It was indeed a wonder, as we the tale have heard,
So strong and brave was Hagen, that Hettel, the Hegeling lord,
Before him held his footing. As soon as, wildly fighting,
They had reached each other, their helmets rang beneath the heavy
smiting.
[506]
But not so quickly ended was yet the stormy fight.
Soon was Hettel wounded by brave King Hagen’s might:
Wâ-te the old of Sturmland, with his kin, to Hettel hasted,
With Irold, too, and Morunc,— knights as good as foemen’s lands e’er
wasted.
[507]
Now came the brave old Fru-te and Wâ-te with his throng:
Knights there were a thousand,— the press of them was strong.
Hettel’s Hegeling kinsmen, well their weapons plying,
Wounded many foemen; on every side stretched low, the men were
lying.
[508]
After bravest fighting, now had reached the land
The followers of Hagen; then crowded to the sand,
After his friends so faithful, a host from Ireland’s borders.
Soon were helmets shattered: grimly they fought to win the maids
from their warders.
[509]
Hagen saw then near him Hettel, the youthful knight:
Many strong and stalwart were shorn of strength outright,
Both by those from Daneland and the Hegeling lieges:
Now to meet wild Hagen every one old Wâ-te loud beseeches.
[510]
Then, by his strength, King Hagen broke thro’ the crowd a path,
And with his sword hewed boldly; well he wreaked his wrath,
Because his much-loved daughter from him by craft was taken;
Coats of mail lay fallen: the wrongs of Hagen hate in him did waken.
[511]
He might not quench his anger with the sword alone;
By the thrust of his heavy long-spear soon were overthrown
Many a knight most daring: never the tale was given
By these unto their kinsmen, of how in the stormy fight their luck
had thriven.
[512]
Now came Wâ-te quickly, the knight well born and good;
Soon of his well-loved kinsmen he saw the flowing blood,
Under the slash of broadswords, out of their armor dripping:
Of those who would have helped him, five hundred wounded men in
death were sleeping.
[513]
Everywhere were gathered friends as well as foes,
All in uproar minged; a mighty din arose.
Wâ-te and wild Hagen rushed on each other madly,
Whoe’er could shun their pathway of all the risk he had fled was
thinking gladly.
[514]
Hagen laid on Wâ-te many a heavy blow,—
Well his strength he wielded. Their helmets were aglow
With fiery sparks outflashing,— like to brands they glittered;
Each cleft the other’s helmet, and ever still, each other’s blows
they bettered.
[515]
The ground beneath was trembling with aged Wâ-te’s stroke:
Scarcely could the maidens of his onslaught shun the shock.
Now the wounds of Hettel his faithful friends were binding;
He then began to ask them where his cousin Wâ-te he could be
finding.
[516]
With Hagen, “of kings the Devil,” he found old Wâ-te soon:
The skill of him of Sturmland to guard himself was shown:
Brave were both these warriors, and oft the tale was spoken
How Wâ-te the bold and Hagen in hardest strife had each his anger
wroken.
[517]
Hagen’s spear was broken erelong on Wâ-te’s shield:
Well in the fight he bore it, and strength enough did wield.
Ne’er on the field of warfare did blows of men fall thicker,
Even of bravest warriors; Wâ-te scorned to flinch, or seem the
worker.
[518]
Hagen cleft the head-piece of Hettel’s brave old man,
The trusty, daring Wâ-te, till blood from his helmet ran,
From out his wounds fast flowing. Now the wind blew colder,
For eventide was nearing; the struggling throng in fight but grew
the bolder.
[519]
Wâ-te gave back in anger each grim and deadly blow,
Making the blood, like tear-drops, on Hagen’s breast to flow;
Strokes he gave his foeman, until the sword-blade glittered
On the bosses of his helmet; daylight before his darkened eyesight
flittered.
[520]
Wounded, too, was Irold, Ortland’s champion brave.
Though many there lay dying from the wounds that Hagen gave,
Yet the blows of Wâ-te still did Hagen batter.
