A n d v a r i s Ri n g

A rth u r P e ter so n

G P Pu tnam So n s
’
. . s

N ew Y o r k an d L o nd o n
Ub e k ni c h erb oc ket D ress
‘

191 6
 NOTE

THE s t o ry o f Andv am 3 Ri ng o f S igur d and ,

Gunter o f Brynhild and Gudrun has always had

, ,

a strong h old upon the human heart Centuri es .

ago i t was a favourite theme of th e old Norse

skald s and saga m en and in later day s man y a
-
,

poet dram at i st and music i an has yielded t o it s

, ,

fascination Willi am Morri s has turned i t i nto

.

modern English vers e and Rich ard W agner ,

has woven from i t th e might i est of h i s musi c

dramas It has been told and re told by so
.
-

many p eople and in such a variet y of ways

, ,

that no e x cuse i s o ffered by the writer for a ddin g

o n e more variation to the collection I n th e .

f ollowing p oem the hero i s depicted a s a yo ung

Norse rover a wanderer not only by land but by
,

s e a this latter innovat i on s e eming to lend i tself

,

quite naturall y t o the es t abl i shed l e ge nd The .

action i s su pp osed t o t ak e p lac e abo u t th e

middle of the fifth c e ntury th a t e ventful pe r i o d
,

which ma y be sai d to mark the end of th e a n

cient and the begi nn in g of the modern world
, .

This ancient story which is found i n i ts oldest

,

known form i n the Icelandic Eddas ! coll e ct i on s ,

111
iv N o te

of p ro se and verse i n the Iceland i c or O ld N o rse , ,

language ! is p robably based partly upon nature

,

myths common to the whole Aryan Race and ,

p artly u pon an a ctual historic occurrence ; but

wh e n where or by whom the tale was first put
, ,

together no on e knows It is found in the .

literature of all the peoples of Northern Europe ;

and it was an especial favourite among the
Norse races who after the withdrawal of the
,

Rom an garrisons settled in such pre p onderating

,

numbers i n Britain It is natural therefore .

, ,

that i t should be popular among the descendants

o f tho se ra ées
— the English s p e ak in g p eo p les of -

toda y .

The be st blood of Norwa y Sweden and Den , ,

m ark ! or what is c ommonly known as S c an di n a

via ! se ems to have passed over into the British
I sles during the long period of colonization ! about
si! hundred ye a rs! between the fifth and the
eleventh centuries ; not only by direct migration
and settlement but by the indirect route of
,

Norm andy ; for William the Conquer o r and his

Normans though they had French names
, ,

were p robably i n lineage at least half Norse .

B y th e best blood I mean not s o much the best

c onducted and most peaceable persons as the ,

m ost energetic aggressive daring and a dventur

, ,

ou s And there is little doubt that it is to the

.

descendants of these restless sea faring spirits ,

-

that Great Britain owes her centuries of mari

 N o te

ti m e su p rem a c y and over sea coloniz at ion T h e

‘

-
.

English adventurers of the sixteenth and eight

een th c enturies were but repeating on a larger ,

scale th e e xploits of their ancestors of a thou

,

sand years before ; and the long line of ocean

heroes i n which Drake and Nelson are perhaps
,

the most conspicuous figures had its beginning ,

i n the bold Norse rovers wh o while England was ,

yet in the making sailed forth upon the swan s

“
,
’

road .This idea is touched upon i n th e chapter

!

entitled Erda s Prophecy ’

.

An attempt has been made in th e co urse of

the narrative especially in the chapter entitled
,

“ “
Sigurd and Gudrun and in The Song of ,

Olaf the Red to give the reader some idea of

,

the beautiful mythology of the Anglo Saxon -

Race Though thes e ol d gods and goddesses

.
,

like thos e of the Greeks and Romans may no ,

longer b e worshi p ped as d ivine personages ,

y et the names of many of them survive and are

in constant use in the Engl i sh language of to
day the original meanings however being often
, , ,

forgotten The name of Easter the goddess of

.
,

Spring of Hel or Hela the goddess of the under

, ,

world of Tyr O din Thor and Freya after

, , , , ,

whom Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and , , ,

Frida y are named the first and second days of ,

the week being named in honour of the Sun and

the Moon are a few of the many examples which
,

might be quoted Though dissimilar in many .

,
vi N o te

res pec t s t o th e m ythologie s of th e Greeks and

,

the Romans yet in many other res pects th e

m
,

Anglo Sax on
-
ythology bears such a clos e re
se mblance to them that one cannot hel p think
i ng they originally formed on e system i n that ,

earlier tim e when the variou s branch es of the

Aryan famil y were on e peo p l e d well i n g i n the
,

highlands of Western A sia .

Th e Burgundians with whom the fortunes of

,

Sigurd become s o closely connected and am ong ,

whom he finally meets his death were a Teutonic

,

people whose former home had been the country

between the Oder and the Vistula They mi .

grated toward the west and south and at the ,

time of our story were settled in the valle y of the

up p er Rhine in the neighbourhood of Worms
, .

Th e Burgundians afterward passed over into

Gaul and the territor y occu p ied by them ulti
,

m atel y became part of the celebrated Duch y

of Burgundy After the death of Sigurd a new
.

character appears upon the scene the celebrated,

Attila ; and in his banquet to the Burgundians

and the e x ecution of Hagen we can discern
the outlines of a far off historic event
-
.

The Latin form Scandia has b e e n used

throughout the poem in preference to the com
m oner word Scandinavia i t bein g be tte r su ited
,

to metri cal composition .

 CONTENTS

B O O! I

SI GURD
PR EL UD E
I —G uD R U N
’
. s D RE AM

II .
—T HE C NG O F SI GURD
O MI

I II —T HE
. B A N ! U E T ! I l u di nc ng Si g u rd
’
s Na rra
ti ve!

IV —T H E T O URN A ME N T
.

V —S I GURD A ND G UDRUN
.

VI .
—I N TH E O D E N WAL D
—TH E VAL ! YR
V II .

VII I —S I GURD AND G UN T E R

.

IX —Y UL E T1D E AT T H E C O UR T O F ! I NG G U N
.
-

T E R ! In c l ud i ng th e Son g of Ol a f th e
R ed !

X .
-
IN T H E GARD E N
X I —G uNT E R s UY S OL IL O !
’
.

X II —HA GE N AND GI S E L HE R
.

X III —H AG E N S O L I L O ! U Y
.
’
s

X IV — E RD A S P R O PH EC Y
.
’
 C o n te n ts

P AG E

XV .
—T H E H O F S I GURD
D EAT

X VI .
— B E S D E TH E RH I N E
I

I N T E R L UD E

B OO ! II

A TT I LA

I —.HA G E N ND AND V A R I
A

G u R U N LA M E N T
’
II .
-
D s

I II —C LA UD I U S
.

IV — T H A A R IT I O N
. E PP

G U RUN S O L IL O ! UY
’
V .
-
D s

VI ATT I LA A ND G UDRUN
.
! -

V II — WE S T WA RD H o
.

V III .
—T H E H AL L OF AT T I LA ! I n c l u d i ng C l a u d i u s
’
s

S to ry!
IX .
—G UDRUN AND A ND VAR I
N
F I AL E
 PRELUDE

S IGU R D I sin g a so n o f th at dark n orth

, ,

O f th at wild Scandi an m other lan d wh e nce

'

s p rang
The s ea tost h o sts who i n that long ago
-
, ,

The b ases of imperial England laid

—
Such as were they he was one of that race
,

Which ever loved to ride the restless waves ,

Or i n grey Scandia its ancestral home , ,

Dwelling or i n the Isles O f Britain where

, ,

Lat e r it throve : men with the eagle s heart ’

Storm nurtured calm amid the swirling se as

-
, ,

Wanderers u p on the deep until this da y

—
.

S igur d h i s b irth h i s l ife hi s d eath I s in g

, , , .

And Th ou O Muse without whose ai d d ivine

, ,

My lips however willing must be mute

, , ,

Thee I beseech my numbers to inspire .

C ome Godd e s s now : I reverently atten d .

 GU D RUN S D RE A M
’

THE fair Gudrun i n her bo we r be s i d e th e Rhin e

, ,

On three successive nights had dreamed a dream ,

Piteous distressful ; and to Ursula

, ,

H er m other go od Kin g D a nc ra t s Wi d owed

,
’

queen ,

Sh e th u s wi th t e ars un burdened h er full h eart

, ,

D ear mo th e r wh ilst I sle p t with i n my bowe r ,

,

On thre e success iv e night s to me h ath c om e

A dream whereof the me an ing I kno w n o t ,

Piteous distressful ; for me thought I l ove d

,

A wh i t e g yrf alcon mo r e th an aught els e se emed

, ,

In the wh ol e wo rld th is g all ant bird t o m e

, ,

With eyes so bright and plumage l i k e th e s now

, .

He fro m h i s home in th e far north h ad flo wn

Southward t o Burgundy ; I m yself h ad tamed
His wandering sp iri t and upon m y han d ,

C o nt ent h e s at whene er I ro de afi el d ’
,
 G u d ru m
'
n s D re a 5

W h at t ime th e h em we hunted with our h awk s .

B u t o n e thr i c e sorrowful day a s i nt o air

-
,

Swi ftl y he ro se sighting his quarry 10 !

, ,

T WO eagles fier c e wheeling from ou t th e h ill s

,

I n ci rcles va st inex orable grim

, , ,

B eset and sl ew h im ; and methought my grie f

W a s l ik e the gr i ef of her who loses all
Or what seems all when Death hath struck hi s
blow
T h e Wife h er hu sband o r th e mo th er h er child .

T h en spoke Q uee n Ursul a : sol ici tu d e

D welt i n h e r vo i ce disquiet in her m ie n
,

O ft i n our dreams th e future lives an d thus , ,

My daughter d o I read thy v ision wild

, .

P erch ance I read i t wrong ; b ut a s thou know st ,

’
,

At Yule ti de was I b orn the seventh ch ild

-
,

O f se ve nth c h il d and second s i ght i s mi n e

,
-

A p ower clai rvo y ant granted b y the g od s .

T h i s th en the i nterp retat i on O f th y dream

, ,

T he wh it e g yrfal c on i s a nobl e youth

Whom th ou Wilt l e arn to love wi th all th y s oul .

T h e eagl e s fierce tw o cruel warri ors are

Whose spears shall sla y th y lord Alas Gudru n l .
,

M eth i nks that b y the hand of Skuld herself ,

Who sits beside the ash tree Ygdrasil -

Gazing upon the future was dispatched ,

Th is v i si o n in whos e hap p enings I d i s ce rn

,
 A d v a ri Ri n g
'
6 n s

The dread announcement of a deed to co me .

Ruth hath my mother s heart for thee Gudrun ;

’

Thy falcon falls before the eagles twain .

O woeful hour ! As swift descending storm

-

Darkens the day s o shall this murder foul

,

Becloud the sunny s p ringtime of th y life .

Thy lord lies still in death S o s peak the .

Norns ! "

Thus Ursula : and by her m other s word s ’

O erc om e upon an ancient couch near by

’

, ,

Like b roken lily sank the fa ir Gudrun

, .
 A d v a ri
'
8 n s Ri n g

So in h i s pal ace by the Rh ine where dwelt ,

A Roman pretor once King Gunter bad e ,

Prepare this banquet to c ommemorate ,

Th e da y h is h and firs t gras p ed th e hel m o f st at e .

T h at t ime i n summ er wa s i t wh en th e days

Longest and loveliest are when leafy Jun e ,

Mantles the earth and Gunter s capit al

,
’

! Called by the Romans B orbetomagus ,

And by the men of later centuri es Worms!

Sat l i ke a be auteou s bride besi d e the Rh in e
, , .

Now o n th e morn ing

th e fest ive day of ,

Whil e y et the summer sun was low i n th e e as t ,

Ap peared far down the Rh ine but m oving u p ,

Against th e stream their sails filled by the breeze

, ,

Three galleys The m a w atch man fro m his

.

towe r
D e scried and to King Gunt er b r o ught th e word
, .

Whence cam e the y no man kne w And no w .

the wi nd
Carrie s them ne are r and th e m orn ing sun
,

Blazons each carven golden headed p ro w

,
-
,

And gaily broidered sail And 10 ! within

-
.
,

Sitting upon the rowers benches s om e ’

,

And others grouped o n forecastle and poo p ,

The bold and brawny crews of mail clad men -

,
 Th e C o m in g o f S i gu rd 9

Son s o f th e oc e an wi th their red shields hung

,

Outboard along the gunwales And to eye s .

That watched th e s cene the foremost galley

l o oked
A mighty dr a gon breast ing Rhine s broad flood ’
.

F or h e r h i gh a rc h m g prow was shaped and carved

-

Like dragon s front with gilded crest upre ared

’
,

Above th e wave ; and all along each sid e

The warr i ors shield s like dragon s scal es a p
’ ’

peared ;
And looking aft th e h i gh and cu rling s t ern
, ,

Ended a dragon s gilded tail in air

’
.

And of her sister ships a great wolf s head ’

Carved out of wood with grim wide open j aws

,
-
,

One bore upon her bow the other a bear s ,

’
,

B oth fancifully gilded In this wise .

,

A gallant s i ght were built th ese gall e y s thre e

, .

T hen said Kin g Gunter L e t my me n -

at

arms
B e ready but no hostile act disclose
, .

O r friend or foe I know not but methink s ,

Peace an d n o t war i s i n th e s tr an ger s he art ’

.

No w t oward th e r ive r s bank e a ch galley turn s

’
,

And soon the sails are lowered and in a cove ,

Near b y th e vessels rest ; and from the side

 A d v a ri
'
IO n s Ri n g

O f one the largest galley O f the thre e

, ,

Whose prow a gilded dragon s front displa ye d ’

,

Is thrown a gangplank to the ri ver shore ;

And over this forthwith a figure steps
—
, ,

Tall straight with winge d helm and byrn ie

-

bright
And after hi m a score of viking form s ,

With s p ear in hand and shield on a rm and to ,

w ard
Th e pal ace of th e k ing all t ak e th eir way .

N o w when th e strangers to that s p ot had c ome

Wher e Gunter stood flanked b y h is m en a t ,
-

arms ,

T h e y halted and one lifted high in ai r

,

A snow white shield as if to signal Peace

-
, .

—
And he who seemed the leader b y his dres s ,

—
And face and noble bearing left his men ,

And toward King Gunter slowly strode alon e .

And Gunter reading in the stranger s mien

,
’

—
A brother ruler whether great or small
He knew not still a leader among men
,

Stepped likewise from his soldiery apart ,

And toward that other slowly strode alone .

And i n m id fiel d the two unguarded m et

-
, , .

S poke then the stranger courteous his salute ; ,

Art thou King Gunter ruler O f this realm ? ,

!
 Th e C o m in g o f S i gu r d 11

And Gunter answered : T hat other

then :
My name is Sigurd fro m that far northland , ,

Scandia yclept by men of Roman tongue ,

I come wi th these thre e galley s whi ch tho u

,

seest
In yonder cove and mariner s s i! s c ore ;
,

All hardy Norsemen nurtured b y the sea , ,

Rough foster mother from their earliest day s

-
, .

Wanderer s are we o ur sh ips our ho mes our

, ,

trade
To p ull the o ar to ste e r to se t th e sail
, , ,

And when occasi on calls to draw the sword

, , ,

For like the eagle s are our lives 0 King !

’
,

But not i n quest o f booty do I come

Today nor on a dventures warlike crui se
, ,

But rather to fulfil a project dear ,

Born of the wandering instinct in m y heart ,

And grown now to a purpose o f my l i fe

’
—
O erm a s teri n g z T O behold ere youth and ,

strength
Depart and ol d age mark me for th e grave
, ,

The mighty world ; to see with mine own eyes

Rome and the wondrou s East and wha t
, ,

beyond
Lies if in truth there l i es a land be yo n d
, ,

Or holy Asgard as our sagas teach , .

And up this noble r i ver have I sailed

These many days and feasted on its charms
, ,

Pursuant to this purpose of my heart .

 A dv a ri Ri n g
'
12 n s

Frie nd s are we th e n 0 King and fr ie ndsh i p

, ,

crav e
Fro m thee But if some wild adventure wa i t
.
,

Or thou hast present need of gallant men

For war which oft comes when expected least
, ,

Command my sword Th e se be all vikings .

bold ,

Stout sea dogs e very one who know not fear

-
, ,

But love to breast the buff ets of the storm

When blows the d ark northeaster o er the wave ; ’

An d love still m ore while valkyrs o er them fl y

’
, ,

To front the battle s furious stress ; to hear

’

—
The battle s music th e clash of sword again st
’

s word ,

The shock of axe o n hel m th e p it a pat ,

- -

Of the arrows hail upon the shield True s o n s

’
.

Of Odin and O f Thor b e these 0 King ;

‘

—
And w h a t I bi d th em do th e y 11 do or d ie .

He ce ased and Gunter thu s to him replied

,

“
Welcome br a ve knight to th e Burgundian
, ,

land !
No wars have I at present though a bold ,

Adventure long hath occupied my dreams

! Of which hereafter will I speak to thee! ,

Wherein thy eager S pirit and the skill ,

O f these stout mariners would aid me much .

But for today let s have no more of war

’
,
 Th e C o m in g o f S i gu rd 13

But wass ail only In the banquet hall

.

Of yonder palace i s a feast pre p ared .

Be thou my guest brave knight An d as for, .

these ,

Thy m erry men the y re wel c o me o n e and all

’

An d to their comrades w
.
,

. h o in yonder cove ,

Remai n on board thy sea tost ships I ll send

,
-
,
’

Cattl e and sheep and ale and whate er els e ’

Is found u p on the tables in the hall ,

T hat all may j oin i n our festiviti es .

For o n th i s day seven years ago my rei gn

, ,

B egan ; and I toda y would celebrat e

Fi tl y an d as becomes a k ing th e eve nt
, , .

He ce ase d : th e t wo clasp ed hand s : a n d Sigurd

thus ,

With all h is men became Ki ng Gunt e r s guests

,
’
.
 T HE BANQUET
! In c l u d i n g Na rra ti ve!
’
Si g u rd s

TH E feast i s on i n Gunter s banqu e t hall ’

,

An d up and down the vast i nterior

! A parallelogram in shape whose length ,

E xtends three t i me s i ts bre ath ! reigns every ,

where ,

Th e me rr y wassail of th e o l de n t ime .

U p rai se d up on a d ai s at on e end ,

Of the great hall the table of the kin g

,

Athwart ships ran stretching from side to sid e

-
,
.

Here sat apart from the wild feast below

, ,

Yet O f it ; seeing all by all beheld ; ,

Gunter his household and his guest s of rank

, ,

Ursula his mother the queen dowager ;,

The fai r Gudrun his sister golden haired

,
-
,

And man y a lovel y damsel of the bower ;

I4
 A d v a ri
'
16 n s Ri n g

P asse d wi th th ei r p re c i ous freight from l ip t o

, ,

l ip ,
Ever to be re p lenished and re p ass ,

Filled from great casks wi thin th e c ellar s tored .

And Norseman and Burgund ian dran k W as “

!
hael
E ach t o th e other and ere the bearded l ips
,

Were dry Skoel to the viking and a gai n

“
, ,
!

Prosit and m ellow friendship ruled the h our

, ,

For Bacchu s doth make brothers of u s all .

And ever and anon the har p ers sang

Their songs of battle and the loud a ppl au se ,

O f hands and vo 1ce the approbation marked

O f warr i ors who themselve s had fought th e
fight .

Sailors the ir yarns di d s pin and sold iers t oo , ,

E ach vyin g with the other and merrily wagged ,

The y ellow beards as in Valhalla when ,

With Odin and with Thor the heroes feast .

And fierc er harped the skald and louder r ose ,

The laughter and the B acchanalian son g ,

Till revel ine xtinguishable filled

T he s p aci ous hall wh il e waxed th e summer ,

night
T o mi dn ight an d th en wan ed i nt o th e dawn
, .

M e anwh ile u pon the dai s gentl er s cen es

, ,

Were passing ; gentler th emes e ngage d th e

tongue ;
 Th e B a n qu e t 17

As ever mu st i t be when ladie s sit

Brave knights among and lend t o b anque t hall ,

The sweet restraint of the ir compan i onshi p .

And when the meats were ended and the sweet s ,

Circled the b oard and gay contentment rei gned

, ,

King Gunter bade his foremost servi ng man -

E ach golden goblet fill with Roman wine ,

An d th e n t o ward Sigur d lo oki n g sl owl y s po k e

, ,

O n th i s th e ann i versary of th at d ay
, ,

Seven ye ars ago whereon my re i gn began

, ,

A noble guest from the far distant north ,

B y gales ausp i cious wafted to the se shores ,

Sit s with us at our banquet table Him .

M y heart doth mu ch delight to honour H im .

I a sk you all to welcome as my friend .

F ierce battles hath he fought we ird p eril s ,

faced
F aced and o erc ome ’
An d i f t o n ig ht p er
.
, ,

chanc e ,

Patience he hath t o t ell us of h i s l ife ,

And all i ts strange a dventures man ifold ,

An audienc e willin g hath h e at th i s board .

But if th e toils o f travel him have left

Wearied and for long speech yet disinclined
, ,

Some oth er t ime more opportune we ll hope

, ,
’

His wanderer s tale to hear Meanwhile a cup

’
.

Of good red wi ne ! wine b y m y grandsire brought

3
 A d v a ri Ri n g
'
I8 n s

From mighty Rome made on the rock y hills ,

Of fair Chianti prec i ous beyond compare!

—
,

Let s drink with hi m a pledg e of fri endship

’

true
Trusting that long our honoured guest he ll be ’
.

Was hael Earl Sigurd ! Gunter thee salutes

-
, ,

And wel come s the e t o B u rgundy ! Wa s h ael l -

So s p eaki ng to his bearded lips he raised

,

The golden cup studded with precious ston es

, ,

Which stood beside his plate now to the brim -"

F illed with the rosy wine O f Italy .

And all who round the royal table sa t ,

Fair women and brave m en with one accor d , ,

Joined in the monarch s greeting to his guest ’

,

Crying Was hael ! Earl Sigurd ! while in cups

-
!

O f ros y wine friendship to hi m they pledged .

T hen Sigurd rising to his feet thus spoke

, ,

“ —
King Gunter ladies knights for these k ind
, ,

words ,

This royal welcome let me thank yo u all , .

Friends may I call you for I feel that friend s ,

We are and shall be Little did I think .

,

This summer morn as up yo n noble stream ,

I steered with vessels three on wanderings bent

, , ,
 Th e B a n qu e t 19

Th at I such courteous words such kindl y h earts , ,

Such regal hospitality should meet .

Surely no ladies fairer knights more brave

, ,

Walk th e green earth than those of Burgundy .

—
Surely no land not even m y Northland
s p reads
More beautiful b eneath i t s azure skie s
Than Burgundy Surely no country boast s
.

A nobler king than thou art Gunter King , ,

Of the Burgundians And since thou tonight

.
, ,

Hast honoured m e by asking o f my life ,

Its wild beginnings and adventures weird ,

Right gladly will I speak and briefly tell ,

My tale But first to thee and to thy house

.

Friendship and fealty in this good red wine

, ,

I fain would pledge And may the grac i ou s

.

bond
N ever b e br o k e n wh e reso e e r I r oam !
,
’

H e lifted high i n air his gold e n cup

“
And cried The King ! And thereupon uprose
!

All that bright company O f knights and stood ,

With golden goblets lifted high in air ,

And cried The King ! An d dames and

damsels fair
Echoed with voices sweet the loyal toast
, , ,

Crying “
The King ! And o er th e oake n
! ’

board
 A d v a ri
’
20 n s Ri n g

Th e gold e n goblet s thu s u p h el d i n air

, ,

Each near th e o ther form ed a bri ght ell ipse

, ,

A glittering aureol e crowning the fair feast .

Beautiful was the scene ! And when the to a st

In good Chianti had been drunk and the knights ,

Once m ore had ta en th e ir seat s an d s il e nc e

’

fell ,

Sigu rd be gan th e s t o ry o f h is l i fe .
 S IGUR D S NARRATI VE
’

IN the far N orth l a n d was I born 0 king ! ,

That land of the long winter night ! That land

Where scarc e sets the midsummer su n ! That
land
Of mountai ns and blue water where th e fiords ,

Of oce an with the forests intertwine .

Sigmund my father and m y mother sweet,

Sig l i nda In Valh alla rest th eir souls

. .

A no b l e king my father Sigmund wa s , ,

Bright p u i ss ant the brave s on of a great sir e

, ,

Volsung a n ame re nowned throughout the

,

n o rth .

But e e n th e br ave st when h i s hour hath come

’
, ,

Must die for who can strive agai nst the Norns ;
,

And b y th e hand O f Hunding s on of Raud , ,

A king cold hearted evil minded base

-
,
-
, ,

Was slain my father S O the grisly night .

,

Sudd e nl y swo o ping doth b lot o ut th e sun

,
.

21
 A dv a ri Ri n g
’
22 n s

And by the hands of Hun ding s warri ors fell ’

All but a remnant of my father s men ’

True hearted vikings but the fight was vain

-
, .

And harried was the land and cruel s p ears ,

Reddened with i nn o c ent b lood the m ountain

stre am
,

And flames devoured the h amlet and afar ,

To other countries fled those who escaped ,

Till i n my father s land at last there seemed

’
, ,

Naug ht l iv in g b ut the vulture and th e wolf .

—
Now dee p wi th i n the forest h i dden so deep
That Hu n di ng s spears ne er found his habitat
’ ’

There dwelt an ag e d man Regin by name , .

Hi m oft my father s hand had guarded hi m

’
,

M y m other had befriended oft A smith .

Wondrous was he ; and s wo rd s and s pe ar s and

sh ields
,

And byrn i es bri ght and battle ax es ke e n

,
-
,

He fash i oned ; and my father p riz ed his skill

Above that of all other smiths and praised ,

The strength and beauty of his hand i work .

Ancient he was none knew h i s years no kin

, ,

He seemed to have ; but rumour said his rac e

Was long ext inct he only had surv ived
, ,

Carrying his knowledge down the centuri e s .

