Homeward the men of the Hegelings
gladly took their way;
But many whom they carried
erewhile across the sea
Now lay dead and wounded;
these must they be leaving:
Three thousand men or over
were mourned by friends, who tears to each were giving.
Now their ships went smoothly,
the winds for them were good:
Bearing home their booty
they came in happy mood.
How it was done I know not,
they sent on men before them
Unto the Hegeling ladies:
of what had them befallen they tidings bore them.
With all their speed they hastened—
that I well can say—
And reached at last their kingdom—
I cannot tell the day.
Never a tale so happy
had Lady Hilda gladdened
As this that now they told her:
Ludwig was slain, who long her life had saddened.
She asked: “Still lives my daughter,
and all her maiden band?”
They answered: “Herwic brings her,
his own, again to her land.
Ne’er to so brave a warrior
it hath befallen better.
Ortrun, too, they are bringing,
and Hartmut, her brother; these in bonds they fetter.”
“A happy tale you bring me,”
said then the well-bred queen;
“My life with care and sadness
by them hath cumbered been.
If e’er my eyes behold them,
ill shall they be faring:
Through them have I much sorrow,
untold and openly, for years been bearing.
“The news that you have brought me
a rich reward shall gain;
For you my heart have lightened
of hopeless woe and pain.
Gold I give you freely,
and this I do most rightly.”
They said: “Most noble lady,
to make us rich we need your gold but slightly.
“Of the booty we have gotten
we’re bringing home so much,
You need not think us scornful
if your gold we do not touch:
Indeed, our boats are heavy
with shining gold they’re bearing.
Over all our riches
keepers we have, who well for it are caring.”
Then did Lady Hilda,
when she the tidings heard
That guests so dear were coming,
for food and drink give word;
For stools and benches, also,
on which they should be seated.
She of all was thoughtful,
that they might feel that they were fitly greeted.
Now at Matelan castle
none were idle found;
Down on the sandy beaches
and on the level ground
Workmen quickly gathered,
who nought of toil abated
That fair Gudrun and Herwic,
as them beseemed, should worthily be seated.
I cannot tell you truly
if aught upon the sea
Of ill had them befallen.
Six long weeks it must be
Ere Ortwin’s men saw Matelan
at length before them looming.
They brought with them their lady,
and many well-bred maids with her were coming.
When now they reached their homeland,
this for truth we hear,
Their search and strife for the lady
had lasted full a year:
It was upon a May-time
their foes they home were bringing.
Their toils were not forgotten,
but, as they came, the strand with shouts was ringing.
Soon as Matelan castle
now from the ships was seen,
Of sackbuts and of trumpets
loud began the din,
Of horns as well as fluting,
and drums that men were beating.
The ships of the aged Wâ-te
at last in a harbor good their rest were meeting.
After these came also
Ortland’s warriors brave;
Then Hilda with her ladies
to them a welcome gave.
Out from Matelan’s castle
she to the shore went riding;
Gudrun they saw was coming,
with well-bred maidens wont to do her bidding.
Alighted from their horses,
and standing on the sand,
Were Hilda and all her ladies.
Then, leading by the hand
Gudrun, the lovely maiden,
came Irold, proud and knightly.
Though Hilda well had known her,
yet now she knew her not, nor others rightly.
Hilda, among the followers
a hundred women saw;
She said: “I know not truly
which one from me should draw
A mother’s loving welcome;
unknown to me is my daughter:
I give to all my greeting
who here with her have come across the water.”
“This is your long-lost daughter,”
by Irold she was told;
Hilda to her stepped nearer.
Could ever wealth or gold
Outweigh the bliss that filled them,
as each the other greeted,
And welcome gave with kisses?
Now from their hearts had all their sorrow fleeted.
To Irold and his kinsmen
kind greeting Hilda said;
Then to the aged Wâ-te
a lowly bow she made.
“Welcome, knight of Sturmland!
bravely thou hast striven!
Who can e’er reward thee,
unless to thee both land and crown are given?”
He to the lady answered:
“To help you all I may,
For that am I most willing,
e’en to my latest day.”
Then, for love, she kissed him,
and Ortwin thus she greeted.
