Then spake again wild Hagen: “What may be his name,
From whose rich kingdom driven, outcasts you became?
You of wealth are owners, and, if not by his wits forsaken,
To keep such worthy lieges within his land he would some pains have
taken.”
[313]
He asked “Who them had outlawed, and what name he bore?
Of what misdoings guilty, had they to this far shore
Made their flight in sorrow, to ask the help of strangers?”
To him then answered Horant: “To you will we make known our woes and
dangers.
[314]
“He bears the name of ‘Hettel, Lord of the Hegeling land’;
Brave and mighty is he, and sways with a heavy hand.
We of all our happiness have been robbed and plundered;
Of right are we embittered, since from our land and home we now are
sundered.”
[315]
To him spoke Hagen kindly: “This to your good shall turn;
I will in full repay you the losses that you mourn.
If I make myself a beggar, by thus so freely giving,
Yet from the king of the Hegelings you need not ask for help while I
am living.
[316]
“If you, good knights,” he added, “here with me will stay,
With you will I share right gladly the lands I own to-day;
Such guerdon by King Hettel ne’er to you was given.
The wealth from you he has taken, that give I you, and more by
tenfold even.”
[317]
“To stay with you we are ready,” then said Horant the Dane,
“But we fear that when King Hettel shall learn that we were seen
Within the Irish borders, he will find a way to reach us;
And I am ever dreading that we can nowhere live, and this he’ll
teach us.”
[318]
Then to the band of wanderers the lordly Hagen said:
“Do what now I bid you, and a home for you is made.
Never will King Hettel dare for your harm to seek you
Within my land and kingdom; it were a wrong to me from hence to take
you.”
[319]
He bade they should be sheltered, at once, within his town;
Then to his men and lieges he made his wishes known,
That now unto the wanderers all honor should be granted.
The water-weary sailors soon found the rest that they so long had
wanted.
[320]
Then the townsmen freely did the king’s behest;
To do it they were ready: houses, the very best,
Forty, or even over, were empty left, to be taken
By the Danish sailors; their homes, by the king’s good lieges were
willingly forsaken.
[321]
Up on the beach were carried the wares, full many a pile,
That in the ships lay hidden. Their owners thought, the while,
That they would rather struggle with storms upon the water,
Than to seek their luck and welfare in wooing Hilda, Hagen’s lovely
daughter.
[322]
Hagen bade his followers: “Now ask these guests of mine
If they will deign most kindly to eat my bread and wine,
Till they, within my kingdom, on lands they hold are living.”
The Danish Fru-te answered: “To take your food would shame to us be
giving.”
[323]
“If erst the great King Hettel had been to us so good,
That he both gold and silver would give to us for food,
We in our houses had them, and might of them be wasteful;
We e’en could stay our hunger, and feed thereon, if this to us were
tasteful.”
[324]
’Twas bidden then by Fru-te that his booth should be set up.
To see for sale such riches men ne’er again could hope.
Never within their borders did any trader offer
Fine goods at such a bargain; they easily were sold before the day
was over.
[325]
All could buy who wished them, gold and jewels rare.
The king, by greatest kindness, was to his guests made dear.
If any, without buying, still these treasures wanted,
The traders were so friendly that they, as gifts, the goods to many
granted.
[326]
Whate’er of Wâ-te or Fru-te was said by any one,—
Of all the deeds of kindness that here by them were done,—
The tale might not be trusted, how they for these were ready;
They strove to gain high praises, and this at court was told to many
a lady.
[327]
Of the poor nor man nor woman for clothes was seen to lack;
To those in need among them they gave their pledges back,
And from debt they freed them. To the princess, morn and even,
Oft by her faithful steward the tale of these guests from far was
truly given.
[328]
To the king she made her prayer: “Dearest father mine,
Ask that these guests so worthy to ride to court will deign.
They say that one among them hath charms beyond all measure;
Should he to your bidding listen, the sight of him ofttimes would
give me pleasure.”
[329]
To her the king thus answered: “That shall quickly be;
His well-bred ways and bearing I soon will let you see.”
But still the great King Hagen never yet had known him;
Long the ladies waited till Wâ-te came, and they could look upon
him.
[330]
Word to the guests was carried; to them ’twas kindly said,
That if it e’er should happen that they of aught had need,
They should to the king betake them, and his food be sharing.
To Fru-te this was pleasing, for wise he was, not less than he was
daring.
[331]
Those who came from Denmark, when at court, took care
Ever to be blameless for the clothes that they should wear:
’Twas so with the men of Wâ-te, from Sturmland thither faring,
And than himself no sword-knight in any land could show a finer
bearing.