A creature of a di fferent age he seemed ,

B elonging to the long forgotten Past

-
.
 A d v a ri
’
24 n s Ri n g

To fabri cat e the h auberk and the h el m ,

To temper the bright sword of weapon s king , ,

Till like Thor s lightning bolt swift terrible

’
-
, , ,

’
Twould cl e ave i t s way unchecked thr oug h , ,

stoutest steel .

And ho w to fashion fro m th e ruddy gold

Rings torques and bracelets also did h e t e ach
, , ,

And drinking cu p s O ersp rea d with lucky runes

-
,
’
.

And likewise me the lore of Greece and Rom e

He taught and how to read the starry heavens
, ,

And in the art of skald and saga man -

Instructed me for many things he knew

,
.

Aye all the wisdom of the world seemed h is

,
.

And these I loved for somewhat of the bard ,

Doth dwell within me and my hand can strik e ,

Deftly the harp when me the spirit moves .

But I the smithy s smoky air loved n ot ’

.

Rather the gre en leafed forest and the cha se

-
,

Or ocean and the long lift of the wave

,
.

M y part to wield th e s word and b oar s p ear -

,

n ot

To make them For each sp irit h ath i t s work

.
,
’
And in that work delights whate er it be , ,

And doing other ! o y becomes dull toil ,

.

And Regin though the same from day to day

, , ,

His smithy task he taught me read my heart

-
, ,

And knew it loved the forest not the forge , ,

And hungered for adventure not to p a s s ,

A sooty lifetime by the smithy fire .

But pleased he seemed with his wild p upil s bent ’

 S ig u rd N a r r a ti v e
'
s 25

Rath er than d isap p oint e d and on e morn , ,

St and in g besi d e his anvil thu s he sp oke : ,

L i ttl e use i t i s to te ach King Sigmund s son ’

The secrets of the p atient craftsman s art ’

.

’
As well try to instruct the lion s whelp
In all the busy beaver s wondrous way s ’

Or ancient lore of the lab orious ant .

Willing th ou art my lad but thou wast m ad e

, ,

F or oth e r things to handle m en not tools ;

-
,

To battle for thy p eople and to rule ,

Justly th y realm F or ever y age hath need

.

—
Of such as thou fearless and strong and true .

In the e th y sire and grandsire live again .

Take thou th e s word therefore m in e anc i ent

, ,

hand s
Shall forge th ee and go forth into the w o rld
,

Thy father s swo rd Gram wh i ch i n that last

’
, ,

fight
Did Odin for some unknown re ason break
, , .

His hand not Hundi ng s twas wh i ch struck

,
’
,
’

the bl ow ,

F or Gr am by mo rtal man w as n e ve r r i ven .

But not for us i t is with human minds

, ,

To question th e h i gh wisdom O f the gods .

The sword he gave that sword he took awa y

, ,

And now to thee it goes So speak the Norns . .

Pray s i t thee down that I may tell the tale

,
.
 A d v a ri Ri n g
’
26 n s

A no b le h all thy grandsire V olsung built , , ,

O blong in sha p e with great doors at each e nd

, ,

And fitted u p within with tables long

And benches stout whereat his merry men ,

Wa s sai fed while on the wall the glittering shield

,

Hung idle flanked by battle axe and spear

,
-
.

And in th e m iddle of this banquet hall

A n o ak tree vast and venerable grew
-
, ,

—
B r anstock hi s anc i ent name who se t o wer i ng
trunk
S oared through the roof , and i n the outer air
Bloomed with a myriad br anches Now one .

night ,

When lighted were the fi e s i n the great hall

—
For wi nter time it was and wagged the beards
M errily and the horns of nut brown ale
,
-

Circled the board there strode into the hall

,

A stranger with a drawn sword in his hand .

O ne eyed he was and huge a great slouched hat

-
,

B etopp ed his golden locks and a blue cloak ,

Covered his shoulders Not of earth he seemed .

,

But mystic su p erhuman Such his mien

, .

None dared accost him Odin twas in truth .

’
.

T hrough th e great hall and toward the O l d ,

o a k tree
-

Swiftly he strode ; then for a m om e nt stopped , , ,

And into B ranstock plunged his glittering b l ade .

U p to its hilt in the great trunk it sank .

 S ig u N a r r a ti v e
’
r d s 27

Then Odin spoke Whoso from out this stoc k ‘

Shall draw this sword to him it shall belong ; ,

A gift from me NO better weapon lives.

’
Twixt earth and heaven Gram have I named .

—
i t Gram
Th e Wrath S o saying from ou t the b anquet
.
’
,

h all ,

Huge mystical he passed ; and i n the night

, ,

Vanished and for a moment none dared move

,

Or S peak but all like statues dumb remained

, ,

Awed by this presence from another world .

Th en spoke at l ast thy grandsire Volsung

, , , ,

thus :

H o n o ured a m I that to my banquet hall

Hath come this night Odin of gods the chief
, , , .

And honoured will that puissant warrior be

Who fro m O ld Branstock draws the glittering
steel .

Fain I myself at once would clutch yon hilt

, , ,

And make the attempt but courtesy forbids ; ,

And to my guests in the order O f their rank , ,

First will the trial be given Earl Sigger thou .

,

L e ad O ff and Heaven accord thee just s ucc e ss

, .
’

He c e ase d and Sigger ros e—a gr im faced earl

,
-

—
Of forty wint ers and with brawny hands
 A d v a ri
’
28 n s Ri n g

Gra s pe d the bright hilt W ith mi ght an d m a in .

he strove ,

Wh ile from hi s sea t anne d fore h ea d b ro k e th e -

sweat
O f fierce e ndeavour bu t never b udge d the ,

sword .

And then stalked forth on e after another men , ,

F amous of eld lords of the land and clutched

, , ,

In turn that hilt and to dislodge the blade

, ,

Strove but in vain till at the last remained

, ,

NO guest w ithout hi s tri al Th en Vo lsung .

sp o ke

M e th i nk s th e opp ortunit y to me
F airly hath com e but ere I set my hand ,

To draw from ou t his oaken scabbard Gr am ,

I would that Sigmund first my eldest son , ,

E ssay the deed Eager he is I know .

,

Stout hearted and of strength beyond h i s y ears

-
, .

Perchance the youth may wi n wh ere me n hav e

fail e d .
’

At th is th y fath e r th e n a l i s some lad ,

Of twenty tall and golden haired stepped forth

,
-
,

And grasping in his hands the bright hilt drew

, , ,

As easily as from ou t a limpid pool ,

The sword O f Odin from the ol d o a k tree -

.
 S igu rd N a r r a ti v e
’
s 29

A maz e ment r eig n e d an d awe and i n some ,

b reasts ,

Black envy which doth e ver dog su ccess

, .

But Volsung p roudly smiled upon the bo y ,

And in a voi ce affectionate thu s sp oke

, ,

Honoure d art th ou m y lad above all me n !

, ,

B right doth the future lie before thee ! Wh o

T hee can resi st with Gram within thy h and ?
,

Aye well beloved O f the immortal god s

,

Art thou Sigmund my s on Mind that thy life

, , .

K e ep to high levels like the eagle s flight ;

,
’

Worth y o f h im who se favour thou hast won .

’

Th e re aft er d i d th y father we ar th e swo rd

E ver upon hi m and in many a fierce
,

B attle its m a g l c V i rtues proved ; and ne er ’

Did Gram once fail him till that fatal hour

When Odin for some unknown reason broke
, ,

The brand and lai d thy father l ow in death

, ,

And u nt o h at e ful H und ing gav e th e fig ht .

B u t I th e mys t i c sh ards have kep t an d n ow ,

F or thee with Odin s help will I re forge

,
’
,
-
 A d v a ri Ri n g
’

30 n s

Gram th at the son may emulate th e s ire

, ,

And thou mays t have a blad e me e t for th y need .

So Re g in t o ok the sh ards of Gram an d forge d ,

From them a sword e en lik e the first wi th hilt ’

Golden and mystic runes upon the blade

—
.
,

And when he bore i t from the forge ere y e t

The h ilt was fitted and the runes engraved
Fire seemed to p la y about i ts tempered edge
Li ke lightn ing s And I gras p ed the sword and
.

cried :
Now Ma st e r will we p r ove our weap on !
, ,

Wi th that
I smote th e smithy anvil and the sword ,

Clove through the i ron block down to the s tock ,

And on the fl oor the anvil cut in twain , ,

Rolled heav ily but not broken was th e sword

,

Nor d e nted and I cri ed S O far s o go od !

“
, , ,
!

And thereu p on we went Regin and I , ,

Out to a mountain stre am and Regin cast ,

A lock O f lamb s wool up against the stream ’

And when it floated down u p on the sword ,

’
Twa s cut asunder so keen e dged w as that ,
-
.

blade ,

And wild wi th ! oy I waved the brand on h i gh .

Then grasping Reg i n s ancient hand in mine

,
’
,

Master I cri ed
,
!“
through th ee is Gra m ,

re born -
,
 A d v a ri Ri n g
’

32 n s

S wi ftly and slew the otter and i ts skin

, ,

Stripped from the carcass and gaily to h is belt ,

Hung i t Quoth h e A tro p hy of th e c has e

.
,
‘
.
’

XVI II

N ow in th e e ven ing to a wo o dsm an s hut

, ,
’
,

Hre i dmar yclept they came ; and when the man ,

Sighted at Loki s belt the otter s skin

,
’
,
’

Dark fury se ized him Murderer b ase ! h e .

’

cried ,

‘
Whenc e g attest th o u that sk i n ? An d L oki ’

smiled ,

And sm iling s p oke

, Beside a waterfall
,
‘
,

At noon we r e sted ; I and my two friends

, .

And as we laughed and chatted we beheld ,

Not far away upon the river s brink ,

’

An otter with a salmon in his mouth ,

Caught freshly And the beast I slew forth wi th .

And flayed him and his pelt about my waist ,

F a sten e d Behold ! A trophy of th e c h a s e

. .
’

Th en Hrei dmar ‘
Th ou h a st sl ai n my yo ung
est son ,

O tter who oft by witchcraft did assume

, , ,

The otter s sha p e that he more easily

’

Might land the wily salmon from the stream .

—
I know the waterfall his favourite haunt , .
 S ig u d N a r r a ti v e
'
r s 33

Murdere r thou art a nd murderers are th y ,

friends ,

And straightwa y sh all ye d ie that m y son s ,

’

death
Ma y b e avenge d HO ! F afnir ! Re gin ! Qu i ck !
.
’

At th i s there strode into th e l i ttl e h ut

A giant low of brow of aspect fierce , ,

F afnir ol d Hreidmar s eldest son ; and hi m

,
’

Close following came the second s on m yself , .

Ages ago was this when earth was young

,

For as thou knowest my life is full of years

, ,

—
,

Ancient beyond the dreams of men but st ill

V ivi d distinct as yesterday doth show
, ,

Before m y memory s eye that fatal night ’

, .

Well armed m y father Hreidmar was ; we ll

-

arm ed
Fafnir and I wi th S pears and axes goo d
,

And ha p less s e emed the plight of the three

gods ;
F or as thou knowest when the immortal gods
, ,

Put off their god head and assume the shapes

-
,

Of mortal men and walk the ways of earth

, ,

Subject to earthly laws they straight become .

T hu s wa s it n o w and ho p el e s s seeme d their

,

plight ;
Spirits eterne in earthly bodies caught
V al h al l a n gods b y earthly churls o pp resse d .
34 A n d v a rl 3 Ri n g

Then suddenl y Hreid m ar to h is vi ctim s

s p oke :
‘
Villains one chance I ll give you for y our lives
,
’
.

Cover yon otter S kin with glittering gold ,

Aye e very ha ir and hence y e m ay de p art !

, ,
’

XX I I

Then L ok i : T is a bargain ! M y two fri ends

Here will I leave fit hostages and soon
, ,

L ad e n wi th gl i tt eri ng gold will I return .

’

B e n e ath the waterfall a c ave rn deep

O p ened though from the prying eyes O f men
,

Screened was its narrow entrance by the fall .

And here the wily dwarf Andvari dwelt , , ,

Chief O f the Niblungs ; and in galleries dark , ,

E ver his gnomes here mined the yellow gold .

And here was h idd e n that Ni b l u ng treasure

vast ,

F amous of eld : bags boxes filled with coin s

,

Golden and silvern ; beautiful ornaments

Rings neck chains bracelets fillets for the
,
-
, ,

hair ,

Brooches and buckles earrings lockets combs , , , ,

All o f fine gold and most of them with gems

,
 S igu d N a r r a ti v e
’
r s 35

Adorned with dazzling diamonds fairest pearls

, , ,

Rubies and sapphires o pals emeralds rare , , ,

Green as the ocean dee p s where ZE g ir reigns ;

And lamps and table vessels of fine gold
Wonderful platters drinking cups great bowl s
,
-
, ,

With many a mystic rune inscribed thereon .

And round about upon the cavern walls

, ,

Hung swords and spears helmets and byrnie s ,

bright ,

Daggers and kn ives and other warlike gear

, .

And in the nooks and crannies of the rocks

Strange O dds and ends had found a ho me .

Whate er ’

’
Seemed to the Niblung s avaricious eye
Of value great or small was here A hoard
, , .

Motley and vast it was : on e half methinks -

, ,

B orn of the anvil O f Andvari half ,

Gathered through centuries fro m th e o u ter

world .

Spoil of slain armies ! Loot of pillaged ho mes !

F l o ts am and j etsam o f wrecked argosi es !

XX I V

Well known to Lok i was An dv ari s ho ard ’

,

And in his present need thereto he turned ,

Though little in Valhalla do the gods

, ,

Value earth s riches In that high abode

’
.

All joys are theirs : naught else to be desired .

Only on earth is yellow gold the king .

 6 A d
’

3 n va ri s Ri n g

XXV
No w o ft wi thin the stream below th e fall
, , ,

Andvari in the likeness of a pike

—
, ,

Sported for he the power of changing S hapes

,

—
Possessed and on this summer evening fair
,

He sought its cooling waters crystalline .

Him there did Loki find and in a net ,

Magic ! b y Ran the wife of ZE g ir made !

Captured and thus addressed the wily dwarf
,

XXVI
Andvari well I know thee : n aught ca n c hange
,

That serpent eye of thine Lok i I am . .

Now l i sten : three bags o f gold must tho u to

night
Take and to Hreidmar s hut them swiftly be ar
,
’
,

That I m y friends Odin and Hoenir old , ,

M ay ransom Gold enough an otter s skin .

’

To c o ver aye every hair Hreidmar demands

, , , ,

For I unwittingly have Slain his s on .

Quick must we act How say st thou N ib l un g ? .

’

Yes ?
Ti s well ; els e would th is g ood right h and have
’

crushed
Thy miser s life out th ough i t were in sh ape
’
,

O f fish or fo wl o r serp ent dark disgu i s e d .

’

XXVII
H e ce a sed and thus Andvari answered h im
,

‘
Let me once more my natural S hape assume ,
 S igu d N a r r a ti v e
'
r s 37

And I will strive the gold to gather Ah me ! .

Good Loki little my poverty thou kn ow st

,
’
.

But I will do my best Yea three full bags .

,

Of gold I p romise Pr ay release m e now

. .
’

XXVIII

At thi s th e god u p on th e frighten e d dwarf

Relaxed his hold and him upon the ground
Cast ; and Andvari straightway reassumed
His human shape and toward the waterfall ,

Moving cried out Val h al l an follo w me !

, ,
‘
,
’

XX I X

Now when the y reach e d th e c ave rn s mouth ’

the dwarf
Halted and crying Enter ! stood on on e s i d e
,
’
.

And Loki entered and beheld the vast

Chamber from which long corrid o rs b ranched
,

ou t ,

Leading to other chambers underground .

And everywhere swart Niblungs grim y gnomes , ,

His eye encountered : bags of treasure som e

Carried to and fro and others at the forge
,

Wrought and yet others in deep galleries to iled

,

—
With pick and shovel all on labour bent ,

Labour unending And Andvari cri ed

.
,

H O S laves ! Three bags Of gold ! And straight

‘ ’

way rushed
 A d v a ri
’

38 n s Ri n g

T hree Ni b l ung gnomes and seize d the b ags and , ,

them
Fetched to their master And Andvari sai d .
,

‘
Here is the gold Let us away ! At onc e .
’

Each gnome upon his back hoisted a bag

And following Loki and Andvari passed
, ,

O u t o f th e c ave into th e fore st wild

, .

XXX

N o w when to Hreidmar s fateful b ut had com e ’

This strange procession Loki through the door

Strode smiling followed b y the Nib l u n g
, ,

chief ,

Andvari and h i s grimy goblin s three

, ,

Who on the floor their bags O f treasure c ast .

And Lok i cri ed Here i s th e gold ! Bri n g

,
‘

forth
T he otter s S kin that we may cover it !
’
,
’

And thereupon my father brought the skin ,

And stretched i t o n the floor and fell to work , ,

Greedily to cover with the shining gold

,

The furry garment of his otter s on .

But though at first more than enough there

seemed
Of treasure as my father wrought the S kin
,

Grew larger or at least S O seemed to grow

, , , ,

Till at the last when empty was each bag

, , ,

One hair upon the muzzle o f the beast

Wa s still u ncovered Then my father spoke .
40 A n d v a ri s Ri n g

XXXVI

Rage u n co ntrollabl e Andvari seized .

‘
Accurst for e vermore b e Hre i dmar ! A c curst
For eve rmore be Hreid m ar s house ! he cried
’ ’
.

‘
Accurst be he who wears the Niblung s ring ! ’

Accurst b e h e who holds the Niblung s gold ! ’

May hate d i sease m i sfortun es d ire all ill s

, , ,

Conceivabl e u nutterable woe

, ,

Tortures of mind and body pursue the s t eps ,

Of him wh o wears the ring or holds th e gold !

Curst be his lot until his dying day !
0 woe ! Woe ! Woe ! What now is life to m e !
Lost is th e N ibl ung s p ower wi thou t h i s ri ng l
’ ’

XXXVII

B u t Hreidmar o nl y l au ghed B e go n e .
‘
ye
knaves !
Free are ye one and all ! And as for thee ,

Impud ent dwarf I fear th y curses not

, .
’

XXXVII I

T hereaft er went th e gods upon their wa y

Rej o i cing and the Nib l u n g sought his cave
,

But Hreidmar gathered up the glittering gold ,

And i n the sacks re stowed it and beside

-
,

Hi s treasure watched S leepless till m orning

, ,

dawned .
 S igu rd N a r r a ti v e
'
s 4 1

XXX I X

Then Fafn ir h u ge wh o s e gl oweri n g f ace ,

bespoke
Evil wi thin addressed our father thus
,
‘
Meseems twere fairer S ince three bags of gold
’
,

The Ni b l un g brought that each of us on e bag ,

Take as his S hare and n ot that all the gold

,

To thee alon e should go Good sons are we .

,

Trusty and strong ; and had it not been for u s ,

Regin and me with our stout spears methinks

, ,

Twould hav e gon e hard with thee Let u s

’
.

divide ,

Therefore the Niblung s gold into three p arts

,
’

O ne p art for e ach Wh a t say st th ou f ather

.
’
,

mine ? ’

But Hrei d m ar answered curtly I tr o w n o t ‘

.

The gold is mi ne and min e i t S hall remai n

, .
’

T h en Fafn ir ‘
M i ser ! T h y b l ood be o n th y
’
head !
And straightway thro ugh o ur father s b od y he ’

drove
His spear gigantic and prone upon the fl oor
, ,

With a great cry O ld Hreidmar tumbled , ,

dead .
 A dv
’

42 n a ri s Ri n g

X LI I

Th us we nt i nt o effec t with o ut d el ay , ,

The N ibl ung s Curse : lik e a m alignant st ar

’
,

Launched into ether b y dem oni ac hands ,

Henceforth to burn casting its influence d i re

,

O n all who wear th e ring o r h old th e gold .

X LI I I

An d Fafn ir p ulled from his d e ad father s h and ’

The Niblung s ring and placed i t on his own

’
,

! A golde n serpent with two ruby eyes! ,

— —
And me p erchance mistrusting from the hut
, ,

His tre asure bore seeking some safer spot ;

,

T ill wandering through th e wood he came a t

, ,

l ast
! Le d p eradventure by s om e power occult!
, ,

Unto the waterfall and there s at down

, .

And long he gloated o er his glittering gold ’

.

And as he gazed upon the ring he kissed ,

Softl y th e S hining band ; and straightway came

,

From out the c avern s mouth the Nib l u n g dwarf

’
,

Andvar i and knelt down upon the sand

,

Low before Fafn ir cryin g Wh at wouldst tho u

,
‘

have ?
Sl ave s O f the ring are we I and my gnomes ,
.

Whoso p ossesses that p ossesse s u s .

A power unseen impels us though we strive

Against i ts bidding Whoso possesses us ,
 S igu rd N a r r a ti v e
’
s 43

Hi s is th e Niblung s gold : that might y hoard ’

,

Garnered through the centuries If thou .

wouldst enj oy
T h e glorious s p ect a cle enter and cl aim thin e ,

wn
’
o .

X LI V

S o sa ying th e dwarf arose ; and wi th b o th

, ,

hands ,

P o inted to the waterfall ; then b owm g low , ,

Strode toward the cavern s mouth ; and Fafn i r ’

filled
W ith wonder and greedy j oy him followed close ,
'

And when the s on of Hreidmar s aw the Hoard ,

M otley and vast seemingly limitless , ,

He laughed and smote hi s hands to ge th e r and

, ,

cried ,

‘
Ah luckiest mo rtal i n the world am I !
,

Here will I bide amidst my glittering gold ! ,

’

And there abode he ; but as passed the years , ,

Slowly h e c h an g ed from bad to worse and gre w

'

Into a thing o f horror half man half beast ; , ,

And in the end a creature wholly beast

B ecame a dragon loathsome hideous fierce
, , , ,

Cruel and powerful from whose scaly hide ,

Hard as wrought Iron the sharpest s p ear re ,

bounds ,

All unavailing And there abides he st ill . .

But I wi thin my father s hut alone

,
’
, ,

D ee p i n th e fore st dwelt for many a ye ar , .

 A d v a ri
'

44 n s Ri n g

And later fro m that sage of ancient days

, ,

Mimer the wisest man in all the North

, ,

I learned the sword smith s art T h en as tho u -

’
.
,

knowest ,

King Sigmund s ought and h im served t ill h e ,

died .

And no w wh at th ink est th ou o f my st ory l ad ? ,

Fafnir , I an swere d sh all be Gram s first ,

’

meat .

What say st th ou Mast er ? B ro th er of th i ne

’
,

i s he ,

I know but also murderer o f th y sire

, .

Earth were well rid of him IS i t not so ? .

Thy S ilence gives approval Master mi n e , .

Today will I make ready for the fight ;

Tomorrow will I face this monst er ; aye ,

E en i n his lai r Ma y Odin grant su ccess !

’
.
!

X LV I

And wilt th ou tak e the tre asure and th e r ing

Attainted ? Wilt thou b r ave th e Nib lung ’
s

curse ?
XLVII

Thu s Regin and to him I mad e rep l y

,

I know not What th i nk st th ou ? .

’ ’
Twere
well indeed, .
 S igu rd N a r r a ti v e
’
s 45

To pon der th is . Perch an ce wh en comes th e

,

hour ,

O din my c ours e will gui d e Great pl an s h ave I .

,

M aster for the future Firstly to avenge

, .
,

M y father s death and Hun di n g s sons destroy

’

,
’

And next wi th S hips and men to sally forth

,

O er the great ocean distant lands to vie w

’

—
.
,

F or these things gold were welcome gold t o

buy
Stou t galley s g o l d t o man th em T h i nk st th ou
, .
’

not ,

M aster that i f this now attai nt e d h oard

,

We re p ut t o use s good th e cu rs e m ight d ie ?

X LVII I

An d Regi n an swered A ye perc h an ce i t

'!

mi ght ;
And y et I fear twill not Terri ble to me
’
.

I t s eems this anci ent curs e and fraught with

, ,

il l S
Unending But my s pirit fails wi th age
.
,

And ever doubtful and despondent grows

F earful O f all things longing for life s end ,
’

Not like the buoyant soul that lives i n thee ,

Bright as the su n of Easter m onth and strong -

.

B alder thou art methinks come back to earth

, ,

B alder the s p ringtim e jubilant whose face

,

F ronts the inconstant future Wl th a smil e ;

E ager to breast the battle and the gal e ;
 A dv Ri n g
’

4 6 n a r i s

Eager t o p i t th y self against the world

And try which be the stronger i t or thou , .

Balder thou art but Hoder O ld am I , ,

Hoder the wi nter white with deepen in g s n o ws

, , .

Little I know now at life s end ; but i f

,
’

Tis possible to bring the curse to naught

’

Th y plan will do it : evil thwart with good .

But let m e end this tale while y et my tongue ,

Hath p ower of Sp eech for shadows of th e ,

grave
Beset me an d scar ce c omes my fl eet in g b reath
, .

Death s h and u p on my sti ff ening l imbs I feel

’
.

Methinks the end is near List now m y lad ! .

,

When I am gone search thou the smithy chest

—
A ma p thine eyes will fin d the waterfall
The N ib l un g s cave n ot far from here they l i e
’
-
.

E asily to be reached when once the w ay is

known .

Go forth and do the deed Long hath the world . .

W ai ted for th ee M ay O di n guid e th y h an d l

.
!

X LI X

So s ay in g fro m it s earthl y dwell ing p l ace

,
-
,

Swiftly with scarc e a bodily tremor passed

, ,

The ghost of Regin ; and as from the field s

Rises the laverock to the azure sky
Rej oic ing ; S O methinks that noble soul
, , ,

Leaving i ts worn out garment rose in air -

, ,

Rej o i c ing to V alhalla and there abides ,

.
 A d v a ri
’

4 8 n s Ri n g

Drawn by the magnet so th at I e re lon g , , ,

Had gone full half the distance Suddenl y th e n .

, ,

Before me like a spectral sha p e appeared

, , ,

Right in my p ath standing a figure strange , .

One eyed he was and huge a great slouched hat

-
,

B etopp ed his golden locks and a blue cloak ,

Covere d his shoulders Not of earth he se emed .

,

But m y st ic superhuman Such h i s m i en

,
.

Awe filled m y bosom O d i n twas i n truth .

’
.