Now came Herwic also,
with proud and worthy knights, as him befitted.
Ortrun, the Norman maiden,
then by the hand he led.
Gudrun besought her mother
kindly to meet the maid:
“Dear lady, greet with kisses
this good and high-born maiden;
Oft in my years of sorrow
my life with help and kindness she did gladden.”
“To none will I give kisses
who is to me unknown.
Who are this maiden’s kinsmen?
What name doth the lady own,
That you should bid me kiss her,
and be so friendly with her?”
He said: “Her name is Ortrun;
she from the Norman kingdom cometh hither.”
“Never shall I kiss her;
how can you ask for this?
If I should bid them kill her
I should not do amiss.
Truly have her kinsmen
filled my life with sorrow;
They fed their eyes upon it,
and gladness all the while from this did borrow.”
Gudrun to Hilda answered:
“Ne’er hath this lovely maid
The word to any given
that wrong on you be laid.
Bethink you now, dear mother,
would blame to me be owing
Should our men slay her kinsmen?
To the luckless maid, I beg, your love be showing.”
Gudrun in vain besought her,
until at last, with tears,
The maid now begged her mother;
then gave she willing ears,
And said: “I can no longer
see you sadly weeping:
If e’er the maiden helped you,
for this shall she, in my land, her life be keeping.”
Then the stately Hilda
kissed King Ludwig’s child,
And greeted other ladies,
e’en as Gudrun had willed.
Then came also Hildeburg,
from far-off lands brought thither,
Erst with her found washing.
Now, by the hand, Sir Fru-te led her hither.
Then Gudrun said further:
“Mother, most dear to me,
Your greeting give to Hildeburg.
What better can there be
Than true and faithful friendship?
Gold and jewels even,
Whate’er the kingdom holdeth,
to Hildeburg most rightly should be given.”
Then said to her Queen Hilda:
“To me it hath been told
How she both weal and sorrow
hath borne with you of old.
Never shall I sit happy
beneath the crown I’m wearing,
Till I indeed reward her
for all the ills that she with you was sharing.”
At once she kissed the maiden,
and others, too, as well.
Then Hilda said to Fru-te:
“No shame for this I feel—
That I have come to meet you
and those whom you are leading.
Good knights, you all are welcome
into the Hegeling land, now homeward speeding.”
As they with thanks were bowing,
and she her greeting gave,
Siegfried, king of Moorland,
drew nearer on the wave,
And with his warriors, shouting,
up to the beach was springing:
A merry song from Araby
were all, as best they might, together singing.
Queen Hilda him awaited
till on the shore he stood.
Then to the lord of Karadie
a greeting warm she showed:
“Sir Siegfried, king of Moorland,
welcome to you is given;
It ne’er shall be forgotten
how you to right my wrongs have ever striven.”
“Lady, if I have helped you,
to do it I was glad.
Now must I hasten thither
to where my home I’ve had
Since early days of boyhood,
ere I thence had ridden
To war against King Herwic;
henceforth to strive with him it is forbidden.”
Then they their ships unloaded,
and up they bore on the sand
The many things brought with them
into Queen Hilda’s land.
The night was drawing nearer,
the air was colder growing;
The guests no longer waited:
to seek a shelter they in haste were going.
Then with the guests Queen Hilda
rode up on to the plain.
Before great Matelan castle
huts and tents were seen
Bedecked with gold and shining;
there the guests were seated
Upon rich seats made ready:
within the tents were all most kindly treated.
Such wealth, at Hilda’s bidding,
was brought up to the land,
That none need leave behind him
his pledge or bond to stand.
Never in giving freely
could any host be vying
With this most high-born widow:
no guest need wine or other cheer be buying.
There the weary rested
until five days were gone.
The greatest care and kindness
unto the guests were shown;
But Hartmut greatly sorrowed—
no happiness it gave him—
Until the lovely maiden
begged Queen Hilda would in freedom leave him.
Then Ortwin went with his sister
where Hilda had her seat.
She said: “My dearest mother,
never this forget—
We must not reward with evil
him who a wrong is doing.
Of your worthy name bethink you;
you should on Hartmut smile, forgiveness showing.”
