Now within the castle were all in saddest mood;
So men to-day might sorrow. Whate’er the foemen would,
There did they lay hands on, and took from out the dwelling.
Rich grew Hartmut’s followers,— you well may trust that I the truth
am telling.
[796]
Then came the bold young Hartmut where he Gu-drun could see,
And said: “Most worthy lady, you erst looked down on me;
But now both I and my followers think of your kin so little,
We will not seize and hold them, but slay and hang them, so the
strife to settle.”
[797]
Then said the maiden only: “Alas! O father mine,
Had you of this been knowing, that I, a child of thine,
One day from out your kingdom would thus by foes be stolen,
Never to me, poor maiden, such woe and sorry shame had here
befallen.”
[798]
Then was the gold and clothing borne out by the robber band:
Forth they took Queen Hilda, led by her snow-white hand.
Matelan’s goodly castle they would have burned up gladly;
For what became of the dwellers the Normans never cared, nor thought
of sadly.
[799]
But Hartmut now had bidden that it should not be burned,
To leave the land he hastened, and home again he turned,
Before ’twas known to Hettel, who with his men was lying
Within the Waalisch marches, and there against his foe his strength
was trying.
[800]
“Leave your stolen booty!” to his men young Hartmut said;
“At home my father’s riches will I give to you instead:
Thus o’er the watery pathway our sail will be the lighter.”
To Gu-drun the hand of Ludwig brought a heavy wrong, and woe full
bitter.
[801]
They overthrew the castle, the town with fire they burned;
From it the best was taken; with wealth they homeward turned:
Two and sixty women thence with them they carried,
And many lovely maidens. With heartfelt woe was queenly Hilda
wearied.
[802]
How were they filled with sadness to leave the wine behind!
Now did the queenly mother a seat in the window find,
And looked upon her daughter, from home in sorrow turning.
Many a stately lady the Normans left in tears, and bitterly
mourning.
[803]
Weeping now and wailing was heard on either hand;
No one there was happy, when from the father-land
The foe with Hilda’s daughter and with her maidens hasted.
Many, now but children, for this, when men, to work them woe ne’er
rested.
[804]
Those who were seized by Hartmut down to the shore he took;
All their lands were wasted; their homes went up in smoke.
Now his hopes and wishes happily were granted:
Both Gu-drun and Hildeburg he with him carried off,—the prize he
wanted.
[805]
Well he knew that Hettel was many a league away,
And war was grimly waging; no more would Hartmut stay.
Yet from the Hegeling kingdom no whit too fast he speeded,
For word was sent by Hilda to Hettel and his friends, that much
their help was needed.
[806]
How mournful were the tidings before the king she laid!—
That in his home and castle his knights were lying dead,
Or else were left by Hartmut now with death-wounds bleeding;
That foes had seized his daughter, and with her many maids were
homeward speeding.
[807]
She said: “Now tell King Hettel that I am here alone;
Evil hath me o’ertaken, and now, with pride o’ergrown,
Our mighty foeman, Ludwig, back to his land is faring;
A thousand men or better lie at our gates, and the pains of death
are bearing.”
[808]
Quickly then went Hartmut, and, ere three days were o’er,
On board his keels was ready; these the plunder bore,
As much as they could carry, whate’er his men had stolen.
The men of brave King Hettel were dazed and stunned by all that had
befallen.
[809]
What further did betide them, who in truth can tell?
Loud on the ear it sounded, as they shifted the flapping sail,
And away from the Hegeling kingdom, unto an isle forsaken,
They their barks were turning; the name of Wulpensand—or shore of
the wolves—it had taken.
Tale the Sixteenth.
HOW HILDA SENT TO HETTEL AND HERWIC TO ASK THEIR HELP AGAINST HARTMUT.
[810]
The fair and queenly Hilda, with all her will and mind,
Gave her thoughts now wholly trusty men to find
To bear the tale to Hettel. Her heart indeed was riven
By the wrongful deeds of Hartmut, and food for tears he to her eyes
had given.
[811]
To Herwic and her husband she bade that it be said
That foes had seized her daughter, that many knights lay dead;
And she was left in wretchedness, lonely and forsaken;
That all her gold and jewels the Normans on their way had with them
taken.
[812]
Quickly rode the heralds and through the land they went:
The queen in greatest sorrow these on their way had sent.
Upon the seventh morning, they came where they were greeted
With the sight of beleaguering Hegelings who before their Moorland
foes were seated.
[813]
Oft in knightly matches strove they every day,
And one might also hear them at many a game and play,
That they might not be weary who the siege were keeping;
Some at a mark were shooting, and others strove in running and in
leaping.
