The old German Legends.
On the top of the Hohentwiel and within the castle-walls, a very
pretty, though small garden had been laid out on a steep projecting
rock, encircled by a wall. It was a lovely place; well-fitted for
observation. The hill was so steep there, that by leaning over the
parapet, one could throw a stone down into the valley below, and he,
who delighted in an extensive view, could there enjoy it to his heart's
content; his eye taking in, mountain and plain, lake and distant Alps;
no obstacle barring the view.
In a corner of this little garden, an old maple-tree spread out its
branches undisturbed. Its winged seeds were already ripe and brown,
fluttering down on the black garden earth below. A ladder had been
placed against its greyish green trunk, at the foot of which, Praxedis
was standing, holding the corner of a long and heavy piece of
tent-cloth; whilst Burkhard, the cloister-pupil, was sitting high up in
the branches, trying to fasten the other ends with the help of a hammer
and some nails.
"Attention," called out Praxedis. "I verily believe that thou art
watching yonder stork, flying over to Radolfszell. Take care, thou
paragon of all Latin scholars, and do not drive the nail into the air!"
Praxedis had lifted the cloth with her left hand, and when the
cloister-pupil now let go the other end, it fell down heavily, tearing
out the badly fixed nails, and entirely burying the Greek maid under
its massy folds.
"There now,--thou awkward boy!" scolded Praxedis, as soon as she had
disentangled herself from the coarse wrapper. "I suppose I must look
out whether there are not anymore grey hairs to be cut off!"
Scarcely had she pronounced the last word, when the cloister-pupil
became visible on the ladder, and jumping down from the middle, he now
stood on the cloth, before Praxedis.
"Sit down," said he, "I do not mind in the least, being punished again.
I have dreamt this very night, that you cut off all my curls, and that
I had returned to school with an entirely bald head,--and yet I was not
sorry for it."
Praxedis lightly clapped his head. "Don't grow too impudent during the
holidays, my little man; or thy back will prove a nice floor for the
rod to dance upon, when thou gettest back to thy cloister-school."
But the cloister-pupil was not thinking of the cool auditories of his
monastery. He remained standing motionless before Praxedis.
"Well?" said she, "what is the matter?" "what dost thou want?"
"A kiss," replied the pupil of the liberal arts.
"Heigho! nothing else?" laughed Praxedis. "What reasons has thy wisdom
for such a demand?"
"The Lady Duchess has kissed me also," said Burkhard, "and you have
often asked me to tell you all about that day, when I fled with my
brave, old friend Romeias before the Huns, and how he fought like a
hero, as he was. All this I shall not tell you, unless you will give me
a kiss."
"Listen," said the Greek maid with a mock serious face, "I have
something very wonderful to tell you."
"What?" asked the boy eagerly.
"That thou art the naughtiest little rogue, that has ever set his foot
on the threshold of a cloister-school," continued she, and suddenly
throwing her white arms around him, she gave him a hearty kiss on the
nose.
"Well done, I declare!" called out a deep bass voice from the
garden-door, at the very moment when she playfully pushed the boy away
from her. It was Master Spazzo.
"Ah, is it you?" said Praxedis, perfectly unabashed. "You are just in
time, Sir Chamberlain, to assist us in fixing this canvass. I shall
never get it done, with that silly boy!"
"So it appears," said Master Spazzo, with a cutting look at the
cloister-pupil, who, standing rather in awe of the chamberlain's
fierce-looking moustache, slipped away between some rose-bushes.
Astronomy and the metrics, Aristotle in the original language, and red
girlish lips, formed a strange medley in the youthful mind.
"Are there no fitter objects for kisses in this castle, gentle maiden?"
asked Master Spazzo.
"If one should ever feel so inclined," was Praxedis' answer, "the
fitter objects ride away and stray about in night and darkness; and
when they return at daytime, they look as if they had been chasing the
will-o'-the-wisps all night."
Herewith, Master Spazzo was answered. He had made a vow not to betray a
single word of his nightly adventures; cuckoo, and _vince luna_
included.
"In what way can I help you?" said he humbly.
"In making a bower," said Praxedis. "In the cool hours of the evening,
the Duchess will hold court here, and then stories are to be told; old
stories, Sir chamberlain, the more wonderful, the better! Our Mistress
has grown tired of Latin, and wishes for something else. Something
original, that has not yet been written down,--you are also expected to
contribute your mite!"
"The Lord protect my soul!" exclaimed Master Spazzo. "If under the
reign of a woman everything was not wondrously strange, I really
should begin to wonder at this. Are there no wandering minstrels and
lute-players left, who, for a helmet full of wine, and a leg of deer,
will sing themselves hoarse with such tales? We are rising in
estimation! 'Vagabonds, jugglers, bards and the like strolling idlers,
are to be flogged, and if they complain, they are to receive a man's
shadow on a wall, as an indemnification.'[2] I thank you for that
honour!"
"You will do what you are commanded, like a faithful vassal, who,
moreover has still to render a report about a certain business,
transacted over the monastic wine-jug," said Praxedis. "It will be
merrier at any rate, than to spell out Latin! Have you no desire to
out-rival the learned Master Ekkehard?"