She answered: “Dearest daughter,
you do not ask aright:
I at the hands of Hartmut
the greatest ills have met;
He must atone in bondage
for all his wrongful dealing.”
Then at the feet of Hilda
Gudrun fell down, with sixty maidens, kneeling.
Then spake the lady Ortrun:
“In freedom let him live;
To you will he be faithful,
for this my word I give.
Be to my brother friendly,
nor of your love be sparing;
’Twill be to you an honor
if he again the kingly crown be wearing.”
His friends all wept together
that he in bondage sat,
Wearing chains so heavy;
their eyes with tears were wet:
Much they pitied Hartmut,
no more his kingdom swaying.
On him and on his followers
fetters fast and strongest now were weighing.
Then spake to them Queen Hilda:
“Leave your weeping now;
Their chains will I unloosen;
they to my court may go:
But not to seek their freedom
they their word must give me,
And with an oath must swear it—
not hence to ride unbidden, nor to leave me.”
Now the noble bondsmen
were from chains set free.
Gudrun then bade these warriors
to bathe them in the sea;
Then, in finest clothing,
men to court must lead them.
Knights were they most worthy;
and so the more, good luck did ever speed them.
There among the others
Hartmut now was seen;
Never a braver warrior
or better knight had been:
E’en now, amid his sorrows,
such a mien was he wearing,
It seemed as if a pencil
had drawn him there, and a parchment him was bearing.
Now on him with kindness
did all the ladies look,
While he, their friendship trusting,
greater boldness took.
Ill-will, that erst was borne him,
none were longer feeling;
It was by all forgotten
what wounds they erst had been to each other dealing.
Herwic now bethought him
from the land of the Hegeling
How he might be going.
He bade his men to bring
His clothing and his weapons,
and on the horses load them:
When this was known to Hilda,
to let them go no ready will she showed them.
She said: “My good Lord Herwic,
I beg you longer stay!
All your love and kindness
a weight on me doth lay.
Not yet with my good wishes
may you hence be riding;
Before you yet shall leave me,
there shall be high times for the guests with me abiding.”
To her Lord Herwic answered:
“Lady, you know the way,
How those who send their kinsmen
to lands which others sway
Again at home to see them
are always greatly longing:
With pain our friends are waiting
until again they see us homeward thronging.”
Then spake again Queen Hilda:
“Grudge not, I beg, to me
One happiness and honor,
for none can greater be;
Herwic, king most worthy,
the boon now deign to give me,
That I, poor lonely woman,
may see my daughter crowned, ere she shall leave me.”
For this was he unwilling;
but still she begged and bade:
Thereby those held in bondage
were soon from sorrow freed.
When now at last he told her
that to do it he was willing,
Then the Lady Hilda
was glad in heart, and rest of mind was feeling.
Seats were made at her bidding,
yet more and better still,
Which many knights with honor,
near Hilda, soon did fill,
When came the high times merry,
that now were widely bruited.
To crown Gudrun, the fair one,
King Herwic bade, for him it now well suited.
Of those who him had followed
there went away not one
Before at Matelan castle
the high times were begun.
Then by Lady Hilda
was clothing kindly given
To sixty maids or over:
for praise and honor she had ever striven.
To full a hundred women
clothing good she gave:
None of those were slighted,
but all her care did have,
Who from their homes were taken;
these had clothes the rarest.
The gifts indeed were wondrous
that Hilda gave, of queens the best and fairest.
Irold must guard the treasure;
to dwell in Hilda’s home
That knight erelong was bidden,
and quickly did he come:
Wâ-te, he of Sturmland,
must carve the meat at table;
They also sent for Fru-te,
to come to her as soon as he was able.
Her cup-bearer she made him;
thereon thus spake the knight:
“That will I be most gladly,
if now you think it right.
A fief you then will give me,
with banners twelve to show it;
Then am I lord in Denmark.”
Queen Hilda smiled, but never thought to do it.
To Fru-te thus she answered:
“That gift is not for thee;
For still your nephew Horant
Daneland’s lord must be.
You, in his stead, for friendship,
must now our cup be filling;
And, while he is with the Normans,
kindly to care for him must you be willing.”