[332]
Those who came with Morunc wore mantles over all,
With robes from far Kampalia. Fiery red, as a coal,
Gold and gems that sparkled on their clothes were shining.
Irold, the daring champion, came not alone, young Hilda bent on
winning.
[333]
Thither came brave Horant; all others he out-vied
In rich and costly clothing. With mantles long and wide,
Gay in hue and gaudy, his men were decked out brightly:
Those brave men from Denmark proudly came, and had a look most
knightly.
[334]
Tho’ Hagen’s birth was kingly, and lordly was his mood,
He yet went forth to meet them. His daughter, fair and good,
Rose up before old Wâ-te from where she now was seated.
Such was Wâ-te’s bearing as if with smiles his friends he never
greeted.
[335]
She said, in way most seemly: “Welcome to you I give;
Both I and the king, my father, must from your looks believe
That you are weary warriors, and sorely have been fighting.
Good-will the king will show you, and soon his faith to you will he
be plighting.”
[336]
To her they all bent lowly; their ways, they were well-bred.
The king then bade to be seated, as hosts are wont to bid.
Of drink to them was given, wine the best and rarest;
Better ne’er was tasted in the home of any lord, albeit the fairest.
[337]
In talk and fun and merriment seated were they all.
Soon the queenly maiden was seen to leave the hall:
But first she begged her father the kindness now to show her
To bid the knights so worthy to come to her, for pastime, to her
bower.
[338]
Her wish the king then granted, (so to us, ’tis said);
His young and lovely daughter at this was truly glad.
Soon fair clothes and jewels the maidens all were wearing;
And earnestly were watching the many knights from far, to see their
bearing.
[339]
When now the elder Hilda sat by her daughter fair,
Each one of her lovely maidens demeaned herself with care;
So that all who saw her high in breeding thought her,
And nothing else could say of her, but that she was indeed a king’s
fair daughter.
[340]
Now bade they that old Wâ-te should to the maids be brought;
Though he was gray and aged, none the less they thought,
To guard against his wooing, they must as children meet him.
Then to the aged Wâ-te stepped forth the youthful queen, right glad
to greet him.
[341]
She was the first to do so, but wished she might be spared
When she now must kiss him: broad and gray was his beard,
And the hair of the aged Wâ-te with golden strings was braided.
He and the Danish Fru-te the queen’s behest to seat them slowly
heeded.
[342]
Both the well-clad heroes before their seats now stood;
Well they knew fine breeding, and made their teaching good.
In many a bitter struggle, in their manhood early,
They gained a name as warriors; and men to them gave praises for it
fairly.
[343]
Queen Hilda and her daughter, in lively, merry mood,
Began to ask of Wâ-te, whether he thought it good,
Thus with lovely ladies to sit in ease and pleasure,
Or if to him ’twere better his strength in stormy fight with foes to
measure?
[344]
The aged Wâ-te answered: “To me the last seems best;
Altho’ among fair ladies glad am I to rest,
Never am I happier than when with knights most daring,
Wherever that may happen, upon the stormy field the fight I am
sharing.”
[345]
At this the gay young maiden broke into laughter loud;
Well she saw, with ladies, his stern, uneasy mood.
With this in the halls yet longer were the maidens merry;
Queen Hilda and her daughter to talk with Morunc’s knights were
never weary.
[346]
She asked about old Wâ-te: “Say, by what name is he known?
Has he any liegemen? Doth he lands and castles own?
Has he a wife and children in the land whence he is roving?
There, as I am thinking, at his home and hearth, there must be
little loving.”
[347]
Then answered one of the warriors: “Both children and a wife
In his home and land await him. His riches and his life
He risketh for his duty; a hero brave he has shown him.
A bold and daring champion, throughout his life, both friend and foe
have known him.”
[348]
Irold the tale was telling about this fearless knight,
That never worthier liegeman, or bolder man in fight,
A king need e’er be seeking, his lands and castles over:
Though mildly now he bears him, there ne’er was found a stronger or
a braver.
[349]
The queen then said to Wâ-te: “Give heed to what I say;
Since in his Danish kingdom Hettel forbids your stay,
I here, within my borders, a home will gladly give you;
There lives no lord so mighty that he would ever dare from hence to
drive you.”
[350]
Then to the queen he answered: “I too, myself, own land;
There give I clothes and horses, at will, with open hand.
To wait on you as liegeman, would make me sorry-hearted;
And from my lands and castles, more than a year, I never can be
parted.”