Quoth he Where g o est thou S i gu rd ? I ,

!

re p l i ed
F afn ir t o Sl ay T h en he
. And fear st tho u ’

not
To attemp t th e d eed ? Fafn ir i s str o n g and
fi erc e ,

Cruel and terri ble But I fear h im n o t

.
,

I cried .
“
W i th i n m y hand I hold th e swor d
My father S i gmund from the O l d oak tre e
, ,
-

Wrested ; the gift of Odin Gram the Wrath , ,

Re born thr ou gh Reg i n s S k ill Wh y should I ’

-
.

fear
This drag on ? T hr ou g h h is l oa th some m a il my
blade
—
,

Magic i nvinc i bl e will I thrust and pierce

, , ,

His devil s heart NO ! NO ! I fear h im not !

’
.

Then Od i n : “
Worthy s on of a brave Si re
Art thou m y lad : courage aye wins succes s
, .

But list ! Wait not until tomorrow dawn s ,

But go tonight Each morn comes Fafnir forth

.

From ou t h i s lair the Niblung s cavern v as t

,
’
,
 S igu rd N a r r a ti v e
’
s 49

To slake his thirst beside the waterfall .

His trail thou wilt p erceive in the soft sand .

Dig thou tonight a pi t narrow and deep , ,

Upon the trail and stand within the p it

, ,

And when at break of day comes Fafnir forth

And moves along his trail and covers thee , ,

Thrust upward wi th thy sword and pi erce his

heart .

Farewell . S O say i n g —l i k e a wrai th that comes

Out of the unknown and shows itself and th en
—
, ,

T o th e unkn own return s h e d isappeared , .

So swiftl y through the forest n o w I strode ,

My heart on fire until the waterfall

, ,

Wh i te in the moonlight did mine eyes behold , .

And to the stream below the fall I cam e ,

And searched u p on th e sand and str aig htway ,

found
The dragon s trail ; and on the tr ail I du g
’

With my good sword as Odin had bidden me, ,

A pit narrow and deep then into the pi t

, ,

Got sword in hand and waited for th e d awn

, , .

Now a t th e e arliest light c ame Fafn ir forth ,

’
From out the Niblung s cave his thirst to slake ; ,

And as I stood within the pit my gaze

5 0 A n dv a ri 8 Ri n g

F ollowed his every motion Huge his frame .

,

A rmoured wi th dusky scales : h i s u p reare d

head
Helmeted like the basilisk s : his eye ’

M alignant like the basilisk s and col d ;

,
’
,

Repuls ive as i n every age hath been

,

The eye of reptile filling with strange fe ar

, ,

Horror inexplicable the hearts of men , .

Hi s giant jaws were partly open ; his wh ol e

Saurian visage ruthless terrible , .

Along the earth his length ten fathom s s tretche d ,

L oathsome to look upon A crocodile .

With wings he looked but huger ; more me

, , ,

thinks ,

L i ke some vast brute o f earlier ages born .

Out from his lair ben eath the waterfall

He passed then turning down along the stream
, , ,

Pursued his sluggish course Hideou s th e .

Sight !
But I e en when he neared me felt no fe ar
,
’
, .

And as his carcass lumbered o er the p i t ’

And sudden darkness filled the narrow sp ac e ,

Up through his yellow under hide I drove -

Gram to his heart Forth like a river rushed

.
, ,

The dragon s blood ; and me from head to foot

’

I n liquid blacknes s bathed ! For black a s .

night
Was Fafn i r 8 blood compound of evils gross !
,
.

Then from the pit I clomb and drew the steel ,

F rom ou t the monster who me thus addressed ,

 d N a r r a ti v e
'
S igu r s 51

What m an art th ou wh ose cr aft y thru st hath

drawn
M y life blood ? And wh at pur pose mo ve d th y
-

heart ?
Unknown thou art to m e unharm ed by m e , .

Whence c omest thou ? Who h ath urge d the e

t o th is dee d ?

T hen I F afn ir th ou kn o west me

, not : b ut
the e
I know A m onster e x ecrable R i ght soon
. .

D ead wilt thou be through bite of my good

sword .

Without th e e e arth were hap pier But methink s .

Upon thy claw a glittering ring I see

A golden ser p ent with two ruby eyes .

That will I tak e All else O f thee may ro t

. .

Then Fafn ir Ti s the Niblung s ri ng A curse ’

.

Goe s wi th i t . D ost thou kno w th e e v i l t al e ?

!

LVII
The t al e I kn o w but nathless will I t ak e
,

T he ring and wear i t T h e N i blun g s gold I .

’

!
need .
 A dv a ri
’

5 2 n s Ri n g

’
So saying from the dragon s claw I drew
,

The gl i ttering band that rules Andvari s hoard ’

.

LVIII

May th e curs e blast thee ! Fafn ir scre am e d

—then died .

Th e n fro m th e cave came forth th e Ni b l un g

dwarf ,

Andvari and beheld the dragon dead

,

Though weltering still in his black bl oo d as ,

worm s ,

B oth great and small are wont to do when Slain , .

And on his knees before me fell the dwarf , , ,

Crying Hail Master ! Wearer of the Ring !

“ "

Whoso p ossesses that possesses u s ,

Custodians of the Hoard What wouldst th ou .

have ?
Immeasurable wealth is thin e B ehold .

The Niblung s cave ! Enter and clai m th i ne

’

!
own .

And straightway ! following the dwarf who rose ,

And went before me! toward the waterfall

I strode and passing underneath th e forc e
, ,

Entered the narrow portal of the cave .

And thereupon my wondering eyes beheld ,

E en as my Master s words had pictured it

’ ’

,
 N a r r a ti v e
'
S igu r d s 53

Th e c hamber vast wherein the Niblungs dwell .

And from it dusk y corridors branched ou t ,

Leading to other chambers underground .

And everywhere swart Niblungs grimy gnome s , ,

Min e eyes encountered : bags of treasure some

Carried to and fro and others at the forge
,

Wrought and yet others i n dee p galleries toiled

,

—
With pick and S hovel all on labour bent ,

L abour unend ing And Andvari cried

.
,

Master here shalt thou dwell and be our chief ;

,

Reign in g l i ke F afn ir ove r limitle ss we alth !

, ,
!

But I th e cr aft y Nib l un g thus b esp ok e

Thy gloomy halls Andvari charm me n o t
, , .

Rather for me the open air the s un

, , , ,

The moon the stars the forest and the s ea

, , .

Nathless great projects for the future years

,

I ve planned and for their fit accomplishment

’
,

This wealth i s needed Th erefore b id thy .

gnomes
Thre e sacks of gold make rea dy and through the ,

wood ,

Straightway to Reg i n s sm i th y c arry them ’

.

Anon p erhap s more treasure will I need

, ,

My plans to prosper ; therefore be prepared .

Like the young eagle doth my S pirit burn

T O spread its wings not underneath the ground
,

To burrow like the mole Dost understand .

,
 A
’

54 n d v a ri s Ri n g

Nib l ung ? Rem ai n thou here my vassal true , ,

Custodian O f the Hoard ; remain and wai t

My coming B e thou regent here for me
.
,

Sigurd th y master who doth wear th e ri n g

, , .

And low Andvari bowed and answered ,

My m aster well I ll guard the Hoard

,
’
.

cried :
Ho slaves ! Three bags O f gold !
straightway rushed
Three Nib l u n g gnomes and seize d th e bag s
, ,

and them
F etched to their master And Andvari sai d
.

Here i s the gold m y lord

, And I replied .
!

Let us away ! At once upon his back

!
,

Each gnome a bag o f treasure swung and then ,

—
They following me we passed out of the cave ,

And thence to Reg i n s ancient smithy came

’
.

Here did the gnomes their treasure leave and ,

th e n
Str ai ghtway u nt o th e N i bl ung s c ave retu rned ’
.

LXI I
Thereafte r d id I seek a se apo rt old ,

No t far away famed as a rendezvou s

,

Of fi sh erfol k and vikings ; and here bought

Three galleys good and them o erh aul ed ’

named
 A
’

5 6 n d v a ri s Ri n g

Swi ftly descending up on his helm and clove

, ,

Helmet and head and mail clad body in twain -

.

And on the ground the two halves fell apart .

And Horwa rd likewise did Gram cleave in

, ,

twain ,

E en as he turned to fly Then from the land

’
.

’
—
Of Hu n d i n g s sons I passed m y father s death ,
’

—
Avenge d and that fair territory sought
Which Hunding from my noble sire did wrest
That spot beloved where first the light O f earth
My infant eyes beheld Gone was the hom e .

Where Sigmund once and sweet S i g l i n d a dwelt

That noble hall my grandsire Volsung bu ilt , , ,

Up through whose roof the mighty oak tree -

soared ,

Branstock and bloomed within the outer air

,

That hall where once the bearded heroes s a t

Drinking with lightsome hearts the nut brown
, ,
-

ale ;
While on the lofty wall each glittering S hield
Hung idle flanked by battle a ! e and spear ;
,
-

That hall to which amidst the wassail cam e

, ,

Th e on e eyed stranger with the unsheathed

-

sword ,

Odin and S il e nt stalked a cross the room

, ,

And into Branstock plunged the glittering bl ade .

Gone was that noble hall by Hu n d in g s hand ,

’

Fired on that m i dnight twice seven years before ,

When fell my father and my mother fled ,

As flie s th e s tricken deer to Reg in s forge ,

’
.
 S igu rd N a r r a ti v e
’
s 57

Gon e was m y childhood s home and as I ’

, ,

walked
About the blackened spot where once it stood
Tears filled my eyes Then from afar and near
.
, ,

Hearing of my return whom they thought dead ,

Came i nthe months which followed henchmen

, ,

ol d ,

Who for my father oft had born e the spear .

And these and many others me besought

, ,

Henceforth to abide with them and rule the land .

And for a time I tarried and perchance , ,

B etter had it been if I had there remained ,

Ruling the kingdom which my father ruled .

But evermore the call of the great world ,

In accents irresistible I heard ,

Sweet voices from beyond ou r boreal seas ,

Voices from ou t the magic realms of Rome ,

S inging O f ampler knowledge higher arts ,

Of nobler manners and a fuller life ;

Singing a land by Nature s kindliest smil e ’

Illumined of all earth the garden spot ;

,

A fair domain in which the Midland Sea

Lay like a sapphire in a golden brooch ;
A land enchanted where the stately wall s
,

Of villas and Of palaces uprose

Innumerable by gardens fair begirt
, ,

Under whose bosky Shade pale statues s tood ;

Singing a nation proud and puissant dam
Of valiant sons who to their mother S knee
,

The treasures O f remotest earth had brought ;

 A d v a ri
’

58 n s Ri n g

Singing a real m ruled from th e Tiber s ban ks ’

A peaceful land by warriors spears uph eld ; ’

An ordered state where safe was each on e s life ’

An em p ire s p lendid as the midday sun ,

W i thin whose bounds the mi nd of man h a d

reached
Its highest and his hand had wrought i t s b est
, ,

And which like th e great sun did radiate

, ,

Upon our earth its light b en efic ent .

This and yet more the voices sang to m e ,

Till on my spirit a wild wander lust -

Seized and dissatisfied were all my days

,
.

So in my place a kinsman strong and true ,

In whom the blood of V olsung likewise ran ,

Thorwald surnamed The Incorruptibl e

, ,

I left as ruler of the little state ,

And for a cruise began to make p re par e

Long and uncertain Stores my S hi p s r e quire d
. .

And O f the mariners who with me s ailed

Against the sons of Hunding some were slain
And others having wife and bairn perchance
, , ,

Loved not so long a voyage S O with men ,

From my own land the vacancies I filled ,

Till every ship her complement contained

Some youngsters like myself ol d s ea dogs some ,
-
,

Greybeards who had my father Sigmund served ,

And loved the son because the S ire they loved .

And for the Wolf and B ea r captains I chos e ,

Strong men b y nature fitted for command .

Eric the Wanderer on e who on th e dee p

,
 N a r r a ti v e
'
S igu r d s 59

Was born and all his life u p on the dee p

,

Had dwelt till scarce he knew th e t ouch

,

earth :
To hi m the Wolf I gave And to th e B ea r .

Hakon the son O f Haldan I assigned .

A man of temper fierce yet wise withal , ,

Intrepid yet a cautious counsellor

, .

And of the largest vessel o f the three ,

The D ra g on I my s elf assumed c o mmand

, .

LX I I I

Th e n se t we sail o nc e m ore wi th e ager hearts , ,

And bearing westward sought the famous isle

, ,

Of Britain where till late the Roman ruled

, .

And first the foggy Shetlands we beheld ,

And landed and Norse rovers like ourselves

,

Everywhere found on wild adventure bent

, ,

Hovering like ospreys ere they strike their prey .

Thence to the Orkneys southerly we sailed ,

And likewise here the ships of Northland found ,

For S pri ngtime twas and every viking bold

’
,

Hi s summer c ru i se was planning and in dreams ,

H imself beheld returning to his home

What time the autu mn s briefer days are come ’

With galleys laden to th e water s edge ’

,

Silver and gold and S plendid booty h i s .

Then down the rock y Caledonian coast

We made our way until that famous wall
Which Roman Hadri an built against the P i cts
 A d v a ri
’
6o n s Ri n g

We re a ched and her e a while o n shore I st aye d

, ,

That I might view this marvel of men s h ands ’

.

From ocean unto ocean it e x t ends ,

From far Ituna on the western shore

To S eg edu num on the east where fall s ,

The river Tyne into the Northern sea .

Aye fourscore m iles o e r hill and d al e and

, ,
’

plain ,

R i sing and falling with the varie d land

I t stretches like som e S leeping serpent vast
, .

Built is t of stone wi th ample fosse in front ;

’
,

S O bro a d its top that at the narrowest parts , ,

T hree men wi th sh ield s and s p ears can walk

abreast ;
And all along th at to p a l i n e O f t o wers
—
Endless unto the eye it seems stands guard ;
And all along behind the wall great cam p s ,

Cities more like at intervals are reared

, .

Here till of late the Roman stood on gu ard

, ,

Northernmost outpost O f his emp ire vast .

A wondrous S ight it was to me this wall ,

To me wh o se eyes though ho p i ng to behold ,

E arth s gre a te st work s perchan ce e e n R om e

’
,
’

i tself ,

Had seen a s ye t n aught b ut th e wildern e s s

, , ,

Grey ocean and the mountains of th e North

,
.

A wondrous sight it is though swift d e ca y ,

Already hath be gu n to sap its strength .

F or Rome today is n o t what s h e hath been

, , ,

And hath abandoned Britain to i ts fate ,

 S igu d N a r r a ti v e
'
r s 61

And S O p erforce neglected stands th e wall

, , .

And in that distant island where once reigned

Law and secure were property and life
, ,

And years of pe ace had brought pros p erity ,

Confus i on now low crime and ra p m e rule ;

,

And lik e a wife left husbandless who stands ,

Alone and un p rotected is the land , ,

B ere ft o f th e strong S h elt er of Rom e s ar m ’

.

LX I V

N ow o n ce more t o th e s o uthward did we ste er ,

Skirting the rugged coast till Hu mb er s mouth ,

’

We reached and entered and as in the isle s ,

Of Orkney and of Shetland here we found ,

The Norsemen s S hi p s aye e very wh e re we

’
, ,

we nt ,

In port or on the wing the y s eemed t o be , ,

With broidered sails and golden fig ureh ea ds

Glittering in th e su nsh i n e and the warriors ,
’

sh i elds ,

W hen o er th e dee p th ey j ourn eyed o ut b oard

’

hung
Along the gunwale s And to m e the thought .

Came and hath lingered with me ever since

, ,

That as th e Roman hath this favoure d isl e

,

Abandoned to i ts fate to s ink or swim , ,

P erchance twill be th e Norseman s d e st i n y

’ ’

T o people and to rule i t and in tru th , , ,

A land well suited i s i t to our race .

62 A n dva ri 8 Ri n g

L XV

T h en d own th e coas t once more we s ail ed away ,

P ast man y a headland bold and harbour snug ,

Until at last the mouth of Thames we reached .

—
And here I s h ould have entered for my p lan
Was and still i s at future day to see
, ,

Londinium of all British towns the ch ief

, ,

The largest and the richest i n the i sle ,

But learning that unfriendly were the folk ,

—
And be ing though my vikings sco ffed at fear
No t overstrong in ships and men I deemed ,

P rude nce the part of wisdom and foreb ore .

Then hearing praise of Burgundy and th ee ,

And longing to behold the river Rhin e ,

I bade farewell to Bri ta in s foggy land’

.

Thence borne along by favourabl e winds ,

We toward the Frisian coast our galleys h e ad s ’

Turned and that level region sighted soon

,

—
Low as the ocean where through many a ,

mouth ,

Rhine s waters pa ss into the Northern sea

’
.

And by that mouth we entered where doth l ie

’
—
Batavia s famous isle B atavian once ,

—
Then Roman and now Frank but showin g s till ,

In many a solid road and well built wall -

,

And many a fortress fashioned with all skill ,

Strongest the impress of Rome s master hand ’

,

For Rome doth ever build to last for aye .

A note d spot hath always b een th is lan d

 A dvari
'
64 n s Ri n g

LXVI

So set we forth on c e more twix t fert il e sh o re s ,

’

Steering l ow as the wave until at last

, , , ,

From ou t that hollow land of dun e and dyke

Emerging we to loftier regi ons c ame
, .

And as our little fleet the noble stream

Ascended slow day after day m y eye s,

Som e thought compelling sp e ctacle beheld

-
.

F or on our right with many a tower and t o wn

, ,

Was Rome or what was once th e Roman re alm

, ,

And on o ur left the p eoples of the North .

And oft upon the future O f this land

I mused and wondered whether e er ag ai n
,
’

Would Rome her p ristin e puissanc e regain ,

Or whether here the peoples of the North

—
Thy race and mine 0 kin g should h e n ce fo rth ,

rul e
.

And to my mi nd i t seeme d th at R ome mu st

p ass ,

That her all conqueri ng a rm mu st s ome tim e fail

-
,

And her illum ing su n must some t im e s ink ;

And aft er night another sun must rise
, , ,

Another day must dawn upon the earth ,

Another race must rule these h ills and streams ,

P erchance the fair haired children O f the North

-
.

F or su ch is N ature s way Empires like men ’

.

Grow Ol d a nd d i e and i n their p lac e new ,

state s ,

Like generat i ons new of men ari se , .

 S igu d N a r r a ti v e
’
r s 65

LXVI I
Thu s musing day by day at last I came
, ,

Unto thy realm here royal welcome found

, ,

And now j o i n with thee at this festal board

To celebrate the auspicious hour wherein ,

Seven years ago thy happy reign began

, .

E nd o f S i Na rra ti ve
’

g u rd s

L XVII I

He ce as e d ; and rou nd the m i ght y tabl e r an

The applause of many hands ; and fro m the lips
Of knights and ladies wh o erstwhile had sa t , ,

Rapt listeners words of warm approval rose

, .

The buzz of many voices filled the air .

“
Then Gunter thus : A gallant tale well told .

Meth inks our brother of the North wa s b orn

A warrior and a saga man in one -
.

Like the first Caesar whom our fathers fought

, ,

The mighty Jul ius well he tells his deeds

, .

We thank him one and all But let us n ot .

Him weary with a feast too long drawn ou t ,

F or after travel nature craves repose .

One p artin g cup we ll have and then goodnight

’

, .

LXI X

SO saying from his seat he rose and stood

, ,

Six feet O f kingliness before h i s guests ;

,
 A d v a ri
'
66 n s Ri n g

Then lifting high i n air his golden c u p

,

Studded with precious st ones and cryi n g Si r , ,

Knights ,

Here s to th e l adie s ! O ur s weeth eart s an d our

’

wives ,

Our mothers and our S isters ! Here s to all ! ’

He set the beaker to his bearded lips

And quaff ed to the last drop the ruddy wine
, , .

And likewi se did the knights with one accord

Rise at the sel fsarne moment a s the k i ng
‘

, ,

And standin g with uplift ed g ob let s c ry

, ,

“
The L adies and dri nk d o wn th e g o od red
,
!

wine .

And on the h an d of S i gurd as h e held ,

His cup aloft and quaff ed the ruddy draught ,

Was s een by those near by the jewel rare

, ,

Whereof hi s l ips ha d S poken : th e N i blung s ’

ring ,

A golden Serpent with two ru by eye s ,

Sh ining wi th baleful light beneath the lamps

, , .
 THE T O URNAMENT

N O W th at h e might s till further celebrat e

,

His coronation s anniversary and

’
,

Still further entertain his Northland guest s ,

Gunter p roclaimed a day for manly sports

Contests of st rength and Skill : athletic feat s
And martial exercises manifold ,

Such as all vikings love for S i g u rd s m en ’

Fo r th e B ur gund i an kn i ghts a tournament .

Bright r ose th e summer su n ab ove the Rh in e ,

Blazoning the river and the plain beyond ,

F illed on this morning of the tournament

, ,

Already with a concourse of brave knights .

Here i n a spacious meadow smoo t h and green

, , ,

Betwixt the city and the forest set ,

Were placed th e lists Here o n th e close cut

.
,
-

sward ,
 A d v a ri
’
68 n s Ri n g

In sha p e a giant crescent gay with flags , ,

Rose the pavilion of the king And here .

,

Arrayed in gala day apparel drest

-
,

In gowns of every colour reigned The Fair ,

The dames and damosels O f Gunter s court ’

The flowers of Burgundy high o er the list s ,

’

Sitting sweet umpires of the deeds of men

, .

Here of th e fair the fairest sat G u dru n

, , .

N ow wh e n all th ing s were ready th e h e rald s

, ,

blew
Their horns ; and S i g urd s sailors on the green
’

Appeared guests o f the king and therefore first

, ,

To S h o w the ir pro wess on the list e d field .

Runn ing and wre stl ing matche s then were seen ;
Throwing the hammer vaulting with the pole ;
,

The tug of war wherein the brawny crews

,

Of S i g u rd s S hips against each other strove

’
.

And then the archer s skill the throng engrossed

’

And fencing bouts and casting the swift Spe ar

, ,

And other warlike exercises All .

Of these the crowd beheld with keen delight ,

Greeting with many a cheer or loud Well done !

The winners O f each trial of strength or skill .
 Th e To u rn a m e n t 69

Next comes th e chief event the tourname nt , ,

Wherein two parties of Burgundian knights

Strive for the victory Gathered on each sid e
.

Of the great meadow now impatiently , ,

The S ignal they await And first a blast

.

Preparative the heralds sound and straight ,

The turnpikes of the l i sts are opened wide ,

And on the level field the knights debouch ,

Gay clad i n glittering mail a gallant sight

, , ,

Each with his lady s favour round his hel m

’

Fastened or from left shoulder hanging free

, .

One p art y I n the north end of the field

Ranges in the south the other The h er ald s n ex t
,
.

A second Si gnal give and thereupon

,

Each caval i er his spear and Shield doth dress

And everything makes ready Now at the third .
,

Blast of the trumpets lo they re off ! Th e , ,

’

knight s
Put S purs to their good steeds and o er th e fiel d ’

Against their adversaries ride full tilt .

The meadow beaten by tempes tuous ho o fs

, ,

Trembles as i n an earthquake ; while th e din

O f charging squadrons fills the expectant a ir .

! Ah wildly flutters now each maiden s heart !!

’

AS two great ocean surges sometimes rush

Against each other driven by contrary winds
, ,

S O rush these rival companies O f knight s

Each against other and meeting in m i dfield
, ,
 A d v a ri
’

7 0 n s Ri n g

Shock wi th a sound l i ke distant thun d er or

, ,

The boo m O f the swift surf upon the shore .

And many a broken lance flew up in air ,

And many a lusty knight to earth was thrown ,

And wildly d i d th e crowd th e v i ctor s ch ee r .

Then spok e King Gunter unt o Sigur d th us

“
Wouldst lik e Sir Knight to try a t ilt ? Al
, ,

though
Unused thou art to our Burgundian ways ,

Gallantly I kno w thou wouldst acqu i t th yse lf .

And Sigurd answered Kn i ghtl y t ou rn am ent

:

Ne er have mine eyes beheld until this hou r

’
.

Yet fro m my boyhood to bestride a hors e

Hath been my keen delight ; that and to r i d e ,

The restless waves of ocean the untam ed steed s ,

O f the wild waste of water s Th e horsem an s .

’

S ki ll ,

Therefore i s m ine already p erchan ce s o me touch

, ,

Of the t ourney s art all unknown to m yself

’

, ,

May come to m e as down the lists I ride

Against mine adversary and I the e squire , , ,

May tilt the knight Yet if I be o erth rown

.
,
’
,

What matter ? Tis but the sport of a summer s

’ ’

day .

And wiser for th e lesson S hall I be .

 A d v a ri Ri n g
’

72 n s

Upwar d t o wh ere a lily in the midst ,

Of clustering roses s at the fair Gudrun , ,

Begirt b y th e twelve damsel s o f h er b o we r .

And Sigurd If i t b e not o verb ol d ,

Sire to thus voice the verdict of m y eyes

, ,

This wi s e my thought doth run above b el ow , ,

To ri ght to left nothing s o beautiful

, ,

A s th e fair Pr in cess of the real m I see ;

Gudrun th e lily m aid of Burgund y
, .

Her favour th ou bei n g wi ll in g I fain wo ul d

, ,

wear .
!

T h en by h er bro ther bidden d own s t ep t Gudrun

, ,

From that array of beauty and round the arm ,

Of Sigurd bound her favour a blue sleeve ,

Broidered wi th golden lilies And as sh e bound

Deftl y the sleeve sh e murmured “
Thou Sir , ,

Knight ,

M y champion art and Sigurd answered low ,

Princes s with th is th y t o ke n round min e

, , ,

arm ,

Meth in ks I c oul d o erwh el m a worl d o f men’

.

And S i gurd th e king s charger m ount e d and took ’

His tilting lance and Shield and gauntlets e en ’

 Th e To u rn a ment 73

As Gunter hi m had bidden ; a n d to the north

End of the S pacious meadow rode and ther e
Waited the signal And Hagen in the south
.

His stat i on t o ok and S ilent there abode

, ,

Motionles s gigantic like some towering sha pe

, ,

Equestri an by the sculptor wrought O f bronze

, .

