knight; the lords Sindolt and Hunolt, liegemen of these three
kings, had rule of the court and of its honors. Thereto had they many
a warrior whose name I cannot tell. Dankwart was marshal; his nephew,
Ortwin, seneschal unto the king; Sindolt was cupbearer, a chosen knight;
Hunolt served as chamberlain; well they wot how to fill these lofty
stations. Of the forces of the court and its far-reaching might, of
the high worship (18) and of the chivalry these lords did ply with joy
throughout their life, of this forsooth none might relate to you the
end.

In the midst of these high honors Kriemhild dreamed a dream, of how she
trained a falcon, strong, fair, and wild, which, before her very eyes,
two eagles rent to pieces. No greater sorrow might chance to her in all
this world. This dream then she told to Uta her mother, who could not
unfold it to the dutiful maid in better wise than this: "The falcon
which thou trainest, that is a noble man, but thou must needs lose him
soon, unless so be that God preserve him."

"Why speakest thou to me of men, dear brother mine? I would fain ever be
without a warrior's love. So fair will I remain until my death, that I
shall never gain woe from love of man."

"Now forswear this not too roundly," spake the mother in reply. "If ever
thou shalt wax glad of heart in this world, that will chance through the
love of man. Passing fair wilt thou become, if God grant thee a right
worthy knight."

"I pray you leave this speech," spake she, "my lady. Full oft hath it
been seen in many a wife, how joy may at last end in sorrow. I shall
avoid them both, then can it ne'er go ill with me."

Thus in her heart Kriemhild forsware all love. Many a happy day
thereafter the maiden lived without that she wist any whom she would
care to love. In after days she became with worship a valiant here's
bride. He was the selfsame falcon which she beheld in her dream that her
mother unfolded to her. How sorely did she avenge this upon her nearest
kin, who slew him after! Through his dying alone there fell full many a
mother's son.

ENDNOTES:
(1) "Nibelungenlied", the lay of the Nibelungs. The ordinary
etymology of this name is 'children of the mist'
("Nebelkinder", O.N. "Niflungar"), and it is thought to have
belonged originally to the dwarfs. Piper, I, 50, interprets
it as 'the sons of Nibul'; Boer, II, 198, considers
"Hniflungar" to be the correct Norse form