Sorely wept the maidens when of so many swords they heard the
clatter.
[521]
Now, in fear and sorrow, Hilda, the maiden fair,
Cried unto King Hettel, and begged of him to spare
Her father from old Wâ-te, the fight so grimly waging.
He called for his standard-bearer, and bade him lead his men where
the strife was raging.
[522]
Then the kingly Hettel right well and bravely fought;
Soon he found old Wâ-te, to whom no joy it brought:
Then Hettel called to Hagen: “Let hatred hence be driven;
So shall it raise your honor, if now our friends no more to death be
given.”
[523]
Hagen shouted loudly,— fell indeed was his mood,—
“Who bids that we be parted?” Then cried the warrior good:
“I bid it, I, King Hettel, the Hegelings’ lord and master,
Who for the Lady Hilda sent my friends so far, from you to wrest
her.”
[524]
Then spake the lordly Hagen: “Since first to me ’twas told
How you to win my daughter showed yourself so bold,
This to your name with warriors shame has ne’er been doing;
Clever was the cunning to which your winning of my child is owing.”
[525]
Hettel then sprang nearer, as oft by one is done,
Who thinks to stop the fighting. Grim was the mood yet shown
By the bold and aged Wâ-te; but he and Hagen yielded:
Then with all his followers Hagen stepped back, nor longer his
weapon wielded.
[526]
Now the lordly Hettel his helmet laid aside;
A truce was loudly called for by all, both far and wide;
’Twas said by Hilda’s father there was an end of fighting:
For many a day, the maidens had heard no tale their ears so much
delighting.
[527]
The men took off the armor which they in fight had worn,
And now at last they rested. Many then must mourn
For wounds, in warfare given, whence the blood was welling;
But many lay there also who never more on thoughts of war were
dwelling.
[528]
Then stepped forth King Hettel and near to Hagen stood,
And thus he spake to the warrior: “Since I well have wooed
Your lovely daughter Hilda, ’tis fit that you allow her
To wear the crown beside me: my many well-bred knights will fealty
show her.”
[529]
Then Hettel sent for Wâ-te, of whom he was in need;
For many years now ended, of him it had been said
That he from some wild woman had learned a leech’s cunning:
Wâ-te, forsooth, was skilful to heal deep wounds and stanch the
life-blood running.
[530]
Wâ-te laid by his weapons; his wounds he first had bound.
Herbs that were good for healing by him were quickly found;
He had a box full costly, that in it held a plaster.
Now the fair Queen Hilda besought his help, and at his feet she cast
her.
[531]
She said, “My dear friend Wâ-te, my father heal, I pray;
For this, whate’er you ask me, I ne’er will say you nay;
And help his warriors also, who in the dust lie bleeding,
And show your skill to his liegemen who stood by him, when he their
help was needing.
[532]
“Nor must you be forgetful of those of the Hegeling land,
Who were friends to Hettel; wet with their blood is the sand
On which they now are lying, as if a rain were falling:
Sorrowful tales of their fighting for me there ne’er can be an end
of telling.”
[533]
Then spake the aged Wâ-te: “Their wounds I cannot heal,—
In that I will not meddle, until as friends they feel
Each unto the other,— Hagen brave and knightly,
And Hettel, my lord and master; till then shall I withhold my skill
most rightly.”
[534]
The high-born maiden answered: “This I may not dare
To ask of the king, my father; his tears I did not spare,
And now have not the boldness to bring to him my greeting;
Both he and all his kinsmen I fear would now my love with scorn be
meeting.”
[535]
Then ’twas asked of Hagen: “My lord, may this now be,
That it would not stir your anger your daughter here to see,
The youthful, queenly Hilda? If you for this are willing,
She will come most gladly, and soon your many wounds will help in
healing.”
[536]
“Gladly will I see her, whatever she has done;
To me will she be welcome: why should I her disown,
Here in a land of foemen, nor take her greeting kindly?