And S i g u rd s hors e was snow white but the

’
-
,

s teed
O f Hagen b lack as m i dnight was And thric e .

T h e trum p ets blew and at the third bl a st th e

,

knights
—
Sunsh i n e a g ainst S hadow moved to th e as sault .

A n d S igur d dres sed h is shiel d an d cou ch ed h is

Sp ear
And putt ing spur s t o h is h o rse d a sh ed do wn th e
, ,

field
Like a wh irlwi nd : an d the blue sleeve of Gudrun ,

M ad e fast near h is left shoulder b a ckward ,

s treamed
Like p ennant i n th e gale beheld O f all , ,

Her favour And full tilt at Hagen he ro d e

.
,

And in the mi dst of h is defence s struck

T h e B urgun dian kn i ght An d H agen by th e
.
,

s ho ck

L i fted fro m ou t h is saddl e and ba ckward borne ,

Reeled o er the crupper of his horse and fell

’
,

Half a sp e ar s length b eh in d
'

’
And on th e .

sward ,
 A
’

74 n dv a ri s Ri n g

Stunn ed by th e fall all mot i onless h e l ay

, , ,

Seemingly dea d And S ilent the p eople sat

.

At sight of their great champion overthrown .

“
But Gunter cri e d Well don e Si gu rd ! And ,
!

the crowd ,

Hearing the kin g s voice b roke fo rth i nto ’

,

ch eers .

T hen c ame a tt endants out and Hage n b ore ,

Half consc i ous from the lis ts ; and led awa y

-
,

The sable charger whinnying for his lord , .

And thus that day the sports came to an e n d

, , .

And Si gurd dreaming Of Gudrun forgot

, ,

—
Or but reme mbered as light sport his j oust
With Hagen but the dark Burgund i an knight
!

B ein g v an qu I Sh ed forgot not his vanquishment ;

,

’
And brooding ever o er the event hot rage
, ,

Against his vanquisher turned to hatred cold ,

Which like a venomous serpent dwelt concealed

, ,

Within h i s b reast wai ting i ts t ime to stri ke

, .
 SIGURD AN D GUDRUN

W I TH IN h er bower the lily maid Gudrun

Sat with her damsels twelve and with deft hands
Rich hangings for the palace walls the y wrought .

And of these hangings there were seven and ,

e ach
The fair presentment of a de i t y
B ore on its front in divers coloured thre ads
,

E mbroidered The Supernal Powers they were

.

T O whom the seven days of every week

Are sacred Them upon the costly cloth
.

T he damsel s wrought i n gorgeous colourings .

Now a s they worked came Sigurd to the bower

And looked within and him Gudrun beheld
,

And smiling cried Enter my lord Toda y

, ,
“
, , .

We maidens toil upon a mighty task .

These seven hangings for the banquet hall

75
 A d v a ri Ri n g
'

7 6 n s

We fain w ould finish F or a y ear and more

.

Them have we worked upon ; but now at last , ,

Methink s they re nearly done B ehold my

’
.
,

I lord !
Knowest thou these ancient deities for whom
The seven days of every we e k are n ame d ?

And S i gurd answered Aye I know them well

, ,
.

Then gazing on the broideries each i n turn

, , ,

While to his words the lily mai d Gudrun

And all her damsels twelve a lovely S ight , ,

Listen e d wi th ra p t attention thu s h e spak e , .

Behold of all the first the golden Sun

, ,

Shining upon this lofty mountain top !

The source of light ! The eye of Odin great !
—
All vivifying all sustaining Power !
Him do we honour on the week s first day ’

Him do we p raise For what w ere this dark

.

earth
—
Without his light thri ce b lessed heavenly light ? ,

E en as the halls o f Hela cold where dwell

’

The spirits of the wicked ones would be ,

This world O f ours without his gloriou s lam p !

Next comes Our Lady of the S ilver moon .

Her do we h o n ou r o n the second day

. .
 S i gu r d a n d G u d ru n 77

Well have y e d o n e f ai r maids t o paint her, ,

thus
Shin ing at night upo n th e tr anquil sea ,

Smiling perchance upon the mariner

, ,

As homeward to his heart s desire he goes ’

His heart s desire who in her bower doth si t

’

Gazing at Luna and her lane O f light ,

And longing for her lover in her arms .

Ah Moon fair Moon how be autiful tho u art !

, ,

But what a change wh e n t o th e week s third ’

day
We come ! Behold e quip pe d with h el m an d ,

s p ear
And byrn i e bri ght the one armed god of war
,
-
,

Brave Tyr whose missing limb the Fenri s Wol f

,

Tore off in fury at the elbow j oint !

, ,

A bright exemplar for us all i s Tyr .

Him must we follow ladies fair we m en , , ,

And for our wives and bairns and countr y dear ,

If s o the Fates decree give limb or life , .

S O did g o d Tyr So e ver do th e b r ave

. .

What noble shape all puissant have we here ? ,

-
,

P uissant yet s a d The fourth day of the week

. .

In honour of great Odin is it named :

 A dva ri
’

78 n s Ri n g

F ath er of go d s and men ; of he aven and earth

Th e ruler E en the realms beneath the earth
.
’
,

Wh ere the grim goddess Hela doth pursue

With lashes punitive for all their crimes , ,

The e vil S pirits of the underworld ,

His s way acknowledge ; and old ocean s king ’

Th e green haired ZE g i r doth salute him lord

-
, .

O nl y the p allid Norns do him defy .

The sisters three of Fate who sit far o ff , ,

O utside of Time and the beginning s ee

,

Of all this earthly pageant and the end .

Above the p lains O f Ida and the homes

O f all the gods the y dwell these mystic on e s , ,

Spinning the thread of life inscrutable , .

Of aspect beautiful methinks are they, , ,

And yet unpity ing suited to their task ;

,

For though with p rayer and sacrifice we seek

T O t urn the m from their p ur p ose tis in vain
’
,

Nor m an nor god can change their dread decrees .

E en as a maiden from the fla x doth spin

’

A golden thread and for a moment s space ,

’

Gazes upon i t gently handling it

, ,

Then cuts the thread to its allotted length ;

S O do thes e sisters three the thread of life
D raw forth fro m out th e unknown and for a ,

spac e
Smil ing upon it cut it to its length
,
.

But to this fair presentment let s return ’

This figure O f the father of the gods .

Upon h is throne in Asgard here he s i t s ,

 A dv a ri
’
80 n s Ri n g

What l o vel y Shape i s th i s ? Tis Freya fa i r ! ’

She who in Greece was Aphrodite called

Venus i n Rome Goddess of Love i s sh e
.
,

Sprung from the foam child of the surging deeps

, ,

Forever young forever beautiful !

,

So we have her all other things are naught ,

Who doth bestow on men the j oys of heaven .

Behold her here wearing that necklace rare

,

Of diamonds fashioned by the mountain dwarfs !

In this fair chariot drawn by cats s h e rides
, ,

O er all the world The S ixth day of the week

’
.

To her i s sacred S O these broideries say

. .

But any day methinks we d welcome her

, ,
’

Who lights within our hearts the flame d i vin e .

What think you ladies ? Ah y our blushes dee p ,

D i sclos e th e hidde n p romptings of th e s oul .

Old Saturn eldest of the gods of Rom e

, ,

Him have we last To him the seventh da y

.

Is dedicated Here we see him stand

.
,

Holding within his hand a pruning knife ,

Who first taught agriculture and the art s

In ancient Italy The golden days
.

Were his when plenty filled the fruitful land

—
And war was n ot the O ld Saturnian Age .

Roman n ot Scandian was this ancient god

, ,
 S i gu rd a n d G u d ru n 81

But h e s o well beloved was I trow

-
, ,

That men c ared never to forge t hi s n ame .

E arl Sigurd ceased Then thus the fair Gudrun

.

Thanks noble lord S O erudite thou art

.

We maids sometimes could scarcel y follow

, ,

thee .

Yet did we understand as women do , ,

That what thou saidst was ever true and wise .

Thrice valued now these broideries fair will b e

Since thou S O eloquently hast rehearsed
Th e story and significance of e ach .
!

To wh om E arl Sigurd Na y my Princ es s n ay

, , , .

Thou must n ot flatter me Yet if to thee .

It seem that I have earned by my discourse , ,

Some favour at thy hands I ll name it straight ,

’
.

What sayst thou to a ramble by O ld Rhine ?

Never S ince first I knew him have appeared
, ,

S O beautiful h i s waters as this eve .

See how they Shine lit by th e setting sun

, ,

Which soon behind yon mighty forest wall

Will disappear bidding adieu to earth
, .

Soon falls the summer twilight on the world

The magic summer twilight long and sweet .

T he air is cool and p leasant Wilt thou go ? .

6
 A dv a ri Ri n g
’
82 n s

And sm il e d Gudrun and a n swered A y e my , ,

!
lord .

And out across the me adows went the twain ,

Leaving within the bower the damsels twelve .

And up the path beside the golden Rh i ne ,

They wandered while the day to twil i ght turned

, ,

And overhead among the branches sang

, ,

Th e swee t vo ice d birds their e ve n in g r oun delays

-
.

Som e t im e s i n this too fickl e world we see

, ,

A youth and maiden to the ir hearts first cho i ce ’

Constant none other loving from that hour

,

When first they meet till death doth p art th em .

SO
Chances i t now with Sigurd and Gudrun .

Love at first sight : true love without a break

Till death doth p art them Thus it is somet i mes
. .
 IN THE ODENWALD

N OW as they hunted i n the Odenwald

,

O n e day King Gunt er to Earl Sigurd thus

,

Dost thou re member the adventur e bold

Whereof I spoke when first we met ? Since then
Naught O f the matter have my li p s disclosed
To thee though near my heart it lies ; but now
, ,

Today as through the forest s depths we ride

,
’
,

Meseems my spirit would divulge itself .

List to m y tal e and tell me then thy th ought .

Far O ff i n th e great n orth e rn o ce an l ies

, ,

A sacred island Helgoland ; o f gods

,

And goddesses a try sting place ; a haunt

B eloved of Odin Here upon a rock
.
, ,

83
 A d v a ri
’
84 n s Ri n g

Circled by fire ! so sing the ancient sk al d s! ,

Sleeps Brynhild Odin s daughter fair e rstwh il e

,
’

A valkyr now for some rash wilful a c t

, , ,

Of disobedience to her S ire divine ,

Condemned by him to everlast ing Slee p .

Yet did the All Father this one daughter lov e

-

More than all other of his children Woe .

Filled when he banished her h i s might y heart

, ,
.

And thus he tempered s o at least tis sai d , , ,

’

H i s mandate of perpetual slumber If .

Among earth s heroes could be found a man

’

Fearless enough and S kilful to essa y

Successfull y the wall of fire and gain
The rock wi th in fai r Brynhild should be h is
, .

Thus runs the story and for many a year ,

M y heart hath b roo de d o er it Dost th ou ’

.

think ,

Sigurd t is true o r b ut a poe t s dream ?

,
’
,
’ !

And S igu r d an swe red Sir e me think s t is ,

’

tru e .

Myself an hundred t im es h av e h eard th e tal e .

And in that seap ort O ld u p on the c oast ,

Of Norroway where I my galleys bought

, ,

A chart I s a w which to an anc i ent m an

Belonged who all his life u p on the deep
,

Had dwelt half trader and half pirate red

,
.

A chart of that low region where the Rhine

 In th e O de n w a ld 85

Em p t i es thr ough many a mouth into the s ea ;

, ,

And Fri si a s coast with sandy isles befringed ;

’
,

And farther east that land o f fen and fiord

,

Which jutting into ocean northward runs

, ,

For many a misty league ! in shape methinks , ,

Like upcurled prow O f some war galley huge -

Breasting the North Sea s waves! that land yclept ’

B y Rome the Cimbric Chersonese where dwell ,

Angles and Jutlanders and Saxons bold .

And on this chart was plotted Helgoland ,

The sacred i sland He himself ofttime s

.
, , ,

Slow sailin g by ! at least s o volubly

-
, ,

Maintained th i s anc i ent mariner! ha d be h el d , ,

E specially a t night the magi c fire ,

Circling the l onely cliff And I the chart .

Purchased there after for a silver cu p

, ,

—
Part of th e Niblung s Hoard and still po sse s s ’
.

For ere I came to this Burgundian land

My pur p ose twas to explore the sacred i sle
’
.

Now as thou know e st except the lil y maid

,

Gu dru n n o goddess fai r do I desire

, .

At th is th e kin g smil ed sl ightl y th e n we nt on ,

Oft h ath m y s piri t longed to make the attempt ,

And win the child o f Odin for my bride .

Methink s her impri soned soul aye beckons me

From out that ring of flame But I to leave — .

My kingdom and upon that wild emprise

 A dva Ri n g
'
86 n ri s

TO emb ark ? To go u p on a quest for wh at

A maid ? Tis p assing di ffi cult Peop les bold
’
.

,
—
Goths Vandals Franks surroun d me Far i n ,
.

the e ast ,

Beside the Danube gather th e restl ess h o rdes ,

O f Attila the Hun l i k e tem p est fierc e ,

Soon to affright th e earth And in th e sou th .

Rome slowly dying lies ; a lion Ol d

, ,

Beset by hungry wolves ; a conquero r o n ce ,

D efenceless now War everywhere t i s war !

.
,
’

Is t not so Sigurd ? My duty lies at home ;

’

At least to me so s eems i t TO safeguard

, .

His kingdom i s the k ing s fir st task and ne er ’

,
’

Should p ri vate joys outwe i gh the p ublic weal .

Alas fair Bryn hild daughter of the gods

, , ,

T hou c al l st t o me in vain ! T i s but a dream ! ’

Then S i gu rd S ire can I n o t se rve th e e ? ,

Well
Thou kn owest what e e r I c an I ll gl adl y d o ’ ’
.

And G unt e r an s we re d Aye if th ou wilt , ,

thou canst .

Thou Sigurd thou art free Already thou

, , .

Hast left thy father s land and ro am st t o and fro ’

Unhamp ered Like the eagle s thy strong flight

.
’
 T HE VALKYR

TH E N S i gurd his three S hips mad e ready ; oars

And sails were overhauled ; a p ennant ga y ,

Wrought by the fingers of the fair Gudrun

A golden fl eu r de lis o n field O f blue
- -

The Dragon s masthead graced ; and f o r a c rui s e

’

The fleet wa s vi ctualed Many a barrel stout .

Of ale and meal and salted b eef and pork

Bene ath th e thwart s was st o we d ; and water
c ask s ,

Filled fro m th e s parkl i n g Rh in e were not forgot

, .

And when all things were ready and the day

Dawned brightly O f departure came the king ,

With all h i s cou rt down to the river bank

,

T O sa y g ood bye-
And at the last th ere stoo d
.

Together i n a little group a p art

, ,

Gunter and Hagen Sigurd and Gudrun , .

And Sigurd gras p ed Kin g Gunter s hand an d ’

then ,

Before the eyes of all stoo p ing he ki ssed

, , ,

88
 Th e V a lk yr 89

Upon h er d ewy lips th e s wee t Gudru n

—
,

Betroth e d lovers parting kiss a draught?

’

Wherein in equal quantities are mixed

, ,

Sweetness and sorrow b i ttern es : and bliss , .

Then Sigurd straightway sought his dragon ship ,

And with him went the dark Burgundian knight ,

Hagen and on the after deck they stood

,
-

Together waving farewells to the S hore

, .

And when beyond her ken the last di m sail

,

Had vanished o er the S piri t of Gudrun

,
’

Black grief descended and all desolate ,

—
,

Her life a world wi thout i t s sun sh e wep t .

Then d own th e wi nd in g Rhine th e l i ttl e flee t ,

Past land s of fri ends and foemen m ade i ts ,

wa y ;
And reach ing op en sea the Fri s i an coast
, ,

Low lying fringed with many a sandy i sl e

-
,

Skirted ! as by the ancient trader s chart ’

Directed ! and then left the land behind ,

Northward and eastward steering t ill at l ast , ,

Out O f the level ocean Sigurd saw

The red cliff s of the sacred island ri se .

And on the island s top a ring of flam e ’

Burned by the hand of Odin lit and here

, , ,

Within that fiery ring S O sang the skald , ,

Upon a rock the valkyr Brynhild sle p t

, , , .

And Sigurd on the sandy spit below

 A
’

9 0 n d v a ri s Ri n g

His gall eys b e ache d an d th en e re n ig htfall , ,

bade
His mari n er s th eir e ve n in g meal p repare .

Now wh e n th e e arly summ e r su n i t s b eams

Cast o er the sea and dyed to deeper re d
’

The ruddy cli ff s O f Helgoland upros e

Sigurd and Hagen and upon the san ds ,

Leaving the busy bustling crews essayed

, ,

The stee p ascent to Brynhild s rocky b owe r ’

.

Sheer fro m the sea on every s i de ups p r an g

Thi s island hei ght but Sigurd found a p ath
, ,

Unseen at first which start ing from the beach

, , ,

In man y a zigzag to the summit clom b ;

,

And up thi s path he leadin g made his way

, , .

But Hagen heavy and of foot unsure

, ,

Though long he strove at last from very fear

, ,

Of loss of limb or life gave up the attempt

, ,

And all chagrined sat down u po n th e sand

,
.

Now as h e n ear ed th e
summit a grey cl oud
Envelo p ed Sigurd and wi th Slower steps
He clambered till all suddenl y he beheld
, , ,

B arring his p athway lurid in the mist

, ,

The wall of fire which girt the valkyr maid .

And as he for a moment paused a shape

 A dv
’

9 2 n a r i s Ri n g

Thee cann o t h arm Fe ar not my l ad F are

.
, .

!
well !
With that h e vanishe d T hen i nto the fl am e .

P lunged Sigurd swor d i n hand and from the

, ,

flame
I ssued u p on th e o th er side uns cath ed
, , .

—
No w wh e n i nt o that s il e nt spo t that isl e
—
By fiery b illows girt had Sigurd come
His eyes beheld within a craggy niche
, ,

O er which an ancient pine tree sentry stood

’
-
,

The figure of the valkyr maiden couched

Upon a moss grown rock Closed we re her eyes
-
.

As if i n Slee p ; her tresses beautiful

From underneath her winge d helmet fled
Adown th e m ossy pillow ; her lon g shield
Covered h e r body ; and her valkyr S p ear
Bes i d e her rested Mot i onless sh e la y
.

As in so m e s tatel y mausoleu m lie s

A sculptured form of m arble Thu s for y ears .
,

Unnu mb ered had S he sle p t by Odin s p ower ,

’

Preserv ed from perils of the earth and a ir

Fair daughter of the father of the gods .

And Sigurd lifting u p the S hield beh eld

, ,

A maiden form i n snow white sam i te go wned

- -
,

But bodiced in a warrior s byrnie bri ght ’

.

And for a time all motionless he stood

, , ,

Gazing upon the S ight and in his mind ,

 Th e V a l k yr 93

What n ex t to do revolvin g T h e n besid e .

The m oss grown rock falling upon one knee

-

E en as twas written in the book of Fate

’ ’

He kis se d th e cold l i ps of the valkyr m a i d .

As at th e kiss o f spring tim e op en wi d e

,
-
,

The V i olet s eye s S O now at S i g u rd s k i s s

’
, ,
’

Opened the blue eyes of the valkyr maid :

And as i n A p ril through all nature runs
, ,

N e w life and warmth and sleep ing earth awakes

, ,

S O now through Brynhild s Sleeping form new l i fe

’
,

Surge d warm and like swee t A p ril S he awoke

, , .

Wh o art th ou that abov e me b en dest ? Naught

Rememb e r I since to this lonely isle
M y father Odin brought me and with fire ,

B egirt the rock y couch whereon I lay .

Who art thou ? And w henc e comest thou ?

An s wer m e ! !

Thus s pake th e val kyr m ai den ; and to her

Sigurd replied M y name is Sigu rd Thee
:
.

I sought that I might bear thee to the land

Of the Burgundians Gunter waits thee there. .

A noble king doth crave thee for his bride .

 A d v a ri
’

94 n s Ri n g

And h as t th ou then a b r i d e alrea d y ?

, , T hu s
Brynhild And Sigurd answered :
. N ay fai r ,

m aid ,

NO bride hav e I Yet do I hope e re long

.
, ,

A bride to claim When thou dost Gunter wed

.
,

On that same day weds Gunter s sister me ’

Gudrun the lil y m aid of Burgund y

, .
!

This hearing from her couch the valkyr r o se

,

And leaving spear and shield behind her passed

,

—
,

— —
From ou t the grotto silent pale and stood
A little space away Then thus S h e s p oke
.

And hath it come to this ? Alas ! Alas !

Must I a daughter o f the mighty gods
, ,

B e wedded to this mortal who although ,

A king he calls himself is but a churl ,

To me ? O father Odin was my fault

, ,

S O grievous ? Have I not enough atoned ?

My punishm ent is m ore than I can bear ! !

XI I

SO saying i n her hands sh e bowed her head

, ,

Crowned by the winge d helmet and with tears ,

Bitter bewailed her miserable lot .

 A d v a ri Ri n g
’

9 6 n s

True a s the magnet to the steel I ll be ,

’
.

Come Brynhild come Forget thy valkyr life

, , . .

Or rather forget not but let it be

, , ,

A golden memory which like a fair lam p , ,

Shall light thy soul in many a dreary hour .

And in that future vast toward which we move

Of which e en n ow we are a part perchance
,
—
’

Thou to those higher regions shalt return ,

And of that freer life once more partake

A valkyr bear i ng to V alhalla s halls
’

, ,

With tender ministering hands the soul s , ,

Of h e roe s i n the i r earthly fight o erwh el med ’

.

Like Bra gi dost thou speak ; like Brag i god ,

Of eloquence and poetry and song .

Methinks some day thou wilt be one of thos e

, ,

Who si t ar ound my father O din s board ’

.

Thus Brynhild ; and to her Sigurd re p l i ed

Perchance then in that life to come amidst
, , ,

V alhalla s glories once more will we mee t

’

,
.

But whatsoe er the future b r ing s thy p ath

,
’
,

Today leads toward the Rhine Is it not so ? .

Believe m e Brynhild there s no other way

, ,
’
.
!

She bowed assent ; and down the ruddy cliff s ,

Each ever and anon the other s hand ’

 Th e V a l k yr 97

Clasping th ey went ; he out i nto the world

,

Unknown that haughty spirit leading onc e ,

A valkyr n o w a wo man And wi th i n

,
.

The cab i n of the Dragon ! wh i ch b et im es , ,

E en by Gu drun s deft hand s had b een pre p are d

’ ’

F or this fair guest with tapestries all hung

, ,

And stored with gowns and gems such as b efit

A ma i den s b ower! he placed her and himself
’
,

And He gen on the after deck above -

,

Out wh ere th e winds and wat er s s an g abod e , .

XVII

Then o e r th e d eep th e D ra g on l ed th e way

’
,

The Wolf and B ea r close following and astern ,

Bereft henceforward of their crown of fire

F aded the ru d dy cl i ffs o f Hel goland .

v
 SI GU RD AN D GUNTER

Now comes o n ce mo re th e an cie nt feast of

Yule ,

Now c ome s once m ore that j oyous fest i val

Wh i ch men from immemorial time hav e h eld
, ,

Supreme above all others taking rank

, ,

And justl y so i t ever seemed to m e

, .

F or what i s it we celebrate ? Is t not

’

A he avenly circumstance of import high

All slighter things transcending ? Is i t not
The t i me when the great Sun the wheel of fire
, ,

The source of l i ght and life and all that i s ,

The golden s ymbol of All Father s eye

-
’
,

Ceases henceforward to withdraw himself

! Each dail y v i sit briefer than the last!
And turn ing i n h i s course all reconciled
, , ,

Com e s back t o earth wi th ev er l e ngthening

-

s trides
With outstretched arms and kindl y be aming -

fa ce
 A dv a ri
’
I oo n s Ri n g

Like thin e i s m y des ire and twas my p l an ,

’

To celebrate our nuptials thine and mine , ,

Close following the return from Helgoland

-
.

But e ver m ore the haught y v alkyr ma i d ,

With this and that excuse hath put me O ff , ,

Till nay at last no longer could sh e speak

‘
,
’
, ,

And hath at Yule tide p romised to be mine

-
.

Methinks sometimes s h e loves me not ; and ye t

, ,

Her dee p ly do I love M y brightest dreams .

Of what S he d b e com p ared with what S h e is

’
, ,

Were like the frescoed figure on the wall

Matched with the beaut y of the living maid ;
And for the hour which makes us on e I long .

And yet if S h e d oth love me not what good ?

, ,
’
Tis but the Shadow that I clas p ; tis but ’

The garment of th e s oul however fair , ,

That mine b ecomes ; the substance hath escaped .

Would th at her valkyr Sp irit I could win ,

And m erge her life with mine ! But ah to love , ,

Brings not love i n return and marble cold ,

-

—
Meseems sh e stands far far be yond my reach , .

Alas the p oorest swa in who p loughs the earth

, ,
’
O r sails the sea and holds some woman s heart
,

All all h i s o wn i s h appi er far th an I

, , .
!

He ceased and gaz ing out upon the Rh in e

Remained all S ilent for a little space
, ,

Then spoke again N a th l es s our wedding day

 S i gu r d an d Gu n te r 10 1

We ll cel ebrat e my S i gurd tho u and I

’
, ,

Perchance with better knowledge of her s p ou se

Brynhild may love me better As for thee
.

Already art thou su n and moon and stars

And heaven s transcendent brightness to
’

Gudrun .
!
YU LE TI D E AT THE COURT O F KING
-

GUNTER

! I n c l u di ng th e Song of Ol af th e Red!

YUL E T ID E ! And in King Gunter s palac e re ign s

-
’

Revelry such a s ne er before was seen’

,

By O ldest gr e ybeard i n all Burgundy ! ,

For is it not the hour ausp i cious set ,

E en by the merry hearted king himself

’
-
,

When h er e have me t fro m far and ne ar the , ,

gu ests
To celebrat e wi th feasting and with s ong
, ,

After the manner of the olden t i me ,

The double wedding ? Is i t not the hour

Blest by the p resence of all knowing Var -
,

Goddess of marriage who to lovers vows ,

’

Listens attent i ve and who broken troth

,

Doth ever punish ? I S i t n ot the hour

Dedicat e not alone to love s delight s ’

But also to the gaieties o f Yule

Mad merry Yule ? Let laughter unconfined
,

Re i gn therefore and illimitable ! o y !

