<h2><SPAN name="chap39"></SPAN>Thirty-Ninth Adventure<br/> How Gunther, Hagen, and Kriemhild Were Slain</h2>
<p>Thereupon Sir Dietrich went and got his harness himself. Old Hildebrand helped
to arm him. The strong man wept so loud that the house rang with his voice. But
soon he was of stout heart again, as beseemed a hero. He did on his armour in
wrath. He took a fine-tempered shield in his hand, and they hasted to the
place—he and Master Hildebrand.</p>
<p>Then said Hagen of Trony, “I see Sir Dietrich yonder. He cometh to avenge
his great loss. This day will show which of us twain is the better man. Howso
stark of body and grim Sir Dietrich may deem him, I doubt not but I shall stand
against him, if he seek vengeance.” So spake Hagen.</p>
<p>Dietrich, that was with Hildebrand, heard him. He came where both the knights
stood outside the house, leaning against the wall. Good Dietrich laid down his
shield, and, moved with deep woe, he said, “Why hast thou so entreated a
homeless knight? What had I done to thee? Thou hast ended all my joy. Thou
deemedst it too little to have slain Rudeger to our scathe; now thou hast
robbed me of all my men. I had never done the like to you, O knights. Think on
yourselves and your loss—the death of your friends, and your travail. By
reason thereof are ye not heavy of your cheer? Alack! how bitter to me is
Rudeger’s death! There was never such woe in this world. Ye have done
evilly by me and by yourselves. All the joy I had ye have slain. How shall I
ever mourn enough for all my kinsmen?”</p>
<p>“We are not alone to blame,” answered Hagen. “Your knights
came hither armed and ready, with a great host. Methinketh the tale hath not
been told thee aright.”</p>
<p>“What shall I believe then? Hildebrand said that when my knights of
Amelung begged you to give them Rudeger’s body, ye answered mockingly, as
they stood below.”</p>
<p>Then said the prince of the Rhineland. “They told me they were come to
bear Rudeger hence. I denied them, not to anger thy men, but to grieve Etzel
withal. Whereat Wolfhart flew in a passion.”</p>
<p>Said the prince of Bern, “There is nothing for it. Of thy knightliness,
atone to me for the wrong thou hast done me, and I will avenge it no further.
Yield thee captive, thee and thy man, and I will defend thee to the uttermost
against the wrath of the Huns. Thou wilt find me faithful and true.”</p>
<p>“God in Heaven forbid,” cried Hagen, “that two knights, armed
as we are for battle, should yield them to thee! I would hold it a great shame,
and ill done.”</p>
<p>“Deny me not,” said Dietrich. “Ye have made me heavy-hearted
enow, O Gunther and Hagen; and it is no more than just, that ye make it good. I
swear to you, and give you my hand thereon, that I will ride back with you to
your own country. I will bring you safely thither, or die with you, and forget
my great wrong for your sakes.”</p>
<p>“Ask us no more,” said Hagen. “It were a shameful tale to
tell of us, that two such bold men yielded them captive. I see none save
Hildebrand by thy side.”</p>
<p>Hildebrand answered, “Ye would do well to take my master’s terms;
the hour will come, or long, when ye would gladly take them, but may not have
them.”</p>
<p>“Certes, I had liefer do it,” said Hagen, “than flee mine
adversary like a coward, as thou didst, Master Hildebrand. By my troth, I
deemed thou hadst withstood a foeman better.”</p>
<p>Cried Hildebrand, “Thou needest not to twit me. Who was it that, by the
wask-stone, sat upon his shield when Walter of Spain slew so many of his
kinsmen? Thou, thyself, art not void of blame.”</p>
<p>Said Sir Dietrich then, “It beseemeth not warriors to fight with words
like old women. I forbid thee, Master Hildebrand, to say more. Homeless knight
that I am, I have grief enow. Tell me now, Sir Hagen, what ye good knights said
when ye saw me coming armed. Was it not that thou alone wouldst defy me?”</p>
<p>“Thou hast guessed rightly,” answered Hagen. “I am ready to
prove it with swift blows, if my Nibelung sword break not. I am wroth that ye
would have had us yield us captive.”</p>
<p>When Dietrich heard grim Hagen’s mind, he caught up his shield, and
sprang up the steps. The Nibelung sword rang loud on his mail. Sir Dietrich
knew well that the bold man was fierce. The prince of Bern warded off the
strokes. He needed not to learn that Hagen was a valiant knight. Thereto, he
feared stark Balmung. But ever and anon he struck out warily, till he had
overcome Hagen in the strife. He gave him a wound that was deep and wide. Then
thought Sir Dietrich, “Thy long travail hath made thee weak. I had little
honour in thy death. Liefer will I take thee captive.” Not lightly did he
prevail. He threw down his shield. He was stark and bold, and he caught Hagen
