly company.
With falsely-feignèd kindness those Niblungs greeted she.
Then Giselher her brother did she kiss, and she clasped his hand:
When Hagen of Troneg saw it, he tightened his helmet-band.
“Good sooth, after such a welcome,” Hagen cried, “there is need
That the battle-eager warriors should take to themselves good heed! ”

“ In such wise that their foes repent them that ever they dared the fray.
And the valiant brethren of Troneg withal dealt deadly bane
When the war-hosts clashed, when the nations wrestled with desperate strain:
So many were then hurled earthward by dauntless Hagen’s hand,
That thereof might a goodly story be told in Burgundia-land.
Sindold withal and Hunold, ’neath Gernot’s banner who warred,
These wrought such deeds of prowess, with Rumold the dauntless lord,
That Lüdiger, king of the Saxons, to his latest hour shall repent
The folly of that war-challenge to the Lords of Rhineland sent. ”

“ Blithely will we ride onward into King Etzel’s land;
There well to a king may service be done by a hero’s hand:
There what manner of high-tide Kriemhild holds shall we see.”
So Hagen counselled the journey—cause to rue it had he!
Nay, still had he spoken against it, were it not for the bitter jeer
That Gernot had flung at the hero, when he said with scornful sneer:
“The ghost of Siegfried standeth, of the Lady Kriemhild’s lord,
In the path, and frighteth Hagen from journeying thitherward!”
Spake Hagen of Troneg: “Never fear stirreth nor stayeth me! ”

“ Hagen of Trony led the force. Sindolt and bold Hunolt were there, that they might deserve King Gunther’s gold; also Hagen’s brother, Dankwart, and Ortwin, fit men and worthy for the undertaking.
“Sit thou at home, O King,” spake Siegfried. “Since thy knights are willing to follow me, stay here by the women and be of good cheer; for, by my troth, I will guard for thee both goods and honour. I will see to it, that they that seek thee here at Worms by the Rhine bide where they are; we will pierce deep into their country, till their vaunting is turned to sorrow.” ”

“ Beneath its folds enormous three spans thick was the shield,
If all be true they tell us, that Brunhild bore in field.
Of steel and gold compacted all gorgeously it glow'd.
Four chamberlains, that bore it, stagger'd beneath the load.
Grimly smil'd Sir Hagan, Trony's champion strong,
And mutter'd, as he mark'd it trail'd heavily along,
"How now, my lord king Gunther? who thinks to scape with life?
This love of yours and lady—'faith she's the devil's wife."
. . . . . . . . . . . ”

“ Now Hagen the Lord of Troneg had ordered their marching so—
How could a hero better ward friends against a foe?—
That himself with the men of his war-band rode ever in the rear,
And with him Dankwart his brother: wise war-craft was verily here.
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Ran out the sands of the day-tide; all light faded away.
On the hero’s heart the peril of his comrades heavily lay.
With shield on arm still rode they on through Bavaria-land:
Well was it for them, for the onset of foes must they shortly withstand. ”

“ So Hagan plotted evil, saying enemies were coming against Gunther, and Siegfried and his knights made them ready to go forth to the King's defence. And of the chiefs of Rhineland not a few offered themselves as comrades, knowing nothing of the treachery that Hagen and his fellows were preparing against him.
But before they departed Hagen went to bid farewell to Queen Kriemhild. Said she, "I have good comfort in my heart to think how valiant a husband I have, and how zealous he is to help his friends, for I have loved my kinsmen always, nor ever wished them ill." ”

“ For then should our weeping be endless, our grief aye unconsoled.”
Made answer Hagen of Troneg: “That tale is all too true.
Right glad were I had the teller thereof but lied unto you
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For Rüdiger’s sake, that the hero might live to gladden our eyes—
He for whom wailing of women and men evermore shall rise.”
When they heard those heavy tidings that their friend was dead in truth,
Loud mourned the loyal-hearted, the good knights wept for ruth ”

“ Thither Hagen led them, for well he wot the way. Dankwart was their marshal, the hero from Burgundian land. As they rode away from the Eastern Frankland towards Swanfield, [3] men could tell the princes and their kin, the worshipful knights, by their lordly bearing. On the twelfth morning the king came to the Danube. Hagen of Troneg rode foremost of them all, giving to the Nibelungs helpful cheer. On the sandy shore the bold knight dismounted and bound his steed full soon to a tree. ”

“ Outside those Greshamsbury gates she and Frank Gresham, she and Lady Arabella met on equal terms; let them each fight their own battle.
The squire kissed her forehead affectionately and took his leave, feeling, somehow, that he had been excused and pitied, and made much of; whereas he had called on his young neighbour with the intention of excusing, and pitying, and making much of her. He was not quite comfortable as he left the house; but, nevertheless, he was sufficiently honest-hearted to own to himself that Mary Thorne was a fine girl. ”

“ Frank—Mr. Gresham—' and then Dr. Thorne rose from his chair; but was, for a moment, unable to go on with his tale.
'We will hope that it is all for the best,' said the squire.
'I am sure it is,' said Frank.
'Yes; I hope it is. I do think it is; I am sure it is, Frank. Mary will not come to you empty-handed. I wish for your sake—yes, and for hers too—that her birth were equal to her fortune, as her worth is superior to both. Mr. Gresham, this marriage will, at any rate, put an end to your pecuniary embarrassments—unless, indeed, Frank should prove a hard creditor. ”

“ But it never occurred to her that her favourite quintain was but a modern copy of a Norman knight's amusement, an adaptation of the noble tourney to the tastes and habits of the Saxon yeomen. Of this she was ignorant, and it would have been cruelty to instruct her.
When Mr Thorne saw the tear in her eye, he repented himself of his contemptuous expression. By him also it was recognised as a binding law that every whim of his sister was to be respected. He was not perhaps so firm in his observances to her, as she was in hers to him. ”

“ Lady Arabella gave a little snuffle, which might be taken as a not very eloquent expression of thanks for the squire's solicitude, or as an ironical jeer at his want of sincerity.
'And, therefore, I have not lost a moment in telling you what Sir Omicron said. "You should have Thorne back here;" those were his very words. You can think it over, my dear. And remember this, Bell; if he is to do any good no time should be lost.'
And then the squire left the room, and Lady Arabella remained alone, perplexed by many doubts. ”