The Story of Siegfried Page 13

  When Balder's good mother heard the sad news, she left her goldenspindle in Fensal Hall, and with her maidens hastened to the Ida-plains,where the body of her son still lay. Nanna, the faithful wife of Balder,was already there; and wild was her grief at sight of the lifelessloved one. And all the Asa-folk--save guilty Loki, who had fled forhis life--stood about them in dumb amazement. But Odin was the mostsorrowful of all; for he knew, that, with Balder, the world had lost itsmost gladsome life.

  They lifted the body, and carried it down to the sea, where the greatship "Ringhorn," which Balder himself had built, lay ready to belaunched. And a great company followed, and stood upon the beach, andbewailed the untimely death of the hero. First came Odin, with hisgrief-stricken queen, and then his troop of handmaidens, the Valkyrien,followed by his ravens Hugin and Munin. Then came Thor in his goat-drawncar, and Heimdal on his horse Goldtop; then Frey, in his wagon, behindthe boar Gullinbruste of the golden bristles. Then Freyja, in herchariot drawn by cats, came weeping tears of gold. Lastly, poor blindHoder, overcome with grief, was carried thither on the back of one ofthe Frost-giants. And Old AEgir, the Ocean king, raised his drippinghead above the water, and gazed with dewy eyes upon the scene; and thewaves, as if affrighted, left off their playing, and were still.

  High on the deck they built the funeral-pile; and they placed the bodyupon it, and covered it with costly garments, and with woods of thefinest scent; and the noble horse which had been Balder's they slew, andplaced beside him, that he might not have to walk to the halls of Death.And Odin took from his finger the ring Draupner, the earth's enricher,and laid it on the pile. Then Nanna, the faithful wife, was overcomewith grief, and her gentle heart was broken, and she fell lifeless atthe feet of the Asa-queen. And they carried her upon the ship, and laidher by her husband's side.

  When all things were in readiness to set fire to the pile, the godstried to launch the ship; but it was so heavy that they could not moveit. So they sent in haste to Jotunheim for the stout giantess Hyrroken;and she came with the speed of the whirlwind, and riding on a wolf,which she guided with a bridle of writhing snakes.

  "What will you have me do?" she asked.

  "We would have you launch the great ship 'Ring horn,'" answered Odin.

  "That I will do!" roared the grim giantess. And, giving the vessel asingle push, she sent it sliding with speed into the deep waters of thebay. Then she gave the word to her grisly steed, and she flew onwardsand away, no one knew whither.

  The "Ringhorn" floated nobly upon the water,--a worthy bier for the bodywhich it bore. The fire was set to the funeral-pile, and the red flamesshot upwards to the sky; but their light was but a flickering beam whenmatched with the sun-bright beauty of Balder, whose body they consumed.

  Then the sorrowing folk turned away, and went back to their homes: acheerless gloom rested heavily where light gladness had ruled before.And, when they reached the high halls of Asgard, the Asa-queen spoke,and said,--

  "Who now, for the love of Balder and his stricken mother, will undertakean errand? Who will go down into the Valley of Death, and seek forBalder, and ransom him, and bring him back to Asgard and the mid-world?"

  Then Hermod the Nimble, the brother of Balder, answered, "I will go. Iwill find him, and, with Hela's leave, will bring him back."

  And he mounted Sleipner, the eight-footed steed, and galloped swiftlyaway. Nine days and nine nights he rode through strange valleys andmountain gorges, where the sun's light had never been, and throughgloomy darkness and fearful silence, until he came to the black river,and the glittering, golden bridge which crosses it. Over the bridge hisstrong horse carried him; although it shook and swayed and threatened tothrow him into the raging, inky flood below. On the other side a maidenkeeps the gate, and Hermod stopped to pay the toll.

  "What is thy name?" she asked.

  "My name is Hermod, and I am called the Nimble," he answered.

  "What is thy father's name?"

  "His name is Odin. Mayhap you have heard of him."

  "Why ridest thou with such thunderous speed? Five kingdoms of dead menpassed over this bridge yesterday, and it shook not with their weightas it did with thee and thy strange steed. Thou art not of the palemultitude that are wont to pass this gate. What is thy errand? and whyridest thou to the domains of the dead?"