of Trony in his arms. So the valiant man was vanquished. King Gunther grieved
sore.</p>
<p>Dietrich bound Hagen, and led him to the queen, and delivered into her hand the
boldest knight that ever bare a sword. After her bitter dole, she was glad
enow. She bowed before the knight for joy. “Blest be thou in soul and
body. Thou hast made good to me all my woe. I will thank thee till my dying
day.”</p>
<p>Then said Dietrich, “Let him live, noble queen. His service may yet atone
to thee for what he hath done to thy hurt. Take not vengeance on him for that
he is bound.”</p>
<p>She bade them lead Hagen to a dungeon. There he lay locked up, and none saw
him.</p>
<p>Then King Gunther called aloud, “Where is the hero of Bern? He hath done
me a grievous wrong.”</p>
<p>Sir Dietrich went to meet him. Gunther was a man of might. He tarried not, but
ran toward him from the hall. Loud was the din of their swords.</p>
<p>Howso famed Dietrich was from aforetime, Gunther was so wroth and so fell, and
so bitterly his foeman, by reason of the wrong he had endured, that it was a
marvel Sir Dietrich came off alive. They were stark and mighty men both. Palace
and towers echoed with their blows, as their swift swords hewed their good
helmets. A high-hearted king was Gunther.</p>
<p>But the knight of Bern overcame him, as he had done Hagen. His blood gushed
from his harness by reason of the good sword that Dietrich carried. Yet Gunther
had defended him well, for all he was so weary.</p>
<p>The knight was bound by Dietrich’s hand, albeit a king should never wear
such bonds. Dietrich deemed, if he left Gunther and his man free, they would
kill all they met.</p>
<p>He took him by the hand, and let him before Kriemhild. Her sorrow was lighter
when she saw him. She said, “Thou art welcome, King Gunther.”</p>
<p>He answered, “I would thank thee, dear sister, if thy greeting were in
love. But I know thy fierce mind, and that thou mockest me and Hagen.”</p>
<p>Then said the prince of Bern, “Most high queen, there were never nobler
captives than these I have delivered here into thy hands. Let the homeless
knights live for my sake.”</p>
<p>She promised him she would do it gladly, and good Dietrich went forth weeping.
Yet soon Etzel’s wife took grim vengeance, by reason whereof both the
valiant men perished. She kept them in dungeons, apart, that neither saw the
other again till she bore her brother’s head to Hagen. Certes,
Kriemhild’s vengeance was bitter.</p>
<p>The queen went to Hagen, and spake angrily to the knight. “Give me back
what thou hast taken from me, and ye may both win back alive to
Burgundy.”</p>
<p>But grim Hagen answered, “Thy words are wasted, noble queen. I have sworn
to show the hoard to none. While one of my masters liveth, none other shall
have it.”</p>
<p>“I will end the matter,” said the queen. Then she bade them slay
her brother, and they smote off his head. She carried it by the hair to the
knight of Trony. He was grieved enow.</p>
<p>When the sorrowful man saw his master’s head, he cried to Kriemhild,
“Thou hast wrought all thy will. It hath fallen out as I deemed it must.
The noble King of Burgundy is dead, and Giselher the youth, and eke Gernot.
None knoweth of the treasure now save God and me. Thou shalt never see it,
devil that thou art.”</p>
<p>She said, “I come off ill in the reckoning. I will keep Siegfried’s
sword at the least. My true love wore it when I saw him last. My bitterest
heart’s dole was for him.”</p>
<p>She drew it from the sheath. He could not hinder it. She purposed to slay the
knight. She lifted it high with both hands, and smote off his head.</p>
<p>King Etzel saw it, and sorrowed. “Alack!” cried the king,
“The best warrior that ever rode to battle, or bore a shield, hath fallen
by the hand of a woman! Albeit I was his foeman, I must grieve.”</p>
<p>Then said Master Hildebrand, “His death shall not profit her. I care not
what come of it. Though I came in scathe by him myself, I will avenge the death
of the bold knight of Trony.”</p>
<p>Hildebrand sprang fiercely at Kriemhild, and slew her with his sword. She
suffered sore by his anger. Her loud cry helped her not.</p>
<p>Dead bodies lay stretched all over. The queen was hewn in pieces. Etzel and
Dietrich began to weep. They wailed piteously for kinsmen and vassals. Mickle
valour lay there slain. The folk were doleful and dreary.</p>
<p>The end of the king’s hightide was woe, even as, at the last, all joy
turneth to sorrow.</p>
<p>I know not what fell after. Christian and heathen, wife, man, and maid, were
seen weeping and mourning for their friends.</p>
<p class="center">
I WILL TELL YOU NO MORE. LET THE DEAD LIE. HOWEVER IT FARED AFTER WITH THE
HUNS, MY TALE IS ENDED. THIS IS THE FALL OF THE NIBELUNGS.</p>
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