This hint made some impression on the chamberlain's mind. "Give me the
corners of the cloth," said he, "so that I may fix them." He then
mounted the ladder, and fastened the ends to the branches. Opposite,
were some tall poles, entwined with the blue blossomed bean-plant. To
these, Praxedis tied the other two corners, and very soon the greyish
white canvass formed a nice roof, contrasting pleasantly with the green
foliage.
"It would be a very cozy place for drinking the vesper wine," said
Master Spazzo half sadly at the idea of that which was to come.
Praxedis, meanwhile arranged the table and seats. The Duchess's
stuffed arm-chair, with the finely carved back, touched the stem of the
maple-tree, whilst some low stools were placed round for the others.
Fetching down her lute, Praxedis put it on the table beside a huge
nosegay which she had ordered Burkhard to make. Finally, she tied a
strong thread of red silk, first to the trunk, then, round the
bean-plantation and from there, to the wall, so as to leave free only a
narrow entrance.
"There," said she gaily, "now our fairy-hall is hedged in, like King
Laurins' rose-garden. The walls were not very difficult to make."
The Duchess, taking much pleasure in her idea, adorned herself with
particular care on that day. It was still somewhat early to be called
evening, when she went down to the bower. She was really a dazzling
apparition, as she proudly sailed along, in her flowing robes. The
sleeves and seams were richly embroidered with gold, and a steel-gray
tunic, held by jewelled clasps, fell down to the ground like a mantle.
On her head she wore a soft transparent tissue, a sort of veil;
fastened to a golden head-band. Pulling out a rose from Burkhard's
nosegay, she stuck it in, between the head-band and the veil.
The cloister-pupil, who was fast forgetting his classics and liberal
arts, had begged leave to carry the Duchess's train, and it was in her
honour that he had donned a pair of very queer-looking, pointed shoes,
adorned on both sides with ears. He certainly felt a good deal elated
at the happiness of being allowed to act as page to such a mistress.
Praxedis and Master Spazzo came in after her. The Duchess, casting her
eyes hastily about, now said: "Has Master Ekkehard, for whose especial
benefit we have appointed this evening,--become invisible?"
"My uncle must be ill," said Burkhard. "He paced up and down in his
room with hasty steps yesterday evening, and when I wanted to show him
the different constellations, such as the bear, and Orion and the
faintly glittering Pleiads, he gave me no answer whatever. At last, he
threw himself on his couch with all his clothes on, and talked a good
deal in his sleep.
"What did he say?" asked the Duchess.
"He said, 'oh my dove that art in the clefts of the rock, and in the
secret places of the stones; let me see thy countenance, let me hear
thy voice. For sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is lovely.' And
another time he said: 'Why do you kiss the boy before my eyes? what do
I hope still, and why do I tarry yet in the Lybian lands?'"
"That is a nice state of things, I declare," whispered Master Spazzo
into the Greek maid's ear. "Does that rest on _your_ conscience?"
The Duchess, however, said to Burkhard: "I suppose that thou hast been
dreaming thyself. Run up to thy uncle and make him come down as we are
waiting for him."
She sat down gracefully on her throne-like seat. The cloister-pupil
soon came back with Ekkehard, who was looking very pale, whilst his
eyes had something wild and sad about them. He silently bowed his head,
and then sat down at the opposite end of the table. Burkhard wanted to
place his stool again at the Duchess's feet, as he had done the day
before, when they had read Virgil;--but Ekkehard rose and pulled him
over by the hand. "Come hither!" said he. The Duchess let him do as he
wished.
Casting first a look around her, she began thus: "We pretended
yesterday, that in our German legends and tales, there was as much, and
as good matter for entertainment, as in the Roman epic of AEneas; and I
doubt not that each person amongst us, knows something of heroic
battles, and besieged fortresses; of the separation of faithful lovers,
and the dissensions of mighty kings. The human heart is differently
disposed, so that that, which does not interest the one, may please the
other. Therefore we have made the arrangement, that each of our
faithful subjects, as the lot will decide, shall relate some graceful
tale; and it will be our task then, to allot a prize for the best
story. If one of you men should be the conqueror, he shall have the
ancient drinking-horn, which, from the time of King Dagobert, has been
hanging in the great hall; and if my faithful Praxedis should be the
victorious one, some pretty trinket is to be her reward. The pulling of
straws shall decide who is to begin."
Praxedis had prepared four bits of straw of different lengths, which
she handed to the Duchess.
"Shall I add another for the young verse-maker?" asked she.
But Burkhard said in a doleful voice: "I beseech you to spare me; for,
if my teacher at St. Gall were to hear, that I had again diverted
myself with idle tales, I should certainly be punished as I was when we
acted the story of the old Hildebrand and his son Hadubrand, in
Romeias' room. The gate-keeper, always delighted in it, and it was he
who made our wooden horses and shields, with his own hands. I was the
son Hadubrand, and my fellow-pupil Notker acted old Hildebrand; his
underlip being as big as that of an old man. Ho, didn't we fly at each
other, so that a cloud of dust flew out of Romeias's windows! Notker
had already unfastened his arm-ring, holding it out to me, as the old
song describes it, and I was just saying: 'Hoho thou old blade! Thou
art really too cunning by half. Dost thou think to beguile we with thy
words, and then, to throw thy spear at me? Has thy head become hoary,
with treachery and lies? Seafaring men in the west, on the Wendel lake
told me: he was killed in the wars, was Hildebrand the son of
Heribrand!' when Master Ratolt, our teacher of rhetoric, came upstairs
on tip-toe, and belaboured us so fiercely with his large rod, that
sword and shield fell from our hands.