, ,

10 2
 A dv a ri
’
104 n s Ri n g

Bel o w a t th e grea t t ab l e filled wi th c heer

, , ,

Which ran the whole length of the mighty h all

From door to dais Gunter s men a t arms ,
’
- -

Feasted with merry din ; and them among ,

Each tar between two spearmen that th e guest ,

Might want for nothing S i g urd s vikings sa t ,

’
.

E en thus upon that memorabl e night

’

When first the y met si ! months ago th ey sat , , ,

In golden summer when the days were long .

And round and round the mighty drinkin g horn s -

Passed with the nut brown ale or sparkl in g m ead

-
,

Passed wi th their precious freight fro m l ip to

, ,

l ip ,

Ever to be rep len i shed and re pas s ,

Filled fro m gre at casks within th e cell ar s t o re d .

And Nors e man and Burgund i an dran k Wa s “

!
hael !
Each to th e other and e re th e beard e d li ps
,

Were dry S koel to the viking ! and aga in

“
,
!

Pros i t ! and mellow friendshi p ruled the ho ur

!
,

F or B acchus d o th make b rothers of us all .

And in the m i ddle of the wassail ; lo !

Twelve harpe rs good bes i de the dais s t ai r ,

Stat i oned wh e re all c ould he ar the i r symphonie s

, ,

Struck string and to their music keeping step

, ,

Entered King Momus from a hidden door ,

—
Issuing upon the hall Lord of Misrule
Followed apace by all his motley crew .
 Yu l e - ti d e a t G u n te
’
r s C o u rt 10 5

—
And some l ik e Momu s s overeign lord him , ,

self
Were m aske d an d o th ers l ike th e foolish
clown
Painted who to th i s da y at m erry Yul e , ,

Disports with columbine and harlequin .

And round and round th e mighty hall they

went ,

As mumm e rs wil l with all extrava gan ce

,

These march ing with a mock solemn i ty

—
,

Those men and maidens in apparel gay

Their S kill ter p sichorean setting forth
In pantom im i c dance fantastical ,

And others y et to wake the m irthful laugh

Seeking with antics of the -prim al fool
Horse p lay and somersaults coarse mim i cry
-
,
.

Tooting of horns and many another tri ck

Ancient as is the zany s ancient art ’
.

And when at last it seemed that long enough

, ,

Had folly and unreason gross held sway ,

Gunter a S ignal gave and the twelve skalds ,

Their music ceased And as a fair jet d eau .

’

Rising from sculptured fountain high in air ,

Suddenly falls when out ofi is the stream C

,

So suddenly when the mus i c ended ceased

, , ,

T he b urly burly in King Gunter s hall

-
’
.

And at the oaken board ol d Momus found

A vacant place and of his mummers some
,

Beside him perched and others round about

Or sat or lay upon the rush strewn floor -
.
 A dv Ri n g
'
10 6 n a r i s

Then at the b idding of the king s tept forth

, , ,

With harp i n hand fro m out the throng

, of

skalds ,

An anc i ent bard Olaf the Red ycle p t

, ,

Who had with Sigurd from the Northland come .

White were his l o oks as those of Hoder ol d ,

Though ruddy as the beard of Thor they d been ’

In younger days when he his surname got

,
.

Noble his b earing One of those was he

.

Who vo i ce the p assions o f the human heart ,

Or paint the deeds of the heroic past .

One of that gifted company ! although

Naught but a lowly neophyte! to which
Belong great Homer and the Mantuan bard
Illustrious high priests of the epic muse
, .

O ft i n the p resence of the enemy s fleet ’

His b attle s ong he d sung or at the feasts

’

O f kings chanted adventures wild and weird .

Of gods and goddesses tonight he sang ,

And chiefly of that valiant deity

Who ever wi th the mountain giants fought
Bluff Thor the i dol of all Scandian hearts
, .

! T h e S ong f
o Ol af th e Red!

VI

Thu s r an h is son g . O nc e did the green haired -

god
Who dwells wi thin the illimitable deep ,
 A dv
’
10 8 n a ri s Ri n g

Or bear his mandate to contending host s .

Upon the high back of their master s chair ’

Now rest these sable messengers while crouch ,

About the monarch s feet like faithful dogs

’
, ,

The two grey wolves who ever him attend .

Them l i kewi s e doth h e fee d wi th m o rsels rare .

B es i de the wise All Father Fri gga S it s

-
,

His spouse and queen goddess of wedded love

, ,

Of spotless chastity and motherho o d

, ,

And all the sacred virtues of the hom e .

Stern guardian of th e marriage b ond is s h e ,

And oft her voice upbraiding Odin hears ,

F or hard it is Frigga to always please .

N a th l es s no hypocrite is O d in s queen ’
.

A virtuous wife s h e dwells besid e her lord ,

And in h er l ife exemp l i fie s her wo rds .

Next to h is m other Fri gg a n o w b ehold

‘

Bright Balder ; he of all th e mighty god s

The best belov e d and most beautiful
-
.

God of the Sun lord o f the summer t im e

,
-
,

The source of light and life and all thing s fair ,

Who doth not B alder love ? In all this world ,

So sang the ancient skalds naught could be ,

found ,
 Yu l e - ti d e a t Gu n te r s
’
C o u rt 10 9

Nor man , n or beast nor bird nor stock no r

, , ,

stone ,

That loved not B alder : naught s ave o ne small

shrub ,

The mistletoe yclept ; and with a twig

From this ill fated plant thrown by the hand
-
,

Of Hoder blind ! whom Loki s wicked S pleen ’

T ri c kt to the deed ! was beauteous B alder slain .

Yet doth he rise each year from Hela s gloom ’

Renewed i mmortal glorious as of ol d

, , ,

G o d o f the summer sunshine evermore .

Close b y his S ide the gentle Nanna sits ,

Hi s faithful spouse who when bright B alder ,

died
—
,

Herself who did subsist upon hi s love

Perished of sorrow inconsolable .

Yet like her lord from Hela doth she rise ,

What time the golden Spring returns to earth ,

Hol p fro m tho se gloomy depths by his strong

Tyr ne x t we see th e o n e arme d god of war

,
-
,

His m i ssing limb by the fierce Fenris wolf

T orn from h i s body For when the Asgard .

god s
Sought to securely bind th e Fenri s Wolf
! Which is a symbol of devouring fire ,

All devastating uncontrollable!

-
,
 A dv a ri R i ng
’
I 10 n s

Ne e r w ould he stand at rest unless a god

’

AS pledge o f fair intent would place his arm ,

Betwixt the creature s j aws This then did Tyr

’
. .

But when the wolf betrayed and bound at last

, ,

His fate perceived he in revengeful rage , ,

Tyr s arm tore O ff below the elbow j oint

’
.

Thus Tyr to save the world gave up his arm

, , ,

And if twere needful would have given his life

,
’
, ,

As ever have the brave or gods or men , ,

Don e wi thout question for th e c o mmo n weal

, ,
-
.

Here l i k e wi se Lok i Si ts th e god perve rse

, ,

The mischief maker sl y the evil on e

-
, .

Sco ff er at all things by the gods held goo d ,

F ather of lies o f wickedness the source

, .

If trouble came twas ever Lok i s fault

’ ’

If discord rose false Loki was the cause .

Evil to him seemed good and what the god s ,

Eschewed as wicked aye was his delight ,

8 0 full o f all perverseness was his heart .

Him did the gods of Asgard for a while

Su ffer to roam at will through earth and heaven ,

B ut cam e a time when e en the All Father wise ’

-

Lost p atience with his s on and to a rock

Fast chai ned him with a viper overhead
, ,

Which ever dropt its poison o n his breast .

But who so wicked that no woman s heart ’

—
H e h ath to love him ? None nor man nor god .
 m

A d v a ri
'
I 12 n s Ri n g

And here long b e arded like the bard who t ell s

,
-
,

This tale tonight in Gunter s palace sits ’

Bragi of song and eloquence the god

, .

A wondrous harp within his hand he hold s ,

And ofttim e s to the gods and goddesses

He S ings and o f all skalds the best i s h e
, .

Next to h im sits his spouse Iduna fai r , ,

She who the apples of immortal life

Doth keep For when the gods and g o d desses
.

Aweary are and feel the hand of Time

,

B earing upon them straightway do they s e ek ,

That garden where Iduna s apples grow ’

,

Which having eaten youth returns again , .

S o wo ndrous p ot ent i s th e go ld en frui t .

Here l i ke wi s e Vi dar sits th e silent o n e , ,

Who doth the deep p rimeval forest love .

Seldom among the gods to banquet board

He comes but in the impenetrable wood
,

Abides by preference and when in the hall s :

Of Asgard or on Ida s flowery plain

, ,

At times he shows always an air he hath

, ,

Distrait as though within the s ilent wood

, ,

Rather than in the glittering palaces

Among the Asas bright he longed to be , .

But E g ir doth he love and to the feast ,

 Yu l e - ti d e a t Gu n te r s
’
C o u rt 1 13

—
Of ocean s g od hath come a happy guest
’

And i n h is ri ghtful p lac e h e si t s toda y .

And anci ent Hoen i r likewi se here doth si t ,

And Vali strong and wi se Forseti g od , ,

Of justice who all rulers doth i nsp ire

,

That seek his aid ; l ie s cannot them dec eive ,

But even handed j ust i ce the y dispens e ;

-

And Heimdal kee p er of the rai nbow bri dge

,

O er which th e gods and goddesses to earth

’

Descend and when their missions are fulfilled

, ,

Ascend a bri ght procession to the skies ;

, ,

And Hoder b l i nd that g od unfortunat e ,

Who tri c kt by Loki s mischief making gu ile

,
’
-
,

The b eauteous Balder slew ; and Hermod sw i ft ,

Who to the gloomy gates of Hela s realm ’

Descended and that goddess importuned

, ,

F or many days bright B alder to releas e , ,

—
But no all unavailing was his que st ;
And Rinda goddess of the wintry earth
,

And Uller bowman famous who to hunt

, ,

On snow shoes o er the white snow surfac e loves

-
’
-
.

Thes e and yet other gods and goddesse s

Of rank distinguished now within th e h all s
—
,

O f ZE g ir si t a glori ou s compan y .

Last bu t not least here S its the Thunder Go d ,

-
,

Impetuous fierce yet kind of heart withal ;

, ,

8
 A d v a ri
’
1 14 n s Ri n g

The hero of a hundred cheri shed tales

Told by the saga man in smoky hall
-
,

Or chanted by the bard at banquet board ,

Or crooned by Nors eland mother to her child

Here now he S its who with the giants huge
D oth ever love to fight and gobl i ns fierce ;
,

Red bearded Thor of all the many s ons

-
,

O f O d in ne arest to the Norseman s h eart

,
’
.

Now in the m i ddle of the m ighty fe a s t ,

AS round and round the foaming horns of al e

Were passing and in every heart ! oy reigned
, ,

T he green haire d ZE g i r thus addressed his guests

-

XVI I

Vast are m y stores of mead and ale and non e

Has ever from my table thirsty gone ,

But I O f something better far have heard

Than these great horns which fix it as we ma y , ,

Ever and ever must replenished be .

So m ething it is i n truth most wonderful

, , ,

Not understandable the th ing by me ,

And yet assured am I i t doth exi st .

!

XV I I I

He paused a moment ; on the ancient god

All eyes were turned ;: then S lowly he went on .
 A d
"
’
1 16 n v a ri s Ri n g

A jewel b ri ght wi th i n th e snou ts of swin e .

B y heavens ! Old though I be I ve often though t ,

’

M yself would some day stri ve by craft or force , ,

To get possess i on of this wondrous cup .

W h a t th i nk ye As a s ? Twere a gl orious d ee d
,
’
.

XXI I

Int entl y li s t e n e d all Then fro m hi s s ea t

.

—
U prose the Thunder God red bearded Thor - -

And thu s wi th m any a fiery gesture s p ake :

, ,

XX I I I

To me bel o n gs thi s d e ed T o me wh o a ye .

Have fought with giants and hobgoblins fierce !

Their tricks I know : their deep dece p t i ve ways .

T i s ever my delight to harass them

’
.

Therefore if me the All Father will pe rmit -

,

Strai ghtway ye gods I ll go up on th is q ue st

, ,
’
.

XX IV

He ceas ed , thu s th e k ing of god s an d me n

a nd
“
Brave words are these m y Thor ; brav e words , ,

m y s on .

But ever thou wast daring and a deed ,

Like this did ever to thy heart appeal .

Go Smite the giants and bring back the cup

.
, .
 Y u l e - ti d e Gu C
'
a t n te r s o u rt 1 17

XXV

Then fro m the banquet of the gods went forth

Red bearded Thor blustering and full o f wrath
-
, .

M i ol n er he seized ; and soon his golden car

Leaped to th e clouds by goats impetuous ,

dra wn .

H i s hammer first to right and then to left

He hurled in fierce delight ; his chariot wheels
Rumbled amidst the clouds ; and fro m the plain
The son s o f men beheld the storm rush b y .

So we nt g od T h o r a gai nst h i s gi ant fo es .

! ! v1

No w northward and yet northward s pe d th e god

Until at last the utmost boreal point
—
Of Scandian land he reached that wedge like -

cap e
Which jut s i nto the lonely Polar Se a .

And here w i thin a subterranean hall

,

Enorm ou s many a rood in length and b readth

, ,

The giant S krym er dwelt Into that hall .

Strode all impetuous the Thunder God

, ,
-
,

Mi ol ner in hand Here at a table long

.
, ,

The giant s s a t ol d S krym er at i ts head

, .

To who m g od Thor with crafty flatterin g , ,

words
 A d v a ri
’
1 18 n s Ri n g

XXVI I

Hail S krym er of the m o untain giant s k ing !

,

! For that I now behold that m onarch great

Of whose b rav e deed s my ear s have oftt ime s
heard
I cannot doubt ! Ha il all ye c ourtiers fa i r !
.

Upon a quest of i mport high I come ,

Comm i ssioned by the fath e r of the gods ,

Odin than who m no greater name exists

,

In he aven or earth or Hela s realms below ’

A quest of import but most di fficult ,

And therefore your assistance now I crave .

A wondrous cup I seek which s o tis said ’

No go d can em p ty though from eve to morn

, ,

He drink and then again from morn till eve

,
.

No god can empty it and yet methinks , , ,

’
Twould be an easy task for on e of you ,

For giants i n a might i er mould are m a de .

XXVI I I
He ce a sed : o er Skrym er s visage cre p t a smile
’ ’

AS to the fulsome flattery of the god

He listened : then the giant thus repl i ed

XX I X
Wel c ome art thou O Thor to giant land !
, ,

Welcome to this our b anquet hall ! The cup

,

Which none can empty and which now thou ,

s eeks t,
 A d v a ri Ri n g
’
1 20 n s

XXX II

With sm ile of c onfid enc e th e Asa t o o k

The cup within his hands then to his l ip s
,

P laced it and with a mighty eff ort drank

, ,

Seeking in o ne long draught to empty it .

But though he drank till all his breath was

Scarce had the liquor sank below th e brim .

XXX I I I

O ld Skrym er s miled Methink s o ur hon o ure d

.

guest
T wo drinks will need in which to drain the c u p .

Nay do not be discouraged Try agai n

, . .

XXX I V

But though agai n and yet again he strove ,

The Go d of Th under could n ot drain the cu p .

Nay scarc e the l i quor sank b elow the brim

, .

XXXV

Then S krymer thu s Perch an ce some other

feat
—
The god can better do some easier thing .

A black cat have we here Methinks to lift

.

This cat from off the floor were no hard task .

 Yu l e - ti d e a t Gu n te r
'

s C o u rt 121

XXXVI

Crestfallen T hor the cat essayed to lift

,

But though h e strove with all his mi g ht and

m ain ,

B arely to move on e foot from off the floor

Took all the strength he had Strange did it .

s eem .

XXXVI I

Then Skrymer smiled and once again he S poke,

—
Much have I heard of As a Thor his strength ,

His reckless courage and his wondrous deeds ,

And yet some little feat such as a child ,

Were equal to he cannot now perform

, .

M ethinks his prowess has been overpraised .

However one more trial of strength we ll have

,
’

P erchance his reputation he ll retrieve ’

.

Come hither nurse and with this g od contend

, , .

A wrestling match we ll have Methinks in ’

.

this
A noble s p ort —our guest doth all e x cel
, .

XXXVII I

As thus he sp oke a pale and withered hag

Hobbled across the hall and grappling Thor
Within her arms ! though with all strength the
god
 A
’
1 22 n dva ri s Ri n g

Stru ggled to free himself from her e mb ra ce!

Lifted him from his feet Then to the floor .

Tost him as though a feather i n her h ands

, .

XXX I X

Loud l augh e d the giants all But S krymer l ed .

B ack to his seat the god No more we ll mar .

’
,

With these rough tricks ou r hospitalit y, .

Come brothers to this Asa brave let s drink

, ,
’

Good health and ha p piness and may h e bear :

To all who dwell in Asgard s S hining halls ,

And on the flowery plains of Ida meet

F o r interchange of thought and converse w i se ,

Best w i she s from the giants of th e North .

!

Now when i t c ame Thor s time to go u p rose’

All those huge giants and did him salute .

! Three times th e height of mortal m en they

stand !
But S krymer out into th e o pe n air
Where waited for the god his goat drawn car -

Passed wi th him and wh en qu i t e alon e the y

,

were ,

Thus S poke B e not down hearted Asa Thor -

, ,

That in those feats such S howi ng p o o r tho u

m adest .

In truth twas all enchantment T he gold cup

,
’
.

Thou couldst not empty from the mighty deep ,

 A d v a ri R i ng
' ’
1 24 n s

Had van i shed for in all illusions strange

, ,

And every kind of witchcraft wa s he wise .

X LI I

Then to hi s golden car the Thunder God -

Turned and re entered and his restless goats

,
-
,

Swift mounted to the clouds as toward th e h all

-
,

Of [E g i r now the happy Asa sped ,

Bearing within his hands the magi c cup .

! E nd o th e S ong o
f f Ol af th e Red!

X LII I

The m instrel ce as e d and through th e banqu e t

,

hall
Rang mighty p laudits of the voice and hand .

And when the din had somewhat S lackened ros e

King Gunter from his seat beside his bride ,

High on the dais and with words of p rai se

,

Olaf saluted and a purse of gold

,

Likewise b estowed u p on the famous bard .

Then round the board th e horn s of nut brown -

ale
Resumed their j ourn e y and the mighty logs ,

Brighter and ever brighter blazed The night .

Moved onward with a j oyous majesty .

E en like Valhalla seemed the glittering scene

’

That glorious hall above where after death , ,

T he heroes feast among the immort al gods .

 Yu l e - ti d e a t Gu n te
’
r s C o u rt 1 25

X LI V

Thu s flour i sh ed Yul e tid e at K in g G unt er s

-
’

court.

And thus th e dou b le we dd ing wi th all p omp , ,

Was celebrated Surely twas a t ime

.
’

F or laughter and illimitable joy

A marriage feast a feast of Yule in one
, , .
 I N THE GARDEN

Now n o rth ward on ce m ore comes th e Sun from ,

clim es
Austral return i ng t o the German l an d ,

And strai ght before his glori ous p resen ce flee

Darkness and cold as with a bounteous h and
, ,

—
Light he dispenses v i vifying light
And balmy winds and ever lengthen in g days
,
-
.

And as in Roman trium p h at the front

, ,

Of the long line the conqueror ri des and him ,

F air cap tiv e maidens follo w c rown d with ,

’

fl owers ,

So now as u p the he avenly h i ghway r ides

,

Balder triumphant i n h i s tra in a pp ears

,

Bright Easter goddess of the s p ring b y trou p e s

, ,

—
Of sunny hours accom p anied maidens fair ,

Nymphs of the golden s p ring time such as wake -

,

—
The hearts of men to ecstasy wi th flowers
Bedecked and followed by melod i ou s b irds .

So rises B alder out o f Hela s shades ’

—
Immortal glori ous bringing b ack t o ea rth
,

1 26
 A d v a ri Ri n g
’
1 28
’
n s

Where n o n e assemble ? Queens S hould grac i ou s

be ,

Shining l i ke the res p lendent sun for all ;

, ,

Not leading lives recluse like cloistere d nuns , ,

Unseen of men Lovest thou not the ga y court

.
,

With all its j oys ? Lovest thou not Burgundy ,

Our beauteous land ? L ove st th o u not m e it s ,

kin g ? !

Thu s Gunter : to the valkyr s eyes a l i ght ’

Leaped l ike a sword flashing from out its sheath

Then ris ing to her feet S he spoke :
,
“
What us e
,

Longer to play a part ? I love th ee not ;

Thee nor thy court nor B u rgund y A tr i c k .
,

Abhorre d of Od in gave me to th y arms

, .

Rather u po n that mountain would I sl e e p

Once m ore wh ere lon g I Sle p t begi rt b y fire
, , ,

Far i n th e n o rth ern se as than b e thy qu e en !

,

Meth i nk s o fttimes u p on that lonely i sle ,

With hel m et bowed m y fath e r O din s i t s

, ,

Grievin g upon h i s err ing daughter s fate ’

.

0 would that I could see o n c e m ore h i s face ,

E en th ough by wrath and sorrow cl o uded o e r !

’ ’

See a s I sa w i t when w i th w av ing Sp ear

, ,

He cast th e s p ell about me and th e flames ,

Commanded to protect m e fro m all harm !

Happier my heart to be by h i m condemned
Than b y the i gnoble Gunter to be pra i se d ! !
 In th e G a rd e n 1 29

T hu s Brynhil d : th en l ike some long pent ,

-
up

flood
Burstin g at last i ts b arr i ers s tro n g went o n
, , ,

I love th ee n ot ! Art thou the hero bri ght

M y father Odin dream t of when he girt
M y ro cky c ou ch wi th fire and sought th e reby
To sav e me fro m all m e n of co mm on clay ?
Art th ou th e mortal for a g odd e ss mee t ?
Art th ou th e v iking b old who sailed th e seas ,

Seeki n g th e sa cred i sl e of Hel g olan d ,

An d cl imbed th e dizzy cl iff an d throug h th e ,

flame
Pl unge d an d th e S pell dissol ved wh ich h eld me
,

fas t ?
To h im do I bel o n g an d n o t t o th ee
, ,

Ingloriou sly wai t ing by th e Rh i ne !

F or hi m was I intended Thus twas p l ann ed ’
.

B y th e immortal fath er of the gods .

But o er the gods th e m ystic s i sters si t

’

Spinning the thread of Fate ; the S isters three

“

All p ot ent c ruel ; Ur d Verdand i Skul d

, , , .

And jealous of my beauty and my p ower

Were they ! at l ea st suc h is m y thoug ht! and
,

-
S ou ght
Me t o aba se who i n V alhalla s hall s ’

Once shone m ore lovely than fair Freya s self ’

,

And dwelt supreme in the All Father s heart -

’
.

Alas ! m ost treacherously hav e th e dre ad N orn s

9
 A
’
1 30 n d v a ri s Ri n g

Dealt by m e and th e purpose merciful

,

Of Odin to preserve me from the wo rst

,
-
,

Thwarted The weakling Gunt er hav e I got ;

.

I who was meant fo r Si gurd Al as ! Al as ! .

!

Love st th ou th en Sigurd ? Th us th e kin g

and h im
Answered th e valkyr haught y was h e r mie n ,

No man I love ; but of all earthly m e n

Sigurd the s on of Sigmund is the best ;
, ,

And like bright B alder in the east doth s h in e

E cl ip sin g wi th h is l i ght the p uny st ars .
!

Thou l oves t S i gurd ! Aye ! King Gu nter

gasped .

Fool th at min e e yes d i s ce rn ed i t n o t be fo r e

7’

So saying ! l i ke a wounded man wh o strives

Steadily to walk but staggers in h i s gai t
, ,

Stunned by th e S ho c k and f aint from loss ,

blood ! ,

King Gunt e r from the fatal garden pass ed .

And as h e Slowly trod once round he turne d

, ,

And looking b ackward wistfully beh eld

, , ,

Lit by the last rays of the setting sun ,

Her face within her hands as if she wept , ,

Brynhild the valkyr standing motionless ,

.
 A d v a ri
’
1 32 n s Ri n g

Departs A boy c ap ri cious a s the bards

.
,

Of Greece and Rome have ever pictured h im .

Cupid the wandering arch er full of guile

, , .

She love s h im ? A ye B ut fre e fro m fault ar e

.

the y ;
Wholly devot edl y h e love s Gu drun
, .

She loves h i m ? Ay e But hop el e s s i s h er lov e

.

E en lik e min e o wn Wo ul d th a t we n e e r ha d
’
.
’

met ,

F a ir Brynh il d th at I n e er h ad h eard th y n ame !

,
’ !

T hus Gu nt er wi th h imself commun e d : his

dream
V anished as vanishes by a pri ckl e pierced
, ,

The iri d es cent b ubble in the air .

 HA GE N AND GIS E LHER

H E RE l e t us si t ben eath th is anc i ent el m

,

Which on ce more at the magic touch o f S pring

, ,

Bursts i nto bloo m Something upon my m ind

.

L ies wh ich I fai n would t ell t o th ee al o n e .

!

T hu s Hagen o er th e Apr i l me a d ows green

’

Roaming Wi th Giselh er th e k i n g s b roth er ,

’
,

S p ok e .

Th en as th emsel ves th e y seat ed h e went on

, ,

Kn ow th at l as t e ve wh en su n se t dye d th e S ky
, ,

I wandering n ear the garden of th e queen

, ,

Heard vo i ces or to be more accurat e

, , ,

’
A woman s voice and nearer to the spot ,

Drawing be h eld King Gunter and his spouse

, ,

Brynh ild th e valk yr He i n silence stood ;

.

I 33
 A d v a ri
'
1 34 n s Ri n g

Vehement h er u tt e rance . M uch against my

will
Wa s i t l i k e some low eavesdro pp er to list ;
, ,

But fro m th e p lace I c ould not then e scape ,

And forced w a s I t o hear T h i s th en th e .