[351]
At last they all were going: then begged the lovely queen,
That when at court they waited, they always might be seen
Seated among the ladies; no shame by this were done them:
Then said to her brave Irold, that in their home this seat was ever
shown them.
[352]
To load with gifts these wanderers the king was ever bent.
But in a mood so haughty had they been thither sent,
To no man were they willing to be for a mark beholden.
Hagen, the king, was lordly, and took it ill that their pride should
them embolden.
[353]
To the king they now betook them; many were they who came;
There they found, for pastime, for each some merry game:
Draughts were many playing, or spear and shield were trying;
For these they cared but little, but ever were in Hagen’s praises
vying.
[354]
As happens oft in Ireland, with every kind of fun
Forthwith the men made merry. In this old Wâ-te won
A friend for himself in Hagen; but to win the ladies’ praises,
Horant, the knight from Denmark, his time in lightsome frolic with
them passes.
[355]
Fru-te and also Wâ-te were knights full brave and bold;
When standing near each other, both alike looked old.
Their locks were gray and hoary, and with gold were twisted;
But where the bold were needed, to show their bravery earnestly they
listed.
[356]
The followers of King Hagen wore their shields at court,
With clubs as well as bucklers; there they strove in sport,
In the sword-play slashing; thrusts of spears they parried;
Well themselves they shielded. The youthful knights in games were
never wearied.
[357]
Then asked the brave King Hagen of Wâ-te and his men,
“If, where they erst were living, such fights were ever seen,
Or such heavy onslaughts, as his good knights were dealing,
Here in his Irish kingdom?” A smile of scorn o’er Wâ-te’s face was
stealing.
[358]
Then quoth the knight from Sturmland: “The like I never saw;
If any here could teach it, from here would I not withdraw
Till a year was fully ended, and I had learned it rightly.
Whoe’er should be my master, for his care and pains would I not
reward him lightly.”
[359]
The king to him then answered: “For the love to you I bear,
I will bid my best of masters teach you his art with care,
Till the three strokes are easy, that, in field-storms raging,
Men give to one another; by this will you be helped when battle
waging.”
[360]
Then came a fencing-master, and began his craft to show
To Wâ-te, the daring fighter; in him he found a foe
Who fear for his life soon gave him. Wâ-te his onset parried,
With all the skill of a fencer. The face of Fru-te the Dane a smile
now carried.
[361]
To save himself, the teacher gave a spring as wide
As doth an untamed leopard. Wâ-te his weapon plied,
And in his hand it clattered, until the fire-sparks glistened
Upon his foeman’s buckler; he well might thank the youth who to him
had listened.
[362]
Then said the king, wild Hagen: “Give me the sword in hand.
I will take a little pastime with him of the Sturmisch land;
I will be his teacher, and he my four strokes be learning.
He for this will thank me.” Soon was the king high praise from Wâ-te
earning.
[363]
To him old Wâ-te answered: “A pledge I now must hear
That I from you, great Hagen, no guile soe’er may fear;
Should I by you be wounded, with ladies’ scorn shall I redden.”
In the fight was Wâ-te nimble; such quickness to believe should none
be bidden.
[364]
The simple, untaught fencer smote Hagen many a blow;
Till, like a wet brand steaming, was the king before his foe.
The learner outdid his teacher: well his strength he boasted.
The host laid strokes unnumbered upon the guest, who in his skill
had trusted.
[365]
Many looked on gladly to see the strength of both.
To own the skill of Wâ-te the king was nothing loth;
He might have shown his anger, and brought no shame upon him.
Great was the strength of Wâ-te, but yet ’twas seen that Hagen had
outdone him.
[366]
To the king then spake old Wâ-te: “Let each no favor show,
While we together struggle. Well have I learned from you
Your four strokes to be plying; my thanks be you now sharing.”
Such thanks he later showed him as doth a fighting Frank or Saxon
daring.
[367]
No more a truce was thought of by Wâ-te and the king;
With strokes that loud were crashing, the hall began to ring.
Harder blows than ever they gave, as now they battled;
All their thrusts were sudden; the knobs upon their swords snapped
off and rattled.
[368]
The two sat down to rest them; then Hagen said to his guest:
“You fain would be a learner, but you in truth are the best
That ever I was teaching the skill that the foeman dazes.
Wherever you are fighting, you in the field will win most worthy
praises.”
[369]
Then to the king spake Irold: “My lord, the strife is done
That you so well were waging; such fights have we seen won,
In the land of our king and master. Oft, at home, we freely
Try our skill with weapons; knights and squires there meet in
matches daily.”
