The Story of Siegfried Page 9

  Siegfried took the sword. It was his own Balmung, that had been lost solong.

  Forthwith he began the task of dividing the treasure; and the twobrothers, so faint from hunger and want of sleep that they couldscarcely lift their heads, watched him with anxious, greedy eyes. Firsthe placed a piece of gold by Niblung's side, and then a piece of likevalue he gave to Schilbung. And this he did again and again, until nomore gold was left. Then, in the same manner, he divided the preciousgem-stones until none remained. And the brothers were much pleased; andthey hugged their glittering treasures, and thanked Siegfried for hiskindness, and for the fairness with which he had given to each hisown. But one thing was left which had not fallen to the lot of eitherbrother. It was a ring of curious workmanship,--a serpent coiled, withits tail in its mouth, and with ruby eyes glistening and cold.

  "What shall I do with this ring?" asked Siegfried.

  "Give it to me!" cried Niblung.

  "Give it to me!" cried Schilbung.

  And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried's hand.

  But the effort was too great for them. Their arms fell helpless at theirsides, their feet slipped beneath them, their limbs failed: they sankfainting, each upon his pile of treasures.

  "O my dear, dear gold!" murmured Niblung, trying to clasp it all in hisarms,--"my dear, dear gold! Thou art mine, mine only. No one shalltake thee from me. Here thou art, here thou shalt rest. O my dear, deargold!" And then, calling up the last spark of life left in his famishedbody, he cried out to Siegfried, "Give me the ring!--the ring, I say!"

  He hugged his cherished gold nearer to his bosom; he ran his thinfingers deep down into the shining yellow heap; he pressed his pale lipsto the cold and senseless metal; he whispered faintly, "My dear, deargold!" and then he died.

  "O precious, precious gem-stones," faltered Schilbung, "how beautifulyou are! And you are mine, all mine. I will keep you safe. Come, come,my bright-eyed beauties! No one but me shall touch you. You are mine,mine, mine!" And he chattered and laughed as only madmen laugh. And hekissed the hard stones, and sought to hide them in his bosom. But hishands trembled and failed, dark mists swam before his eyes; he fanciedthat he heard the black dwarfs clamoring for his treasure; he sprang upquickly, he shrieked--and then fell lifeless upon his hoard of sparklinggems.

  A strange, sad sight it was,--boundless wealth, and miserable death;two piles of yellow gold and sun-bright diamonds, and two thin, starvedcorpses stretched upon them. Some stories relate that the brothers wereslain by Siegfried, because their foolish strife and greediness hadangered him.[EN#19] But I like not to think so. It was the gold, and notSiegfried, that slew them.

  "O gold, gold!" cried the hero sorrowfully, "truly thou art themid-world's curse; thou art man's bane. But when the bright spring-timeof the new world shall come, and Balder shall reign in his glory, thenwill the curse be taken from thee, and thy yellow brightness will be thesign of purity and enduring worth; and then thou wilt be a blessing tomankind, and the precious plaything of the gods."

  But Siegfried had little time for thought and speech. A strange soundwas heard upon the mountain-side. The twelve great giants who had stoodas watchmen upon the peaks above were rushing down to avenge theirmasters, and to drive the intruder out of Nibelungen Land. Siegfriedwaited not for their onset; but he mounted the noble horse Greyfell,and, with the sword Balmung in his hand, he rode forth to meet his foes,who, with fearful threats and hideous roars, came striding toward him.The sunbeams flashed from Greyfell's mane, and dazzled the dull eyes ofthe giants, unused as they were to the full light of day. Doubtful,they paused, and then again came forward. But they mistook every tree intheir way for an enemy, and every rock they thought a foe; and in theirfear they fancied a great host to be before them. Did you ever see thedark and threatening storm-clouds on a summer's day scattered and putto flight by the bright beams of the sun? It was thus that Siegfried'sgiant foes were routed. One and all, they dropped their heavy clubs, andstood ashamed and trembling, not knowing what to do. And Siegfried madeeach one swear to serve him faithfully; and then he sent them back tothe snow-covered mountain-peaks to stand again as watchmen at theirposts.