The men and maids in waiting
all to their tasks were set:
Silken clothes were called for;
a hoard both rich and great,
In rooms and chests long treasured,
Queen Hilda bade them open.
These were brought by stewards,
and all the guests to them were freely holpen.
Of these the very lowest
had clothing of the best.
If others than the Normans
were bidden to the feast,
Or why they called them thither,
I have no way of telling:
Full thirty thousand were they
whom there they brought, in Norman lands once dwelling.
Clothes for all were wanted,
but where could these be found?
If e’en the wealth of Araby
any there had owned,
I ween he could no better
or finer clothes have given
Than now they shared so freely: that this should be, Gudrun her best had striven.
Soon as this lovely maiden
by the guests had now her seat,
She sent for her brother Ortwin,
and did his coming wait,
That she the word might give him
to be fair Ortrun’s lover;
She, King Ludwig’s daughter,
beside Gudrun was seated then, as ever.
Ortwin, lord of Ortland,
made haste to his sister’s bower:
Him welcomed many a maiden
who sat with her that hour.
Then, from her seat arising,
by the hand she kindly took him;
And him aside then leading,
at the further end of the hall she thus bespoke him,
Saying: “Dearest brother,
hear what for you is best;
All that I shall tell you
comes from a faithful breast.
If you for bliss are hoping,
so long as you are living,
Then for Hartmut’s sister
you must, as best you may, henceforth be striving.”
To her young Ortwin answered:
“Now think you this is well?
I and her brother Hartmut
never as friends can feel;
We slew their father Ludwig,
and, when to me she’s wedded,
Of him will she be thinking;
then with her sighs I oft shall be upbraided.”
“You such love must show her
that for him she will not long.
If now this word I give you,
’tis from a love as strong
As I have had for any,
or e’er in my life was feeling.
Should she to you be wedded,
your bliss with her will be beyond all telling.”
Then said her knightly brother:
“If she to you is known,
And now you think the Hegelings
will her for a mistress own,
Gladly will I love her—
a maid of such high-breeding.”
Him Gudrun then answered:
“You’ll ne’er a sorry day with her be leading.”
Of this he spoke to others,
but Hilda’s word was nay;
He told it unto Herwic,
to hear what he would say,
Who held it right and worthy;
then to Fru-te speaking,
That friend would have him woo her,
“for many knights will she your own be making.
“Soothed should be the hatred
that we each other bore;
Of how it may be ended,
I now will tell you more;
Then,” said the Danish Fru-te,
whose word was ever heeded,
“Hildeburg, the maiden,
to young King Hartmut also must be wedded.”
The wise and upright Herwic
with faithful words thus spake:
“I deem it right and fitting
the maiden him should take;
When in the land of Hartmut
she is queen and lady,
A thousand lordly castles
to own her sway will there be glad and ready.”
Then to the high-born Hildeburg
Gudrun the fair thus spake,
With words unheard by others:
“Care for your weal I’ll take;
If I may well reward you,
my friend and playmate dearest,
For all the love you’ve shown me,
soon in the Norman land a crown thou wearest.”
To her then said fair Hildeburg:
“For me it were not well
To give my troth to any
who ne’er his love did tell,
Nor unto me, in fondness,
e’er his heart was turning;
Should we grow old together,
I fear between us oft there’ll be heart-burning.”
Her Gudrun thus answered:
“Give not a thought to that:
I soon will send to Hartmut,
and bid him answer straight
Whether he now would like it
if from his pledge I free him,
As well as all his followers,
and send him home, that his friends again may see him.
“If he his thanks shall tell me,
I then in turn will bid
That he by deeds shall show it,
and shall my wishes heed.
I then will freely ask him
if he will wed a maiden,
That I and all my kinsmen
may him with love and friendship ever gladden.”
To her they brought young Hartmut,
king of the Norman land,
And with him came old Fru-te.
Near her, on either hand,
Proud Hildeburg and Ortrun
within her bower were sitting;
If the lady’s word they heeded,
their many woes they both would be forgetting.
Hartmut, the son of Ludwig,
went through the palace hall;
To him a friendly greeting
was given by one and all,
Alike both high and lowly
from their seats arising.