[370]
Then again spoke Hagen: “Did I this understand,
I never a fighting weapon had taken in my hand.
No youth have I ever met with who was so quick at learning.”
When to these words they listened, the face of many a one to smiles
was turning.
[371]
Now by the king ’twas granted to his guests to pass the day
As they might all be choosing. Glad of this were they,
The men from out the Northland. When the hours grew weary,
They vied huge stones in hurling; or else in shooting arrows made
them merry.
Tale the Sixth.
HOW SWEETLY HORANT SANG.
[372]
It came to pass one evening, good luck did so befall,
That Horant, the knight of Daneland, sang before them all.
His singing was so wondrous that all who listened near him
Found his song well-pleasing; the little birds all hushed their
notes to hear him.
[373]
King Hagen heard him gladly, and with him all his men:
The song of the Danish Horant friends for him did gain.
Likewise the queenly mother hearkened with ear befitting,
As it sounded thro’ the opening where she upon the leaded roof was
sitting.
[374]
Then spake the fair young Hilda: “What is it that I hear?
Just now a song the sweetest was thrilling on mine ear,
That e’er from any singer I heard until this hour.
Would to God in heaven my chamberlain to raise such notes had
power!”
[375]
Then she bade them bring her him who so sweetly sung;
Soon as the knight came forward, thanks were on her tongue.
For her with song the evening blissfully was ended;
By Lady Hilda’s women the minstrel-knight was carefully befriended.
[376]
Then spake the lovely Hilda: “Once more you must let us hear
The songs that you this evening have made to us so dear.
Truly it were blissful every day, at even,
To hear from you such singing; for this would great reward to you be
given.”
[377]
“Since you your thanks, fair lady, have thus on me bestowed,
Every day will I gladly sing you a song as good;
And whoso listens rightly shall find his pains departed,
His cares shall all be lessened, and he henceforth will feel himself
light-hearted.”
[378]
When he his word had given, forthwith he left the queen.
Great reward in Ireland did his singing win;
Never in his birthland had such to him been meted.
Thus did the knight from Denmark give his help to Hettel, as him
befitted.
[379]
Soon as the night was ended, with the early dawn of day,
Horant raised his carol; the birds soon stopped their lay,
And to his song they listened, while in hedges hidden.
The folk who yet were sleeping rested no more, by his sweet tones
upbidden.
[380]
Horant’s song rose softly, higher and yet more sweet;
King Hagen also heard it, while near his wife was his seat.
From out their inner chamber drawn to the roof, they waited;
Their guest of this had warning; and Hilda the young gave ear, where
she was seated.
[381]
The daughter of wild Hagen with her maids around her heard
From where they sat and listened; and now each little bird
Wholly forgot his singing, and in the court-yard lighted;
The warriors hearkened also, and well the song of the Danish
minstrel greeted.
[382]
Thanks to him were given by women and by men;
“But,” said the Danish Fru-te, “would that I ne’er again
Such songs might hear him singing. Whom would he be pleasing?
To whom is my witless nephew such worthless morning-hymns so bent on
raising?”
[383]
Then spake King Hagen’s liegemen: “My lord, let him be heard;
There’s none so sick is lying but would in truth be cheered,
If to the songs he listened which fall from him so sweetly.”
Said Hagen: “Would to Heaven such skill to sing were mine; ’twould
glad me greatly.”
[384]
When the knightly minstrel three songs to the end had sung,
No one there who heard him thought they were too long,
The turn of a hand, not longer, they had thought it lasted,
E’en if they had listened while for a thousand miles a horseman
hasted.
[385]
When his song he ended, and to leave his seat was seen,
The youthful, queenly maiden more blithe had never been,
Nor decked, at early morning, in gayer clothes or better;
Forthwith the high-born lady sent to beg her father now to meet her.
[386]
Then came her father quickly, and on the maiden looked,
While, in a mood of sadness, her father’s chin she stroked;
With her hand she coaxed him, to make her word the stronger,
And said: “My dearest father, bid that he at court may sing yet
longer.”
[387]
He answered: “Best loved daughter, if again, at the hour of eve,
His songs he deigns to sing you, a thousand pounds I’ll give.
But now a mien so lofty these guests of ours are wearing,
To us ’tis not so pleasant here, at court, to give his songs a
hearing.”
[388]
However much she pressed him, would the king no longer stay;
Then strove again young Horant, and never on any day,
Had his knightly song been better. Sick and well together
All lost their wits in hearing, and none could leave who to listen
once came hither.
[389]
The wild beasts in the forest let their pasture grow;
The little worms that creeping through grass are wont to go,
The fishes, too, that ever amidst the waves were swimming,
All now stopped to listen; the singer’s heart with pride was
overbrimming.
