{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_46923/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_46923","id":"gutenberg_46923","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46923","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Medieval/Middle Ages","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Literature, Medieval","Romances"],"text":"Produced by Chris Curnow, Sonya Schermann, and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This\nfile was produced from images generously made available\nby The Internet Archive)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n                          EPICS AND ROMANCES\n                           OF THE MIDDLE AGES.\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n[Illustration: FRONTISPIECE.]\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                           Epics and Romances\n                          Of the Middle Ages.\n\n\n\n\n                        ADAPTED FROM THE WORK OF\n                             DR. W. W\u00c4GNER\n                                   BY\n                            M. W. MACDOWALL,\n\n                             AND EDITED BY\n                            W. S. W. ANSON,\n\n_Editor of Dr. W\u00e4gner\u2019s \u201cAsgard and the Gods: the Tales and Traditions of\n                       our Northern Ancestors.\u201d_\n\n\n\n\n                            SECOND EDITION.\n\n                     _WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS._\n\n\n\n\n                                LONDON:\n                       W. SWAN SONNENSCHEIN & CO.\n                                 1884.\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                            BUTLER & TANNER,\n                      THE SELWOOD PRINTING WORKS,\n                           FROME, AND LONDON.\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n                             INTRODUCTION.\n\n\nLegend is not history; but in legend we find embodied historical\ntruths, manners and customs of past ages, beliefs and superstitions\notherwise long forgotten, of which history itself takes no account.\nLegend has preserved for us, maybe in romantic dress, maybe under\naltered names and circumstances, stirring pictures of heroes and\nheroines, who once have lived and suffered, fought and conquered, or\nhave faced death with trustful courage; pictures, too, of men of equal\nprowess, as strong in evil as in might, who, victorious for a time,\nhave yet ever met a stronger power than theirs, stronger in virtue,\nstronger in might.\n\nAs we write, the shadowy forms of terrific Alboin raising aloft his\ngoblet fashioned from royal skull; the noble Siegfried with his loved\nChriemhild and the jealous Brunhild; brave King Dietrich; the gentle,\npatient Gudrun and her beauteous mother Hilde, all flit before the\nmind, framing themselves into a vivid picture, such as must have lived\nin the imagination of our early forefathers, stirring them on to noble\nactions, restraining them from evil working. Thus has good in all ages\nfought against ill, and all races of men have sung its victory in\nstrains but slightly varying. And so will it ever fight, no matter how\nour more elaborate ideas of what is good or evil may vary: the nation\nalways glorifies the great and noble according to its own unreasoning\nreason.\n\nThis volume contains the principal hero-lays of the six great epic\ncycles of the Teutonic Middle Ages, and to them we have added the great\nmythical Carolingian cycle, which centred round the persons of\nCharlemagne and his heroes. The latter is mostly of Romance origin, and\nwas composed by court troubadours for the delight of the royal palace,\nwherefore it never became the true inheritance of the masses. Beside\nthese French poems, stand the Breton ones of King Arthur and his\nKnights of the Round Table, which later on took up the legend of the\nHoly Grail into their very heart, and at this period found their way to\nGermany, where they met with a more romantic and poetic treatment at\nthe hands of the court minnesingers. But these foreign importations\nnever found a true home amongst the German people; they never became\n_popular_. The native hero-lays on the other hand, even though less\nbeautiful in conception and in form, lived on through centuries, and\neven to this day exist, though disguised and degraded. For in the\nmarket-places of Germany, and at the few old English fairs that yet\nremain, the pedlar bookseller gives in exchange for the farthing piece\nprinted versions of many of these old legendary tales: Siegfried\u2019s\nbattle with the Dragon, the Rose-garden, Alberic and Elbegast\u2019s\nadventures, and other wondrous histories of Teutonic epical origin. But\nthis literature is fast dying out, if, indeed, it may not by this time\nbe said to be already dead. In Iceland, however, and in the Faroe\nIsles, tradition still holds her throne unconquered. She yet sings to\nthe listening greybeards, to the men and women, and to the growing\nyouth, of Odin and his mighty rule, of H\u00f6nir and the wicked Loki, of\nThor and Frey, and Freya Queen of Heaven, of the Fenris-wolf and the\nMidgard-serpent. In the long winter nights she still tells of bold\nSigurd\u2019s (Siegfried) deeds and battles, of Gudrun\u2019s faithful love and\ndumb grief beside the body of her lord, of Gunnar\u2019s marvellous harping\nin the garden of snakes, and the listeners hold it all in their memory,\nthat they may sing and tell it to their children and their children\u2019s\nchildren. And so do they cherish the time-old legends of their fathers,\nthat the ardent youth may still be heard to adjure his bride to love\nhim \u201cwith the love of Gudrun,\u201d the master revile his dishonest workmen\nas \u201cfalse as Regin\u201d (the evil dwarf), and the old men to shake their\nheads and say of the daring lad, that he is \u201ca true descendant of the\nWolsings.\u201d At the dance, Sigurd-songs are yet sung, at Christmastide a\ngrotesque Fafnir takes his part in the mummery. Thus old German\ntradition in her wane has found an asylum, perhaps a last\nresting-place, in the far North, driven from their first home by\nstrangers, the myths of Greece and Rome. Every schoolboy can tell of\nZeus and Hera, of Achilles and Odysseus, every schoolgirl of the golden\napples of the Hesperides, of Helen, of Penelope; yet to how many of our\nolder folks, even, are the grand forms of Siegfried, Chriemhild, and\nBrunhild more than mere names?\n\nIt is true that a tendency is now springing up in England and in\nGermany once more to enquire into these old tales, nay beliefs, of our\ncommon ancestry. It is true that we have a Morris and they a Wagner;\nbut we should wish to see the people of both nations take a more\ngeneral interest in a subject of such intrinsic worth to them, their\nlong-forgotten heritage. It is not the history of class-books that they\nwill find in it\u2014it is that of their fathers\u2019 manners and customs, of\ntheir joys and sufferings, their games and occupations, festivals and\nreligious observances, battles, victories and defeats, their virtues\nand their crimes. Such is the golden field that lies beneath our feet,\nwhich, unheeded, we have let lie fallow, till it has almost faded from\nmemory.\n\nIn a previous volume, _Asgard and the Gods, the Tales and Traditions of\nour Northern Ancestors_, we have endeavoured to give an account of the\n_religion_ of our ancient Norse parents. In this volume we are occupied\nwith their _legendary lore_.\n\nTo what extent these legends formed a part of their religion proper it\nis impossible for us now to say. Of later origin and more poetic\ntreatment, they stood in a similar position toward the old Teutons as\nthe later Greek heroic legend stood to the Greeks of history. Some say,\nand the learned Grimm amongst them,[1] that the heroes were historical\nmen raised to the dignity of gods, others that they were humanized gods\nthemselves; but may be neither theory is exactly true, though both\ncontain a portion of the truth. In the hero-legends we certainly find\nheroes possessed of the distinctive attributes of certain gods, and we\nare tempted to add others to their characters, but we consider that\nthese divine qualities were looked upon rather as divine _gifts_ of the\ngods and did not thereby exactly deify the recipients. It was similar\nwith the Greeks, and perhaps with all nations at a stage when their\nheroes really formed an essential element in their belief. The gods\nwere never human heroes, the heroes never became gods, though each\napproached the other so nearly that we are often misled into assuming\nthat they were identical.\n\n                                                         W. S. W. ANSON.\n\n-----\n\nFootnote 1:\n\n  \u201cTeutonic Mythology,\u201d translated by J. S. Stallybrass. Vol. i. p. 315.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n                               CONTENTS.\n\n\n                              PART FIRST.\n\n                   _THE AMELUNG AND KINDRED LEGENDS._\n\n                        I. LANGOBARDIAN LEGENDS.\n\n                                                            PAGE\n\n         1. ALBOIN AND ROSAMUND                            19-27\n\n         2. KING ROTHER                                    28-54\n\n         3. ORTNIT                                         55-81\n\n\n                           II. THE AMELUNGS.\n\n         1. HUGDIETERICH AND WOLFDIETERICH                82-114\n\n         2. KING SAMSON                                  115-124\n\n         3. DIETWART                                     125-130\n\n                         III. DIETRICH OF BERN.\n\n         1. DIETRICH AND HILDEBRAND                      130-151\n\n         2. DIETRICH\u2019S COMRADES                          152-172\n\n         3. DIETRICH\u2019S ADVENTURES                        173-190\n\n         4. DIETRICH THE FAITHFUL ALLY                   191-198\n\n         5. ERMENRICH\u2014THE HARLUNGS                       199-208\n\n         6. KING ETZEL\u2014WALTER OF WASGENSTEIN\u2014HILDEGUNDE  209-213\n\n         7. ETZEL AND DIETRICH AGAINST THE REUSSEN       214-215\n\n         8. THE BATTLE OF RAVENNA                        216-221\n\n         9. GOING HOME                                   222-226\n\n\n                              PART SECOND.\n\n                  _THE NIBELUNG AND KINDRED LEGENDS._\n\n\n                         I. THE NIBELUNG HERO.\n\n         1. SIEGFRIED\u2019S YOUTH                            229-237\n\n         2. SIEGFRIED IN BURGUNDY                        238-242\n\n         3. THE DRAGONSTONE                              243-252\n\n         4. THE WOOING OF BRUNHILD                       253-260\n\n         5. TREASON AND DEATH                            261-273\n\n\n                        II. THE NIBELUNGS\u2019 WOE.\n\n         1. KING ETZEL\u2019S WOOING                          274-278\n\n         2. THE BURGUNDIANS VISIT HUNLAND                279-299\n\n         3. THE NIBELUNGS\u2019 LAMENT                        300-306\n\n\n                       III. THE HEGELING LEGEND.\n\n         1. HAGEN                                        307-314\n\n         2. HETTEL THE HEGELING AND HIS HEROES           315-320\n\n         3. GUDRUN                                       321-330\n\n         4. QUEEN GERLIND                                331-339\n\n         5. BATTLE AND VICTORY                           340-346\n\n\n                              IV. BEOWULF.\n\n         1. GRENDEL                                      347-348\n\n         2. BEOWULF, THE BOLD DIVER                      349-354\n\n         3. THE SHE-WOLF OF THE SEA                      354-357\n\n         4. BEOWULF IS MADE KING                         357-359\n\n         5. THE FIGHT WITH THE DRAGON                    359-364\n\n\n                              PART THIRD.\n\n\n                     _I. THE CAROLINGIAN LEGENDS._\n\n         1. THE CHILDREN OF HAYMON                       367-396\n\n         2. ROLAND                                       397-407\n\n         3. WILLIAM OF ORANGE                            408-418\n\n\n            _II. LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR AND THE HOLY GRAIL._\n\n         1. TITUREL                                      419-426\n\n         2. PERCIVAL                                     427-452\n\n         3. LOHENGRIN                                    453-462\n\n         4. TRISTRAM AND ISOLDE                          463-474\n\n\n                            III. TANNH\u00c4USER.\n\n         LEGEND OF TANNH\u00c4USER                            475-482\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n                              PART FIRST.\n\n                   _THE AMELUNG AND KINDRED LEGENDS._\n\n\n                         I. LANGOBARDIAN LEGENDS.\n\n                        II. THE AMELUNGS.\n\n                       III. DIETRICH OF BERN.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: ALBOIN INSULTED BY THE GEPID\u00c6.]\n\n\n\n\n                         LANGOBARDIAN LEGENDS.\n\n\n\n\n                                   I\n                          ALBOIN and ROSAMUND.\n\n\n                                Alboin.\n\nUntroubled by the conscientious scruples of the historian, the poet\nthrows the glamour of his genius over the events he relates, when\ntaking for his theme the great deeds of the past, he strives to make\nthem live in the hearts of his hearers.\n\nThe story of Alboin and Rosamund has a strictly historical foundation,\nalthough many poetic liberties have been taken with it. For instance,\nit is contrary to fact that the heroes of this and the following tale\nwere predecessors of Theoderic, for Alboin did not march into Italy at\nthe head of his Langobards until the year 568 A.D., whereas Theoderic\ndied in 526, and his Gothic empire was destroyed in 553. Nevertheless\nwe give the stories in their poetical order, as the natural connection\nbetween them is thus kept up.\n\nThe Germanic Gepid\u00e6 and Langobards and the Asiatic Avars were\ninhabitants of Pannonia (_i.e._ Hungary and the neighbouring provinces)\nat the time this story begins. War and hunting were the occupations of\nthe freemen, while the serfs tended the flocks and herds, and\ncultivated the land.\n\nNow it happened that Alboin, son of the Langobardian ruler Audoin,\nconquered and slew a son of Thurisind, king of the Gepid\u00e6, in fair\nfight. He then took possession of the armour of his vanquished foe, and\nbore it in his arms to his father\u2019s hall, just as the warriors of his\nrace were assembling there to hold high festival. He would have joined\nthem, but his father forbade him, saying that it had always been held\nby the sages of the olden time, that no prince was worthy to sit at the\ntable of heroes until he had been given a suit of mail by some foreign\nking. The young man snatched up his battle axe, but remembering in time\nthat it was his father who stood before him, turned and left the hall.\nHe mounted his charger, and set out with his train for the land of the\nGepid\u00e6. He arrived at the royal stronghold when King Thurisind was\nfeasting with the princes of his people.\n\nAlboin approached the king, and placing himself under protection of the\nlaws of hospitality, begged that he might be furnished with a suit of\narmour forthwith. The Gepid\u00e6 were displeased with the boldness of his\nmanner, but Thurisind received him kindly, and gave him a seat at his\nside.\n\nMany beakers were drunk, and the conversation at table grew more and\nmore unfriendly, for K\u00fcnemund, the king\u2019s eldest son, was angry and\njealous at a stranger being given his place beside the king. To prevent\nfurther disagreement, Thurisind sent for the minstrels to come and\nenliven the company.\n\nThey came. They sang the glorious deeds of their forefathers, and\nespecially those done by Aldarich, who destroyed the power of the Huns.\nLastly, they called upon the young men before them to follow in the\nfootsteps of their ancestors, careless whether Fortune rewarded their\nefforts or not.\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d said K\u00fcnemund when the song was ended, \u201cFortune is blind and\nthrows her favours at the feet of mean-spirited creatures with white\nbands round their knees, that make them look for all the world like\nwhite-legged hacks, and every one knows it takes a deal of beating to\nmake them go!\u201d\n\nThe Langobards always wore the white bands alluded to, so they knew\nthat the scornful words were directed against them. Alboin\u2019s blood was\nup in a moment. He started to his feet and told K\u00fcnemund to go to the\nplace where he had fought his brother, and there he would see how\nshrewdly the \u201cwhite-legged hacks\u201d could kick.\n\nA tumult immediately arose, which was with difficulty calmed by the old\nking, who then gave Alboin the armour he had craved, and sent him away\nwith his followers without loss of time, lest worse should come of it,\nand the rights of hospitality be broken.\n\nAs Alboin rode away he passed Rosamund, K\u00fcnemund\u2019s fair little\ndaughter, who was playing at shuttlecock with her maidens, and as he\npassed he looked at her long and earnestly.\n\n\n                               ROSAMUND.\n\nPeace lasted between the Langobards and Gepid\u00e6 while the old kings\nAudoin and Thurisind lived, but after their death a bloody feud broke\nout between the rival tribes. At length K\u00fcnemund and many of the\nnoblest Gepid\u00e6 fell under the axes of Alboin and his people. Upon which\nthe Langobardian king had his enemy\u2019s skull set as a goblet in a silver\nrim, and used it for drinking solemn toasts at the great feasts. Then\nhe married Rosamund, and she, poor soul, hated him as the murderer of\nher father. She had to feign love, though she would willingly have\nstrangled her husband with her own hands. She bore her lot as well as\nmight be, all the while nursing the secret hope that she might one day\navenge her father\u2019s death.\n\nAlboin had no idea of the thoughts that filled his wife\u2019s heart. Intent\non conquest, he crossed the Alps into Italy at the head of his own\npeople, of those Gepid\u00e6 who had followed the fortunes of their\nprincess, and of other adventurers who had joined his train. This he\ndid in response to an invitation from the Roman general Narses, victor\nover the Ostrogoths, who feeling himself slighted by the imperial\ncourt, had determined on vengeance. Alboin carried all before him, and\ndestroyed every town and fortress that did not at once open its gates\nto receive him. Pavia alone offered a long resistance. During his three\nyears\u2019 siege of that city, the Langobardian king made raids into the\nneighbouring country and brought it under his rule. One warrior alone\nwas equal to him in prowess, and that was Peredeus, a giant, who was\nsaid to possess the strength of twelve ordinary men. At last the gates\nof Pavia opened, and Alboin, who had sworn to put the inhabitants to\nfire and sword, rode in under the archway. Just then his horse\nstumbled, and a priest exclaimed that this was an omen that he should\ndie a violent death if he kept his word. The king believed the warning,\nforgave, and spared the city.\n\n[Illustration: ALBOIN FORCES ROSAMUND TO DRINK OUT OF HER FATHER\u2019S\nSKULL.]\n\n\n                             THE REGICIDE.\n\nAlboin gave a great feast to his warriors, at which much of the fiery\nwine of the south was consumed. The talk of the guests was of the great\ndeeds of Wodan, the god of battles, and how he and Frigga had led their\nfathers to victory; then they spoke of their own conquest of the Gepid\u00e6\nand their victories in Italy.\n\nIn the midst of this, Alboin, intoxicated with wine and pride,\ncommanded that the goblet made out of K\u00fcnemund\u2019s skull should be\nbrought, and turning to queen Rosamund desired her to pledge him it.\nShe hesitated. \u201cWhy,\u201d he cried, \u201cknow you not, Rosamund, that I love\nyou more than aught in the world besides? Show me now your love and\nobedience by doing what I bid you.\u201d She looked at him in silent\nentreaty, but her hesitation aroused his anger. He raised his hand to\nstrike her\u2014and then\u2014she lifted her murdered father\u2019s skull to her\nlips. None could tell whether she drank or not, for, flinging the\ngoblet on the table so violently that the wine ran out, she said, \u201cI\nhave obeyed you, but you have lost your wife.\u201d Having uttered these\nwords, she rose and left the room.\n\nA hoarse murmur of indignation passed from mouth to mouth, for no one\napproved of what the king had done. And he, suddenly sobered by his\nwife\u2019s words and action, got up and left the hall.\n\nAlboin did not see Rosamund again until the following day, when she\nwent about her usual duties quietly. The insult seemed to be forgiven\nand forgotten. But Rosamund could neither forgive nor forget. She\ndreamed of vengeance. At last she persuaded Helmigis, the king\u2019s\nshield-bearer, to murder his master; but when the moment for action\ncame, he feared to do the deed. So the queen turned to Peredeus for\nhelp, and by means of flattery and sweet words brought him over to her\nside. One evening he slipt into the king\u2019s room and slew him. Before\nAlboin\u2019s death became known, the conspirators, of whom there were many,\ngot possession of the royal treasure, and hid it away in a secret\nplace. Soon after this, Rosamund announced her betrothal to Helmigis,\nand named him as Alboin\u2019s successor in royal power.\n\nThe nobles assembled to debate this point, and, after much discussion,\nit was agreed by a large majority that the murderer of the great Alboin\nwas the last man who ought to succeed him; that he should rather be\npunished for his crime. Hearing how matters were going on in the\ncouncil, the conspirators fled.\n\n\n                            THE RETRIBUTION.\n\nGuarded by her faithful Gepid\u00e6, Rosamund and her accomplices reached\nRavenna in safety with the treasure they had carried away with them.\nThere they placed themselves under the protection of Longinus, exarch\nor viceroy of the Eastern emperor. They had not been there long when\nLonginus, having fallen desperately in love with the fair widow, or\nwith the wealth of which she was possessed, asked Rosamund to marry\nhim, and she at once consented on condition that the viceroy freed her\nfrom Helmigis, to whom she was already bound. Longinus gave her a cup\nof wine mixed with a deadly poison, telling her to give it to Helmigis\nthe next time he complained of thirst. This she did. Her victim drained\nhalf the goblet at a draught. The poison was so strong that he\nimmediately felt he was doomed, and drawing his sword, forced her to\nfinish what he had left. Thus the murderers died, and their great\ntreasure fell into the hands of the Roman viceroy. But the story tells\nus that wealth did not make him happy, and that it was the ultimate\ncause of his death.\n\nWe have still to learn what became of Peredeus, the giant. He was so\nused to deeds of violence that he thought the murder of Alboin a mere\nnothing. Placing himself at the head of a band of Gepid\u00e6, he set out\nfor Constantinople and offered his services to the emperor. His great\nstrength gained him a high position at court, and raised him in his\nmaster\u2019s favour. As time went on he became discontented with the\ntreatment he received, thinking it hardly consistent with the gratitude\nhe deserved for his manifold services. Some of his angry words were\nrepeated to his master, who determined to make him powerless to hurt\nthe throne. One night, when Peredeus was snoring off the effects of a\ndrunken orgy, a number of men crept into his room, chained him hand and\nfoot, and put out his eyes. His howls of pain were so terrible that\nthey made all in the palace and neighbourhood tremble.\n\nThe blind giant showed himself quiet and obedient, so that his guards\nceased to fear him, but still they never took off his chains until one\nevening he begged to be allowed to wrestle before the emperor,\nmaintaining that his strength was unabated. He was led into the great\nhall, and there, amid the general applause, proved himself as mighty an\nathlete as he had ever been. Suddenly he heard the emperor\u2019s voice, and\ndashing in that direction, plunged a knife he had concealed about his\nperson into the hearts of two great officials of the court, whom he\nmistook for the emperor. A few minutes more and he had fallen under the\nspears of the body-guard.\n\nSo, one by one, the murderers of Alboin all came to a violent end, and\nthe Langobards, for want of their leader, failed to gain full\npossession of the fair southern land they had come to regard as their\nown.\n\n                         ---------------------\n\nOccasionally their power was revived for a time by some able king, such\nas Rotharis (636-52) the subject of the following legend, till it was\nfinally broken by Charlemagne the Frank (774).\n\n\n[Illustration: KING ROTHER PUTS THE SHOES ON THE PRINCESS\u2019S FEET.]\n\n\n                                  II.\n                         KING ROTHER (RUOTHER).\n\n\n                         THE TWELVE MESSENGERS.\n\nBari is the name of an Italian town which, small and unimportant as it\nis now, was once a mighty sea-port. In those old days the harbour was\ndeep and large and full of ships, while in the town itself were\nnumerous palaces and houses surrounded by gardens and orange-groves.\n\nHere it was that the great and glorious King Rother, the father of his\npeople and the terror of his foes, held court amongst the dukes, counts\nand nobles of the land. The race-course was close to the sea, and there\nthe young warriors were wont to congregate, to throw the spear and\npractise such sports as teach agility, while the women and maidens\nlooked on and distributed prizes to the successful candidates for\nhonour.\n\nOne day King Rother was seated on his throne surrounded by his\ncounsellors, watching now the people, now the sports, and now the\nrestless waves that were beating against the shore. There was a\ntroubled look upon his face. Turning to his old and faithful\nbanner-bearer, Duke Berchther of Meran, who sat beside him, \u201cLook,\u201d he\nsaid, \u201cdo you see how the waves raise their foam-crowned heads high in\nthe air, dash forward, and then vanish without leaving a trace behind?\nThe kings of the earth resemble them in this, so indeed do all men.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat do you say?\u201d cried the duke. \u201cDo you not hear how many songs are\nsung in your praise? Know you not that such songs live on from\ngeneration to generation, and that your name and deeds will therefore\nbe spoken of with admiration till the end of time?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is poor comfort,\u201d replied the king. \u201cWhat is the future to me,\nwhen the present is so tame and joyless? A happy home were better to me\nthan the songs of which you speak. There go your seven sons, bold\nLeupold at their head, their helmets wreathed in token of victory. You\nlive a second life in them, and their love will sustain you in your old\nage. What good is my throne to me? I have not wife nor child. I shall\nwither like an old tree, or become the laughing-stock of children in my\nage!\u201d\n\n\u201cThen why do you not marry?\u201d asked the duke, laughing heartily. \u201cYou\nare in your prime and a famous warrior. You might pick and choose any\none you liked for a wife, no one would say you nay, from a simple\nmaiden to a high-born princess.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou say that I am free to choose,\u201d said Rother bitterly; \u201ckings are\nmore fettered in their choice than other men. They must marry in their\nown degree, or their children cannot succeed them, and may even live to\ncurse them. I have travelled in many lands, but I have never yet seen\nthe princess I could have wished to make my wife.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay then, sire, if you are so hard to please,\u201d returned Berchther\nafter a deep and thoughtful silence; \u201cI think I know of a lady who\nmight suit you, if you are willing to risk your head for her sake.\u201d\n\nThe king desiring further information, Berchther showed him the\nportrait of a lovely girl, who, he said, was the daughter of the\nEmperor of Constantinople. Rother could not take his eyes off the\npicture, and exclaimed that she, and she alone, must be his wife.\n\n\u201cVery good, my lord,\u201d said Berchther; \u201cbut that is a more difficult\nmatter to bring about than you think. I must explain what I mean. The\nEmperor Constantine is so devoted to his daughter that he will not part\nwith her; and if any man\u2014be he count, duke or king\u2014is bold enough to\ngo and ask for her hand, he at once orders his head to be cut off. And\nwhat is the good of a headless wooer?\u201d\n\n\u201cI think,\u201d answered Rother, \u201cthat I shall meet with a better reception\nthan that. The emperor of the East will know how to bear himself to the\nruler of the West. But now call my counsellors together, that I may\ntell them what I intend to do.\u201d\n\nWhen the council was assembled, the king told his ministers the whole\nstory, adding in conclusion that he intended to do his wooing in\nperson. They strongly dissuaded him from this, upon the plea, that the\nking, being the chief of the state, had no right to endanger its safety\nby risking his head unnecessarily. Rother at last gave way, much\nagainst his will. The debate as to who should go to Constantinople\nlasted a long time, for each man felt that his head was of at least as\nmuch value to himself as the king\u2019s could possibly be to the state.\nThen Leupold, Berchther\u2019s brave son, rose with six of his brothers, and\ndeclared in their name and his own that they were ready to go as soon\nas the ships were fitted out for the journey; whereupon five noble\ncounts, emulating the valour of these seven, announced their\nwillingness to accompany them.\n\nPreparations were made for the departure of the twelve ambassadors, and\nat last the day came on which they were to set sail. Just before the\nanchors were lifted, the king came down to the harbour, his\ngold-stringed harp in his hand, and sang them a farewell song, so\nstrangely sweet and stirring that it moved them as Wodan\u2019s songs used\nto move the hearts of their fathers in the olden time. It seemed to\nthem as though the god of battles were calling on them to be up and\ndoing. The music ceased; and then Rother took leave of them, saying,\n\u201cIf ever you are in need, and you hear that song, you may know that I\nam near and will help you.\u201d\n\nThe hawsers were unloosed and the ship set sail. After a voyage that\nlasted for days and weeks, the travellers sighted the Golden Horn, the\nport of Constantinople; and as the sun was rising over the city, they\nlanded at the wharf. They dressed themselves in velvet and heavy gold\nbrocade, and cloaks trimmed with ermine. Every one turned to gaze after\nthem as they passed up the street towards the palace. None knew who\nthey were or whence they came, but all thought they must be the\nambassadors of some mighty prince.\n\nThe emperor was yet in bed, dreaming of the feasts and carousals in\nwhich his heart delighted, when the empress awoke him, and said, \u201cGet\nup, Constantine; the messengers of a great king have come to see you.\nThey bring tidings of vast importance. You must receive them with all\ndue honour and respect.\u201d\n\nWhen the emperor was ready, he desired the ambassadors to be brought to\nhim in the throne-room, where he received them courteously. At first\nall went well. Constantine was pleased that his friendship and alliance\nshould be sought by the ruler of the West, and expressed his delight in\nno scant terms; but when Leupold went on to say that his royal master\nhad also commissioned him to ask in his name for the hand of the\nPrincess Oda, the emperor\u2019s wrath knew no bounds, and he ordered his\nguards to seize the \u201cforeign hounds\u201d and cast them into prison.\n\nWhen the guards had left the hall with the twelve ambassadors,\nConstantine began to pace the floor, rubbing his hands, and muttering,\n\u201cBehead, drown, hang\u2014which shall it be? Ah, it were best to hang them.\nIt would be a grand sight! Twelve fine gentlemen in gorgeous raiment\nbrought at once to the gallows. St. Maurice grant that the wondrous\nspectacle may bring us glory!\u201d\n\n\u201cConstantine,\u201d said the kindly empress, \u201cbeware what you do. Is our\nbeautiful daughter never to marry? Would it not be a good thing to give\nher to King Rother, and let her rule the West with him, as we the East?\nIf you slay the messengers he has sent, Rother will assuredly ally\nhimself with the heathen king of Desert-Babylon, and, with his help,\nseek your destruction.\u201d\n\n\u201cSt. Michael and his holy angels will protect us against the might of\nthe godless host of infidels,\u201d replied the emperor sanctimoniously.\n\n\u201cAh,\u201d said the prudent wife, \u201cdo not be too sure of that. He has other\nthings to do. He has to fight for the conversion and salvation of the\nwild heathen tribes. Take my advice, and keep Rother\u2019s messengers as\nhostages, that our hands may be strengthened when their king comes over\nthe western sea and demands them from us at the head of his army.\u201d\n\nThe counsel pleased the emperor, and he gave orders that the prisoners\nshould be well guarded.\n\n\n                       THE SAILING OF THE HEROES.\n\nThe weeks and months rolled into a year, and still the ambassadors did\nnot return to Bari. Every heart was full of an undefined dread. Had\nthey perished at sea, or at the hands of the cruel tyrant to whom they\nhad been sent? None could answer.\n\nOld Berchther one day went to the king, and said, \u201cSire, my heart is\nsad. I can bear my sorrow no longer. I had twelve goodly sons.\nHelfrich, the eldest, was slain fighting the barbarians near the Elbe\nin the far north. Seven have gone to Constantinople in your service,\nand have never returned. I will go and see if I can find them.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou must not go alone,\u201d returned the king. \u201cI will call a meeting of\nthe royal council, and ask my wise advisers what were best to be done.\u201d\n\nAfter a stormy discussion, in which weighty arguments were often\nenforced with still weightier blows, it was determined to follow the\nadvice of the eldest counsellors. These aged and reverend men were of\nopinion that it would be bad policy to send an army against\nConstantinople; for were the messengers still alive, the emperor would\nassuredly put them to death when he found that Rother had appeared in\nthe guise of an enemy. It would be far better, they contended, to send\na richly appointed embassage, composed of good men and true, to spy out\nthe land, and see if it were not possible to save their friends, and\ngain the hand of the princess at the same time.\n\nKing Rother announced his intention of placing himself at the head of\nthe expedition, and as Berchther refused to be left behind, Count\nAmelger of Tengeling was appointed regent.\n\nPreparations for their departure went on apace. Noble warriors came\nfrom all parts of the kingdom to offer their services. Among those\naccepted were twelve men who were so tall and so heavy, that they could\nnowhere have found horses strong enough to bear their weight. King\nRother alone knew who they were, and he received them as old and\ntrusted friends. They were Asprian (Osbern), chief of the Northern\ngiants, and eleven of his tallest men.\n\nAt length all was ready, and the ship set sail amidst a blare of\ntrumpets. A fair wind filled the sheets, which were edged with cloth of\nsilver, and the vessels glided through the glassy deep as if drawn by\nswans. The king stood high on the deck of his galley: when he touched\nhis harp and sang of woman\u2019s love and manly courage, the hearts of the\nheroes were fired to deeds of daring. And the mermaids and dolphins\ndipt their heads out of the waves, and played about the prows, and\nlistened to the lay.\n\nThen Rother called his chiefs about him, and told them that he intended\nto go cunningly to work when he got to Constantinople. He would\nintroduce himself to the emperor as Dietrich, a noble of King Rother\u2019s\ncountry, who had been outlawed by his sovereign, and who now craved\nConstantine\u2019s protection. He further desired them to begin at once to\ncall him by his assumed name, that they might make no mistakes on their\narrival.\n\nThe voyage was uneventful, and the adventurers soon reached their\ndestination.\n\n[Illustration: KING ROTHER\u2019S VOYAGE.]\n\nThe first to land were \u201cDietrich\u201d and old Berchther, and then followed\nthe flower of Rother\u2019s army. Lastly the giants appeared, inspiring awe\nand fear in every heart. All were clothed like princes in splendid\nattire and with jewelled armour.\n\nThe empress received the strangers with courtly grace, and even the\nemperor looked pleased to see them. \u201cStrangers,\u201d he said, \u201cwe should\nlike to know from whence you come, who you are, and what brings you to\nour good city. Before granting you permission to remain here, we would\nfain know more about you.\u201d\n\n\u201cMighty sovereign of Greece, Hungary and Bulgaria,\u201d answered Dietrich,\n\u201cwe come from the realm of King Rother, where I bore the title and\npower of duke. I helped my liege lord in all his battles; but as I was\nalways victorious, he grew jealous of my good fortune, and I had to fly\nfor my life. I have come here as a fugitive with my faithful vassals,\nand all the wealth I could carry, and now I entreat of you to grant me\nyour protection, for which I will repay you by faithful service in the\nfield.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are an honest man,\u201d replied the emperor, \u201cand you shall receive a\nfitting welcome. I was afraid at first that you had come on the same\nerrand as the ambassadors of King Rother, who asked me to give my\ndaughter in marriage to their master. I have them safe under lock and\nkey, where even the light of the sun cannot reach them. Had your\nrequest been the same as theirs, you and your men should have suffered\nthe like fate.\u201d\n\nOn hearing these words the giant Asprian started forward, the whole\nroom trembling beneath his mighty tread. \u201cMy lord,\u201d he cried, laying\nhis hand upon his sword, \u201cyou might perhaps have found that a more\ndifficult task than you imagine. Before you took us prisoners many of\nyour guard would lie low, and who can tell whether you yourself would\nhave escaped scatheless? _We_ are not lambs to be slaughtered at the\nwill of any man.\u201d\n\nConstantine did not much like this address, and tried to smooth down\nthe ruffled feelings of the giant. After some further conversation he\ninvited the strangers to dine at his table. While they were eating, a\ntame lion, of which the emperor was very fond, began to steal the food\nfrom under the hands of the guests. Asprian\u2019s wrath was roused by the\ntempting morsel being snatched away from him, and starting up he seized\nthe beast in his powerful hands, and flung him with such force against\nthe stone wall of the banqueting room, that he fell, never to rise\nagain. Constantine desired the guards to turn the giant out of the\nhall, but the empress whispered, \u201cOh, take care what you do. That man\nis not to be defied with impunity. King Rother must be very powerful to\nhave outlawed such men as these. Take my advice, and set his messengers\nfree. Let them take our daughter home with them that she may be the\nwife of a great king, and that she may induce her husband to be our\nfriend and ally.\u201d\n\nConstantine listened in angry silence. At length he desired his wife to\nbe silent, reminding her that when once he had made up his mind on any\nsubject, he never changed.\n\nDietrich and his friends took up their abode in the lodging the emperor\nhad assigned to them, and there they had their treasures borne by the\nsailors: a labour that lasted many days. Many were the gifts they\nshowered on their new acquaintances, amongst others, on Lord Helme and\na brave and somewhat poor warrior named Arnold. The latter was so\ntouched by their kindness that he swore to help his benefactor whenever\nhe could.\n\n\n                             THE FAIR ODA.\n\nThe story of Dietrich\u2019s wealth and generosity became known in the\npalace, and Princess Oda was seized with an intense curiosity to see\nthe hero of so many tales. She took counsel with Herlind, her chief\nlady-in-waiting, as to how she might accomplish her purpose with most\npropriety. Then, acting on her advice, she begged her father to get up\nsome races, and allow her and her ladies to watch the sport. The\nemperor consented, and on the appointed day a large assemblage of\nspectators appeared on the course. The crush of people who collected\nround Dietrich was so great that none of the ladies of the court were\nable to get so much as a glimpse of him. The next day Oda called\nHerlind into her room, and promised her five gold bracelets if she\nwould contrive a secret meeting between her and the stranger. Herlind\npromised to do her best. She went to Dietrich\u2019s lodging, taking every\nprecaution against being seen, and gave him her mistress\u2019s message. He\nrefused to go and see the princess, lest the news of his having done so\nshould leak out and come to the emperor\u2019s ears. But before dismissing\nHerlind, he gave her a golden and a silver shoe as a present. She\nhastened back to her lady and told her all.\n\n\u201cHe is a noble man,\u201d said Oda, \u201cand cares more for our honour than for\nhis own safety. I will keep the shoes in remembrance of him, and will\ngive you instead as many gold pieces as they will hold.\u201d\n\nHerlind was satisfied with the proposal and now tried to put the shoes\non her lady\u2019s feet, but could not, for they were both made for the same\nfoot.\n\n\u201cGo,\u201d cried the princess, \u201che is not true. I will have none of his\ngifts, and will think of him no more. Take back the shoes and throw\nthem at his feet.\u201d\n\nWise Herlind understood how to interpret her mistress\u2019s command. She\nhastened to Dietrich, and told him that the princess was angry with\nhim, but that her curiosity to see him was so great that she would no\ndoubt pardon him if he took a proper pair of shoes with his own hand.\nDietrich seized the first moment when he could reach the princess\u2019s\napartments unobserved, and knocked at the door.\n\nHe stopped on the threshold in amazement at the wondrous beauty of the\nmaiden who advanced to meet him. She was also struck by his stately\nbearing and the resolute expression of his handsome manly face. She had\nintended to show him her displeasure, but she could not; she could only\nlisten to the grave and sensible explanation he gave of his conduct in\nnot at once obeying her commands. And when he asked permission to put\nthe shoes on her feet, she could not deny him. In course of\nconversation he mentioned Rother\u2019s offer for her hand, and then, little\nby little, told her his secret, and the reason that had brought him to\nConstantinople. He asked her for her love, and she promised to be his\nwife. He now showed her that her father\u2019s sentiments being what they\nwere, their only chance of happiness was to fly together, and explained\nthat before they could attempt to make their escape his faithful\nservants, who were still confined in the emperor\u2019s dungeons, must be\nset at liberty. He begged Oda to try to get them set free. She promised\nto do her best, and pointed out the gloomy tower in which they were\nimprisoned.\n\nNext day the princess appeared before her father, dressed in deep\nmourning, and told him that she had had a dreadful dream that night.\nHer room had seemed full of flames from the nethermost hell, and she\nhad heard a voice call to her that if King Rother\u2019s twelve messengers\nwere not brought out of their dungeons, and furnished with clothes,\nfood and wine, she would fall under eternal condemnation.\n\n\u201cThat was the devil\u2019s voice, not an angel\u2019s,\u201d answered Constantine,\n\u201cand I will not, on such a command, give up the rights I possess by the\ngrace of God. But if it will make you happier, Oda, I will allow the\nprisoners to have their liberty for a short time, on condition that\nsome one will offer his life to me as bail for them that they will not\ntry to make their escape.\u201d\n\nOda left her father\u2019s presence much comforted, for she had made up her\nmind what to do.\n\n\n                   THE LIBERATION OF THE MESSENGERS.\n\nWhen the emperor, his guests and courtiers were seated at dinner that\nday, Princess Oda entered the hall, followed by her ladies. She went\nround the table, and told all and sundry of her desire to liberate the\ntwelve prisoners, and of the condition her father had made. \u201cNow who\u201d\nshe asked, \u201cwill let his head be surety for the heads of these unhappy\nmen?