"Romeias, was called a stupid old blockhead, for decoying us from
useful studies, and my friend Notker and myself were locked up for
three days, fed on bread and water, and had to make a hundred and fifty
Latin hexametres in honour of St. Othmar, as a punishment."
The Duchess smiled. "God forbid, that we should tempt thee again to
such a sin," said she.
She put the four straws into her right hand, and smilingly held them
out, for them to draw. Ekkehard's eyes were fixed immovably on the rose
under her head-band, as he stepped up to her. She had to speak to him
twice, before he pulled out a straw.
"Death and damnation!" Master Spazzo almost ejaculated, for he had got
hold of the shortest straw. But he well knew that no excuse would be
available, and dolefully looked down into the valley, as if he expected
help to come from thence. Praxedis had tuned her lute and was playing a
prelude, that blended sweetly with the rustling of the branches in the
old maple-tree.
"Our chamberlain has to fear no punishment, if he will relate us some
pretty story," said the Duchess. "Please to begin."
Then, Master Spazzo bent his head forwards, put his sword with its
broad hilt before him, so that he could lean on it, gave a preliminary
stroke to his beard, and thus began:
"Although I never took much delight in old stories, preferring to hear
the clashing of two good swords, or the tapping of a tun of good wine,
I yet once chanced to come across a fine legend. In my younger days I
had to make a journey to Italy, and my road then took me through the
Tyrol and over the Brenner mountain; and it was a rough and stony path,
leading me over many a rock, and through many a wild glen, so that my
horse lost one of its shoes. When the evening set in, I had reached a
little village, called Gothensass, or Gloggensachsen, which from the
times of Sir Dietrich of Bern, has lain there, hidden amongst the
larch-woods. At the outskirts of this village, and built against the
mountain, there was a house, much resembling a stronghold, before
which, there lay heaps of iron dross, whilst inside there was a big
fire, and someone who was lustily pounding the anvil.
"So, I called to the blacksmith to come forth and shoe my horse, and
when nobody came, I gave a knock at the door with the butt-end of my
lance, so that it flew open as wide as it could, whilst I gave vent to
some tremendous curse, of death and murder and all possible evils.
Suddenly, a man stood before me, with shaggy hair and a leathern apron,
and scarcely had I set eyes on him, when my lance was already beaten
down, so that it broke to pieces as if it had been mere glass, whilst
an iron bar, was swung threateningly over my head. On the man's naked
arms, there were to be seen sinews, which looked as if he could strike
an anvil ten fathom deep into the ground. Then, I bethought myself,
that under such circumstances a polite speech might not come amiss, and
therefore I said: I merely wanted to beseech you, to shoe my horse.
Then the blacksmith drove the iron bar into the ground and said: 'That
sounds somewhat different and will help you. Rudeness, however, will
attain nothing at Weland's forge. That's what you may tell the people
where you come from.'
"After this speech he shod my horse, and I saw that he was a skilful
and honourable blacksmith, and so we became very good friends, and I
let my horse be put into his stables, and remained his guest for the
night. And we caroused together till late and the wine was called
Terlaner, and he poured it out of a leathern bottle.
"Whilst we were thus drinking, I questioned my sooty host about the
name of his forge, and how it had got that name; upon which he struck
up a loud laugh, and then told me the story of 'Smith Weland.' And if
it was not exactly what you might call very refined, it was for all
that a very pretty tale."
Master Spazzo stopped a while, throwing a look at the table, like one
who looks about for a draught of wine, to moisten his dry lips with.
But wine there was none, and the look was not understood. So he
continued.
"Whence smith Weland had come, said the man of Gothensass to me, had
never been quite ascertained. It was said, that in the northern seas,
in the land of Schonen, the giant Vade was his father, and that his
grandmother was a mermaid, who, when he was born, came up from the
depth of the sea, and sat a whole night on a rock and harped: 'young
Weland, must become a blacksmith.' So, in the course of time, Vade
brought the boy to Mimer, the famous armourer, who lived in a dark
fir-wood, twenty miles behind Toledo, and who instructed him in all the
branches of his art.
"As soon, however, as he had made his first sword, Mimer advised him to
go away, and to acquire the last finishing touch in his craft, amongst
the dwarfs. So, Weland went to the dwarfs and became much renowned.