[390]
Whatever he might sing to them, to no one seemed it long;
Ill vied with his song the choral which by priests is sung.
Even the bells no longer rang as of yore so sweetly;
Every one who heard him was moved by Horant’s song, and saddened
greatly.
[391]
Then begged the lovely maiden that he to her be brought;
Without her father’s knowledge, she slyly this besought.
From her mother, Hilda, also must the tale be hidden
That unto her, in her bower, unknown to all, the minstrel had been
bidden.
[392]
It was a yielding chamberlain who did the wages gain,
That, for his help, she gave him; red gold it was, I ween.
Glittering and heavy, with armlets twelve, full-weighted.
’Twas thus within her bower the maid, at eventide, the singer
greeted.
[393]
By hidden ways he did it; Horant was glad indeed
That such good-will and kindness, at court, had been his meed.
To win her love for his master from far had he been faring;
To his tuneful skill he owed it that she such friendly will to him
was bearing.
[394]
She bade her faithful chamberlain to stand before the house;
That so there might be no one who could the threshold cross
Until the songs were ended, soon heard with praises truthful.
None went into her bower but Horant only and Morunc the youthful.
[395]
She bade the bard be seated: “Now sing to me once more,”
Thus spake the high-born maiden, “those songs I heard before.
For this I feel sore craving; than aught beside ’tis sweeter
Unto your lays to listen; than any gem or pastime ’tis far better.”
[396]
“If I might dare to sing to you, most fair and lovely maid,
And never need be fearful for this to lose my head,
Thro’ your father’s anger, never will I falter
In any wise to serve you, if in my master’s land you’ll seek a
shelter.”
[397]
He then began a ditty of a mermaid of Amilé,
Which never man nor Christian had learned to sing or say,
Although he may have heard it on some wild, unknown water.
In this the good knight, Horant, gave honor meet at court to Hagen’s
daughter.
[398]
At last, when he the love-song had sung unto the end,
Then said the lovely maiden: “Thanks I give, my friend.”
She drew a ring from her finger, nought of gold were fairer,
And said: “I give it gladly; be this of my good-will to you the
bearer.”
[399]
Now her word she pledged him, and with it gave her hand:
“Should she of a crown be wearer, and ever sway the land,
That ne’er by the hand of any need he be further driven
Than unto her in her castle; there to live in honor would leave be
given.”
[400]
Of all she pressed upon him nothing would he take
Unless indeed a girdle. He said: “Let no man speak,
And say that I the maiden e’er for myself was wooing;
I will to my master bring her, and for this his heart shall be with
bliss o’erflowing.”
[401]
She asked: “Who is thy master? By name how is he known?
Have e’er his liegemen crowned him? And any lands doth he own?
For love of thee, most truly, good-will I bear him ever.”
The knight from Denmark answered: “A king so rich and mighty saw I
never.”
[402]
He said: “To none betray us, most fair and lovely maid;
To thee will I tell most gladly what our master said,
When from his land we started, hither to come at his bidding;
For thy dear sake, fair lady, unto thy father’s land and castle
speeding.”
[403]
She said: “Then tell me freely the errand on which you’re sent
By him you call your master; if my will that way is bent
I shall let you know it truly, before we yet are parted.”
But Horant feared wild Hagen, and began at court to feel himself
faint-hearted.
[404]
To the lady thus he answered: “To you he sends this word,—
That his heart for you is longing; his love alone is stirred.
For him, I beg, fair lady, let now your kindness waken;
He from other women has for your sake his love and longing taken.”
[405]
She said: “May God reward him; such love for me he shows.
If he in birth is my fellow, I fain would be his spouse,
If you will deign to sing to me every morn and even.”
He said: “That will I gladly; to this no care by you need e’er be
given.”
[406]
Quoth he to the queenly Hilda: “Most fair and high-born maid,
There daily live with my master, and long at court have staid,
Twelve minstrels who, before me, earn much higher praises;
But, though sweet their singing, my lord, the king, in song still
better pleases.”
[407]
She said: “If your loving master in song so skilful be,
Of longing for him, truly, I never can be free;
My best of thanks I give him for the love he now is showing,
And, dared I leave my father, gladly from here would I with you be
going.”
[408]
Then spake the knightly Morunc: “Lady, with us there are
Warriors full seven hundred: our weal or woe they share,
And each for this is ready; if once in our hands we have you,
Know you nor fear nor sorrow lest we to meet wild Hagen’s wrath
should leave you.”