[814]
When by the Danish Horant errand-bearers were seen
Who to the land were coming, thither sent by the queen,
Then said he unto Hettel: “With news for us they’re riding;
May God in kindness grant it, no ill to those at home is now
betiding!”
[815]
The king himself went forward, and met them where they stood.
He said, with seemly bearing, to them in their sorry mood:
“Brave knights, I give you welcome here to this far-off border.
How fares it with Queen Hilda? Who sent you here? and who is left to
guard her?”
[816]
Said one: “Your lady sent us; to you for help she turns:
Wasted are your castles; your lands the foeman burns.
Gu-drun from thence is carried; her maidens, too, are taken:
Never can your kingdom from all these woes and ills again awaken.
[817]
“This must I say, moreover, we are in straitest need;
Now of your men and kindred a thousand there lie dead;
And into far-off kingdoms have foes your riches carried;
Your hoard of wealth is scattered: it shames good knights that thus
your lands are harried.”
[818]
The king then bade them tell him who these deeds had done.
One among them answered, and their names to him made known:
“Ludwig was one, the Norman; with many knights he fought us;
Hartmut, his son, was the other: ’twas they the inroad made, and
havoc wrought us.”
[819]
Then King Hettel answered: “To Hartmut I would not give,
For his bride, Gu-drun my daughter; for this he now doth strive
To waste with war my kingdom. I know his lands are holden
Of Hagen, her mother’s father; to woo her should his rank not him
embolden.
[820]
“To our beleaguered foemen we nought of this must tell,
And to our friends but whisper the ills that us befell;
We then must call our kinsmen hither to be hasting.
Worse could never happen unto good knights at home, from warfare
resting.”
[821]
Herwic then was bidden to Hettel forthwith to go:
Hettel’s friends and kindred and his men were sent for, too.
When now these knights so worthy their way to him had taken,
They found their king and master dark in mind, and of every hope
forsaken.
[822]
Then said the lord of the Hegelings: “To you I make my moan;
And, trusting in your friendship, my sorrows must I own:
The queen, my Lady Hilda, has sent to give us warning,
That the men of the Hegeling kingdom are ill bestead, and bitterly
are mourning.
[823]
“My lands with fire are wasted, and my castle broken down;
Ill our walls were guarded while we from home were gone:
Foes have seized my daughter; my kin in death are sleeping;
My trusty men are slaughtered to whom I left my land and name in
keeping.”
[824]
Herwic now was weeping, in his eyes the tear-drops stood;
Wet were the eyes of Hettel, and fast they overflowed:
So it was with others, at seeing them thus weeping;
Every one was sorrowful who, near the king, his faith to him was
keeping.
[825]
Then said the aged Wâ-te: “Further of this say nought.
For all the woe and losses these friends to us have brought,
Soon will we repay them, and we shall yet be gladdened;
Ludwig’s kin and Hartmut’s shall at our hands for this erelong be
saddened.”
[826]
Hettel asked in wonder: “How can that be done?”
To him old Wâ-te answered: “’Tis best that peace be won
Now with the king of Moorland, with whom we yet are warring;
Our men, who here besiege him, to seek for fair Gu-drun we may then
be sparing.”
[827]
Wise was the aged Wâ-te, the words he spake were meet:
“To-morrow morning early, let us with Siegfried treat;
And we ought so to bear us that he shall well be knowing
That, should we not allow it, he with his men can ne’er be homeward
going.”
[828]
Then said the daring Herwic: “Wâ-te has spoken right;
To-day must you be thinking how, with the morrow’s light,
You all before the foeman may show a warlike bearing:
It gives me pain that women should make us leave our siege, and
hence be faring.”
[829]
Then they got together horses and clothes with speed;
Unto the words of Wâ-te they readily gave heed.
When the day was dawning, they again were striving
’Gainst those from Abakia. Great praise for this were all to them
soon giving.
[830]
On every side, with banners, they to the field did throng;
Many, sound in body, there were slain erelong:
Wâ-te’s men from Sturmland “Nearer! Nearer!” shouted;
But those they would o’ermaster were quicker yet in fight, and
nought it booted.
[831]
Soon the knightly Irold, over the edge of his shield,
Called out, “Men of Moorland, to peace with us will you yield?
King Hettel bids us ask you, will you this be choosing?
Your lands so far are lying, that you your goods and men will else
be losing.”
[832]
Siegfried, lord of Moorland, answered to him thus:
“Would you for peace have pledges, then win the fight o’er us;
With no one will I bargain for aught my name may lessen:
If you think to overcome us, you will the more by this your losses
hasten.”