  "I go to find my brother Balder," answered Hermod. "It is but a shorttime since he unwillingly came down into these shades."

  "Three days ago," said the maiden, "Balder passed this way, and by hisside rode the faithful Nanna. So bright was his presence, even here,that the whole valley was lighted up as it had never before beenlighted. The black river glittered like a gem; the frowning mountainssmiled for once; and Hela herself, the queen of these regions, slunk faraway into her most distant halls. But Balder went on his way, and evennow he sups with Nanna in the dark castle over yonder."

  Then Hermod rode forward till he came to the castle walls. These werebuilt of black marble; and the iron gate was barred and bolted, and nonewho went in had ever yet come out. Hermod called loudly to the porterto open the gate and let him in; but no one seemed to hear nor heed him,for the words of the living are unknown in that place. Then he drewthe saddle-girths more tightly around the horse Sleipner, and urged himforward. High up, the great horse leaped; and he sprang clear over thegates, and landed at the open door of the great hall. Leaving his steed,Hermod went boldly in; and there he found his brother Balder and thefaithful Nanna seated at the festal board, and honored as the mostworthy of all the guests. With Balder, Hermod staid until the night hadpassed; and many were the pleasant words they spoke. When morning came,Hermod went into the presence of Hela, and said,--

  "O mighty queen! I come to ask a boon of thee. Balder the Good, whomboth gods and men loved, has been sent to dwell with thee here in thydarksome house; and all the world weeps for him, and has donned the garbof mourning, and cannot be consoled until his bright light shall shineupon them again. And the gods have sent me, his brother, to ask thee tolet Balder ride back with me to Asgard, to his noble, sorrowing mother,the Asa-queen; for then will hope live again in the hearts of men, andhappiness will return to the earth."

  The Death-queen was silent for a moment; and then she said in a sadvoice, "Hardly can I believe that any being is so greatly loved bythings living and lifeless; for surely Balder is not more the friend ofearth than I am, and yet men love me not. But go thou back to Asgard;and, if every thing shall weep for Balder, then I will send him toyou. But, if any thing shall refuse to weep, then I will keep him in myhalls."

  So Hermod made ready to return home; and Balder gave him the ringDraupner to carry to his father as a keepsake; and Nanna sent to thequeen-mother a rich carpet of purest green. Then the nimble messengermounted his horse, and rode swiftly back over the dark river, andthrough the frowning valleys, until he at last reached Odin's halls.

  When the Asa-folk learned upon what terms they might have Balder againwith them, they sent heralds all over the world to beseech every thingto mourn for him. And men and beasts, and creeping things, and birds andfishes, and trees and stones, and air and water,--all things, living andlifeless, joined in weeping for the lost Balder.

  But, as the heralds were on their way back to Asgard, they met agiantess named Thok, and they asked her to join in the universal grief.And she answered, "What good thing did Balder ever do for Thok? Whatgladness did he ever bring her? If she should weep for him, it would bewith dry tears. Let Hela keep him in her halls."[EN#23]

  "And yet the day shall come," added the story-teller, "when the words ofthe weird woman to Odin shall prove true; and Balder shall come again torule over a newborn world in which there shall be no wrong-doing and nomore death."

  Adventure XIV. How Gunther Outwitted Brunhild.

  While still the festivities were at their height, an old man of noblemien, and with snow-white beard and hair, came into the great hall, andsang for the gay company. And some whispered that this must be Bragi,for surely such rare music could n
ot be made by any other. But he sangnot of spring, as Bragi does, nor yet of youth nor of beauty, nor likeone whose home is with the song-birds, and who lives beside the babblingbrooks and the leaping waterfalls. His song was a sorrowful one,--ofdying flowers, and falling leaves, and the wailing winds of autumn, offorgotten joys, of blasted hopes, of a crushed ambition, of gray hairs,of uttering footsteps, of old age, of a lonely grave. And, as he sang,all were moved to tears by the mournful melody and the sad, sad words.