None than he was braver;
no worth or greatness e’er in him was missing.
He by Gudrun, fair lady,
to seat himself was told;
And neither of the others
her greeting did withhold.
Then said Queen Hilda’s daughter:
“I beg you to be sitting
Near my faithful maidens,
who washed with me for your knights, as was befitting.”
“This in scorn you bid me,
fair and lovely queen!
Whatever wrong was done you
truly gives me pain:
’Twas by my mother’s wishes
that this from me was hidden;
To keep it from my father,
and from his knights as well, were all men bidden.”
To him the maiden answered:
“My wish I may not hide:
I now, in truth, Sir Hartmut,
must speak with you aside.
I and yourself, we only,
may hear what I am saying.”
Hartmut then bethought him:
“May God now grant she is not falsely playing.”
No one else but Fru-te
allowed she to come near;
Then the high-born maiden
said in Hartmut’s ear:
“If you to me will hearken,
and do what I shall tell you
With ready heart and freely,
now of all your sorrows I will heal you.”
“Well I know your wisdom,”
then young Hartmut said;
“Of aught that is unworthy
I need not be afraid.
My heart for nothing wishes,
unless to do your bidding:
Gladly, high-born lady,
to all that you shall say will I give heeding.”
She said: “My wish I tell you,
and now your life would cheer;
I, and my kinsmen with me,
will give you a helpmeet fair.
To keep both land and honor
you may thus be seeking,
And of the hate we bore you
none shall evermore a word be speaking.”
“Who is it, say, fair lady,
that you for me will choose?
Ere yet my love I give her,
life would I rather lose
Than ever that my kinsmen
her with scorn were eying;
For me it were far better
that I in death upon the field were lying.”
“I will give your sister Ortrun,
the maid beloved and fair,
To be a wife to my brother,
himself to me most dear.
You must wed with Hildeburg,
of a king the well-born daughter:
Never a dearer maiden
you in the world could find, where’er you sought her.”
“If this indeed may happen,”
then young Hartmut said,
“And now your brother Ortwin
shall take that lovely maid,
My dear-loved sister, Ortrun,
and she to him is wedded,
Then I will woo fair Hildeburg;
thus hate will end, nor longer shall be dreaded.”
She said: “To this I’ve brought him;
his troth to her he gave.
If now ’twould make you happy
your father’s lands to have,
And again within his castles
that you should soon be living,
You well may wed with Hildeburg,
and there the queenly crown to her be giving.”
He said: “That pledge I gladly,
and on it give my hand;
As soon as the king of Ortland
shall with my sister stand,
And both the crown have taken,
then I, no more forbearing,
Will, with lovely Hildeburg,
among our men our lands and fiefs be sharing.”
When he his word had plighted,
then said the high-born maid:
“Now will I do gladly
a further friendly deed;
Unto the lord of Karadie
for a wife will I be giving
The sister of King Herwic,
that she with him may evermore be living.”
I ween that never hatred
was smoothed as now was done:
Brave knights who long were foemen
now became as one.
Fru-te, the lord of Daneland,
thought it right and fitting
Soon to send for Ortwin;
also the Moorland king must them be meeting.
When they to court were coming,
finest clothes they wore.
The news Gudrun had told them
others to Wâ-te bore;
To Irold, too, they gave it,
as soon as he came thither;
This aside they talked of,
and fitting speech long time they held together.
Then spake the aged Wâ-te:
“Peace we can never know
Until Ortrun and Hartmut
to Hilda, the queen, shall go,
And ask of her forgiveness,
down at her feet low bending.
Only if she allows it,
can we be friends, and hatred have an ending.”
Then spake Gudrun, the high-born:
“This I can truly say:
To them is she not unfriendly;
Ortrun wears to-day
Such clothes as by my mother
to me and my maids were given.
I’ll gladly gain forgiveness;
in me they all may trust, from home now riven.”
Within a ring of maidens
Ortrun then they set,
And with her also Hildeburg,
of birth both high and meet:
Ortwin then and Hartmut
led them out to wed them.
“I hope,” said Lady Hilda,
“that now, forever, we our friends have made them.”