[833]
Then spake the knightly Fru-te: “If help to us you’ll give,
And pledge your word to do it, your stronghold you may leave
And go from my master’s kingdom, without more bloody fighting.”
The Moors from Karadie on this stretched forth the hand, their faith
thus plighting.
[834]
There came to strife a stand-still, this I for truth may say.
The glad and happy warriors met that selfsame day;
Those who erst were foemen their help to each other granted.
They both had quenched their hatred; to fight the Normans now was
all they wanted.
[835]
Then to Siegfried of Moorland at once King Hettel told
All the heavy tidings that he in his breast did hold;
He pledged to him his friendship, so long as he was living,
If Hartmut’s foul misdoing now to repay, his help he would be
giving.
[836]
To him the lord of Alzabie, the Moorish Siegfried said:
“Knew we where to find them, they should our coming dread.”
The aged Wâ-te answered: “I can show you nearly
Their path across the water: and we perhaps on the sea may meet them
early.”
[837]
Then to them all spake Hettel: “Where can ships be sought?
And, if I wish to harm them, how bring my wish about?
I might at home make ready within their lands to seek them,
And there, when I had found them, my anger for my wrongs should
quick o’ertake them.”
[838]
To him then said old Wâ-te: “In this I can help you still;
God is ever mighty to do whate’er he will.
I know within these borders now are lying near us
Well-made ships full seventy; filled with food, these barks from the
sands will bear us.
[839]
“In them have wandering pilgrims sailed the waters o’er:
Their ships, whatever happens, we must seize upon the shore;
The pilgrims must be willing that on the sand we leave them,
Until our Norman foemen make good our wrongs, or we again shall
brave them.”
[840]
At once old Wâ-te started, no longer would he wait;
A hundred knights went with him, the others lingered yet.
He said he came for buying; what could the pilgrims sell him?
For this men died thereafter, and, for himself, but sorry luck
befell him.
[841]
On the shore he found the pilgrims,— this I know is true,—
Fully thirty hundred, I ween, and better, too.
To fight were they unready, and could not rouse them quickly:
Nearer came King Hettel, and with him led his men, now crowding
thickly.
[842]
Their goods the pilgrims guarded, yet Wâ-te sent on shore
All that he had no need for, of silver and clothes a store;
But the food was left on shipboard, so old Wâ-te chooses:
He said he should come hereafter, and would reward them well for all
their losses.
[843]
Sadly mourned the pilgrims, for sorest was their need;
But for all they said old Wâ-te cared not a crust of bread:
The bold, unyielding warrior, stern and never smiling,
Said: “Both ships and flatboats they to leave to him must now be
willing.”
[844]
Hettel recked but little if ever they sailed again
Over the sea with their crosses: then he took of their men
Five hundred at least, or over, the best they had among them;
Of these to the Hegeling kingdom few came back, from the death that
overhung them.
[845]
I know not whether Hettel atoned for his evil deed
Done to these poor pilgrims, that made their hearts to bleed,
And, in a far-off kingdom, rent their band, to their sorrow.
I ween the God in heaven saw the wrong, and his anger showed on the
morrow.
[846]
King Hettel and his followers met with a kindly breeze,
And now their way were taking quickly across the seas;
Seeking for their foemen, they sailed far over the water,
Wherever they might find them, longing to show their wrath, and bent
on slaughter.
Tale the Seventeenth.
HOW HETTEL CAME TO THE WULPENSAND IN SEARCH OF HIS DAUGHTER.
[847]
Ludwig, king of the Normans, and Hartmut, too, his son,
Now, with all their followers, far away had gone,
And on a lone, wild seashore, after their toil, were resting.
Though many there were gathered, yet little happiness they then were
tasting.
[848]
’Twas on a broad, low island, hight the Wulpensand,
That now the brave King Ludwig, and they of the Norman land,
Shelter for men and horses had found unto their liking;
But a doom to them most woful erelong must come, instead of the rest
they were seeking.
[849]
The very high-born maidens, torn from the Hegeling land,
Had been led out, and wandered along the barren sand;
So far as ’twas allowed them to show their feelings freely,
They who had been stolen in sadness wept before the foeman daily.
[850]
Fires upon the seashore were seen on every side;
The men from far-off Normandy were thinking there to abide.
Gladly with the maidens would they seven days have rested,
And there have made them lodgings; but every hope of this erelong
was blasted.
[851]
While on this isle forsaken Hartmut now must stay,
Loth were he and his followers the hope to put away,
Which till now they fostered, that they for rest might tarry
Throughout a week in the shelter whither they the maidens fair did
carry.
