New-York tribune., 1909-12-25
THE GERMAN EPIC.
Il Nc5c Tersion of the Nibc-
langeHlied.

THE NIBEIINGENLIED Translated
from the Middle High German. with an
Introductory sketch and notes bv
Daniel Bussier Shumway. Emo pp
XVI. SSe. The HOughton Mifnin Com
psny.
This English version Of the great epic
Of the German race has been prepared
especially. 50 the translator is careful
20 explain in his preface. for the gen
eral reading public. whose interest in the
story Of Siegfried has been stimulated
by Wagner's operas and by the reading
OF such poems as William Morris's
'Sigurd the Nolsung' "A statement 10
which we shall return for a moment al
the end OF this review Prose has been
selected as the medium Of translation.
'since il is hardly possible 10 give an
accurate rendering and at the same time
10 meet the demands imposed by rhyme
and metre" Unlike former prose trans
lators Of the epic. however. Mr.. Shum-
way has avoided too much condensation;
he is true 20 his text. and does not re-
tell il in his own words. not even for the
sake Of greater continuity. The Ian
guage Of his version is simple. Saxon
words being used with consistent pref
erence. and Romance terms introduced
only where they lend color 20 the pict-
ures OF chivalry. Finally. with his au-
dience always in mind. he eschews
obsolete words. while employing archaic
diction 10 heighten the impression OF
time and age.
A comparison Of passages taken more
~ less AZ II . f.1s
this prose version proves that the trans
lation has been made not only with
closest fidelity 10 the original text. but
with literary skill and considerable sue
cess I'm the preservation Of atmosphere
and the poetic spirit. the loss incident
10 transference from one language into
another. and from verse into prose. being.
on the whole. restricted 10 the ever un-
aVoidable and ever regrettable minimum
The three opening strophes OF the epic.
beginning "Uns ist in alien Maeren
wunders Yiel reseit," Mr.. Shumway rem
ders:
Full many a wonder is told Us IN stories
old, ot heroes worthy 81 praise of hard
ships dire. Of joy and feasting 81 the fight
ms OF bold warriors, Of weeping and OF
Ndillng. now ye may hear wonders told.
In Burgundy there grew so noble a maid
tiat IN an The lands none fairer might
there be. kriemhild was she called: a
c0mely woman she became. for whose sake
many a knight must needs lose his life
Mel worth tne loving was this WinsOme
mad Bold knights strOve for her. none
bare her hate. Her peerless body was
virtues of this maid OF noble birth would
have adorned many another woman TOO.
The charm Of metre and rhyme is
I mis- - Il.
peal OF the Middle High German speech.
hut thare is little doubt that the trans
lator has done the best that could be
done when one considers the aim ne
set himself. and its limitations. The
difficulties Of prose translation OF this
conscientious. exacting kind are far
greater than those OF a free" render
ing into verse.
A more difficult test. which the trans
lator sustains laudably well. is the much
admired passage in which Kriemhild's
beauty is compared with the dawn and
the moon (v. PSI. q soq.). "Nu gle diu
minnecliche also der morgenrot." Mr..
Shumway renders this:
Now came she forth. the lovely fair as
/ don the red of dawn from out the lower
! ing clouds. lie then Was ref Of many
NO who bore her IN his heart "a long
! time, when lie saw the lovely maid stand
iofth 30 glorious. How shone fun many
4 precious stone upon her robes. In lovely
wise hvr rose-red hue appeared. What
! ever one might wish. he could not bit
con'ess that never in the World had he
| beneid fairer maid. As the radiant moon
whose sheen Is thrown so brightly ON ~.
] clouds, doth stand before the stare 80
stood she now before fun many a stately
/ dame.
Here the poetic beauty IS preserved
/ by felioitous fidelity 90 the very words
Of the original Turning now 10 the
gloomy end OF the epic. with it's fuInI-
ment % what may be called a leitmotiy.
vie liebe NIT leide re JunEest lomen
kan" We have this version:
IIndehrand sprang in wrath towards
kriemhild FOT fear Of him she suffered
she shricllod 20 frightfully7 He dealt the
queen q grievous sword blow. the which
did cut the ligh h-bofn dame in twain. Vow
al lay low a. death whom fate hsd
doomed. Dietrich and EfEel then began 20
weep. sorely they mourned both kin and
iierefnen. Their mickle hOnors lay there
low in death. the courtiers an had grief
and dresTihead. The kings high feast
lad ended ToW IN woa az Joy doth ever
end in sorluU Al tho last. I cannot tell
sol L-.s which hsySed thereafter. save