XXIII. How Kriemhild thought on Vengeance for her Wrongs

 Amid all this honour and glory—herein doth the bard² sing true—

Dwelt they in love together till the seventh year onward³ drew.

In the midst of the years unto Kriemhild was born a noble son.

In the life of Etzel never had a brighter dayspring shone.

Never she ceased from pleading till she won her love’s reward

That unto the font baptismal of the faith of Christ the Lord

Brought was the child of Etzel, and Ortlieb they named the boy.

Then all King Etzel’s kingdom rejoiced with exceeding joy.

In the selfsame paths of virtue⁵ that Helka had trodden erst

The feet of the Lady Kriemhild paced day by day from the first;

By Herrat, the stranger princess, in the ways of the land were they set,

While her secret heart for Helka bore a burden of long regret.

The son of the land and the stranger with one accord confessed

That never had any kingdom of any king possessed⁶

More bounteous⁷ queen and gracious: true witness they held it of her.

Such was her praise mid¹ the Hunfolk still till the thirteenth year.

Now when she marked how no man opposed him to her will—

Even so unto wives of princes knights⁹ wont¹⁰ to bear them still—

And that twelve kings stood in her presence aye as the years passed on,

On the pain and the wrong she brooded that was dealt to her years agone.

She thought withal on the honour that of yore in the Niblung land

Of right unto her was rendered, whereof had Hagen’s hand

Utterly¹¹ despoiled¹² her when Siegfried by him had been slain¹³:

And she pondered how she might compass that his wrong should become his bane:—

{p. 190}

“Into this land could I but bring him, then might my vengeance¹⁴ betide!”

She dreamed a dream, how that walking anear her, close at her side,

Was Giselher her brother, and she kissed him again and again

In slumber—what meant that vision was thereafter all too plain!

The Foul¹⁵ Fiend was it surely that whispered Kriemhild’s heart

In outward-seeming friendship from Gunther the King to part,

And with kiss of feigned¹⁶ forgiveness, in Burgundia years ago.

Now the old pain woke, and her vesture was drenched¹⁷ with the hot tears’ flow.

On her heart lay morning by morning, and evening by evening lay

The thought, how they had constrained¹⁸ her the faith of her youth to betray

By taking to husband a heathen, when will thereto she had none.

This wrong unto her had Hagen and her brother Gunther done.

How she might wreak¹⁹ her vengeance still thought she day by day:—

“Now am I waxen so mighty²⁰, I have such far-reaching sway,

That I of them that have wronged me could exact the penalty.

Gladly with Hagen of Troneg would I deal as he dealt with me!

For my belovèd mourneth my spirit within me still.

Might I but draw them hither which have worked me all this ill,

Then, then might I have vengeance at last for my Siegfried’s death.

Scarce can I endure this waiting!” she moaned with passionate²¹ breath.

Well was she loved of all men of Etzel’s vassal-array

Which were named the Knights of Kriemhild: good cause in sooth had they.

Friends many were won by Eckwart her treasurer’s open hand.

The will of the Lady Kriemhild might none in the realm withstand.

Each day was she thinking, thinking: “I will make my request to the King

If so of his grace and his goodness he may haply grant this thing

That my friends be bidden to see me here in the Land of the Hun.”

But the guileful²² purpose of Kriemhild the while was divined of none.

One night, when the Lady Kriemhild beside King Etzel lay,

When he held her in arms enfolding, even as his wont was aye

{p. 191}

In his love for the noble lady who was dear as his life unto him,

Then on her enemies thought she, and her thoughts were guileful and grim.

She spake unto King Etzel: “My dearly-belovèd Lord,

I would make unto thee my petition, if this thy grace would accord,

That thou suffer mine heart to be gladdened, if my love hath deserved this meed,

By the proof of mine eyes that my kinsmen²⁴ be dear unto thee indeed.”

Then spake the King, and, speaking, was guileless his heart within:

“Hereof will I certify²⁵ thee: whatsoe’er to thine hero-kin⁴

Is done for their honour and profit, for mine own joy shall it be done;

For never by love of woman nobler kin have I won.”

Unto him the Queen made answer: “Well known is this unto thee,

That indeed I have high-born kinsmen; but sorely it troubleth me

That, since I wedded²⁶ thee, never their faces have I seen.

In sooth, of all thy people am I known for ‘the Kinless²⁷ Queen’!”

Made answer and spake King Etzel: “O wife, heart’s dearest mine,

If not too great be the journey, I will bid them over Rhine

Hither to this my kingdom, the friends thou art fain to see.”

Then for the word that spake him her ally glad was she.