\u201d\n\nA dead silence reigned in the hall. At last Dietrich rose in his place,\nand in a loud clear voice offered himself as hostage for the men. Upon\nwhich the emperor ordered the twelve counts to be brought out of their\nprison, taken to the bath and provided with clothes suitable to their\nrank and condition. This was done, and while the poor fellows, scarcely\nable to believe their senses, were seated at the meal provided for\nthem, some one outside began to play the harp. They listened intently,\na deep flush dyeing their sunken cheeks, and a flash of joyful surprise\nbrightening their sad eyes, for they recognised the air. \u201cIt is he! Our\nking is near. He has come to save us!\u201d they whispered in awe-struck\naccents. Weeks passed, and light and food did their work in restoring\nthe strength of the prisoners.\n\nOne day the door of their room opened, and Rother came in dressed in\nhis full armour. \u201cYou are free,\u201d he said joyously, but he had scarcely\nhad time to greet them when Berchther rushed forward to embrace his\nsons, followed by Wolfrat, the hero of Tegeling, strong Asprian, and\nWidolt, his inseparable companion.\n\nRother told Leupold, and the rest, about their voyage, and that he was\nonly known to the Greeks by the name of Dietrich. Then he told how he\nhad won the love of fair Oda, and through her help had gained their\nfreedom at the risk of his own life. But the best was yet to come.\nImelot, king of Desert-Babylon, had invaded Constantine\u2019s realm with a\nmighty army, and had demanded half the empire, and the hand of Princess\nOda for his son Basilistum. \u201cThe emperor not knowing what to do,\u201d\ncontinued Rother, \u201cI offered to help him if he would allow you to join\nme and my friends. He consented, and so you are free to become my\ncomrades in battle. Your armour and weapons lie without.\u201d\n\nWidolt was so delighted at the thought of fighting that he gave way to\na stentorian burst of laughter, and nearly knocked the emperor down by\naccident when he came in to tell the prisoners that they were free.\n\n\n                            WAR AND VICTORY.\n\nOf all who followed Constantine into the field on that occasion,\nDietrich and his men were most worthy of notice; not only because of\nthe magnificence of their accoutrements, but from their noble\nappearance. Chief amongst them were brave Wolfrat of Tegeling in\nBavaria, old Duke Berchther of Meran, his son Leupold of Milan, and\nother counts of the West, and lastly huge Asprian and his giants. These\nconsulted together on the eve of the day fixed on for the great battle,\nand determined that when the Greek and Babylonian forces were asleep,\nthey would quietly slip out of their own camp, and, if possible, into\nthat of the enemy. At midnight they set out on their dangerous\nenterprise. They passed the sentinels by means of the pass-word they\nhad taken care to find out, and softly made their way to the king\u2019s\ntent. It was a warm, but dark summer night; not a star was visible; the\nking\u2019s body-guard were asleep at their post. They never awoke again on\nearth. Wolfrat stabbed them as they slept, to guard against surprise.\nWidolt entered the royal tent, and picking Imelot up in his arms as\nthough he had been an infant, desired him to be silent as he valued his\nlife. The giant\u2019s loud voice wakened some servants who slept near, and\nthey rushed into the tent to save their master, but were speedily\nslain. The whole camp was now astir, but the efforts of the soldiery\nwere in vain. Confused by the darkness and their sudden awakening, many\nwere killed, while the greater number fled, and sought refuge in their\nships.\n\n[Illustration: GIANT WIDOLT CARRIES OFF KING IMELOT.]\n\nRother and his handful of followers had thus won a complete victory,\nand before daybreak had returned to their tents with Imelot and some\nother princes of Desert-Babylon whom they had taken prisoners.\nThoroughly tired with their hard night\u2019s work, they threw themselves on\ntheir couches, and sought well-merited repose.\n\nNot so the Emperor Constantine. Contrary to his usual habit, he was up\nand about at a very early hour, and ordered the horns to blow to rouse\nthe camp. This done, he desired that his troops should pass before him\nin companies. All were present except Lord Dietrich and his companions.\n\n\u201cHa! ha!\u201d laughed the emperor scornfully, \u201cso that fellow\u2019s high talk\nwas all swagger. I will go and see what keeps him,\u201d and he trotted away\nto Dietrich\u2019s tent.\n\nWhen he got there, he found that all was silent as the grave. Motioning\nto his attendants to help him from his horse, he advanced to wake the\nsleepers. In the first tent, he saw the grim giant Widolt stretched\nupon a panther skin, while in the background a man was tossing about on\na bed of straw, bound hand and foot. The emperor did not dare to wake\nthe sleeper. He stept over him carefully, and advanced close to the\nprisoner. Imelot, in deadly fear lest he should be murdered on the\nspot, shrieked out who he was, and offered the half of his kingdom in\nexchange for his life. The noise wakened the giant. He sprang to his\nfeet, and seizing his club, shouted to Dietrich to come, for some\ntreason was being hatched in their very tents. He would certainly have\nkilled both monarchs on the spot, had his companions not hastened to\nhis side and hindered him. When Constantine heard the occurrences of\nthe previous night, he was filled with surprise and admiration. He gave\na solemn feast in honour of the victory, which in public he ascribed to\nhimself, for were not Dietrich and his companions in his pay at the\ntime? In order that the empress and her ladies might not be kept in\nignorance of what had happened, Constantine sent Dietrich and his men\non in advance to bear the news to the capital.\n\n\n                        BRINGING HOME THE BRIDE.\n\nThe Western heroes rode back to Constantinople light-hearted and happy,\nfor Dietrich had told them that the hour of their return home was near.\nThe first step, in his opinion, was to proclaim that Imelot had\nconquered and dispersed the Greek army, and was rapidly marching on the\ncapital.\n\n\u201cAll is lost,\u201d they cried, when the citizens came out to meet them,\n\u201cfly, save yourselves while you may. Imelot\u2019s wild horde of savages\nwill soon be upon you.\u201d Then galloping to the palace, Dietrich\nentreated the empress to come on board his galley with her daughter and\nher ladies, and to bring anything of value that she particularly cared\nfor.\n\nThey soon reached the strand. Oda crossed the plank leading to the\nvessel, her hand resting trustfully on Dietrich\u2019s arm. Then the plank\nwas withdrawn and the ship pushed from land. The empress wept and\nbegged that she might be taken too, but Dietrich explained to her the\ntrue state of the case, and telling her who he was, assured her that\nOda was going home with him to rule over the West as his beloved queen.\n\n\u201cAh,\u201d said the mother, much comforted, \u201cbe kind to her, noble hero, and\ntake my blessing on you both. Think of me sometimes, as I shall think\nof you.\u201d\n\nAfter a pleasant voyage the travellers arrived at Bari, where the\nmarriage of King Rother to the princess was celebrated with all pomp.\n\nWhen Constantine returned with his victorious army to Constantinople,\nand learnt what had happened, he was very angry. Had he not feared\nRother and his gigantic allies, he would have sent an army to Bari to\nfetch back the princess. The whole city was in such confusion, that\nKing Imelot had not much difficulty in effecting his escape and\nreturning to his own land. The emperor did not fret much when he heard\nthis news. He could think of nothing but the loss of his daughter. He\ncared not for the rich dishes in which he used to delight, nor for the\ndelicate wines his steward brought to tempt his appetite. He grew thin\nand pale, and his clothes hung loose on his shrunken frame.\n\n\n                            THE MOUNTEBANK.\n\nOne day when he was alone in his room, a chamberlain came to him and\nannounced that a clever mountebank had come, who would be sure to amuse\nhis Majesty and turn his thoughts into a pleasanter channel. The\nmountebank was admitted. The emperor watched him perform all his\ncurious tricks without a smile. But when the man sang of a woman who\nhad been stolen from her home, and whose friends had freed her by means\nof cunning, not strength, he listened with his whole soul in his eyes.\nWhen the song was finished, he signed to the man to approach him, and\nasked him if he could bring Oda home to Constantinople.\n\n\u201cGive me,\u201d answered the mountebank, \u201ca goodly ship, well filled with\nmerchandise, and I promise to bring the lady back to you. You may send\nsome of your soldiers with me if you like, that they may cut off my\nhead if I fail to keep my promise.\u201d\n\nBefore long the ship was laden and ready for sea. It was a fast sailer,\nand there were many able seamen on board, to say nothing of the\nsoldiers the emperor had sent to see that the player was true to his\nbargain.\n\nAll went well during the voyage, and the ship at last reached the port\nof Bari. The mountebank landed and set to work to find out all that he\ncould about the royal family. He found that King Rother had gone to\nRiffland with his troops, leaving Leupold of Milan regent in his place.\nHe congratulated himself on his good luck when he heard this, for he\nthought his plan would be easier of accomplishment during the king\u2019s\nabsence. On his return to his ship he made ready to show off his\nconjuring tricks on board the vessel. Crowds came, tempted by the\nunusual sight. He then brought out his silks and precious stones and\noffered them for sale. Amongst his wares was a pebble. The people asked\nwhat good a wretched common pebble could do him.\n\n\u201cThis stone,\u201d he said, taking it gently in his hand, \u201cis worth a ton of\ngold, for if a queen should touch a lame or impotent man with it, he\nwould at once become strong and well again.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh,\u201d sighed one of the lords, \u201cif that were only true! I would give\nhalf my county were it really so, for I have three children, all of\nwhom have been lame from their birth.\u201d\n\n\u201cThey would soon jump about and play like other children,\u201d replied the\nmountebank, \u201cif your good queen would only come on board my ship and\ntry the virtue of the pebble.\u201d\n\nThe count hastened to Queen Oda and told her his story, and she, with\nher usual kindliness, said how willing she was to cure the children if\nshe could. She at once set out for the vessel, but no sooner were she\nand her ladies on board than the landing plank was slipped, the hawsers\nwere unloosed, and a fresh wind catching the sails, the ship was soon\nout of sight of land.\n\n\n                         ROTHER TO THE RESCUE.\n\nThe citizens of Bari clustered about the harbour not knowing what to\ndo, and Leupold vainly sought a ship that could be got ready\nimmediately to pursue and overtake the robber\u2019s vessel. At the same\nmoment King Rother\u2019s horns were heard proclaiming his return. As soon\nas the king was told what had happened, his decision was formed.\n\n\u201cWe must take an army to Constantinople,\u201d he cried. \u201cMy dear wife has\nbeen stolen from me by force and cunning, and by force and cunning I\nwill win her back.\u201d\n\nOld Duke Berchther shook his grey head, but said that he and his men\nwould follow the king. Leupold, Wolfrat and the other princes of the\nrealm promised to do the same. Messengers were sent to bear the tidings\nto all parts of the kingdom, and soon a great army was assembled.\nRother picked out the bravest warriors to accompany him, amongst whom\nwere Asprian and his giants; the rest he sent home. Meantime the ships\nthat were to bear the little army had been got ready, and after a\nfavourable voyage reached the neighbourhood of Constantinople. Rother\ngave orders that the vessels should be run ashore in a small bay,\nsurrounded on all sides by a thick wood which stretched in the\ndirection of the city, and which would serve to conceal both ships and\nmen.\n\n\u201cWe are safe here,\u201d said Rother to his nobles. \u201cThe populace have an\nunspeakable terror of this wood, which they believe to be peopled by\nmonsters of all sorts. Let the men encamp here, and I will go to the\ncity in a pilgrim\u2019s dress and see what is going on.\u201d\n\nThere was a general outcry at the idea of the king adventuring himself\nalone in the enemy\u2019s stronghold, and many of the princes offered to go\nwith him. He, therefore, consented to take the Duke of Meran and his\nson Leupold. Before starting Wolfrat gave him a tiny horn, telling him\nthe sound it made was so shrill that it could be heard for miles around.\n\n\u201cAs soon as we hear it,\u201d said Asprian, \u201cwe shall come to your help with\nclubs and swords.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d laughed Widolt, \u201cand then there will be many a broken head, I\ncan promise you.\u201d\n\nThe three pilgrims set out on their way. After going some distance they\nsaw a horseman coming towards them in shining armour. They asked him if\nthere were good news in Constantinople.\n\n\u201cNot at all,\u201d he answered. \u201cLook, King Rother gave me this coat of\nmail, and my good sword, and a thousand gold pieces to boot, for I had\nlost both land and wealth at the hands of miscreants; and now I find\nthat the Greeks have stolen away his fair wife, and are about to marry\nher to that cruel demon Basilistum, son of Imelot, King of\nDesert-Babylon. For, when Imelot escaped from here, he collected a\ngreat army, and marching into the Emperor Constantine\u2019s land, took him\nprisoner, and now demands the half of his empire and the Lady Oda for\nthat unlicked cub, his son, who, according to the present arrangement,\nis to remain here after his marriage, that Constantine may not be\ndeprived of his daughter\u2019s society. All the Christians in the place\ntremble to think of the persecutions that will follow. Oh that King\nRother would only come! I would join him with all my men as sure as my\nname is Arnold.\u201d\n\n\u201cTruly,\u201d said Rother as they parted, \u201ca kind action often brings\nunlooked-for reward.\u201d\n\nThe city was full of life and feasting. Imelot, Constantine, and their\nfollowers were hobnobbing together in the banqueting room in the\ngreatest peace and concord, for Constantine was overjoyed at having\nsettled the vexed question of his daughter\u2019s marriage without losing\nher altogether. The hunchbacked bridegroom sat between his father and\nhis would-be father-in-law and close to sad Oda and her equally\nsorrowful mother. The doors were wide open, that the populace might\ncome in and watch the proceedings. So the three pilgrims were able to\nenter unnoticed, with their hats pulled down low over their brows. They\nheard Constantine, Imelot, and Basilistum boast of how they would\nscornfully entreat and hang King Rother and all his giants if they\nventured to come within their reach. During the laughter and confusion\ncaused by these speeches, Rother managed to slip a ring bearing his\nname into his wife\u2019s hand, and she, with a look of intense relief,\nshowed it to her mother.\n\n\u201cRother is here,\u201d cried the hunchbacked bridegroom suddenly. \u201cHe has\njust given my wife a ring with his name engraved on it. Seek him out\nand seize him.\u201d\n\nSwords were drawn, tables overturned, and noisy shouts heard on every\nside. Rother and his companions came forward, and the former said\nclearly and distinctly\u2014\n\n\u201cYes, I am here. I have come to claim my wife, and if the king of\nDesert-Babylon or his hunchbacked son deny my right, I am ready to\nprove it on their bodies with my good sword.\u201d\n\nImelot laughed till the hall re-echoed. \u201cFight with _you_,\u201d he cried,\n\u201ca poor little kinglet like _you_! No, no, you must be hung.\u201d\n\n\u201cHe must be hung!\u201d repeated the courtiers.\n\n\u201cTo the gallows with him, and his comrades too,\u201d continued the\nBabylonish king, \u201cseize them and bind them till the blood starts from\ntheir fingers.\u201d\n\nThe heroes had only their pilgrim\u2019s staves, and these were poor weapons\nwherewith to defend themselves against the swords and lances that were\npointed at them. They were taken and bound. No hand was raised to help\nthem, although many a hardy fellow in the crowd had cause to remember\nDietrich\u2019s kindness.\n\n\u201cA king,\u201d said Rother proudly, \u201cwho has often looked death in the face\non the battle-field, knows how to die when his time comes. Let the\nexecutioner do his work in the haunted wood, where Constantine has\nalready had so many innocent men put to a shameful death.\u201d\n\n\u201cA good idea,\u201d quoth the emperor grimly. \u201cThere are gallows there that\nwill just do to hang the stealer of women and his comrades on.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is right,\u201d laughed Imelot, \u201cand then the monsters who inhabit the\nwood will come at night and play many a merry prank with their bones.\nIf their friends the giants should come over the sea in search of\nRother and his crew, we will hang them too, that they may find\nthemselves in good company. The whole army shall see how great Imelot\nrevenges himself upon his foes.\u201d\n\nThe preparations for the execution were finished in a few hours, and\nthe prisoners were borne to the haunted wood amidst an immense crowd\nand the music of drums and trumpets. The populace were curious to see a\nking hanged.\n\n\u201cAnd so it is Dietrich, kind Dietrich,\u201d sighed one; while another\nlaughed and answered, \u201cWhat does that matter to us? It is all the same\nwhether a man is a king or a beggar when he comes to be hung.\u201d \u201cAh\nyes,\u201d said a third, \u201cthe rope is an uncomfortable necktie for any man,\nbut that it should be tried on a crowned head is a thing I never\nexpected to see.\u201d\n\nThe procession arrived at its destination. The prisoners were led to\nthe foot of the gallows.\n\n\u201cBe of good cheer, Sir King,\u201d said the executioner; \u201cyou once gave me a\nhandful of gold pieces, and to show you my gratitude I have provided a\nsilken rope for you, that will do the business very quickly. The other\ntwo gentlemen must put up with common hemp, I am sorry to say. By St.\nMichael, I never did a day\u2019s work before, that I liked so ill.\u201d\n\n\u201cPray loose my hands for a moment, good fellow,\u201d asked Rother, \u201cthat I\nmay say a prayer.\u201d\n\n\u201cA pious wish,\u201d replied the man. \u201cI will also pray to my patron saint,\nand beg him to take you straight to heaven from the gallows-tree.\u201d\n\nHe loosed the king\u2019s hands as he spoke, and then began to pray.\nMeanwhile Rother drew out his horn from under the pilgrim\u2019s mantle,\nwhere it was concealed. Three times its wild call sounded over mountain\nand valley, like a cry for help to the faithful friends who were\nwaiting fully armed in the depths of the wood. But King Imelot, growing\nimpatient, commanded that the executioner should himself be hung if he\ndelayed any further to do his duty. The man was frightened and began to\nbind Rother\u2019s hands again; but at that moment a loud noise was heard in\nthe background.\n\nIt was Arnold, who, with his men, had joined Rother\u2019s other friends,\nand who now came with them to the rescue of his former benefactor.\nThere was a fearful battle. Imelot and many more fell fighting\ndesperately, while Basilistum was slain during the flight. The whole\narmy of Desert-Babylon was scattered or destroyed.\n\nAfter the victory King Rother asked for the emperor, but found that\nConstantine had thought \u201cprudence the better part of valour,\u201d and had\nlong before fled to the palace, where he had taken refuge in the\nwomen\u2019s apartments. His courage had all ebbed away, and he begged his\nwife and daughter to entreat Rother to save him out of the hand of the\ngiants, those veritable children of the evil one. The ladies were soon\nready to go out and meet the ruler of the West. They placed the timid\nemperor in their midst, and accompanied by a numerous train, set out\nfor the wood. The first people they met were the giants. Asprian\u2019s\nfalcon-eyes at once spied out the emperor, carefully as he tried to\nhide himself. Stretching his long arm over the empress, he seized him\nby the scruff of the neck and flung him on the ground. Widolt raised\nhis club to put an end to him as he lay there senseless, but his master\nstopped him, saying\u2014\n\n\u201cNot so, Widolt; away with the miserable wretch to the gallows.\u201d\n\nThe giant caught the emperor up as easily as if he had been a baby, and\nwent dancing along the road to the gallows with him in his arms. But\nthey soon came up with Rother and his heroes, and the king pardoned\nConstantine. He could not have done otherwise: his wife was once more\nin his arms, and where love rules, wrath and vengeance have no place.\nWhen they all met in the banqueting room that evening, the emperor\nfound himself unusually hungry after the many and varied emotions he\nhad gone through, and it is said that he devoured a whole leg of\nmutton, and drank an immense quantity of wine.\n\nKing Rother left the whole of the Eastern empire, which he had just\nconquered, in the hands of his father-in-law, and then set sail for\nBari accompanied by Queen Oda. Arrived there, they went on to Rome,\nwhere a second marriage was solemnized with great pomp. Rother and his\nwife lived long and happily together, and had many children. We shall\nhear pleasant things of their daughter Herka (or Herche, Helche), and\ntheir grand-daughter Herat, as time goes on.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: ORTNIT AND ALBERICH.]\n\n\n                                 III.\n                                 ORTNIT\n\nA great king once lived in Lombardy; he was richer and more powerful\nthan any other monarch far or near. His name was Ortnit, and his\ndominions extended over the whole of Italy from the Alps to the sea,\nand even included Sicily. The neighbouring kings were all his vassals,\nfor, possessing the strength of twelve ordinary men, he was, of course,\nvictorious in every battle. And yet he was not contented. An inward\nunrest prevented him from enjoying his wealth and greatness. He often\nsat dreamily at table, tasting nothing, and deaf to all that was being\nsaid around him; deaf even to the minstrels, when they sang songs in\nhis praise. He frequently wandered alone up in the mountains, seeking\nadventures, slaying robbers, and destroying the wild beasts that preyed\nupon the farmers\u2019 flocks and herds. But this did not satisfy him; he\nsighed for something more.\n\nOne day when he was standing, as he often did, on the sea-shore,\nwatching the waves that rose and fell, tinted by the light of the\nsetting sun, a mist came up out of the water. A few minutes more, and\nit parted slowly like a veil, showing a wondrous sight. It was that of\na castle with towers and barbican, and on the battlements stood a woman\nsuch as he had never seen before in all his travels. He could not take\nhis eyes off her. The effect of her beauty on him was like enchantment.\nThen the mist gradually closed again, and lady and castle vanished as\ncompletely as if they had never been.\n\nWhile Ortnit was still staring at the place where he had seen the lady,\nhe heard a step behind him. \u201cAh, it is she!\u201d he thought, and turning\nquickly, clasped and kissed\u2014bearded Ylyas (Eligas, or Elias), prince\nof the wild Reussen, who was his uncle. The new comer returned the\nembrace heartily, and then said:\n\n\u201cYou are a good lad to receive your mother\u2019s brother with as much\ntransport as a lover his sweetheart, but you have been gazing at a bit\nof sorcery down there, and that accounts for a great deal. Try to\nforget what you have seen, or your royal head may soon be displayed\nfrom the towers of Muntabure, where the lovely witch lives with that\nold heathen, her father.\u201d\n\n\u201cShe is a real person then,\u201d cried Ortnit quickly. \u201cShe must be mine. I\nwould stake my life to win her.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat is that you say?\u201d answered Ylyas. \u201cA king\u2019s head for a woman\u2019s\ncurl! That would make a new song for the minstrels to sing in Lombardy.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow am I to find her?\u201d asked the king. \u201cTell me the story, which I\nsuppose some wandering fiddler has sung.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy, nephew,\u201d replied the elder man, \u201cI have seen with my own eyes and\nhave heard with my own ears what I am now going to tell you. It is no\nminstrel\u2019s tale I am going to amuse you with. Machorell is the name of\nthe maiden\u2019s father, and he is ruler of Syria, Jerusalem, and other\neastern lands. When I was returning from my pilgrimage to the holy\nsepulchre, I arrived one evening at the gates of Castle Muntabure,\nweary and footsore, and the Saracen porter had compassion on me, took\nme in, and showed me no little kindness. Then it was that I saw the\nwicked heathen king, whose skin is as black as that of a Moor, and also\nthe beautiful princess Sidrat. I heard it said that he intended to\nmarry his own daughter, when her sick mother was dead, and that was why\nhe cut off the heads of all the wooers who came to ask for the\nprincess\u2019s hand in marriage. Seventy-two skulls already grin from the\ntowers of Castle Muntabure. Say, bold youth, do you intend to offer\nyour head to the Moorish king as the seventy-third?\u201d\n\n\u201cI have been through many a strange adventure before now,\u201d returned\nOrtnit, \u201cand I shall try to get the better of the infidel.\u201d\n\nOn the following day the notables of the realm were summoned to a\ncouncil. The king told them that he intended to make a campaign in\nSyria, and desired their help in calling together his army. After many\nattempts to dissuade Ortnit from such a fantastic enterprise, all was\nat last settled as he wished, even to the appointment of the governors\nand deputy-governors in whose hands the country was to be left during\nhis absence. The only person besides the king who carried his point was\nYlyas, who insisted on his right to go to Syria or anywhere else he\nchose, and expressed his firm determination not to lose sight of his\nnephew.\n\nAs the council were separating, Zacharis appeared. He was Lord of\nApulia and Sicily, a heathen, but a faithful comrade of the king. When\nhe heard what they had settled, he at once announced his readiness to\nprovide a ship to take the armament across the sea, for which offer the\nking thanked him warmly. On the advice of Ylyas, it was agreed to put\noff the expedition until spring, when the weather would be more\nfavourable for a sea voyage.\n\nSo the king had to smother his impatience as best he might. He was very\nlonely, for he knew that no one quite sympathized with him. His mother,\nindeed, did her best to persuade him to give up the enterprise, by\nsetting its dangers plainly before him, and telling him how ridiculous\nit was to be so much in love with a woman whom he had only seen in a\nvision, and about whose character and disposition he knew nothing. He\nfretted against the idleness and uniformity of the life he was leading,\nand determined to ride up into the mountains for something to do. When\nhe went to take leave of his mother, she begged him not to go, for fear\nof some accident happening to him; but, finding that he was not to be\ndissuaded, she took a ring from her finger, saying, \u201cIf you are\ndetermined to go, take this ring. The gold is thin, and the stone of\nlittle apparent value, but it possesses a magic power that could not be\nbought with a kingdom. Go where you like in the wild mountains, but\nfirst of all ride down the road to the left, that leads over the\nheights to the lake, then sideways under a wall of rock to the valley.\nLook about till you find a spring gushing out of a rock, and, close to\nit, a great lime-tree; there you will have a more wonderful experience\nthan any you could imagine.\u201d\n\nHer voice trembled with nervous excitement, and her tearful eyes seemed\nto entreat him to ask her no questions.\n\n\n                       DWARF ALBERICH (\u00c6LF-RIC).\n\nOrtnit rode away. He forbade any of his serving-men to accompany him,\nsaying that he wished to be alone. The cool fresh air blowing about his\ntemples cheered him, and chased away the fumes that troubled him. The\nsun began to sink as he entered the wood, where he had to dismount and\nlead his horse, because of the low-growing branches of the trees. The\nnight was so dark that he lost his way, and did not succeed in getting\nout of the wood again till daybreak. When he gained the open, he rested\na short time to let his horse graze in the meadow, and to eat his own\nbreakfast. After that he set out again for the mountains, and at length\nreached the wall of rock his mother had mentioned. He rode along the\nfoot of it, as she had told him, till he heard the gurgling of the\nspring, and, on turning a corner, saw the lime before him. It was an\nimmense tree, and early as it was in the year, it was already covered\nwith leaves and blossom. Ortnit found on looking around, that it was in\na wide meadow, on which grass, clover, and many-coloured flowers grew\nin rich abundance, while the number of birds that nested in the\nlime-tree was quite unheard of. A curious feeling came over the king,\nit seemed as if he must have heard those birds\u2019 song of welcome in his\nchildhood, and all at once he remembered a ditty his mother used to\nsing. He began to hum it softly.\n\nIt was a song about all the little birds, and the music each made after\nits kind, sweet as a summer day, and all in honour of Alberich, king of\nthe wood.\n\n\u201cAlberich\u2014king of the wood,\u201d Ortnit was sure that he had once heard\nmore about him than that, but what it was he could not tell. Had he not\nplayed with a child of that name once? As he was puzzling over these\nconfused memories of the past, he happened to glance at his mother\u2019s\nring; the stone in it was shining like a fire, and lighting up the face\nof a lovely child, who lay asleep in the grass close by.\n\n\u201cPoor boy,\u201d said the royal hero, compassionately, \u201cI wonder who brought\nyou to this lonely place! How anxious your mother must be about you! I\ncannot leave you here to die of hunger or fall a defenceless prey to\nthe wild beasts.\u201d\n\nHe had already fastened his horse to a branch, and stooping down, he\nlifted the boy in his arms to carry him away; but to his intense\nsurprise he received such a blow on the chest that he not only let the\nchild fall, but himself tumbled on his back. He had scarcely recovered\nhis footing, when he found the child holding him so tight that he had\nto exert all his strength not to be overthrown. It was a strange sight\nto see the tall king and the wonderful child, wrestling furiously\ntogether. Flowers and grass were trodden under foot, shrubs and low\nbushes broken and torn, when Ortnit at last flung his opponent on the\nground, and drew his sword to slay him. But, angry as he was, he could\nnot do it when the little thing gazed at him so entreatingly, and\nbegged in such a sweet soft voice that he would not murder him when he\nwas defenceless, but would accept, in exchange for the life he granted\nhim, a valuable suit of armour, consisting of helmet, shield, and coat\nof mail of wrought gold and silver, and last not least, the sword\ncalled Rosen, whose blade had been rendered strong and durable in\ndragon\u2019s blood. When Ortnit demanded a hostage for his opponent\u2019s good\nfaith, the little creature told him that hostages were impossible to\nfind in that wild mountain country, but Ortnit might trust to his word,\nfor he also was a king, and ruled over a far wider domain than\nLombardy, though truly his realm lay beneath the earth instead of upon\nit, and his subjects were employed day and night in working in metals.\nFinding that no hostage was necessary, or indeed procurable, the hero\nallowed his prisoner to get up. But before the latter went to get the\narmour he had promised, he said that he would like to have the ring\nOrtnit was wearing, and that he scrupled the less to ask for it, as it\ndid not appear to be of great value.\n\n\u201cI cannot give it to you,\u201d replied Ortnit, \u201cfor it was a present from\nmy dear mother, who would never forgive me if I parted with it.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd you call yourself a hero,\u201d sneered the little creature, \u201c_you_ who\nfear your mother\u2019s blows! Tell me, what do you do when you are wounded\nin battle? Do you cry like a baby when you see the blood flow?\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you were to hew me in pieces,\u201d replied the Lombard, \u201cpainful as\nthat would be, it would hurt me less than a tear or a sigh from my\nmother.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, good squire of dames,\u201d continued the other, \u201cit can at any rate\ndo the ring no harm for me to look at it and touch it. I am in your\npower, am I not? Your sword is in your hand, and I am without a weapon.\u201d\n\nAfter a little hesitation the king consented to let the boy draw the\nring from his finger; but scarcely was this done, when he vanished from\nbefore his eyes, suddenly and without warning. Ortnit felt bewildered.\nHe heard the boy\u2019s voice, now at a distance and now near, making\nsarcastic remarks on the beating his mother would give him when he went\nhome, and finally announcing that he would pelt him with a few pebbles\nto show him how well he could do it. Ortnit defended himself for some\ntime against the terrible storm of sharp stones that rained upon him,\nbut at last, seeing that neither his great strength nor his sword were\nof any avail, he turned to his horse and prepared to ride away.\n\nOn perceiving this the hobgoblin exclaimed: \u201cWait a bit, friend\nGoodman. I am sorry to think of the stripes your mother will give you.\nListen to me. I have many important things to talk to you about. If you\nwill give me your royal word of honour that you will not revenge\nyourself for the trick I played you, I will give you back your ring.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery well,\u201d answered Ortnit, \u201cI promise on my honour.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd if I go on to talk ill of your mother?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d cried the king, \u201cI will never forgive that. You may say what you\nlike about me, but my mother is the purest and most perfect of women.\u201d\n\n\u201cI quite agree with you,\u201d said the little creature; \u201cyou may listen to\nme without fearing that I shall slander her, for I am Alberich\n(\u00c6lf-ric) king of the Dwarfs, and you and I are more nearly related\nthan you think. I will tell you the truth; but first take back your\nring. I trust to your word of honour.\u201d\n\nThe moment Ortnit felt the ring in his hand, he slipped it back on his\nfinger, and immediately saw the boy standing before him.\n\n\u201cYou must know, great king,\u201d pursued Alberich, \u201cthat you have to thank\nme for your land and people, castles, towns and victories, and also for\nyour marvellous strength. Your predecessor, whom you call father,\nmarried, when he was an elderly man, the youthful sister of the prince\nof the wild Reussen. The marriage was childless. Husband and wife in\nvain prayed heaven for an heir. Your mother was the best and most\nvirtuous woman in Lombardy, but she wore herself away with fretting\nabout what would become of the country and herself when her husband\ndied without an heir. She foresaw that the nation would be split into\nfactions, that civil war would desolate the land, and that she herself\nmight be chased from Lombardy, a homeless exile. I often heard her\nplaints when I entered her room unseen. The older the king grew, the\nmore her anxiety increased; then\u2014well, you must know it sooner or\nlater\u2014I became her second husband.\u201d\n\n\u201cMonster, you lie!\u201d shouted Ortnit, drawing a dagger from his side, but\nhe could not use it, for the smiling boy looked up at him so fearlessly.\n\n\u201cYour anger is bootless,\u201d he said. \u201cYou had better let me finish my\nstory. Young as I look, I am five hundred years old; small as I am, and\nbig and strong as you are, I am yet your father. I proposed to the king\nthat he should secretly get a divorce from his wife and let her marry\nme. He consented, but she would not. She refused. She spent days and\nmonths in weeping, and only gave way at last when her husband insisted!\nShe and I were married secretly by a priest. No one guessed what had\nhappened, and when you were born you were supposed to be the old king\u2019s\nson. I did not win my wife\u2019s heart, however, until her first husband\nwas dead. After that I used sometimes to bring her here; you and I\nplayed together among the flowers like two children, and I sang with\nthe birds that wild song of theirs about the king of the wood, which\nyour mother often sung to you again at Castle Garden. When you grew to\nbe a man and a hero, I was often at your side unseen, while the battle\nraged all round you, and on those occasions I have often turned aside\nthe point of some murderous weapon that threatened your life. When you\ncross the wild ocean, and strive to win the Moorish maiden for your\nwife, I will be there to help you. So long as you wear that ring on\nyour finger, you have only to wish for me and you will see me. Now wait\na few minutes; I am going to fetch the armour that no weapon can\npierce, and the sword Rosen, which can cut through steel and iron, and\neven dragon\u2019s scales.\u201d\n\nOrtnit felt as though in a dream. While he was still thinking over all\nthat he had just heard, the sound of heavy steps, and the clanking of\narmour startled him out of his reverie. Turning round he saw Alberich,\nwho with the help of a sturdy dwarf was bringing his promised gift. On\nthe top of the silver helmet with gold enwrought, was a priceless\ndiamond. The whole suit of mail was of marvellously beautiful\nworkmanship, and sparkled with gems wherever gems should be. The sword\nwas in a golden sheath, its handle was a shining carbuncle, and on the\nsharp steel blade were golden figures and the letters forming the\nking\u2019s name.\n\nOrtnit was amazed at the beauty of all he saw. He put on the armour,\nand it fitted him exactly. Then he picked his tiny father up in his\nstrong arms and kissed him on his rosy mouth, and Alberich returned his\nembrace with much affection. As the king rode away, the last words he\nheard were, \u201cDo not forget the importance of that ring. Never give it\naway. If you turn it on your finger, I will at once be with you.\u201d\n\nWhen Ortnit got home, he was received with joy by all his retainers;\nand his mother, who was watching for his arrival, signed to him to come\nto her. He instantly ran up the steps, and whispered as he kissed her,\n\u201cI have come from father Alberich.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou know?\u201d she asked, hiding her face on his shoulder.\n\n\u201cI know,\u201d he answered, \u201cthat I love and honour my dear mother.\u201d\n\nMay came at last. The army assembled and marched south through Tuscany,\nRome and Naples, whence they embarked for Sicily, Messina being the\nplace fixed on for the general meeting of all the forces. Arrived\nthere, they found faithful Zacharis ready with his ship, in which he\nhad stowed away, not only enough provisions for the voyage, but also\nmerchandise, in case it should be wanted. Soon every man was on board,\na favourable wind swelled the sails, and experienced seamen steered the\nship through the wild sea.\n\n\n                         CITY OF SUDERS (TYRE).\n\nAfter they had journeyed a long time, the welcome cry of \u201cland\u201d was\nheard from the mast-head, and soon afterwards those on deck had a\ndistinct view of the shore and the wharfs of Tyre. But at this moment\nthe skipper came up to the king and said:\n\n\u201cSire, we are all lost. There is no wind to carry us past this place.\nThey have sighted us already in the town, and will soon send out their\npirate ships to chase us.\u201d\n\n\u201cCome, nephew,\u201d said Ylyas, \u201cthrow the cowardly dog overboard to drink\nbrotherhood with the fishes. Have we not swords enough to defend\nourselves from the Moors?\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d replied the skipper, \u201cthe heathen will throw Greek fire on\nboard. Neither sword nor shield can do aught against that. The ship\nwill be burnt, and all the men either burnt therewith or drowned.\u201d\n\nNo one knew what to advise, so all stood silent about the king.\nSuddenly a voice was heard from the mast-head:\n\n\u201cAll arms below! Bring up the merchandise, and let the sails be reefed,\nlest the enemy guess that we thought of flight.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey-day! It is Alberich,\u201d said Ortnit; \u201chow could I have forgotten\nhim?\u201d\n\nHe looked up and saw the king of the dwarfs slipping rapidly down the\nmast to the deck. In another moment he was at his side.\n\n\u201cYou forgot both the ring and me,\u201d said Alberich, \u201cbut a father does\nnot so soon forget his son. Now hasten and see that my commands are\ncarried out.\u201d\n\nMuch ashamed of himself, Ortnit gave the necessary orders. All weapons\nof offence were stowed away below, and the costly wares Zacharis had\nprovided were spread temptingly on deck. Meanwhile the dwarf climbed\nthe mast again, and, as soon as he was aloft, shouted to the Moors:\n\n\u201cSee here\u2014we are peaceful merchants bringing wares from Italy. Give us\nfree convoy into the harbour of Tyre.\u201d\n\nYlyas stared up open-mouthed at the top of the mast. The flag was\nflying there as usual, and no one was to be seen. What voice was that\nhe had heard?\n\n\u201cIs the devil on board?\u201d he asked, crossing himself, \u201cor is it a good\nspirit? Whom did you speak to, nephew? Who called from the top-mast\neven now?\u201d\n\n\u201cA good spirit,\u201d replied Ortnit, \u201ca little dwarf who will, help us out\nof our difficulty. You shall see him with your own eyes.\u201d\n\nWith these words he slipped his magic ring on his uncle\u2019s finger, and\nthe latter was much astonished to see the small childish figure\ndescending the mast, still more when Ortnit gave him a hasty sketch of\nall that had taken place.\n\nThe Tyrian galleys had by this time come up with the ship. Their\ncommander, who introduced himself as constable of the city, inquired\nwhether the object of the strangers in coming to those seas was really\nto trade with them. Satisfied that they were what they appeared to be,\nbecause of the number and splendour of their wares, he at last gave\nthem leave to enter the harbour, and even to land if they desired to do\nso. In the course of that afternoon the townsfolk bought many rich\nItalian stuffs at a very low price.\n\nIn the evening the two princes held counsel together as to what was now\nto be done. Ylyas advised that a sudden onslaught should be made on the\ncastle, and that everybody there, young or old, should be put to the\nsword. Before Ortnit could answer, Alberich broke into the conversation\nby saying that such conduct would not be fair, that no one who desired\nfame and glory would take his enemy unawares; but for fear any herald\nsent to the infidels should be murdered by them, he undertook to bear\nthe message of defiance himself.\n\nAlberich hastened to Muntabure by unfrequented roads. Arrived there, he\nsaw King Machorell standing on the ramparts enjoying the cool evening\nair.\n\n\u201cListen to me, Moorish king,\u201d cried the dwarf from the castle moat,\n\u201cand mark what I tell you. My master, King Ortnit, desires that you\nwill give him your daughter to be his wife, and queen of Lombardy. If\nyou refuse your consent, he bids me declare war on you at once, and\nwarn you that he will attack Tyre before daybreak to-morrow. After\nconquering it he will come on to Muntabure, punish you for your evil\ndeeds, and marry your daughter.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo, Goblin,\u201d cried Machorell angrily, \u201cyou want to arrange a marriage,\ndo you? You will find both your own head and your master\u2019s adorning the\nbattlements of my castle before long, if you persist in your foolish\nscheme. But where are you? I cannot see you.\u201d\n\n\u201cDown below you in the moat,\u201d was the answer.\n\nThe king flung a heavy stone down upon the place where he supposed\nAlberich to be, but missed his mark. He called out his guards and made\nthem search the whole neighbourhood, but they returned at nightfall\nbaffled and disappointed.\n\nThat evening Ortnit made an onslaught on the city, and found it totally\nunprepared for any attack. However, the Tyrians soon got under arms and\nmade a gallant defence; all in vain. Ortnit was victorious after a hard\nstruggle in which many of his faithful followers were slain.\n\nWhen he returned from pursuing the Tyrians, Ortnit went to the place\nwhere his uncle had fought, and found him lying on the ground\nsurrounded by his people. Was he dead or only wounded? The king bent\nover him anxiously, and loosed his helmet to see if he were yet alive.