Adventure XV How Siegfried Was Betrayed

Upon the fourth morning two and thirty men were seen to ride to court and the tale was brought to mighty¹ Gunther that war had been declared. The very direst woes² befell fair women from a lie. They gained leave to come before the king and say that they were Liudeger’s men, whom Siegfried’s hand had conquered afore and had brought as hostages to Gunther’s land. He greeted then the messengers and bade them go and seat them. One among them spake: “My lord, pray let us stand till we have told the message we do bear you. This know, ye have of a truth many a mother’s son as foe³. Liudegast and Liudeger, whom ye one time gave grievous sores, declare a feud⁴ against you and are minded to ride with an army to this land.” The king waxed wroth when he heard This tale.

Men bade lead the perjurers to their lodgings⁵. How might Siegfried, or any else against whom they plotted, ware⁶ himself against their wiles⁷? This later brought great sorrow to them all. The king walked whispering with his friends; Hagen of Troneg never let him rest. Enow of the king’s liegemen would fain have parted the strife⁸, but Hagen would not give up his plan. On a day Siegfried found them whispering. The hero of Netherland gan ask: “How go the king and his men so sadly? I’ll help avenge⁹ it, hath any done you aught.”

Then spake King Gunther: “I am rightly sad. Liudegast and Liudeger have challenged me to war; they are minded to ride openly into my land.”

At this the bold knight¹⁰ said: “Siegfried’s hand shall hinder that with zeal¹¹, as beseemeth all your honors. I’ll do yet to these knights¹² as I did before; I’ll lay waste their lands, or ever I turn again. Be my head your pledge of this. Ye and your warriors¹³ shall stay at home and let me ride to meet them with those I have. I’ll let you see how fain I serve you. This know, through me it shall go evil with your foes¹⁵.”

“Well is me of these tidings,” spake then the king, as though he were glad in earnest of this aid. With guile¹⁶ the faithless man bowed low.

Quoth Lord Siegfried: “Ye shall have small care.”

Then they made ready for the journey hence with the men-at-arms. This was done for Siegfried and his men to see. He, too, bade those of Netherland get them ready. Siegfried’s warriors sought out warlike weeds. Then the stalwart Siegfried spake: “My father Siegmund, ye must stay here. We shall return in short space hither to the Rhine, and God give us luck. Ye must here make merry with the king.”

They tied fast their banners, as though they would away, and there were enow of Gunther’s men who wist not wherefore this was done. Great rout¹⁷ of men was seen at Siegfried’s side. They bound their helmets and their breastplates upon the steeds, and many a stout¹⁸ knight made ready to quit the land. Then Hagen of Troneg went to find Kriemhild and asked for leave; sith they would void the land.

“Now well is me,” spake Kriemhild, “that I have won a husband who dare protect so well my loving kinsfolk, as my Lord Siegfried doth here. Therefore,” spake the queen, “will I be glad of heart. Dear friend Hagen, think on that, that I do serve you gladly and never yet did bear you hate. Requite¹⁹ this now to me in my dear husband. Let him not suffer, if I have done to Brunhild aught. I since have rued²⁰ it,” spake the noble wife. “Moreover, he since hath beaten me black and blue; the brave hero and a good hath well avenged²¹ that ever I spake what grieved her heart.”

“Ye’ll be friends once more after some days. Kriemhild, dear lady, pray tell me how I may serve you in your husband Siegfried. Liefer will I do this for you than for any else.”

“I should be without all fear,” quoth the noble dame²², “that any one would take his life in the fray²³, if he would not follow his overweening mood; then the bold knight and a good were safe.”

“Lady,” spake then Hagen, “an’ ye do think that men might wound him, pray let me know with what manner of arts I can prevent this. On foot, on horse, will I ever be his guard.”

She spake: “Thou art my kinsman²⁴ and I am thine. I’ll commend to thee trustingly the dear lover of mine, that thou mayst guard him well, mine own dear husband.” She made him acquaint with tales which had been better left unsaid. She spake: “My husband is brave and strong enow. When he slew²⁵ the dragon on the hill, the lusty warrior¹⁴ bathed him of a truth in the blood, so that since then no weapon ever cut him in the fray. Yet am I in fear, whenever he standeth in the fight and many javelins²⁶ are cast by heroes’ hands, that I may lose this dear husband of mine. Alas²⁷, how oft I suffer sore for Siegfried’s sake! Dear kinsman, in the hope that thou wilt²⁸ hold thy troth with me, I’ll tell thee where men may wound the dear lord of mine. I let thee hear this, ’tis done in faith. When the hot blood gushed²⁹ from the dragon’s wounds and the bold hero and a good bathed him therein, a broad linden leaf did fall betwixt his shoulder blades. Therefore am I sore afraid that men may cut him there.”

Then spake Hagen of Troneg: “Sew a small mark upon his coat, whereby I may know where I must guard him, when we stand in battle.”

She weened to save her knight, but ’twas done unto his death. She spake: “With fine silk I’ll sew a secret cross upon his vesture. There, knight, thy hand must guard my husband, when the strife is on and he standeth in the battle before his foes.”

“That will I well, dear my lady,” Hagen then replied.

The lady weened that it would boot him aught, but Kriemhild’s husband was thereby³⁰ betrayed. Hagen then took leave; merrily he hied him hence. The king’s liegeman was blithe³¹ of mood. I ween that nevermore will warrior give such false counsel, as was done by him when Kriemhild trusted in his troth.