“If thou, my lord,” she made answer, “thy kindness to me wilt²⁸ show,

Unto Worms, to the city of Rhineland, forth²⁹ let thy messengers go;

So will I send mine heart’s wish to the friends in the far-away home;

And so knights noble and gentle full many to us shall come.”

He answered: “If this thou askest, thereto hast thou my consent.

Thyself in the sight of thy kinsmen shall be never so well content

As I, in beholding³⁰ the faces of noble Uta’s sons.

I grieve that these have been strangers so long from the land of the Huns.

My wife, my well-belovèd, if this be thy pleasure,” he said,

“As messengers unto thy kinsmen straightway of me shall be sped

Unto Burgundy-land our minstrels, the lords of the viol-string.”

Into his presence the minstrels he bade them straightway bring.

Then came the King’s two servants to the presence of their lord

Where he sat by the Queen, and Etzel delivered to them his word

{p. 192}

That he would they should be his heralds³¹ unto far Burgundia-land.

And for their arraying in vesture right goodly he gave command.

For good knights four-and-twenty were provided mantle³² and vest;

For to these withal with the minstrels was given the King’s behest,

Even to bear his bidding unto Gunther and his men.

But the Lady Kriemhild set her to commune with them privily³³ then.

Said the mighty King: “Now hearken, that mine hest ye may so fulfil:

I send unto those our kinsmen all love and all good will,

And I pray them to ride to my country unto them that love them here.

Never in all my life-days guests have I known so dear.

And if these peradventure be minded to grant the thing that I pray,

Even the kinsmen of Kriemhild, I beseech³⁴ them not to delay,

But to come in the summer season of this year unto my feast:

So by these my marriage-kinsmen shall the joy of my life be increased.”

Made answer the viol-minstrel, and Schwemmel the knightly³⁵ replied:

“When, O my Lord, in the Hunland shall fall thy festal tide,

To the end that unto thy kinsmen by Rhine we may certainly say?”

Made answer and spake King Etzel, “On next Midsummer Day.”

“We will do after thy commandment,” straight Werbel made reply.

Then Kriemhild caused the heralds to be summoned secretly

Unto the closet royal, and there she communed with the twain.

Thereof unto many a good knight⁸ was begotten³⁶ ruinous bane.

She spake in her guile²³ to the heralds: “Ye shall earn of me rich meed,

If ye keep in your hearts my counsel, and perform it with diligent³⁷ heed³⁸,

And speak in mine ancient home-land the word of my desire;

Then rich in goods will I make you, and give to you royal attire³⁹.

When at Worms beside Rhine-river your messenger feet shall be brought

To the presence of those my kinsfolk, see ye confess this not

That here ye have ever beheld⁴⁰ me in grief as of widowhood.

And bear ye my love-greeting to the heroes valiant⁴¹ and good,

And pray them to grant this favour, even my lord’s request,

And thereby⁴² to bring me riddance from the constant grief of my breast,

{p. 193}

Even this, that I seem ‘the Kinless’ here in the Hunfolk’s sight.

For me, full oft to the Rhineland would I come, were I but a knight!

Unto Gernot withal my brother, the noble prince, say ye

That none unto him more loving than I on earth can be;

And pray that he bring with him hither all our noblest kin

To greet us here in the Hunland: high honour so shall we win.

And to Giselher’s remembrance withal be this thing brought,

That never through him to Kriemhild hath wrong or despite been wrought⁴³:

Him therefore here in the Hunland gladly mine eyes would see;

Yea, sorely I long to greet him for his love and his faith unto me.

What glory here hath crowned me do ye to my mother say.

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 fixed⁴⁴ 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.

Fair leave of their liege-lord Etzel and his comely⁴⁵ wife took they,

And they went forth splendour-vestured in royal-rich array.

1 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

2 bard   

n.吟游诗人

参考例句：

• I'll use my bard song to help you concentrate!我会用我的吟游诗人歌曲帮你集中精神！
• I find him,the wandering grey bard.我发现了正在徘徊的衰老游唱诗人。

3 onward   

adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先

参考例句：

• The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
• He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

4 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

5 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

6 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

7 bounteous   

adj.丰富的

参考例句：

• Because of the spring rains,the farmers had a bounteous crop.因为下了春雨，农夫获得了丰收。
• He has a bounteous imagination.他有丰富的想象力。

8 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

9 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

10 wont   

adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯

参考例句：

• He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。
• It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。

11 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

12 despoiled   

v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They despoiled the villagers of their belongings. 他们夺走了村民的财物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The victorious army despoiled the city of all its treasures. 得胜的军队把城里的财宝劫掠一空。 来自辞典例句

13 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

14 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

15 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

16 feigned   

a.假装的，不真诚的

参考例句：

• He feigned indifference to criticism of his work. 他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
• He accepted the invitation with feigned enthusiasm. 他假装热情地接受了邀请。