, ,

gist
—
Of Brynh ild s wild tirade That sh e i n truth
’
, , ,

Loved Gunter not a whit n or ever had , ,

But only Sigurd Scarcely could m y e ar s

.

Believe the words Thy brother like a man

.
,

Stabbed to the heart with face wh i t e as a ,

ghost ,

Listened in silence then som e broken wo rd s

, ,

M u ttering p assed l ik e a sh ado w from th e

,

spot .

My heart wept for him But th e valk yr st o od .

,

Wrapped i n her gloom a statue m otionle s s ; ,

And afterward upon th e garden bench

Sitting rem ained till long i nto the night .

Perch anc e sh e wai t ed S igur d th ere ? W ho

knows ?
!

Wh at th inkst th ou H agen I S t an o lden fl ame

, ,

L on g sm oulde ring and n ow b urst i ng through i t s

b ounds ,

Or i s i t something new th i s love betwix t ,

Queen Brynhild and the Norsem an ? G iselher !

thus .
 A d v a ri
’
1 36 Ri n g
’
n s

Belik e th e N o rseman s bl ood al o n e will q u ench

’

Gunter s dee p thirst for ve n gean c e ? Wh a t

’

th i nk st thou ?
Th us G iselh e r an d t o h im Hage n rep l ied
,

Would i t were so ! T h is S igur d I l ove not .

If h e hath be en disloyal to h is kin g ,

Thy brother and disloyal to his b ri d e

, ,

Thy sister then m ethinks his fai thl e s s l i fe

,

Were be tter e nded Yet I fe ar the trust .

Of Gunter i n his friend so absolute , ,

May e en against the damn ing evid ence

,
’
,

Unshak en stand This then shall be our tas k

.
, ,

T o see to it th at Gunt e r falters not

In wreaking vengean ce on the outl and e r ;
But i f h e weakly hesitat e ! hi s faith
In Sigurd S pite of all appearance s
,

Avowing! then o urselves to strike the blow ,

For th e ki n g s h on our and for Burgundy !

’
,
!

Thus Hagen wi th i n dign ant gesture s poke

, , ,

Feigning the ol d reta i ner s loyal rage ’

,

And to his eyes the light of cruel hate

L eaped as he spoke like a malignant flame
, ,
 H a ge n a n d G isel h e r 1 37

Ris ing fro m out th e realms of the accurst ,

Seen for an instant and then falling bac k

,

Int o th at drea d a b yss wh er e e vi l dwell s .

An d Giselh er answere d , Aye th ou

, s peakest
well .
!

Gunt e r unl i k e was he Gernot u nl ike , .

For th ey the eldest brother and the th i r d

, ,

Looked n ot for e vil ever holding good

,

Manki nd till p roven base But in th e soul .

Of G i selh e r the swart second s on distrust

, ,

Dwelt and suspi c ion ever on its guard

, ,

Doubt of all things in heaven and earth Fo r h e .

,

L ooking wi thin h i s own heart guile beheld , ,

And seeing it thus guileful and of trust

Unwo rth y d eem e d all others l ik e h imself
, .

T he n from th eir se at b ene ath th e ancient el m

"

Arose thes e twain and o er the meadows green ’

'

Passed like a brace of vultures who far o ff , ,

Scent wi th a lo ath som e gl e e th e field of bl ood

, , .
 HAGEN S SOLILOQUY
’

HAD I th e N i blung s Rin g what we alth were

’

mine !
What p ower illimitable for wealth i s power
, ,

And gli tt erin g gold the monarch of this world !

Would therefore that An dvari s H o ard were
, ,
’

min e !
N o t that s o ft lu xu ry o r swe et d el i ght s
,

Of lov e I crav e or state m a g ni fic ent

,

Palace and p ark and garden such as those

With which the Roman doth surround himself .

T hese t emp t n o t my stern s oul Ti s p ower .

’

al o n e
I c ove t n o t i t s pomps and vanit i e s
, .

M ine be th e c old grey steel whi ch win s the

fi ght ,

Not th e triump h al pa geant aft erward .

Wh en Sigurd dies and die ere long he S hall

, ,

I ll seiz e from off his hand the Niblung s Rin g

’ ’
,

1 38
 E R D A S P R O P HE C Y
’

NO W S igur d by foreb odings vague d ep re sse d

, ,

F or o er h is hero soul impending doom

’
-

—
Alread y ca st its shadow rose b y n i ght
,

And from th e h omes o f men f ar wan de ri n g

, ,

sought ,

Wi th i n h er cav e upo n th e mount ai n side ,

Erda th e p rophetess that from her l ips

, ,

Insp ire d his lot pre destined he might le arn .

Like Del p hi s hol y p ythoness was sh e

’

Wh o s i tt ing on the trip od did re ce i ve

, ,

Th e oracles of th e O lym pi an god ;

Sav e that wi th Erd a did c ommun e n o god ,

Olymp i an nor Val h al l an but inst e ad,

Pri estes s sh e w as of that pale trin i t y

Who dwell abo ve the gods outsi de of tim e , ,

Whos e will i s fate immutable and wh o ,

B eholding the beginnin g and th e end ,

Fore know the lot of each created th ing

—
The Norn s the mystic sisters three wh o sit —
E ve r be si d e th e a sh tree Ygdrasil
-
,

1 40
 E Pr o p h
’
rd a s e c y 14 1

Impassive clothed in white rose garlanded

, ,
-
,

Singing of days gone by and day s to come ,

—
Spinning the thread of destiny twas the y ’

Wh o throu gh the li ps o f Erda s pak e t o men .

Vault l ike u p on th e mountainside the cave

-

Of Erda o p ened : here at midnight came , ,

Sigurd and kneeling in the entrance thu s

, ,

Address ed th e p rie st e s s of the mysti c Nom s

E rda th ou h ol y o n e to whom all things

, ,

I n he aven and earth are kno wn t o w h om th e ,

Past ,

T h e Present and the F uture are as o n e

,

! For hast thou n ot b e en chosen by th e N o rn s

Thei r vi car here below thee I beseech
To grant m e now foreknowledge of the fat e
Which doth awai t m e By misgivings v ague .

De p re s se d m y spiri t fai n would hear th y v oi ce

, .

Far wandering fro m the haunts of men b y n i ght

M y feet have sought thy sanctu ary Wh a t ill .

Knock s at m y door ? Is it some p eril wei rd ,

Such as i n days gon e b y my soul hath fa ced

Unshrinking nay with a wild j oy ? O r is t
, ,
’

T h e in evi table hour which comes t o all ?

Th e stro k e of doom ? Th e th in g wh i ch men call
death .

H e ar me th ou hol y one and grant my prayer

, ,
 A dv a ri R i ng
'
14 2 n s

He ceased an d o n th e cave rn s floo r remain e d ’

,

Kne eling all m otionless Then far wi thin

, .

The sanctuary a light celestial d awned

And in it s midst before th e warrior s e ye s
, ,
’
,

Appeared lik e goddess b y an aureole bright

,

Enveloped Erda Be autiful her face

, .

But sa d ; bla ck a s th e r aven s wing her hai r ’

Her mien majesti c ; her tall figure robed

In sami te white with golden c incture g i rt
, .

As in all ages of th e world hath been

The S ibyl s m ystic answer ! that of her
’

Of Samos who the Troj an war foretold ;

,

Or her of Cumae who m E neas sought, ,

F oreteller of the rise and fall of Rome! ,

E en such was Erda s now a s s h e foretold

’ ’
,

The death of Sigurd and to him declared ,

Th e future glories of the Scandian race ;

E e n such was Erda s answer now A voic e
’
— ’

Pro p hetic echoing i n the halls of time :

A m essage fro m the realms b e yond th e ve11
Immortal p urposes to m ort al man
R eve al e d T h us th e n th e mys t ic S ibyl Sp oke
.
, ,

S i gu rd th y earthl y e nd dr aws n e ar ; ere r i s e

,

The suns of many days above the Rhine ,

Upborne to high Valhalla wilt thou be

—
By valkyrs fair a warrior s obsequies ’
.
 A
’
1 44 n d v a ri s Ri n g

L i k e me n gr ow old and wi th R o m e s y ear s h ave

, ,
’

c om e
V ast riches ease lu xuri ous the co mm and
, ,

Of all things upon earth Is t strange h e r so n s .

’

Once rugged now degenerate grown estee m

, ,

As useless toil the storm and stress of war ?

N ew blood th e w orld doth need for the wo rld s ,
’

work
Strong hands s t ou t heart s demands and h e wh o
, ,

rule s
This world th e wi se All Father and doth see
,
-
,

Each century s wants hath picked from the ’

,

far North
Rome s heir Th e Norsem an tak es th e R om an s
’
.
’

place .

The sce p tre to a younger ra ce descend s ,

T hough masterful as were the men of R ome .

B ehold ! As flow the torrents fro m the hills ,

What time b ri ght S p rin g unlocks the W i nter s ’

clasp ,

So from the ir Scandian h o mes unceasing fl o w , ,

The hardy Northmen o er the Roman lan d s ’

And like a vivifying flood restore

, ,

Youth to a world efl ete The y c ome ! The y .

com e !
O ut of th e dark n o rth eas t from Sweden s ,
’

S hores ,

Fr om Norway s fiords fro m D en mark s wi nd ’

,
’

swept dunes ,

One people called by many nam e s one rac e ,

 E d
'
r a s Pr o p h e c y

Of ocean warriors golden haired th ey come !

-
,
-

Methinks as in a dream I see them no w .

With tossing prows far out at sea beheld ,

W i th spears and hel me t s thro u gh th e ocean

m ists
Flashing they com e ; unh eralded ; wi th d read
,

Watched by those spiri ts pusillani m ou s

Whos e purblind e yes see n o t in these fierc e
foe s
Heaven s chosen s ee d the sav i ours of the land
’

, .

Wild giants they wet with the salt s ea foam

,
-
,

But in their lives the primal virtues S hine

Strength courage justice boundless energy
, , , ,

Truth telling love of hom e c ontempt of death

-
, , ,

High wisdo m and all el se that mak es the

,

m an
And through them is ol d E urope b orn agai n .

A s c omes th e S p r in g t im e back t o e arth so -

,

comes
Once more the a ge hero i c back to m en .

The figure of a Norseman spear in hand , ,

C rown d with his wing e d helmet eagl e lik e

’
-
,

Roaming in dragon Ship the ocean looms

,
-
, ,

Above the world s h orizon : I behold

’

Comrades i n f ame th y vi ki n gs ran ge th em

,

selves
B eside the st alwart sh ap e s th at found ed Rome ,

And hero hosts Hellenic ; and i n the e

-
,

Sigurd though briefer was thy life th an theirs

, ,

Ulysses and E neas live agai n .

10
 A dv ari R i ng
'
1 46 n s

But see ! E en n ow
’
, on B ri t ai n
’
s s t o rmy
Shore s ,

Hengist and Hors a wi th th e i r sea t o st h o sts

,
-
,

Land and great Engl and R ome s p re destine d

, ,
’

h ei r ,

B egins h er conqueri ng march AS i n a g al e .

, ,

A mighty tidal wave , holp by the winds ,

Breaks on some i sle and overwhelms the l and , ,

All things submerging ; so on Bri tain s i sl e ,

’
,

The v iking tide in waves successive bre ak s

, , ,

And overflows the land ; o erfl ows save where ’

In west and north the mountain fastne sse s

,

O f Wales and Caledonia lift their towers .

Angles Jutes Saxon s Norsemen Swed es

, , , , ,

Goths Danes , ,

O n e p eople called by m any names on e rac e ,

O f ocean warriors golden haired they co me

-
,
-
, .

A thousand years before me stretch I see —

The wild beginnings of a nat i on ; all
The ferm ent which precedes th e ordered st at e
The clash of rival clans : the j ars and wars
Of petty kingdoms j ealous of their rights ,

The inevitable struggles manifold

Which leave the fittest master I behold .

Strong kings contending for the land : the host s

O f Arthur against Saxon Cerdic hurled :
The life long wars o f Alfred with the Danes
-

T he b attl e fi erce of B ru n a n b urg h where strove ,

 A d v a ri R i ng
’
1 48 n s

To he i ght s m ajestic and men n o w unborn

, ,

B ack looking through th e ce nt ur ies shall ,

behold ,

In history s S ky gre at England S h i n i n g b ri ght

’
,

! Twin orbs of light ! besid e imperi al R o m e !

!

The S ibyl c eased and though for furth e r speech

,

Sigurd with eager utterance her besought

, , ,

She disa pp eare d wi th i n the cavern s depths ’

.
 T HE DEATH OF SIG U RD

B E YO ND th e Rh ine east of its silve ry stream

, ,

B etween the N ec ka r and the Main outstretche d ,

—
A might y forest lies the Odenwald .

L eagu es north an d s ou th leagu es eas t an d west

,

e xt end s
Th is anc i ent woo d up on th e slop ing s ides
,

Of mounta i ns lifted or outspread in val es

,

Innumerab le A ru gged tract it is

.

Of p rimal forest ro o ted in the rocks

Of e arl i er ages : a vas t wildernes s
O f woods an d p eaks dee p gl e n s an d su nn y
,

glades ,

Of grass gro wn summit s an d pelluci d streams

-
.

Here range at will the creatures of the wild

The bear the wolf the deer the fo! the boar
, , , , .

Here them to Slau ghter m an the hunter

, , , ,

come s .
 A dv a ri
’
1 50 n s Ri n g

Wh at t ime th e summer mom i n be auty b reaks ,

And s ing the early b irds from m any a bough ,

Rose Sigurd from h i s couch besid e Gudrun ,

And for the chas e b egan to make prepare .

F or he that day deep i n the Odenwald

, ,

Would hunt with Hagen and the brothers twain

, ,

Gern o t and G iselher S o be t imes h e r o s e

. .

No w as acco utre d for the c hase he st o od

, ,

With in their chamber suddenly to his side , ,

A wav e of radiant beaut y swept Gudrun , ,

And round his p uiss ant shoulders h er wh i t e

arms
Threw and her lily face s o p a ssm g fair
, , ,

To h im up lifted and with troubled vo i c e

, ,

B e s eech in g h im t ears i n h er eyes th us S po ke

, ,

0 go n o t t o the cha se today ! L ast n i ght

Dread dre ams affrighted m e I s a w thee fall .
,

Deep in the Odenwald b y two fierce boar s ,

Assailed Thee on the sward lifeless I saw

.
,

Th y heart s blood dye ing red the forest s gree n

’ ’
.

0 go not to the chase today dear lord ! , ,

Someth ing knocks at the portals of m y l ife

And tells me I S hall never see the e m ore ! !
 A d v a ri
'
1 52 n s Ri n g

B ath es all th e l ands cape and th e beau t e ous ,

Rh i ne
Winds like a golden road b eneath i ts l i ght !
Soon o er those waters swift we ll make our wa y
’ ’

And th en ho ! for the m err y greenwood tree !

,
!

He ceas e d and clasping close betwe e n h is hand s

,

Her lil y face kissed tenderly and oft

, ,

As i s th e wont of lovers those sweet lips , ,

Now tremulou s with sad solicitude .

Then t o the s p acious palace grounds the twain

Descended she aye clinging to his side
,

! Her heart i n secret weeping! and there foun d ,

Gernot and Giselher and the gloomy knight , ,

Hagen a ccoutred all for the day s chase

,
’
.

Gunter alon e was absent state aff airs ,

H is e xcusation but h i s haughty queen

,

Showed at her c asement lik e a dark stol ed nun -

Gazing u p on some scene of revelry .

And wh e n their fast they d broken and good byes ’

-

Said the i mpatient sports m en toward the Rhin e

_

Strode off and soon we r e rowed acros s i t s

,

stre am .

Steeds them awaited on the other sid e ,

And h o und s and huntsmen at th e Od e n wal d .

Now when at last the great p lain of th e Rh i ne

, ,

Was left behind them and the fore st s depth s ,

’
 Th e D e a th o f S i gu rd 1 53

They entered gay th e sce n e wh i ch me t the ir

,

eye s .

Here was the meet : here many a gallant h o und

Impatient waited many a forester ,

In wood craft wise Then s p oke w ith gest ur es

-
.
,

droll ,

A grizzly bearded huntsman : this his tal e

-
.

He in the w ood had harboured a wild boar ,

An ancient solitary B ack and forth .

,

From feed to lair from lair to feed again

, ,

With help o f hound sagacious sur e of scent , ,

He d Slotted him A monster huge he w as

’
.
,

V ast as a bear with tusks most terrible

, ,

Fierce as the ancient sanglier ever i s .

Aye even as I Slotted him he turned

, ,
“
So quoth the greybeard forester and dr ove ,

Me and my l im eh ou n d from his leafy la ir .

But safely is he harboured n ow and I ,

Can put th e hound s u p on hi m easily .

Then ga i l y G i selh e r wo und h i s hunting h o rn ,

And strai ghtway h e and Hagen to the S pot

Rode where th e ancient sanglier lay conceal ed ,

And w ith th em we nt th e huntsmen and th e

hound s :
And to a sunny gl a de som e d i stance o ff
Rode Sigurd and young Gernot there to wait ,

The boar when he broke covert : and ere long

 A d v a ri R i ng
’
1 54 n s

Came to their ear s borne down th e wind a , ,

blast
Triumphal through the gr e enwood echoing
,

shrill
The horn of Hagen telling that the hounds
,

Had roused their quarry and the hunt was on .

Now toward the open space where Si g urd sat

And Gernot on their steeds the distant cry
Seemed moving and with ready S pear the twa in
Waited expectant Nearer came the cry
. .

Then suddenly the y beheld far down th e ,

glade,

Swift running a s a r a ce horse to ward h is -

g oa L
The ancient solitary who in a trice , ,

Turned and within the greenwood disappe ared .

T o o thick for horse the tangled forest here ;

And Sigurd from his steed dismounting bound
, ,

Bridle to tree and winding his great horn

,

For signal plunged o n foot into the wood

, .

Gernot hi m followed ; and the dark browed -

knight ,

Hagen soon coming up with Giselher both

, , ,

Quickly discarded horse and sought on foot

To pierce the tangled thickets of the wood
B y baying hounds preceded and a throng
O f huntsmen followed hurrying at their heel s ,
 A
’
1 56 n dv a ri s Ri n g

Lost is th e b oar b ut nobler game i s here !,

Behold the son of Sigmund where he lies

All unaccoutred forage for ou r S pears !
,

What sayst thou S hall we slay him as he sleeps ?

,

Then Giselher I hav e h eard that shar pes t

steel
Pierces him not : that by the dragon s blo o d ’

Invulne rable made he laugh s at s pear s , .

!

To h im th e n Hagen : Aye the tale i s tru e , .

When the black blood of Fafnir covered hi m ,

What time he crouched within the narrow pit

And with an upward thrust the dragon s hide
, ,
’

Pi erced and his sword went onward to the

,

heart ,

F orthwith invulnerable he became .

Yet ne erth el ess I ll wager my good spe ar

,
’

,
’
,

D ra g v a n dil could right quickly finish him

,
.

However to our story let s return

,
’
.

O ne S pot alone i s human In on e place .

O nly can enter the death dealing dart -

.

Betwixt his shoulders had a linden leaf

Fallen while i n the narrow pit he stood
, ,
 Th e D e a th o f S i gu rd 1 57

Waiting and when the blood of Fafnir bathed

,

Head limbs and trun k th e sp ot wh ere lay th e

, ,

leaf ,

Alone of all hi s frame remained untou ched , .

This fro m Gudrun i n confidence I he ard ; , ,

Who on his kirtle hath a linden leaf ,

M asked i n a quaint design of b ran ch and

twi g ,

Embroidered co vering the S pot e x a ct

,

She i n her i nnocence beseeching m e

To guard that sp ot as i t were my own
heart .

Thus foolish Giselh e r are all womank in d

, , .

But let us to o ur task Ha ! H e awakes . .

XVI I

Ho ! Hage n ! G i selher ! You h ere ? Have I

Slept ?
Thus Sigurd r i sing from his moss y couch
,
.

“
An em p ty chase we ve had in truth ! Right ’
,

well
O ur foe the anc i ent sangl i er played h is g am e
, , .

But see how cool yon rivulet wh i ch runs

Adown the dusky glen ! How crystal cl ear
It S parkles ! L ike a m erry mountain nymp h
Methinks it i s and like her laughter ga y
,

Its rippling voice doth call me Thirst y am I .

,

And from th o se w at ers swee t fain wo uld I

drink .
 A dv a ri
’
1 58 n s Ri n g

XVII I

So s ayi n g t o ward th e bro ok h e s tr ode an d knel t

,

Upon its sandy bo rder wi th int e nt

T o quaff from th e coo l wave unme asured
draughts ;
Wh i ch seeing Hage n wi th a ste alth y ste p
, ,

! Wh ile Giselher stood a partner to the de e d!

Cam e up b ehind and lifting high i n air ,

H i s spear and crying ,

“
Strik e ho m e D rag , ,

v a n di l drave
B etwi xt his v i ctim s S h o ulders the b right steel
’
.

Swift through the broidered linden leaf i t m ad e

’
Its fatal way seeking the hero s heart
, .

Alas ! What gri evous wound hath Sigurd now ?

N 0 w ord h e uttered only a deep groan ,

Of p urest an guish as upon the sand , ,

Bleeding he sank Then straight his S pirit rose

, .

From that rent body to Valhalla s halls ’

.

S o by the hand o f murderer base a deed —

—
,

Savage and senseless born of envy died ,

The s on of Sigmund n o blest of mank ind , .

Now a s bes i de th e rivulet th e co rse

Of Sigurd lay all bathed in p reciou s b l o od
, ,

Into that place of death young Gernot came .

He like the others through the wood had sought

, , ,

V ainly the ancient san glier and this glen

, ,

Chancing upon he entered and beheld ,

 A dv a ri
’
1 60 n s Ri n g

Then bathed with wa ter fro m the brook the fac e

And h ands of the pale c o rse ! still warm with life
But growing cold in death ! and o er the face ’

Spread gently a blue cloak and laid th e li mbs ,

Orderly and i n every manner sought

,

T o make less terrible the ghastly sight .

Whil e to the dead these gentle o fli c es ‘

He tendere d with a soft as woman s touch

,
’

Tear s u n c ontrollable su ff used his eyes .

But ru thless stood the two conspirators .

Cold a s thos e others who in Roman halls ,

! What time their hands had dragged th e eagle

down! ,

Watched all unmoved the murd ered Juli us

, ,

di e .

Now fro m th e wood the sounds of hunt i ng

horns ,

Nearer appro a ching c am e ; and Giselher th em, ,

Noting a blast responsive blew a nd soon

, ,

Appeared within the dusky glen a group

Of huntsmen glad their master s to rejoin
, .

“
To whom then Giselh e r thus A dreadful
th in g ,

My m en h ath h app ene d Through the forest s

, .
’

d e pth s
Seeking the solitary boar we three , ,

M y brother Gernot Hagen and myself , ,

 Th e D e a th o f S i gu r d 161

Ch an c ed on this glo omy glen and here bes i de , ,

Yo n stre amlet lying as ye s ee h im now

, ,

Earl Sigurd found Cove re d he wa s with blood

.
,

Which from a gre at w ound i n his body flowed .

Alm ost h i s b re a th h ad c eased Quickly w e .

strove
To stau nch th e crimson current and to bring
His s piri t ba ck to earth But twas i n vain .
’
.

M eth i nk s the boar catching him unawares

, ,

Hath charged upon h im and its might y t u sk s

Driven into his heart Perchance he slept .
,

O erc om e by the long chase and in his S leep

’
,

T h e s anglie r found and slew him Wh o can .

t ell ?

One duty h av e we n o w O ne th i ng alone .

Rem ains to do : To bear the pallid c o rs e

—
B ack to h is wi fe ou r sister From this wo o d .

Our arm s shall s a dly carry him and then ce ,

A wain S hall bear his body to th e Rh ine .

!

XX I I

So to th e fore sters th e s ec ond son

Of old King D a nc ra t spake with sol emn mie n ,

Dexterously dissembling ; and forthwi th

A litter of stout beechen boughs the y ma de ,

And on i t placed wrapped in his clo ak o f b lue

, ,

The cors e of Sigurd and two foresters

, ,

One at h i s head one at his feet him bore

, ,

F rom ou t the wo od preceded by the res t

,

I!
 A d v a ri Ri n g
’
1 62 n s

Ma rch in g wi th m ou rnfu l trea d an d fo ll ow ed

,

slo w
By the two roy al brothers an d th at k night
Whose n am e henceforth throu gh cy cles long of
,

t im e
,

The s t ain o f th is base murd er was to bea r .

 A dv a ri
'
1 64 n s Ri n g

Followe d b y we eping dams els of her bower .

And cam e a lso u nto the banks of Rhin e

The k i ng b egi rt wi th knight s ; a n d th e p ale
,

queen ,

Brynhild th e v alk yr b y h er damosel s

, ,

Attended ; and th e broth e r s of the k i ng ,

Giselher and Gernot ; and th at wa rr ior grim ,

Hagen y clept of evil all c om p a ct

, ,

The ruthless i nstrum ent of cru el fa t e .

And l i kewi s e cam e a m otle y multitud e

O f d ive rs sorts soldi ers and ci ti z ens
, ,

Ro ugh farmers with the i r wi v e s and p ro g en y ,

And lad s and lassi e s i n life s April still ’

,

All flocking to the banks of Father Rh i n e ,

There t o behold the Norsem an s obsequie s ’

.

And when besi d e the flood his vikings lai d

Their C h i eftai n s b ody ere upon the pyre
’
,

Th e y p laced i t and the funeral flam e ap pl i ed ,

Forth glided from am ong her maid s G u drun ,

And b y the bier like a sw ift movin g wraith

,
-
,

Sank down and round th e l ifeless bo d y clas p t

,

Her b e auteou s arm s as if S h e wildl y sought

,

To summ on b ack b y love imp ortun at e

, ,

Into that b roken vessel c old erstwhil e ,

Its dwelling place her lord s departed ghost

,
’
.

And thu s b e sid e th e bier b urst fo rth Gudrun

,

Dark dark my life !