[852]
It was from far-off Matelan that Ludwig and his band
The fair Gu-drun had taken unto this lonely strand;
Nor felt they now uneasy lest to their hidden dwelling
Wâ-te them should follow, and never harm from him were they
foretelling.
[853]
Now saw King Ludwig’s sailors, tossing on the wave,
A ship with sails the richest. To the king they warning gave;
But when ’twas seen by Hartmut, and others with him standing,
That on the sails were crosses, they said these must be pilgrims,
bent on landing.
[854]
On the waters floating three good ships were seen,
With new and well-made flatboats; they bore across the main
Those who on their clothing never yet wore crosses,
Their love to God thus showing. The Normans must from them meet
heavy losses.
[855]
As they the shore were nearing, one on the ships might see
Helmets brightly shining. No more from care were free
King Ludwig and his kinsmen, and harm their fears foreboded:
“Look there!” then shouted Hartmut; “with grimmest foes of mine
these ships are loaded.”
[856]
The ships were turned so quickly that now men loudly heard
Rudders strained and cracking, held by those who steered.
Both the young and aged, who on the sea-sands rested,
Were indeed bewildered when to spring on shore the foeman hasted.
[857]
Ludwig and young Hartmut their shields in hand now bore.
For them it had been easier to reach their homes once more
If they had not too freely their rest on the island taken:
They had falsely reckoned that Hettel had now no friends, and was
all forsaken.
[858]
Ludwig called out loudly to all his trusty men,
(He thought it child’s play only that he before had seen,)
“Now with worthy foemen must I, at length, be striving!
He shall be the richer who ’neath my flag his help to me is giving.”
[859]
Soon was Hartmut’s banner raised upon the shore.
The ships had now come nearer; with spears the Normans bore
To reach the foe were easy from where they now were waiting:
I ween the aged Wâ-te was ready with his shield, the foeman meeting.
[860]
Ne’er before so grimly did champions guard their land.
Boldly the Hegeling warriors nearer pressed to the strand;
Soon they met the Normans with sword and spear, undaunted;
Blows they freely bartered: such bargains cheaply given no more they
wanted.
[861]
Everywhere the Hegelings sprang upon the shore.
After a wind from the hill-tops was never seen before
Snow so thickly whirling as spears from hands that threw them:
Though they had done it gladly idle it were to shun the strokes that
slew them.
[862]
Thick fly the spears on both sides: the time but slowly goes,
Till they on the beach are standing. Quickly on his foes
Sprang the aged Wâ-te, just as they were nearing;
His mood was of the grimmest, and soon they saw what mind he now was
bearing.
[863]
Ludwig, king of the Normans, then at Wâ-te ran,
And hurled a spear well sharpened against the brave old man.
The shaft, in splinters shattered, high thro’ air went crashing,
For Ludwig drove it bravely; soon to the fight came Wâ-te’s kinsmen
dashing.
[864]
With a heavy stroke, old Wâ-te Ludwig’s helmet cut;
The edge of the sword he wielded the head of his foeman smote,
Who beneath his breastplate a shirt of silk was wearing;
(In Abalie ’twas woven;) were it not for this, his end he must be
nearing.
[865]
Hardly from him could Ludwig with life and limb go free;
The spot he would fain be leaving, for Wâ-te was ill to see
When he was roused to anger, and to win the day was trying:
Struck by his hand were many, who, brave in warfare, now on the
field lay dying.
[866]
Irold and young Hartmut each on the other sprang:
On either side their weapons on the foeman’s helmet rang;
Throughout the throng of fighters, all could hear it loudly;
For bold in war was Irold, and Hartmut, too, was brave, and bore him
proudly.
[867]
Herwic from the Sealands, a warrior strong and good,
Could not reach the landing, but leaped into the flood,
And in the waves was standing, up to his shoulders hidden.
Soon to his cost was he learning how hard a task it is to win a
maiden.
[868]
They the shore who guarded their foemen thought to drown
While in the waters struggling. Shafts at them were thrown,
And many on them broken; but they, their foes now seeking,
Soon the sands were treading, and many a knight his wrath on them
was wreaking.
[869]
Ere they had reached the shoreland, one saw the watery flood
Dyed by the killed and wounded, in hue as red as blood;
Everywhere, so widely the reddened waves were flowing,
One could not shoot beyond them, how far soe’er he might his spear
be throwing.
[870]
Heavier toil and losses heroes never found,
And never so many warriors lay trampled on the ground:
Enough were they for a kingdom who lay, unwounded, dying.
The Normans who o’erthrew them, on all sides too, I ween, in death
were lying.