\nHis heart had not quite ceased to beat. As Ortnit was raising him in\nhis arms, he happened to touch him with Alberich\u2019s ring, and in a\nmoment Ylyas was on his feet, whole and sound, as though he had never\nbeen wounded. It was well for Ortnit that it was so, for in another\ninstant he and his men were attacked by the train-bands of the city,\nwho had rallied once more. At length they also were beaten back with\nimmense loss, and Tyre was really in his hands. Those of the citizens\nthat were left swore fealty to the king of Lombardy, who then gave\norders to attend to the wants of the wounded, both friends and foes. He\nallowed his followers a few days\u2019 rest before leading them against\nMuntabure.\n\n\n                           CASTLE MUNTABURE.\n\nAfter much consideration it was agreed between Ylyas and the king that\nAlberich was the best person to be standard-bearer during the assault,\nand the dwarf at once consented. The warriors were filled with\namazement when they saw a war-horse preceding them with the royal\nbanner apparently floating by its side. \u201cThe invisible standard-bearer\nmust be an angel,\u201d they said in awe-struck tones. Nothing of importance\nhappened during the march. All went well, for Alberich led the van.\n\nAt last Castle Muntabure loomed in sight: a grim fortress perched on\nthe top of a beetling crag.\n\nMachorell had heard of their approach, and was in readiness to receive\nthem. He had strengthened the garrison very considerably, and was\nconfident of victory. At first it seemed as if his confidence were\nwell-founded; but at the very moment when the Saracens appeared to have\nsuccess within their grasp, the tide of fortune turned. Alberich\nclimbed the walls unseen, and by a great exertion of his marvellous\nstrength, hurled one heavy catapult after another down from the walls\ninto the moat below; while the men who had been working these engines\nof destruction were struck motionless with terror, when they saw the\nunwieldy machines disappear as though shoved from their places by\ninvisible hands. Ortnit seized the right moment to push the advantage\nthe dwarf had gained for him, and renewed the assault more vigorously\nthan before.\n\n\n                         SIDRAT THE BEAUTIFUL.\n\nAlberich now left the walls, and opening a side-door made his way to a\ntower-like building that rose above the battlements. This was the\ntemple where the Moors kept their idols, Mahomet and Apollo; two\nenormous figures carved in stone. The queen and her daughter, beautiful\nSidrat, knelt before the idols praying for protection from the\ninvaders. Suddenly Sidrat felt her hand grasped gently by an invisible\nhand. At first she was frightened, and then comforted, for she took it\nas a sign that her prayers were heard. But the unseen friend was\nAlberich, and not a heathen god. He whispered, \u201cYour gods are dust; I\nam a messenger from another world, and have come to save you and to\nteach you to worship the true God.\u201d\n\nThe girl started to her feet in terror, and hastened to her mother, who\nwas kneeling at a little distance. Meanwhile the dwarf flung the idols\ndown and broke them in pieces, and the women were more alarmed than\never, for they felt convinced that an evil spirit was at work within\nthe temple.\n\nAlberich went back to the princess, and drew her to the barbican,\nwhispering, \u201cSee, there is the hero who desires to make you his wife,\nand queen of his realm.\u201d\n\nInvoluntarily she looked down, and saw Ortnit fighting valorously,\ndriving all before him, and looking god-like in his grace and noble\nbearing. She could not turn away her eyes. He was even now advancing to\nattack her father. They exchanged one or two blows, the last of which\nsplit Machorell\u2019s shield. Ortnit raised his sword to strike again, but\nSidrat uttered a loud cry of agony, and he refrained, for at the same\nmoment he saw her standing on the barbican, and knew that she was the\nmaiden he had loved ever since he had seen her image in the magic\ncastle on the sea.\n\n\u201cYou see the royal hero?\u201d asked the dwarf; but receiving no answer, he\nwent on: \u201cGo down to the moat to-morrow morning at day-break. Your\nfather will allow you to do so, if you tell him you are going to call\nupon your gods to return to the castle. But when you reach the moat,\nyou will find the king waiting to speak with you.\u201d\n\nKnowing that his advice would be followed, he left the princess.\n\nThe battle had ceased to rage as furiously as before, and all were\nweary after their exertions. Ortnit\u2019s men retired to the river-side,\nwhere they were to encamp for the night, and the Moors shut themselves\nwithin the fortress.\n\nAll night long Ortnit dreamt of Sidrat, and then awoke and wondered\nwhether she would come to the trysting-place. In the early morning,\nbefore the sun was up, the king mounted his horse and rode away alone\nto Muntabure. He concealed himself beneath the spreading boughs of a\ntamarind-tree, and waited and waited, doubting, fearing, would she come\nor would she not? At length a postern door opened, and a white figure\ncame out.\n\n\u201cSidrat,\u201d he cried, and clasped her in his arms.\n\n\u201cTo horse, delay not a moment,\u201d whispered the dwarf; \u201cgo down that way,\npast the waterfall.\u201d\n\nOrtnit at once obeyed, placed the maiden upon his horse, and mounted\nhimself. It was high time. He had scarcely got beyond arrow-shot, when\na watchman on the tower recognised him by his helmet, and sounded the\nalarm.\n\nMachorell and his men-at-arms hurried down to the fight. Several times\nthe fortune of the day changed sides; and when at length the battle was\nover, the besiegers were too much weakened in number to attempt to\ncarry the castle by storm; while the besieged were also in woeful\nplight, and their sorrow was increased by the loss of the princess.\n\nOrtnit began his retreat next morning. He found on his arrival at Tyre\nthat his ship was in good order and ready for sea. So he gave orders\nfor a speedy departure, and soon the gallant little army was speeding\nhomewards with Princess Sidrat and much spoil. The Moorish girl proved\na willing pupil when the Christian priests of Lombardy taught her their\nreligion, so she was baptized, and received the name of Liebgart. Soon\nafter that, she and Ortnit were married at Castle Garden, and the whole\ncountry rejoiced in the king\u2019s good fortune.\n\n\n                            THE TOAD\u2019S EGGS.\n\nOrtnit and his wife were very happy together, and smiling peace rested\non the land. Honours were showered upon the hero of so glorious a\ncampaign, and even the imperial crown of Rome was placed upon his head.\n\nOne day when Ortnit and his queen were seated in the banqueting hall,\ntheir warriors feasting around them, a stranger was announced, who said\nthat he had come from the East, and was the bearer of rich presents to\nthe royal pair. After a few minutes\u2019 delay, the ambassador was\nadmitted. He was of gigantic height, wild of aspect, and said that his\nname was Welle. He announced that King Machorell had sent him to make\nfriends with Ortnit in his name and for his fair daughter\u2019s sake; that\nthe king, in token of his reconciliation with his son-in-law, had sent\nhim the finest jewels to be found in all Syria. Having thus spoken,\nWelle called his wife, Ruotze. She at once appeared, and was even\ntaller and more hideous than himself. She dragged four great coffers\ninto the hall, the contents of which she unpacked and displayed before\nthe king and queen and all the court. The first contained dresses and\nsteel wares of every sort and kind; the second was full of silver\nbracelets and ornaments of wonderful workmanship; the third was the\nsame, except that the ornaments were of gold instead of silver. The\nfourth case was opened by the man himself, who lifted out of it, very\ncarefully, two enormous eggs of strange form and colour.\n\n\u201cThese are the eggs of the Abrahamic magic toad,\u201d said the man. \u201cWhen\nthey are hatched, which my wife will see to, you will find in each the\nwondrous toad-stone, that shines like the sun in a dark place, or else\na marvellous creature that will defend your coasts against every\ninvader if you only feed it well. I am King Machorell\u2019s chief huntsman,\nand understand how to bring up the beast, and feed, and teach it its\nduties. So, I pray you, appoint me and my wife a damp and quiet place\namongst the mountains where we can watch over the eggs. Next year my\nroyal master himself will cross the seas, make friends with you in\nperson, and see the miraculous result of our care with his own eyes.\u201d\n\nThe queen\u2019s heart was filled with joy at these signs of her father\u2019s\nforgiveness, and throwing her arms round her husband\u2019s neck, she\nentreated that the proffered friendship should be accepted. The\ncourtiers were quite of her opinion; but Zacharis, the faithful\nheathen, shook his head, and spoke his distrust both loudly and\nclearly. No one listened to him. The king gave orders that the giants\nshould be well treated, and provided with food, and all they needed in\nthe mountains, by the governor of the province in which the place most\nsuitable for hatching the eggs was situated.\n\nHigh up in the mountains near Trient was a marshy bit of ground,\nextending far within a cavern at the foot of a precipitous rock. Welle\nand his wife took up their abode there, and every day the governor sent\nthem a supply of food. Ruotze brooded over the eggs untiringly. Before\nvery long the shells cracked, and two little lind-worms (dragons) crept\nout. They were pretty creatures, dainty in all their movements and\nobedient to every command of the giant and his wife. The governor used\nsometimes to go and see them, and delighted in their agility and funny\nways. The worst of it was that they had enormous appetites, and the\nmore they ate the faster they grew, and the more they wanted to eat.\nThey were soon taller than their guardians when they raised themselves\nin the air, and began to show themselves malicious and bad-tempered.\nThe governor hesitated to supply their wants when he found that they\nneeded more than two oxen a day; the wrath of the creatures at what\nthey considered semi-starvation was so great that Welle and Ruotze grew\nfrightened, and took refuge in another cave. As soon as their guardians\ndeserted them, the monsters crept out of their hole, and began to\nwander over the whole district, devouring men and cattle, and whatever\ncame in their way. The people deserted their old homes and fled to the\nmountain fastnesses. All in vain: the lind-worms pursued them, and\ncontinued to devour all who fell into their clutches. The governor sent\nout large detachments of horse and foot against them, but hardly a man\nreturned to tell the tale of defeat and misery. And with every hearty\nmeal the monsters grew larger and stronger. Every one was in despair,\nfor it seemed as if the whole kingdom would be devastated.\n\n\n                   ORTNIT\u2019S FIGHT WITH THE LIND-WORM.\n\nOne day the Emperor Ortnit went to his wife and asked her to help him\nto put on his armour, for he had to go out and fight a hard battle. She\ncould hardly pronounce the words \u201cwith whom?\u201d she trembled so.\n\n\u201cWell, Liebgart,\u201d he said, \u201cyou must know that the dragons which are\ndoing so much harm to the country are the toad-stones your father sent\nme. I am the guardian of my people; and as they helped me when I went\nto Syria to win you, I must now help them in my turn by going out\nagainst these monsters to slay them,\u2014or myself be slain, I know not\nwhich.\u201d\n\nThe empress wept and told her fears, but her husband comforted her by\nreminding her that he still had the good sword Rosen, that could cut\nthrough steel and iron, and even dragon\u2019s scales. \u201cShould I not\nreturn,\u201d he continued, \u201can avenger will come. If any one brings you\nback this ring that you once gave me, you may know that he is my\navenger, and give him your hand in marriage.\u201d\n\nHe then kissed her and tore himself away. She gazed after him with\ntearful eyes as long as he was in sight, thinking sadly how many noble\nwarriors had preceded him in his quest, and how none of them had ever\nreturned to home or friends.\n\nOrtnit at length reached the rock where he expected to find the\nlind-worms. Seeing them nowhere, he dismounted, blew his horn, and\nloosed the faithful dog that he had taken with him to help him to hunt\nthe monsters down. Suddenly a door in the rock opened, and the giant\nWelle came out, shouting to him to come on, and calling him opprobrious\nnames; but the king cut his great club in two with one stroke of his\nsword. The giant sprang back, and in a moment had unsheathed a sword\nsix yards long, whirled it round his head, and struck Ortnit so hard a\nblow upon the helmet that he fell senseless to the ground.\n\n\u201cWell hit, old moon-calf,\u201d cried Ruotze, putting her head out at the\ndoor; \u201clet me go to him now and wring his neck, and throw his body into\nthe dragons\u2019 den.\u201d\n\nAt this moment the setter, which had disappeared in the wood, began to\nbark furiously, and Ruotze rushed away to see what was the matter. Upon\nthis, Ortnit started to his feet, and with a swing of his sword cut off\none of the giant\u2019s legs. The monster howled with pain, and defended\nhimself resting against the rock, but his opponent immediately cut off\nhis other leg. Hearing the noise, the giantess returned. Arming herself\nwith an uprooted tree, she hit out at the hero with all her strength;\nbut, blinded by passion, she miscalculated the distance, and brought\nthe tree down so hard on her husband\u2019s head that she split it open.\nOrtnit then slew the giantess, after which he rested awhile from his\nlabours; ate and drank some of the provisions he had brought with him,\nand let his steed graze at will on the short sweet grass of the upland\nmeadow. Rested and refreshed, he once more set out on his quest. Riding\nthrough a wood, he came up with some charcoal-burners, and asked them\nwhere he should find the lind-worms. They tried to persuade him to turn\nback, but in vain. Then they told him that the monsters had set out to\ntravel west; that one of them, having a nest of young ones, had stayed\nsomewhere on the road hidden in a cave, while the other had gone deeper\ninto the mountains, perhaps even into another land.\n\nUnheeding the warning he had just received, Ortnit rode away towards\nthe west. When evening came, he rested for a short time; but as his\nfood was nearly finished, and he wanted to reach an inhabited spot as\nsoon as possible, he set out again, and rode all night long. Next day\nhe reached a meadow, and there he saw little Alberich seated under a\ntree. The dwarf looked very sad, and when Ortnit drew rein beside him,\nsaid:\n\n\u201cMy dear son, you are going to your death. Return to Garden, for I have\nno power over the diabolical monsters you are seeking. I cannot help\nyou.\u201d\n\n\u201cI need no help,\u201d replied the hero. \u201cHave I not the sword Rosen? It\nwill help me to conquer the powers of hell that are arrayed against my\npoor people.\u201d\n\n\u201cMay you be successful!\u201d said the little creature, and springing into\nthe saddle he kissed his son. \u201cMay you be successful! and to that end,\nwatch and slumber not. Remember that it is the last advice I can give\nyou. Now give me back the ring you got from your mother. You shall have\nit again if you return to Garden safe and sound.\u201d\n\nScarcely had Ortnit returned the ring when he felt a kiss upon his\nlips, and the dwarf had disappeared.\n\nThe hero rode on unfalteringly over hill and dale, and through many a\nwild glen. At last he unexpectedly reached the very lime-tree under\nwhich he had had his first interview with Alberich. The birds were\nsinging as before. All looked peaceful and still. Both Ortnit and his\nhorse were worn out, so he dismounted, and letting his steed graze,\nlaid himself at full length on the soft grass, his faithful dog at his\nside. He thought over his project, and was strongly tempted to return\nhome to Garden and sweet Liebgart; but he put the desire from him,\n\u201cfor,\u201d he reasoned within himself, \u201cthe prince and people are as one\nperson, of which the people form the body and the prince the head; so\nthe prince, to be worthy of his high calling, must as far as in him\nlies protect his people from all injury. And I have every right to\ntrust to my strength, my sword and my good cause for victory.\u201d It\nseemed as though the birds in the linden-tree had read his thoughts,\nand were singing a p\u00e6an of joy and encouragement over him and them. He\nwatched them quietly, but soon fatigue gained the upper hand\u2014his\neyelids closed, and he fell asleep.\n\n[Illustration: THE DRAGON FINDS ORTNIT ASLEEP.]\n\nAll at once the birds ceased their song, the branches stopped their\nsoft waving to and fro, and the flowers bent their heads as though a\nbreath of poisoned air were passing over them. Crawling through the\nthicket, trees and bushes breaking with its weight, came the terrible\nlind-worm, its jaws wide open, showing its long pointed teeth. The\nfaithful dog, with a howl of mingled fear and anger, pulled at his\nmaster, hoping to wake him; but in vain, for Ortnit was as though in a\ncharmed sleep. The dog then sprang upon the dragon, but could not touch\nit because of the way it slashed about with its tail. At this moment\nthe horrible creature caught sight of Ortnit, flung itself upon him,\ncarried him into the thicket, and then broke all his bones by dashing\nhim again and again upon the ground. But though his bones were broken,\nhis armour remained whole as at the first. Then taking the dead body up\nin its powerful jaws, the lind-worm bore it home to its nest in the\nnoisome cave, where its young ones fell ravenously upon their favourite\nfood, and devoured as much as they could get at through the steel rings\nof the coat of mail. The dog, which had followed the dragon home in\nhopes of saving his master, watched all night by the cave, but finding\nhimself powerless to help, set out early next morning on his way back\nto Garden.\n\n\n                    SIDRAT THE SORROWFUL (LIEBGART).\n\nMeanwhile Liebgart and the old queen were very anxious. They hoped and\nfeared alternately. On the fourth day, as they were sitting together,\nthey heard something scratching at the door. Liebgart opened it, and\nsaw the faithful dog, her husband\u2019s companion on his last journey.\nInstead of showing his usual joy at seeing her, the dog crept slowly\nin, and lay down at the old queen\u2019s feet with a low, moaning whine.\n\n\u201cHe is dead\u2014murdered by the monsters,\u201d cried the unhappy mother. These\nwere the last words she ever spoke, for next moment she sank back dead\nin her chair.\n\nThe shrieks of the young queen brought her women into the room, and\nsoon the sad news was known to all. There was now no king in Lombardy,\nno one to keep order in the land. The great nobles fought and\nquarrelled incessantly, and the country was split into factions. At\nlast, tired of this state of anarchy, it was agreed by the notables in\ncouncil that the only thing that could save the kingdom was for\nLiebgart to choose a husband who had sufficient wisdom and power to\nmake a good ruler. They went to the queen, each hoping in his secret\nheart that he would be chosen by her. But on hearing what was required\nof her, she answered with solemn earnestness that she would preserve\nher faith to Ortnit unbroken, and that none was worthy to succeed him\nunless he could slay the lind-worms and avenge his death. The nobles\nlooked at each other in a shamefaced manner, and hastened to leave the\nroyal presence; but avarice and ambition soon regained the upper hand,\nand civil war seemed imminent. Liebgart, deprived of all means of\nsupport,\u2014for even the treasury had been despoiled by the nobles,\u2014was\nforced, in company with a few women who were faithful to her, to make\nher own livelihood by spinning.\n\nThe Margrave of Tuscany was much distressed when he heard of the\nstraits to which the queen was reduced. He offered her an asylum in his\ncountry; but she said that at Garden she had been happy with Ortnit,\nand there she also wished to sorrow for him. Touched by her\nfaithfulness, the prince sent her food and wine, that she might no\nlonger have to work for the necessaries of life. So she lived on, the\nLombards trying to force her to seek refuge from the ills of life by a\nsecond marriage; but in vain; she bore all the miseries of her lot with\nquiet patience, for she strengthened herself with thoughts of her\nhusband and of the avenger for whom she hoped.\n\nThis hope, which sometimes rose like a star on the cloudy night of\nsorrow in which she lived, was one day to be fulfilled, but not for a\nlong time.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: HUGDIETERICH AND FAIR HILDBURG.]\n\n\n\n\n                            _THE AMELUNGS._\n\n\n                                  I.\n                     HUGDIETERICH AND WOLFDIETERICH.\n\n\n                    HUGDIETERICH AND FAIR HILDBURG.\n\nWhile Ortnit\u2019s ancestors ruled over Lombardy, the great Emperor Anzius\nlived at Constantinople, and governed Greece, Bulgaria, and many other\nlands. When he died, he confided his son, Hugdieterich, to the care of\nhis faithful friend, Berchtung, duke of Meran, whom he had himself\nbrought up, and afterwards covered with honours.\n\nBerchtung felt that his first duty was to choose a wife for his ward,\nand that only a princess of equal rank and great beauty and wisdom\nwould be a suitable helpmeet for so mighty a prince. He had travelled\nfar and wide, and amongst all the princesses he knew there was one and\nonly one that he could propose as a wife for his liege lord. But there\nwere many difficulties in the way. Berchtung confided his troubles to\nthe prince, and told him how much he wished to bring about a marriage\nbetween him and Hildburg, daughter of King Walgund of Thessalonica; but\nhe feared it would be impossible, for Walgund loved the maiden so\ndearly that he had shut her up in a high tower, and permitted no one to\nspeak to her except the old watchman, himself, her mother, and her\nmaid. This he did, fearing lest she should marry and leave him.\n\nHugdieterich listened to the strange story with great interest, and\ndetermined to get a sight of the maiden if he could. So he set to work\nto learn all that he might of women\u2019s works and women\u2019s ways, even\ngoing so far as to dress himself in women\u2019s garments. After which he\nannounced his intention of going to Thessalonica to make fair\nHildburg\u2019s acquaintance.\n\nHe arrived in due course at Thessalonica, disguised as a great lady,\nwith a numerous train of female servants. Hearing of the new arrival,\nthe king and queen invited the stranger to visit them. She did so, and\ngave their majesties to understand that she was Hildgunde, sister of\nthe emperor Hugdieterich, and that she had been outlawed by her\nbrother. She begged the king to protect her, and to provide her with a\nlodging in his palace, and at the same time presented the queen with a\ncostly piece of embroidery, as a sign of her good will. Her request was\ngranted. The queen then begged her to teach her ladies to embroider as\nshe did herself. After this all went so well that Berchtung and his\nmen-at-arms were sent back to Constantinople, their protection being no\nlonger needed.\n\nFair Hildburg heard what was going on, and begged her father to allow\nher to see the embroideries, and the artist who worked them. No sooner\nhad she done so than she wished to learn the art. Walgund gave his\nconsent, thinking the stranger a very suitable companion for his\ndaughter, and Hildburg found great pleasure in her company. It was not\nuntil weeks afterwards that she discovered who her teacher was, and\nwhen she did their friendship became stronger than before, until it\ngrew into acknowledged love.\n\nThe fear lest their secret marriage should be discovered, one day\nreached a climax.\n\n\u201cWhat will become of us?\u201d cried Hildburg. \u201cMy father will never forgive\nus. He will order us both to be slain.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen, at least, we shall die together,\u201d replied Hugdieterich, \u201cbut I\nhope for better things. The guards and your personal attendants are on\nour side, and I expect Berchtung very soon to come and take me home to\nConstantinople, on the plea that my brother has forgiven me. I shall\nthen send an ambassador to ask for your hand in marriage; and when your\nfather knows our secret, he will not refuse his consent.\u201d\n\nBerchtung came as Hugdieterich had expected, and fetched him away; but\nthe wooing had to be put off till a more convenient season, as war had\nbroken out on the frontier, and the emperor was obliged to take the\nfield. Meantime Hildburg was in greater danger at home than her husband\nin the midst of battle. She had a son. He was born quietly in the\ntower, without any one except the three faithful friends who guarded\nthe princess there knowing aught about it. It was not until months\nafter this event that the queen, her mother, sent to say that she was\ncoming to visit her daughter. She followed almost on the heels of the\nmessenger. The porter pretended to have great difficulty in unlocking\nthe door, and by the time he succeeded, the watchman had smuggled the\nchild down to a safe hiding-place beside the moat. It was already\nevening, so the queen spent the night with her daughter. When she was\ngone next morning, the faithful servant hastened to where he had hidden\nthe child, and it was not to be found. After long and anxious search,\nhe returned to his mistress, and told her that he had taken the boy to\na nurse, who had promised to bring him up carefully and well.\n\nSoon after this, Berchtung arrived at Thessalonica to thank the king in\nhis master\u2019s name for the reception he and his family had given the\nprincess, his sister, and to ask for the hand of the Lady Hildburg,\nwith whom the emperor had fallen in love from his sister\u2019s description.\nThe king put off giving any immediate answer to this request, and asked\nBerchtung to a great hunt he intended to give in his honour on the\nfollowing day.\n\nIt was a lovely morning when the hunters set out for the forest. They\nrode on cheerily, and had a good day\u2019s sport. At length chance led the\nking and Berchtung past the tower where sad Hildburg spent her weary\ndays in waiting for the husband who came not. As they rode along, they\ndiscovered the fresh track of a wolf leading towards a spring. They\nfollowed the spoor, which led them to a den in a thicket close by, and\nin the den was a strange sight.\n\nIn the centre of the nest, and surrounded by a litter of wolf-cubs so\nyoung as to be still blind, lay a beautiful child. He was playing with\nthe little wolves, pulling their ears, and chatting in baby language\nsuch as only mothers and nurses can translate. But evidently his\ncompanions did not like his attentions, and the mother-wolf\u2019s ire was\nso roused against him, that it wanted very little more to make her\nspring upon the child, and put a sudden end to his play. The old wolf\ncame up at the same moment, so that the danger was much increased.\nSeeing this, the two hunters flung their spears with so much skill as\nto kill both the old wolves on the spot. Then the king lifted the baby\nin his arms as gently as if it had been his own child.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s very strange,\u201d he said, \u201chow much I feel drawn to this boy. But\nhe must be hungry, poor little man. My daughter\u2019s tower is close to\nhere; we shall find some fresh milk there, and she will be glad to see\nthe little fellow; she is so fond of children, and seldom gets a chance\nof seeing them.\u201d\n\nThey walked on slowly, Berchtung carrying the child, while the king\nexamined the wolf\u2019s track with great interest and attention.\n\n\u201cLook here,\u201d he said, \u201cis it not strange? The tracks lead straight from\nthe den to the moat; I wonder if the wolf stole the child from anywhere\nnear this.\u201d\n\nFair Hildburg was not a little astonished when she heard her father\u2019s\ntale. She took the child in her arms, and at once recognised him by a\nbirth-mark on his arm in the shape of a red cross. She struggled to\nconceal her feelings, and offered as calmly as she could to take care\nof the child, and only begged her father to send a nurse as quickly as\npossible.\n\nWhen he got home, the king told the queen of his adventure, and she was\nvery curious to see the child. She sent for a nurse, and accompanied\nher to the tower. Arrived there, the queen sought her daughter, and\nfound her busied with the child.\n\n\u201cHow I wish,\u201d said the queen, taking it in her arms, \u201cthat I knew who\nthe boy\u2019s mother is! She must be in such distress.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d answered Hildburg; \u201cbut look at his clothes, how fine they are!\nThey show that he is of princely descent.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh dear,\u201d sighed the queen, \u201cwhat a lucky woman I should think myself\nif I had a grandson like that!\u201d\n\nHildburg could keep her secret no longer. She threw herself into her\nmother\u2019s arms, and told her, with many tears, that she was secretly\nmarried to Hugdieterich, and that the child was theirs. The queen was\nstartled, angry,\u2014but\u2014it was done, and could not be undone. It was at\nleast a comfort to think that the child\u2019s father was a mighty emperor!\nShe told her daughter she would say nothing; but would think what was\nbest to be done.\n\nWalgund felt strangely attracted by the child. He came to the tower\nalmost every day to visit it and his daughter. On such occasions the\nqueen would tell him how much she wished for a son-in-law and such a\ngrandchild as this. She reminded him that they might in their old age\nfall a prey to the barbarous tribes in the neighbourhood, if they had\nnot some young, strong man to take their part, and added that in her\nopinion Hugdieterich would not be amiss. In short, the queen prepared\nthe way so well that when Berchtung made his formal offer for the\nprincess\u2019 hand, the king after slight hesitation gave his consent, on\nthe sole condition that Hildburg was not averse to taking Hugdieterich\nas a husband. The queen then told her lord the whole story.\n\n\u201cWonderful!\u201d he exclaimed, too much astonished to be angry.\n\nHugdieterich arrived soon afterwards, and was publicly married to the\nLady Hildburg. After the wedding festivities were over, he set out for\nConstantinople, accompanied by his beautiful wife, and the little boy,\nwho was named Wolfdieterich, in remembrance of his first adventure.\n\nWith the empress went Sabene, one of the notables of Thessalonica, as\nher father had much confidence in his wisdom, and wished him to be his\ndaughter\u2019s counsellor in any matters of difficulty. He made himself so\nuseful, that he soon became necessary to her, and at the same time won\nthe confidence of honest Duke Berchtung so completely that he persuaded\nthe emperor to make Sabene regent during their absence on a foreign\ncampaign.\n\nThe high position he had gained through the duke\u2019s kindness, made the\nfalse-hearted man bolder and more self-confident than ever. One day he\nwent so far as to speak unbecomingly to the empress. The noble lady\nreproved him severely, and he fell at her feet, begging her pardon, and\nentreating her not to tell the emperor of his impertinence. She\npromised, but commanded him never more to appear in her presence.\n\nWhen Hugdieterich returned victorious, Sabene was the first to meet\nhim. He gave him an account of his stewardship, and at last remarked,\nas though by chance, that there was a great deal of dissatisfaction\namongst the people regarding Wolfdieterich, the heir-apparent, who\nrumour said was not the king\u2019s child, but the son of an elf, or, worse\nstill, of an alraun, who had been palmed off upon the royal family by a\nwitch. Hugdieterich laughed at the story as at a nursery tale. The only\neffect it had on him was to make him take his son from under the charge\nof Sabene, and give him into the care of faithful Berchtung, that he\nmight learn all knightly exercises with the duke\u2019s sixteen sons.\n\nTime passed on, and the empress presented her husband with two other\nsons, named Bogen and Waxmuth, who were also sent to Berchtung to be\neducated. The old duke loved all his pupils dearly, but Wolfdieterich\nwas his special favourite, for he showed himself full of every quality\nthat makes a true knight and noble warrior. The busy emperor seldom\nfound time to go to Lilienporte, the castle of Meran, and Hildburg was\na still less frequent visitor, so that Wolfdieterich had grown\naccustomed to look upon Berchtung as his father, and the duchess as his\nmother. His brothers, Bogen and Waxmuth, had long since returned to\nConstantinople, where crafty Sabene did all that he could to gain their\nfriendship and confidence. Their mother was sorry to see it; and\nfearing lest evil should come of it, she told her husband all that had\nhappened between them many years before. Hugdieterich\u2019s wrath blazed\nforth, and Sabene scarcely escaped alive. He fled from the country, and\nsought refuge amongst his kindred in the land of the Huns.\n\nHugdieterich, worn out by many anxieties and battles, grew old before\nhis time. When he felt his end approach, he arranged all his affairs\nwith the utmost care. He bequeathed to his eldest son Constantinople\nand the larger part of the empire, while the two younger sons were\ngiven kingdoms farther to the south, and the empress and Berchtung were\nto see the will carried out. But scarcely was the emperor laid in the\ngrave, when the notables of the land met in council, and demanded the\nrecall of Sabene, because otherwise they feared he might carry out his\nthreat of bringing the wild Huns upon them. The empress did not feel\nherself strong enough to withstand the clamour of the nobles, so she\nsent for the traitor.\n\n\n                     WOLFDIETERICH AND HIS ELEVEN.\n\nNo sooner had Sabene returned than he began to scheme again. He spread\namongst the people his silly tales about the origin of Wolfdieterich.\nHe said that the empress had been secretly wedded to an elf while she\nlived in that solitary tower; and that it was elfish spells that had\nprevented the wolves from tearing the child in pieces. The populace\nbelieved the story the more easily from its utter incredibility, and\ndemanded that Wolfdieterich should remain at Meran. Sabene even\nsucceeded in making the royal brothers, Waxmuth and Bogen, believe his\ntale, and give him the power for which he hungered. Sure of his own\nposition, he acted with the utmost harshness. He bade the empress leave\nthe palace and go to her son at Meran. He only allowed her to take with\nher a maid-servant, a horse, and her clothes. Everything else that she\npossessed, whether through her father or her husband, had to be left\nbehind. The two young kings did not interfere on her behalf, for Sabene\nhad shown them that her treasures would be very useful to them in\nequipping an army, supposing Wolfdieterich and the Duke of Meran\nattacked them.\n\nWhen Hildburg arrived at Hugelwarte, an outwork of Lilienporte, she was\ntravel-stained and sorely spent. At first Duke Berchtung refused to\nadmit her, because she had recalled Sabene contrary to his advice. But\nat last, filled with pity for the unhappy woman, he led her into the\ncastle, and treated her there with royal honours. The duchess received\nher surrounded by seventeen young men, who all called her mother. The\nempress did not at once recognise her son, who was the tallest and\nstateliest amongst them; but as soon as each knew the other,\nWolfdieterich, throwing himself into her arms, tried to comfort her by\npromising to restore her to her former rank and splendour.\n\nDuke Berchtung at first counselled peace, because the position of the\ntwo kings seemed to him so strong and unassailable; but at length,\ncarried away by his foster-son\u2019s enthusiasm, he not only gave his\nconsent, but placed his sixteen sons and their sixteen thousand\nfollowers at the disposal of the prince. It was settled, while the men\nwere being called together, that the duke and Wolfdieterich should set\nout for Constantinople, and see whether they might not attain their end\nby peaceful means.\n\nThe day after their arrival, they met Sabene and the kings in council.\nBerchtung was received with all honour, while nobody seemed even to see\nhis companion. When Wolfdieterich rose, and demanded his rightful share\nof the royal heritage, Bogen answered that a changeling had no right to\nany share; and Sabene added that he ought to apply to the alraun, his\nfather, for a kingdom in the realms of hell. Wolfdieterich laid his\nhand on his sword; but his foster-father\u2019s words and looks of entreaty\nsufficed to calm him down and prevent any open expression of anger. The\nkings and Sabene did their utmost to persuade the duke to join their\nparty, but in vain; and when the council broke up, the old man went\naway, hiding his displeasure as best he could. He and Wolfdieterich\nmounted their horses and returned to Lilienporte without loss of time.\n\nAfter a few days\u2019 rest they set out again for Constantinople, but this\ntime in battle array. On reaching the borders of Meran, they found the\nroyal forces drawn up to meet them. As evening was closing in, they\nencamped in a wide valley surrounded on all sides by a forest. Next\nmorning the troops rose refreshed, and each side made sure of victory.\n\nThe battle-song was now raised, and echoed amongst the mountains like\nrolling thunder. Next instant the armies met. Wolfdieterich was always\nto be seen in front. All at once he turned to Berchtung, and said:\n\n\u201cDo you see Sabene and my brothers on yonder hill? I will go and see\nwhether they or the alraun\u2019s son are the better men.\u201d\n\nWith these words, he set spurs to his horse and dashed through the\nenemy\u2019s ranks. Old Berchtung, who had vainly tried to restrain him, now\nfollowed with his sons and a small body of his men-at-arms.\n\nAs they neared the hill, they found themselves surrounded by the Greeks\non every side. The carnage was terrible. Six of Berchtung\u2019s sixteen\nsons fell at his side, while a stone struck Wolfdieterich on the\nhelmet, and stretched him senseless on the ground. But the old duke and\nhis other sons picked him up, and brought him safely off the field. All\nnight long they fled, and after resting only a few hours during the\nday, resumed their journey. On their arrival at Lilienporte, they found\nthat many of their men had got there before them.\n\n\u201cWe will await the traitors here,\u201d said Berchtung. \u201cThey may break\ntheir teeth on our stone walls, and then go away worse than they came.\nWe have supplies enough to last four years, and can bid them defiance.\u201d\n\nSoon after this, the enemy appeared before the fortress. Sabene\ndemanded that the prince should be delivered up to them, and threatened\nthat if this were refused he would burn the castle and all within it.\nThe only answer made by the besieged was a sortie, led by Wolfdieterich\nin person. He still was hopeful of victory, but numbers prevailed. He\nhad to retreat, and with difficulty regained the fortress. From that\nday he lost the confidence and gaiety of youth, and became grave and\nsilent; his trust in the sure success of a righteous cause was gone. He\nlost his faith in Divine justice, and said he had fallen a victim to\nthe resistless power that men call Fate.\n\n\n                               SIGEMINNE.\n\nThe siege had already lasted three years, and yet there was no hope of\nan end. The food had grown scanty; and if the enemy chose to make\nfamine their ally, the castle must finally capitulate. The duke vainly\nsought for some plan of deliverance. One day Wolfdieterich came to him,\nand said that he intended to slip out of the fortress by night, make\nhis way through the enemy\u2019s camp, and go to Lombardy, there to ask the\nhelp of Ortnit, the powerful emperor of the West. The old man did his\nbest to dissuade the lad, reminding him that their provisions would\nlast yet a year, and that the enemy, already weakened by sickness,\nmight raise the siege before long. The young hero was not to be held\nback: at midnight he took leave of his foster-father and his other\nfaithful friends.\n\n\u201cMay God protect you, my dear lord,\u201d said Berchtung, clasping him in\nhis arms. \u201cYou will have to cross the deserts of Roumelia, which are\nuninhabited, save by wild beasts and evil spirits. There you will find\nRauch-Else, who lies in wait for young warriors. Beware of her, for she\nis a witch, cunning in enchantments. If you are fortunate enough to\nreach the emperor Ortnit, do not forget your trusty henchmen, me and my\nten remaining sons.\u201d\n\nSo they parted. They arranged that the besieged should make a sally\nthrough the principal gate of the fortress, to draw off the enemy\u2019s\nattention to that quarter, while Wolfdieterich got away by a postern\ndoor at the back. He was nearly out of the enemy\u2019s camp when he was\nrecognised. Immediately mounting his horse, he drew his sword and cut\nhis way through their midst, and once in the dark forest beyond, he was\nsafe from pursuit. All night long Wolfdieterich rode through the wood.\nHe heard the were-wolves howling in the distance, but none came near to\nseek his life. As morning broke, he found himself by the side of a\nbroad moorland lake. All sorts of strange creatures rose out of it, and\nsought to bar the road. Two of them he killed, but he let the others\nescape. He wandered three days in the wilderness, finding nothing for\nhis horse or himself to eat. He shared the bread he had in his wallet\nwith his steed. It was but a little at best; and the faithful creature\nwas at last too exhausted to carry him farther, so he dismounted and\nled it by the bridle.\n\nOn the fourth evening, fatigue overpowered him so much that he was\nforced to rest. He lighted a fire with the brushwood scattered about.\nThe warmth did him good, for a cold mist hung over the face of the\nearth. He and his horse quenched their thirst at a neighbouring rill,\nafter which he lay down, and making a pillow of his saddle, thought\nover his sad fate. Sleep was beginning to steal upon his senses, when\nhe was suddenly roused by a noise in the dry grass. Something black,\nand horrible to look upon, crept nearer and nearer. It raised itself in\nthe air; its height was appalling. It spoke to him, not with a human\nvoice; the sound was more like the growling of an angry bear.\n\n\u201cHow dare you rest here!\u201d said the monster. \u201cI am Rauch-Else (rough\nAlice), and this ground belongs to me; besides which, I have another\nand a wider realm. Get up, and go at once, or I will throw you into the\nquaking bog.\u201d\n\nWolfdieterich would willingly have obeyed, but he was too tired. He\ncould not move. He therefore begged the bear-like queen to give him\nsomething to eat, telling her that his cruel brothers had deprived him\nof his inheritance, and that he was now starving in the desert.\n\n\u201cSo you are Wolfdieterich,\u201d growled the bear-woman. \u201cWell, Fate has\nmarked you out to be my husband, so you may count upon my aid.\u201d\n\nUpon which she gave him a juicy root, and scarcely had he eaten one\nmouthful when his courage returned, and his strength seemed tenfold\nwhat it had ever been before. It even came into his mind that he could\nconquer the Greek forces single-handed, and set his eleven faithful\nservants free. In obedience to Rauch-Else\u2019s command, he gave the rest\nof the root to his horse, which first smelt it carefully, and then ate\neagerly. No sooner had it done so, than it began to paw the ground, and\nneighed with eagerness to resume its journey.\n\n\u201cSpeak, will you be my true love?\u201d asked the bear-woman, coming up to\nthe youth, and preparing to clutch him to her heart with her terrible\nclaws.\n\n\u201cKeep back,\u201d he cried, drawing his sword. \u201cDemon that you are, seek a\nhusband in hell, where alone you will find a helpmeet worthy of you.\u201d\n\n\u201cHave I not fed and succoured you?\u201d asked Rauch-Else; \u201cwas that done\nlike a demon? I have long waited for you to come and free me from an\nevil spell. Love me, and save me.\u201d\n\nIt seemed to the warrior as if her voice had all at once grown soft and\nhuman in its tones.\n\n\u201cYes, yes,\u201d he said, \u201cif only you were not so rough and hairy.\u201d\n\nHe had hardly spoken, when the black fleece slowly slipped to her feet,\nand a beautiful woman stood before him, her brow encircled by a diadem,\nand her green silken garment confined at the waist by a jewelled belt.\nHer voice was sweet and thrilling as she repeated her former words.\n\n\u201cSpeak, young hero, will you love me?\u201d\n\nHis only answer was to clasp her in his arms and kiss her.