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

in great numbers were hewn by them. Then blood was seen to flow over saddles. Thus those bold and worthy knights sought honour. The swords in those heroes’ hands, honed sharp, were heard to ring out loudly there, as the men from the Netherlands pressed forwards in their lord’s wake into the fierce ranks of the enemy. They advanced bravely alongside Sivrit. None of the Rhinelanders
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    was seen to follow him. A bloody brook could be perceived flowing through the bright helmets, the work of Sivrit’s hands, until he then found Liudeger at the forefront of his companions-in-arms. By now
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    Sivrit had made his way backwards and forwards, right through the army three times. Now Hagen had arrived; he helped him carry out his full intent in the battle. That day many a worthy knight had to die before them.
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    When mighty Liudeger found Sivrit and saw him wielding the good sword Balmunc so high in his hands, slaying so many of his men, that lord grew angry and fierce enough. Then there was a huge
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    onrush and the sound of great swords clashing as the two retinues pressed towards one another. The two warriors vied with each other all the more then. The enemy companies started to retreat. Great hostility arose there.
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    The overlord of the Saxons had been told for certain that his brother had been taken captive—he was greatly distressed at that. He didn’t know that it was the work of Siglint’s son. They ascribed it to Gernot. Liudeger found out the truth of the matter afterwards.
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    Liudeger’s blows were so mighty that Sivrit’s warhorse stumbled beneath his saddle. When the charger recovered, bold Sivrit took on a fearsome mien in the attack. Hagen came greatly to his aid, as also
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    did Gernot, Dancwart, and Volker—many of the enemy lay dead at their hands. Sindolt and Hunolt, and Sir Ortwin, proved capable of felling many dead in that battle.
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    The noble princes, Sivrit and Liudeger, were not to be parted in battle. Many javelins were seen flying over helmets, piercing bright shields, thrown by the heroes’ hands. Splendid shield-rims in great numbers bore the mark of blood there. In that fierce onslaught
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    many dismounted from their chargers. Valiant Sivrit and Liudeger ran at one another. Shafts were seen to fly there and many a sharp javelin. Shield-bolts flew apart at Sivrit’s hands. The hero of the
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    Netherlands thought, then, that he would win victory over the bold Saxons, many of whom were seen to be wounded. Ah, what bright chainmail bold Dancwart broke apart there!
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    Then Lord Liudeger recognized a crown painted on the shield in front of Sivrit’s hand. He well knew that it was that mighty man. The hero called out loudly to his allies then: ‘Abandon the attack, all my
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    men! I have seen Sigmunt’s son here, I have recognized mighty Sivrit here! The foul fiend himself has sent him here to Saxony!’
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    He ordered the banners to be lowered in the battle. He then asked for a truce, which was afterwards granted to him, but he had to go as a hostage into Gunther’s land. Bold Sivrit’s hands had wrung that from him. By common counsel they abandoned the battle. They took
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    off many hole-riddled helmets and laid down their broad shields. All the shields and helmets there bore the mark of blood that had flowed at the hands of the Burgundians.
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    They took captive all whom they wanted, as it lay in their power. Gernot and Hagen, those valiant warriors, ordered the wounded to be laid on stretchers. They led five hundred fighting men as captives away with them to the Rhine.
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    The vanquished warriors rode back to Denmark. Nor had the Saxons fought so valiantly there that they could be accorded praise—those heroes were sorry for it. Those doomed to die were then sorelylamented over by their friends. They ordered that all the weapons
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    be loaded onto packhorses and taken back to the Rhine. Sivrit the warrior, along with his heroes, had won the day