Next morning Siegfried with a thousand of his men rode merrily forth³². He weened he should avenge the grievance³³ of his kinsmen³⁴. Hagen rode so near him that he could eye his clothes. When he saw the sign, he sent in secret twain of his men, who should tell another tale: that Gunther’s land should still have peace and that Liudeger had sent them to the king. How loth Siegfried now rode home again, or ever he had avenged his kinsmen’s wrongs! Gunther’s men could hardly turn him back. He rode then to the king; the host gan thank him. “Now God requite you of your will, friend Siegfried, that ye do so willingly what I bid you. For this I’ll ever serve you, as I rightly should. I trust you more than all my friends. Now that we be rid of this foray, I am minded to ride a-hunting for bears and boars to the Vosges forest, as I have done oft-time.” That Hagen, the faithless knight, had counseled. “Let it be told to all my guests, that we ride betimes. Those that would hunt with me must make them ready. If any choose to stay at home to court the ladies, that liketh me as well.”

Then spake Sir Siegfried in lordly wise: “And ye would a-hunting, I’d fain go with you. Pray lend me a huntsman and some brach, 76 and I will ride to the pines.”

“Will ye have but one?” spake the king anon. “I’ll lend you, an’ ye will, four men to whom both wood and paths be known where the game is wont³⁵ to go, and who will not let you miss the camp.”

Then rode the full lusty warrior to his wife, whilst Hagen quickly told the king how he thought to trap the doughty³⁶ knight. A man should never use such faithlessness.

1 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。

2 woes   

困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉

参考例句：

• Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
• She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。

3 foe   

n.敌人，仇敌

参考例句：

• He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
• A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

4 feud   

n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇

参考例句：

• How did he start his feud with his neighbor?他是怎样和邻居开始争吵起来的？
• The two tribes were long at feud with each other.这两个部族长期不和。

5 lodgings   

n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍

参考例句：

• When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
• I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。

6 ware   

n.(常用复数)商品，货物

参考例句：

• The shop sells a great variety of porcelain ware.这家店铺出售品种繁多的瓷器。
• Good ware will never want a chapman.好货不须叫卖。

7 wiles   

n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All her wiles were to persuade them to buy the goods. 她花言巧语想打动他们买这些货物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The woman used all her wiles to tempt him into following her. 那女人用尽了自己的诱骗本领勾引着他尾随而去。 来自《用法词典》

8 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

9 avenge   

v.为...复仇，为...报仇

参考例句：

• He swore to avenge himself on the mafia.他发誓说要向黑手党报仇。
• He will avenge the people on their oppressor.他将为人民向压迫者报仇。

10 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。

11 zeal   

n.热心，热情，热忱

参考例句：

• Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。
• They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。

12 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。

13 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

14 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

15 foes   

敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。

16 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。

17 rout   

n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮

参考例句：

• The enemy was put to rout all along the line.敌人已全线崩溃。
• The people's army put all to rout wherever they went.人民军队所向披靡。

19 requite   

v.报酬，报答

参考例句：

• The Bible says to requite evil with good.圣经要人们以德报怨。
• I'll requite you for your help.我想报答你的帮助。

20 rued   

v.对…感到后悔( rue的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He rued the day they had bought such a large house. 他懊悔他们买了这样大的一所房子。
• She rued the trip with him. 她后悔不该和他去旅行。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

21 avenged   

v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复

参考例句：

• She avenged her mother's death upon the Nazi soldiers. 她惩处了纳粹士兵以报杀母之仇。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Indians avenged the burning of their village on〔upon〕 the settlers. 印第安人因为村庄被焚毁向拓居者们进行报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

23 fray   

v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗

参考例句：

• Why should you get involved in their fray?你为什么要介入他们的争吵呢？
• Tempers began to fray in the hot weather.大热天脾气烦燥。

24 kinsman   

n.男亲属

参考例句：

• Tracing back our genealogies,I found he was a kinsman of mine.转弯抹角算起来他算是我的一个亲戚。
• A near friend is better than a far dwelling kinsman.近友胜过远亲。

25 slew   

v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多

参考例句：

• He slewed the car against the side of the building.他的车滑到了大楼的一侧，抵住了。
• They dealt with a slew of other issues.他们处理了大量的其他问题。

26 javelins   

n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The heavy infantry blocks moved forward, throwing javelins just before the clash. 在正面交火之前，庞大的兵团会整体向前移动并投掷标枪。 来自互联网
• Elite mercenaries, originally from Aragon, armed with javelins and light armour. 加泰罗尼亚标枪兵为精锐雇佣部队，最初来自阿拉贡，装备标枪和轻甲。 来自互联网

27 alas   

int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)

参考例句：

• Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！
• Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。

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 gushed   

v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话

参考例句：

• Oil gushed from the well. 石油从井口喷了出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Clear water gushed into the irrigational channel. 清澈的水涌进了灌溉渠道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

30 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。

31 blithe   

adj.快乐的，无忧无虑的

参考例句：

• Tonight,however,she was even in a blithe mood than usual.但是，今天晚上她比往常还要高兴。
• He showed a blithe indifference to her feelings.他显得毫不顾及她的感情。

32 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。

33 grievance   

n.怨愤，气恼，委屈

参考例句：

• He will not easily forget his grievance.他不会轻易忘掉他的委屈。
• He had been nursing a grievance against his boss for months.几个月来他对老板一直心怀不满。

34 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

35 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。

36 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。