\n\n\u201cYou must know,\u201d she said, \u201cthat although Rauch-Else was my name here\nin the wilderness, I am really Sigeminne, queen of Old-Troja. Your\n\u2018yes\u2019 has set me free from the spell of the enchanter, so we can now\nset out for my country, of which you shall be king.\u201d\n\nFull of joy and thankfulness, they started on their way, followed by\nWolfdieterich\u2019s horse. At last they heard the sound of waves breaking\nupon the shore, to which they soon afterwards descended. There they\nfound a curious vessel awaiting them. The prow was formed of a fish\u2019s\nhead, large and pointed. At the helm stood a merman, whose outstretched\narm was the handle by which the rudder, or fish\u2019s tail, was worked.\nInstead of sails, the vessel was rigged out with griffins\u2019 wings, the\nadvantage of which was, that they enabled it to go against both wind\nand tide, when such a course was thought desirable. The merman was so\nmarvellously fashioned out of cedar-wood from Mount Lebanon, that it\ncould steer wherever the travellers wished without their help. There\nwere other wonders on board the ship, such as a cap of darkness, a ring\nwith a stone ensuring victory to the wearer, a shirt of palm-silk, and\nmany other things. The shirt seemed as though it would only fit a\nlittle child; but when Sigeminne put it on her lover, it grew bigger\nand bigger, until it fitted him exactly.\n\n\u201cTake great care of it,\u201d she said, \u201cand wear it whenever you are in any\ndanger, for it will protect you alike from steel and stone, from fire\nand dragon\u2019s tooth.\u201d\n\nWafted by the griffins\u2019 wings, the vessel clove the western sea, swift\nas the wind, and soon brought the travellers to Old-Troja. There the\npeople received their beloved queen with shouts of joy, and cheered\nloud and long when she introduced the stately warrior Wolfdieterich as\nher future husband. The marriage was solemnized with great festivities,\nand a life of joy began for the new king. By the side of his fair wife\nhe forgot all his misfortunes and sorrows, and, alas! even the Eleven\nFriends he had left in peril of their lives. Now and then, when he was\nalone, the memory of all that had come and gone would cross his mind\nlike something he had dreamt, and then he would reproach himself with\nneglecting his duty; but Sigeminne had only to take his hand, and he\nonce more forgot that honour and duty alike bade him be up and doing.\n\nOnce when he, his wife, and the whole court were out hunting, a\nwondrous stag with golden horns broke out of a neighbouring thicket. He\ndid not seem to be afraid, but, after looking at the hunters, turned\nback to the wood.\n\n\u201cUp, good folk,\u201d cried Sigeminne. \u201cWhoever kills that stag, and brings\nme the golden antlers, shall stand high in my favour, and receive a\nring from my own hand.\u201d\n\nA number of huntsmen started in pursuit, first among them\nWolfdieterich. The stag led him by many devious paths, only to\ndisappear at last. Wolfdieterich returned to the tents much\ndisappointed. When he got there, he found all in confusion; for that\nterrible magician, Giant Drusian, followed by many armed dwarfs, had\nfallen on the camp during the absence of the king and his warriors, and\nhad carried off the queen. No one knew where he had taken her to.\nWolfdieterich was now as much alone in the world, and as wretched, as\nhe had been that terrible day in the desert. One thought filled his\nmind\u2014the thought of Sigeminne. He would seek her through the world;\nand if he could not find her, he would die!\n\nHe exchanged his royal robes for a pilgrim\u2019s dress, and hid his sword\nin a hollow staff, which served to support him on his journey. Thus\naccoutred, he wandered through many lands, asking everywhere for the\ncastle of Giant Drusian. At length he learnt from a tiny dwarf, that\nthe man he sought lived in the lofty mountains far over the sea, and\nthat many dwarfs owned him for their lord. He set out again, and\njourneyed on and on, till at length the castle came in sight. He sat\ndown to rest by a spring, and gazed longingly at the place where, as he\nbelieved and hoped, he should find his wife. His fatigue was so great\nthat he fell asleep, dreamt of her, and was happy in his dreams.\n\nAll at once he was wakened by a rough voice, and a blow on the ribs.\n\n\u201cWhat, ho! pilgrim,\u201d said the voice. \u201cHave you snored long enough? Come\nhome with me, and have some food. My wife wants to look at you.\u201d\n\nWolfdieterich sprang to his feet, and followed the giant who had\nwakened him so roughly, and who now strode before him to the castle. He\nknew that he had reached the end of his pilgrimage, and entered the\nwide hall with thanksgiving and joy.\n\nThere sat Sigeminne, her eyes red with weeping; and as she looked at\nhim, he saw that she knew who he was. He pulled himself together with a\nviolent effort not to betray his identity.\n\n\u201cThere, wife,\u201d growled Drusian, \u201cthere\u2019s the priest you wanted to see,\nthat he might speak to you about his religion. What a mite he is, to be\nsure, and as dumb as a lizard into the bargain! There, bag-of-bones,\u201d\nhe added, turning to the pilgrim, \u201csit down by the fire, and see if\nsome of our good food will not warm your thin blood.\u201d\n\nThe pilgrim did as he was desired, for, anxious and excited as he felt,\nhe was starving. Dwarfs brought in food and drink, and he ate till his\nhunger was satisfied. The giant questioned him up and down, and\nreceived short answers, some of them, it must be confessed, far enough\nfrom the truth!\n\nAs twilight deepened, Drusian seized the lady by the hand, and pulled\nher from her seat, saying, \u201cThere, you see the son of the alraun, who\nfreed you from the bearskin, he will not succeed in freeing you from me\na second time. He fears a broken skull too much. The term you asked for\nis over now, so come with me.\u201d\n\nHe would have dragged Sigeminne from the room, but the pilgrim had\nalready thrown aside his disguise, and drawn his sword from the hollow\nstaff.\n\n\u201cBack, monster,\u201d he shouted, \u201cthat is my wife.\u201d With these words he\nsprang upon the giant. The suddenness of the attack made the latter\njump back, exclaiming, \u201cWhy, alraun, are _you_ Wolfdieterich? If that\nis the case, we must have everything fair and in order. You must arm\nand fight with me\u2014if you are brave enough, that is to say. Sigeminne\nshall be the wife of the conqueror.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: WOLFDIETERICH FIGHTS WITH DRUSIAN FOR HIS WIFE.]\n\nThe hero consented to fight the duel, and the dwarfs brought him three\nsuits of armour to choose from. One was of gold, the second of silver,\nand the third of iron, very heavy, but old and rusty. He chose the\nlast, but kept his own sword. Drusian also put on his coat of mail, and\ncaught up his battle-axe.\n\nAfter some time, Wolfdieterich\u2019s shield was broken by a violent blow\nfrom his opponent\u2019s axe. The hero seemed lost; but avoiding the next\nblow, and grasping his sword with both hands, he struck so hard a\nstroke that the sharp blade cut deep down through neck and shoulder.\nScarcely had the monster fallen, when the dwarfs swarmed round the\nvictor with their small daggers and spears to avenge their master. The\nfine needle-points pierced the rings of his armour, but the palm-silk\nshirt protected the solitary warrior from every wound. At last he\nforced them back, and husband and wife were able to clasp each other\u2019s\nhands, and to assure one another of a love that would last till death.\n\n\u201cLet us away from this cursed house,\u201d cried the hero; \u201cwho can tell but\nthe dwarfish rabble are spinning new toils for us.\u201d\n\nThey hastened out into the deserted court, and then sought a stable, in\nwhich they found two saddled horses. These they mounted, and rode away.\n\nAfter a long and tiring journey, they reached Old-Troja, where the\nreturn of the queen and her brave husband was greeted with joy.\n\nSigeminne ruled her people with a gentle hand, but justly and firmly;\nno wonder, then, that they loved her. After her return, she was even\nsweeter and more thoughtful for others than she had ever been before;\nbut she was pale and thin, and what was worse, grew paler and thinner\nday by day. One evening, when she and her husband were sitting alone\ntogether, she raised her sweet face to his and said, \u201cWhen I am gone,\nyou must go back to your own country and people, for then you will be\nlooked upon as a stranger and usurper here, and the land might be\nwasted by civil war.\u201d\n\nThe thought of her death cut him to the heart, but he strove to look\ncheerful for fear of distressing his wife. He redoubled his anxious\ncare of her, but all in vain: her doom was sealed. He had been strong\nenough to conquer the giant and save his wife, but he was powerless to\nsave her now. She died in his arms, and he laid her in her early grave.\n\n\n                             THE KNIFE MAN.\n\nOnce, when he was standing sadly by her last resting-place, he suddenly\nremembered that she had bidden him go back to his own country when she\nwas dead; and then the thought of his mother and his Faithful Eleven\nrushed back into his mind. He also recollected that he had never\ncarried out his plan of calling the Emperor Ortnit to their assistance.\n\n\u201cI shall never forget you, dear wife,\u201d he murmured, \u201cbut I should be\nunworthy of your great love for me if I did not at once set out to\nbring freedom to those who have been true to the death in their\nfidelity to me.\u201d\n\nHe turned away, and hastened to make ready for his journey.\n\nHe passed through many lands, rich and poor. One evening he saw a\ncastle before him, and asked a passing traveller to whom it belonged.\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d replied the man, crossing himself, \u201cride on quickly, if you be a\nChristian, for that stronghold is where the heathen king Beligan lives,\nwith his daughter Marpilia, a maiden learned in magic arts. He slays\nevery Christian he can catch, and sticks his head on a spike placed on\nthe battlements for the purpose. Look, there is one place empty still;\nbeware lest your head be sent to fill it.\u201d\n\nThe hero explained that he felt no fear of that, as his armour was\ngood, and he must have sharp weapons who sought to pierce it. But the\ntraveller assured him that the king so thoroughly understood the art of\ndagger-throwing, that none could escape from him alive.\n\nWolfdieterich and the man parted company. The former would have ridden\npast the castle, had not the owner come out to meet him, and invited\nhim to spend the night with him; an invitation the hero was far too\nbrave a man to decline. The daughter of his host, a young and beautiful\ngirl, received him at the gate, and led him into the hall. While they\nsupped together, Wolfdieterich, on being questioned, told them whence\nhe came, and whither he was going; and Beligan saw from his answers\nthat he was a Christian. The heathen king then informed his guest, with\na diabolical smile, that he had come just in time to provide a head to\nmake up the required number on the battlements. Wolfdieterich\nunderstood what was meant, but shewing no signs of fear, he raised his\ngoblet to his lips, and emptied it to the health of his host and his\ndaughter.\n\nBedtime came, and Beligan, taking him aside, told him that he had found\ngrace in the eyes of his daughter Marpilia, and that he might marry her\nif he liked, receiving both castle and kingdom as her dowry, on one\ncondition\u2014that he would worship Mahmet. Wolfdieterich asked for time\nto think over the proposal; but the heathen smiled, and said\u2014\n\n\u201cYou may have to-night to consider the plan; that is long enough.\u201d\n\nHe then offered him a goblet of wine, into which he had secretly thrown\na powder.\n\n\u201cDrink, friend,\u201d he said, \u201cand you will sleep long and soundly\nto-night.\u201d\n\nThe hero was on the point of obeying, when Marpilia, who had\nre-entered, snatched the goblet out of her father\u2019s hand, and emptying\nit on the floor, exclaimed,\u2014\n\n\u201cNot so, father. I intend to teach the stranger better things to-night.\u201d\n\nShe led her guest to his room, and said,\u2014\n\n\u201cI have saved you from a great danger. My father was about to give you\na sleeping potion, that he might slip into your room in the night and\ncut off your head, as he has already done to many a Christian. I now\noffer you my hand and kingdom, if you will only pretend to follow our\nfaith.\u201d\n\nWolfdieterich thought of Sigeminne, and turning to Marpilia did his\nbest to convert her to his faith. They spent the whole night talking on\nthese subjects.\n\nThe next morning Beligan came, and invited his guest to join him at\nbreakfast, and after that, in a little game of throwing the dagger,\nexplaining that such was their custom. As soon as breakfast was over,\nthey went into the court, where the king\u2019s servants stood round them in\na wide circle. The hero laid aside his armour and sword as he was\ndesired, and received a buckler and three sharp and pointed daggers.\nThe heathen took his stand opposite, armed in like manner. The latter\nflung the first dagger at his opponent\u2019s foot, and he avoided it by\nspringing to one side.\n\n\u201cBy the beard of the Prophet,\u201d cried the heathen, \u201cwho taught you that?\nAre you Wolfdieterich, from whom it is foretold that evil shall befall\nme?\u201d\n\nWolfdieterich would not confess to his name, but stood ready again for\nthe fight. The second dagger scratched his head, carrying off a bit of\nthe scalp; the third he caught on his buckler.\n\nIt was now the hero\u2019s turn to throw. His first dagger pinned the\nheathen\u2019s left foot to the ground; the second scratched his side; but\nthe third, which he flung with the cry, \u201cI am Wolfdieterich!\u201d struck\nhim to the heart. He was now attacked on all sides, but succeeded in\nputting his opponents to flight. He then re-entered the castle, put on\nhis armour, took his horse out of the stable, and was about to mount,\nwhen he suddenly saw that a wide lake surrounded the castle on every\nside, and a gale of wind was blowing the great waves so high that there\nseemed no chance of escape. At the edge of the water stood Marpilia,\ndescribing circles in the air and on the ground with a magic wand, and\nmurmuring to herself the while. Riding up to her, he caught her in his\narms, and swung her before him on his horse.\n\n\u201cIf I am to drown, witch, you shall not escape,\u201d he said.\n\nWith these words he spurred his horse into the wild waves, and saw that\nthe waters stretched out farther and farther, until they seemed a sea.\nHe looked around, and saw that only one chance was left him. He flung\nthe witch-woman off his horse; instantly the storm ceased, the waters\nretired, and he was once more on dry land.\n\nBut Marpilia was not drowned. She appeared before him again in all her\nbeauty, stretching out her arms as if to embrace him, but he threatened\nher with his drawn sword. Then she changed into a magpie, flew to the\ntop of a high rock, and sought from thence to entangle him with new\nenchantments, each more terrible than the other. At last, thoroughly\nspent with fatigue, he exclaimed, \u201cHelp me, Thou Three in One, or I\ndie.\u201d\n\nScarcely had he uttered the words when the witch vanished, the sun\nshone once more upon mount and vale, and before him lay the broad road\nthat led to Lombardy.\n\nAfter meeting with many adventures by land and water, he travelled\nthrough a wild mountain region, and there he fell in with a giantess,\nan old friend of his father, who received him very kindly, and told\nhim, amongst other things, of the sad fate of Ortnit and Liebgart.\nAlthough her tale diminished his hopes of help, he was yet determined\nto continue his journey. The giantess said it would take an eternity\ntravelling as he did, horses were so slow! With that she picked up both\nhorse and rider, and carried them pick-a-back on her broad shoulders\nthree hundred and fifty miles in one day, over mountains, valleys and\nrivers, and set him down in the fair land of Lombardy.\n\n\n                             THE LIND-WORM.\n\nIt was a beautiful moonlight night when Wolfdieterich reached Garden.\nHe dismounted, and standing under the shadow of an olive-tree, he\nlooked about him. He saw two women walking on the sea-shore. One of\nthem was tall and stately. When she threw back her veil, he nearly\nuttered a cry of astonishment, she was so like Sigeminne. Had the grave\ngiven up its dead, or had some deceitful elf taken the beloved form to\nlead him into danger?\n\nHe stood breathless to listen, and heard Queen Liebgart, for it was\nshe, complain to her serving-maid of the manifold sorrows and\nindignities she had been forced to endure.\n\n\u201cThe cowardly vassals!\u201d she said. \u201cThey have courage enough to frighten\na weak woman, but no one dares to do the only thing that I desire on\nearth\u2014to avenge the death of their king on the monster that killed\nhim. And yet I have promised, although unwillingly, to give my hand to\nthe true knight and hero that will do this thing!\u201d\n\n\u201cThere is only one man,\u201d said the maid, \u201cwho could do the deed, and\nthat is the Greek Wolfdieterich, whose fame is spread abroad in every\nland.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe avenger is come, great queen,\u201d said the hero, stepping out of the\nshade where he had stood. \u201cI will venture my life to conquer the\ndragon.\u201d\n\nThe two women started back in alarm.\n\n\u201cIt is Wolfdieterich!\u201d cried the maid. \u201cHe once saved me from a band of\nrobbers.\u201d\n\n\u201cThanks, noble hero,\u201d said Liebgart, \u201cand may Heaven protect you on\nyour quest! But\u2014the monster will take your life as it did my\nhusband\u2019s. Nay, go your way in peace, and leave me to my fate.\u201d\n\nBut when the Greek showed her that his mind was firm, Liebgart gave him\na ring which the dwarf had told her would bring good luck to the\nwearer, wished him all success, and then returned to Castle Garden.\n\nWithout more delay the hero turned his horse to the mountains, and made\nthe best of his way to the lind-worm\u2019s hole, which at length he\nreached. He peeped into the dark cavern, and saw five dragons\u2019 heads\nstaring and hissing at him. These were the young \u201cworms\u201d\u2014the old one\nhad gone out to seek for food. The hero was about to slay them there\nand then, but it suddenly occurred to him that it would be better if\nthe old worm knew nothing of his coming, and it would be an easy task\nto kill the little ones when the mother was dead. So remounting his\nhorse, he set out in search of the monster. As he rode on slowly, he\nsaw a beautiful child standing on a rock. It called to him,\u2014\n\n\u201cYou are come to revenge my son Ortnit; beware that you sleep not, for\nif you sleep my son will remain unrevenged, and you will fall a prey to\nthe dragon.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy good friend,\u201d laughed the hero, \u201cyou are too young to be a father.\nI advise you to look out for yourself. You would be a sweeter morsel\nfor the monster than I!\u201d\n\nAnd setting spurs to his horse, he rode away laughing. Like Ortnit, he\ncame first to the high cliffs, and then to the meadow, where clover\ngrass and flowers grew in wonderful profusion. A linden-tree shaded\npart of it from the heat of the mid-day sun. The hero was tired after\nhis long journey and wakeful night. He stretched himself in the shade\nto rest, while his horse grazed in the meadow. Fatigue, the fresh sweet\nair, and the song of the birds in the branches overhead, all combined\nto make him drowsy, so he gradually fell asleep.\n\nPerfect peace reigned in the quiet spot. It seemed as though it might\nlast for ever, but suddenly it was broken by a horrible hissing, a\ncrashing of rocks and breaking of trees. The dreadful monster, the\nterror of the land, was drawing near. At the same moment Alberich\nexclaimed:\n\n\u201cWake, noble hero; sleep no more; the lind-worm is upon you.\u201d\n\nThe dwarf repeated his warning several times in vain. The faithful\nhorse galloped up to his master, and kicked him, but he did not awake.\nIt was not until the dragon gave utterance to a loud and hideous roar,\nthat made the rocks crack and the mountains tremble, that the hero was\nat last aroused from his trance. He sprang to his feet and attacked the\nmonster; but his weapons were all too weak for the work they had to\ndo\u2014they broke like reeds on the creature\u2019s hide, without doing it any\ninjury. So he flung the handle of his broken sword in the monster\u2019s\nface, and commended his soul to God, for he was defenceless. The worm\ncaught him up in the coils of its long tail, and at the same moment\nseized the horse in its great jaws. Then it bore its victims away to\nits den, and threw them down as food for its young. After which, it\nwent away again in search of more food. The little dragons tried to\ndevour Wolfdieterich, but could not, he was so well protected by his\nshirt of palm-silk, so they thrust him aside unconscious, and turned\ntheir attention to the horse, which they soon disposed of.\n\nIn the middle of the night Wolfdieterich came to himself, and began to\nlook about him carefully. The moonlight penetrated the cavern, and\nshowed him at a little distance something that shone bright red. He\nmoved towards it cautiously for fear of waking the dragons, and found\nthat the object which had attracted his eye was a huge carbuncle in a\nsword-hilt. He at once knew that this must be the sword Rosen, and took\npossession of it, as well as of the rest of Ortnit\u2019s armour that he\nfound lying uninjured amongst other coats of mail, which however were\nall more or less broken. With the armour he found a ring. This he put\nupon his finger. His preparations were no sooner completed than\ndaybreak came, and with it the old lind-worm. He at once attacked her,\nand, thanks to the magic sword, slew her and all her brood after a hard\nstruggle. Thoroughly exhausted, he threw himself under a tree, where he\nlay panting and breathless. There Alberich found him, and revived him\nwith food and wine.\n\nBefore the victorious hero set out on his return to Garden, he went\nback into the dragon\u2019s den to get the heads of the monsters; but when\nhe had cut them off, he found that they were much too heavy to carry,\nso he contented himself with taking their tongues. These he put in a\nleather bag that one of Alberich\u2019s dwarfs brought him for the purpose,\nand then began his journey, which was made longer and more wearisome by\nhaving to be done on foot. He often lost his way amongst the wild\nmountains, and did not reach his destination for many days.\n\nWhen he got to Garden, he found the castle full of feasting and mirth.\nWondering much, he went to a pious hermit who lived near, and asked him\nthe meaning of what was going on. From him he learnt that the Burgrave\nGerhart had slain the lind-worm, and was to be married to beautiful\nLiebgart that very evening. Wolfdieterich then begged the holy man to\nlend him priestly garments, and having received those that had formerly\nbelonged to brother Martin, the hermit\u2019s predecessor, he put them on\nover the armour he had found in the dragon\u2019s cave, and repaired to the\ncastle.\n\nHe entered the great hall, and saw Burgrave Gerhart, nicknamed \u201cHawk\u2019s\nNose,\u201d seated next to the pale queen, who, with her maidens, filled the\nglasses of the guests. Above the Burgrave\u2019s chair were the dragons\u2019\nheads, symbols of his victory. When the queen saw the pretended hermit,\nshe took him a cup of wine, which he emptied at a draught, and then\ngave back, after having slipped into it the ring she had given him on\nthe evening he started on his quest. Liebgart did not notice the ring\ntill she had returned to her seat by Gerhart\u2019s side. Then she trembled\nviolently, but forcing down her emotion, she desired the hermit to\napproach, and tell her from whom he got the ring.\n\n\u201cLady, you gave it me yourself,\u201d he said, throwing aside his disguise.\n\nEvery eye was fixed on him as he stood in the middle of the hall, clad\nin Ortnit\u2019s wondrous armour, and looking more like a god than a mortal\nman. When, advancing to the queen, he laid her husband\u2019s ring in her\nhand, and told her how and where he had found it, many voices cried,\n\u201cHail to the avenger of our king, the slayer of the dragon and its\nbrood! Hail to the new king of Lombardy!\u201d\n\nBurgrave Gerhart was not to be put aside so easily. He pointed to the\ndragons\u2019 heads as proofs of his right; but when Wolfdieterich produced\nthe tongues from his wallet, there was no more to be said but for\nBurgrave Gerhart to beg the hero\u2019s pardon. This he received on\ncondition of swearing fealty.\n\nWolfdieterich was now proclaimed king of Lombardy, and was told that he\nwas expected to marry the queen.\n\n\u201cMy lords,\u201d he said, \u201cas ruler of this kingdom, I am also the servant\nof my people, and am bound to labour for their welfare. But as regards\npersonal matters, such as the choice of a wife, I must be free, and the\nqueen must also be free to choose as she lists. She is yet mourning the\nloss of her first husband. But if she holds me worthy to succeed him,\nand thinks that my love and reverence will comfort her for his loss, I\noffer her my hand for life.\u201d\n\nLiebgart, remembering what Ortnit had said to her, placed her hand in\nthe hero\u2019s, and was married to him before long.\n\nWolfdieterich was no longer the impetuous boy who had left Lilienporte,\nbut a man who could act with wisdom, prudence and forethought. He felt\nthat his first duty was to restore peace and quiet to Lombardy, and\nthat only after that was done would he be at liberty to consult his own\nwishes, and start to the assistance of his faithful servants. A year\nwas spent in this labour, and then he told his wife that he must go to\nLilienporte. She wept and said that she feared lest, like Ortnit, he\nshould never return, but in the same breath confessed that he was\nright, and helped him to make ready for his journey and that of his\narmy, which was to number sixty thousand men.\n\n\n                              THE ELEVEN.\n\nWinds and waves were in their favour, and the army landed at a short\ndistance from Constantinople. Whilst the men encamped in a wood, the\nking set out in peasant\u2019s clothes to pick up all the news he could\nlearn. After spending hours wandering about the city, and hearing\nnothing that was of any use to him, he chanced to meet Ortwin, a\ngaoler, and a former acquaintance of his. The man carried a basket\nfilled with black bread. The hero went to him and asked him to give him\na loaf for Wolfdieterich\u2019s sake. The man looked at him keenly, and\nrecognised him.\n\n\u201cAh, sire,\u201d he said, \u201cthings have gone badly here with us. The good old\nempress died during the siege of Lilienporte. When the fortress\ncapitulated, the noble duke Berchtung and his sons were put in irons\nand flung into a dark and dismal dungeon. Death soon put an end to the\nold man\u2019s pain, but the ten young lords are still kept in strict\nconfinement, and I may bring them no better food than a daily supply of\nthis black bread and water.\u201d\n\nWolfdieterich was miserable when he thought that he was not without\nguilt with respect to his mother and his old friend. He could do\nnothing for them now, but he might still do something for the ten\nfaithful servants who yet remained. He arranged with Ortwin that they\nshould have better food, and should be cheered by the hope of a speedy\ndeliverance. The old gaoler went on his way, and the king returned to\nhis people.\n\nHe found his men already under arms, for they told him that Sabene had\ndiscovered not only that they were there, but what had brought them.\n\nThe armies met, and the battle raged long and furiously, without either\nside getting the better of the other. But at last the fortune of the\nday turned. The citizens of Constantinople rose in revolt against the\ntyranny that had ground them down so long, hastened to the prison, and\nset Berchtung\u2019s ten brave sons at liberty. Having done this, they put\nthemselves under their command, and marched to the assistance of\nWolfdieterich. It was a glorious victory. The hero was proclaimed\nemperor on the battle-field.\n\nSoon after their return to the capital, Sabene and the royal brothers\nwere brought before their judges. The first was sentenced to death, and\nwas at once led away to instant execution; the death of the two latter\nwas likewise demanded by both people and army, and Wolfdieterich knew\nthat they were guilty of causing the death of their mother and that of\nold Berchtung, and had brought upon him all the troubles and\ndifficulties of his early youth. Yet he could not decide what was best\nto be done, and reserved judgment until the following day.\n\nThat night, as the victor slept the sleep of the just, his mother\nappeared to him in a dream, saintlike and beautiful in aspect. She\nsaid: \u201cSpare my children, and my blessing shall rest on thee.\u201d\n\nAnd immediately Berchtung appeared at her side: \u201cGod has mercy upon His\nerring children; do not shed thy brothers\u2019 blood.\u201d\n\nAs the hero gazed at the apparitions in intense amazement, Liebgart\njoined them, and said gently: \u201cHast thou not gained kingdom, glory, and\nme, through the ill deeds of thy brothers? Return them, therefore, good\nfor evil.\u201d\n\nMorning broke\u2014the figures vanished, leaving Wolfdieterich resolved\nwhat he should do. He called the nobles together, and before them all\npardoned Bogen and Waxmuth, restored them their dignities and lands, to\nbe held thenceforth as great fiefs under him. At first no one approved\nof his clemency, but on hearing his explanation all were silenced.\n\nAs soon as his arrangements were completed, Wolfdieterich returned with\nhis army to Lombardy, and was welcomed by Liebgart with the greatest\njoy. After resting there for awhile, he, his princes, and their\nfollowers went to Rome, where he was crowned emperor. At the feast\nwhich followed the coronation he appointed the ten sons of good Duke\nBerchtung to be rulers of great fiefs. Herbrand, the eldest, received\nGarden and its territory. Through his son Hildebrand, of whose valiant\ndeeds we shall hear later on, he was the ancestor of the W\u00fclfings.\nHache was given Rhineland, with Breisach as his capital. His son\nEckehart was the protector of the Harlungs, Imbreke, and Fritele. He is\ncelebrated in song and story as the trusty Eckehart. Berchther, the\nthird son, succeeded his father at Meran. The other sons were as well\nendowed, but not as famous as their brothers, so their names and\npossessions need not be told.\n\nWolfdieterich and Liebgart had a son, whom they named Hugdieterich\nafter his grandfather. He grew up to be a mighty hero, and was the\nfather of a valiant race.\n\n\n[Illustration: SAMSON CARRIES OFF FAIR HILDESWID.]\n\n\n                                  II.\n                         KING SAMSON (SAMSING).\n\nIn the good old times a mighty yarl (earl) ruled over the rich town and\ndistrict of Salern, which was one of the largest fiefs of a great\nkingdom. The yarl governed so strictly and justly that peace and plenty\ncheered the hearts of all that dwelt in the district. He kept up a\nlarge army to defend his coasts from the onslaught of the Vikings, who\noften descended on them in great numbers in hopes of plunder.\n\nAmongst the followers of the yarl was the warrior Samson, nicknamed\n\u201cThe Black,\u201d because of his coal-black hair and beard. He was always\nthe first in battle, and had even been known to disperse whole\nbattalions with his single arm. He was terrible to look upon. His dark\neyes flashed under heavy beetling brows. His bull-neck and powerful\nlimbs bore witness to his remarkable strength. No one could withstand\nhim in battle. He hewed men down, whether armed or unarmed, with as\ngreat ease as if they were made of touchwood. In private life, on the\nother hand, he was gentle and kindly, unless contradicted; then,\nindeed, he would keep silence, but would none the less carry out his\nown will, regardless of the cost to others. As can be readily imagined,\nfew people ventured to oppose him without reason.\n\nOne day the yarl, who had just been made king, was sitting at a feast\nin celebration of a great victory. His warriors were round him sharing\nin his joy, Samson in their midst. Suddenly he rose, and, taking a cup\nof wine in his hand, offered it to the king, and said, with all\ncourtesy:\n\n\u201cSire, many a victory have I helped to gain for you, and now I come to\noffer you this cup and to ask you to grant me a boon.\u201d\n\n\u201cSpeak on, brave hero,\u201d answered the king, \u201cand tell me what you\ndesire. Hitherto you have asked no reward for your great deeds of\nvalour. What you already have was given of my good will, unasked by\nyou. So demand what you like, I can deny you nothing.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood, my lord,\u201d said Samson. \u201cI do not want any more castles or lands,\nI am rich enough; but I am very solitary at home, now that my mother\nhas grown old and cross. Your daughter Hildeswid is a sweet little\nthing, and I should much like to make her my wife. Now you know how you\ncan pleasure me by granting this request.\u201d\n\nRodgeier was so astonished at this address that he nearly let the cup\nfall.\n\n\u201cYou are a famous warrior,\u201d he said; \u201cbut the maiden is of royal birth,\nand only a king can lead her home. You are in her service as well as\nmine. So take this plate of sweetmeats and bear it to her in the\nwomen\u2019s house. Then come back here, and drown all memory of your\nstrange request in a bowl of good wine.\u201d\n\nSamson took up the sweetmeats silently, and bore them to the princess,\nwho was busy embroidering with her maids. He placed the dish before\nher, saying,\u2014\n\n\u201cEat, sweet one, for I bring you good news. You are to follow me to my\nhome, and live there as my good wife. Dress now, and bid one of your\nmaidens come with you.\u201d\n\nOn seeing the girl\u2019s hesitation, he added,\u2014\n\n\u201cIf you do not go willingly, you will force me to kill the yarl, and\nburn the palace, with all that are in it.\u201d\n\nHe looked so fierce and grim as he spoke, that Hildeswid trembled with\nfear, and obeyed him without a word.\n\nHe took her by the hand and led her down to the court, where a groom\nwas holding his horse in readiness. In the clear light of day, and in\nthe presence of many watchmen, none of whom dared remonstrate, Samson\nplaced the princess before him on the saddle, and rode away with her\ninto the wood and towards his home. When he reached his dwelling the\ndoor was locked, and he knocked so thunderously that the sound was\nheard to a great distance. No answer. He knocked again and again. A\nhoarse voice at last was heard from within, proclaiming that the door\nshould not be opened whilst the owner of the house was from home.\n\n\u201cMother,\u201d cried Samson, \u201cpull back the bolts, for it is I\u2014your son\u2014I\nhave brought you a princess to be your daughter, and to tend you in\nyour old age.\u201d\n\nThe door opened, creaking and groaning, as though unaccustomed to move\non its hinges, and a thin old woman came out on the threshold, dressed\nin rags.\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d she cried. \u201cDo you bring guests with you? That woman in her\ngrand clothes, her maid, and an idle groom. How could you do it, son?\nYou know how poor we are;\u201d and she looked up at her tall son with a\ncunning leer.\n\n\u201cBut, mother,\u201d said the warrior, \u201cwhere is the gold I sent you? Where\nare the servants I gave you? And what have you done with the gorgeous\nraiment I sent to clothe you?\u201d\n\n\u201cI hid the gold away in my chest,\u201d answered the old woman; \u201cfor one\nnever knows whether one may not become a pauper in one\u2019s old age. I\ndismissed the servants you gave me very soon, for I thought they would\nhave eaten me out of house and home; and as for the clothes, I have\nlaid them aside to wait for better times.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh well, mother,\u201d said Samson, \u201cif that sort of thing makes you happy,\nyou can do as you like with your own; but now open the door and let us\nin. We are tired after our long ride, and would fain have a good\ndinner.\u201d\n\nThey went into the house and sat down. The old woman placed before them\na hunch of rye bread and a jar of water. Samson would have made but a\npoor meal, had his groom not brought out a cut of venison and some\nwine, with which he had taken care to provide himself before leaving\nthe palace. After he had stilled his hunger, Samson begged his lady\u2019s\npermission to go out and see if he could not find a stag to store the\nlarder. The groom went down to the cellar, where he was fortunate\nenough to find a cask of ale; and the old mother withdrew to her own\napartments, leaving the princess alone with her maid.\n\nThe wide hall was dark and eerie, and full of strange flickering\nshadows, that grew more mysterious and ghost-like as the evening closed\nin, and the owls might be heard hooting in the pine-trees near.\nHildeswid could bear it no longer. She sent her maid to ask the old\nwoman to come back to the hall; but she did not, nor did the maid\nreturn. The poor child\u2019s terror was so great that she determined to go\nin search of her mother-in-law.\n\nShe wandered through one empty, dreary, dusty room after another, till\nat last she entered a large vaulted chamber, and there she saw the old\nwoman crouching over a great chest full of gold and precious stones,\nmuttering to herself. Approaching her, Hildeswid heard her gloating\nover her treasures, and saying how much they would be increased when\nshe added the princess\u2019s ornaments to the number, which could so easily\nbe done by strangling the girl. Hildeswid uttered a low cry of terror,\nand the old woman looked round. Then, with a shriek of \u201cthief, robber,\nwretch!\u201d she threw herself upon the unhappy child, and tried to\nthrottle her; but at that moment Samson came in and stopped her.\n\n\u201cMother,\u201d he said, \u201cyou cannot remain here. I will take you and your\ntreasure to my other house on the edge of the wood. There you can live\nin peace.\u201d\n\nMeanwhile King Rodgeier had discovered that his daughter had been\ncarried off. He sent out one body of his men-at-arms after another to\nfetch her home; but they all failed, and he prepared to go himself.\n\nRiding along towards Samson\u2019s grange, he and his men saw a little house\nby the side of a great wood. They entered, and asked the old woman they\nmet in the house to tell them where Samson lived. She denied that she\nhad ever heard of such a man; but when the king offered her a handful\nof gold, she at once pointed out the path that led to his grange, and\neven went a bit of the way to see that they made no mistake.\n\nThe king and his fifteen companions had not gone very far when they met\nthe hero. His helmet and armour were coal black, like his beard and\nhair; his steed was also black, but on his shield was emblazoned a lion\non a golden field. There was a sharp, short fight in which Samson came\noff conqueror.\n\nWhen the battle was over, he set out for his mother\u2019s house. On\nentering the hall he found her there busily counting the gold the king\nhad given her.\n\n\u201cMother,\u201d he said, \u201cfor the sake of that gold you betrayed your own\nson, and you richly deserve to die; but as you are my mother, I cannot\npunish your treachery.\u201d\n\nThe old woman went on counting her hoard as calmly as before.\n\n\u201cMother,\u201d he began again, \u201cyou betrayed your son for gold, and you\nshould die by my dagger; but you are my mother, and I cannot slay you.\nNow listen to me: take your gold and leave this place, lest harm befall\nyou.\u201d\n\nThe old woman poured her treasures into a huge sack, and answered,\u2014\n\n\u201cThis should all have been yours, if you had not brought that little\nfool into the house. I will go, and take my wealth to the king.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have slain him and his men,\u201d said Samson quietly; but he looked so\nstern that his mother changed colour, and muttered,\u2014\n\n\u201cVery well then, I will go and seek an heir who will give both me and\nmy treasures house-room.\u201d\n\nThree times Samson\u2019s hand sought sword and dagger, but he mastered his\nanger, and rode away through the dark pine forest to his home.\n\nWhen he got there, he found Hildeswid hard at work with her maidens.\n\n\u201cWife,\u201d he said, going up to her, \u201cmy mother betrayed me for love of\ngold\u2014my sword and dagger both thirsted for her blood\u2014but I would not,\ncould not slay her. If _you_ are false to me\u2014then\u2014they _must_ do\ntheir work.\u201d\n\nHe looked terrible in his wrath, but she took off his helmet and coat\nof mail, kissed him and led him to his seat. And he at once grew\ngentle, and told her that he wanted to win glory and honour for her\nsake, and that he hoped soon to see her acknowledged queen of her\nfather\u2019s realm.\n\nWhen the death of Rodgeier was made known in Salern by the only one of\nhis men who had escaped to tell the tale, a Thing was summoned in order\nthat a new ruler might be chosen. The votes were all in favour of\nBrunstein, brother of the late king, a man of great wisdom in counsel,\nand a lover of justice. There would now have been peace in the realm,\nhad it not been for Samson, who made raids into the land and carried\noff cattle and supplies. So Brunstein called together all the bravest\nwarriors of his own and other lands, and made them lay their hands in\nhis and swear to take Samson alive or dead, or themselves die in the\nattempt. Then, led by the king, they set out and rode over mountains\nand plains and through the dark forest, and all without finding the\nobject of their search. One evening they reached a strong fortress, and\nbeing very tired, rested there for the night. After supper they went to\nbed and slept. Every one slept, even the guards, when they had\ncarefully locked and bolted the great gates.\n\nThat night Samson came. Finding he could not break the gates, he set\nfire to them, and while they were still burning, pulled them down, and\nleaped into the place. The watchmen awoke and blew their horns; but as\nthere were many thatched roofs within the walls, all of which caught\nfire, the king and his men naturally thought a large army had broken in\nupon them, and were filled with terror. The gigantic figure of Black\nSamson appearing now here, now there, amongst the flames, added to\ntheir fear, and all that were left of them took refuge in flight.\n\nThe king, followed by six faithful attendants, made his way into the\nforest, and after riding a long time came in sight of a goodly grange.\nHe entered, and found that the mistress of the house was his niece\nHildeswid. He asked after Samson, but she said he was out. He then\nbegged her to leave her husband and go with him; but she refused,\nadvising him to go away as quickly as he could, lest he should fall\ninto his enemy\u2019s hands.\n\nBrunstein confessed that she was right, and took his departure, but it\nwas even then too late. Samson had returned, and, seeing them, at once\nset out in pursuit. No courage or strength, however great, could avail\nagainst his terrible arm. Brunstein and five of his warriors fell never\nto rise again, while the sixth got away with great difficulty and not\nwithout severe wounds. Samson started in pursuit. When he got out of\nthe wood, he saw thirty horsemen galloping towards him. On their\nbanner, a lion was displayed on a golden field.\n\n\u201cSo, ho,\u201d cried the hero, \u201cyou are Amelungs. Welcome, Uncle Dietmar. I\nrejoice to see you and your men.\u201d\n\nWhen they had rested and refreshed themselves in Samson\u2019s grange,\nDietmar explained, that having heard that his nephew was outlawed and\nin need of help, he had come to visit him and see whether he could be\nof any use. Samson was much pleased, and announced his intention of\ntaking the open field now that he was no longer alone in the world. So\nhe and his companions set out next morning. No one ventured to oppose\nhim, and he soon had so large a district under his command that he was\nable to take up the powers and dignity of duke. After that he made his\nway towards Salern, and sent on messengers to desire the citizens to\nelect him king, under pain of having their town and possessions burnt\nabout their ears.\n\nAfter much conferring together, the burghers came to the conclusion\nthat they could not do better than obey; for while Samson had been\ntheir friend, their town had been more flourishing than at any other\ntime. So they sent to beg him to come and rule over them.\n\nWhen the hero found that all was going as he wished, he sent for his\nwife, and, side by side, they rode into Salern, where they were\nreceived with acclamation.