, Wh at now to me is
earth ?
 Be sid e th e Rh i n e 1 65

Wh a t n ow th e beau teous Rh i ne upon whose ,

b anks
While love sang in th e tree to ps once we walked ?
-
,

Thrice poignant i s m y pain a s on each S p ot

Made sacred by our happ iness I gaze !
Here once was mine ! oy inexpressible !
Here now alas with anguish bleeds my heart !
, ,

Woe lays on me his heavy hand and Gr i ef

Inve sts my S pirit w ith hi s inky pall .

G o ne gone my love ! G o ne go n e earth s

, ,
’

noblest soul !
F air font from w hich l ife givin g draught s I
'

drank !
Gone are those eye s which lit for me the w orld !
That voice whose music did my heart enthral !
T hose lips from which sweet sustenance I drew !
—
Gone i s my mate w ith in w h o se arms wa s
h e aven
M y other half For like a nobl e tree
.

We grew one substance till an angry b olt

, ,

Of lightning rent our wedded life in twain ;

And on the ground he lies blackened and dead , ,

And I the other half live on a lone

, , ,

Yet scarcely l ive a mutilated shape

, ,

Standing u p on the melancholy wold ,

T o b e ar my cruel scars unt il th e e n d .

She c e a sed and kneeling still besi de the bier

, ,

Kissed o er and o er again the lifeless lips

’ ’
 A
'
166 n d v a ri s Ri n g

O f th a t wh ich w as h e r lovi ng husband on ce

The palli d clay where once the S p irit dwelt .

Then on his bosom we eping bowed her head

, , .

And o er the bier her tresses loosed i n woe

’
, ,

Swep t l ike a golden c overl e t t o th e ground .

Th en from th e Norsemen s m i dst a figure t all ’

Of noble as p ect helmeted and drest

, ,

In raiment rich befitting his high rank

, ,

Strode slowly forth and st o od befo r e the

,

k in g
Hakon the son of Halfdan of th e B ea r ,

The captain and the warrior upon whom

, ,

Earl Sigurd be i ng dead com m and devolved , .

And thus while on his every accent hung

,

The vast a s semb lage Gunter he ad dressed

,

Sad are our h e art s 0 King ! U s have th e

,

Norn s
A b lo w o erp oweri ng dea lt And th ough lik e
’
.
,

m en ,

We stri ve t o be ar th e b uffet i ngs of Fat e ,

Yet l ik e this weeping w i dow s is our w o e ’

.

Sigurd i s dead ! Slain i s the blameless one !

The noble s on of Sigmund i s no more !
The flo wer of all the North h a s passed away !
 A d v a ri
’
1 68 n s Ri n g

An d th e fl am e hath van i shed hi s d ear cla y

in ,

D own th e S wift Rhine from out thy real m 0 , ,

King ,

We ll pass and tho u shalt see u s neve r m ore

’
, .

Back to our Northland ocean haunted back -

,

To that gray Scandia whence we cam e we ll go ,

’
.

A y e homesick is my heart ! Fare well farewell !

, ,
!

He ceased and fro m th e p rese n ce o f th e kin g

,

Withdrawing j oined once m ore his mari ners

, ,

Bidding them place the body on the pyre .

Then was it that Gudrun the chief besought

To grant her Gram last relic of her lord , ,

That wondrous brand which O din onc e had

grasped .

So into her fair h an ds was Gr am best owed .

No w wh e n upo n th e lofty p yre was la i d ,

The c orse of Sigurd ere the funeral flam e

, ,

Wh ich changeth clay to ashe s had been lit , ,

Forth from her ladies c ame with stately step ,

! While wonder m ent the vast assemblage held ! ,

Brynhild the valkyr Gunter s haughty queen ,

’
,

And standing by the fateful pyre thus spoke :

 Be s id e th e Rh i n e 1 69

Hakon th y
, words are wise . L i k e th i n e m y
heart
Ho m esick doth l an gu i sh A s an e agl e caged
.

Doth e ver of the boundle s s mountains dream ,

So dream I ever of my valkyr days .

L ife here to m e i s naught : aye wors e th an ,

naught .

As t o that capt i ve e agle though his cage ,

B e golden death doth come as a release

, ,

So t o my soul com e s death a sweet releas e .

Wh e n fre ed fr om earthly b onds m y h appy

, ,

ghost
Hath r i sen t o V alh alla th e re th e se eyes
,

M y father O din shall behold on ce m ore .

There waits he me There as in bygone d ays

.
, ,

His lovi ng arm s shall fold m e to his breast .

M y fault fo rgiven E x piation d one

. .
!

Sh e ceased and with up l ifted cou nten an ce

, ,

Gazed a t th e heavens for a little space ,

As though her eyes beheld in that blu e dome , ,

T he figu re of her father O din great , ,

Standing as in the lonely isle he stood ,

What t ime w ith waving S pear and mag ic run e

! Whil e i n his h e art reigned gr i ef i neffable !
He wove the spell about her and the flames
1 70 A n d v arl 8 Ri n g

Comm an ded t o p rotect her from all harm .

Thus for a little time the valkyr stood .

Then whil e the multitude looked on with a we

, ,

And in amaz e stood Gunter and his co urt ,

The lofty pyre sh e m ounted and besid e ,

The corse of Si g urd kneeling swiftly drove

,

A di amo nd hilted dagger t o h e r h eart

-
.

Thu s p a ssed from earth int o Val h al l an air

Brynhild that daughter whom the god su p rem e
,

Above all others loved A glorious soul

.

Clothe d i n the b e aut y o f the st arry night .

And side by si d e up on th e loft y py re

This noble twai n the bearded N orsemen laid
Sigurd and Brynh ild ; and Earl Hakon bade
The logs be lighted and a mighty flame
, ,

F anned by th e wind s p ran g up and i n the

, ,

flame
Swi ftly their mo rt al bo die s we re c onsume d .
 A d v a ri Ri n g
'
1 76 n s

Comm uned with h i s d ark soul Th e n . s wiftly

raised
T he gl i tterin g circl e t t o h is bearded l ip s .

AS thr ough th e a i ra rad io m essage flies ,

Needing no w ire by Nature s laws p ro p elled

,
’
,

So thro ugh the midnight to the Niblung s c ave

,
’
,

T his m essage of the knight Burgundi an flew ,

Now the possessor of the magic R ing .

And by a power occult th e N i b l ung dwa rf ,

A W1z ard Sk i lful m ounted t o the sky

, ,

And l ike a bird the s ilent ether clove

, , ,

B e nd i ng h is swift fli ght to war d th e Germ an

land .

So o n o er th e Rh i ne h e h o ve re d ; the n l i ke a
’
,

hawk
Gigant i c sw o o p ing suddenly on hi s p re y
, ,

Desce nded an d th e h au ght y H age n f ace d .

Wh o calleth me ? Wh o art th ou th at th e Ring

Possesseth ? In the cavern where I to il ,

I and my gnomes by the far North ern sea

, ,

I heard thy call and came Nay not fro m c h o ice

.
,

I came but at the summons of the Ring

,
.

Who art thou swarthy shape ? Me th in ks the

,

gem
 H a ge n a n d A n d v a ri 1 77

Unwi ttingly hath worked its curse and crime ,

Hath been committed Sigurd where is he ? .

,

How camest thou by th i s R ing ? Thou that dost

S how
Sigurd beside as S hows the gloomy ni ght
,

Beside the golden ever beauteous morn -

.

M ethinks th y hand s w ith S i g urd s bloo d are ’

re d .
!

Thus s cornful s p ake the Ni b l ung and to h im

Hagen with accents furious thus rep lied :
, ,

Cease dwarf thy i dl e talk What 1 s t t o th ee

, , .

If Sigurd lives or dies ? What i s t to thee ’

Whose finger wears the Ring since tis not thine ? ’

All else i s n aught Why then th i s e mpty

.

noise ?
H e rules th e worl d who hold s th e Nib lung s ’

Ring .

The treasures of that vast abode are his

The unmined metals of the Niblung s cave ’

Riches incalculable T his well thou knowest

. .

All — all unto the mystic Ring belong .

Whence comes that p ower w e know not b ut we ,

know
—
I thou and all men that the Ring s comm and ’

—
, ,

Implacable as Fate must be obeyed .

 A Ri n g
’
1 78 n d v a ri s

Br ing forth th y gold then that m y h u n gry ey e s ,

May with each gl i tte ring coin d i s po rt th e m

s elves .
!

Hagen th ou art I know thee now A name

. .

Accurst forevermore Yet to the Ring .

I yield b ecause I must Would that on ce m ore .

It shone upon my hand ! Alas ! Alas !

Perchance s o me day a woman s palm may h old ’

This stolen circlet and a woman s heart ’

That pri ze s love and justice more than gold ,

M ay g ive i t b a ck t o m e Wh at wouldst th ou .

hav e ? !

Thu s s orr o wing S poke Andvari ; and to h im

, ,

Hagen the knight Burgundian thu s rep l ie d

, ,

Wh at woul d I h ave ? A gall ey fill ed wit h

gold .

A ship with tre asure l ad e n Aye not on e .

, ,

But many shi ps To thy far distant North

.

Fain wo uld I go myself if youth were mine

, , ,

An d see wi th m in e o wn e y es that w ondrou s

Hoard .

B ut now ? It n e e r can be C ome my sti c

’
.
,

dwarf ,
 A d v a ri
’
1 80 n s Ri n g

And if at aught th e y can rejoice those Norns , ,

Who do but execute w ith heart unm oved , ,

And smiling li p ine x orable law , ,

Rej oice they w i ll wh e n tho u dost me et th y

doom .

Aye aye the sh ips I ll send ; but e re th e first

, ,
’

Quinqu e nni a d clo se me th inks thy cum brou s

form ,

Hateful to all m en w ill h ave passe d away

, .

Alread y in that desolate abode

,

Where dwells th e evil doer after death -

,

Pale Hela goddess of th e underworld

, ,

Hath marked thee for h er own and doth d evis e

Pains pu nitive thy m an y crimes to fit .

Aye wh ither c oul dst thou go if n ot to her

,

Whose p rovince i s th e p unishment of s in ?

Valhalla w ants th ee not thou monstrous ,

soul .

Th e re o nl y dwe ll th e good th e wi se the , ,

great ,

Compan i ons o f th e b ri ght and blesse d g o ds .

But thou of ever y e v i l thing compact

,

Downward th y ghost shall wander to Its place .

Upon that shadowy highway wh i ch descends ,

Through depths terrene to Hela s drear abode ,

’

! What t i me thy soul by the avenger s sword

,
’
,

Is part e d from i ts clay! upon that road , ,

Perchan ce with trembling malefactors chained ,

There next I ll see thee Hagen and m y voice

’
, ,

Shall hail thee ere the gates behind thee close .

!
 H a ge n a n d A n d v a ri 1 81

So sayin g through the gloomy eth e r rose

,

! As rises into air an eagle vast !

The Ni b l ung dwarf and soo n was l ost to sight
, .

But H a gen o nl y laugh e d like Hreidmar o ld

,

And F afnir and u p on the fatal Ring

, ,

Gazing with greedy exultation cried :

—
,
“
The gold is mine at last the gold is m ine .
 GUDRUN S
’
L A M E NT

NO W m ourned Gudrun for Sigurd many day s

—
Day s months and years and when three year s
,

had passed
Still to h e r heart i t seemed but ye sterni ght
, ,

S in ce ho me they b ro ught her gallant warri or

.

dead .

But whether d ead from accident or plot ,

Through hand of man or tusk of boar by spear

"

O f murderer b ase o r terrible assault

,

Of w ild beast fiercely fight ing for his hom e ,

She knew not O nly th i s her sp iri t knew

.
,

That h e who onc e was hers was hers n o mo re ,

! N o t hers at,least i n earth s habil

, im ent s
’
,

Though oft s h e s eemed t o feel his p resence near

That husbandl e s s sh e dwelt O ne j oy alone .

Lighted h e r l ife an i nfant p o sthumous

, ,

A baby b o y with S i g urd s golden hair ’

,

And S i g urd s e yes and Si g urd s lov ing wa ys

’
,
’
,

And on this boy were centred all her thoughts ,

And round h im all her hopes and fe ar s re volved ,

1 82
 A dv a ri
’
1 84 n s Ri n g

— —
I know n o t all is myst ery for a w all
Hides from o ur eyes th e world beyond th e grave .

And yet methinks though by th i s earthly Sight

, ,

U nseen and by these e arthl y e ars unh eard

, ,

O ft do o ur loved ones visit us and oft ,

T he immortal soul doth with i ts mate c ommun e .

Ah how could i t be otherwise wh en l ove

'

Hath ma d e two Spirit s o ne ? P erchan ce e e n ,

’

n ow ,

M y S igurd th ough b ereft o f earthl y frame

, ,

Hears m e and kneels beside me as of ol d ? !

Thus mourning for her husband pray ed Gudru n

, , .
 CLAUD IU S

C LAUD I U S th e Ro m an of great Attila

, ,

The envoy waited at King Gunter s court

,
’

Sent hither by the imperial Hun to seek

The hand in marriage o f the fair G udrun ;
B ut up till now though thri c e ten days
, ,

p assed ,

All u n avail in g seemed h is ever y p l ea .

Ho w came a n ob l e Roman gr oomed wi th c are

, ,

And p roud of race and S killed in p hrase p olite

, ,

To be th e e nvo y o f the barb aro u s Hun ?

Capture d in battl e was he and co nd emn ed

To cruel de ath ; but Attila by chance , ,

Beheld h im and within that savage breast

,

P ity up s p r ang to kill a y outh s o fair ;

,

S o free d h e w a s from fetters and b ecam e

1 85
 A d v a ri
’
1 86 n s Ri n g

A son almost of th e wild potent ate

, , .

For Claudius fille d with gr at itude dre wnear

, ,

To Att ila in S p ir i t and discerned

! Holp b y the lam p o f close compa n io nsh ip !
Beneath th e o u ter mask th e inner m an ,

Beneath the warr i or s will th e dream er s moo d ’ ’

,

Beneath the nomad s h el m the m onarch s m i nd

’ ’
,

And cl ave through thick and th i n to Att il a

, , .

And thri ce in fur io us b attle did he s ave

, ,

H i s m aster s l ife and oft i n c amp and co urt

’
,

From the assa ssin s h i dden snake l ike blade

’
,
-
,

H im S hielde d watching all men l ik e a lyn x

, .

And Attila begi rt with crafty S p i es

, ,

—
And w ould b e m urderers all the net wor k b a s e
-

Wh i ch seeks to trap the ruler o f a real m

M a dmen fanat i cs wild adventurers
, , ,

Villai ns gold bought deemed only Claud ius tru e

-
, ,

Whom all the wealth o f Indus could not b rib e ,

And loved hi m more and more and i n the end , ,

Truste d the Roman and non e o th er soul .

Now i n h i s t e nt be si d e th e D anube sat

The Hunnish king and near at hand w ith s tyl e , ,

And tablets busy Claudius silent worked,

Scribe counsellor and diplo m at in one

, .

And ever and anon his task he ceased

Fo r converse with the king and then went on , .

And now the writ ing fin ished Att ila called

, ,
 A d v a ri Ri n g
’
1 88 n s

And O tho an swere d : At Kin g Gunt e r s court ’

,

In Burgundy beside th e s ilvery Rh i ne

, .

Here still his sister dwells the fair Gudrun , ,

The lily Princess of a saddened realm ,

With one bri ght bo y and m ourns her mur dere d

,

mate
.

For murdered do I thi nk h e w as my li ege , ,

Sl ain n o t by tusk of bo ar bu t Sp ear o f man .

And Att il a the mi n strel praised and gold ,

Gave him and low he bowed before the king ;

,

Then lifted u p his harp and from the tent

Passed ou t and went upon his w andering way
, .

B ut though no more that bard the monarch s a w

The tal e remained n or could he from his mind
,

Dismiss i t L ong it haunted him At last

. .

To Claudiu s fri en d an d counsell or thu s h e

, ,

S poke

T h e harpe r s tal e do th h aunt me In my

’
.

dreams
I see the noble Si gur d Slain Meth i nks .

’
Tis true what sa y the folk Murdered was he . .

By spear of man and not by tusk of boar

He perished in the depths of O denwald .

By the just gods this kingly hand of m i ne

, ,
 C l au d iu s 1 89

Though to h im stranger S hall his death avenge ; ,

F or all b rave men are brothers and to rid ,

Th e wo rl d of evil doers is their task -

—
.

And this swee t wi do w b etter twere m e ’

,

think s ,

If S h e were mi ne An o th e r a rm s h e n e ed s
.

! Bri ght Sigurd being gone ! her to protect ,

And keep at bay the dastards of the realm .

For this I fear if Otho s tale be tru e

’
, ,

Th e h an d th at slew her husb and threat en s her .

H e cea sed and on th e yello w D anube gazed

,

Silent a space then suddenly Sp oke again :

,

In thee alone my Claud ius do I trust

, , , .

’
Go thou to Burgundy to Gunter s court ; ,

Go th o u and say that Attila the Hun ,

Ruler of half the world and soon to be

Rul e r o f all doth seek the royal hand
,

Of Gunter s widowed S ister fair Gudrun

’
, .

Perchan ce su ccessful w ilt thou be p erch an c e ,

No t so ; but thi s I know that if the thing ,

Can be accompl i shed thou and thou a lone , ,

Canst do it Go And may the mystic gods

. .

Who rule fair w omen s hearts grant thee su c ’

,

cess
.
!
 THE APPARITI O N

NO W as with i n h e r cham b e r p r aye d

, , Gu drun ,
At midnight s hour ! when oft the dead do walk !
’
,

Kneeling as was her wont beside her bab e

, , ,

She felt a p resence near her and her eyes

Uplifti ng sh e beheld not far away , ,

Drest as he was up o n that fatal m orn

When last a living S h ap e her w ifely ey e s
, ,

Had seen h im all accoutred for the chase

, ,

With Sp ear i n hand the figure o f her lord

, ,

Sigurd her murdered mate But pallid now

, .

That soul illumined face b y sunny locks

-
,

Enframed and s a d that m usic making voice

,
-
,

Whose a c cents we ll S h e k n e w And thu s h e .

sp oke

Dost mo urn fo r me b el o ved ? Kno w t h at I

Do ever dwell beside thee though to eye s ,

Of earth invisible ; know that my arm

1 90
 A dva ri Ri n g
'
1 92 n s

Still d o th h e hold and w i th it doth co n tro l

,

The countless treasures of the Ni b l u ng dwa rf ,

Andvari of whose Hoard these lips of mine

,

Have often told thee Unto thee belongs .

,

By right this Ring ; to thee my w i dow Ye t

, , .

Fearful am I to see this circlet bright

Upon thy hand Gudrun ; for on i t rests
, ,

As well thou knowest An dv a ri s dreadful curse,

’
.

—
S O let i t g o i t and its baneful gold .

But sto p ped n ot Hagen here His ev il s oul .

M ore wrong contemplates an d to slay my child , ,

M y child and thine seeks o pp ortun it y

, .

—
Watch th erefore watch Gudru n and t o th e ,

gods
Unceasing pray that we m ay save ou r son
, ,

F or all compact of evil i s the soul

O f Hagen and in every ev i l th ing
,

—
D elights the o ffspring base abhorri b le , ,

O f that dark S pirit whom the bless e d god s

Banished forever from the realms of light
L ok i t o wh om all wickedne s s is goo d
, .
!

He ceased and ere Gudrun could find a voi ce

,

! F o r mot i onless in silent awe s h e knelt ! ,

Gon e was he and thrice empty seem e d the roo m

, .
 GUDRUN S SOLIL O QUY ’

H AGE N m y husband s m urderer ! I s i t strang e

’

M y heart hath ever hated him ? And yet ,

Though vague suspicion o ft did point that way ,

The deed was never proved But n ow I know . .

Sigurd my darling time it was to speak

, , .

Thou knewest Hagen s crime and knowing that ’

, ,

Thy s pir it eyes hav e S ee n where min e were

bli nd
.

Thy s p iri t voice hath warned me Now I see . .

F o r Hagen fearing if his crime were known

,

My tongue would rouse the people into wrath ,

Or that my boy t o manhood grown perchance

, ,

Might learn the dastard story and revenge

His father s murder fai n would slay u s both
’
, .

But even if he noth ing feared still true , ,

AS in past centuries is the adage ol d ,

The i nj urer ever hates the injured one ,

Th e wronger hate s the one who m he has

’
wronged .

Girt round about w ith secret enemies ,

I 93
 A dv a ri
’
194 n s Ri n g

With dangers unsuspected is my life , .

But where to turn for safety ? Ah th e Hun !

—
,

A light breaks over me ! As his wife h i s

queen
—
What hand could harm m e m e o r m y dear
babe !
Methinks e en wicked Hagen would b e fo iled
’
.

Safe safe I d be Safe safe Perchance ti s

,
’
.
, .
’

this
My Sigurd meant Methinks his spirit hand .

Pointed this way Darling is this thy wish ? .

,

None other can I ever love but thee ,

And never have I dreamed of other mate ,

As well thou knowest who doth know my ,

heart .

But Attila he asks not love My han d

, .

Alone he seeks as sovereigns ever do , .

No hitherto I ve said when Claudius sought

‘ ’ ’
, ,

An answer to his suit ; but now my mind

Is changed and changed th e current of my
,

thought ;
And Yes to m orrow shall my answer be
‘
,
’
, .

Thus did the fair Gudrun with her own s oul

Hold colloquy seeking to save her son
, .
 A R i ng
’
1 96 n d v a ri s

Knowest thou th e E as t ? T h ere is my S piri t s ’

home .

In that far land i n utterm o st Catha y , ,

Behold the spr ings from which I draw my l ife !

O er those vast p lains wh i ch like the ocean roll
’

Illimitable where the Peiho thread s

,

His windin g wa y and flows the Sungari , ,

O er those vast p lains windswe p t and d esol at e

’

, ,

O er those mid Asian wildernesses dun

’
-
,

O er Gobi s sands and by the blue Baikal

’ ’
,

F o r centuries did my Mongol forb ear s ro am

—
Uncounted generation s nomads rude ,

—
Content ambitionless naught knowin g s ave
,

—
The lore of flocks and herds of S hee p and goats , ,

Of horse s and of cattle ; till at last , ,

D awned a new day momentous wh en th e y sense d

Th e West ; and as a brightly burn ing lam p
All wander ing things attracts so Rom e dr ew ,

them .

Then to the sett ing sun th e ir h o rses heads ’

T he y turned and toward th e sunse t e ach da y

,

rode
A million hors e s b y a mill i on men
Bestrode with wive s and bairn s a mill io n mo re
,

A million me n and horses did I s ay ?

Nay many millions a host uncountab l e
, ,
,

Thick as the sands on Gobi s desert wast e ’

.

A motley slowly moving mass a swarm

,
— -

Of locusts swallowing up the fertile land

And leaving desolation in their wake ,
 A tti l a a n d G u d ru n 1 97

A hor de of cru el savages unwashed .

And thus they rode until the gates of R om e ,

After long years they reached and h ere the y

, ,

stopped
Here where the yellow Danube barred th e wa y .

And here b e side the Danube wa s I born

, , ,

One of two brothers ; but my brother died ,

Bleda by name and I was king acclaimed

, .

And hence into my hands the Hunnish realms

Far reaching came for from the Danube s flood
-
,
’

Eastward they stre tch unto the e nds of the

earth
Cathay the fl owery and the Ori ent sea , .

F or here where now thou sittest is Hungary

, , ,

The land of the Huns ; and there just over there , ,

B eyond th e yellow Danube s rushing flood ’

Is Rome the golden mistress of the world

, .

Aye here is Hungary and there is Rome

, ,

And swi ft th e y ell o w Danub e flows b e tween .

H e ceased a l i ttl e space and th en we nt on

Str ange i s th e fate which h ath direct e d us ,

The fate which hath our lives together joined .

The East and West do meet in u s Gudrun , ,

Europe art thou and Asia ol d am I ,

But E ast or West Love s ways are all the same

, ,
’
.
 g
A d v a ri Ri n
’
1 98
‘

n s

Thee did I love when thou wast but a d re am ,

A vision of the mind a woeful wraith

, ,

B orn of a wandering harper s tragic tal e ’

,

Who Sigurd sang and his untimely end

, ,

And that sweet widow crushed and desolate

, .

Thee did I love and sought as lovers w ill

, , ,

T o aid thee in thy danger and distress ,

And therefore sent I Claudius to thy Side .

But now that I have seen thee as tho u art ,

H o w fairer than an angel s is thy face

’
,

Ho w golden as the sunshine is thy ha ir ,

Ho w passing sweet thou art h ow beautiful , ,

I know that more than aught else in this w orld

Thou art to me Tell me thou dearest one
.
, ,

Tell me if n ot too painful to thy heart

, ,

And fitting seems the hour h ow Sigurd died , .

Thus Attila and thus to h im Gudru n

,

Deep in the Odenwald he died my lord , ,

Hunting the boar Aye home they brought

.
,

hi m dead
, .

,
—
Slain by the boar they said But I my l ord .

I think n o t so Slain by a villain base

.

Was he who even now doth seek my life

, ,

—
And that of my young child m y baby b oy .

— —
Prove it I cannot nay my lord and yet ,

Sure am I as I live that this is s o .

!
 A dv Ri n g
’
20 0 n a r i s

When last a living shape these eyes of mine

, ,

Had seen him all accoutred for the chase

, ,

With S pear in hand s o now to me h e showed

, ,

An ap p arition strange and p i t iful .

!

Thus s pak e Gudru n Then into bitte r tears

.

Brok e as u p on her husband s breast s h e laid

,
’

That golden head of beauty exquisit e .

Then Attila Tis as the harper said .

Ti s as my prescient S p iri t did surmise

’
.

But safe thou art my dearest on e Fear not

, . .

Potent the arm of Attila the Hun .

Strong to protect and terrible to strike .

No m an of w oman born can harm thee now .

 WESTWARD H O

TO MO RRO W shall we westward move Gudru n , ,

And once again thine eyes shall s ee the Rhine ,

And Burgundy thy home And thou to me

, .

Shalt S how the places thou didst love s o well

Thy garden where the crimson roses bloom ,

The wooded path beside the silvery Rhine ,

And all the other haunts thy girlhood loved .

These S hall I see ; a nd I shall love th em too .

!

—
Thu s Att i l a unt o h is queen th en rose
And from h er bower passed out upon the pla in ,

N ow filled with hubbub and conf usion loud ,

AS for the ir m arch h i s warr i or s made p re p are .

