With the savage band on either hand, she wept and tore her hair. Poor innocent! to my heart it went to see her sobbing there. They would have borne her off alive; it needed but a blow. Her head I split - I'm proud of it-I saved my true love so. I killed my love, to save my love, I, Walter of Acquitaine. Pierced like a sieve and streaming blood, but alive enough to kill; I drove them back to seek for help, and scared them down the hill. They left me there by Hildegund, where, in her blood, she slept; I held her with a trembling hand, and knelt by her and wept. There was none to weep for Hildegund but Walter of Acquitaine. My life is weary, Hildegund, my weapon clogged with slain. Close to thy face I take my place; here come the Huns again! My strength and blood are ebbing fast, my days will soon be o'er, But to spread a bed for us two dead, I want to kill some more. A funeral couch for Hildegund and Walter of Acquitaine. SCRAPS FROM A PROJECTED TRANSLATION OF THE NIBELUNGEN LIED. THE HEROINE. FROM THE FIRST ADVENTURE. Und ist in alten maren u. 8. W. TO us in ancient story be many wonders told A maiden full noble in Burgundy upgrew, So might be none fairer the lands of earth all through. There were three kings that watched her, three kings of might and name, Günther and Gemot those heroes without blame, And Giselher the youthful a choice and gallant blade, These princes had to keep her, their sister was the maid. HER DREAM. In disen hohen eren u. 8. W. A dream dreamed Chriemhilt who walked in virtue's ways, So will I stay a fair maid until my dying day Abjure it not so stoutly then did her mother say That cometh through man's love alone thou wilt be very fair, And therefore God assigns thee a knight beyond compare. „Let be" she said "thy counsel, O lady mother mine! It hath to many women been clearer than sunshine That sorrow is love's wages. This have they to lament. Thus in her lofty. virtue that she kept in its prime He was the very falcon the dream to her depicted, Explained her by her mother. What vengeance she inflicted. Upon her nearest kinsmen, by whom the deed was done! So through the death of him alone died many a mother's son. THE HERO. FROM THE SECOND ADVENTURE. Do wuchs in Niederlanden u. S. W. There grew up in the Lowlands a noble monarch's child. Siegfried he was y-cleped, that self same gallant good, Before this valiant warrior to manhood well had grown THEIR MEETING. FROM THE THIRD ADVENTURE. Nu gie diu minneliche u. s. W. Forth came the lovely maiden as comes the morning red, As floats the silver full-moon the starry host before, doth pour, So shone she in her beauty before each other dame; Well might the hearts of many be fluttered as she came! The chamberlains so wealthy before her led the way; Within himself thus spake he, "How can it ever be There did the son of Sieglind before them fairly stand LEONORA. YALE LITERARY MAGAZINE, 1840. (This I believe to be the first version of Bürgers famous ballad ever published in the metre of the original. At the same time I make the assertion with diffidence, knowing how difficult it is to prove a negative of this sort. In the Autumn of 1846 Clarence Mangan contributed to the Dublin University Magazine what he supposed to be the first version ever made in the original metre, and, some years later, Albert Smith published one for which he advanced the same claim. On the appearance of Mangan's translation Mr. Cullen Bryant did me the honor to approve of and republish mine.) LEONORA, as the day dawned red He had gone with King Frederick's might No letters came declaring If he still well were faring. The monarch and the empress proud Of lengthened war fatigued, Their haughty hearts at last had bowed, And all the host with shout and song And here and there and everywhere But none Leonora meeteth, None kisseth her or greeteth. She searched the ranks right through and through, But no one aught of William knew So when the army all had passed Her mother hastens to the place, "Help, help, Oh God! Look kindly down! |