\n\nThe new ruler governed with a strong hand, and administered justice\nequally to all, both high and low. He showed a grateful remembrance of\nevery kindness he had met with in his adversity, and kept peace on his\nborders. He grew old in the punctual fulfilment of these duties; and\nwhen he felt that he was no longer strong enough to do the work alone,\nhe appointed his eldest son to be his assistant and successor. But he\ndid not like it to be supposed that he was too old and weak to be of\nuse; and so when his second son asked him what share he was to have in\nthe royal heritage, he answered him nothing, but called together the\nwhole army and made them an address.\n\nHe told them that when he was young every one had sought to do great\ndeeds, but now people had grown lazy. The long peace, that had brought\nmaterial blessing on the realm, had also brought the curse of a love of\nease and pleasure; and for fear this evil should increase, and the\ncountry become an easy prey to some greedy neighbour, he summoned every\nwarrior to appear before him in three months\u2019 time, each accompanied by\nhis men, and bearing a courageous heart within his breast, for he was\ngoing to lead them against a powerful foe.\n\nThe same day that Samson made this announcement to his army, he wrote a\nletter to the proud yarl Elsung of Bern (Verona), a man of about his\nown age, and with an equal love of great and heroic deeds. In this\nletter he demanded that Elsung should pay him tribute as his liege\nlord, and should give his daughter, Odilia, to his second son. All this\nhe demanded as a right, due from a vassal to his king.\n\nWhen the yarl read the letter, he was very angry, and made immediate\npreparations for war. He began by ordering five of Samson\u2019s ambassadors\nto be hung on the spot, and the sixth to be sent back to his master\nwith his tongue cut out.\n\nNo sooner were the three months over than King Samson started for Bern\nat the head of his men.\n\nThe armies met, and there was a great battle. The slaughter on either\nside was hideous. At length Samson\u2019s wondrous strength enabled him to\nslay the yarl, and gain the victory. The Bernese, seeing that their\nruler was dead, thought it most prudent to choose Samson for their\nking, and thus put an end to all ill-feeling between the two nations.\n\nWhen this business was settled, the victor sent for the yarl\u2019s\ndaughter, Odilia, and told her that he intended her to be the wife of\nhis second son, to whom he was going to make over her father\u2019s realm.\nThe maiden wept, and said that she could not marry so soon after her\nfather\u2019s death; but Samson\u2019s rage at meeting with contradiction was so\nterrible, that the girl in mortal fear consented to wed the prince. His\nberserker wrath appeased by her obedience, the king at once regained\nhis usual genial manner, kissed her, and assured her of his protection.\n\nThe marriage arranged, Samson set out on his return to his own land,\naccompanied by his eldest son. Before he had gone very far, he felt his\nwounds painful. They would not heal, and caused him so much suffering\nthat he had to halt at a little town on the way, and there he died,\nnaming his youngest son ruler of the Rhineland, with Fritilaburg as his\nresidence.\n\n\n[Illustration: DIETWART DEFENDS THE PRINCESS.]\n\n\n                             III. DIETWART.\n\nThere was once an emperor of Rome (Romaburg) called Dietwart. His name\nwas known far and wide for his great deeds. At last, wishing to marry,\nhe sent an embassy to King Ladmer of Westenmer to ask for the hand of\nhis daughter. Ladmer professed himself highly honoured that so great an\nemperor should wish to be allied with his house, and begged that\nDietwart would come to Westenmer and see the princess; that done, the\ntwo young people might make up their minds whether they were suited to\neach other. Dietwart consented, and after a stormy passage arrived at\nhis destination, accompanied by a hundred of his bravest warriors.\n\nLadmer received his guest with all courtesy, and told him how glad he\nwould be to have him for a son-in-law, but that the choice of a husband\nlay with the princess herself, for he would never constrain his\ndaughter to marry against her will.\n\nAt the feast given in his honour, Dietwart dressed himself like his\nmen; but the princess, whose duty it was to offer wine to her father\u2019s\nguests, soon saw which was which, and filled his goblet first. That\nevening her father asked her what she thought of the stranger, and she\nreplied,\u2014\n\n\u201cHe seems to be a great prince, but I do not know his ways; and until I\nknow that they are pleasant in my eyes, I will not marry him, as I\nmight be very unhappy far away from all I love, in a foreign land.\u201d\n\nHer father kissed her, and told her she must do as she pleased, but in\nhis heart of hearts he hoped she would say \u201cyes.\u201d\n\nA great hunt was arranged for the following day, the object of which\nwas the destruction of a number of stags, for they had grown so\nnumerous that they had done a great deal of mischief in the\nneighbourhood.\n\nNow it happened that Princess Minnie was a mighty huntress, so she\nbegged her father to let her join him on that day also, for she loved\nthe sport, and, as he knew, her arrow could reach its goal as surely as\nthat of any man. Dietwart did not much relish seeing her so employed.\nHe thought it was not maidenly, and confided to his friends that he\nwould rather seek a wife among the daughters of the great princes at\nhome, than wed such a hoyden as the Lady Minnie. But however that might\nbe, it was his duty, and theirs, as men, to see that the giddy girl got\ninto no danger through her foolhardiness.\n\nAs they were going down a narrow glen, Minnie wounded a splendid stag,\nand the dogs set out in pursuit; while the princess, drawing another\narrow from her quiver, hastened after them. Suddenly the dogs set up a\nsimultaneous howl, and rushed out of the thicket. The ladies of the\ncourt shrieked aloud. \u201cThe worm,\u201d they cried, \u201cthe lind-worm! Come\nback, Lady Minnie, come back!\u201d and at the same moment, turning quickly,\nthey fled across the valley, and took refuge on the top of a\nneighbouring hill.\n\nA frightful hissing, cracking and trampling was heard, and the dragon\ncrept out of the thicket, its jaws wide open, ready to seize its prey.\nIt was a sight to make the bravest man tremble. Princess Minnie shot\nthree arrows, one after the other, straight at the monster; but they\nglanced harmless off its horny scales. She turned to fly, but her foot\ncaught in a branch, and she fell to the ground. She seemed lost, for\nthe dragon was making ready to spring upon her. Dietwart and his men\nwere close at hand. The latter threw themselves on the worm; while the\nformer took his stand before the girl to defend her. It was a horrible\nsight.\n\nLances, swords, arrows were no defence. They could not pierce the\nmonster\u2019s scales, and one brave man after another was caught in its\nclaws, or was torn by its terrible teeth, which in shape resembled the\nanchors of a ship. Dietwart rushed to the assistance of his friends. He\nstruck at the lind-worm\u2019s neck with his lance, but the point slipped\nfrom the scales, and the dragon tore his breast with its claws. It\nopened its great jaws as wide as it could, to seize and devour him; but\nthe hero thrust the shaft of his spear into its gigantic mouth, and\nworked it round and round with such force that the point came out at\nthe other side. A stream of poison, and flames of fire issued from the\ncreature\u2019s nostrils, and the hero fell fainting to the ground, the\ndying monster on the top of him.\n\nDietwart was roused from his insensibility by feeling himself violently\nshaken. When he opened his eyes, he saw the princess struggling to free\nhim from the dragon\u2019s body. Some woodmen came up and helped her. When\nat last he rose to his feet, he was so weak that he could not stand;\nand the men made a litter of wattled boughs, on which they carried him\nto the palace. The wound on his chest was carefully bound up, and no\none thought much of it, because the flesh alone had been torn; but it\nfestered badly, and the edges turned black, as though they had been\nburnt. The doctors declared that some of the dragon\u2019s poisonous breath\nhad touched it, and they feared for the hero\u2019s life. The king, the\ncourt, nay the whole country, mourned for the man who had rid them of\nthe monster.\n\nOne morning, as Dietwart lay sunk in a feverish doze after the intense\npain of the night, he felt a hand busied about his wound. Strange to\nsay, the hand felt both softer and gentler than that of the doctor. He\nopened his eyes, and recognised the princess. He watched her carefully\nremove the bandages, and drop some liquid from a bottle into his\nburning wound. The pain at once left him. He would have thanked her,\nbut she signed to him to be silent. After she had replaced the\nbandages, and motioned to the nurses to be still, she went away as\ngently as she had come. The wounded man felt as free from pain as if an\nangel had brought him some of the water of life. He fell into a quiet\nslumber. At night the pain returned, but the next morning Minnie came\nback, and poured balm into his wound. On the third morning she came\nagain. He felt so much stronger, that he could not refrain from seizing\nher hand and pressing it to his lips. She withdrew it gently, and went\naway signing to him once more to hold his peace.\n\nThe doctor rejoiced at the rapid recovery of his patient. When told\nwhat had happened, he said that the royal maid had received the\nmiraculous balm from her mother on her death-bed, and that she was\nforbidden to use it except in cases of great necessity, and for those\nshe loved.\n\n\u201cFor those she loved?\u201d repeated the hero; and he felt strangely happy.\n\nWhen he was well again, he one day met her alone in the garden, and\ntold her of his love. They talked together for a long time; and when\ngood King Ladmer heard of their engagement, he gave them his blessing.\nThe marriage feast was soon afterwards held, and there, in the middle\nof the table, as one of its greatest ornaments, was one of the dragon\u2019s\nteeth set in silver\u2014a nice little tooth it was, weighing at least half\na hundred weight.\n\nThe husband and wife set out for Rome. The winds and waves favoured\nthem, and they soon reached Dietwart\u2019s native land. The legend informs\nus that they lived very happily together for four hundred years, and\nhad forty-four children, of whom one son, Sigeher, alone survived them.\nBut it does not tell us whether the Lady Minnie took kindly to her\nhousehold duties, or always remained fonder of field sports than of\nneedlework.\n\n\n\n\n                          _DIETRICH OF BERN._\n\n\n                      I. DIETRICH AND HILDEBRAND.\n\nDietmar, second son of Hugdieterich, ruled with a strong hand at Bern,\nand refused to acknowledge his elder brother Ermenrich, or any other\nking as his suzerain. He was a mighty warrior, and so terrible in\nbattle that few of his enemies dared look him in the face. But at home\nhe was gentle to all, especially to his wife Odilia, daughter of\nElsung, or, according to another saga, daughter of a Danish king. His\neldest son, Dietrich, was the joy of his heart. At twelve years old the\nlad had the strength of a mighty warrior. His fair hair fell over his\nshoulders in heavy curls. His figure was tall and slender, yet strong\nand well-knit. He had regular features, but when he was angry, he was\nterrible to look upon. From his earliest childhood any one might see\nthat he would become a lion-hearted hero. It was even said that his\nbreath was like glowing fire when he was angry, and this the people\nthought an undoubted proof that he was descended from a demon ancestor.\n\nWhen Dietrich was five years old, a famous hero came to his father\u2019s\ncourt. This was Hildebrand, son of Herbrand, and grandson of the\nfaithful Berchtung. As we said before, Herbrand\u2019s fief consisted of the\ndistrict and castle of Garden. He had brought up his son in the\ntraditional way, so that he grew up to be a perfect warrior, and a wise\nman. King Dietmar was so pleased with his guest that he appointed him\nto be his son\u2019s teacher and governor. This was the beginning of a\nfriendship between master and pupil that lasted till death parted them.\n\n\n                          THE SWORD NAGELRING.\n\nNow it came to pass that a giant and giantess invaded Dietmar\u2019s land;\nand slew, burnt, and plundered the people. They were so strong that no\none could resist them. The king went against them at the head of an\narmy; but could not find them. He saw everywhere on his borders the\ndesolation they had caused; but none could tell him where they were\nconcealed. At this ill-success young Dietrich and his master were as\nmuch distressed as the king himself. They determined to search for the\ngiants till they found them, though the search should cost them years.\n\nThey wandered over mountains and valleys seeking the monsters, but\nseeing nothing of them. One day they set out to hunt with their hawks\nand hounds, and came to a great forest, in the middle of which was a\ngreen meadow, where they thought they should find plenty of game. They\nuncoupled the hounds, and rode, one to the left and the other to the\nright of the meadow, holding their weapons in readiness. As Dietrich\nslowly advanced, keeping a sharp look out, a dwarf crossed his path.\nStooping from his horse, he caught up the mannikin and placed him in\nfront of him. The little prisoner made so loud a moan, that Hildebrand\nheard him, and galloped across the meadow to see what was the matter.\nCatching sight of the dwarf,\u2014\n\n\u201cHillo!\u201d he cried. \u201cHold the rascal tight. He knows all roads, both on,\nand under the earth. He is Elbegast, the prince of thieves, and is\ncertain to be a friend of the robbers.\u201d\n\nThe dwarf shrieked louder than before, and declared that far from being\ntheir friend, he had suffered much wrong at the hands of the giant Grim\nand his sister Hilde, that he had even been obliged to forge for them\nthe good sword Nagelring, and the strong helmet Hildegrim, and had been\nforced to lead them to their victims by hidden ways known only to\nhimself. He swore to help the warriors if they wished to fight the\nunholy pair.\n\nThe mannikin was therefore set at liberty. He drew a long breath, and\nsaid:\n\n\u201cYou could not catch me now, if I wished to escape you; but I will\nserve you faithfully, that I may be freed from the power of the giants.\nCome back to this place at day-break to-morrow, and I will give you the\nsword Nagelring, without which you cannot conquer the monster. I shall\nsteal it from him as truly as I am Elbegast, the prince of thieves.\nThen I will show you his foot-marks in the dewy grass, that you may\ntrack him to his hollow mountain, where, if you slay him and his wicked\nsister, you will find rich booty to reward you.\u201d\n\nThe dwarf had no sooner uttered these words than he vanished. The next\nmorning, before daylight, the prince and his companion came to the edge\nof the green meadow talking of this and that. They agreed that the word\nof a mountain goblin was not to be trusted, and that thievish Elbegast\nwould probably be false like all his kindred. Their conversation was\ninterrupted by a strange clanking sound, and at the same moment they\nnoticed the rosy dawn overspreading the sky. They started to their\nfeet, and looked about. Elbegast came up to them dragging a huge sword.\nDietrich seized it with a cry of joy, unsheathed it and swung it in the\nair.\n\n\u201cNow,\u201d cried Elbegast, \u201cyou have the strength of twelve men, and can\nfight the monster on equal terms. Look carefully and you will see the\nmarks of his shoes distinctly printed on the dewy grass. I had to make\nhis shoes of iron for he is miserly, and said that leather was too\ndear. Follow the tracks, and they will lead you to the entrance of his\ncave. I can go with you no farther.\u201d\n\nHe vanished, and the heroes followed the giant\u2019s tracks in obedience to\nthe dwarf\u2019s advice.\n\nAt length they reached a great cliff, but there was no opening to be\nseen large enough to serve as a door. A few cracks might be noticed\nhere and there in the stone, so small that only a dwarf or a lizard\ncould have crept in; certainly not a man in armour, and still less a\ngiant. Hildebrand thought that a bit of the rock might perhaps be\nfitted into the cliff instead of a door. He tried to shake and loosen\nany projecting piece of the cliff that he could clutch. His efforts\nwere not in vain. An enormous block of stone stirred and rocked beneath\nhis hands, and just as Dietrich came to his assistance, it fell\nthundering into the valley below. The sunlight penetrated the darkness\nof a deep cavern, in the background of which a great fire was burning.\nGrim was lying on a bed of bear and wolf skins close to the flames.\nWakened by the falling rock, he raised himself on his elbow, and\nperceiving the warriors\u2019 approach, looked about for his sword; not\nfinding it, he snatched up a burning log, and rushed upon Dietrich. His\nblows sounded like claps of thunder, and fell as thick as hail; it was\nonly the young warrior\u2019s nimbleness that saved his life, which was\nendangered not only by the force of the blows, but by the smoke and the\nburning sparks that flew from the log. Hildebrand would have gone to\nhis pupil\u2019s assistance had not the latter forbidden him. And indeed he\nsoon had enough to do to defend himself, for the giantess now appeared,\nand catching Hildebrand up in her arms, held him tight. It was a deadly\nembrace. The warrior could not breathe. He struggled in vain to free\nhimself from the sinewy arms that held him. At last the giantess threw\nhim on his back, pressing his hands and arms as though in a vice, and\nmaking the blood spirt from under his nails. She looked about for a\nrope with which to bind and hang him. Hildebrand called to his\ncompanion to help him in his need. Dietrich seeing his friend\u2019s danger\nleaped over the giant\u2019s weapon with a despairing spring, and at the\nsame time seizing his sword in both hands, split the monster\u2019s head\nfrom the crown to the collar-bone. Then turning upon the giantess, he\nslew her after a short but sharp engagement.\n\nHildebrand now staggered to his feet, and said that from henceforth he\nwould regard his former pupil as his master, because that woman had\nbeen harder to deal with than any foe he had ever met before. Dietrich\nand Hildebrand took the treasure they found hidden away in a side cave,\nas their meed of victory, and brought it home to Bern.\n\nKing Dietmar rejoiced in the glory of his heroic son, whose name had\nbecome famous in every land; but he did not live long after these\nevents. He died loved and honoured by all. When Dietrich ascended the\nthrone, he gave his young brother Diether into Hildebrand\u2019s charge,\nbegging his friend to teach the boy to be a hero and a worthy scion of\nhis noble race.\n\nAnd Hildebrand did his best, with the help of his wife, the good\nhigh-souled Ute (Uote), whom he married soon after. Together they\ntaught the boy to love what was good and true, to be brave, and to be\nnot only an admirer but a doer of high deeds.\n\n\n                                SIGENOT.\n\nSoon after Grim and Hilde had fallen under Dietrich\u2019s sword, their\nnephew, strong Sigenot, a giant who lived in the Western Mountains,\ncame down into the forest to visit his relations. When he discovered\ntheir dead bodies in the cave, he howled with rage and swore to avenge\ntheir death. A dwarf for whom he called told him of the fight between\nhis uncle and aunt and the heroes, but Sigenot would not believe the\nstory. He thought that Grim and Hilde had been murdered in their sleep\nby Dietrich and his comrade for the sake of their hoard.\n\nYears passed on. One evening the heroes were seated together in the\ngreat hall of the palace, drinking their wine and talking.\n\n\u201cMaster,\u201d said King Dietrich, \u201cI never saw a living wife embrace her\nhusband so passionately as Hilde did you that day in the cave. I think\nthe Lady Ute would be angry if she heard how the giantess hugged you.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat a monster she was,\u201d answered Hildebrand with a shudder, \u201cand you\nfreed me from her clutches.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d said the king, laughing, \u201cit showed my generosity. I returned\nyou good for evil that time, for you know I might have remembered how\nmany thrashings and floggings you had given me when a boy. Now,\nconfess, was I not generous?\u201d\n\n\u201cI am quite willing to do so,\u201d replied Hildebrand with a smile, and\nthen added gravely; \u201cbut do not pride yourself too much on the past,\nfor the giant Sigenot has long been watching for us in the mountains,\nthat he may fall upon us and avenge his uncle Grim\u2019s death. From what I\nhear, he is so strong that no mortal man can withstand him, and even an\narmy would fall before him like corn under the sickle.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey! what new story is this?\u201d cried the king. \u201cSo Grim\u2019s avenger is\nlying in wait in the mountains? Why did no one tell me before? I will\nstart to-morrow in search of him, and free my realm from the monster.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat!\u201d cried one of the guests.\n\n\u201cAre you going to attack the giant?\u201d asked another.\n\n\u201cThe murderous Sigenot!\u201d added a third.\n\n\u201cListen to me, Dietrich, my pupil,\u201d said Hildebrand solemnly, \u201che is\nnot heroic, but foolhardy, who undertakes to do the impossible, and it\nis impossible to conquer that giant.\u201d\n\n\u201cListen, dear master,\u201d answered Dietrich; \u201cdo you remember how you\ntaught me that he is a hero who undertakes what is apparently\nimpossible, because he trusts in his strength, and in the justice of\nhis cause? He is a hero, whether he gains the crown of victory or meets\nwith death. My cause is just, because I go forth to free my realm and\nmy people from the power of the monster.\u201d\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d cried Hildebrand, \u201cyou are no longer my pupil, but my comrade,\nand as your comrade I will accompany you to the great battle.\u201d\n\nThe king answered after a short pause, \u201cMy master used to say, \u2018One\nagainst one is the way of true warriors; two against one is the way of\ncowards\u2019\u2014so I must go alone.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you do not return in eight days,\u201d returned the master, \u201cI will\nfollow you, and be your liberator, or your avenger, or your companion\nin death.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy make so much ado?\u201d cried Wolfhart; \u201cthe king will strike old\nLong-legs dead, or else uncle Hildebrand will do it, and if they both\nshould fail, I will follow them, and I wager my head that I will lead\nhim like a captive bear by a rope to the castle here, and then hang him\nover the battlements, where he may stay till his gossips in hell come\nto fetch him home.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: DIETRICH CHASING THE ELK.]\n\nDietrich then set out on his journey. On the evening of the third day\nhe came in sight of the Mountains. He felt so cheery and so strong that\nhe would not have feared to offer battle to all the giants in the\nworld. As he was lying on the grass, sunk in happy reverie, he saw a\nstately elk, sprang on his horse, and followed it until he came up with\nit, when drawing his sword he stabbed it in the neck, so that it fell\ndead. He lighted a fire, roasted a bit of the elk for his supper, and\nate it, washing it down with some cups of wine he drew from the skin at\nhis saddle bow.\n\nA cry of agony disturbed him in the midst of his enjoyment. He looked\nup, and saw a naked giant covered from head to foot with bristly hair,\nwho was holding a dwarf firmly bound to the end of his iron club. The\nmannikin shrieked to the warrior for help, affirming that the monster\nwas about to eat him alive. Dietrich at once advanced towards the wild\nman, and offered him a fair exchange. He said he might have the elk\ninstead of the dwarf, and that he would find it a larger and juicier\nmouthful.\n\n\u201cGet out of the way, you dog,\u201d bellowed the giant. \u201cGet out of the way,\nor I will roast you at your own fire, and eat you up, armour and all.\u201d\n\nThe hero\u2019s anger was stirred at this address, and he drew Nagelring\nfrom its sheath, while the giant swept the dwarf from off his club as\neasily as a snowflake. Then the battle began, and raged until both\ncombatants were so weary that they had to rest awhile. The king again\noffered to make peace with the monster, because he had come out to\nfight with the master and not with the servant. A shout of scornful\nlaughter was the answer he received, and then the giant cried in a\nmighty voice that made the trees tremble to their roots, \u201cDo you think\nthat a little smidget like you could conquer Sigenot? He would bind you\nto a stake as easily as I should that dwarf, and would leave you to die\nin agony.\u201d\n\nAnd now the fray was renewed. The dwarf, who had freed himself from his\nbonds, kept well behind Dietrich, and advised him what to do.\n\n\u201cHit him over the ear with the hilt of your sword, the blade is of no\nuse with him.\u201d\n\nDietrich did as he was advised, and the monster fell with a crash\nbeneath his blow. The sword-hilt had penetrated deep into his skull; a\nsecond and a third blow put an end to him.\n\n\u201cNow quick, let us away,\u201d cried the dwarf, \u201cbefore Sigenot, king of the\nMountains, comes down upon us. Should he find us here, we are lost.\u201d\n\nProud of his victory, Dietrich explained the object of his quest.\n\n\u201cNoble hero,\u201d said the mannikin, \u201cyou cannot escape your fate. If by a\nmiracle you are victorious, we poor dwarfs will be freed from an\nintolerable tyranny, in gratitude for which boon we will be your\nfaithful friends as long as you live. Our father, Alberich, left the\nrule over thousands of our people in equal portions to me, his eldest\nson, Waldung, and to Egerich, his younger son. But in spite of our caps\nof darkness, and all our magic arts, Sigenot has enslaved us, and holds\nus now in such vile bondage that many die of hardships, and many more\nare devoured by him.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said Dietrich, \u201cshow your gratitude by pointing out the way to\nSigenot.\u201d\n\nThe dwarf showed the hero the snow-topped mountain where his enemy\nlived, drew the cap of darkness over his head, and disappeared.\n\nDietrich set out, and about mid-day arrived at the regions of ice and\nsnow. Long grey moss hung pendant from the branches of the pines, and\ncovered the stems to the root. A thick mist suddenly rose, and hid the\nmountain. All at once the mist parted like a curtain, and Dietrich saw\na beautiful woman in snow-white garments, a diadem of precious stones\non her head, and round her throat a necklace that shone like the stars.\nShe raised her finger warningly, and said, \u201cRide back, hero of Bern, or\nyou are lost. The destroyer is lying in ambush for you.\u201d\n\nShe glided past with inaudible steps, and vanished among the glaciers,\nleaving Dietrich lost in astonishment, and wondering whether it were\nthe goddess Freya, or the elf-queen Virginal that he had seen.\n\nHe was startled out of his reverie by a shout, and at the same moment\nperceived the gigantic warrior hastening to meet him.\n\n\u201cSo you have come at last,\u201d he cried, \u201cto give me an opportunity of\nrevenging the murder of Grim and Hilde.\u201d\n\nThey began to fight without more ado. As Dietrich tried to make use of\nwhat he thought a favourable chance, the blade of his sword Nagelring\nwas caught in an overhanging bough. All his efforts to withdraw it were\nin vain. At last the steel broke, and at the same moment a blow of the\ngiant\u2019s club stretched the hero senseless on the ground. His helmet was\nunhurt, but the blow had been so heavy that it left him unconscious.\nThe giant now fell upon him, kneaded his defenceless body both with his\nhands and his knees, and then dragged him away into his dismal den.\n\nMaster Hildebrand waited for eight days with great impatience; then,\nfinding that the king did not return, he took leave of his wife, and\nset forth in search of him.\n\nIn the wood near the snow-capped mountain Hildebrand found the king\u2019s\nhorse, and further on the broken sword. He could no longer doubt what\nhis friend\u2019s fate had been. Vengeance, not deliverance, was now alone\nwhat he hoped for, and he rode on unheeding the warning that the little\ndwarf Waldung called after him.\n\nOn perceiving the new comer the giant rushed upon him. The battle\nbetween them was long and fierce, and Sigenot disdained no weapon of\ndefence. He tore up bushes and even trees, and threw them at the hero.\nWhen Hildebrand at last tried to defend himself by a ruse, the club\ncame down upon his head, and struck him senseless to the ground. \u201cCome\non, long beard,\u201d shouted Sigenot, \u201cHilde and Grim are avenged at last.\u201d\n\nSo saying, he bound the fallen warrior hand and foot, and seizing him\nby the head, flung him over his shoulder, and bore him to his cave,\nsinging loudly the while.\n\nThe giant\u2019s dwelling was large and lofty. The roof was supported by\nstone pillars, and a carbuncle in the centre shed a pleasant light over\nthe foreground, while the back of the cavern was dark and gloomy in the\nextreme. On entering, the giant threw down his burden with such force\nthat Hildebrand thought every bone in his body was broken. Sigenot then\nwent to a side cave to fetch an iron chain with which to bind his\nprisoner, saying that he would not be long away.\n\nWhen a weak man is in sore straits, he at once gives himself up for\nlost. Not so the hero. He never abandons hope until he has tried every\nmode of rescue, however poor. It was thus with Hildebrand. Looking\nround him, he perceived his good sword, which the giant had seized as\nrightful booty, lying in a distant corner, and he thought that he might\nyet fight and gain the victory, if he could only cut the cords that\nbound his wrists. He was fastened to a square pillar with sharp\ncorners. He sawed the cords on his wrists against the pillar, and cut\nthem through. No sooner were his hands free, than he undid the ropes\nand cords about his feet, and snatching up his sword, hid behind the\npillar, which he intended to use as a protection, his shield having\nbeen left in the wood.\n\nSigenot returned with the chains, and looked about in astonishment. His\nprisoner was gone. Suddenly he caught sight of him behind a pillar, and\nthe battle raged anew. The ground trembled beneath the giant\u2019s tread,\nand the rocks re-echoed the sound of blows. The combatants were now\nfighting in the dark background of the cave, led there by the gradual\nretreat of Hildebrand, when suddenly the hero heard his name called\nfrom the depths beyond. He recognised the king\u2019s voice, and the\nknowledge that his friend yet lived gave added strength to his arm. A\nfew minutes more, and the giant was stretched at his feet.\n\nThe victory was won. He cut off the monster\u2019s head, and whilst resting\nfor a moment after his exertion, he heard Dietrich\u2019s voice exclaiming:\n\n\u201cHildebrand, dear master, help me out of the serpent\u2019s hole. There are\nstill some adders here, alive, though I have slain and eaten many more.\u201d\n\nFinding that the king was confined in a deep hole, Hildebrand looked\nround for a rope or a ladder, with which to help him out. Whilst\nengaged in this search, he was joined by the dwarf Waldung, who gave\nhim a ladder of ropes, by means of which the king was restored to the\nlight of day.\n\n\u201cHildebrand,\u201d said Dietrich, taking a long breath of the fresh pure\nair, \u201cyou are not my comrade, but my master.\u201d\n\nAfter this, the heroes followed the dwarf into his subterranean\nkingdom, where he provided them with food and drink, and offered them\ncostly treasures. The noblest gift that Dietrich accepted was his sword\nNagelring mended, hardened, and newly adorned with gold and precious\nstones, so that it was more beautiful as well as stronger than before.\n\nThe heroes now returned to Bern, where they were received with great\njoy.\n\n\n                            QUEEN VIRGINAL.\n\nOnce when Dietrich and Hildebrand were hunting in the wild mountains of\nTyrol, the king confessed that he had never been able to forget Queen\nVirginal, who had come out to warn him of Sigenot\u2019s approach.\n\n\u201cYou would find it as easy to gain the love of a star as to wile Queen\nVirginal away from her glaciers and snow mountains,\u201d said Hildebrand.\n\nWhile the heroes were thus talking together, a tiny little mannikin\ndressed in full armour suddenly stood before them.\n\n\u201cNoble warriors,\u201d he said, \u201cyou must know that I am Bibung, the\nunconquerable protector of Queen Virginal, ruler of all the dwarfs and\ngiants in these mountains. With my help she chased thievish Elbegast\naway from her dominions; but the wretch has now invaded her realm with\nthe help of the magician Ortgis, his giants and his lind-worms. He has\nforced her by his black art to pay him a shameful tribute. He obliges\nher every full moon to give him one of her beautiful maidens, whom he\nthen imprisons, fattens, and eats for his dinner. So Jeraspunt, her\npalace, is filled with weeping and mourning. My lady, hearing that you\nconquered the dread Sigenot, entreats you to come to her aid; therefore\nhasten to Jeraspunt and rescue our great queen.\u201d\n\nThe heroes consented, and asked to be shown the way. The dwarf guided\nthem till they came within sight of a wondrous building shining on the\nheights in the light of the evening sun. Hildebrand broke the silence\nthat had fallen on them by exclaiming, \u201cTruly if the lady Ute were not\nmy wife, I should be inclined to try my luck with Queen Virginal; but\nas things are, I will do my best to help you to win her. Well,\nBibung!\u2014why, where in the world has the rascal got to?\u201d\n\n\u201cThe unconquerable protector of the queen has a wholesome terror of\nOrtgis,\u201d laughed Dietrich. \u201cBut now let us on to the palace.\u201d\n\n\u201cNight is the time for witches to journey, not honest men,\u201d said\nHildebrand, \u201cso let us stretch ourselves on the soft moss, and rest\nuntil morning.\u201d\n\nThe next morning was dull and misty, and a snow storm beat in the faces\nof the warriors as they climbed the steep mountain on foot, by a road\nimpassable for horses. On and on they went, a weary way. As they\nstopped to slake their thirst at a spring, they heard a woman\u2019s voice\nshrieking for help. A girl rushed up to them and entreated their aid\nagainst terrible Ortgis, to whom she had been delivered according to\nthe treaty, and who was now hunting her down with his dogs. At the same\nmoment the holloa of the huntsman was heard, and in another the battle\nof the heroes with Ortgis and his followers had begun. Gigantic as were\nOrtgis and his train, they soon fell under the swords of the heroes.\nOne man alone escaped, but he was the worst of the whole crew, for he\nwas Janibas, son of Ortgis, and a great magician like his father.\n\nDietrich and Hildebrand determined to take shelter in the castle of\nOrtgis which was nigh at hand. When they knocked at the door several\narmed giants rushed out upon them, but at length they too were\nconquered. A horseman in black armour had kept behind the rest during\nthe battle. He murmured something in a strange language, and obedient\nto his voice, new giants arose out of the earth, to take the place of\nthe slain; still the heroes were victorious. The black horseman\ncontinued to murmur, and horrible lind-worms crept out of the ground,\nand with them Dietrich and Hildebrand had to fight all night long. The\nblack horseman disappeared at last, when the first rays of the rising\nsun lighted up the castle in the valley. At the same moment the heroes\nsaw an enormous old lind-worm crawling away with an armed man in its\njaws. It wanted to creep away unnoticed, but the warriors immediately\nattacked it. The dragon let its victim fall, and hurled itself,\nhissing, upon Dietrich who stood nearest. With one claw it tore away\nhis shield and ripped up his coat of mail; at the same time it caught\nup Hildebrand with its tail and flung him to a great distance. But\nDietrich thrust his sword right through its jaws, and so deep into a\nneighbouring tree, that the creature was pinned down, and died a few\nminutes after, roaring like thunder.\n\nThe maiden they had saved from Ortgis had watched the combat from afar.\nShe now approached and bound up Dietrich\u2019s wounds, pouring in a healing\nbalm. Meanwhile, Hildebrand had picked up the man the dragon had let\nfall, and recognised him as Ruotwin, the son of Helfrich of Tuscany,\nwho was his mother\u2019s brother.\n\nRuotwin joined the other two, and promised to help them to punish the\nwizard Janibas. Further help appeared in the person of Helfrich. The\nwhole party now moved on towards the magician\u2019s castle, the gates of\nwhich stood open. The court was full of armed men, amongst whom was\nJanibas in black armour, riding on a coal black steed. He murmured\nmagic words, and lions rushed out on the heroes. These great beasts\nwere slain, and so were the men-at-arms who followed them. Janibas\nalone escaped.\n\nDietrich and his followers entered the castle, where they found three\nof the queen\u2019s maidens cooped up for fattening, and set them free.\nAfter which, they burnt the magician\u2019s fortress, that it might not\nserve as a refuge to Janibas if he returned to that part of the country.\n\nThe whole party then started for Aron, the castle of Helfrich, where\nthe heroes were to rest before continuing their journey to the palace\nof Queen Virginal. A short respite from their toil was the more\nnecessary, as Dietrich\u2019s wounds were very painful; but their hostess\u2019s\ngood nursing had soon the happiest effect in subduing the fever, and\nhealing the wounds. At last the day was fixed for their departure, and\nHelfrich had settled to go with them, and lead them to Jeraspunt. While\nthey were making their final arrangements, a dwarf galloped up to the\ndoor, and throwing himself from his horse, entered the hall, his mantle\ntorn and dusty, and his countenance as pale as death.\n\n\u201cHelp, noble heroes, help!\u201d he cried. \u201cJanibas has come against Queen\nVirginal in battle array. He has ordered her to deliver all her maidens\nup to him, and also the carbuncle in her coronet. If he gets that into\nhis power, no one can withstand him, for it would give him complete\ncommand over all the mountains, and over all the giants, dwarfs and\nlind-worms that inhabit them. Woe to them, if they fall into his hands.\u201d\n\nDietrich at once declared his readiness to go alone to the queen\u2019s\nhelp, if the others were not prepared to start on the instant.\n\n\u201cWhat, alone!\u201d cried the dwarf. \u201cIf you go alone you are a dead man.\nEven I, her majesty\u2019s special defender, had to turn my back, and fly\nbefore the foe; what then would become of you?\u201d\n\nNobody could help laughing at the mannikin\u2019s conceit; but there was no\ntime to lose, and all the warriors hastened to arm and start for the\npalace.\n\nThe heroes and their friends had a long and hard pull up the mountain\nside, over snow fields and glaciers, in the midst of which great\ncrevasses yawned in unexpected places, but they were cheered on their\nway by catching from every height a glimpse of Jeraspunt. At length\nthey came so near that they heard shrieks and howls, and other sounds\nof battle. A few minutes later the terrible scene was visible. Some of\nthe palace guard were killed and mangled, others were yet defending\nthemselves. Gigantic dogs, monsters of every sort, and hordes of savage\nwarriors formed the enemy\u2019s ranks. Many had forced their way through\nthe broken gate, and were raging, storming, and howling round the\nqueen\u2019s throne.\n\nThe sovereign lady sat there unmoved, surrounded by her trembling\nmaidens; a carbuncle glowed in the diadem that graced her head, and a\nsilver veil was wrapt about her. Her only protection seemed to be a\nmagic circle that her assailants could not pass. Whether the magic lay\nin her wonderful beauty or in the spiritual love that shone in her\nface, it were impossible to say. No one had yet dared to approach her.\nEven the heroes halted for a moment on first seeing her, but then\nrecovering themselves, pressed forward.\n\nThey made their way in spite of clouds of snow, and lumps of ice, to\nsay nothing of a frightful hurricane that almost blew them away. The\nmountains trembled under repeated thunder claps, and a bottomless\ncrevasse divided them from the palace. But at the same moment Dietrich\nperceived the black horseman reading his magic spells from an iron\ntablet. He sprang upon him, broke the tablet, and slew the magician. A\ngreat clap of thunder rolled over the mountains, avalanches fell, ice\nfields broke up, and then came a silence as of death. The spell was\nbroken, the yawning gulf closed, and the way to the palace was free.\nThe magician\u2019s followers, eager to avenge their master, attacked the\nheroes and their men, but their efforts were vain. The monsters, who\nyet lived, had soon to fly and seek refuge in the solitudes of the snow\nmountains.\n\n[Illustration: DIETRICH ESPIES QUEEN VIRGINAL.]\n\nDietrich now approached the queen at the head of his followers. He\nwould have knelt before her, but she rose from her throne, and offering\nhim her hand, greeted him with a kiss. Unable to utter a word, he let\nher lead him to the throne, and seated himself at her side.\n\n\u201cKnow, great hero,\u201d she said, \u201cthat I have seen your love and your\ndeeds. I give up my rule in Elf-land, and will go home with you, and\nlive amongst mortal men till death parts us.\u201d\n\nThe palace was cleansed by invisible hands; the gate, and all the\nbroken posts and pillars were mended during the night, and the marriage\nof the mortal hero with the elf-queen was solemnized soon after. The\nhusband and wife then started for Bern, where Virginal made his home so\ndelightful that it was long before Dietrich thought of seeking more\nadventures. Meanwhile there was sorrow in the mountains, and in the\nheart of every elf that lived there. The queen had left her country and\nher people for the sake of a mortal. All nature mourned her absence,\nthe sunsets had no longer the prismatic hues of former times, and the\nfairy palace was invisible to all.\n\n\n[Illustration: WIELAND, THE SMITH, ARMING HIS SON WITTICH.]\n\n\n                                  II.\n                          DIETRICH\u2019S COMRADES.\n\n\n                                 HEIME.\n\nIn all countries and amongst all nations were spread the name and fame\nof Dietrich of Bern, for he was the favourite hero of many a wandering\nminstrel, and so it came to pass that numbers of brave warriors used to\ngo and visit him, and take part in the amusements or serious\noccupations that engrossed the attention of their host during the time\nof their visit.\n\nEven in the far north his name was famous, not only in the castle of\nthe noble, but in many a wayside inn and solitary grange.\n\nAt the time of which we speak, a renowned horse-dealer called Studas\nlived in the heart of a great forest. He cared little for the singing\nand fiddling of the wandering minstrels, but his son Heime was\ndifferent. He often declared that he knew he could wield lance and\nsword as well as the hero of Bern. His father was weary of his\nvainglorious talk, and one day, when the young fellow was boasting as\nusual that he was as good a man as Dietrich, if not better, his father\nexclaimed in a pet:\n\n\u201cWell, if that be the case, go up to the hollow mountain, and kill the\ndragon that is doing all this mischief in the neighbourhood.\u201d\n\nThe lad looked up at him inquiringly. The father nodded, and Heime,\ncasting a haughty look at him, turned and went out.\n\n\u201cHe will not do it,\u201d muttered the old man, \u201cbut I think I have cooled\nhis hot blood for him.\u201d\n\nThings were going otherwise than honest Studas dreamed in his\nphilosophy. His bold son armed himself, and mounting one of his\nfather\u2019s best horses, rode off to the mountain. The lind-worm sprang at\nhim with open jaws, but the lad plunged his spear into his mouth with\nsuch force that the point came out behind his head. The monster lashed\nthe ground long and furiously with his tail, but at length fell dead.\nWhereupon Heime cut off his head, and riding home, took it into the\ngrange, and flung the trophy at his father\u2019s feet.\n\n\u201cSt. Kilian!\u201d cried Studas. \u201cBoy, have you really killed the dragon?\nWell\u2014\u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d answered the bold youth, \u201cI shall now go and slay the hero of\nBern. Give me the horse that carried me so bravely to-day. He will take\nme to Bern, and bring me home again without hurt.