[871]
It was to save his daughter that there King Hettel fought,
And all his kinsmen with him. On every side were wrought,
By him and those who helped him, havoc and bitter sorrow.
Dead on the Wulpensand were many bodies found before the morrow.
[872]
Unto their lords all faithful, they strove upon the sand,—
Alike the men of Normandy and they of the Hegeling land.
Warriors brave from Denmark fought with matchless daring;
He ne’er should wait their onset who much for his welfare or his
life was caring.
[873]
Morunc and with him Ortwin boldly held their ground,
And for themselves won honor; nowhere could be found
Men who greater slaughter wrought, with hearts undaunted:
The heroes twain, with their followers, gave full many wounds, with
spears well planted.
[874]
Proudly the men from Moorland, as I have heard it said,
When from their ships they landed, the way to the foemen led.
Hettel hoped, in his struggle, help from them to be gaining,
For they were daring fighters: one saw the blood beneath their
helmets raining.
[875]
How could he who led them have braver or bolder been?
That day he dimmed with life-blood many breastplates’ sheen;
Siegfried it was, unyielding in storm of battle ever.
How could the Danish Fru-te, or even Wâ-te the old, have shown them
braver?
[876]
Thickly hurled were lances, hither and thither thrown:
Ortwin, with his followers, in hopeful mood came on;
Helmets that day he shattered, blows upon them dealing.
Gu-drun was bitterly weeping: her women, too, were deepest sorrow
feeling.
[877]
The strife, on both sides, lasted throughout the livelong day;
Longing to reach each other, they crowded to the fray.
There to knights and warriors must the fight go badly,
Where the friends of Hettel to win his daughter back were striving
gladly.
[878]
The evening sun sank lower; and for King Hettel now
His losses grew the greater. King Ludwig’s men, I trow,
Did their best in fighting, but could not flee the slaughter;
Their foes they wounded deeply, and guarded thus Gu-drun from those
who sought her.
[879]
The strife began at morning; by night alone ’twas stopped,
And steadily had lasted; they ne’er their weapons dropped.
The old and young together gained no shame in fighting.
Now the brave King Hettel forward pressed, the king of the Normans
meeting.
Tale the Eighteenth.
HOW LUDWIG SLEW HETTEL, AND STOLE AWAY IN THE NIGHT.
[880]
High in hand their weapons Hettel and Ludwig bore,—
Well had they been sharpened. Soon each knew the more
Who was now his foeman, such strength they both were showing.
Ludwig slew King Hettel; and out of this our mournful tale is
growing.
[881]
When the lord of Matelan upon the field lay slain,
Soon ’twas told to his daughter: loudly then began
Gu-drun to mourn her father, so did many a maiden;
Not one could stop her wailing: friends and foes alike were
sorrow-laden.
[882]
Soon as the grim old Wâ-te the death of the king did know,
He cried and roared in anger. Like to the evening glow,
Now were helmets blazing, beneath the strokes quick given
By him and all his followers, who by their loss were unto madness
driven.
[883]
However hard their fighting, how could it bring them good?
Drenched was all the island with many knights’ hot blood.
Not yet the Hegeling warriors to think of peace were ready;
Away from the Wulpensand they only wished to bring Gu-drun, their
lady.
[884]
In stormy fight the Waal men bewreked the death of the king;
To many a fighting Ortlander and hard-pressed Hegeling
Those who came from Denmark of friendship gave a token:
Soon these knights so daring found in their hands their trusty
weapons broken.
[885]
Now to avenge his father Ortwin bravely strove:
Faithful to him did Horant and all his followers prove.
Night the field had darkened, the light of day was failing;
Then were given to many wounds from which the life-blood fast was
welling.
[886]
Soon, in the dark, on Horant a Danish follower sprang;
The sword that he was holding loud on the armor rang:
Thinking he was a foeman, Horant at once upon him
Wrought most bitter sorrow: a deadly wound by that warrior brave was
done him.
[887]
When Horant saw that his kinsman beneath his blow lay dead,
Then he bade that his banner be borne with his own o’erhead.
The voice of him who was dying told whose life he had taken
With his hand so rashly; sorely he mourned the friend who never
would waken.
[888]
Loudly called out Herwic: “Murder here is done!
Since we can see no longer, and daylight now is gone,
We all shall kill each other, friends and foes together.
If this shall last till morning, two may be left to fight, but not
another.”
[889]
Where’er they saw old Wâ-te on the stormy fighting-ground,
No one there was willing near him to be found;
No welcome, in his madness, was he to any giving:
Many a foe he wounded, and laid on the spot that he would ne’er be
leaving.