  And now another danger appeared. Alberich the dwarf, the master of theswarthy elves who guarded the Nibelungen Hoard, had come out from hiscavern, and seen the two princes lying dead beside their treasures, andhe thought that they had been murdered by Siegfried; and, when he beheldthe giants driven back to the mountain-tops, he lifted a little silverhorn to his lips, and blew a shrill bugle-call. And the little brownelves came trooping forth by thousands: from under every rock, fromthe nooks and crannies and crevices in the mountain-side, from the deepcavern and the narrow gorge, they came at the call of their chief. Then,at Alberich's word, they formed in line of battle, and stood in orderaround the hoard and the bodies of their late masters. Their littlegolden shields and their sharp-pointed spears were thick as the bladesof grass in a Rhine meadow. And Siegfried, when he saw them, was pleasedand surprised; for never before had such a host of pygmy warriors stoodbefore him.

  While he paused and looked, the elves became suddenly silent, andSiegfried noticed that Alberich stood no longer at their head, but hadstrangely vanished from sight.

  "Ah, Alberich!" cried the hero. "Thou art indeed cunning. I have heardof thy tricks. Thou hast donned the Tarnkappe, the cloak of darkness,which hides thee from sight, and makes thee as strong as twelve commonmen. But come on, thou brave dwarf!"

  Scarcely had he spoken, when he felt a shock which almost sent himreeling from his saddle, and made Greyfell plunge about with fright.Quickly, then, did Siegfried dismount, and, with every sense alert,he waited for the second onset of the unseen dwarf. It was plain thatAlberich wished to strike him unawares, for many minutes passed in uttersilence. Then a brisk breath of wind passed by Siegfried's face, andhe felt another blow; but, by a quick downward movement of his hand, hecaught the plucky elf-king, and tore off the magic Tarnkappe, and then,with firm grasp, he held him, struggling in vain to get free.

  "Ah, Alberich!" he cried, "now I know thou art cunning. But theTarnkappe I must have for my own. What wilt thou give for thy freedom?"

  "Worthy prince," answered Alberich humbly, "you have fairly overcomeme in fight, and made me your prisoner. I and all mine, as well asthis treasure, rightfully belong to you. We are yours, and you we shallobey."

  "Swear it!" said Siegfried. "Swear it, and thou shalt live, and be thekeeper of my treasures."

  And Alberich made a sign to his elfin host, and every spear was turnedpoint downwards, and every tiny shield was thrown to the ground, andthe ten thousand little warriors kneeled, as did also their chief, andacknowledged Siegfried to be their rightful master, and the lord of theNibelungen Land, and the owner of the Hoard of Andvari.

  Then, by Alberich's orders, the elves carried the Hoard back into thecavern, and there kept faithful watch and ward over it. And they buriedthe starved bodies of the two princes on the top of the mist-veiledmountain; and heralds were sent to all the strongholds in NibelungenLand, proclaiming that Siegfried, through his wisdom and might, hadbecome the true lord and king of the land. Afterwards the prince, ridingon the beaming Greyfell, went from place to place, scattering sunshineand smiles where shadows and frowns had been before. And the Nibelungenfolk welcomed him everywhere with glad shouts and music and dancing; andten thousand warriors, and many noble earl-folk, came to meet him, andplighted their faith to him. And the pure brightness of his hero-soul,and the gleaming sunbeams from Greyfell's mane,--the light of hope andfaith,--lifted the curtain of mists and fogs that had so long darkenedthe land, and let in the glorious glad light of day and the genialwarmth of summer.

  Adventure VIII. Siegfried's Welcome Home.

  In Santen Castle, one day, there was a strange uproar and confusion.Everybody was hurrying aimlessly about, and no one seemed to know justwhat to do. On every side there were restless whisperings, and hastygestures, and loud commands. The knights and warriors were busy donningtheir war-coats,
and buckling on their swords and helmets. Wise KingSiegmund sat in his council-chamber, and the knowing men of the kingdomstood around him; and the minds of all seemed troubled with doubt, ifnot with fear.