17 drenched   

adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体）

参考例句：

• We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨，淋得浑身透湿。
• The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 constrained   

adj.束缚的,节制的

参考例句：

• The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
• I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。

19 wreak   

v.发泄；报复

参考例句：

• She had a burning desire to wreak revenge.她复仇心切。
• Timid people always wreak their peevishness on the gentle.怯懦的人总是把满腹牢骚向温和的人发泄。

20 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

21 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

22 guileful   

adj.狡诈的，诡计多端的

参考例句：

• Being cruel, guileful and unscrupulous, the terrorist committed all manners of crimes including murder and arson. 那个恐怖分子残酷、奸诈、肆无忌惮，杀人放火，无恶不做。 来自互联网

23 guile   

n.诈术

参考例句：

• He is full of guile.他非常狡诈。
• A swindler uses guile;a robber uses force.骗子用诈术；强盗用武力。

24 kinsmen   

n.家属，亲属( kinsman的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Kinsmen are less kind than friends. 投亲不如访友。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• One deeply grateful is better than kinsmen or firends. 受恩深处胜亲朋。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学

25 certify   

vt.证明，证实；发证书(或执照)给

参考例句：

• I can certify to his good character.我可以证明他品德好。
• This swimming certificate is to certify that I can swim one hundred meters.这张游泳证是用以证明我可以游100米远。

26 wedded   

adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She's wedded to her job. 她专心致志于工作。
• I was invited over by the newly wedded couple for a meal. 我被那对新婚夫妇请去吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 kinless   

无亲戚的

参考例句：

28 wilt   

v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱

参考例句：

• Golden roses do not wilt and will never need to be watered.金色的玫瑰不枯萎绝也不需要浇水。
• Several sleepless nights made him wilt.数个不眠之夜使他憔悴。

29 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

30 beholding   

v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• Beholding, besides love, the end of love,/Hearing oblivion beyond memory! 我看见了爱，还看到了爱的结局，／听到了记忆外层的哪一片寂寥！ 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• Hence people who began by beholding him ended by perusing him. 所以人们从随便看一看他开始的，都要以仔细捉摸他而终结。 来自辞典例句

31 heralds   

n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要）

参考例句：

• The song of birds heralds the approach of spring. 百鸟齐鸣报春到。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The wind sweeping through the tower heralds a rising storm in the mountain. 山雨欲来风满楼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

32 mantle   

n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红

参考例句：

• The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
• The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。

33 privily   

adv.暗中，秘密地

参考例句：

• But they privily examined his bunk. 但是他们常常暗暗检查他的床铺。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命
• And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. 18这些人埋伏，是为自流己血。蹲伏是为自害己命。 来自互联网

34 beseech   

v.祈求，恳求

参考例句：

• I beseech you to do this before it is too late.我恳求你做做这件事吧，趁现在还来得及。
• I beseech your favor.我恳求您帮忙。

35 knightly   

adj. 骑士般的 adv. 骑士般地

参考例句：

• He composed heroic songs and began to write many a tale of enchantment and knightly adventure. 他谱写英雄短歌并着手编写不少记叙巫术和骑士历险的故事。
• If you wear knight costumes, you will certainly have a knightly manner. 身着骑士装，令您具有骑士风度。

36 begotten   

v.为…之生父( beget的过去分词 )；产生，引起

参考例句：

• The fact that he had begotten a child made him vain. 想起自己也生过孩子，他得意了。 来自辞典例句
• In due course she bore the son begotten on her by Thyestes. 过了一定的时候，她生下了堤厄斯式斯使她怀上的儿子。 来自辞典例句

37 diligent   

adj.勤勉的，勤奋的

参考例句：

• He is the more diligent of the two boys.他是这两个男孩中较用功的一个。
• She is diligent and keeps herself busy all the time.她真勤快，一会儿也不闲着。

38 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

39 attire   

v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装

参考例句：

• He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
• Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。

40 beheld   

v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

41 valiant   

adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人

参考例句：

• He had the fame of being very valiant.他的勇敢是出名的。
• Despite valiant efforts by the finance minister,inflation rose to 36%.尽管财政部部长采取了一系列果决措施，通货膨胀率还是涨到了36%。

42 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

43 wrought   

v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的

参考例句：

• Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.巴黎发生的事件改变了英国对法国和德国的看法。
• It's a walking stick with a gold head wrought in the form of a flower.那是一个金质花形包头的拐杖。

44 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

45 comely   

adj.漂亮的，合宜的

参考例句：

• His wife is a comely young woman.他的妻子是一个美丽的少妇。
• A nervous,comely-dressed little girl stepped out.一个紧张不安、衣着漂亮的小姑娘站了出来。