Free The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) by Cyril Edwards

princes past one another, as if blown by the wind. With their reins they wheeled the horses away in most knightly fashion. The two fierce men tried their fortunes with swords. * Then Lord Sivrit struck such a blow that all the plain
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    resounded. From Liudegast’s helmet the flame-red sparks flew up then, as if out of great fires, at that blow from the hero’s hands. Each met his match in the other. Sir Liudegast, for his part, struck great
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    numbers of fierce blows against Sivrit. Both their shields bore a heavy burden because of their valour. Thirty of Liudegast’s men were on patrol nearby, but before they could come to him, Sivrit, however, had won the victory by striking three mighty wounds through the
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    king’s shining breastplate, good though it was. The sword’s blades brought forth blood from his wounds. King Liudegast was devastated. He
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    asked that he might be allowed to live and offered Sivrit his lands, * telling him he was called Liudegast. Then his warriors arrived—they had clearly seen what had taken place between those two lookouts.
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    Sivrit wanted to lead Liudegast away, but then he was charged at by thirty of his men. The hero’s hands then defended his powerful hostage with violent blows. Thereafter that most gallant warrior caused even more damage. Full of valour, he slew those thirty. He allowed
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    one of them to live. He rode back fast enough to tell tidings of what had happened there. They could see the truth of it by his red helmet.
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    The men of Denmark were most sorely grieved when they were told that their lord was taken prisoner. They told his brother of this. He began to go berserk, raging with anger because of the wrong that had been done him.
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    The warrior Liudegast was led away, overcome by Sivrit’s strength, to Gunther’s men. Sivrit handed him over to Hagen. When they were told that it was the king of the Danes they were not unduly sorry. They told the Burgundians to bind their banners. ‘On,
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    now!’ said Sivrit. ‘More is to be done here before the day ends, if I live so long. Comely women in the land of the Saxons, great numbers of them, will grieve over this. You heroes from the Rhine, look to me.
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    I can give you good escort into Liudeger’s army, and then you will see helmets hewn by worthy heroes’ hands. Before we turn back, they will make sorrow’s acquaintance.’
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    Gernot and his men hastened to their chargers. Lord Volker, that mighty minstrel, quickly hoisted the banner—he rode at the head of the company. The retinue were also proudly prepared for battle.
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    Yet they led with them no more than nine thousand men, as well as twelve warriors. * The dust then flew up from the roads! Over the land they rode. Their shield-rims were seen to shine splendidly in great numbers there.
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    By then the Saxons had also arrived with their companies, with good sharp swords, as I have since heard tell. Those swords cut hard in the heroes’ hands. They were intent on defending their castles and land against the foreigners.
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    The captain of his lords’ companies, Hagen, then led his army forwards. Sivrit had also arrived with the men he had brought with him from the Netherlands. Great numbers of bloody hands were in the onslaught that day. Sindolt and Hunolt, and also Gernot, slew
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    heroes in great numbers in that attack, before the Saxons had fully grasped how valiant they were. That gave cause for noble women in great numbers to weep in time to come.
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    Volker and Hagen, and also Ortwin, dimmed the shine of helmets in great numbers in the battle, as the blood flowed—those battlesome * warriors! Many a marvel was wrought by Dancwart there.
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    The men of Denmark tried their luck well. Many a rim was then heard to resound in the charge, and sharp swords also rang out, striking many blows there. The Saxons, battle-bold, * did plenty of damage there.
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    When the men of Burgundy pressed into the battle, gaping wounds