To me and to my daughter, King Hettel must atone for deeds
unfriendly.”
[537]
Horant, the knight from Daneland, led her by the hand,
And with him went brave Fru-te, to where the king did stand;
One maiden only with them looked on Hagen wounded.
For friends did Hilda sorrow, though Hettel’s love for her was all
unbounded.
[538]
On Hildeburg and Hilda when Hagen now did look,
Then, from his seat upspringing, thus he quickly spoke:
“Welcome be thou, my daughter, Hilda, most noble lady!
I cannot leave unspoken the greeting warm which I to give am ready.”
[539]
His daughter he allowed not the care of his wounds to take;
While Wâ-te these was binding he bade the maids step back,—
The youthful high-born ladies. Wâ-te’s wish was the stronger
To heal her father quickly, that so his daughter there might weep no
longer.
[540]
Healed with plants and herbage and many a far-sought weed,
From all his pain did Hagen feel himself now freed;
They eased his hurts with plaster, and when again the maiden
Turned to see her father, she found him well, with aches no longer
laden.
[541]
Wâ-te, the healing-master, made haste,—no time he lost;
He hoped to gain such riches among this wounded host,
That scarce could they by camels be carried to his dwelling.
A skill so great and wondrous never, that I have heard, have men
been telling.
[542]
First he healed King Hettel, the lord of the Hegeling land;
Then all he saw there wounded he helped by his skilful hand.
Those in the care of others still with pain did sicken;
But they, when nursed by Wâ-te, were turned to life, tho’ they by
death were stricken.
[543]
There would they no longer let the maidens stay.
Hagen said to Hilda: “Elsewhere must we to-day
Find us rest and shelter; while others must not idly
Leave the dead thus lying, who burial scarce can wait, here
scattered widely.”
[544]
Hettel begged King Hagen with him to his home to go;
Though loath, to this he yielded, as soon as he came to know
That he, the king of the Hegelings, of many lands was owner:
Hagen then with his daughter went with him to his home, and there
had honor.
[545]
The youthful knights were singing, as they left the field.
Happy then were the living; but, never to be healed,
They behind were leaving three hundred dead and dying,
The rich and poor together, slashed with the sword, and pitifully
lying.
[546]
Then the war-worn fighters through the land went home;
All who there were dwelling were blithe to see them come:
But the kinsmen of the warriors who in death lay sleeping
Were slow their hearts to gladden; they for kindred slain long time
were weeping.
[547]
Hettel and Hilda with him took their homeward way.
Many, bereft of fathers, sorely wept that day,
Whose after life was happy. The mighty Hettel later
Crowned the fair young Hilda; by this the Hegeling name became the
greater.
[548]
Hettel now had thriven,— his suit he well did gain.
Old and young together with swords at court were seen,
As were the guests of Hagen who from the ships came kindly.
The wedding of his daughter was highly praised by Hagen, now grown
friendly.
[549]
Then with what great honor to the bridal seat was led
That high-born, lovely lady! Moreover, it is said
That full five hundred liegemen then at court were knighted.
Fru-te the wise from Denmark to guard King Hettel’s wealth was
thought well fitted.
[550]
The riches of King Hettel by Hagen now were seen;
The tale had erst been told him by many of Hettel’s kin,
That over seven princedoms well his sway had thriven.
All the poor there with them were home in gladness sent, and
lodgings given.
[551]
Hettel gave rich clothing to Ireland’s warriors brave;
Bright-red gold and silver, and horses, too, he gave.
The whole they scarce could carry, as they homeward wended:
Thus good friends he won him, and this for Hilda in highest praises
ended.
[552]
Upon the twelfth day’s morning they left King Hettel’s land.
The horses bred in Denmark led they out on the sand;
Each his mane, thick hanging, down to his hoofs was shaking.
The guests from afar were happy that they King Hettel’s friendship
had been making.