When to his side young Ortwin
did the maiden Ortrun bring,
Lovingly and kindly,
he took a golden ring,
And this upon the finger
of her fair white hand he fitted.
Then far off were driven
the many woes that late her life had greeted.
Hartmut around fair Hildeburg
then his arms did throw;
Each on the hand of the other
did a golden ring bestow.
The lovely maid was blameless,
and sorrow gave him never;
Of him and of fair Hildeburg
nothing their faithful hearts thro’ life could sever.
Then said Queen Hilda’s daughter:
“Herwic, my lord most dear,
Say, does the land of your fathers
lie to us so near
That men could bring your sister,
if this by us were needed,
Here to my mother’s kingdom,
that she to the lord of Karadie may now be wedded?”
To her King Herwic answered:
“This will I say to you:
Your men, if they will hasten,
in twelve days’ time can go;
But if any to your kingdom
the maiden would be leading,
Ill luck, I ween, awaits him,
unless with him my own good knights be speeding.”
Then answered Hilda’s daughter:
“Your help, I beg you, grant;
By doing this, of happiness
you nought shall ever want.
To your men both food and clothing
my mother will be giving;
Only bring us the maiden,
that I may thank you, long as you are living.”
To her then said Lord Herwic:
“How can she be clad?
The mighty lord of Karadie
a waste of my kingdom made;
There he burned my castles,
and of her clothes bereft her.”
Then said the king of Moorland:
“Her would I woo, if only a smock were left her.”
To bring the maid then Herwic
a hundred warriors sent;
He bade his men to hasten
when on their way they went.
He begged that Wâ-te and Fru-te
would with them go riding:
This was to them a burden;
but yet the worthy knights both did his bidding.
With greatest speed they hastened,
both by day and night,
Until they found the maiden.
Wâ-te they feared would fight—
’Gainst this did Herwic’s liegemen
give their careful heeding.
Soon from her home the lady,
with four and twenty maids, the knights were leading.
By Wâ-te they were guided
from the castle down to the sand:
Two ships they found, with row-boats,
lying by the strand;
One of these they seized on,
and, helped by breezes blowing,
They fast away were sailing:
throughout twelve days they to their homes were going.
When to the land of the Hegelings
they had brought the maid,
Many knights bethought them
over the sand to speed,
To meet the lovely lady,
and all with banners hasted.
They who had brought the maiden
had kept their oaths, nor from the task had rested.
How could any maiden
a better welcome find?
Gudrun went forth to meet her,
and gave her greeting kind;
Hilda, with many ladies,
to see the maiden hasted:
Nor came King Herwic’s sister
all alone, though with fire her land was wasted.
She from home was followed
by full three hundred men.
Now when the kingly Herwic
his sister met again,
He, to show her honor,
rode forward, proudly dashing;
So did many others:
loud were the shields of the knights together clashing.
Four kings both rich and mighty
rode to meet her there;
Thereon the knights ’gan wrangle
which of the ladies fair
Was loveliest and fairest.
Long their time they wasted,
For all alike were worthy;
on this at last their wordy war they rested.
The fair Gudrun then kissed her
and those who with her came.
They walked along the seashore,
till a tent was seen by them,
With richest silken hangings;
while they stood thereunder,
What now to her should happen
gave to Herwic’s sister greatest wonder.
Now the king of Karadie
forthwith to come they bade;
Then they asked the maiden:
“Will you this man now wed?
Kingdoms nine most mighty
have for their master owned him.”
With him were knights full many,
yellow in hue, now standing all around him.
His father and his mother
were not of faith the same;
But him, so light in color,
one might a Christian name.
Like to gold, spun finely,
the hair on his head was lying:
She would choose unwisely
if she to him her love were now denying.
She was slow her love to grant him,
as oft one sees a maid;
But she to him was given.
The worthy knight then said:
“So well I like this lady,
from love I ne’er can free me.
Never will I leave her,
and as her husband men erelong shall see me.”
At last this knight and maiden
each their troth did plight:
Both of them scarce waited
till day should turn to night,
When, from others hidden,
they should their bliss be owning.
Soon, ’mid knightly warriors,
daughters of four rich kings were hallowed for the crowning.