Gudrun

Tale I

How Hagen Was Carried Off by the Griffin

Sigeband, king of Ireland, after the death of his father, marries a princess of Norway, who bears him a son, Hagen. During the celebration of a court festival, Hagen, now seven years old, while outside the castle in the care of his attendants, is caught up by a griffin, and borne to his nest in a distant land.

In olden days in Ireland a king to greatness came
Who bore the name of Sigeband; Ger was his father’s name.
Queen U-te was his mother; she of a king was daughter;
High was her worth and goodness, and well her love beseemed the lord who sought her.

The sway of Ger was mighty, as unto all is known;
He many lands and castles and lordships seven did own:
Four thousand knights or over he thence was often leading,
And wealth, and name yet greater, he daily won, with those who did his bidding.

Now the youthful Sigeband to his father’s court must go,
That he might there be learning all he had need to know—
To bear the spear in riding, to thrust it, and to shield him,
That when he met the foeman, the better fame thereby the fight would yield him.