Page:The lay of the Nibelungs; (IA nibelungslay00hortrich).pdf/247

XVI]

“Ye perjured, lying cowards,” the dying warrior said,

“What hath avail’d my service, since thus ye strike me dead?

To you aye was I faithful: and thus do ye repay!

Your kith and kin shall suffer for what ye’ve wrought this day.

“The children born unto ye shall be, from this day forth,

For evermore accurséd, for ye have wreak’d your wrath,

And vengeance all too sorely upon my body done:

Now ye, with scorn and hatred, all worthy knights shall shun.”

The knights all ran together to where he stricken lay.

To many a man among them it was a joyless day.

They who had aught of honour sore lamentation made.

From all he well deserved it, this hero undismay’d.

The king of the Burgundians mourn’d also for his death.

Then spake the dying chieftain: “Small need is there, in faith,

That he who work’d the evil should grieve that it be done:

Much blame he hath deservéd: ’twere better left alone!”

Grim Hagen spake to Gunther: “What art thou weeping for?

For done is our vexation and all our sorrows o’er:

We shall find few henceforward who ‘gainst us dare to stand.

Glad am I that his kingship hath perish’d by my hand!”

“’Tis easy now to vaunt ye,” said Siegfried, in reply,

“Tf I had known beforehand your deadly enmity,

Alone would I against ye have well maintain’d my life:

For naught grieve I so sorely as for Kriemhild, my wife.