Stories of Siegfried, Told to the Children Part 4

Then indeed did the King and all his warriors marvel at the bold young knight. 'Was ever heard so monstrous a plan?' murmured the warriors each to the other. 'The stripling from a foreign land, with but eleven bold knights to aid him, would seize Burgundy and banish the King from his realm. It is a monstrous plan.'

'Thou dost repay my welcome but coldly,' said Gunther to the valorous knight 'My fathers ruled over these lands; with honour did they rule.

Wherefore then shall they be taken from their son?'

But Siegfried cried, 'Thyself must fight and win peace for thy fatherland. For unless thou dost conquer me I shall rule in my great might in this realm, and when I die it shall be my heir who shall become king.'

Then Gunther's brother, King Gernot, spoke, and peaceful were his words.

'We rule over a fair country, bold knight, and our liegemen serve us in all good faith. No need have we to fight for this our fatherland.

Therefore do thou go and leave us in peace.'

But King Gunther's warriors listened sullenly to the words of Gernot, and they muttered, 'Such words shall scarce save the braggart stranger, for hath he not challenged our King to fight,' and the hands of the stout warriors crept to their sword-hilts. 'We will master this haughty Prince,' they cried aloud then in their anger.

Hot was Siegfried's temper as he heard their words, and proudly did he answer, 'Ye are all but va.s.sals and would ye measure swords with me, a king's son? Nor, should ye fall on me altogether, could ye hope to overcome me,' and Siegfried swung aloft his good sword Balmung. Then one of the stout warriors whom Siegfried thus defied called l.u.s.tily for his armour and his s.h.i.+eld.

But again King Gernot spoke. 'Not yet hath Siegfried done us any hurt, let us not provoke him to fierce deeds, rather let us seek to gain his good-will.'

King Gunther looked at Hagen. He was not content that his chief counsellor should keep silence. And indeed at that very moment Hagen's stern voice was heard.

'We do well to be wrathful at the words of this bold stripling,' he said, his keen eyes glancing fiercely meanwhile at Gernot. 'We do well to be wrathful, for why should Siegfried thus mock at us who have never done him aught of ill?'

'Dost think I but mock thee with my words,' cried the rash knight.

'Ere long thou shalt see the deeds which my strong right hand shall do in this fair land of Burgundy.'

Again amid the angry tumult Gernot's voice was raised, forbidding his warriors to answer the stranger with harsh words.

As Gernot's peaceful voice fell upon Siegfried's ear for the third time, he began to think of Kriemhild, the wonder-lady of his dreams.

He grew ashamed of his anger. He would curb it lest he should never win the Princess for his bride.

Then Gernot, seeing the fierceness die out of the stranger's face, spoke yet again. 'Thou shalt be welcome, thou and thy comrades, to Worms, and right glad will we be to serve thee,' and Gernot ordered goblets of the King's wine to be brought to the strange guests.

Siegfried and his knights took the goblets, and having drained them they were ready to forget their warlike words.

King Gunther, seeing that his guests were no longer angry, led them to the banqueting hall, and Siegfried was soon laughing his own glad, gay laugh. When at length the feast was ended the stranger knights were lodged each as befitted his rank.

Then throughout the fair land of Burgundy there stole the story of the King's bold hero guest, Sir Siegfried.

CHAPTER VII

SIEGFRIED'S SOJOURN AT WORMS

At the court of Worms high festival was held to do honour to Siegfried and his eleven brave warriors. It is true that his boldness when he entered the city had made the Kings and their liegemen wish to serve the dauntless hero, yet now it was not of his boldness that they thought, but of his happy, winsome ways. Indeed it was but a short time until he was the most favoured Prince in all the gallant throng of courtiers that gathered round King Gunther in his royal city.

Only one in all the country hated the gallant Prince of the Netherlands, and that one was the stern and fierce-eyed Hagen; but of the counsellor's ill-will the light-hearted hero knew nought.

Merry were the frolics, gay the pastimes at the court of Worms, and in every game and sport Siegfried was the most skilful.

Did the warriors hurl the stone? None could hurl it as far as could Siegfried. Did they leap? No one ever leaped as far as did the Prince.