\u201d\n\nThe old man felt his head go round when he heard his son speak in such\na way; but he granted the lad\u2019s request, and Heime rode out into the\nunknown world.\n\nIn the royal palace of Bern Queen Virginal was busy filling the goblets\nof the warriors, who feasted with her husband, and who agreed that\ngreat as were the blessings of peace, it was high time they should be\nup and doing something, lest their swords should rust in their\nscabbards. In the midst of this conversation the door opened, and a\nstranger entered in full armour. He was a tall broad-shouldered man,\nand apparently young.\n\nHildebrand welcomed him, and invited him to take off his coat-of-mail,\ntelling him that purple and silken garments were more suited to a royal\nfeast than the panoply of war.\n\n\u201cMy trade is war,\u201d said the stranger, \u201cI am Heime, son of the\nhorse-dealer Studas, and have come to challenge the famous Dietrich to\ncome out with me into the open field, and try which of us is the better\nman.\u201d\n\nHe spoke so loud that every one heard, and Dietrich at once accepted\nhis challenge, calling upon his guests to come out and watch the fray.\nThe king then put on his armour, mounted his good horse, Falcon, and in\nanother moment was ready for the combat.\n\nThey fought for some time on horseback, but at length the shafts of\ntheir spears being broken in the m\u00eal\u00e9e, they sprang to the ground, and\ncontinued the combat on foot. Again a little time, and after Heime had\nperformed wonderful feats of valour, his sword broke, and he stood\ndefenceless before the angry king. Dietrich swung his sword above his\nhead preparatory to giving his opponent the death-blow, but he had not\nthe heart to do it. He had compassion on the youth and courage of the\nbold warrior, who stood so fearless before him. Letting his sword fall\nto his side, the king offered his hand to Heime in sign of peace. This\ngenerosity conquered the lad completely. He took the offered hand, said\nthat he confessed himself overcome, and swore that henceforth he would\nbe a faithful servant and follower of the glorious king. Dietrich was\npleased to number a man like Heime among his followers, and presented\nhim with castles and rich lands.\n\n[Illustration: EIGEL SHOOTS THE APPLE OFF HIS SON\u2019S HEAD.]\n\n\n                                WITTICH.\n\nWittich was the son of Wieland, the smith of Heligoland, by B\u00f6swilde\n(Badhilda). From his earliest childhood his father had taught him the\nuse of the bow, and the greatest praise he ever gave him was to say,\u2014\n\n\u201cYou are a bowman like my brother Eigel.\u201d\n\nYoung Wittich wanted very much to learn all that he could about his\nuncle, and Wieland began:\n\n\u201cWhen your mother\u2019s father\u2014Niduder, Drost of the Niars\u2014made me a\nprisoner long ago, my brother Eigel came to his castle, and entered his\nservice as bowman of the guard. Every one admired his skill. He could\nshoot away the head of an eagle that was flying high as the heavens. I\nhave also seen him aim an arrow at the right or left foot of a lynx,\nand pin it to the bough on which the creature sat. And he did other\nwonderful things too numerous to relate. But the Drost wanted to see\nsomething more wonderful still, so he desired him to shoot an apple off\nthe head of his own child at a hundred paces off, telling him at the\nsame time that if he refused, or if obeying, he missed his mark, he\nwould have the boy hewn in pieces before his eyes. Eigel drew three\narrows from his quiver, and fitted one to the bowstring. The boy stood\nmotionless, looking at his father with perfect confidence. Could you\nhave done that, my lad? Eh!\u201d\n\n\u201cNo father,\u201d answered Wittich boldly, \u201cI would have fetched your trusty\nsword Mimung, and have hewn off the head of that wicked old man; and\nthen, if his Niars had tried to avenge him, I would have chased them\nout of the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cAll very fine, young hero,\u201d laughed the father, \u201cbut remember this; a\ntrue hero only speaks of what he _has_ done, not of what he _would_\nhave done under such and such circumstances. It would have been better,\nhowever, if Eigel had done something of that kind. After he had shot\naway the apple, he turned to the Drost, and told him, that had he by\nany accident killed his son, he would have used the two other arrows in\nshooting him first, and then himself. The Drost took no notice of the\nspeech at the time, but soon afterwards, he exiled the bowman without\nthanks or payment, and no one knows what has become of him.\u201d\n\nThe smith brought up his son on tales like this, which naturally\nexcited the boy\u2019s ardour for adventure, and made him more and more\nunwilling to work at the forge. One day the lad spoke out, and asked\nhis father to give him a suit of armour, and the good sword Mimung,\nthat he might hie away to Bern, fight with king Dietrich, and win a\nkingdom like his ancestors. After many refusals the smith at last gave\nhis consent, and furnished his son with all that he needed for the\nenterprise, explaining to him the special virtues of each weapon.\nFinally he told him to remember that his great-grandfather, King\nWilkinus, a mighty warrior in his day, had married a mermaid, who, when\nthe king was dying, had promised him, by the memory of their love, that\nshe would help any of their descendants who asked for her aid. \u201cGo down\nto the sea-shore, my son,\u201d continued the smith, \u201cif ever you are in\nneed, and demand the protection of our ancestress.\u201d And then with much\nsage advice, together with many old stories of things he had seen and\nknown, Wieland took leave of his son.\n\nWittich rode on for many days before he met with any adventure. At\nlength he came to a broad river, and dismounting, took off his armour,\nwhich he laid upon the bank, and began to wade across the water,\nleading his horse Skemming by the bridle. When half way across, three\nhorsemen in full armour passed by, and seeing him began to taunt him\nand ask him where he was going. He told them that if they would wait\nuntil he had put his armour on, he was ready to try conclusions with\nthem. They agreed, but no sooner did they see him dressed in his coat\nof mail, and mounted on his good steed, than they bethought them, that\nas they were in a strange place, it would be better to have a man of\nsuch thews and sinews for a comrade than an enemy. So they offered him\npeace instead of war. He accepted, and after shaking hands, they\njourneyed on together.\n\nThey rode up stream for a long way, and at last they came to a castle.\nA host of savage-looking men poured out of the gates, and advanced to\nmeet them.\n\n\u201cThere are too many for us to conquer,\u201d said the eldest of the\nstrangers, \u201cstill I think that our good swords may enable us to hew our\nway across the bridge.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet me go and offer them a silver piece as toll,\u201d said Wittich, and\nsetting spurs to his horse he rode on.\n\nArrived at the bridge, he was informed that the only toll demanded or\naccepted there were the horse, armour, clothes, right hand and right\nfoot of the traveller. He explained that he could not afford to pay so\nhigh a price for so small a benefit, and offered them a piece of money.\nWhereupon they drew their swords and attacked him.\n\nThe three warriors meanwhile kept on a neighbouring height, and watched\nand commented on all that went on below. Seeing that their new friend\nseemed hard beset, two of them galloped to his assistance, while the\nthird held back in scorn. But before they reached the place of combat,\nseven of the robbers were slain, and at sight of them the others took\nflight.\n\nThe heroes now rode on to the castle, where they found plenty of food\nand much booty. While they enjoyed their evening meal, their tongues\nwere unloosed, and each told his name and deeds. Wittich had more to\ntell about his father than about himself, and then he learnt that the\neldest of his new companions was Master Hildebrand, the second strong\nHeime, and the third Yarl Hornboge, who was also a comrade of Dietrich.\n\n\u201cThis is a stroke of good luck for me,\u201d cried the young warrior, \u201cfor I\nam on my way to Bern to try my strength against the glorious king, and\nI have good hope that I may win the day, for my father has given me his\nsword Mimung that can cut through steel and stone. Just look at the\nhilt, is not the workmanship beautiful?\u201d\n\nOn hearing this, the three comrades grew more silent, and proposed to\ngo to rest, as they were very tired. Wittich followed their example.\n\nThe young hero was soon snoring in company with Heime and Hornboge, but\nHildebrand lay awake, a prey to sad forebodings. He knew that Wittich\u2019s\nsword could cut through his master\u2019s helmet, and he considered what was\nto be done. He crept noiselessly from his bed, and taking Mimung,\ncompared it with his own sword. The two blades were wonderfully alike,\nbut not the hilts. So with a grim smile of satisfaction, he carefully\nunscrewed the blades from the hilts, and exchanged them; then returned\nto his couch, and soon after fell asleep.\n\nThey started again on their journey next morning. In the course of a\nfew days, they met with several adventures that proved to Hildebrand\nand his comrades that Wittich was of the stuff that heroes are made of.\n\nOn hearing of the arrival of his old master and the rest, King Dietrich\nhastened out into the court to meet and welcome them. But his\nastonishment was great when the young stranger pulled off his silver\ngauntlet and handed it to him. In another moment Dietrich had snatched\nit, and flung it in the youth\u2019s face, exclaiming wrathfully:\n\n\u201cDo you think it is part of a king\u2019s duty to make a target of himself\nfor every wandering adventurer to strike at? Here, my men, seize the\nrascal, and hang him to the highest gallows.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe power to do so is on your side,\u201d answered Wittich, \u201cbut bethink\nyou, my lord, whether such a deed would not bring dishonour on your\nfair fame.\u201d\n\nAnd Hildebrand said, \u201cSire, this is Wittich, son of Wieland, the\ncelebrated smith. He is no mean man, or secret traitor, but well worthy\nof a place in the ranks of your comrades.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery well, master,\u201d replied the king, \u201cI will fight him as he desires,\nbut should he be conquered, I will deliver him to the hangman. It is my\nlast word. Now come to the race-course.\u201d\n\nThe whole town assembled to witness the duel between the king and the\nstranger. The combat raged long, but at last Wittich\u2019s sword broke, and\nhe stood defenceless before the king.\n\n\u201cFalse father, you deceived me,\u201d he cried, \u201cyou gave me the wrong\nsword, and not Mimung.\u201d\n\n\u201cSurrender, vagrant,\u201d cried Dietrich, \u201cand then to the gallows with\nyou.\u201d\n\nThe young warrior\u2019s last hour had come, if Hildebrand had not sprung\nbetween them.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d he said, \u201cspare an unarmed man, and make him one of your\ncomrades. We could not have a more heroic soul in our company.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo. He shall go to the gallows. Stand back, master, that he may once\nmore lick the dust before me.\u201d\n\nThe master was sick at heart. He thought of how he had wronged the\nyoung hero by changing his sword: \u201cHere, brave warrior, is your sword\nMimung,\u201d he said, handing Wittich the weapon at his side, \u201cand now,\nDietrich, do your best!\u201d\n\nThe battle began again, and Mimung showed its mettle now. Bits of the\nking\u2019s shield and armour fell away, and a home-stroke laid his helmet\nopen. \u201cSurrender, king!\u201d cried the victorious youth; but Dietrich\nfought on, in spite of terrible wounds.\n\nThen the master sprang forward.\n\n\u201cWittich,\u201d he cried, \u201chold your hand, for it is not your own strength,\nbut Wieland\u2019s sword that gives you victory. Be our comrade, and then we\nshall rule the world, for, next to the king, you are the bravest of all\nthe heroes.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaster,\u201d replied Wittich, \u201cyou helped me in my need and I will not now\ndeny you.\u201d Then turning to the king:\n\n\u201cGlorious hero of Bern, I am your man henceforward, and will be\nfaithful to you as long as I live.\u201d\n\nThe king took his offered hand in his firm grasp, and made him ruler\nover a large fief.\n\n\n                  WILDEBER, ILSAN AND OTHER COMRADES.\n\nEcke was the eldest son of the once powerful king Mentiger by the\nmermaid whom he made his queen. He loved Queen Seeburg, who lived at\nCologne in the Rhineland. Seeburg had a great desire to see King\nDietrich, and Ecke on hearing of it, promised to bring him to her, or\ndie in the attempt. She, on her side, said that she would be his wife\nif he came home successful. He went, met Dietrich, and after showing\nprodigies of valour, died at his hands, much to the sorrow of the king,\nwho had learnt to love him during the few hours of their acquaintance.\n\nWhen Dietrich returned to Bern after slaying Ecke, Heime came out to\nmeet him, and was so outspoken in his joy at seeing him again, that the\nking, much touched, gave him his good sword Nagelring as a sign of his\nfriendship. The warrior received it with delight, and kissed the trusty\nblade twice or thrice, as he said:\n\n\u201cI will wear this sword for the glory of my king, and will never part\nwith it as long as I live.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are unworthy of the sword,\u201d cried Wittich, who had come up with\nthe other warriors: \u201cDo you remember how you left your weapon in its\nsheath when the robbers were attacking me, and that Hildebrand and\nHornboge alone helped me?\u201d\n\n\u201cYour self-sufficiency had made me angry, as your spiteful tongue does\nnow. I will cut it out.\u201d\n\nBoth men put their hands to their swords, but the king stepped between\nthem, and desired them to keep the peace in the castle. When he learnt\nall that had happened, Dietrich told Heime that he might go his way,\nbecause it was not seemly in a warrior to leave his comrade unaided in\ndanger. But he added, that when he had shown by brave deeds that he was\nreally a hero, he might return to them once more.\n\n\u201cWell, sire, I think I shall win myself greater wealth by Nagelring\nthan I lose in the castles you now take from me.\u201d\n\nHaving thus spoken, the bold warrior sprang on his horse, and rode away\nwithout taking leave of any one. He rode on, till he reached the Wisara\n(Weser), where he drew a band of robbers around him, and wrought great\nmischief. He plundered the defenceless country-people, and even bold\nwarriors had to pay him black mail; and thus, through highway robbery,\nhe became the owner of a great hoard of wealth, which he was never\ntired of increasing.\n\nDietrich had to tell his friends of his terrible combat with the hero\nEcke, in which he had won the beautiful suit of armour he brought home\nwith him, and the good sword Ecke-sax. One day, when the warriors were\ndiscussing this subject, a monk entered the hall, and remained standing\nhumbly near the door. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and his cowl\nwas pulled forward so as to hide his face. The servants began to play\nhim tricks, until at last the monk, growing impatient, seized one of\nhis persecutors by the ear, and held him up shrieking in the air.\n\nWhen the king asked the reason of the noise, the monk stepped forward,\nand begged a morsel of bread for a half-starved penitent. Dietrich came\nforward himself, and commanded food and drink to be placed before the\nbrother; but his astonishment was great when the monk pushed back his\ncowl, and displayed well rounded cheeks that bore no trace of\nstarvation. He was still more surprised when he saw the quantity of\nfood and wine the reverend brother could dispose of.\n\n\u201cThe holy man has the appetite of a wolf,\u201d murmured the bystanders.\n\n\u201cFive long years have I done penance by prayer, fasting and\nwater-drinking,\u201d he said, \u201cand have now license from the venerable\nprior to go out into the world, and lay penance on other sinners. Now,\u201d\nhe continued, going on with his meal, \u201cye be all miserable sinners with\nyour continual feasting and drinking, and I call upon you to do\npenance, and be converted, that your sins be blotted out.\u201d\n\nThen he intoned, in a loud ringing voice, \u201cO Sanctissima.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: FRIAR ILSAN\u2019S CONJURING OF WILDEBER.]\n\nMaster Hildebrand had joined the group, and now exclaimed:\n\n\u201cWhy, it is my own dear brother, Ilsan the Monk.\u201d\n\n\u201cCulpa mea,\u201d cried the monk; \u201ctouch me not, unholy brother. Confess,\nand do penance, that thou go not straight to hell like the others.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut,\u201d said the master, \u201cwe are all collected here together to convert,\nby kindness or force, all monsters, giants, and dwarfs; so, my reverend\nbrother, I now beg of you to lay aside your robes, and once more become\none of us.\u201d\n\n\u201cConvert, say you? Yea, I have license to convert the heathen, and will\ntherefore join you in your pious work.\u201d\n\nWith these words, the monk flung off his robes, and stood before them\ndressed in full armour.\n\n\u201cHere,\u201d he cried, touching his broadsword, \u201cis my preacher\u2019s staff, and\nhere,\u201d pointing to his coat of mail, \u201cmy breviary. St. Kilian pray for\nme and for all of us, Ora pro nobis.\u201d\n\nHe sat down amongst the warriors, who had all known the stout monk\nIlsan for many years. He drank and sang, now psalms, now songs, and\ntold merry tales of his life in the monastery.\n\nEvening came on apace. Candles and torches were lighted. Suddenly every\none was startled by a strange creature pattering in at the door. It was\nlike a bear to look upon. Its head resembled that of a boar, but its\nhands and feet were of human form. The monster stood as though rooted\nto the threshold, and appeared to be considering on whom first to make\nits spring.\n\n\u201cAn evil spirit,\u201d cried Ilsan; \u201ca soul escaped from the purgatorial\nfire. I will address it. Conjuro te ...\u201d He paused, for the monster had\nturned its face to him.\n\n\u201cI will drag him back to his purgatory again,\u201d cried bold Wolfhart,\nspringing over the table, and seizing the creature by its fur. But pull\nand tug as he might, he could not move it by so much as an inch. It\nquietly gave the warrior such a kick, that he fell head over heels into\nthe middle of the hall.\n\nHornboge, Wittich, and other warriors tried to push the monster out\nwith their united strength, but in vain.\n\n\u201cGive room, brave comrades,\u201d cried the angry king. \u201cI will see whether\nthe monster is proof against my sword Ecke-sax.\u201d\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d interrupted Master Hildebrand, catching him by the arm, \u201clook;\ndo you not see a golden bracelet, sparkling with precious stones, on\nthe creature\u2019s wrist? It is a man\u2014perhaps a brave warrior.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said the king, turning to his strange guest, \u201cif you are indeed\na hero, doff your disguise. Join us, and be our faithful comrade.\u201d\n\nOn hearing these words, the strange guest threw off boar\u2019s head and\nbear\u2019s skin, and stood before the king and his followers clad in armour.\n\n\u201cI know you now,\u201d said Hildebrand. \u201cYou are the brave hero Wildeber,\nsurnamed The Strong. And the gold bracelet is the gift of a\nswan-maiden, and makes your strength double. But why did you so\ndisguise yourself? Every brave man is a welcome guest to our king.\u201d\n\nWildeber seated himself by the master\u2019s side, emptied a goblet of\nsparkling wine, and said:\n\n\u201cOnce, after fighting a hard fight with robbers, I lay down to sleep on\nthe bank of a lake. Suddenly I was awakened by a splashing in the\nwater. Turning my eyes in the direction of the noise, I saw a beautiful\nmaiden bathing. I spied her swan-garment lying on the bank, crept up to\nit softly, took it, and hid it. The maiden sought it everywhere, and\nwhen she could not find it, she began to weep aloud. I went to her, and\nbegged that she would follow me home and be my wife. But she wept the\nmore, and said that she must die if she were deprived of her bird\u2019s\ndress. I was sorry for her, and gave it back, whereupon she gave me\nthis bracelet, which increases my strength immensely; but she told me\nthat to preserve it I must wander about as a bear with a boar\u2019s head,\nuntil the most famous king on earth chose me to be one of his comrades.\nIf I did not obey her, she warned me that the virtue of the jewel would\ndepart, and I should soon be slain in battle. Having thus spoken, she\nflew away. That is why I came to you in such disguise, brave hero,\u201d he\ncontinued, addressing Dietrich; \u201cand as you have received me into the\nranks of your comrades of your own free will, I hope that the bracelet\nwill retain its magic power as long as I live.\u201d\n\n\u201cPax vobiscum!\u201d stammered the monk, as he staggered away to bed. The\nother warriors soon followed his example, and silence reigned in the\npalace.\n\n\n                               DIETLEIB.\n\nKing Dietrich was one day about to mount his horse, and set out to\nvisit his brother monarch, the Emperor Ermenrich, when a warrior rode\ninto the court. The king at once knew him to be Heime. He was not much\npleased to see him back at Bern, but when Heime told him that he had\nbeen victorious in many battles against giants and robbers, he\nconsented to receive him once more into the ranks of his comrades, and\ndesired him to accompany him and certain of his followers to Romaburg.\n\nAt Fritilaburg, where they rested, Dietrich accepted the offered\nservice of a man who called himself Ilmenrik, son of a Danish yeoman\nSoti; and enrolled him amongst his servants.\n\nWhen they came to Romaburg, they were received with all honour by the\nemperor, who gave them both board and lodging. But the emperor forgot\none thing in his plans, and that was, to provide food for the servants.\nIlmenrik fed them the first night. On the second, his private resources\nbeing exhausted, he pawned Heime\u2019s armour and horse for ten gold\npieces; on the third, he pawned Wittich\u2019s goods for twenty; and on the\nfourth, he got thirty for the weapons and horse of the king. On the\nfifth day, when the king gave orders for their return home, Ilmenrik\nasked for money to free the articles he had pawned. Dietrich was\nastonished and angry when he heard how extravagant his servant\u2019s ideas\nhad been. He took him before Ermenrich, who at once said he would pay\nthe sum required, and asked how much it was. The emperor and all his\ncourt made merry at Ilmenrik\u2019s expense, especially Walter of\nWasgenstein (Vosges), who asked him if he was a were-wolf, and well up\nin strange knowledge of all kinds. Ilmenrik modestly answered that he\nhad learnt to perform many feats of strength and skill from his father,\nsuch as putting the stone and throwing the hammer; and that he would\nwager his head against the lord of Wasgenstein\u2019s that he could beat him\nin this. Walter accepted his challenge, and the trial began.\n\nSuch skill as Ilmenrik displayed had never been seen before. The heroes\nall feared for the life of the brave warrior of Wasgenstein. The\nemperor then called the young victor to him.\n\n\u201cHearken to me, young sir,\u201d he said; \u201cI will buy the head of my vassal\nfrom you at whatever price you list. Gold for blood is the old law.\u201d\n\n\u201cFear not, sire,\u201d answered Ilmenrik, \u201cthe head of the brave hero is in\nno danger from me. I do not want it. But if you wish to do me a\nkindness, lend me so much money as I have expended for the keep of the\nservants, that I may redeem the weapons, garments, and horses that I\npawned.\u201d\n\n\u201cTreasurer,\u201d said the emperor, turning to one of his ministers, \u201cweigh\nout sixty marks of red gold, that the fellow may redeem his pledges,\nand another sixty marks to fill his purse.\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you, my lord,\u201d returned the young man, \u201cI do not need your gift,\nfor I am a servant of the rich king of Bern, who will see that I lack\nnothing; but if you will keep us another day here, I will, with this\nsixty marks, treat the servants to a better feast than before, and also\nmy master, all his warriors, and you yourself, should you desire to\njoin the party, even if I have to pawn horses and coats of mail again.\u201d\n\nThe warriors all laughed at the merry youth, but Heime frowned, and\nsaid that if ever he pawned his horse again it should cost him his life.\n\nThe feast which the servant prepared them was of royal magnificence.\nAll were pleased except Heime, who secretly feared that his property\nwas again in pawn. The young fellow seated himself at his side, and\nasked him in a low voice if he knew who had given him that scar on his\nforehead. Heime answered that it was Dietleib, son of Yarl Biterolf,\nadding that he would know him again in a moment, and that the scar\nshould be avenged in blood.\n\nIlmenrik replied:\n\n\u201cMethinks, bold warrior, your memory has gone a-wool-gathering. If you\nlook me in the face, you will see that I am that Dietleib whom you and\nyour robbers attacked as he was riding through a forest with his\nfather. We slew the robber Ingram and his companions, but you escaped\nwith that wound, thanks to the speed of your good horse. If you don\u2019t\nbelieve me, I have a witness here that will prove my words in the open\nfield. But if you will trust me, the matter may remain a secret between\nus.\u201d\n\nTowards the end of the feast, Dietrich told the youth that he should no\nlonger be a servant, but should be received into the ranks of his\ncomrades; and he, thanking him, answered that he was really Dietleib,\nson of Yarl Biterolf, whose glorious deeds were known far and wide.\n\nAll the king\u2019s followers, except Heime, received the young hero into\ntheir ranks with pleasure. He returned to Bern with the king, and\nproved himself his trusty comrade in many an adventure. But he was of a\nrestless mind, and wished to see more of the world; so after a time he\ntook service under Etzel, king of the Huns, at whose court he found his\nfather settled. Father and son together were the doers of many a daring\ndeed. King Etzel, wishing to keep them in his service, offered them the\nland of Steiermark (Styria) as a fief. Biterolf gave up his share to\nhis son, who was therefore surnamed the Styrian, but who often appears\nin story by his right name of Dietleib the Dane.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: DWARFS BIND THE SLEEPING HEROES.]\n\n\n                                 III.\n                        ADVENTURES. LAURIN. ILSAN\n\n                KING LAURIN AND THE LITTLE ROSE-GARDEN.\n\nDietleib once came unexpectedly on a visit to Master Hildebrand at his\ncastle of Garden. He looked sadder than of old, and returned the\nmaster\u2019s greeting without an answering smile. Hildebrand inquired the\ncause of his sadness, and he replied that he had a sweet and wise\nsister named K\u00fcnhild, who had kept house for him in Styria. One day,\nwhen she was dancing with other maidens in a green meadow, and he\nlooking on, she suddenly vanished from the circle, and no one knew what\nhad become of her. \u201cSince then,\u201d he continued, \u201cI have learnt from a\nmagician that it was the dwarf king Laurin that hid her under a cap of\ndarkness, and carried her off to his hollow mountain. This mountain is\nin Tyrol, where the dwarf has also a wonderful Rose-garden. Now, good\nmaster, I have come to you for advice. How can I free my sister from\nthe power of the goblin?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is a ticklish matter,\u201d said Hildebrand, \u201cand may cost many a good\nlife. I will go with you to Bern, to see Dietrich and our other\ncomrades, and then we can agree in council what is the best plan to\npursue. For the dwarf is powerful, not only because of the extent of\nhis empire, but from his knowledge of magic.\u201d\n\nWhen the heroes heard what had brought Hildebrand and Dietleib to Bern,\nWolfhart spoke first, and said that he would adventure himself alone\nupon the quest, fetch home the maiden safe and sound, and bring the\nroyal mannikin to Bern bound to his saddle-bow. Dietleib then asked\nHildebrand if he knew the way to the Rose-garden. He replied that he\ndid, but that Laurin watched over the garden himself, and exacted the\nleft foot and right hand of any one who was bold enough to venture\nwithin its bounds, and spoil the roses.\n\n\u201cHe cannot exact this tribute,\u201d said Wittich, \u201cunless he gets the\nbetter of the warrior in fair fight.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell then,\u201d added the king, \u201cwe will not touch the lovely flowers. All\nwe want is to save our friend\u2019s sister from the hands of the dwarf, and\nthat is a labour beseeming a warrior.\u201d\n\nThe heroes all swore to do no hurt to the garden, and then Hildebrand\nconsented to be their guide. The adventurers were Hildebrand, Dietrich,\nDietleib, Wittich, and Wolfhart.\n\nTheir road led them northward among the wild mountains, and over\ncrevasses, ice, and snow. It was a perilous way they trod, but they\nrecked nothing of fatigue or danger, for their hearts beat high with\nhope. At length they reached the garden: a lovely place, where spring\nreigned eternally, making it a flowery oasis in a wintry desert. The\nheroes feasted their eyes on the beautiful sight, and felt as though\nthey had reached the gates of paradise.\n\nWolfhart was the first to break the spell: setting spurs to his horse,\nhe called to his comrades to follow, and galloped towards the garden.\nHis mad career was soon checked by an iron door with golden letters\ninscribed on it. He tried to break open the door, but in vain; his\ncomrades came to his aid, and the door was at last beaten in by the\nfour strong men. The garden was still defended by a golden thread, such\nas used to surround the palaces of the Ases in the olden time. The\nwarriors trod down the thread, and then, in spite of Hildebrand\u2019s\nwarnings, began to pluck the roses and trample the garden. Dietrich did\nnot join in the work of destruction, but stood apart under a linden\ntree.\n\nSuddenly Hildebrand called out, \u201cDraw your swords! Here comes the\nmaster of the garden.\u201d\n\nThey all looked up, and saw something bright advancing rapidly towards\nthem. Soon they were able to distinguish the form of a horseman riding\na steed that was swift as the wind. He was small of stature, and\nhabited in a complete suit of armour. His helmet was of specially\nbeautiful workmanship, and was further adorned with a diadem of jewels,\nin the midst of which a carbuncle blazed like a sun. On beholding the\ndamage that had just been done, he drew rein, and exclaimed angrily:\n\n\u201cWhat harm have I ever done you, robbers as you are, that you should\nthus destroy my roses? If you had aught against me, why did you not\nsend me a challenge like honourable men? You must now expiate your\ncrime by each giving me his right hand and left foot.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you are King Laurin,\u201d answered Dietrich, \u201cwe do indeed owe you\nreparation, and will pay you a fine in gold; but we cannot afford to\nlose our right hands, for we require them to wield our swords; and as\nto our left feet, we could not well ride were we deprived of them.\u201d\n\n\u201cHe would be a coward who talked of paying any fine except in blows,\u201d\ncried Wolfhart; \u201cand I am determined to dash that hop-o\u2019-my-thumb,\ntogether with the cat he is riding, against the cliffs over yonder, and\nthen his bones will break into such tiny pieces that even his\ngrasshopper subjects can never collect them.\u201d\n\nUpon this Laurin answered in words of defiance, and the combat with\nWolfhart began, only to end in the latter\u2019s overthrow the moment he\nfelt the touch of the dwarf\u2019s spear. Wittich was not more fortunate\nthan his friend, for he also was thrown from his saddle at the first\nencounter.\n\nLaurin sprang from his horse, drew out a large knife, and approached\nthe hero, who lay senseless on the ground. Dietrich sprang forward to\nrescue his comrade.\n\n\u201cDo not venture the spear thrust, but close with him,\u201d said Hildebrand\nin a low voice. \u201cLaurin has three magic charms of which you must\ndeprive him; and these are, a ring with the stone of victory on his\nfinger, a belt that gives him the strength of twelve men round his\nwaist, and in his pocket a cap of darkness, which makes him invisible\nwhen he puts it on.\u201d\n\nAfter a long and fierce wrestle, Dietrich managed to get possession of\nthe ring, which he at once gave into the master\u2019s charge. Again the\ncombat raged, neither side gaining any advantage. At last Dietrich\nbegged for a short truce, which Laurin granted.\n\nThe truce over, the two kings renewed the fight. Dietrich caught Laurin\nby the belt, and at the same moment the latter clasped him round the\nknees so tight that he fell backwards. The violence of his fall broke\nthe belt he was holding, and it slipped from his hand. Hildebrand then\nrushed forward and caught it before the dwarf could pick it up. No\nsooner was this done than Laurin went out of sight. Dietrich still felt\nthe blows he gave, but could not see him. Filled with a berserkir rage\nat his own powerlessness, he forgot the pain of his wounds; he flung\naway both sword and spear, sprang like a tiger in the direction in\nwhich he heard the whistling of the invisible sword, and seized his\nadversary for the third time. He tore away the cap of darkness, and\nLaurin stood before him praying for peace.\n\n\u201cI shall first cut off your right hand and left foot, and then your\nhead, and after that you may have peace,\u201d cried the angered hero,\nsetting off in pursuit of the dwarf, who now took to his heels.\n\n\u201cSave me, Dietleib, my dear brother-in-law,\u201d cried Laurin, running up\nto that warrior; \u201cyour sister is my queen.\u201d\n\nDietleib swung the little creature on horseback before him, and\ngalloped away into the wood. There he set him down, and told him to\nhide himself until the king\u2019s anger was abated.\n\nComing back to the place of combat, the warrior found Dietrich on\nhorseback, and as furious as before.\n\n\u201cI must have either the dwarf\u2019s head or yours,\u201d cried Dietrich.\n\nIn another moment their swords were flashing; a second fight would have\nbegun had not Hildebrand held back the king by main force, while\nWittich did the same to Dietleib. After a little they succeeded in\nmaking peace between the angry men, and also in gaining grace for the\ndwarfs. Later still the warriors might have been seen in friendly\nconverse with each other and with Laurin, who was then and there\nadmitted as one of Dietrich\u2019s comrades.\n\nThis point settled, the dwarf proposed to show them the wonders of his\nhollow mountain, saying that Dietleib should then give his sister to\nhim as wife, with the usual ceremonies.\n\n\u201cIt is the old law,\u201d answered the hero of Steierland, \u201cthat when a\nmaiden has been carried away from her home and is recovered by her\nfriends, she should have free choice given her either to remain with\nher husband, or return to her people. Are you willing that it should be\nso in this case?\u201d\n\n\u201cBy all means,\u201d said the dwarf. \u201cNow let us go. Do you see that\nsnow-capped mountain? My palace is there\u2014so to horse, that my eyes may\nno longer be pained by seeing the wreck you have wrought in my garden.\nThe roses will bloom again in May.\u201d\n\nThe journey to the snow-capped mountain was much longer than the\nwarriors had imagined. It lasted till noon of the following day. Below\nthe snow, they came to a meadow that was as beautiful as the\nrose-garden. The air was filled with the perfume of flowers. Birds were\nsinging in the branches, and little dwarfs were to be seen hurrying to\nand fro. They followed Laurin into the dark entrance of his underground\nkingdom. The only one of their number who felt the least distrust was\nWittich, who had not forgotten the thrust of the dwarf king\u2019s spear.\n\n\n                        IN KING LAURIN\u2019S REALM.\n\nA soft twilight reigned in the vast hall of the palace to which they\nnow came. The walls were of polished marble, inlaid with gold and\nsilver. The floor was formed of a single agate, the ceiling of a\nsapphire, and from it there hung shining carbuncles like stars in the\nblue sky of night. All at once it became light as day. The queen came\nin surrounded by her maidens. Her girdle and necklace were jewelled,\nand in her coronet was a diamond that shone like the sun, bringing the\nbrightness of day wherever it came. But the lady herself was more\nbeautiful than aught else. None could take their eyes off her face. She\nseated herself beside Laurin, and signed to her brother Dietleib to sit\ndown at the other side of her. She embraced him and asked him many\nquestions about her old home and friends. By this time supper was\nready. Laurin was a perfect host, and his guests were soon quite at\ntheir ease. Even Wittich forgot to be suspicious. When the meal was\nover, the dwarf king left the hall, and Dietleib seized the opportunity\nto ask his sister whether she was willing to remain in that underground\nparadise as its queen. She answered with tears that she could not\nforget her home and friends; that she would rather be a peasant girl in\nthe upper world than a queen among the dwarfs, and that though she must\nadmit that Laurin was very good and kind, yet he was not as other men.\nDietleib then promised to save her, or lose his life in the attempt.\n\nLaurin now returned, and asked the hero if he would like to retire to\nhis bedchamber. He took him there, and remained talking with him for\nsome time. At last he told him that his comrades were all condemned to\ndeath, and that he had only spared him because he was his\nbrother-in-law.\n\n\u201cTraitor, false dwarf!\u201d cried Dietleib. \u201cI live and die with my\ncomrades, but you are in my power!\u201d\n\nHe started forward, but the dwarf was gone, and the door was shut and\nlocked on the outside.\n\nLaurin then returned to the hall, filled the goblets of the warriors\nfrom a particular jar, and entreated them to drink the wine, which\nwould insure them a good night\u2019s rest. They did so, and immediately\ntheir heads sank upon their breasts, and a heavy drugged sleep fell\nupon them. Then turning to the queen, Laurin desired her to go to her\nroom, for these men must die in punishment for the wreck they had made\nof his rose-garden; adding that her brother was safely locked up in a\ndistant room, that he might escape the fate of his comrades. K\u00fcnhild\nwept aloud, and said that she would die if he carried out his cruel\npurpose. He gave her no distinct answer, but reiterated his command.\n\nAs soon as the queen had retired, he sounded his horn, and immediately\nfive giants and a number of dwarfs hurried into the room. He commanded\nthem to bind the warriors so tight with cords that they could not move\nwhen they awoke. After that he had them dragged to a dungeon, where\nthey might remain until he should decide their fate next morning.\nHaving seen his orders carried out, he went to bed, and began to think\nwhether it would be better to let the men off to please the queen, or\nto punish them for their evil deed. The last seemed to him the wiser\nplan, and he fell asleep, gloating over the intended slaughter of his\nhelpless victims.\n\nDietrich awoke soon after midnight; he felt that he was bound hand and\nfoot, and called to his comrades for aid; but they were as powerless as\nhe. Then Dietrich\u2019s wrath was roused to such a pitch, that his fiery\nbreath burnt the cords that bound one hand, and left it free. After\nthat, it was a matter of little difficulty to untie the knots at his\nwrist and feet, and then to set his comrades at liberty. What was to be\ndone now? They could not break open their dungeon door. They had\nneither weapon nor coat of mail. They were helpless victims. At this\nvery moment, while they were looking at each other in despair, they\nwere startled by hearing a woman\u2019s voice asking in a low whisper if\nthey were yet alive.\n\n\u201cWe thank you, noble queen,\u201d answered Hildebrand, \u201cwe are alive and\nwell, but totally unarmed.\u201d\n\nSo K\u00fcnhild opened the door, and appeared on the threshold with her\nbrother. She placed her finger on her lips to enforce silence, and led\nthe way to where the heroes\u2019 armour was piled. As soon as they were\nready, the queen gave each of them a ring, by means of which he could\nsee the dwarfs, even when they wore their caps of darkness.\n\n\u201cHurrah!\u201d cried Wolfhart. \u201cWe can make as much noise as we like, now\nthat we have our armour on, and our weapons in our hands.\u201d\n\nLaurin, wakened by Wolfhart\u2019s loud tones, knew that the prisoners were\nfree, and at once summoned his dwarfish army to his assistance. The\nbattle began, and raged for a long time without any advantage being\ngained by either side. Laurin was pleased in his heart of hearts that\nmatters had turned out as they had, for he was a bold little fellow,\nand liked open war better than trickery. At length the underground\nforces were routed with great loss, and Laurin himself was taken\nprisoner.\n\nDietrich spared the life of the dwarf king at fair K\u00fcnhild\u2019s request,\nbut deposed him from royal power, and gave the mountain to Sintram,\nanother dwarf of high rank, for a yearly tribute. When everything was\nordered to their liking, the heroes returned to Bern, taking Laurin\nwith them as a prisoner.\n\nThere was great joy in Bern at the return of the heroes, who were much\npraised for their valiant deeds, while the unfortunate Laurin was\nlaughed at by all. There was only one person who showed him any\nsympathy, and that was K\u00fcnhild. One day she met him when he was\nwandering about alone and melancholy. She spoke to him kindly, tried to\ncomfort him, and told him he would soon gain the king\u2019s friendship if\nhe proved himself to be faithful and true.\n\n\u201cAh,\u201d he laughed bitterly; \u201cthey think that they have kicked a dog who\nwill lick their hands; but a trodden snake bites! You may know what I\nintend to do. I have sent to inform Walberan, my uncle, who rules over\nthe dwarfs and giants from the Caucasus to Sinai, of what has happened,\nand he is coming at the head of his forces to be my avenger. He cannot\nfail to win the day, slay strong Dietrich and his comrades, and lay the\nwhole land waste. When that is done, I will take you back to my\nkingdom, and replant my Rose Garden, that it may be lovelier in May\nthan it ever was before.\u201d\n\n\u201cLaurin,\u201d she answered, \u201cyou carried me away from home by trickery and\nmagic spells; but I have not been blind to your love, and feel myself\nhonoured by its greatness. I cannot live in your underground kingdom,\nbut I will love you and be your queen in the Rose Garden, if you will\nthink of love and faithfulness, and not of revenge.\u201d\n\nShe left him, and he sat pondering the matter for a long time.\n\nA few days afterwards, Dietrich came to the Dwarf King, and, taking him\nby the hand, said, that he had been his prisoner long enough, that he\nmust now sit with his comrades, or return to his own home, whichever he\nliked best.\n\n\u201cAnd then,\u201d continued the king, \u201cI will go with you to your Rose Garden\nnext spring, and see it in its beauty.\u201d\n\nThe dwarf silently followed the king into the hall. He sat at\nDietrich\u2019s side at the feast, and thought over the vengeance he would\ntake when his uncle came.\n\nBut lovely K\u00fcnhild appeared and filled his goblet, saying a few kind\nwords the while, and immediately love conquered hatred, and he cried,\nemptying the goblet to the last drop,\u2014\n\n\u201cHenceforward I am your faithful comrade in life and death.\u201d\n\nWhilst the warriors were still at the feast, a messenger from King\nWalberan came in, and declared war on Dietrich in the name of his\nmaster, unless Laurin were at once restored to his kingdom, and unless\nthe hero of Bern sent Walberan all the money and all the weapons in the\ncountry, as well as the right hand and left foot of every warrior who\nhad taken part in the destruction of the Rose Garden.\n\nDietrich answered proudly, that he intended to keep his money, arms,\nhands, and feet, and those of his subjects also.\n\n\u201cAnd tell him,\u201d added Laurin, \u201cthat I send him my thanks and greeting\nfor coming to my assistance, but that I am now free, and have entered\ninto a bond of love and friendship with the King of Bern.