[553]
Grooms and also stewards with Hagen then did ride,
With cup-bearers and carvers. Ne’er, in his greatest pride,
In his home and kingdom, had he been served so truly.
The crown was worn by Hilda, and Hagen’s heart with bliss was
brimming fully.
[554]
Food as well as lodgings they found upon their road;
On Hagen and his followers all men their care bestowed:
So to their homes most gladly they the tale did carry
Of how the friends of Hettel in showing them all kindness ne’er were
weary.
[555]
Hagen greeted Hildeburg, and clasped her in his arms;
He said, “Watch over Hilda for the love your bosom warms.
So great a throng of followers at times a woman dazes;
Care for her so kindly that of your worth all men shall speak with
praises.”
[556]
“My lord, that will I gladly: to you has much been told
Of the woes that with her mother I bore in days of old;
And I for years my friendship for her did never loosen;
Her for miles I followed ere for a lover you by her were chosen.”
[557]
Hagen bade the others their way to court to take;
Never then could the maidens an end of weeping make:
Now by the hand he took them, and to Hettel they were given;
He asked for them his kindness, since from their homes they sadly
had been riven.
[558]
Then said he to his daughter: “So well the crown now wear,
That neither I nor your mother the tale shall ever hear
That men ill-will do bear you. High your lot has raised you,
And you of blame were worthy, if when men spoke your name they never
praised you.”
[559]
Low bowed to the king wild Hagen, and kissed his child again.
Neither by him nor his followers ever more was seen
The kingdom of the Hegeling: too far away was their dwelling.
Back to his home in Ballian, in his trusty ships, King Hagen soon
was sailing.
[560]
When he had reached his castle, and sat with the queen alone,
The mother of fair Hilda, Hagen was free to own
That none to win his daughter more fitly could have pleaded;
And if he had yet others, he fain to the Hegeling land would send
them to be wedded.
[561]
Hilda for this gave praises to her master, Christ the Lord:
“That I of my dear daughter such happy news have heard
Fills my heart with gladness, and with bliss o’erflowing.
How fares it with her followers, and Hildeburg, who long her love
was showing?”
[562]
Then spake the kingly Hagen: “Now in their land and home
All of them are happy; great hath our child become;
Ne’er, with us, were her maidens clothed in such fine dresses.
There we now must leave them: for her were many breastplates hacked
to pieces.”
Tale the Ninth.
HOW GUDRUN WAS SOUGHT BY SIEGFRIED.
[563]
We speak no more of Hagen. A word may now be told
About King Hettel’s kinsmen: they who land did hold
Ever owed him fealty for these and for their castles;
To court they all came often when Hettel and Hilda sent to call
their vassals.
[564]
Wâ-te went to Sturmland, Morunc to Nifland rode;
Horant, prince of Denmark, led his warriors good
To Givers, by the seashore, where as lord they held him;
There their homes they guarded, and many, far and wide, their master
called him.
[565]
With mighty sway in Ortland Irold had his seat;
Its lands he held of Hettel; so, as a vassal meet,
Near and far to serve him, his duty was the greater:
The king was brave and worthy; and ne’er for a lord of lands was
known a better.
[566]
If ever in any kingdom Hettel heard them speak
Of a fair and well-born maiden, her he sought to take
Into his home and castle, as handmaid to his lady:
Whatever Hilda wished for, to help wild Hagen’s child they all were
ready.
[567]
The king, with his wife beside him, was happy on the throne;
Their life was ever blissful. To all in the land ’twas known
That better far and dearer than all on earth he thought her.
Never by all his kinsmen a lovelier could be found, where’er they
sought her.
[568]
Within seven years thereafter Hettel, in stormy fight,
Thrice to his foes gave battle. They who, day and night,
To wrong his name and honor did their utmost gladly,
Now by the knightly Hettel found themselves brought low and
chastened sadly.
[569]
His castles he did strengthen, and peace he gave to his land,
As well a king befitteth: such were the deeds of his hand,
That never in any kingdom, when his name was spoken,
Was it said he was faint-hearted. The praise of all did well his
worth betoken.