  What could have caused so great an uproar in the once quiet old castle?What could have brought perplexity to the mind of the wisest king inall Rhineland? It was this: a herald had just come from the seashore,bringing word that a strange fleet of a hundred white-sailed vessels hadcast anchor off the coast, and that an army of ten thousand fighting menhad landed, and were making ready to march against Santen. Nobody hadever heard of so large a fleet before; and no one could guess who thestrangers might be, nor whence they had come, nor why they should thus,without asking leave, land in the country of a peace-loving king.

  The news spread quickly over all the land. People from every part camehastening to the friendly shelter of the castle. The townsmen, withtheir goods and cattle, hurried within the walls. The sentinels on theramparts paced uneasily to and fro, and scanned with watchful eye everystranger that came near the walls. The warders stood ready to hoistthe drawbridge, and close the gate, at the first signal given by thewatchman above, who was straining his eyes to their utmost in order tosee the first approach of the foe.

  A heavy mist hung over the meadow-lands between Santen and the sea,and nothing was visible beyond the gates of the town. The ten thousandstrange warriors might be within half a league of the castle, and yetthe sharpest eagle-eye could not see them.

  All at once a clatter of horse's hoofs was heard; the dark mist rose upfrom the ground, and began to roll away, like a great cloud, into thesky; and then strange sunbeam-flashes were seen where the fog had latelyrested.

  "They come!" cried one of the sentinels. "I see the glitter of theirshields and lances."

  "Not so," said the watchman from his place on the tower above. "I seebut one man, and he rides with the speed of the wind, and lightningflashes from the mane of the horse which carries him."

  The drawbridge was hastily hoisted. The heavy gates were quickly shut,and fastened with bolts and bars. Every man in the castle was at hispost, ready to defend the fortress with his life. In a short time thehorse and his rider drew near. All who looked out upon them were dazzledwith the golden brightness of the hero's armor, as well as withthe lightning gleams that flashed from the horse's mane. And somewhispered,--

  "This is no man who thus comes in such kingly splendor. More likelyit is Odin on one of his journeys, or the Shining Balder come again toearth."

  As the stranger paused on the outer edge of the moat, the sentinelschallenged him,--

  "Who are you who come thus, uninvited and unheralded, to Santen?"

  "One who has the right to come," answered the stranger. "I am Siegfried;and I have come to see my father, the good Siegmund, and my mother, thegentle Sigelind."

  It was indeed Siegfried; and he had come from his kingdom in theNibelungen Land, with his great fleet, and the noblest of his warriors,to see once more his boyhood's home, and to cheer for a time the heartsof his loving parents. For he had done many noble deeds, and had ruledwisely and well, and he felt that he was now not unworthy to be calledthe son of Siegmund, and to claim kinship with the heroes of the earlierdays.

  As soon as it was surely known that he who stood before the castle-wallswas the young prince who had been gone so many years, and about whomthey had heard so many wonderful stories, the drawbridge was hastily letdown, and the great gates were thrown wide open. And Siegfried, whosereturn had been so long wished for, stood once again in his father'shalls. And the fear and confusion which had prevailed gave place togladness and gayety; and all the folk of Santen greeted the returnedhero with cheers, and joyfully welcomed him home. And in the whole worldthere was no one more happy than Siegmund and Sigelind.

  On the morrow the ten thousand Nibelungen warriors came to Santen; andSiegmund made for them a great banquet, and entertained them in a rightkingly way, as the faithful liegemen of his son. And Siegfried, when hehad given them rich gifts, sent them with the fleet back to NibelungenLand; for he meant to stay for a time with his father and mother atSanten.

  When the harvest had been gathered, and the fruit was turning purple andgold, and the moon rode round and full in the clear autumn sky, a gayhigh-tide was held for Siegfried's sake; and everybody in the Lowlandcountry, whether high or low, rich or poor, was asked to come tothe feast. For seven days, nought but unbridled gayety prevailed inSiegmund's halls. On every hand were sounds of music and laughter, andsickness and poverty and pain were for the time forgotten. A mock-battlewas fought on the grassy plain not far from the town, and the young menvied with each other in feats of strength and skill. Never before hadso many beautiful ladies nor so many brave men been seen in Santen.And, when the time of jollity and feasting had drawn to an end, Siegmundcalled together all his guests, and gave to each choice gifts,--a festalgarment, and a horse with rich trappings. And Queen Sigelind scatteredgold without stint among the poor, and many were the blessings shereceived. Then all the folk went back to their homes with light heartsand happy faces.[EN#20]

  The autumn days passed quickly by, and Siegfried began to grow weary ofthe idle, inactive life in his father's halls; and Greyfell in his stallpined for the fresh, free air, and his mane lost all its brightness.When Siegmund saw how full of unrest his son had become, he said tohim,--

  "Siegfried, I have grown old and feeble, and have no longer the strengthof my younger days. My kingdom would fare better were a younger rulerplaced over it. Take my crown, I pray you, and let me withdraw fromkingly cares."