"One day, however, the giants invaded dwarf-land, so that Weland had to
fly, and he could take nothing away with him, except his broad sword
Mimung. This, he buckled across his back; and chance then brought him
to the Tirol. Between the Eisach, Etsch and Inn, there reigned in
those days King Elberich, who kindly received Weland and gave him the
forge in the wood on the Brenner-mountain, and all the iron and ore
which was hidden in the mountain's veins, was put at his disposal. And
Weland's heart became light and happy, in the Tyrolese Alps. The
mountain-torrents rushed past him, setting his wheels a going; the
winds fanned his fire into brighter flames, and the stars said to each
other: 'we must do our best, or the sparks which Weland produces will
outshine us.' Thus Weland's work prospered. Shield and swords, knives
and drinking-cups, as well as all the ornaments which adorn a king's
palace, were made by his dexterous hands, and there was no smith, as
far as the sun shone on Alpine snow, who could compare with him. King
Elberich, however, had many bitter enemies, who one day formed an
alliance, with the one-eyed Aemilius for their leader, and invaded the
land. And Elberich's heart was filled with dismay, and he said: 'He,
who will bring me Aemilius's head, shall marry my only daughter.' Then,
Weland extinguished the fire in his forge, buckled on his broad sword
Mimung, and went out to fight King Elberich's enemies. And his good
sword cut off Aemilius's head, so that the whole body of enemies turned
round and fled homewards, as fast as ever they could. Weland, however,
presented the head to the King. But he said angrily: 'what I have said
about my daughter, the winds have scattered; a smith can never become
my son-in-law, for he would blacken my hands, when I extended them for
a friendly greeting. But thou shalt have three golden coins as a
reward. With these, a man can tilt and joust, dance and make merry, and
buy himself a wench in the market.' Weland, however, threw the three
golden coins at his feet, so that they rolled under the throne, and
said: 'May God bless you; you will never see me more!' and with this he
turned round, to leave the land. But the king, not wanting to lose the
smith, had him thrown to the ground, and his tendons cut, so that he
became lame, and had to give up all thoughts of flight.
"Then, Weland, dragged himself in sadness home to his forge, and
relighted his fire; but he whistled and sang no more, when he wielded
the heavy hammer and his mind was embittered. One day, the king's son,
a red-cheeked boy, who had run out alone into the wood, came in and
said: 'Weland, I want to look at thy work.' Then the smith artfully
replied: 'Place thyself close to the anvil; there thou wilt see
everything best,'--and he took the red-hot iron bar out of the flames,
and stabbed the king's son, right into the heart with it. The bones he
afterwards bleached, and covered with ore and silver, so that they
became pillars for candlesticks, and the skull he encircled with gold,
making it into a drinking cup. All this, Weland sent to Elberich, and
when the messengers came to inquire for the boy, he said: 'I have not
seen him; he must have run out into the woods.'
"Some time afterwards, the King's daughter was walking in her garden.
She was so beautiful that the lilies bowed their heads before her. On
her forefinger she wore a ring of gold, shaped like a serpent, in the
head of which there glistened a carbuncle, which Elberich had set there
himself; and he held this ring far dearer than a kingdom, and had given
it to his daughter only, because he loved her above everything. As she
was culling a rose, the ring fell from the maiden's finger, and rolling
over the stones it got broken, and the carbuncle fell out of its golden
setting, so that the maid lamented bitterly, wringing her hands, and
would not go home for fear of her father's anger.
"Then, one of her waiting-women said to her: 'You must go secretly to
smith Weland, and he will mend it for you.' So the king's daughter
entered Weland's forge, and told him her grief. He took the ring out of
her hand, and set about repairing it, so that the carbuncle soon shone
out again from the serpent's head. But all this while, Weland's
forehead had been wearing a dark frown, and when the maiden kindly
smiled at him, and turned to go, he said: 'Oho, you shall not go away
yet!' And he locked the strong door, and seizing the king's daughter
with strong arms, he carried her into his chamber, where moss and
fern-leaves lay heaped up. And when she went away she wept aloud, and
tore her soft, silken hair ..."
Here, Master Spazzo was interrupted by a slight noise. Praxedis, with a
deep blush overspreading her features, had cast an inquiring look at
the Duchess, to see whether she should not jump up, to close Master
Spazzo's mouth, but as nothing of the kind was to be read in her calm,
set features, she impatiently drummed with her fingers on the back of
her lute.
"... and a deed of violence had been done," Master Spazzo continued,
quite unabashed. "Then, Weland began singing and shouting, in such a
manner as had never been heard in the forge before, ever since his
tendons had been cut. Leaving his shields and swords unfinished, he now
worked day and night, and forged for himself a pair of large metal
wings, and he had hardly finished them, when King Elberich came down
the Brenner mountain, with a strong body of armed men. Then, Weland
quickly fastened the wings to his shoulders, and hung his sword Mimung,
over his back, and thus equipped he mounted the roof of his house, so
that the men exclaimed: 'Behold, smith Weland has become a bird!' With
a powerful voice he then called out: 'May God bless you, King Elberich!
You will not forget the smith so easily, I trow! Your son I have slain,
and your daughter is with child, by me. Farewell, and give her my
greetings!' After this, he spread out his huge wings, making a noise
like a hurricane, and flew through the air. The King seized his bow,
and all the knights hastily followed his example. Like an army of
flying dragons, the arrows whizzed round his head; but not one of them
hit him, and he flew home to his father's castle in Schonen, and never
was seen again. And Elberich never gave Weland's message to his
daughter, who in that same year gave birth to a son, who was called
Wittich, and became a strong hero like his father.
"That is the story of smith Weland!"
Master Spazzo leaned back, heaving a deep sigh of relief. "They will
not trouble me a second time for a story, I warrant," thought he. The
impression which the story had made on the hearers was very different.