  "Good friend," said Siegfried, "thy music agrees not well with this timeand place; for, where nothing but mirth and joy are welcome, thou hastbrought sorrowful thoughts and gloomy forebodings. Come, now, and undothe harm thou hast done, by singing a song which shall tell only ofmirth and gladness."

  The old man shook his head, and answered, "Were I Bragi; as some thinkI am, or were I even a strolling harper, I might do as you ask. But I amneither, and I know no gladsome songs. Men have called me a messenger ofill omen; and such, indeed, I have sometimes been, although through nowish of my own. I come as a herald from a far-off land, and I bear amessage to all the kings and the noblest chiefs of Rhineland. If KingGunther will allow me, I will now make that message known."

  "Let the herald speak on," said Gunther graciously.

  "Far over the sea," said the herald, "there lies a dreamy land calledIsenland; and in that land there is a glorious castle, with six andeighty towers, built of purest marble, green as grass. In that castlethere lives the fairest of all Earth's daughters, Brunhild, the maidenof the spring-time. In the early days she was one of Odin's Valkyrien;and with other heavenly maidens it was her duty to follow, unseen, inthe wake of armies, and when they met in battle to hover over the field,and with kisses to waken the dead heroes, and lead their souls awayto Odin's glad banquet-hall. But upon a day she failed to do theAll-Father's bidding, and he, in anger, sent her to live among men, andlike them to be short-lived, and subject to old age and death. But thechildless old king of Isenland took pity upon the friendless maiden, andcalled her his daughter, and made her his heir. Then Odin, still moreangered, sent the thorn of sleep to wound the princess. And sleep seizedupon every creature in Isenland, and silence reigned in the halls of themarble palace. For Odin said, 'Thus shall they all sleep until the herocomes, who will ride through fire, and awaken Brunhild with a kiss.'

  "At last the hero so long waited for came. He passed the fiery barriersafe, and awoke the slumbering maiden; and all the castle sprangsuddenly into life again. And Brunhild became known once more as themost glorious princess in this mid-world. But the sun-bright hero whofreed her from her prison of sleep vanished from Isenland, and no oneknew where he went; but men say that he rides through the noble world,the fairest and the best of kings. And Brunhild has sought for him inmany lands; and, although all folk have heard of his deeds, none knowwhere he dwells. And so, as a last resort, she has sent heralds intoevery land to challenge every king to match his skill with hers in threegames of strength,--in casting the spear, in hurling the heavy stone,and in leaping. The one who can equal her in these feats shall be kingof Isenland, and share with her the throne of Isenstein. And by thismeans she hopes to find the long-absent hero; for she believes thatthere is no other prince on earth whose strength and skill are equal toher own. Many men have already risked their lives in this adventure, andall have failed.

  "And now, King Gunther," continued the herald, "I have come by herorders into Rhineland, and I deliver the challenge to you. If youaccept, and are beaten, your life is forfeited. If you succeed, thefairest kingdom and the most beautiful queen in the world are yours; foryou will have proved that you are at least the equal of the hero whomshe seeks. What reply shall I carry back to Isenland?"

  King Gunther answered hastily, and as one dazed and in a dream, "Saythat I accept the challenge, and that when the spring-time comes again,and the waters in the river are unlocked, I shall go to Isenland, andmatch my skill and strength with that of the fair and mighty Brunhild."

  All who stood around were greatly astonished at Gunther's reply; for,although his mind was somewhat weak, he was not given to rash andhazardous undertakings. And Siegfried, who was at his side, whispered,"Think twice, friend Gunther, ere you decide. You do not know thestrength of this mighty but lovely warrior-maiden. Were your strengthfour times what it is, you could not hope to excel her in those feats.Give up this hasty plan, I pray you, and recall your answer to thechallenge. Think no more of such an undertaking, for it surely will costyou your life."

  But these warnings, and the words of others who tried to dissuade him,only made Gunther the more determined; and he vowed that nothing shouldhinder him from undertaking the adventure. Then the dark-browed Hagensaid,--

  "Our friend Siegfried seems to know much about Isenland and itsmaiden-queen. And indeed, if there is any truth in hearsay, he has hadthe best of means for learning. Now, if our good King Gunther has sethis mind on going upon this dangerous enterprise, mayhap Siegfried wouldbe willing to bear him company."