Did they go a-hunting? No one brought down the prey as often as did the hero. Did they tilt in the tournament? Siegfried it was who ever gained the prize. Yet none was envious of the Prince, so glad he was, so light of heart.

When games were held in the great castle hall, ladies clad in garments of richest hue, and sparkling with gems of ruddy gold, would come into the galleries. And ever as they watched the gallant knights their eyes would follow the most gallant of them all, the hero Siegfried. But among these fair counts and ladies the Princess Kriemhild was never to be seen, and Siegfried had no thought to spare for any other damsel.

In his heart was ever the image of the maiden whom he had come hither to win.

The Princess might not go down to the great hall to see the tournament, yet as she sat in her tower she would ofttimes think of the mighty strength of this hero, of his heart of gold. And almost before she was aware Kriemhild had found the Prince whom she would gladly call her lord.

When she heard the knights running and leaping in the courtyard, Kriemhild would lay her seam aside, and Princess though she was, she would run to her lattice window, and peeping through, she would watch her hero with glad eyes, victor in every pastime. Nor would she turn away until the sports were ended and the courtyard once again grew silent and deserted.

Siegfried did not know that Kriemhild's glad eyes were peeping through her lattice window, and had he known he would scarce have dared to dream that her glance was fixed on no other save on him alone.

Indeed sometimes the hero's heart misgave him. When would he see the maiden whom he loved? Had she no pleasure in his knightly games, no smile to give him for his skill? Nay, she was as great a stranger to him now as when he had ridden into the royal city of Worms in hope to gain her favour.

Thus for one whole year Siegfried dwelt with the three Kings of Burgundy, and during all that time he never once saw the wonder-lady of his dreams, the Princess Kriemhild.

At the end of the year King Gunther's fair realm of Burgundy was threatened with invasion and with mighty wars. No longer did the castle hall at Worms ring with the merry pastimes of the courtiers.

All was grave, silent, for King Gunther and his brothers and his counsellors were in sore distress.

That day heralds had ridden into the land and demanded audience of King Gunther.

'Now who hath sent you hither?' said the King in angry mood.

'Our masters,' cried the heralds. 'King Ludegast and King Ludeger have sent us to warn thee that they hate thee and will invade thy land.

With great armies will they come to thy realm of Burgundy. Within twelve weeks will they be here, unless thou dost offer a ransom for thy kingdom.'

'Tarry a little,' said Gunther, 'until I have spoken with my counsellors, then shall ye carry my answer back to thy masters.'

King Gernot had heard the challenge of the heralds, and dauntless he cried, 'Our good swords shall defend us. What fear we from the foreign host!'

But Hagen cried, 'Ludegast and Ludeger are fierce, and evil will overtake us, for scarce have we time in which to gather our liegemen together ere the foe will be in our land. Speak thou, O King, unto the hero Siegfried. It may be that his powers can help us now.'

Meanwhile King Gunther commanded that the heralds should be lodged with all due courtesy, and this he did for the sake of his fair fame.

Now as Gunther sat brooding over the evil which seemed as though it would overtake his land, Siegfried came to his side. He knew no reason for the King's distress.

'What hath come to pa.s.s,' said the hero, 'that all our merry pastimes are ended? For since ever I came into the fair land of Burgundy hath the castle hall of thy royal city echoed with the ring of knightly deeds, and tilts and jousts have long held sway. Why, therefore, are the merry pastimes ended, and wherefore dost thou sit here thus sad and downcast?'

'Not to everyone,' said King Gunther, 'would I tell my sorrow, nay, to none save a steadfast friend dare I declare it.'

When Siegfried heard the King's words, his fair face flushed, then paled again.

'Already,' cried the hero, 'have I followed thee in time of need. For indeed during the year which he had spent at Worms, Siegfried had gone with Gunther on more than one foray into the neighbouring kingdoms.

'Now,' he continued, 'now if trouble hath come to thee my arm is strong to bring thee aid. I will be thy friend if thou art willing while life is mine.'

'G.o.d reward thee, Sir Siegfried!' cried King Gunther, and right glad of heart was he. 'It may be I shall not need thy strength to aid me in my battles, yet do I rejoice that thou art my friend. Never while my life lasts shalt thou be sorry for thy words.'