The Duchess, expressed herself well satisfied with it. She had some
sympathy with the smith's revenge, whilst Praxedis angrily said that it
was truly a sooty smith's story, and that the chamberlain ought to be
ashamed to show himself before women! Ekkehard said: "I don't know, but
it seems to me as if I had once heard something like it, but then, the
king's name was Nidung, and the forge was at the foot of the Caucasus."
Then the chamberlain called out angrily: "If you prefer the Caucasus to
Gloggensachsen, very well, then you may lay the scene there, but I well
recollect how my Tyrolese friend showed me the very spot itself. Over
the chamber door, there was a broken rose of metal, and an iron eagle's
wing, and below it the words, 'here the smith flew away,' were
engraved. Now and then, people come there to pray, as they believe
Weland to have been a great saint."
"Let us see who will be the first to try and outrival Master Spazzo,"
said the Duchess, once more mixing the straws. They drew accordingly,
and the shortest, this time, remained with Praxedis. She neither
appeared embarrassed, nor did she appeal to the indulgence of her
listeners. Passing her white little hand over her dark tresses she
began thus:
"It is true, that my nurses never sang me any lullabies of valiant
knights, and thank God, I have never been in a lonely forge in a wood;
but even in Constantinople you may hear such tales recited. At the time
when I was instructed at the Emperor's court, in all the arts well
becoming a serving maiden, there was also an old woman who kept the
keys, by name Glycerium, who often said to us: 'Listen ye maidens all,
if you should ever serve a princess whose heart is consumed by a secret
passion, and who cannot see him whom she loves, then, you must be sly
and thoughtful like the waiting-woman Herlindis, when King Rother wooed
the daughter of the Emperor Constantine.' And when we were sitting
together of an evening in the women's apartment, then, they whispered
and chattered, until old Glycerium, related the story of _King Rother_.
"In the olden times there was an Emperor, also called Constantine,
living in his castle on the Bosporus, who had a wondrously beautiful
daughter; and people said of her that she was radiant like the
evening-star and outshone all other maids like a golden thread amongst
silken ones. One fine day there arrived a great ship, out of which
landed twelve counts and twelve knights, and they all rode into
Constantine's courtyard; one of them, whose name was Lupolt, riding at
their head. And all the people of the city marvelled at them, for their
garments and mantles were heavy with gold and precious stones, and the
horses' saddles rang with little golden bells. These were the
messengers of King Rother of Vikingland, and Lupolt jumped down from
his saddle, and spoke thus to the Emperor:
"'We are sent out by our king, called Rother, who is the handsomest
man, ever born of woman. He is served by the best of heroes, and his
court is the constant scene of balls and tournaments and all that heart
can desire. But as yet he is unmarried, and his heart feels lonely.
"'You should give him your daughter!'
"Now, Constantine was a hot-tempered man, and throwing the imperial
globe fiercely to the ground, he cried: 'Nobody has as yet wooed my
daughter, who has not lost his head in the endeavour. How do you dare
to insult me in that way? You are all my prisoners.'
"And he had them thrown into a dungeon, into which neither sun nor moon
could shine; and they had nothing but bread and water to live on; and
there they shed many bitter tears of sorrow.
"When the tidings reached King Rother, his heart was filled with
sadness, and he sat on a rock all alone, and would speak to nobody.
Then, he formed the resolution of crossing the seas, like a true
knight, to succour his faithful messengers; and as he had been warned
against the Greeks, and had been told that if a man wanted to attain
anything there, he must needs paint and gild truth, he made his knights
take an oath, that they would all pretend, that his name was not Rother
but Dietrich, and that he had been banished by King Rother, and had
come to crave the Greek Emperor's assistance. Thus, they set out in a
ship, and Rother took his harp on board with him, for before his twelve
ambassadors had weighed anchor, he came to the shore with his harp and
played three airs, which they were to remember, saying: 'If ever you
should be in distress, and hear these airs, you will know that Rother
is near and will help you.'
"It was on Easter-day and the Emperor Constantine had gone on horseback
to Hippodrom, when Rother made his entrance. And all the citizens of
Constantinople ran out of their houses, for such a sight they had never
seen before. Rother had brought his giants along with him. The first
was called Asprian, and carried an iron bar which measured six yards in
length; the second was called Widolt and was so fierce that they had
loaded him with chains, and the third was called Eveningred.
"Besides these, a large member of valiant knights followed him, and
twelve carriages loaded with jewels came in the rear, and the whole was
such a splendid spectacle, that the Empress said: 'Alas, how stupid we
have been, in refusing our daughter to King Rother! What a man he must
be, to send such an army of heroes over the seas!'
"King Rother himself, wore a gold breast-plate, and a purple coat, and
two rows of beautiful rings on his wrists. And he bent his knee before
the Greek Emperor and said: 'I, the Prince Dietrich have been outlawed
by a king whose name is Rother, so that all I have ever done in his
service, now tells against me. I have come to offer my services to
you.'
"Then, Constantine invited all the heroes to his court at Hippodrom,
and treating them with all honour, he made them sit down at his own
table. Now, in the hall there was a tame lion, which used to take away
the serving-men's food. It also came to Asprian's plate, to lick it up,
upon which the giant seized it by the mane, and threw it against the
wall, that it was killed on the spot. Then the chamberlains said to
each other: 'He who has no desire to be thrown against the wall, had
best leave that man's plate alone.'
