The Contest
Zealand, the neighboring country to Denmark, was ruled by a young prince
named Herwig, who also came to woo the fair Gudrun, but Hetel rejected
him as haughtily as he had rejected all the rest. Nevertheless Herwig
tarried for some months at the court, where, from time to time, he might
behold the maiden; but although he often renewed his suit, the King's
answer was ever the same.
One day a prince arrived at the royal castle followed by a glittering
train. He would not give his name, and as he advanced no suit, Hetel
received him kindly and prepared a feast in his honor. So it came to
pass that he soon found an opportunity of seeing Gudrun, and contrived
to make known to her that he was Hartmut, and had come to Denmark for
her sake alone. The maiden pitied the gallant young hero, whose
appearance pleased her well, though she had no wish to wed him, and she
besought him to depart at once, for, should Hetel discover who he was,
he would surely slay him. Sorrowfully Hartmut left the court. Yet he did
not abandon his purpose, but bent all his energies toward raising an
army to revenge himself upon King Hetel.
Herwig was rejoiced when the splendid stranger went upon his way, for he
had feared in him a successful rival. Again he would have renewed his
own suit; but the King sternly forbade him ever again to speak of it,
whereupon he resolved to invade the land with an armed force to prove to
the haughty monarch that he too was a mighty prince. Accordingly, on a
dark night not long thereafter when all within the castle of Hegelingen
lay wrapped in deepest slumber, Herwig landed with a band of stout
warriors, and at daybreak the warder on the tower discovered the enemy
close beneath the walls.
"'To arms!' he thundered from the tower;
The trump the silence broke,
And strident blast of larum horns
The startled sleepers woke.
With flying hair the women all
To one another clung;
Or flocking to the windows, there
Their hands in terror wrung;
While calm in danger, knight and man
To steed and armor sprung."
When Hetel saw by the device on the banners that it was Herwig who led
the foe, he was secretly pleased that the hero should thus seek to win
the maid by force of arms. This was after his own heart, and Herwig
could not have hit upon a better plan to obtain his favor. With his wife
and Gudrun he stood at a window and watched the gallant struggle that
was in progress before the castle, expecting to see his knights soon
scatter the followers of this fiery wooer; but great was his
consternation when he beheld Herwig gaining step by step. Wherever the
rejected suitor's plume waved, wherever his flashing sword circled,
there was the fray hottest, and many of Hetel's stoutest warriors fell
before him. Splendid was Herwig to look upon in battle: the helms of all
who approached him were lit with fiery sparks, while their armor was
speedily adorned with crimson bands. Even Gudrun gazed on him with
admiring eyes, terrible as the sight of the battle was to her.
"Now," thought Hetel, "is Herwig worthy of my sword"; and donning his
armor, down he strode, only to find his men being irresistibly forced
back within the castle. Already the clash of arms reëchoed from the
vaulted ceiling, armor crashed against armor in the onset. Valiantly
King Hetel dashed among his knights, but all his efforts were powerless
to check their retreat. At last the two princes came face to face, the
gray-haired hero of a hundred battles and the young warrior bent on
winning equal fame. Blows that would have slain many a stout champion
fell thick and fast on helm and shield, yet undismayed and unconquered
fast they stood, while sparks shot forth in fiery showers, and links of
mail fell tinkling to the stone floor. At last Hetel stepped back a pace
and said breathlessly: "He who does not wish me for a friend surely is
no good friend," and therewith rushed once more upon the young hero; and
fiercer than ever raged the combat.
Terror-stricken, Gudrun watched them until at last she could bear it no
longer. Seizing a shield she hastened down and threw herself between the
two knights, whereat Herwig lowered his sword and gazed joyously at the
stately maiden.
"Peace, peace! my father, in God's name!" she implored. "Let the
struggle wait until I have asked Herwig where his dearest friend may
be."
"Oh, thou knowest well," cried Herwig. "But I will give no peace till
thou dost grant me leave to speak with thee within the castle. No evil
have I in my heart, for unarmed will I enter."
Accordingly at Gudrun's desire, the heroes laid aside their arms and
entered the castle together in peace. Then Herwig approached Gudrun once
more to plead his suit, and Gudrun answered: "What maid could scorn so
valiant a hero? Truly, most noble Herwig, there is no damsel living who
could hold thee more dear than I, and if my parents do consent, then
will I gladly evermore with thee abide."
Then Herwig besought the King and Queen for the hand of Gudrun and they,
turning to their daughter, asked whether this betrothal would be
pleasing to her. She replied that she would choose Herwig for her
husband before all other men. So Hetel, whose heart had been quite won
by the valor of the noble young hero, led Gudrun to him and joined their
hands together. Then all the great lords and vassals were summoned to
the hall, and in their presence the King once more asked Gudrun if she
would have Herwig for her husband.
"Never could I wish for nobler lord," she answered. So they were
betrothed, and a great feast was held to celebrate the joyful event.
When the festivities were over, Herwig wished to take Gudrun home with
him as his bride; but Queen Hilda besought him to wait till the
following springtime, since her daughter was still so young. In the
meantime she would teach her much that it befitted a future queen to
know and she would also have time to prepare a rich store of marriage
gifts. Herwig agreed to this though with great reluctance; soon
thereafter, bidding a sorrowful farewell to his betrothed, he returned
to his own land, little suspecting what dire results were to follow the
postponement of the nuptials.