\u201d\n\nBoth sides prepared for battle, but before a blow was struck, Laurin\nrode into his uncle\u2019s camp, and tried to make peace between Walberan\nand Dietrich. His uncle told him he was no better than a\nbroken-spirited serf, and refused to listen to his words. So the fight\nbegan, and raged furiously for many hours. At length, late in the\nafternoon, Dietrich and Walberan met, and challenged each other to\nsingle combat. It was a terrible struggle\u2014both kings were severely\nwounded, and it seemed to the onlookers as if both must die. Suddenly\nLaurin threw himself unarmed between their swords, flung his arms round\nKing Walberan, and entreated him to make peace. Almost at the same\nmoment Hildebrand did the same by the angry Dietrich, and after much\nexpenditure of words, the peacemakers had their way.\n\nSo the fighting was changed to feasting, and the kings entered into a\nfriendly alliance at the banquet that evening. The hero of Bern made a\nlong speech in praise of Laurin, who had endangered his life in\nendeavouring to make peace, and to whom he therefore restored the free\nand independent rule over his kingdom and Rose Garden. When he had\nfinished, Queen Virginal came forward, leading fair K\u00fcnhild, and laid\nthe hand of the maiden in that of Laurin, saying that she knew he would\nregard her reward of his faithfulness as the greatest he had that day\nreceived; for K\u00fcnhild had promised to be his wife if her brother did\nnot object. As no dissentient voice was heard, the marriage was\ncelebrated there and then.\n\nIn the May-month of the following year, when the roses were again in\nbloom, the dwarfs put the finishing touches to a beautiful palace,\nwhich they had built in the Rose Garden. Many a herdsman and Alpine\nhunter has seen it; but to those who go in search of it from mere\ncuriosity, it remains ever invisible.\n\nTo this day, Laurin and K\u00fcnhild show themselves at odd times in the\nvalleys of Tyrol, and there are people yet alive who are reported to\nhave had a distant glimpse of the wonderful Rose Garden.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration: KING LAURIN\u2019S FEAST.]\n\n\n               THE GREAT ROSE GARDEN AND ILSAN THE MONK.\n\nDietrich was now a man in the prime of life\u2014a perfect hero, and man of\nvalour. The number of his comrades had much increased, and many doughty\ndeeds had been done.\n\nOnce when the king was feasting with many of his comrades, he looked\nround the table with pride, and said he believed that no ruler on earth\nhad such heroes about him, that no other had prospered so well as he\nwith the help of his chosen comrades, and that none might be compared\nwith them. The warriors shouted their approbation. One alone was\nsilent. The king turned to him, and asked whether in all his journeys\nhe had seen bolder warriors.\n\n\u201cThat I have,\u201d cried Herbrand. \u201cI have seen some that have not their\nmatch upon earth. It was at the good town of Worms, near the River\nRhine, in the land of Burgundy. It is there that the great Rose Garden\nlies\u2014five miles long by two-and-a-half broad. The queen and her ladies\ntend it themselves, and twelve great warriors keep watch and ward lest\nany one enter the garden without the queen\u2019s permission. Whoever does\nso must fight with the guard, and no one yet, whether giant or warrior,\nhas been able to withstand them.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet us go and pluck the roses that have been watered with the blood of\nheroes,\u201d cried Dietrich. \u201cI think that my comrades and I will get the\nbetter of the guard.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you mean to try your luck,\u201d said Herbrand, \u201cyou must know that the\nvictor will receive a kiss and a wreath of roses from lovely women.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh, well,\u201d said the old master, \u201cfor the sake of a rose and a woman\u2019s\nkiss I would not risk a single hair of my head or beard. He who wishes\nto pluck roses or kiss women will find enough at Bern; he need not go\nto the Rhine to find them.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: ILSAN TAKES LEAVE OF THE HOLY BROTHERHOOD.]\n\nTrusty Eckehart and a few more of the comrades agreed with him, for\nwell they knew what the Burgundian warriors were like. But Dietrich\nloudly declared that he was not going to fight for the sake of roses\nand kisses, but for honour and fame; and that if his comrades did not\nwish to go with him, he could go alone. Of course, they would not hear\nof that, and all who were present agreed to go. The names of those who\nthus adventured their lives were: Dietrich himself, Master Hildebrand,\nstrong Wittich, Henne called the Grim, Wolfhart, the young heroes\nSiegestab and Amelung (or Omlung), Trusty Eckehart, and Hertnit, Prince\nof the Reussen; but they only numbered nine in all, and twelve were\nneeded to meet the twelve watchmen of the garden. Hildebrand knew what\nwas to be done. He said,\u2014\n\n\u201cGood R\u00fcdiger of Bechelaren will not refuse to be the tenth; the\neleventh must be brave Dietleib of Styria, and the twelfth my pious\nbrother, the monk Ilsan.\u201d\n\nThey started forth at once to induce the chosen three to join them.\nThey went first to Bechelaren, in the land of the Danube. R\u00fcdiger\nreceived them hospitably, and at once consented to go with them, but\nsaid that he must first get leave of absence from Etzel, whose margrave\nhe was. The heroes then went on to Styria to visit Dietleib. They did\nnot find him at home, but his father Biterolf, who was there, earnestly\nentreated them to give up the journey to the Rhine, because, he said,\nonly a fool would undertake a conflict for life or death with the\nworld\u2019s bravest warriors, for the sake of a rose and a kiss. But when\nthey met the young hero a short time after, they found him ready to go\nwith them. This settled, they went on to M\u00fcnchenzell, the monastery to\nwhich Hildebrand\u2019s brother belonged. As soon as Ilsan heard the object\nof their journey, he went straight to the abbot, and asked leave to\naccompany the hero of Bern to the Rose Garden. The abbot told him that\nsuch was scarcely a monkish quest, but Ilsan grew so angry, and so\nloudly affirmed that valiant deeds were in his eyes as seemly for a\nmonk as for any other man, that the abbot quailed before him, and gave\nhim leave to go. So Ilsan donned his armour under his monkish dress,\nand started with his friends. His heart beat high with joy that he was\nagain bound on one of Dietrich\u2019s adventures, while his brother monks\nstood by and shook their heads, saying they feared it would not end\nwell, seeing it was no saintly quest, but a worldly.\n\nThe heroes went first to Bern, which was to be the general\nmeeting-place. Margrave R\u00fcdiger was the last to arrive, for he had been\ndetained by his visit to Etzel. R\u00fcdiger was now sent on before the\nothers as ambassador to King Gibich at Worms, to inform him of their\nintended invasion of the Rose Garden. The Margrave was well known in\nthe Rhineland, and was received as an old friend by the king, who\nrejoiced to hear of his leader\u2019s enterprise.\n\nThe garden was entered on the appointed day, and the warriors stood\nopposite each other ready for battle; twelve against twelve, and yet\nalways one against one. It was a terrible sight, for many a hero fell\ndying amongst the roses, and watered them with his heart\u2019s blood. When\nproud Wolfhart had slain his adversary, he contemptuously refused the\nkiss offered him by a lovely maiden, and contented himself with the\ngarland of roses. The monk, Ilsan, walked into the lists on foot, clad\nin his grey robes. He jumped about among the roses with such strange\nagility that his opponent thought he had a madman to deal with. But he\nsoon found that his reverend foe was made of sterner metal than he\nsupposed, for he lay vanquished, a wiser man, though wounded almost to\nthe death. The victor received the wreath of roses on his tonsured\nhead, but when he kissed the lovely maid who gave it him, she shrieked\naloud, for his bristly beard had stung her rosy lips. Seeing this, he\nsaid with comical disgust,\u2014\n\n               \u201cThe maidens of Rhineland are fair to see,\n               But far too tender to pleasure me.\u201d\n\nMany other heroes received the prize of victory, while others were\nseverely wounded. Peace was not concluded until sunset. The brave hero\nof Bern soon afterwards returned home, pleased with the result of his\nquest.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                    IV. DIETRICH, THE FAITHFUL ALLY.\n\n\n                            MARCH TO ETZEL.\n\nDietrich lived in friendship with Etzel, king of the Huns, from the\ntime R\u00fcdiger first brought them together. When the hero came back from\nBurgundy, he had sent ambassadors to the king, and promised to help him\nif he was in any difficulty. It was not long before he was reminded of\nthis promise.\n\nThe Margrave, who was known in all lands by the title of the good and\ngentle, came to Bern one day as he had often come before, for he was a\nwelcome guest. On such occasions the warriors would talk over their\npast adventures, and tell tales of noble and doughty deeds. R\u00fcdiger\ntold amongst other things of his adventures in Spain, and how he had at\nlast left that country, and taken service under King Etzel, who had\nalways been a true friend to him since the beginning of their\nacquaintance. He went on to relate how King Etzel, powerful monarch as\nhe then was, did not shun to speak of the hardships and homelessness of\nhis early youth.\n\n\u201cYes, truly,\u201d interrupted Master Hildebrand, \u201cand I know as much of his\nearly youth as ever the great king himself. Once when Wilkinus was\nruler of the Wilkin-men\u2014\u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cHa! my great-grandfather!\u201d cried Wittich. \u201cWhat have you to say of\nhim?\u201d\n\n\u201cI only know,\u201d continued the master, \u201cthat he was a mighty chief, and\nthat many kings were subject to him; amongst others, King Hertnit.\nAfter the death of Wilkinus, Hertnit rebelled against his son and heir,\nNordian, and forced the latter to acknowledge him as his liege lord.\nThe conquered king obtained the rule of Zealand in fief, and declared\nhimself satisfied, although he had four gigantic sons, namely,\nAsperian, Edgar, Awentrod, and terrible Widolf of the club, who was\nalways kept chained up, because he did so much destruction whenever he\nwas in a rage. When great Hertnit died, he divided his kingdom amongst\nhis three sons. Osantrix (Oserich) obtained the rule over the\nWilkin-men, Waldemar that over the Reussen, and Ylias became yarl of\nthe Greeks. The eldest of the three wooed beautiful Oda, daughter of\nMelias, king of the Huns. He won her by trickery and force, with the\nhelp of Nordian\u2019s four giant sons. Oda\u2019s father and husband became\nallies after the marriage, but they could not conquer the bold\nFrisians, who often made raids into the land of the Huns, and burnt,\ndestroyed, or stole whatever they laid their hands on. For Melias was\nold and weak, and the Wilkin-men lived so far away that their help\nalways arrived too late. The leader of these bold invaders was the\nmighty man of valour now known as King Etzel, or Attila as he is\nsometimes called. He was a son of the Frisian chieftain Osid, and after\nhis father\u2019s death had to allow his brother Ortnit to succeed to the\nrule of Friesland, and himself go out into the wide world, with nothing\nbut his armour and a good sword. But Frisians are a bold and warlike\npeople. Many of them joined themselves to the young hero, and\naccompanied him in his viking raids into the neighbouring land of the\nHuns. When Melias died, the notables of the land elected their former\nenemy, bold Etzel, to be their king, and thus the robber chief and\ninvader became the sovereign and protector of the country he had once\nlaid waste.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d returned R\u00fcdiger, \u201cthat is quite true, and there is more to\ntell. King Etzel wished to marry Erka (Herche or Helche), the beautiful\ndaughter of Osantrix, chief of the Wilkin-men. I was sent as ambassador\nto her father, and was well received; but when I told the king the\nobject of my mission, he grew wrathful, and said that he would never\ngive his consent to such a marriage, for Etzel was not the rightful\nchief of the Huns; adding that the position was his by right of his\nwife, the daughter of Melias. He cared not when I threatened him with\nwar; but desired me to go my way. Etzel invaded the country with his\nmen; and when, after much fighting, a truce was at last agreed to,\nneither side had gained much advantage.\n\n\u201cA year later, I went back with a number of brave men, and had a strong\ncastle built for me in the Falster-wood. This done, I stained my face,\nand otherwise disguised by a long beard, went again to visit Osantrix.\nI told him I was a faithful servant of the late King Melias, that I had\nbeen ill-treated and deprived of my lands by Etzel, and had therefore\ntaken refuge with him. This story gained me his confidence, and having\noccasion to send his daughter Erka a message, he made me his\nambassador. I told the maiden of Etzel\u2019s wooing, and how he wished to\nshare his power and glory with her. At first she was very angry, but at\nlast consented to marry him.\n\n\u201cOne moonlight night, I brought horses to the gates of the fortress\nwhere she was shut up with her young sister; broke the bars, and\ncarried off the princesses. We were pursued, but managed to reach the\ncastle in the wood where my men were awaiting me. I had scarcely time\nto send a message to Etzel, when Osantrix came upon us with all his\nhost. He laid siege to our stronghold; but we managed to defend\nourselves till Etzel came with a great army, and forced the Wilkin-men\nto withdraw. Ever since then, there has been a constant predatory\nwarfare between the two nations, and Osantrix has even now invaded our\nland with a large army. He is accompanied by Nordian\u2019s giant sons, who\nare the terror of our people. Now, noble Dietrich, Etzel thinks that if\nyou will come and help him, he is sure of victory.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh well! If my dear comrade Wildeber will go with me,\u201d cried Wittich,\n\u201cI think that we two shall be able to reckon with the giants.\u201d\n\nDietrich promised his help, and ordered all preparations to be made for\nthe campaign. The Bernese heroes arrived just in time, for the two\narmies were standing opposite each other in battle array. The fight\nbegan.\n\nDietrich and his men took up their position in the centre division. The\nAmelung banner, borne by Herbrand, floated proudly above their heads,\nand Wittich rushed foremost into the fray. He first encountered the\ngrim giant Widolf, who gave him a blow on the helmet with his iron\nclub. The dragon that formed the top of the helmet was bent by the\nterrible blow, and although Wieland\u2019s work did not break, the hero\nhimself fell from his horse, and lay senseless on the ground. Over him\nrushed the men-at-arms in the wild _m\u00eal\u00e9e_. Heime alone drew rein. He\nstooped, and drew the sword Mimung out of Wittich\u2019s hand, for he held\nhim to be dead. When the wild fight was over and done, the Wilkin-men\nretreated from the field, and the Huns pursued them, plundering where\nthey could. Hertnit, nephew of Osantrix, reached the battle-field too\nlate. He could not prevent his uncle\u2019s defeat, but he found Wittich, as\nyet scarcely recovered from his swoon, and took him prisoner.\n\nThe victors feasted at Susat, and rejoiced over their great deeds; but\nDietrich was sad at heart, for he had lost sixty of his men; and, worst\nthan all, his friend and comrade, Wittich, was among the missing. In\nvain had they sought him on the battle-field. All wondered what had\nbecome of him. When the king of Bern, richly rewarded for his help by\nEtzel, made ready for his departure, Wildeber came to him, and asked\nfor leave of absence, because he would not, could not, go home without\nWittich. Dietrich willingly gave his consent, for he could not help the\nfoolish hope springing up within his breast that perhaps Wittich might\nbe yet alive, and that his friend might find him.\n\nThe next day, Wildeber went out hunting, and slew a bear of unusual\nsize. He skinned it, and went with the skin to Isung, the minstrel, and\narranged with him a plan to free Wittich, should he be a prisoner in\nthe hands of Osantrix. Isung helped him to draw the skin over his\narmour, and fasten it up carefully; then led him in the guise of a\ndancing bear to the stronghold of the chief of the Wilkin-men.\n\nNow wandering players and merry-andrews, of every sort, were welcome\nguests in all castles and cottages, so Isung and his bear were well\nreceived.\n\nOsantrix laughed heartily at the marvellous agility of the creature in\ndancing and springing to the sound of the fiddle, and even Widolf, the\ngrim giant, who was led about with a chain by his brother Awentrod,\nlaughed for the first time in his life, making the halls shake with the\nsound. Suddenly it occurred to the king that it would enhance the sport\nto set his twelve boar-hounds on the bear, to see how strong it was.\n\nIsung vainly entreated the king to forbear the cruel sport, alleging\nthat his tame bear was worth more to him than all the gold in the royal\ntreasury; but Osantrix was not to be persuaded. The great dogs were\nloosed, and the barbarous sport began. To the astonishment of all, the\nboar-hounds were either worried or smitten to death by the bear.\n\nOsantrix sprang angrily to his feet, and slashed at the creature\u2019s\nshoulder with his sword; but the steel armour under inside the\nbear-skin saved the hero\u2019s life. Another moment, and the bear had\nwrenched the sword from the king\u2019s hand, and split his head open. The\nsecond blow did to death grim Widolf, the third his brother Awentrod.\nIsung stood staunchly by his friend when the Wilkin-men sought to\navenge their king. The courtiers, however, soon took flight in deadly\nfear of the player and his wild beast.\n\nWildeber now threw off the bear-skin, took the helmet off one of the\ngiants, and fully armed, set out in search of Wittich. The heroes\nsearched the palace. They found Wittich\u2019s good steed Skeming, and his\narmour; but neither him nor the sword Mimung could they discover.\n\nAt length they lighted on him in a damp, dark dungeon, chained to a\nwall, and grown so pale and thin as to be hardly recognisable. Fresh\nair, food, and wine soon made a change in his appearance. He put on his\narmour, and sadly took another sword, saying that none could be as good\nas Mimung.\n\n\u201cNow let us begone,\u201d said Isung, \u201clest the Wilkin-men should come back.\u201d\n\nSo Wildeber and he helped themselves to horses from the royal stables,\nand the three heroes galloped away.\n\n\u201cOf a truth,\u201d cried King Etzel, when he heard their story, \u201cyou are\nbold men. You have done me good service, and have brought the war to an\nend unaided. The lord of Bern is richer than I, in that he has comrades\nwho willingly venture their own lives to serve a brother-in-arms.\u201d\n\nHe kept the heroes for several days to recruit their strength, and then\nsent them home laden with rich gifts.\n\nDietrich was overjoyed to see his brave warriors again, and showed them\nhonour in many ways; but noticing that trusty Wittich was silent, and\nhad no appetite for wine or food, he asked him what ailed him. And\nWittich answered that he sorrowed for the loss of Mimung, his father\u2019s\nbest gift, and would go in search of it though he had to wander through\nevery land.\n\n\u201cI have a notion that you need not take so long a journey,\u201d replied the\nking, \u201cfor I cannot help thinking that the sword Heime wears is as like\nWieland\u2019s work as one drop of blood is like another.\u201d\n\nThe conversation was interrupted by the arrival of two warriors in rich\narmour, who had been sent by the Emperor Ermenrich, Dietrich\u2019s uncle,\nto tell the hero that Yarl Rimstein, his vassal in a great fief, had\nrevolted against his authority. Ermenrich, therefore, entreated his\nnephew\u2019s aid, and Dietrich promised to help the emperor.\n\n\n                        MARCH AGAINST RIMSTEIN.\n\nBefore starting, Wittich said that he could not go to Rimstein without\nhis sword, and Heime refused to give it up, alleging that it was his by\nright of war; but the king smoothed matters for the time by desiring\nHeime to lend it to his comrade during the campaign.\n\nThe warriors set out. The rebel yarl proved himself a tougher foe than\nhad been expected, and even after weeks and months had passed, his\ncastle seemed as impregnable as ever.\n\nOne moonlight night when Wittich was out alone, he met six warriors\nwhom he knew, by the device upon their shields, to belong to the enemy.\nThey fought, and Wittich slew their chief, his sword Mimung cutting him\nin two from the neck to the waist. The other five fled in terror, lest\na like fate should befall them. On examining the dead man, Wittich\nfound it was the yarl himself that he had slain, so he returned to the\ncamp well pleased. Next morning he told Dietrich and his comrades what\nhad chanced, and how the war was now at an end.\n\n\u201cHe is indeed a bold warrior,\u201d said Heime sarcastically; \u201che has slain\na weak old man, who could not defend himself a bit better than a woman.\nBut now, I must have Mimung back again, for I only lent it for this\nenterprise.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet me first try it on your head, false comrade,\u201d answered Wittich\nindignantly. \u201cYou left your brother-in-arms to die in a strange land,\nand were traitor enough to rob him of his weapon of defence as well.\nYou shall now pay the penalty of your meanness.\u201d\n\nHeime drew his sword Nagelring, and a fight was imminent; but Dietrich\nthrust himself between the angry men, and commanded them on their\nallegiance to keep the peace.\n\nErmenrich rejoiced to hear of Wittich\u2019s deed, and that the war was at\nan end. He gave rich presents to Dietrich and his men, and asked the\nroyal hero to give Wittich leave of absence, that he might marry fair\nBolfriana, the emperor\u2019s ward, and undertake the government of her rich\nfief of Drachenfels (the \u201cTrekanfil\u201d of Norse legend). Dietrich was\npleased at his comrade\u2019s good fortune, and at parting, he merely\nreminded him of his oath of fidelity, which the hero at once renewed.\n\nNot long afterwards Wittich was married to Bolfriana, and was endowed\nby the emperor with the great fief of Drachenfels, which extends to\nFritilaburg (Friedburg?), and far beyond the eastern mountains. So\nWittich became a mighty chief, as he had told his father that he would.\nHeime also, when his father Studas died, went to Ermenrich\u2019s court to\ntake the oath of allegiance. He received other lands from his imperial\nmaster, and, what he liked still better, much red gold besides.\n\n\n[Illustration: RANDWER GIVES SWANHILD A NOSEGAY.]\n\n\n              V. ERMENRICH TURNS AGAINST THE HERO OF BERN.\n\n\n                             THE HARLUNGS.\n\nErmenrich had a great and mighty empire. His lands stretched out to the\neast and west, and many kings owed him fealty. His counsellors were\nwise and clear-headed men, whose advice was of the utmost use to him.\nChief among these was Sibich, the marshal of the realm, who was helped\nin his arduous labours by Ribestein, the head of the royal household,\nand his constant companion. These men had always used their influence\nwith the emperor to keep him true to his alliance with his nephew, the\nking of Bern, of whom, in his heart of hearts, his imperial highness\nwas not a little jealous. But a great change was soon to take place in\nthe policy pursued at Romaburg. Sibich had a young and beautiful wife,\nof whom he was very fond. Now Ermenrich once sent him away on a long\njourney, and during his absence did him foul wrong. When the marshal\nreturned, and heard from his weeping wife of the emperor\u2019s treachery,\nhe was filled with wrath. At first, he snatched up a dagger to kill his\nfoe, but restrained himself, for he had thought of a subtler mode of\nvengeance. He desired to make the emperor the murderer of every member\nof his family, to deprive him of all his allies, and finally have him\nassassinated. It was a plan worthy of the devil himself, and was\ncarried out with great craft and intelligence.\n\nSibich\u2019s first step was to buy over Ribestein to his design, which he\ndid for a large sum of money, avarice being the man\u2019s weak point. This\ndone, Ribestein agreed to write letters to the emperor as if from the\nduke of Tuscany, the count of Ancona, the prince of Milan, and others,\nwarning him that his son Friedrich was plotting against him.\n\nThe evil deed was easily accomplished, as Ribestein had copies of all\nthe coats of arms and seals used by the grandees of the empire.\nErmenrich was naturally of a suspicious disposition, so he readily fell\ninto the snare laid for him. He consulted Sibich as to what were best\nto be done, and the false counsellor advised him to send Prince\nFriedrich with a letter to Yarl Randolt, ostensibly to demand payment\nof the tribute the yarl owed, but really containing an order that the\nprince should be slain. The emperor did as he was advised, and Sibich\ntook care that the deed should become generally known. A cry of horror\nwent through the land, and Ermenrich was hated by all.\n\nReginbald, the second son, met his death in a different fashion: he\nwent down in the rotten ship in which his father had sent him on a\npretended mission to England.\n\nOne son alone remained, Randwer, the third and youngest, a\nhigh-spirited, handsome youth, in whom there was no guile. That helped\nhim nothing, however. One day, in the innocence of his heart, he gave\nhis young step-mother Swanhild a bunch of flowers, when they were out\nhunting with the whole court, and Ermenrich, whose mind had been\npoisoned by false Sibich, ordered Swanhild to be trampled under foot by\nhorses, and Randwer to be hung. His commands were obeyed. He was now\nalone in the world, a childless old man.\n\n\u201cWell, Ribestein,\u201d said the marshal to his accomplice, \u201cwe are getting\non very well. The emperor\u2019s only remaining heirs are the Harlungs,\nImbreke and Fritele, who live at Breisach, on the Rhine, with their\ngovernor Eckehart; and then Dietrich of Bern. The Harlungs and the hero\nare both brother\u2019s children. You were not born and brought up in\nRomaburg, so I will tell you the story.\n\n\u201cErmenrich\u2019s grandfather left two sons besides him\u2014namely, Dietmar,\nthe father of Dietrich, who received the kingdom of Lombardy, and\nDieter, surnamed Harlung, who during his father\u2019s lifetime received the\nBreisgau and an enormous hoard of red gold. Now listen to this. If we\ncan only get rid of the Harlungs and the hero of Bern\u2014yes, open your\neyes and ears as wide as you can\u2014you and I can divide between us the\ninheritance of Ermenrich!\u201d\n\nRibestein jumped at the proposal as a fish jumps out of the water with\njoy on a bright day. He had never thought of such a thing before; but\nhe quickly understood what was required of him, and set about the evil\nwork at once.\n\nThe Harlungs were first brought under suspicion. Letters were shown to\nthe emperor purporting to be from Imbreke, Fritele, and even from their\ngovernor Eckehart, addressed to different notables of the empire, and\nsetting forth Ermenrich\u2019s crimes in the darkest colours. One of the\nletters contained the following passage: \u201cSince our liege lord has, in\nhis desperate wickedness, slain his own children, he must himself\nperish, and that on the highest gallows.\u201d The emperor was so angry when\nhe read these words, that he determined to collect an army, and march\nagainst his rebellious nephews.\n\nThe troops were called out without any one knowing against whom the\ncampaign was to be made. They marched towards the Rhine till they\nreached Tralenburg, which belonged to the Harlungs and where the\nbrothers then lived. Two horsemen kept watch by the river. When they\nsaw the armed men, they feared something was wrong, and, dismounting,\nswam with their horses across the river. They gave the alarm, and all\nwas prepared for defence. Imbreke and Fritele knew the science of war;\nbut they were still very young, and Eckehart, their governor, was\ndetained at Breisach by business of the state. When the Harlungs saw\ntheir uncle\u2019s banner, they thought all danger was over; but soon found\nto their cost that it was a warlike and not a peaceful visit. Wittich\nand Heime were with the imperial army; but as soon as they learnt\nErmenrich\u2019s plans they rode away to Breisach to warn the faithful\nEckehart of what was going on. As they journeyed together, they became\ngood friends again.\n\nTralenburg was at length reduced by fire and taken by storm. Without\nseeing his nephews, Ermenrich ordered a gallows to be erected, and the\ntwo brothers to be at once hung thereon. In those days the word of a\nmighty potentate was law, and the emperor was obeyed without\nremonstrance. Ermenrich now took possession of the Harlungs\u2019 land, and\nsent out men to search for the rich hoard the murdered princes had\ninherited from their father. It was at length found hidden in a cave.\nThe emperor rewarded his army richly, and kept the rest of the\ntreasure-trove for himself.\n\nMeanwhile Heime had returned. He had come back intending to reproach\nhis liege lord with his evil deed, and to throw up his fief. But on\nreceiving a large share of the booty, he forgot his better purpose. He\nwas entrusted with the care of taking the treasure to Romaburg. When he\nsaw the heap of red gold and precious stones, he took care that a\nconsiderable portion of it should find its way to Studa\u2019s grange, and\nnot to Romaburg. Meanwhile curses both loud and deep were uttered in\nevery land against the emperor. Eckehart brought the news of the\nHarlungs\u2019 fate to Bern, and Dietrich\u2019s wrath burned when he heard it.\nHe said the time would surely come when he could demand expiation from\nErmenrich, and punish his evil counsellors Sibich and Ribestein. The\nfiery young heroes Alphar and his brother Sigestab wished to start at\nonce alone with Eckehart to avenge the murder. But their father Amelolt\nand Hildebrand persuaded them to wait.\n\n\u201cWhat is only put off may yet be done,\u201d said Alphar to his brother,\nlaying his hand upon his sword.\n\nSomewhere about this time Sibich and Ribestein met to hold counsel as\nto what they should do next.\n\n\u201cAnother stone is out of the way,\u201d said Sibich; \u201cnow we must try to\nfind levers strong enough to move the great rock that stands in our\nway.\u201d\n\nThe accomplices felt that they must be careful and not push matters too\nfast, for, in the first place, the emperor\u2019s own soul was darkened by\nthe crimes he had committed, and whenever he was alone he was haunted\nby the unsubstantial ghosts of those whose death he had\ncompassed,\u2014and, in the second place, before declaring war upon the\nhero of Bern, they felt it would be safer to gain over as many as\npossible of his comrades to their side. But they were hurried on faster\nthan they wished, for Ermenrich\u2019s uneasy conscience would not let him\nrest\u2014he must have excitement.\n\nThe first step taken was to demand tribute of Dietrich of Bern. So\nReinhold of Milan was sent into the land of the Amelungs to levy the\ntribute. The messenger returned in a few weeks\u2019 time with empty hands.\nHe said that the notables had flatly refused to pay what he demanded,\nfor they had already paid it to the lord of Bern. And Dietrich had\ndesired him to tell the murderer of the Harlungs to come himself and\ntake the tribute, which would be paid him to the last mark at the\nspear\u2019s point and the sword\u2019s edge.\n\nThe emperor sent Heime to Bern to tell Dietrich that if he did not pay\nthe tax, he would come in person and hang him on the highest gallows.\n\nHeime was well received in Bern. Dietrich thought that he had come in\nmemory of old times, but when he delivered the emperor\u2019s message, the\nhero asked him if he remembered his old oath of fidelity; to which\nHeime replied that he had served out his bond, that he was now a vassal\nof the emperor, who had given him land and gold, and to whom he\ntherefore owed service. Therewith he took his leave.\n\nHeime was not long gone, when Wittich appeared. He galloped up to the\ncastle gate.\n\n\u201cArm, comrades, arm!\u201d he cried, \u201cthere is not a moment to lose.\nErmenrich approaches with an innumerable army. I rode on before to warn\nyou of his coming. Faithless Sibich intended to have taken you by\nsurprise, and whoever falls into his hands is not far from death.\u201d\n\nDietrich reminded him of his oath, but like Heime he excused himself,\nand rode away.\n\nThe Norns appeared at this time to have thrown their darkest web over\nthe head of the hero of Bern. One blow struck him after another. From\nWittich he hastened to the sick queen Virginal. All night long he held\nher in his arms. In the morning she died, and grief for her loss\nprevented his acting with the quick determination usual to him. Master\nHildebrand, however, was not idle. He had summoned all the vassals with\ntheir following from far and wide in the land of the Amelungs. And the\nnight before the queen\u2019s death, many allied princes joined them;\namongst the number, Berchtung of Pola (in Istria), and the king\u2019s\nfaithful comrade, Dietleib of Styria, with all their men.\n\nIn the morning the old master called the king, and told him that the\ntime was come to fight for his land and people. The hero of Bern made a\nmighty effort to master his grief. He pressed a last kiss on the pale\nlips of his dead wife, and passed away on his march to the great battle.\n\nThe emperor had already subdued the duke of Spoleto, and had advanced\nas far north as Milan. There he encamped, and not suspecting any\nsurprise, he and his men all went to sleep. Meanwhile Dietrich had\narrived within a short distance of his camp. While the others rested,\nHildebrand rode forward to see what watch the enemy kept, and finding\nthem unprepared, he advised an immediate onslaught.\n\nThe imperial forces were suddenly aroused by the battle cry, \u201cHey for\nBern! Hey for the red lion!\u201d They hastily got ready for the fray. The\nbattle raged furiously. Dietrich and his followers were far outnumbered\nby the foe, but that only made them fight with the more desperation.\nAnd which of them could have failed to do his duty under such a leader?\n\nWolfhart cried, \u201cIf we _must_ die, let each man throw his shield behind\nhim, and take his sword in both hands.\u201d\n\nHe did as he said, and Sigestab and Eckehart followed his example.\n\nWittich and Heime fought bravely as of old, but they avoided their\nformer chief, and were at length carried away in the general flight.\nFor the imperial troops were routed by a flank movement made by\nHildebrand.\n\nErmenrich went back to Romaburg in a very bad humour. He felt inclined\nto hang Sibich and Ribestein for leading him into a scrape, yet he\nrefrained, as he hardly knew what he could have done without them.\n\nDietrich sent the treasure gained in Milan home to Bern under the\ncharge of some of his comrades, and Berchtung of Pola undertook to\nprovide pack-horses on which to convey it. The convoy travelled by\nforced marches, but when they reached the lake of Garden, and saw the\nstars mirrored in its bosom, and heard the plashing of the waterfall,\nAmelolt thought, that being in the land of the Wolfings, they need no\nlonger fear robbers, and might enjoy a little needful rest. The wearied\nmen hailed his proposition with joy, and, after supping on the\nprovisions in their wallets, soon fell asleep on the soft turf.\nHildebrand with ten of his followers tried to keep awake, but they were\nso tired that the sound of the murmuring water acted on them like a\nlullaby, and soon they were sleeping as soundly as the rest.\n\nAt daybreak they were roughly wakened. Wild faces glared upon them,\nstrong hands bound them, and scornful laughter echoed in their ears.\nFour of the warriors, who had sought to defend themselves sword in\nhand, were cut down. The others were all bound and carried away with\nthe treasure.\n\nThey had not been prisoners long before the comrades saw that they had\nfallen into the hands of their deadly enemy\u2014faithless Sibich. He had\nheard of their journey in charge of the treasure, and had brought his\ntroops by sea to Garden, had lain in wait near the lake, and had then\nfallen upon the sleeping men. Thus it was that the brave heroes were\nconquered by cunning.\n\nOne warrior had escaped the common misfortune, and this was Dietleib,\nthe hero of Styria. He was sleeping in a thicket a little apart from\nthe rest, when Sibich\u2019s men fell on the camp. Hearing the noise, he\nsprang to his feet, slew several of the men-at-arms, mounted his horse\nand fled to Bern, a bearer of sad tidings. He found every one there in\ngreat anxiety. Ermenrich had again invaded the country, had taken\nMilan, Raben (Ravenna), and Mantua, and, worse than that, many of\nDietrich\u2019s men had deserted him, and joined the enemy.\n\nThe warriors who preserved their faith, and were determined to die with\ntheir lord if needful, were few in number. A message was sent to\nErmenrich that the hero of Bern was willing to exchange his prisoners\nof war for his brave comrades. The answer he received was, that he\nmight do with his prisoners as he liked\u2014the warriors the emperor had\ntaken were all condemned to be hanged. This was the worst news Dietrich\nhad ever heard.\n\nThen the lady Ute, Hildebrand\u2019s high-hearted wife, arose, and,\naccompanied by other noble ladies, went to the enemy\u2019s camp and entered\nthe presence of Ermenrich. She offered him in exchange for the\nprisoners Sibich had just made, all her jewels, and those of all the\nother women and maidens of Bern. Ermenrich told her harshly that what\nshe offered him was his already, and that if the king wished his\ncomrades to be set free, he and they must leave the country as beggars,\non foot, and leading their horses.\n\nHildebrand's wife could not bear to hear that. She had fallen on her\nknees before the emperor; but now she rose, and told him proudly that\nthe heroes of Bern and their wives knew how to die, but not how to\nleave their country in dishonour. The women left the camp in deep\nsorrow.\n\nWhen Dietrich heard the bad news, he had a long struggle with himself.\nHe had been victorious before with smaller numbers to support him, but\nvictory was always uncertain, and how could he allow his dear old\nmaster, and noble Berchtung, brave Wolfhart, Amelolt, Sigeband,\nHelmschrot, and Lindolt, to die a shameful death? It was a hard\nstruggle. At length he bowed his head to necessity. He consented to\nErmenrich\u2019s terms.\n\nOn being set free from prison, his comrades received their horses and\narms again, and then they, and other faithful souls, three and forty\nmen in all, accompanied their lord on his sad journey. There was not a\ndry eye in Bern when the king went away, and even in foreign lands the\nfate of Dietrich and his comrades was spoken of with bated breath.\n\nThe heroes would not mount their horses when they had crossed the\nborders of the imperial domains, for the king walked on unheeding over\nthe wild mountain roads. So the small band of brave men wandered\nthrough the beautiful Danubian land, and approached Bechelaren, where\nMargrave R\u00fcdiger held court. There they received a brotherly welcome.\n\nOne day, when they had been some time at Bechelaren, Dietrich, who had\nbeen thinking of the contrast between his desolated home and the\nsmiling land he saw before him, said, with a deep sigh, that everywhere\naround him was peace and unity, and he would like to remain there for\never and forget his woes.\n\nWolfhart reproached him vehemently for wishing to forget his home,\nadding, \u201cIf that is the case, I shall go back and fight till my last\ndrop of blood is shed.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so fast, young hero,\u201d answered the Margrave, \u201cKing Etzel owes\nthanks for the help once granted him. I will go with you to the court\nat Susat, and am certain that he will help you to regain the land of\nthe Amelungs.\u201d\n\n\n[Illustration: WALTER AND HILDEGUNDE TAKEN AS HOSTAGES BY THE HUNS.]\n\n\n         VI. KING ETZEL, WALTER OF WASGENSTEIN, AND HILDEGUNDE.\n\nWhen Etzel became king of the Huns, he was the mightiest of all\nchieftains, but his lust of power was not satisfied. He collected a\ngreat army, and falling upon the land of the Franks, demanded tribute\nwith threats of devastation. The Frankish king was unprepared to defend\nhimself, so he paid large sums of money, and gave as hostage for his\ngood faith, the boy Hagen of Tronje (Tronege). His own son was too\nyoung, being yet in the cradle.\n\nThe Huns went on to Burgundy, where they also levied tribute, and\nreceived as hostage the king\u2019s daughter Hildegunde, a child of four\nyears old. They were equally successful with King Alphar of Aquitaine,\nwho paid them much red gold, and gave them his young son Walter as\nhostage.\n\nHagen and Walter early showed great warlike ability. They learnt from\nthe Huns to ride, throw the spear, and fight after the German fashion,\nand few could equal them in manly sports. Hildegunde became very\nlovely, and was a great favourite with the queen. Time went on, and\nthese young people all grew up. Helche advised her husband to marry\nHagen and Walter to Hunnish maidens of high degree, so as to confirm\nthem in their devotion to himself, and their adopted country; but the\nyouths did not admire the beauties of that nation, whose blubber-lips\ndid not provoke a kiss. Walter was more attracted by slender\nHildegunde\u2019s rosy mouth, fair curls, and blue eyes, than by any of the\ndaughters of the land; and he was more pleasing in her eyes than the\nbow-legged Hun whom the queen desired her to marry.\n\nMeanwhile the Franks and Burgundians had thrown off the yoke of the\nHuns, and Etzel did not dare to enforce it in the then condition of\naffairs. Hagen one day found out what had chanced, and, according to\none account, he made his escape to his own people, but, according to\nanother, was sent home loaded with honours. But Etzel did his best to\nkeep Walter with him, for he knew his bravery and worth.\n\nOnce when the king returned with his warriors from conquering an\ninvading horde, he gave a great feast, and asked Hildegunde to sing him\na song. The maiden complied, and sang about her old home and her\nmother, and how she trusted to return to them once more, when the hero\ncame for whom she waited. Etzel did not take in the sense of her song,\nas she had expected; he had raised the wine-cup to his lips too often\nfor that. But Queen Helche understood, and determined to watch Walter\nand the maiden, lest they should fly together.\n\nWalter, too, had understood the meaning of the song, and soon found an\nopportunity of arranging matters with Hildegunde regarding their flight.\n\n\u201cDo not sleep to-night,\u201d he whispered one evening, \u201cbut slip into the\ntreasure-chamber, and take as much gold and silver as you can carry out\nof the seventh chest; it is part of the tribute money that your father\nand mine paid the Huns long ago. Put the money you have taken in two\ncaskets, and bring them down to the hall. You will find me waiting for\nyou at the gate with two saddled horses. We shall be gone a long time\nbefore the drunken Huns find out that we have escaped them.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: WALTER AND HILDEGUNDE HALT IN THE FOREST.]\n\nThey carried out Walter\u2019s plan in every particular, and made their way\nto Bechelaren first, then to the Rhine, and finally to the mountains of\nWasgengau (Vosges), in the highest of which, the Wasgenstein, they\nfound a cave with such a narrow entrance that one man could there\ndefend himself against an army. Walter wished to rest awhile, for he\nhad had but little sleep during their long and toilsome journey, so he\nasked the maiden to keep watch, lest a sudden attack should be made\nupon them. He had not been long asleep when Hildegunde saw the sheen of\narmour in the distance. She wakened the hero, telling him that the Huns\nwere upon them.\n\n\u201cThese are not Huns, but Burgundians,\u201d he answered, starting to his\nfeet. And he found they were messengers sent by King Gunther, to demand\nthat the treasure should be given up to him. Walter offered to hand\nover a shield full of gold, but this was refused, and the fray began.\nBut the assailants could only approach one at a time; so the hero, who\nhad learnt from the Huns to throw the javelin, was able to kill them\none after the other with these missiles, and, when they failed, with\nhis sword. Hagen had come with Gunther\u2019s men, but he stood apart during\nthe fight, siding with neither party; only when he saw his friends\nfalling fast, his hand involuntarily sought his sword, but he did not\ndraw it. He returned to the king, and advised him to try an ambush.