And s o o n am ong h i s men so fast he m o v ed

, ,

The figure of the k ing was lost to si ght .

And long b esi de the window s at Gudru n

Watching the scene to her so p assing str ang e
, .

For far as eye could reach the rolling plain

Was peopled and between long l ines of tents
,

A mighty multitude unceasin g mo ve d

, , .

20 1
20 2 A n d v a ri s Ri n g

And here we re h o rsem en ridi ng to and fr o

With frantic haste on varied errands bent ;
,

And shouting squadrons ready for th e fra y ,

And w heeling wildly in a mimic war .

And here were revels gay of reckless ones ,

On whom life lightly s a t and partings sa d ,

Of m en fro m maids of husbands from their ,

wives ,

Of fathers fro m the ir children for beh ind ,

On Hungary s plain beside the Danube 8 wave

’ '

M ust womanhood and childhood wait and weep .

Aye here were cark and care and brawl and

, ,

pain ,

And many a tearful eye and breaking heart ,

F or though the garb be motley yet a heart

M ay beat and break beneath and of one soul ,

Are lord and l ackey servi tor and prince

, .

And thus beside her window mused Gudrun

, , .

Ye shapes fantastic from the Asian steppes

,

Far wandering whither do ye go ? What fate

,

Awaits the pleasant land o f Burgundy ? !

Thus mused Gudrun as f rom her bower S he

viewed
The horseme n fi erc e of Att ila the Hun .

And on the morrow at the break of day

, ,

Set forth the Hunnish king and toward the West ,

 T HE HALL OF ATTILA
! I NC LUD I N G C LAUD I U S S TO RY!
’
S

T HEhall of Attil a the kin g o f k ings !

,

A Roman palace had i t b een but no w ,

The Hun doth ride where once the Rom an ru le d ,

And where the togaed p raetor dwelt i n state ,

N ow swarm th e h o r seme n fro m th e Sc y thian

s t eppes .

T h e n i ght o f n i ghts ! In th e great banque t hall

B urgundi an no w an d Hun together si t
Together Si t and i n fair c oncord feast .

A merr y si ght i t i s yet strange methin ks

, ,

The East and West in medley mingled here

The bol d Burgundians yellow haired and tall
,
-
,

The Hunnish troopers S hort and dark wi th e ye s

, ,

Mongol i an such as by the O rient Se a

, ,

In far and fabulous Cathay belon g .

Yet s i d e b y Si de the nut brown al e th ey dri nk

-
,

20 4
 Th e Hall o f A tti l a 20 5

And loud the laughter i s and gay th e s ong ,

F or where ol d B acchus leads a j oyous cre w ,

Follows a nd ros y ru n the s and s o f t ime

, .

H i gh o n th e dai s Si tt ing now behol d

The Hunnish king a monarch without pe e r
, ,

Omnipotent ; and by his side his queen ,

Gudrun the beautiful ; and near at hand

Gunter of Burgundy the honoured guest , ,

And likewise Hagen and the brothers twain

, ,

Gernot and Giselher ; and n o t far away

Claudius the Roman ; and o n either side ,

Stretching to right and left of the king s s eat ’

—
Great guests i nnumerable a glittering host
Of vassal kings and Hunnish o fficers
, ,

And rulers high and friends from far and near

, ,

And many a lady fair And round the board .

The smoking viands pass and gay th e guests ,

Qu aff th e red win e of Attil a the H u n .

Now when th e bu zz and laught er of the feast

Were loudest and the rosy wine of Rome
,

Freest did flow upon the oaken board

, ,

With dagger s j ewelled hilt the Hunnish king

’

Thrice rapped and S ilence fell upon the throng

,
.

Then thus spake Attila the king of kings ,

.
20 6 A n d v a ri 8 Ri n g

A s tory l e t us h aveWh at say ye frie nd s ?

.
,

A tale percha nce o f Burgundy or Rome

, , .

Our Claudius here shall tell it ; for indeed , ,

I know of none upon this earth more skilled

In song or war statecraft or fair roman c e
, ,

Th an Cl aud ius best and truest of all fr i end s

, .

He c e a s e d
and Claudius ri sin g to hi s fee t
, , ,

Thus in re p l y : Kind words m y k ing M e

“
, .

thinks
Too good you are to me Yet i f these l ip s
.
,

Unfolding some fair story of ol d Rome ,

Can add aught to the pleasure o f this feast ,

Right gladly will they s p eak T hen Claudius .

!

thus .
 A d v a ri
’
20 8 n s Ri n g

F ill all the valle y of the s acred Nile ,

Like Nature s works imperi shabl e F ixe d

’
, .

AS are the granite bases the hills of ,

And l i ke the hills defying storm and t i me .

S o all compact of wonders is this land .

Yet not of ancient Egypt is my tale ,

But rather of a later modern day , ,

When first the Roman came and o er the N il e ’

The shadows of the Roman eagles fell ;

A later modern day when here on earth
, ,

The spirit of the mighty Julius dwelt

Among us the first Caesar ere the hands
'
, ,

Of envious assassins dragged hi m down .

Aye here in Egypt did his spirit roam

,

! Midst sphinx and pyramid and temple vast ! ,

With Cleopatra Egypt s wondrous queen ,

’
.

O f h im the gre at first Ce sar i s my tal e

, , .

Now Ce sar h av ing Pom p ey o verthro wn

, , ,

To Egypt came ; and in that city fair

B y Alexander founded stayed a spac e , ,

Gathering his legions round him once a gai n .

F or Ptolemy the king and the young queen

, , ,

His S ister Cleopatra strove for power

, ,

Each against other and discord filled the land

,

And c ivic strife and Caesar sent to each

,

A summons to appear that he might we i gh ,

The merits o f the quarrel b ut the k in g ,

 C l d iu S to r y
’
au s s 20 9

Still held aloof and from the youthful que en

, ,

His sister Cleopatra naught was he ard

, ,
.

Now as one day within his palac e s at

, ,

C msa r in S ilence labouring at his desk

, ,

B y weighty matters of the state engrossed ,

Alone save for a sunburnt sentinel

Who at the portals of the chamber stood ,

Voices he heard without ; then in the door ,

After a little space with measured step ,

And military m i en the sentry strod e ,

And halting before C aesar thus to h im

, , ,

Lik e an automaton salut ing s p oke ,

Sire in the hall a carpet dealer wait s

, ,

—
Seeking to S how his goods precious are th ey
Beyond compare s o do his words aver,

From B agdad on the Tigris hath he come

Adm i ssi on t o thy pre s ence doth he crav e .

Then Ce sar wear y of his mo rning s wo rk

,
’
,

And curious to behold the fabrics rare ,

Assented and forthwith into the room

, ,

The merchant came bearing upon his back ,

The roll of carpets precious beyond words .

And precious beyond words they proved to be .

2 10 A n dv a ri 8 R i ng

For a s th e m erchant did h is merch and i s e

Slowly unwind upon the pala c e flo o r ,

Behold hidden wi thin i ts e m erald sh ee n

, ,

A mai den like a milky pearl ap pe ared ,

Who when S he Ce sar sa w ro se to her fee t

, , ,

Display ing to his eyes her love ly form ,

Like Aphrodite ri sing from the se a .

Then toward the Roman venturi ng a fe w s te p s

She fell upon her knees and at his feet
In su pp l i cat i on b e autiful rem ai n ed .

T h e n Ce sar to the merchant Who i s this ? .

"

And answered him the other ! no merch ant h e

“
But loyal seneschal ! : It is the queen .

The Queen of Egypt Cleopatra sire , , .

Strange may it seem to find h er here but s h e , ,

Albeit a girl still in her teens doth br oo k ,

No op p osition e en from such as I’

Grown gre y i n th e stat e s s erv ice an d thi s ’

s cheme ,

Wh i ch now thou dost behold by str at a gem ,

To reach thy presence and pre sent her cas e ,

Is hers and hers alone Henc e came we h e re . .

Obedient am I to the realm m y lord , ,

And wh e n my qu e en doth s p eak whate e r h e r ’

'

words ,

M y duty tis to obey This have I do n e

’
. .

Thus earnestly the loyal senesch al ,

Apollodorus the Si cilian old

, .
 A d v a ri Ri n g
’
212 n s

In Upper Egypt wh ere she long had dwelt

, ,

She called her fai thful counsellors of state ,

And for her household servitors S he sent ,

Who since her birth to her had ministered .

And Ce sar did proclaim her Egy p t s queen ’

And bade all men obey her and dispatched ,

Troops against Ptolemy and in the end , ,

A rebel against Ro m e the bo y was Slain

, .

XV I I
An d long wi th Cleo p atra in the land
—
Did Ce sar dwell the land of Egypt ol d ,

And many a night upon the magic Nile

They floated and by day the cities fair
,

E xplored which fill its valley and beheld ,

The innumerable marvels of the land

Memphis the mighty and Gizeh s pyramids ,
’

And the great Sphinx and hundred gated Thebes

,
-
,

Where once in S plendour did the Pharaohs reign ,

And still in S plendour do their mummies rest ,

And where beside the river Memnon sits

, ,

Colossal and the rising su n salutes

,

With mystic music F or a wondrous barge

.

’
Had Egypt s queen where two score men and
,
-

ten
Sat at the oars and rose a snowy sa il
,

Of stoutest linen and upon this sail

, ,

Broidered in gold and crimson were displaye d ,

A lily and papyrus intertwined

From immemorial time the royal arms
 C l d iu S to r y
’
a u s s 21 3

—
O f immemorial Pharao hs S ymbol fair
Of Upper and of Lower Egypt linked
In harmony And likewise had this b arge
.

Of Cleopatra cabins manifold ,

F or comfort and for ease luxurious pl anned ,

And sheltered were the decks with awnings fair ,

— —
And on that deck the uppermost where free
—
The dallying breezes came high o er the wave ’

Tables were set and couches for the feast ,

And trained attendants waited and that naught ,

Which helps to pleasur e might be missing here ,

Harpers made sweetest music with their harps .

And many a n ight p erchanc e while hung th e

, ,

moon
Above them slowly movi ng through the heaven s
, ,

T hey revell e d till the golden orb grew pale

—
Low i n the west behind that pyramid ,

T he mi ghtiest and most ancient which tis said , ,

’
,

—
King Cheops built and vanisht were the stars
“

Throughout the heavens and in the east the s u n ,

Appeared ri sing from ou t the desert sands

,

As from the ocean and all the eastern S ky

,

A field of topaz was and amethyst ,

And all the desert red with the new day .

And 10 as thus on e night they revelled long

, , , ,

Together S itting and the wine of Rome

,

F alernian sipping ! between midnight twas ’

And morning! Ce sar ruler of the world

, , ,

And Cleopatra Egypt s queen thus spake

,
’

A s age grey bearded standing them before :

-
,
 A dv a ri
’
2 14 n s Ri n g

XVII I

Four thousand m ile s so say th e record s old , ,

This river runs ; four thousand miles it is

From the blue ocean to i t s silvery sourc e
Mysteri ous T hro ugh th is ancient l and it
.

flows
Like wind ing serpent huge but like a g o d ,

B en efi c en t it is for all the land

,

Were desert but for Nile Would I could see .

The fountains fair fro m which its waters spring !

The hidd e n sources of this wondrous stream !
T wo lakes there are so s a y the travellers old
, ,

Deep i n the equatorial forests s et ;

And from the larger lake doth i ssue forth ,

T hrough rock b ound doors th e Nile ; and cl ose

-
,

a t h and ,

Guarding Nile s portals giant mountains ri s e

’
, ,

Snow ca p ped T h e Cou ntry of the Mo o n t i s

-
.
’

called ;
And thes e are c alled th e Mo untai n s o f the
Moon .

Why ? I know not Unless it i s my lord .

, ,

B ecause the moon doth ever shine s o bright

Upon those snowy summits But alas .
, ,

Like S irens do they lure but to destro y .

Many have sought but fe w have reached th i s

g o a L
For thick beset with dangers i s th e road
Dangers and di ffi culties insurmountable .
 A
’
216 n d v a ri s Ri n g

Thu s S p ake the turbaned sage and in hi s ey e s ,

And i n his voice and in his lifted hand

The fires of youth long smouldering wok e o nce
, ,

m ore .

And in his speech impassioned was dis cl osed

Th e dream of a long life still unfulfill e d .

T hen C e sar : Well thou dreamest gr eybe ard ,

s age ;
Aye well thou S peakest F or like the e am I
, . .

And like thy soul s o ever doth mine own

Adventure seek The fountains of the N ile !
.

The source from which these magic waters fl o w

O er which doth glide our boat ! Would that
’

my eyes
—
Could see that spot that regi on of delight !
Methinks the nymphs d o ever beckon me
—
That in those S ilent lakes abide those lakes
High in the mystic Mountains o f the Moon
—
Like twin pearls set those lakes miraculous
Whence spring Nile s waters on their j ourney
’
,

long
O utstarting For until they reach th e s ea
.

Ne er do they halt but through the desert land

’

— —
All nourishing all blessing do they fl ow .

What sayest thou my queen ? Would that we

,

twain
 C l d iu S to r y
'
au s s 21 7

Together might essay that j ourney long ,

Together might explore that land of dreams ,

Those realms enchanted ? Would that up thi s

stream ,

Past far As swan and Phile s templed i sle ’

,

—
O n o n into that unknown Nubian land ,

F or days weeks months aye years we m ight

, , ,

pursue
Our lingerin g wa y ? Wh a t sayes t th ou de ares t ,

o ne ? !

And Cl e op atra an swered Wh ere tho u goes t .

,

There will I go my lord E en to the hall s

, .
’

Of Sheol s realm where great Osiris S its

’

In judgment o er the spirits of the dead

’

If thou dost bid me do it there I ll go ,

’
.

Ho w much more j oyful then to follow the e

On this adventure beautiful Thus spake .

The queen Egyptian and on Ce sar bent ,

Her wondrous eyes those eyes which did i n

,

s pire

The kings of earth to b attle or i n swee t ,

Captivity their spirits did ensnare .

For o f the race of Ptolemy the Greek

She was and in her life once m ore did flower
,

That beauty rare which in an earlier day , ,

—
The lovely Helen bore sh e who to Troy
—
Led all the Grecian hosts i n arms fo r her .
 A d v a ri Ri n g
’
218 n s

XX I I

So d re amed th e l o ver s i n th o s e m agic hou rs

’
Twixt mi dnight and th e mo rn i n g when all ,

th ings
Thri ce eas y of accom p l i sh m ent d o s eem .

So dreamed the lovers but twas not to b e

,
’
.

For ever must the helmsman kee p h i s h and

U p on the helm or runs the S hip awr y ,

And ever must the hand o f Ce sar ste e r

,

The Roman State or S hipwreck follows fast

, .

And wi th the daylight came a Roman knight

Riding i n haste and signalled to the barge
, ,

Desiring Ce sar and him Ce sar sa w

, ,

And this his message That Ph arn a c es s on ,

Of Mithridates an ol d foe of Rome

, ,

Had trouble maker turned ; and i n the l and

-

Of Asia M i nor all the petty kings

And tetrarchs in rebellion were and fast ,

Th e fir e was s p reading and throughout the ,

East
T h e rul e o f Rome wa s threat en ed This and .

m ore
Th at R oman k n ight discl osed A n d C e sar .

rose,

And swiftly t o th e la nd of Syria p ass e d ,

And thence with legions three all soldiers good

, , ,

Who had with him in Gaul and Britain served ,

On Asia Minor turned ; and at th e town

Of Z ela he Ph arn a c es overthrew ,
 A
'
22 0 n dv a r i s Ri n g

E en as the a ctor doth project himself

’

Into the p art of him he represents ,

So did the soul of Claudius as his l ips ,

This story told of C e sar in the East

, ,

T ake on the p ortraiture of him he drew ,

That man of men the flower of ancient Rome

,

And all mankind whose spirit did transcend

,

So far th e bounds of human excellence

That to a wondering world he did appear
, ,

Not human but divine ; n ot man but g o d

, , .

Yet lik e the Nazarene by cruel hands

, , ,

U rge d o n by h ea rts obdurat e h e w a s slai n , .

XX I V

A n o bl e t ale well told quoth Attila , ,

And smote his hands together in delight .

And round the board uprose the loud ap p lause

Of hands and voice and many a lady fair,

On Claudius let her soft eyes linger long ,

F or comely was he and to be desired

B eyond all other men i n that high hall .

And when a t last the loud applause had died

, , ,

T hu s t o h is gue st s o nc e m ore th e Hunnish king .

XXV

Once o n a t ime as by the Danube s bank

,
’

We lingered brother Claudius and myself

, ,

Before our tent a Gothic harper sang .

Sad was his song but i n my heart it stayed

, ,
 Th e Hall o f A tti l a 22 1

And th ere i t s till remains And th e re me .

,

thinks ,

Ever i t will remain until I d i e .

And through the Hunnish lan d this h ar pe r old

I sought till I had found him once again .

And hither did I bring him and tonight ,

B efore you Shall he S ing my honoured gu e sts , .

And deep into your hearts p erchanc e his song , , ,

Though passing s a d will sink and there remain ;

,

E en as it sank in mine and doth remain

’
.

My Claudius wilt thou bid the bard appear ?

,

B elow h e is perchance in the gr e at hall

, , .
!

XXVI

T hen to a lackey Cl audius s p ok e and s o o n

Up on the dais came the Goth i c bard ,

Otho with harp in hand ; and low h e bowed

,

Before th e king ; and like a prophet ol d ,

With flowing beard and noble countenance ,

He looked ; and like a heaven inspired bard -

He smote the strings and mystic music rose

,

And fill ed the h all and s a t the gu e sts e ntranced

, .

XXVI I

T hen a s before by D anube s yello w wav e

, ,
’
,

Sigurd he sang the flower of all the North ;

,

And h ow he Fafnir Slew the dragon fierce , ,

And made the Nibl ung s mighty Hoard his own ; ’

And won the mystic Ring which rules the Hoard ;

 A
’
2 22 n dv a ri s Ri n g

An d sought throu gh circl in g fir e th e val kyr

, ,

m aid ,

Brynh ild wh om O din father of th e g od s

, , ,

Abov e all oth er s loved ; and how return ed ,

T o Burgund y th e lil y maid Gudru n

,

He we dded s i ster of a noble king ;

,

And how at last dee p in the Odenwald

, , ,

Slai n by a boar he fell ; but ah perchan ce

, , ,

’
Twas not a boar but envious enemies ,

Who laid him low So all th e people sai d . .

Dark e nemies who slew him as the night

Blots out th e golden v i vifying su n , .

Thus sang that Gothic minstrel fro m hi s har p ,

P lucki ng me anwhil e a weird acco mpan im ent

, , .

XXVI I I
T h en Att ila But whither we nt the R in g
.
,

T he m ystic ruler of the Ni b l u n g Hoard ?

Methinks tis strange if thing s o valuable
’

Wer e lost forever Knowest th ou h ar pe r .

, ,

th at ?
XX I X
An d O th o . Noth i ng do I know my ki n g , ,

But what I s a y But here in Burgund y .

, ,

S urel y th er e m ust b e some who kn o w i t s fat e .

XXX
T hen Hagen thus u p on whose gloomy face ,

“
Disquietude now sat . Pardon my king , ,
 A nd v a r i
’
2 24 s Ri n g

XXX II I

Answere d Gudru n : A ye t is b right S i g urd s ,

’ ’

Ring .

And he who we ars it now was S i g urd s fo e ’

,

And S ig urd s murderer Oh my lord alas

’
.
, , ,

T hat h e s h ould be al ive and Sigurd go n e ! !

XXX I V

T hen o n th e gloom y kn ight were all e ye s bent

As slowly rose he up and faltering spake .

“
Surely m y king this lady though thy wi fe
, , , ,

Doth accu s ation false against me bring .

These princes twain Gernot and Giselher , ,

Can vouch my story true They like myself .

, ,

T hrough the dee p wood were seeking the wil d

bo ar
W hen i n th e shadowy glen we Sigurd found .

They like myself behel d him ere he died

, , , ,

Place i n my hand the Niblung s myst ic R i n g ’

.

Is i t not so Gernot and Giselher ?

,

XXXV

As sh ake s a l e af before th e r i s i ng bl as t
So G iselh er trem bled Aye t i s so h e sai d
.
,
’
, .

XXXVI

But Gernot answered Nay ti s not the truth.

,
’
.

Long h ave I silent been but now no more ,

15
 Th e Hall o f A tti l a 225

I ll hold my peace When into that d rear gl e n

’
.

I plunged all unaware of murder foul

, ,

Upon the ground Earl Sigurd I beheld ,

Stretched out in death s embrace and ove r h im ’

,

Standing with bloody spear this basest wretch

, , ,

Hagen My brother partner to the de e d

.
, ,

In silent satisfaction viewed the scene .

F or him alone because he was my kin

, ,

I ve held my peace ; for G i s el h er s sake alon e

’ ’
.

And then what good to speak ? The deed w as

done .

And naught c ould bring our Sigurd back to l ife .

But n ow no more the coward will I play .

On Hagen s head the blood o f Sigurd lies

’
.

Murderer ! B ase villain inexpre ssible ! !

XXXVI I

He c e ased and tumult filled th e mighty h all

, .

XXXV I I I

Seiz e hi m cried Attila and fr om his h and

,

Remove th e Niblung s R i ng Surely a knav e ’

.

So base S h o uld cumber not the wa y s of earth .

!

XXX I X

Then o n th e t o weri ng Hagen leap e d a score

Of Huns ferocious warriors tried and true , ,

And from his finger was the glittering Ring

Torn e en as in the fabled days of ol d
,
’
 A dv a ri
’
2 26 n s Ri n g

B y Hre i dmar fro m An dvari s hand t was torn ’ ’

.

And from all Sid es the Hunnish soldier s rushed

Int o th e hall and filled i t and a wall ,

O f m an y th ousands round about i t form ed ,

So that c ompletely girt was the great hall .

And Hagen bound and held by many hands

, ,

Cr i ed o ut with a loud voice Give me the Ring ! ,

Alas m y Ring !
, But Att ila only laughed
!

E ven a s an c i ent Hreidmar once did laugh ,

And o n his finger placed the mystic Ring .

And Hagen as they bore him to the floor

, ,
“
Shrieked out once more with rage Thee I defy , ,

Thou devilish Hun ! But cruel fingers tore

!

T h e tongue from out hi s m outh and bound he ,

was
W i th i ron chai ns and on the fl oor he la y
,

Hel p l ess t o w ai t the p l e a sure of the king

,
.

Then fro m the dai s came the k ing s co m m and ’

“
Bring forth into the middle o f the hall
Hagen and strike h i s head from off his trunk
, ,

That I with mine own eyes may no w behold

, ,

Just i ce though long delayed administered

, , ,

And p unishment to fit his many cr imes

I nfl i c ted on this most inhuman wretch .

And ou t before the dais steps forthwith , ,

All in the middle of the mighty hall ,

Was Hagen brought and s et before the k ing , ,

 A d v a ri
'
2 28 n s Ri n g

Gudrun I leave G udrun my wife and queen

, ,

Dearest of all things upon earth to m e .

F or in my dreams a field o f dre adful s tri fe

Ever I see a carnage terrible
, ,

Where baffled are the hosts of Hung ar y .

A battle ruthles s obstinat e i mmens e

, , ,

Where fight s th e Wes t ag ain s t th e e n cr oa ch ing

East .

And ever do I hear a vo i ce crying , ,

‘
Beware the plains of Chalons Att ila ! ,

B eware the p lains o f Chalons And although , ,

Perchance these evil harbingers are naught ,

Yet S hould I die i n p eril were my quee n

, , .

Ay e safer we r e G u dru n i n B u rgu n dy

, .
!

XLI I

He ceased and thus the banquet wond erful

, ,

Of Attila the Gre a t c am e to an e nd

, .
 GUDRUN AN D AND VARI

AN D VAR I come ! Hasten thou Ni b l un g dwarf

, , ,

That I into thy pillaged hands may give

The mystic Ring s o long from thee withheld !
,

Thu s spak e Gudrun beside the S ilvery Rhine

,

St anding then from her finger drew the ring

,

The golden serpent with two ruby eyes

And softly rubbed that glittering band malign .

And a s today the radio message flies

, , ,

Needing no wire by Nature s laws propelled

,
’

So through the air to that far Niblung s cav e

,
’

The message of Gudrun unaided flew , , ,

She the possessor of the mystic Ring .

And by a power occult the Ni bl un g dwarf ,

A magian S kilful mounted to the sky

,

And like a bird the S ilent ether clove

, , ,

B ending his swift flight toward the Germ an land

’
Soon o er the Rhine he hovered then like a , ,

h aw k
 A d v a ri
’
230 n s Ri n g

G i g anti c swooping suddenly on his p re y

, ,

Descended till upon the river bank

, ,

Where waited Attila s fair queen he stood ’

, .

Her se ei ng l ow h e bo wed with revere nc e d eep

, .

M e didst th o u c all fair lady ? Ha p p y am I

,

T hat on thy finger shines the Niblung s Ring ! ’

The mystic ruler of the mighty Hoard !

Thrice happ y that by Hagen s blood stai ned ’
-

hand
’
—
N 0 m ore tis held And thou thou art Gudrun ?
.

T hou art bri ght S i g urd s wi d o w ? Aye ti s ’

,
’

!
true .

Bri ght S i g urd s wi dow ? A ye t is true

’
And ,
’
.

now
Of Attila th e Hunn i sh king the wife
, , .

Bu t thee from out thy Northland did I call ,

Andvari not for gold or precious stones

,

Or fabrics wondrous of th e Nibl u n g Hoard ,

But to set right at last a grievous wrong

, , ,

L ong year s ago committed To return .

To thee at last thy Ring I want it not

, , . .

E nough h ave I En o ugh of gold and p ower

. .

Lady dost m ean it ? Potent i s the Ri ng

,

—
Imperial ruler of the golden Hoard .
 FINALE

O TALE hero i c ! Of my wandering youth

! Sea tost e en like the youth f Sigmund s !
’ ’
-
o s o n

The dream thou wast ; and fuller manhood strove

T hee to embody i n befitting verse .

Now finished is the task which long hath been

,

T h e s olac e of my grey decl i n ing years

, .