  Gunther was pleased with Hagen's words; and he said to Siegfried, "Mybest of friends, go with me to Isenland, and help me. If we do well inour undertaking, ask of me any reward you wish, and I will give it you,so far as in my power lies."

  "You know, kind Gunther," answered Siegfried, "that for myself I haveno fear; and yet again I would warn you to shun the unknown dangers withwhich this enterprise is fraught. But if, after all, your heart is setupon it, make ready to start as soon as the warm winds shall have meltedthe ice from the river. I will go with you."

  The king grasped Siegfried's hand, and thanked him heartily.

  "We must build a fleet," said he. "A thousand fighting-men shall go withus, and we will land in Isenland with a retinue such as no other princehas had. A number of stanch vessels shall be built at once, and in theearly spring they shall be launched upon the Rhine."

  Siegfried was amused at Gunther's earnestness, and he answered, "Donot think of taking such a following. You would waste twelve months inbuilding and victualling such a fleet. You would take from Burgundy itsonly safeguard against foes from without; and, after you should reachIsenland, you would find such a large force to be altogether useless.Take my advice: have one small vessel built and rigged and victualledfor the long and dangerous voyage; and, when the time shall come,you and I, and your kinsmen Hagen and Dankwart,--we four only,--willundertake the voyage and the emprise you have decided upon."

  Gunther knew that his friend's judgment in this matter was better thanhis own, and he agreed readily to all of Siegfried's plans.

  * * * * *

  When, at length, the winter months began to wane, many hands were busymaking ready for the voyage. The peerless Kriemhild called togetherthirty of her maidens, the most skilful seamstresses in Burgundyland,and began the making of rich clothing for her brother and hisfriends.[EN#24] With her own fair hands she cut out garments from therarest stuffs,--from the silky skins brought from the sunny lands ofLybia; from the rich cloth of Zazemang, green as clover; from the silkthat traders bring from Araby, white as the drifted snow. For sevenweeks the clever maidens and their gentle mistress plied their busyneedles, and twelve suits of wondrous beauty they made for each ofthe four heroes. And the princely garments were covered with fineneedle-work, and with curious devices all studded with rare and costlyjewels; and all were wrought with threads of gold.

  Many carpenters and ship-builders were busy with axes and hammers, andflaming forges, working day and night to make ready a vessel new andstanch, to carry the adventurers over the sea. And great stores offood, and of all things needful to their safety or comfort, were broughttogether and put on board.

  Neither were the heroes themselves idle; for when not busy in givingdirections to the workmen, or in overseeing the preparations that wereelsewhere going on, they spent the time in polishing their armor (nowlong unused), in looking after their weapons, or in providing for themanagement of their business while away. And Siegfried forgot not histrusty sword Balmung, nor his cloak of dar
kness the priceless Tarnkappe,which he had captured from the dwarf Alberich in the Nibelungen Land.

  Then the twelve suits of garments which fair fingers had wrought werebrought. And when the men tried them on, so faultless was the fit, sorare and perfect was every piece in richness and beauty, that even thewearers were amazed, and all declared that such dazzling and kinglyraiment had never before been seen.

  At last the spring months had fairly vanquished all the forces of thecold North-land. The warm breezes had melted the snow and ice, andunlocked the river; and the time had come for Gunther and his comradesto embark. The little ship, well victualled, and made stanch and stoutin every part, had been launched upon the Rhine; and she waited withflying streamers and impatient sails the coming of her crew. Down thesands at length they came, riding upon their steeds; and behind themfollowed a train of vassals bearing their kingly garments and theirgold-red shields. And on the banks stood many of the noblest folk ofBurgundy,--Gernot and the young Giselher, and Ute the queen-mother, andKriemhild the peerless, and a number of earl-folk, and warriors, andfair dames, and blushing damsels. And the heroes bade farewell to theirweeping friends, and went upon the waiting vessel, taking their steedswith them. And Siegfried seized an oar, and pushed the bark off from theshore.