"King Rother then began to distribute a great many handsome presents
amongst the Greeks. Everyone who visited him in his temporary abode
received either a mantle or some piece of arms. Amongst others there
also came an outlawed count, to whom he gave a thousand silver crowns,
and took him into his service, so that his train was increased by many
hundred knights.
"Thus, the so-called Dietrich's praise was in the mouth of everybody,
and amongst the women there began a whispering and talking, so that
there was not a chamber whose walls did not ring with Sir Dietrich's
name.
"Then, the goldenhaired daughter of the Emperor said to Herlindis, her
waiting-woman: 'Alas, what shall I do, that I also may obtain a look at
the man whom they all renown so?' And Herlindis replied: 'The best
thing would be if you begged your father, to give a great banquet, and
to invite the stranger guests; then you could easily see him.'
"The Emperor's daughter followed this advice, and Constantine did not
say her nay, and he invited all his dukes and counts as well as the
foreign heroes. All who were invited came; and around him, whom they
called Dietrich, there was a great crowd, and just when the princess
with her hundred court-ladies came in, with the golden crown on her
head, and her gold-embroidered purple mantle, there was a great noise,
which was occasioned by a chamberlain's having ordered Asprian the
giant, to move on his bench, to make room for other people. For all
reply, Asprian gave the chamberlain a box on the ear which split his
head, and there ensued a general jostling, so that Dietrich had to
restore order himself.
"For this reason, the Emperor's daughter could not obtain the desired
glimpse of the hero; though she wanted it ever so much.
"When she had returned home, she said to Herlindis: 'Woe is me! I shall
neither have rest now by night nor by day, until my eyes have beheld
that valiant man. He, who would bring me the hero to my chamber, might
win a handsome reward.' And Herlindis replied laughingly: 'That message
I will faithfully undertake. I will go to the house where he lives.'
"Then, the sly maiden put on her most becoming garments, and went out
to Sir Dietrich, who received her with due courtesy. And she sat down
beside him, and whispered into his ear: 'My mistress, the Emperor's
daughter, sends you many gracious greetings. She has taken a great
fancy to you, and wishes you to pay her a visit.'
"But Dietrich replied: 'woman, thou art not doing right. I have entered
many a bower, in days gone by; why dost thou mock the homeless
wanderer? At the Emperor's court there are noble dukes and princes
enough, and thy mistress never dreamt of what thou art now saying!'
"And when Herlindis insisted on the truth of her words, Sir Dietrich
said: 'There are so many spies about here, that he, who wishes to keep
his reputation unstained, must be very careful. Constantinus would
banish me, if he found out that I had been to see his daughter. Please
to tell her this; though I should much like to serve her.'
"Herlindis, was rising to go, when the King ordered his goldsmiths to
make a pair of golden shoes, and another pair of silver, and he gave
her one of each pair, as well as a mantle and twelve bracelets; for he
was a gallant man and knew that a princess's waiting-woman, entrusted
with such delicate matters, ought to be much honoured." ...
Praxedis here stopped a moment, for Master Spazzo who had begun drawing
a number of big-nosed faces on the sand, with the scabbard of his
sword, now hummed audibly, but as he did not say anything she
continued.
"And Herlindis returned home full of glee, and spoke thus to her
mistress: 'the valiant knight holds his honour dear. He values the
Emperor's good will too much to comply with your wishes. But look here,
what he gave me! The shoes, the bracelets and the mantle! How glad I am
that I went there; for surely I shall never behold a handsomer knight
in this wide world. God pardon me, but I stared at him as if he were an
angel!'
"'Alas!' said the princess, 'am I never to be made happy? Then, at
least thou must give me the shoes which the noble hero gave to thee. I
will give thee their weight in gold.'
"Thus, the bargain was concluded. First she put on the golden shoe, but
when she took up the silver one, she perceived that it was made for the
same foot. 'Woe is me!' cried the beautiful maiden. 'Thou hast made a
mistake, and I shall never get it on. Thou must go once more to Sir
Dietrich, and beg him to give thee the other shoe, and also that he
should come himself.'
"'That will delight all scandal-loving tongues,' laughed Herlindis,
'but what does it matter? I will go!'--and she drew up her skirts
almost to her knees, and walked over the wet courtyard to Sir Dietrich,
and the noble hero saw her coming, and he well knew what she wanted.
Still, he feigned not to see her.
"But Herlindis accosted him thus: 'You see that I had to come again. A
mistake has been made; so my mistress bids me ask you, to give me the
other shoe, and to accompany me yourself.'
"'Verily I should much like to go,' said he, 'but the Emperor's
chamberlains would betray me.'
"'Never fear that,' said Herlindis, 'for they are all out, practising
the throwing of the spear. Take two servant-men with you, and follow me
softly, and nobody will miss you during the tournament.'
"After this, the faithful maiden wanted to go, but the hero detained
her, saying: 'I will first inquire after the shoes.' Then Asprian, who
was outside called out: 'What matters an old shoe? We have made many
thousands of them, and the servants are now wearing them. I will look
for the right one.' So he brought it, and Dietrich again gave a mantle
and twelve bracelets to the waiting-woman.
"So she went on before, and imparted the desired news to her mistress.