  But Siegfried would not listen to such an offer. He had his own kingdomof the Nibelungens, he said; and, besides, he would never sit on hisfather's throne while yet that father lived. And although he loved thepleasant companionship of his mother, and was delighted to listen tothe wise counsels of his father, the craving for action, and the unrestwhich would not be satisfied, grew greater day by day. At last hesaid,--

  "I will ride out into the world again. Mayhap I may find some otherwrong to right, or some other kingdom to win. It was thus that my kin,in the golden age long past, went faring over the land and sea, and mettheir doom at last. They were not home-abiders, nor tillers of the soil;but the world was their abiding-place, and they filled the hearts ofmen."

  And, when his father and mother heard this, they tried no longer tokeep him with them; for they knew that it would be more cruel than thekeeping of a caged bird away from the sunlight.

  "Only go not into Burgundy," said his father. "The kings of that countryare not friendly to us, and they may do you harm. Hagen, the kinsman ofthe kings, and the chief of their fighting-men, is old and crafty, andhe cannot brook a greater hero than himself."

  Siegfried laughed.

  "That is all the better reason why I should go to Burgundy-land," hesaid.

  "Then take ten thousand of my warriors," said his father, "and makeyourself master of the land."

  "No, no!" cried Siegfried. "One kingdom is enough for me. My ownNibelungen Land is all I want. I will take my twelve Nibelungen knightsthat I have with me here, and we will fare forth to see the world andits beauties, and men's work; and, when we have tired with riding, wewill sail across the sea to our Nibelungen home."

  Adventure IX. The Journey to Burgundy-Land.

  For many days before Siegfried's departure, the queen, and all the womenof the household, busily plied their needles; and many suits of richraiment made they for the prince and his worthy comrades. At length thetime for leave-taking came, and all the inmates of the castle went outto the gate to bid the heroes God-speed. Siegfried sat upon his noblehorse Greyfell, and his trusty sword Balmung hung at his side. And hisNibelungen knights were mounted on lordly steeds, with gold-red saddlesand silver trappings chased with gold; and their glittering helmets, andburnished shields, and war-coats of polished steel, when added totheir noble bearing and manlike forms, made up a picture of beauty andstrength such as no one in Santen had ever seen before, or would evers
ee again.

  "Only go not into Burgundy-land," were the parting words of Siegmund.

  And all who had come to bid them farewell wept bitterly as the young menrode out of the city, and were lost to sight in the distance.

  "Only go not into Burgundy-land!" These words of his father soundedstill in Siegfried's ears; and he turned his horse's head towards thewest and south; and they rode through the level country, and among thefields, from which the corn had already been gathered; and at night theyslept in the open air, upon the still warm ground. Thus for many daysthey travelled. And they left the Lowlands far behind them, and Burgundyfar to the left of them; and by and by they came to a country coveredwith high hills, and mountains that seemed to touch the sky. The cragsand peaks were covered with snow, and ice lay all summer in the dalesand in the deep gorges cleft long time ago by giant hands. Here it isthat the rivers take their beginning. And here it is that the purplegrapes and the rare fruits of milder climes are found; for the sunshines warm in the valleys and upon the plains, and the soil isexceeding rich. It is said that these mountains are midway between thecold regions of Jotunheim and the glowing gardens of Muspelheim, andthat, in ages past, they were the scene of many battles between thegiants who would overwhelm the earth,--these with ice, and thosewith fire. Here and there were frowning caves dug out of the solidmountain-side; while higher up were great pits, half-filled with ashes,where, it is said, the dwarf-folk, when they were mighty on earth, hadtheir forges.