[570]
While, with name so worthy, Hettel held the throne,
Wâ-te, the man of wisdom, never left undone
His duty to his master, to see him three times yearly;
Truly he was faithful, far and near, to the lord he held so dearly.
[571]
Horant, the lord from Denmark, to court not seldom rode;
Costly gems and clothing on the maids he there bestowed,
With gold and silken raiment, meet for women’s wearing:
He from Daneland brought them, and to all who wished was he of gifts
unsparing.
[572]
The service true and steady that the liegemen of the king
Gave to the lordly Hettel honor to him did bring.
Praised was he for knighthood more than any other:
This Hilda also furthered, a queen herself, and child of a queenly
mother.
[573]
Hilda, Hagen’s daughter, children two did bear
Unto her lord, King Hettel: to bring them up with care
His faithful friends were bidden. Soon among his vassals
Were the tidings bruited that an heir no more was lacking for his
lands and castles.
[574]
One became a warrior, Ortwin was his name;
To Wâ-te he was trusted. It was the teacher’s aim
That he from early boyhood should his thoughts be turning
To all things good and worthy; to be a trusty knight he thus was
learning.
[575]
The very comely daughter of Hilda and the king
Was called Gu-drun the lovely: from the land of the Hegeling
To Denmark she was carried, to be in her kinsmen’s wardship.
Thus they helped King Hettel, and this they never felt to be a
hardship.
[576]
When the maid grew older, her shape became so fair
That neither man nor woman to praise her could forbear:
Far from the maiden’s birthplace, all her worth were telling.
Gu-drun her kinsfolk called her, in the Danish land where now she
had her dwelling.
[577]
That age she now was reaching when, had she been a man,
A sword she might have wielded. Many a prince was fain
To wed the lovely maiden, and sought her love and favor;
But many came a-wooing who soon their hopes must lose, and win her
never.
[578]
However fair was Hilda, Hettel’s lovely wife,
Yet was Gu-drun more lovely, and fair beyond belief;
More fair than the early Hilda, erst to Ireland carried.
Above all other women Gu-drun was praised, ere yet the maid was
married.
[579]
Her father scorned to give her to the king of Alzabé;
When he heard he could not win her to him ’twas a sorry day.
He held himself most highly for all his kingly graces,
And thought there could be no one whose deeds, like his, were worthy
of men’s praises.
[580]
Both brave he was and daring, and from the Moorland came:
He was known afar and widely, Siegfried was his name;
A king was he full mighty over vassals seven.
He sued for Hilda’s daughter, such tales of her lofty worth to him
were given.
[581]
He, with his faithful liegemen from far Icaria’s strand,
Won many costly prizes there in Hettel’s land:
His strong and doughty warriors, in sight of ladies seated
Before King Hettel’s castle, in games of knighthood often there were
mated.
[582]
When Hilda and her daughter passed the hall within,
Before the house of Wigaleis there rose a mighty din
From warriors of the Moorland, who, all boldly dashing,
Rode in the sight of the women; oft of spears and shields was heard
the clashing.
[583]
Never could knight in tilting better in this behave.
A friendly will she bore him, and oft kind words she gave,
Though he was brown to look on, and in hue was dusky even.
He for her love was yearning, yet for a wife she ne’er to him was
given.
[584]
This pained him beyond measure, and truly he was wroth
That he from far had ridden, yet gave she not her troth.
To burn the land of Hettel then did he threaten madly:
His followers from Moorland, when now his hopes were lost, were
mourning sadly.
[585]
From him was the maid withholden by Hettel’s lofty pride;
And now their loving friendship was ended on either side.
Then swore the Moor that never he his hate would slacken,
And that the grudge he bore him, whate’er befell, should never be
forsaken.
[586]
Then from the land of the Hegeling rode they all away.
When many years were ended, there came at last a day
When by a knight most worthy was bitter sorrow tasted;
Then the foes of Herwic did him the worst they could, nor in it
rested.