"Sir Dietrich meanwhile, caused a great uproar to be made in the
courtyard at Hippodrom. Widolt came out first with his iron bar, and
raved like a madman. Asprian cut a summersault in the air, and
Eveningred threw an immense stone of several hundred weight a long
distance, and then sprang after it, so that none of the spies thought
of watching Sir Dietrich, as he steadily walked across the yard.
"At the window stood the princess, looking out and her heart beat fast,
when she saw him approach. Her chamber-door was then opened to him and
she addressed him thus: 'Welcome, my noble lord! Great pleasure does it
give me, to see you. Now you can put the beautiful shoes on my feet
yourself.'
"'Gladly I will do so,' said the hero, sitting down at her feet; and
his manners were graceful and elegant. So she put her foot on his knee,
and the foot was dainty and the shoes fitted well. So Sir Dietrich put
them on for her.
"'Please to tell me, noble and gracious lady,' the artful man now
began, 'thou hast probably been wooed by many a man; now confess, which
of them has pleased thee most?'
"Then the Emperor's daughter replied with a serious mien. 'Sir, by the
purity of my soul, and by my holy baptism! If all the heroes of the
world were brought together, not one of them would be found worthy to
be called thy equal. Thou art a virtuous and noble man,--yet if I could
choose freely, I would take a hero, of whom I cannot help thinking day
and night. The messengers whom he has sent to woo me, have been thrown
into a deep, dreary dungeon. His name is Rother; he lives across the
seas, and if he will not become my own, I shall remain a maid all the
days of my life!'
"'Heigho!' said Dietrich, 'if thou wilt wed with Rother, I will bring
him hither quickly. We have lived pleasantly together as friends, and
he has ever been kind and good to me, although he drove me away from
his lands.'
"Then the princess replied: 'How canst thou love a man, who has
banished thee?--Ah, now I see it all! Thou art a messenger, sent by
King Rother. And now speak out forthwith, and hide nothing from me, for
what thou wilt now tell me, I will keep secret until the day of
judgment.'
"When she had thus spoken, the hero looked steadily at her and said!
'Then I will put my trust in God and leave my fate in thy hands. Know
then, that thy feet are resting on King Rother's knees!'
"Great was the terror of the gentle maiden. Hastily drawing away her
feet, she cried: 'Woe is me! how could I be so ill-bred and
thoughtless, as to place my foot on thy lap! If God had really sent
thee hither, I should be deeply thankful. But how can I trust thee? If
thou couldst prove to me the truth of what thou hast told me, I would
gladly quit my father's realms with thee, even to-day. There is not a
man living whom I would take but thee, if thou wert really King
Rother,--but for the present this must remain undone.'
"'How could I prove it better, than through my imprisoned friends?'
said the King. 'If they could see me, thou wouldst soon be convinced
that I have spoken truth.'
"'Then I will beg my father to let them out,' said the princess. 'But
who will prevent their escape?'
"'I will look to that,' replied he.
"Then, the Emperor's daughter kissed the hero, and he left her chamber
in all honour, and returned to his house, his heart full of deep joy.
"At the first dawn of the next day, the princess took a staff and put
on a black mourning dress, with the pilgrim's badge on her shoulders,
as if she wanted to leave the land, and her face was very pale and sad.
Thus, she knocked at the Emperor's door and artfully said: 'My dear
father! Though still alive, I am yet suffering great torments. I feel
very miserable, and who will comfort me? In my dreams, the imprisoned
messengers of King Rother have appeared to me, and they look pale and
worn, and leave me no peace. So I must go to escape from them, if you
will not at least let me comfort the miserable men, with good food,
wine and a bath. Let them come out of their prison, if it were only for
three days.'
"Then the Emperor made answer. 'This will I grant thee, if thou wilt
find me security, that they return to their prison on the third day.'
"At the usual hour for supper, the so-called Sir Dietrich with his
knights also came to the Emperor's hall, and when the repast was over,
and everyone was washing his hands, the princess walked round the
tables, as if she wanted to choose someone among the number of rich
dukes and noble lords, who would stand bail. When she came to Dietrich
she said: 'Now it is time that thou shouldst help me. Stand bail for
thy messengers with thy life.'
"Then he replied: 'I will be surety, most beautiful maiden.' And he
pledged his head to the Emperor, who sent out some men to open the
prison-gate. The wretched messengers were by this time reduced to a
state of great weakness. When the doors were opened, the clear daylight
shone in, and dazzled the unfortunate men, who had grown unused to it.
Then they took the twelve counts, and made them go out. Each one was
followed by a knight. They could scarcely walk. Lupolt their leader,
again walked at their head. He wore a torn apron round his loins; his
beard was long and shaggy, and his body was covered with sores. Sir
Dietrich was overwhelmed with sadness, and he turned his head away,
that they might not recognize him; and he could scarcely repress the
rising tears, which the pitiful sight called forth. He then had them
all brought to his house, where everything was got ready for their
reception, and the counts said to each other, 'who was he, who stood
aside? He is surely befriending us.' And they, with their hearts full
of old grief, laughed with a new joy; but they did not recognize him.
"On the following day, the Emperor's daughter invited the sorely-tried
men to court, presented them with good, new garments, ordered a warm
bath to be prepared for them, and had a table spread for a sumptuous
repast. As soon as the noblemen were seated around it, forgetting their
woe for a moment, Sir Dietrich took his harp, and hiding himself behind
a curtain, touched the strings and played one of the melodies which he
had before played on the seashore.
"Lupolt, who had raised the cup to his lips, let it fall, so that the
wine was all spilt over the table; and another who was cutting bread,
dropped his knife, and all listened wondering. Louder and clearer their
king's song was heard, and then Lupolt jumped across the table, and all
the counts and knights followed him, as if something of their old
strength had suddenly returned, and they tore down the curtain, and
kissed the harper, and knelt before him, and the joy was indescribable.
"Then, the princess knew that he was really and truly King Rother of
Vikingland, and she uttered a loud cry of delight, which attracted her
Father Constantine thitherwards; and whether he liked it or not, he
could do nothing but join the lover's hands. The messengers never went
back to their dungeon; Rother was no longer called Dietrich, and he
kissed his bride and took her home over the seas, and became a very
happy man, holding his wife in great honour. And whenever they sat
lovingly together, they would say: 'Thanks be to God, to knightly
valour, and prudent waiting-woman's cunning.'
"That is the story of King Rother!"
Praxedis had spoken a long while.
"We are well satisfied," said the Duchess, "and whether smith Weland
will carry off the prize, after King Rother's history has been told,
seems to me rather doubtful."
Master Spazzo was not annoyed at this.
"The waiting-women at Constantinople, seem to have eaten wisdom with
spoons," said he. "But although _I_ may be conquered, the last tale has
not yet been told." He glanced over at Ekkehard who was sitting lost in
thought. He had not heard much of King Rother. All the time that
Praxedis had been speaking, his eyes had been fixed on the Duchess's
headband with the rose in it.
"To say the truth," continued Master Spazzo, "I hardly believe the
story. Some years ago, when I was sitting in the bishop's courtyard at
Constance, drinking a jug of wine, a Greek pedlar, trafficking with
relics, came that way. His name was Daniel, and he had many holy bones
and church-ornaments, and the like articles, amongst which there was
also an ancient sword, with jewel-set hilt, which he tried to foist on
me, saying, that it was the sword of King Rother, and if the gold
crowns had not then been as scanty with me, as the hairs on the
pedlar's pate, I should have bought it. The man told me that Sir
Rother had fought for the Emperor's daughter with that very same sword,
with King Ymelot of Babylon, but of golden shoes, waiting-women or
harp-playing, he knew nothing whatever."
"I dare say that many things might still be found in this world, which
you know nothing about," lightly said Praxedis.
The evening had set in. The moon had risen, shedding her pale light
over hills and plain. Strong fragrant perfumes filled the air, and the
fireflies were getting ready for flight, in the bushes and crevices of
the rocks round about.
A servant came down with some lights, which, being surrounded by linen,
saturated with oil, burned brightly and steadily. The air was mild and
pleasant.
Burkhard the cloister-pupil, was still sitting contentedly on his
stool; his hands folded as in devotion.
"What does our young guest think?" asked the Duchess.
"I would gladly give my best Latin book, if I could have seen the giant
Asprian, dashing the lion against the wall," replied he.
"Thou shouldst become a knight, and go out to conquer giants and
dragons thyself," jestingly said the Duchess.
This, however, did not convince him. "But we have to fight the Devil
himself," said he, "that is better still."
Dame Hadwig was not yet inclined to go indoors. Breaking a twig from
the maple-tree into two unequal pieces, she stepped up to Ekkehard. He
started up confusedly.
"Well," said the Duchess, "you must draw. Either you or I!"
"Either you or I," vacantly repeated Ekkehard. He drew out the shorter
piece. It slipped out of his hand, whilst he silently resumed his seat.
"Ekkehard!" sharply exclaimed the Duchess.
He looked up.
"You are to relate something!"
"I am to relate something," murmured he, passing his right hand over
his forehead. It was burning and inside it, was a storm.
"Ah yes--relate something. Who is going to play the lute for me?"
He stood up and gazed out into the moonlit night, whilst the others
looked at him in mute wonder, and then he began in a strange, hollow
voice:
"'Tis a short story. There once was a light, which shone brightly, and
it shone down from a hill, and it was more radiant and glorious than
the rainbow. And it wore a rose under the headband ..."
"A rose under the headband?" muttered Master Spazzo, shaking his head.
"... And there was once a dusky moth," continued Ekkehard, still in the
same tone, "which flew up to the hill, and which knew that it must
perish if it flew into the light.--And it did fly in all the same, and
the light burned the dark moth, so that it became mere ashes,--and
never flew any more. Amen!"
Dame Hadwig sprang up, indignantly.
"Is that the whole of your story?" asked she.
"'Tis the whole of it," replied he with unchanged voice.
"It is time, for us to go in," proudly said the Duchess. "The cool
night-air produces fever."
She walked past Ekkehard with a disdainful look. Burkhard again carried
her train, whilst Ekkehard stood there immovably.
The chamberlain patted, him on the shoulder. "The dark moth was a poor
fool, Master Chaplain!" said he compassionately.
A sudden gust of wind, here put out the lights. "It was a monk," said
Ekkehard indifferently, "sleep well!"