Tale the Tenth.
HOW HARTMUT SENT TO WOO GUDRUN.
[587]
Now in the land of Normandy the tale was widely told,
That never fairer maiden did any man behold
Than was King Hettel’s daughter, Gu-drun, the high-born lady.
A king, whose name was Hartmut, to her then turned his love, to woo
her ready.
[588]
Gerlind, Hartmut’s mother, her wish to him made known,
That he should woo the maiden; her word he followed soon.
First they sent for his father, when they of this had spoken;
He bore the name of Ludwig, and in Norman lands he wore the kingly
token.
[589]
Then the aged father rode to see his son.
Of the end that he was seeking had Ludwig knowledge won;
But when to him he hearkened, and learned his wishes wholly,
Evil he foreboded, yet still the youth’s fond hopes upheld he fully.
[590]
“Who tells you,” said King Ludwig, “she is so very fair?
Tho’ she all lands were owning, the home is not so near,
Wherein the maid is dwelling, that we should go a-wooing;
If we sent our men before us to ask her love, their task they would
soon be ruing.”
[591]
Then did Hartmut answer: “For me ’tis not too far;
Whene’er the lord of a kingdom no pain or toil doth spare
To win a wife and riches, he gains a life-long blessing.
My wish, I pray you, follow; let men be sent, that they my suit be
pressing.”
[592]
Then spake his mother, Gerlind, of Normandy the queen:
“Letters must now be written; let clothes, the best e’er seen,
With gold, to those be given upon your errand speeding;
They, too, must learn the roadways that towards the home of fair
Gu-drun are leading.”
[593]
Then spake again King Ludwig: “Know you not full well
That Hilda, the maiden’s mother, did erst in Ireland dwell?
And know you not what happened to many a one who sought her?
Her kin are proud and lofty, and now will scorn the love we shall
have brought her.”
[594]
Then young Hartmut answered: “Tho’ with a warlike band
I afar must seek her, over sea and land,
That shall I do most willingly: my heart to her is given,
And never will I rest me till I for Hilda’s daughter happily have
striven.”
[595]
“Gladly will I help you,” King Ludwig then did say:
“Let this now make you happy; erelong, upon the way
I’ll send twelve sumpter-horses bearing silver treasure;
That when they hear our errand, our wealth and worth they may more
rightly measure.”
[596]
By Hartmut then were chosen sixty men, to send
To woo the fair young maiden, and help to him to lend;
With food and clothing also well were they outfitted,
And on the road well guided: Ludwig was wise, and was in this
foresighted.
[597]
When everything was ready that soon the men would need,
Then were letters written, sealed, and given with speed,
Both by brave young Hartmut and his queenly mother.
Then from home they started; so proud a throng there never was
another.
[598]
Fast they rode and steadily for many a day and night,
Until the land they sought for came at last in sight,
And they might tell the errand they were thither bringing.
Long was Hartmut waiting, while love and care were in his heart
upspringing.
[599]
Over land and rivers they took their toilsome way,
As far as in days a hundred a pasturing herd may stray,
Until the land of the Hegelings lay before them stretching.
Their steeds were worn and weary ere they gave the letters they were
fetching.
[600]
At last they far had ridden, and to the sea had come,
Upon the shores of Denmark: sadly they long did roam,
Before they reached the kingdom, and its lord did know them;
Now they begged for guidance, and men were bid the nearest way to
show them.
[601]
The news was given to Horant, the knight well-bred and bold;
Now asked the errand-bearers, and the truth to them was told,
About King Hettel and Hilda, and all they had been hearing.
They saw the men of Hettel coming in throngs, their shields and
weapons bearing.
[602]
Horant, lord of Daneland, then to his liegemen spake,
And bade for the errand-bearers a safeguard now to make,
And that the men of Hartmut should be by them well guided
To the court of his lord, King Hettel; they grudged no toil, and
well his bidding heeded.