\n\nNext day, as Walter and Hildegunde were continuing their journey across\nthe open country, they were set upon by two men in complete armour, who\nsprang out upon them from behind a clump of bushes. They were Hagen and\nKing Gunther. Despairing of flight, Walter leapt off his horse, and\nthey did the same. With wonderful agility, he dodged, now to the right,\nnow to the left, to avoid their blows; at length his sword cut through\none of King Gunther\u2019s greaves, and the edge entered the bone of the\nleg. He stood over the fallen king, and was about to deal him a\ndeath-blow, when a stroke from Hagen disabled his sword-arm. He dropt\nthe sword, but with his left hand drew his dagger, and plunged it into\nHagen\u2019s eye. Seeing them all three disabled, Hildegunde came forward to\npropose a truce, and bound up all their wounds; after which she and\nWalter went on their way in peace. They arrived at Aquitaine without\nfurther adventure, and were there married. The young hero in later days\nalways took part with the Burgundians and Ermenrich, as we saw before\nwhen Dietleib challenged him at Romaburg.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n              VII. ETZEL AND DIETRICH AGAINST THE REUSSEN.\n\nBut now we must return to Dietrich and Etzel. When the hero of Bern\ndesired Etzel\u2019s help in freeing the land of the Amelungs from the\ntyranny of the usurper, he found that it was impossible for the latter\nto grant it. His hands were already overfull with his own quarrels.\n\nWaldemar, king of the Reussen, and brother of that Osantrix whom Etzel\nhad formerly slain, and whose daughter he had married, now invaded his\nborders, and threatened to overrun the country. In truth, Etzel needed\nDietrich\u2019s help, and the latter did not hesitate to grant it.\n\nThe war lasted a long time. Many men were slain, and much fair land was\ndevastated before the invaders were forced to retire. Dietrich himself\nwas so severely wounded that it was some time before he felt like\nhimself again. There was one thing which happened during the war that\nsaddened and shamed honest Margrave R\u00fcdiger, and that was the\nremembrance of the way in which Etzel had on one occasion fled before\nWaldemar, thereby proving the latter the better man. Indeed every one\nfelt that the defeat of the Reussen was owing more to the leadership\nand heroism of the hero of Bern than to any other cause.\n\nEtzel pursued the enemy within their own borders, and forced them to\npay him tribute.\n\nDietrich was held in high honour by the Huns, but they did not see the\nadvantage of helping him to regain his own land, and he felt sad at\nheart. At last Queen Helche thought of a way to make him happy. She\nproposed to give him her beautiful niece Herrat to wife, and then they\nmight rule together over the princess\u2019s fair land of Transylvania.\nDietrich and Herrat made no objection to the marriage, which was soon\nafterwards celebrated. But Etzel erred in thinking that the hero of\nBern would ever be content to sink into the position of a vassal of the\nHunnish empire. Neither he nor Herrat were made of such slight stuff,\nand Etzel was obliged after all to give the help he had before refused.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n               VIII. THE RAVEN-FIGHT (BATTLE OF RAVENNA).\n\n\n                         DIETRICH GOES TO BERN.\n\n\u201cGoing back to Bern! Dietrich is going to Bern! We are to have a\ncampaign in Lombardy,\u201d was the cry which rang through the land of the\nHuns.\n\nYes; Dietrich was really going back, accompanied by many brave comrades\nnew and old, and at the head of a large army. Even Etzel\u2019s two sons,\nmere boys as they were, insisted on going too. The line of march lay\nthrough the great mountains and fair plains of Lombardy. Amelolt\n(Amelung) and Hildebrand, at the head of the W\u00f6lfings, stormed Garden,\nand took the fortress. But the old master had not time to stay and\nembrace the Lady Ute and his son Hadubrand, for they were not in the\ncastle at the time, and he had to rejoin the army without delay. He\ncame up with the rest at Padauwe (Padua), which Dietrich failed to\nsubdue. The army, leaving Padauwe behind it, moved on to Bern, from\nwhich Dietrich heard that Ermenrich\u2019s men had been expelled by the\ncitizens.\n\nAt length the hero was at home in his beloved Bern, where he was\nreceived with great rejoicings. He had not long to rest; for a few days\nafter his arrival, Alpher came, bringing a message from Duke Friedrich\nof Raben (Ravenna), that the Emperor Ermenrich was besieging his town,\ntherefore he begged the hero\u2019s assistance. The Bernese forces made a\nrapid march, and arrived unexpectedly in the neighbourhood of the\nimperial army.\n\nIt was of no use to send out scouts. The foe lay hidden in every\nthicket. Dietrich asked his heroes which of them would undertake to\ngain the enemy\u2019s outpost, and immediately young Alphart, the Lady Ute\u2019s\nfoster-son, declared himself ready. Others wished to have the duty; but\nhe had spoken first, and it was given to him.\n\n\n                            ALPHART\u2019S DEATH.\n\nThe youthful hero rode on towards the dangerous outposts. Suddenly,\nspears and arrows rained round him, and fell rattling from helm and\nshield. But they did no harm, for his armour had been made by dwarfs.\nThe enemy\u2019s leader rode up to him, and desired him to yield, saying\nthat he might give him his sword without shame, for he was Duke\nW\u00f6lfing, and would return the weapon to Alphart when he was ransomed.\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d cried the hero, \u201care you Duke W\u00f6lfing, the only traitor of our\nrace? You shall have your wages here to-day, and from my hands.\u201d\n\nThe combat between the two men was short. Alphart slew his opponent.\nUpon this, the duke\u2019s retainers hastened up to avenge him, but the\nyoung hero killed half of them, and put the rest to flight.\n\n\u201cA spirit from the nethermost hell has come to fight for Dietrich,\u201d\ncried the men-at-arms. \u201cIt slew more than fifty of us single-handed,\nand we ourselves hardly escaped with our lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cDo you not know that the hero of Bern is a son of the devil?\u201d was the\nanswer; \u201cand what is more natural than that a father should come to his\nchild\u2019s assistance? No mortal man can be expected to fight with such a\nfoe.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will go out and see if it be not made of flesh and blood,\u201d cried\nstout Wittich. \u201cEven though it had all hell at its back, I care not; I\nmust have a turn with it.\u201d\n\nHe armed himself quickly, and caught up a sword without noticing that\nit was not Mimung. Heime, whose life he had saved a short time before,\noffered to go with him, and avenge him should he fall.\n\nAlphart recognised the men from a distance.\n\n\u201cYe are two faithless comrades,\u201d he cried, \u201cand have come to meet your\ndoom.\u201d\n\nThe combat between him and Wittich began forthwith, and the latter soon\nperceived that he had not Mimung. He was twice felled to the ground. In\nhis sore distress, he called on his comrade to help him; but Heime\nhesitated, because it was considered dishonourable for two warriors to\nfight against one. When Alphart, however, called upon Wittich to yield,\nif he would not be slain on the spot, Heime sprang forward, and covered\nhis comrade with his shield, thus enabling him to get to his feet\nagain. After which both warriors attacked the young hero.\n\nAlphart was as active on foot as he was strong of hand. He felled\nHeime, but Wittich came to his help, and so the battle went on. The\nthree warriors bled from many wounds; but it was Heime\u2019s hand that\nfinally dealt the death-blow.\n\n\u201cFaithless comrades that ye are,\u201d sighed the dying Alphart, \u201cthe curse\nof your dishonourable deeds will follow you to the grave.\u201d\n\nThe conquerors left the place of combat in silence. They did not noise\nabroad the fame of their deed. Yet their armour was bloody, and they\nwere sorely wounded. The men-at-arms whispered in mysterious tones:\n\n\u201cThey have been fighting with that spirit from hell, have slain it, but\nhave seen some terrible sight.\u201d\n\nThe news of Alphart\u2019s death was received with deep sorrow in the\nBernese camp. Dietrich prepared to offer battle to the emperor on the\nfollowing day, and made all necessary dispositions in case he fell in\nthe fight.\n\n\n                              THE BATTLE.\n\nMaster Hildebrand held watch. Not contented with keeping a distant\nlook-out on the enemy\u2019s movements, he went to see with his own eyes\nwhat was passing within their lines. A thick mist covered the earth,\nand hid every object from view. Suddenly the old master and his\ncompanion, Eckehart, heard the tramp of a horse. They drew their\nswords, and waited. At the same moment the moon broke through the mist,\nand they recognised by its light Rinold of Milan, who, although one of\nErmenrich\u2019s men, was at the same time a friend of theirs. They greeted\neach other heartily, and Rinold said that if he might advise Dietrich,\nhe would counsel him to return to the land of the Huns, where he had\nmade himself a home; for the emperor was too powerful to be overthrown.\n\nAfter taking leave of their friend, Hildebrand looked about carefully,\nand discovered a path leading through a wood by which he could outflank\nthe imperial forces unperceived. On his return to the camp, he arranged\nwith Dietrich that he should take three divisions by this path, and\nfall upon the enemy at daybreak. Meantime, the king was to be ready to\nattack in front, the moment he heard Hildebrand\u2019s horn sound to the\nrear of the enemy.\n\nNo sooner had the sun risen than the battle began. Great deeds of\nvalour were done on either side. It were an endless task to tell of\neach hero\u2019s achievements. Among those who fell were the two young sons\nof Etzel, who showed themselves worthy of their name.\n\nDuring the course of that day, Dietrich and Wittich met at last, and it\nwas in this wise. Twilight was drawing on apace, when Wittich, led by\nhis evil star, or by his companion, Rinold of Milan, went back to visit\nthe outpost. Dietrich saw them go, and, remounting, galloped across the\nvalley towards the height, and the other two turned to meet him. When\nWittich saw the king riding towards him, his face distorted by the\nangry spirit that possessed him, and his breath issuing from his mouth\nlike flames of fire, a terror he had never known before overmastered\nhim. He turned his horse and fled, followed by Rinold.\n\n\u201cHalt, cowards, halt!\u201d cried the king. \u201cTwo against one! surely ye are\nstrong enough?\u201d\n\n\u201cHalt, comrade!\u201d said Rinold, \u201cI cannot bear the shame of this.\u201d\n\nWittich turned; but no sooner did he see the terrible face and flaming\nbreath of his old leader, than he fled once more, leaving Rinold alone\nto bear the brunt of the attack.\n\n\u201cStop, traitor,\u201d shouted Dietrich. \u201cYou have the sword Mimung in your\nhand, with which you once conquered me at Bern, and do you now fear to\nstand?\u201d\n\nBut Wittich, by encouraging words, and a free use of the spur, urged\nhis noble steed to a yet swifter pace. The king did the same, and\nFalcon was even fleeter than Wittich\u2019s gallant charger. The surf might\nnow be heard beating on the sea-shore. The fugitive warrior reached the\nstrand. He could fly no farther. And behold, at the same moment, two\nwhite arms and a woman\u2019s head rose out of the waves.\n\n\u201cWachilde\u2014ancestress\u2014save me\u2014hide me from that spirit of hell,\u201d he\ncried, and took the terrible leap.\n\nAnd Wachilde received him in her arms, and bore him to her crystal hall\nat the bottom of the sea. Dietrich did not hesitate to follow. The\nwaters swept over him and his horse, but Falcon rose again and swam\nthrough the roaring surf to the shore. The king looked all about, but\nWittich had vanished. He could see nothing but the foaming waves. Sadly\nthe king returned to the camp, having found neither the vengeance nor\nthe death he had sought.\n\nThe Huns declared that they would return home as soon as they had\nburied their princes with fitting honour. Dietrich heard their\ndetermination unmoved. He was thinking of those who had fallen. Master\nHildebrand, on the other hand, did what he could to induce them to\nfollow up the victory that they had gained the previous day; but it was\nlabour lost. They had had enough of fighting at the battle of Ravenna.\n\nBroken-hearted, Dietrich returned to King Etzel, by whom he was\nreceived with the greatest kindness, in spite of all that had come and\ngone. He sank into a state of sorrowful brooding and melancholy, until\nat length Herrat, his faithful wife, came to him, and spoke words of\ncomfort and encouragement. And he roused from his dull woe, and started\nagain for fair Lombardy, accompanied by the Queen.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                            IX. GOING HOME.\n\n\n                               TO GARDEN.\n\nThe King, Queen, and the old Master took leave of Etzel, who was too\nsad about the death of his boys to take much interest in their coming\nor going.\n\nThe travellers at length came to a wooded hill with a castle perched on\nthe top. This castle belonged to a robber-knight named Elsung, who had\nalways been an enemy of the Amelungs and W\u00f6lfings. The old master, who\nacted as guide, and led the way, bade the king be prepared. He did not\nspeak a moment too soon, for Elsung at the same instant appeared,\nfollowed by some horsemen. The robber-knight drew rein, and haughtily\ndemanded, as toll from the travellers, their horses and armour,\nHildebrand\u2019s long beard, and the beautiful woman who accompanied them.\n\n\u201cWe need our horses and armour that we may fight in the land of the\nAmelungs,\u201d said Hildebrand, \u201cand we cannot spare the woman, for she\nacts as our cook.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, then, you are Amelungs yourselves,\u201d cried Elsung, \u201cand must each\ngive me your right hand and left foot as ransom. If you refuse, I will\nhave your heads as well, that I may avenge my father, whom Samson slew.\u201d\n\nThe heroes deigned no further answer. They paid another toll than that\ndemanded with the points of their swords and spears, and with such\nhearty good will that Elsung\u2019s men were either slain, or else took to\nflight, and their lord himself was finally overthrown and bound.\n\nAs Hildebrand was about to tie the prisoner to a horse, Elsung said:\n\n\u201cYou are Ermenrich\u2019s men, so I will tell you the news that has just\nreached me. The brothers of the Lady Swanhilde, whom the emperor had\ntrodden to death by horses, have fallen upon him, and have cut off his\nhands and feet.\u201d\n\n\u201cHa!\u201d cried the hero of Bern, \u201cdo you bring such good news? Take your\nliberty in payment thereof.\u201d\n\nThe travellers now pursued their journey, and after meeting with\nseveral more adventures, at last arrived safely at Garden, where they\nwere at first received with suspicion; but the Lady Ute recognised her\nhusband the moment she saw him, and Hadubrand was introduced to his\nbrave old father, whom he had not seen since his childhood.\n\n\n                                TO BERN.\n\nThe hero of Bern was welcomed with the utmost joy by his people, and\nsoon collected an army, which among its most celebrated warriors\nnumbered brave Lodwig and his son Konrad, faithful Eckehart and his\ncomrade Hache. Nor was Heime wanting; he had done penance for his sins\nin a cloister, and now, hearing of Dietrich\u2019s return, hastened to him\nto renew his oath, death having released him from the fealty he had\nformerly owed to Ermenrich.\n\nDietrich\u2019s and Sibich\u2019s forces met. A terrible battle took place.\nDietrich fought with heroic valour, sweeping down all before him.\nEckehart and Hache sought untiringly for faithless Sibich, and at last\nthey recognised him among the fugitives, although he had cast from him\nall signs of the imperial dignity he had usurped. Eckehart seized him\nby the scruff of the neck, swung him before him on his horse, and\ngalloped back to the camp.\n\n\u201cRemember the Harlungs,\u201d he cried, and immediately ordered a gallows to\nbe erected.\n\nSibich entreated for life, bare life. He offered much red gold to have\nhis death put off for even a short space, but\u2014\n\n\u201cRemember the Harlungs,\u201d was the only answer he received.\n\nAnd so the victory was won. The hero of Bern marched to Romaburg at the\nhead of his army. He was everywhere met by the princes of the land of\nthe Amelungs. They greeted him as their chief, and on his arrival at\nRomaburg he received the imperial crown.\n\n\n                        THE PASSING OF DIETRICH.\n\nHerrat was a faithful wife and helpmeet. The old master and many of his\nother ancient friends were round him; but in the midst of his glory\nDietrich could not forget the faithful comrades who had died in his\nservice, the friends who had given him their all, and to whom he could\nno longer show either love or kindness.\n\nHis power was great. The empire was more extensive than it had ever\nbeen before, and peace reigned within its borders. Once, indeed, a\ngiant had committed great devastations within the land, and Heime had\nsought him out, but only to be slain. Dietrich himself had then gone\nforth, and had conquered the monster. It was the last combat in which\nthe aged hero ever took part.\n\n[Illustration: ROUND THEODERIC\u2019S TOMB.]\n\nHis wife, noble Herrat, soon after fell sick and died. From that time\nforward his character seemed changed. He was gloomy and morose, and\ncommitted many actions for which no after repentance could atone. The\nonly one of his former pleasures that gave him any happiness was that\nof hunting. When he heard the cheerful sound of the horns, his face\nwould clear up, and a smile play on his lips, and he would once more\nlook like the Dietrich his friends had known of yore. Once, when he was\nbathing in the river, a great stag with golden horns, wonderful to look\nupon, trotted slowly along the bank, and passed into the wood close by.\nHe sprang out of the water, threw on his clothes, and called for horse\nand hounds. Before the servants could bring him what he desired,\nDietrich perceived a coal-black steed come towards him neighing.\nSeizing his sword and darts, he hastily mounted the noble animal, and\ngalloped after the stag. His servants followed with the fleetest horses\nin his stables, but could not come up with him. The hero rode on\nfaster, and ever faster. His people waited weeks, months, and even\nyears for his return, but all in vain. The mighty empire had no ruler.\nBloody wars broke out in consequence. His subjects longed for his\nreturn, that his strong hand might rule the land again; but still he\ndid not come. Wodan, his ancestor, had caught him up to himself, and\nhad made him one of his wild huntsmen. Many a benighted traveller has\nseen him rushing past, mounted on his coal-black steed. The people of\nLausitz and other parts of Germany talk of him as Dietherbernet, and\nsee him in the Furious Host even to this day.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                             PART SECOND.\n                   _THE NIBELUNG AND KINDRED LEGENDS._\n\n\n                                -------\n\n                         GUDRUN.      BEOWULF.\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n[Illustration: SIEGFRIED FIGHTING WITH ALBERICH.]\n\n\n\n\n                          _THE NIBELUNG HERO._\n\n\n                                  I.\n                           SIEGFRIED\u2019S YOUTH.\n\nOnce upon a time there was a noble prince in the Netherlands called\nSiegfried (Sigfr\u00eet, Siegwart, or Sigur\u00f0r). His father, Sigmund, was\ndescended from the glorious race of the W\u00f6lfungs, who traced their\nlineage back to Wodan. His mother, Sigelinde, was of equally high\nbirth. They both rejoiced in the early signs of strength and activity\ndisplayed by their son, and hoped that when grown to man\u2019s estate, his\nheroic deeds might gain him glory and renown.\n\nThe boy, however, soon became aware of his wonderful strength, and\nshowed a haughty, unbending spirit. He would suffer no contradiction:\nhe beat his playfellows black and blue when they displeased him, even\nthose among them who were much bigger than he. The older he grew, the\nmore he was hated by all the other boys, and the more anxious his\nparents became regarding his future.\n\nAt last Sigmund told the queen that he only knew of one way to bring\nthe young rebel under rule, and that was to apprentice him to the\nsmith, Mimer, who lived in the neighbouring forest, and who was a\nstrong and wise man, and would teach the boy how to forge the weapons\nhe should one day wield as a warrior. The queen gave her consent, so\nthe father took the necessary steps.\n\nWhen the smith heard the whole story, he declared himself ready to\nundertake the task assigned him, for he had a strong belief in the\npacifying effects of hard work. Everything went well for a time. One\nyear passed on after another, till the prince grew almost to man\u2019s\nestate. But labour in the smithy was irksome to him, and when his\ncomrades set him right, he beat them, threw them down, and, on one\noccasion, went so far as to drag the best smith among them\u2014Wieland\u2014by\nthe hair to his master\u2019s feet.\n\n\u201cThis will not do at all,\u201d said Mimer; \u201ccome here and forge yourself a\ngood sword.\u201d\n\nSiegfried was quite ready to do so. He asked for the best iron and the\nheaviest hammer, which was such a weight that it took both hands to\nwield it. Mimer drew the strongest bar of iron out of the forge,\nglowing red, and laid it on the anvil. Siegfried swung the hammer with\none hand, as though it had been a plaything; but when it came down upon\nthe iron the blow was like a clap of thunder, the house shook to its\nfoundation, the iron shivered into splinters, and the anvil sank a foot\ndeep into the ground.\n\n\u201cThis will never do,\u201d said the master as before; \u201cwe must try another\nplan, my boy, if you are to make yourself a suitable weapon! Go to the\ncharcoal-burner in the pine wood, and fetch me as much of his charcoal\nas you can carry on your strong shoulders. Meanwhile I shall prepare\nthe best iron to make you a sword, such as never yet was possessed by\nany warrior.\u201d\n\nSiegfried was so pleased to hear this, that picking up the largest axe\nhe could find, he set out into the forest. It was a beautiful spring\nday. The birds were singing, and the grass was studded with violets and\nforget-me-nots. He plucked a bunch of the flowers, and stuck them in\nhis leather cap, from a half-conscious feeling that they might perhaps\nbring him good luck. He went on further and further, till he reached\nthe middle of a dark pine forest. Not a bird was to be seen; but the\ngloomy silence was broken by a gurgling, hissing, and roaring, that\nmight easily have affrighted a less daring spirit. He soon found the\nreason of the noise. A dismal swamp lay before him, in which gigantic\ntoads, snakes, and lind-worms were disporting themselves.\n\n\u201cI never saw so many horrible creatures in my life,\u201d said Siegfried;\n\u201cbut I will soon stop their music.\u201d\n\nSo saying, he picked up dead trees and threw them into the morass, till\nhe had completely covered it. After which, he hastened on to the\ncharcoal-burner\u2019s house. Arrived there, he asked the man to give him\nfire that he might burn the monsters.\n\n\u201cPoor boy,\u201d said the charcoal-burner, \u201cI am very sorry for you; but if\nyou go back the way you came, the great dragon will come out of his\ncave and make but a single mouthful of you. Smith Mimer is a faithless\nman; he came here before you, and told me that he had roused the worm\nagainst you, because you were so unmanageable.\u201d\n\n\u201cHave no fear, good man,\u201d answered Siegfried; \u201cI shall first slay the\nworm, and then the smith. But now give me the fire, that I may burn the\npoisonous brood.\u201d\n\nThe lad was soon back at the swamp. He set fire to the dry wood with\nwhich he had covered it, and let it blaze. The wind was favourable, and\nfanned the flames to a great fire, so that the creatures were all burnt\nup in a short space of time. The lad then went round the dismal swamp\nand found a small rivulet of hot fat issuing from it. He dipped his\nfinger in it, and found, on withdrawing it, that it was covered with a\nhorn-like skin. \u201cAh,\u201d he thought, \u201cthis would be useful in war.\u201d He\ntherefore undressed, and bathed his whole body in the liquid fat, so\nthat he was now covered with horn from head to foot, except in one\nplace, between his shoulders, where a leaf had stuck to his skin. This\nhe did not discover until later. He dressed himself again in his\nleather garments, and walked on, his club resting on his shoulder.\nSuddenly the dragon darted out upon him from its hiding-place; but\nthree good blows of his club slew the monster. He then went back to the\nsmithy to take vengeance on the master smith and his comrade. At sight\nof him, the men fled affrighted into the forest, but the master awaited\nthe youth\u2019s arrival. At first Mimer tried the effect of flattering\nwords; but finding they were vain, he took to his sword. Siegfried then\ndealt him one mighty blow, and had no need to strike again.\n\nHaving done this, the lad went into the smithy, and with great patience\nand care forged himself a sword, whose blade he hardened in the blood\nof the lind-worm. Then he set out for his father\u2019s palace. The king\nsharply rebuked him for his evil deed in slaying the master smith, who\nwas so good a subject, and so useful to the whole country. And the\nqueen, in her turn, reproached him with many tears, for having stained\nhis hands with innocent blood. Siegfried, sobered by his father\u2019s\nreproof, and softened by his mother\u2019s tears, did not try to excuse\nhimself; but, falling at the queen\u2019s feet and hiding his face in his\nhands, he said the sight of her tears cut him to the heart, and for the\nfuture he vowed that his deeds should be those of a gentle knight. Then\nthe hearts of the parents were comforted.\n\nFrom that time forward Siegfried was changed. He listened to the advice\nof men of understanding, and strove to learn how to act wisely and\nwell. Whenever he felt one of his old fits of passion coming over him,\nhe thought of his mother\u2019s tears and his father\u2019s reproof, and\nconquered the evil spirit that threatened to master him. The\nexpectations of the people were great respecting him: they were sure\nthat in him their nation had found a new hero. And then, he was so\nhandsome and graceful, that the women admired him as much for his looks\nas the men did for his prowess.\n\n\n                   YOUNG SIEGFRIED SAILS TO ISENLAND.\n\nHis father and mother were so proud of him, that they longed for the\nday when his name and fame should be hailed with applause in every land.\n\nThe king at length deemed that the time was come to give Siegfried and\nhis comrades, and many young nobles of his own and other lands, the\nsword and armour that marked a warrior. This investiture was in those\ndays a ceremony of great importance, and took up the same place in a\nyoung man\u2019s life as the ceremony of knighthood in later times. The\nsolemn investiture was succeeded by feats of arms and trials of skill.\nSiegfried was victorious in all, and, at the end of the day, the\npopulace shouted: \u201cLong live young Siegfried, our king; long may he and\nhis worthy father rule over us!\u201d\n\nBut he signed to them, and said, \u201cI am not worthy of such high honour.\nI must first win a kingdom for myself. I will entreat my noble father\nto allow me to go out into the world, and seek my fortune.\u201d\n\nWhen the warriors were all assembled at the feast in the royal hall,\nSiegfried did not take his place at the upper end of the table beside\nhis father, but modestly seated himself among the young warriors who\nhad still their names to make. Some of the party began to talk of\ndistant Isenland, the kingdom of the beautiful and warlike Brunhild,\nwho challenged all her wooers to do battle with her, thereby slaying\nmany.\n\nThey talked of the land of the Nibelungs, learned in magic; of the\nDrachenstein, where a flying dragon, of fiendish aspect, had taken up\nits abode.\n\nOthers, again, talked of the lovely princess at Worms on the Rhine, who\nwas carefully guarded by her three brothers and by her uncle, strong\nHagen.\n\n\u201cOh, how pleasant it must be to see such marvels, and to seek out\nadventures!\u201d cried Siegfried, and approaching his father, he asked his\npermission to go out and see the world.\n\nThe king understood his desire, for he had had an adventurous youth\nhimself; and promised to let him go, provided his mother gave her\nconsent.\n\nIt was pain and grief to the queen to part with her son, but she at\nlast permitted him to go, and one fine morning he set out, dressed in a\nshining suit of armour, mounted on a swift horse, and bearing the sword\nwhich he himself had made. His spirits were high, and his heart full of\nhope, as is the case with every youth of spirit who goes out into the\nunknown world to seek his fortune.\n\nHe went northwards in the direction of Isenland. On reaching the\nsea-shore, he found a vessel ready to start; but the skipper feared a\nstorm, and only set sail at Siegfried\u2019s entreaty. After a quick but\ntempestuous voyage, Siegfried landed, and went up to the palace.\n\nQueen Brunhild received him in the great hall, where many warriors were\nassembled, each of whom had come determined to woo the lady by great\nfeats of arms.\n\nOn the following day the warriors assembled in the lists, where\nBrunhild joined them before long. She was clad in full armour, and\nlooked as haughty and as beautiful as Freya, when she led the Valkyrs\nof old to the battles of the heroes.\n\nSiegfried gazed at her in astonishment. She was so much taller and\nnobler looking than any of the maidens in her train, who were armed\nequally with herself. He almost wished to join the ranks of the wooers,\nand win her hand. He raised a stone in sport, and flung it far beyond\nthe lists; then, turning to the queen, took leave of her with all\nreverence, and returned again to his vessel, saying to himself:\n\n\u201cI could never love her, she is too like a man. That maiden must be shy\nand modest, gentle and kindly, who would gain the heart of a brave\nwarrior so utterly that he would think nothing of spending his heart\u2019s\nblood in her service.\u201d\n\nAfter a quick voyage, he resumed his journey by land, now through rich\nand well-cultivated plains, and again through desert lands, where wild\nbeasts and robbers had their abode. He had many a hard fight by the\nway, and slew all manner of giants and monsters. The minstrels sang of\nhis great deeds in cottage and in castle, so that his name became known\nfar and wide.\n\nWhen he reached the land of the Nibelungs, the kings of that country,\nSchilbung and Nibelung by name, asked him to divide between them the\ntreasure left them by their father Nibeling, for they could not agree\nas to what was a fair division. In payment for this service they\noffered him the good sword Balmung, which was the handiwork of dwarfs,\nand was tempered in dragon\u2019s blood. The hero divided the treasure with\nthe utmost fairness, yet the brothers were not satisfied. They told him\nthat they were sure he was keeping back the most valuable things for\nhimself, and commanded twelve enormous giants to seize him, and confine\nhim in the hollow mountain where the treasure was kept. The hero at\nonce drew Balmung, and began slaying one giant after another. Then the\nroyal magicians chanted their spells, and called up a thick mist; a\nstorm arose, and the mountain trembled under repeated thunder-claps.\nAll in vain. The last of the giants fell, and finally the two brothers\nwere slain; then the mist cleared away, and the sun shone full on the\nvictorious warrior.\n\nWhen the Nibelung people saw the wonders that had been done, they\ngreeted Siegfried as their king. But even yet his difficulties were not\nat an end. An avenger had arisen: this was Alberich the dwarf. Well\narmed with enchanted weapons, he came up against the bold warrior. He\nwas now visible, now invisible, according as he drew the cap of\ndarkness over his helmet, or took it off. After a long struggle,\nSiegfried overthrew him.\n\nThe dwarf was now in his power, but Siegfried could not kill a\ndefenceless foe. Alberich was so touched with this generosity that he\nswore to be true to his victor: an oath he never broke. After this, no\none disputed the hero\u2019s right to the land of the Nibelungs. He was\nrecognised as king by the whole people, and also became possessed of\nall the treasures in the hollow mountain, and of Alberich\u2019s cap of\ndarkness by reason of his victory over the dwarf.\n\nWhen Siegfried had reduced the whole kingdom to order, and appointed\nproved men to be governors of the provinces, he chose out twelve noble\nwarriors to be his trusty companions. The treasure furnished him with\nrings and chains of silver and gold with which to enrich his followers.\nThe whole band looked like an assemblage of kings under the lead of\nsome yet mightier chieftain.\n\nHe and his men now set out on their journey homewards, and reached the\nNetherlands without further adventure. The king and queen were\noverjoyed to see their son, of whom they had for a long time heard\nnothing but indistinct rumours. Siegfried remained at home for many\ndays to rest and recover from his weariness. He often passed hours\nsitting at his mother\u2019s feet, as when he was a little boy, and telling\nher of his hopes and longings. His confidence and trust in her made her\nvery happy. But when he stood before her in all the panoply of war, her\nheart beat high with pride that she had such a hero for a son.\n\nPleasant as it was to be at home again, Siegfried could not long be\ncontented with idleness; his soul panted to be out in the battle of\nlife, where alone a man preserves his strength of mind and body. He\ntold his father that he wished to go to Worms, in the Rhineland, and\ntry his fortune with the great warriors of Burgundy.\n\nThe king\u2019s face clouded when he heard this. \u201cMy son,\u201d he said, \u201cdo not\ngo to Burgundy, for there dwell the boldest warriors in the whole\nworld. No hero has as yet withstood them. There are grim Hagen, strong\nOrtewin of Metz, and King Gunther, with his brother Gernot. They all\nunite in guarding the lovely maiden Chriemhild, whom many a brave man\nhas wooed, only to lose his life.\u201d\n\n\u201cHa! That is a good story!\u201d cried bold Siegfried. \u201cThese mighty\nwarriors shall yield me their kingdom, and the lovely maid as well, if\nshe be pleasing in my eyes. With my twelve Nibelungs at my back, I have\nno fears about the fighting.\u201d\n\nThe king\u2019s remonstrances and the queen\u2019s entreaties were alike in vain.\nThey were obliged to consent to their son\u2019s undertaking this adventure.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                       II. SIEGFRIED IN BURGUNDY.\n\nThe lovely maiden Chriemhild, who lived in the land of Burgundy, was\nthe daughter of King Dankrat and his wife, the Lady Ute. Her father had\nlong been dead; but his three sons, Gunther, Gernot, and the boy\nGiselherr, nicknamed \u201cThe Child,\u201d regarded their beautiful sister as\nthe costliest pearl in their crown. The royal brothers were surrounded\nby brave warriors, to whom fear was unknown. First among these was grim\nHagen of Tronje, un-beautiful of face, and one-eyed, but known and\nfeared, both in the land of the Teuts and in that of the Latins. He\nenjoyed great honour for another reason, that he was the uncle of the\nkings. After him came his brother, the marshal Dankwart; Ortewin of\nMetz; the Margraves Gere and Eckewart; Rumolt, the chief cook; Volker\nof Alzeyen, the faithful minstrel; Sindolt, the cup-bearer; and Hunolt,\nthe steward. These and many other brave men, too numerous to mention,\nserved the kings, and guarded their interests.\n\nYoung Chriemhild lived very much alone. She loved to wander about the\ngarden and under the shady trees, and hated all sights and sounds of\nwar. Her brothers once persuaded her to go out hunting with them; but a\nroe-deer fell dead at her horse\u2019s feet, and the sight so distressed\nher, that she went straight home, and could never be induced to go out\nhunting again.\n\nOne day the queen entered her daughter\u2019s room at an early hour, and\nseeing her look sad and troubled, she asked what ailed her.\n\nChriemhild answered: \u201cI dreamed that I had brought up a noble falcon,\nand had grown very fond of it; but once, when I let it fly up among the\ncliffs, two eagles attacked and killed it before my very eyes.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy child,\u201d said the mother gravely, \u201cthe falcon is some noble warrior,\nwhom you will learn to love with all your heart; and the eagles are two\nfalse men, who will seek to compass his death by cunning. May God give\nyou strength and wisdom to turn their plans to nought!\u201d\n\n\u201cMother!\u201d said Chriemhild, \u201cdo not speak to me of men. I fear to go\namongst them. If there were no men on the earth, there would be no more\nwars or bloodshed.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho knows?\u201d answered her mother, laughing. \u201cWomen often shed more\nblood, and cut deeper with their tongues, than any man with his sword.\nBut the time will come when you will learn to love some hero, and will\nbecome his wife and chief admirer.\u201d\n\n\u201cNever,\u201d cried the maiden in a voice of horror. \u201cMother, you terrify me\neven more than my dream.\u201d\n\nUte and Chriemhild went down to the garden. They had not been there\nlong when they heard the sound of horses prancing in the court, and\nhorns blowing. The queen went to see what was going on, and soon came\nback to tell her daughter of the arrival of some strange warriors in\nshining armour, and mounted on beautiful horses. She asked the girl to\ncome and help her to receive the guests. But Chriemhild refused to do\nso, and Ute returned to the palace alone. Meanwhile Gunther and his\nbrothers had heard of the coming of the strangers. No one knew who they\nwere, so Hagen was sent for, and he at once recognised Siegfried. He\nfurther advised his nephew to receive the hero and his men with all\nhonour, and to enter into friendly alliance with them.\n\nGunther resolved to follow Hagen\u2019s counsel; but Siegfried said that he\nhad come to prove to his own satisfaction whether the Burgundian\nwarriors were as great in battle as he had always heard. He offered\nthem the Nibelung realm and treasure as the prize of victory, and said\nthat for his own part he was ready to defend himself against double or\nthreefold the number of his own party, if the kings of Burgundy would\nventure their kingdom against his. Bold Ortewin and other Burgundian\nheroes answered that it was not their habit to fight strange warriors\nfor aught else than their armour and horses. And King Gernot came\nforward and said,\u2014\n\n\u201cLord Siegfried, we want neither your goods nor your blood; I rather\ndesire to receive you as an honoured guest, and become your friend and\nally, if you will also be ours.\u201d So saying, he held out his hand, which\nSiegfried clasped in his, as he replied:\n\n\u201cGod be my witness that I will be your faithful friend and ally, and if\nyou ever come to see me, I shall greet you as honoured comrades.\u201d\n\nThe Nibelungs then followed their hosts into the banqueting hall, where\nmany a toast was drunk to the success of the new alliance.\n\nSiegfried enjoyed his stay in the land of roses and vineyards. The days\npassed happily in hunting or jousting; but a great longing to see fair\nChriemhild soon took possession of him, and grew stronger every day,\nfor he was always hearing of her sweetness, modesty, and\ngentleness\u2014qualities that had ever pleased him best in women.\n\nChriemhild had also heard of him; but the only time she had ever seen\nhim was once when curiosity led her to peep out of a high window, when\nhe was jousting in the court below. He seemed to her like the white god\nBalder, of whose beauty and glory her forefathers had told many a tale.\nAt that very moment, he looked up, and she shrank away, fearing lest he\nhad seen her; but he had not. Chriemhild could not understand herself.\nShe hoped that he would stay at Worms\u2014she, who had never before cared\nwho came or went.\n\nAn embassy from Daneland and Saxonland arrived at Worms. The kings\nL\u00fcdegast and L\u00fcdeger declared war against Burgundy, if the kings of\nBurgundy did not at once pay them tribute, as in olden times.\n\nThe tribute was refused, and the Burgundian army was called out.\nSiegfried and his men joined King Gunther\u2019s forces. The armies met. The\nDanes and Saxons numbered forty thousand; the Burgundian forces were\nmuch fewer. Each side fought bravely, but Siegfried\u2019s performances were\nperhaps more wonderful than any other man\u2019s. He took King L\u00fcdegast\nprisoner, and brought him sorely wounded into camp; handed him over to\nthe care of servants, and returned to the battle. The fight raged on\nfor hours. Grim Hagen was always in the front rank, and near him were\nVolker, Sindolt, and Hunolt. Siegfried fought by their side, always\nkeeping the king of Saxony in sight. At length he reached L\u00fcdeger, and\nswung his sword over his head. Then the Saxon king exclaimed,\u2014\n\n\u201cHa, Siegfried of the Netherlands, the devil has given me into your\nhands. I acknowledge myself your prisoner.\u201d\n\nThe battle was at an end, and the victors, covered with glory and laden\nwith booty, set out on their return to the Rhine. They were received at\nWorms with great joy, and Siegfried\u2019s name was in every mouth. King\nGunther prepared a feast of victory, which was to take place some weeks\nlater, so that the wounded warriors might be well enough to take part\nin it. L\u00fcdeger and L\u00fcdegast offered a large ransom for their liberty.\nWhile the Burgundians were debating what sum it would be proper to\ndemand, Siegfried exclaimed:\n\n\u201cA king\u2019s head is neither to be bought nor ransomed for gold, silver,\nor precious stones. It can only be won in love through well-doing. Let\nthe imprisoned kings go free, provided they promise Burgundy their help\nin war.\u201d\n\nWhen the days of feasting were over, the guests all took their leave,\nand the Nibelung hero was about to do the same. But Gunther, acting on\nOrtewin\u2019s advice, begged him to tarry a little longer, for the women,\nand more especially his sister, Chriemhild, wished to show him their\ngratitude. The hero\u2019s face lighted up with pleasure, while he answered\nthat in that case he would stay. When the king went to the women to\ntell them what he wished them to do, he felt at the bottom of his heart\na little fear lest his sister should refuse; but, though she blushed,\nshe consented to do his will.\n\nAt the time appointed, she entered the hall at Lady Ute\u2019s side; and as\nshe entered, her eyes and Siegfried\u2019s met. She said a few words to him\nwith her usual gentle courtesy, and his heart beat with a feeling he\nhad never known before. No one in the crowd noticed the look that had\npassed between them except Queen Ute, who rejoiced to see it, for she\nloved them both. She contrived that the hero should sit next to her\ndaughter at the feast, and that he should afterwards join them in the\ngarden, while the other warriors sat over their wine.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                         III. THE DRAGONSTONE.\n\nSiegfried returned to his lodging that evening feeling happier than he\nhad ever done before. Early next morning, he rode out into the wood to\nhunt; but his thoughts were so full of Chriemhild, that he let the game\npass by unheeded. Coming back empty-handed in the afternoon, he found\nboth town and palace in great confusion. Warriors and citizens were\nshouting and crowding in every open place. Queen Ute was weeping and\nwringing her hands. Siegfried heard broken fragments of conversation;\nbut no one answered his questions. At length he entered the great hall,\nwhere he found Hagen, and asked him the meaning of the disturbance, and\nwhether some dreadful thing had happened.\n\n\u201cThat it has,\u201d replied Hagen; \u201cit could not be worse; but what is to\nbe, must be, and, as men said in the olden time, \u2018what the Norns have\nordained must needs be best.\u2019 Hearken, Siegfried. When we were in the\ntilt-yard this morning, we were startled by hearing a rushing noise in\nthe air, and the brightness of the sun was darkened as if the wolf\nSki\u00f6ll were devouring it. The thing of terror that approached was a\nflying-dragon, of shape so monstrous, that there is none like it in all\nthe realm of Helle. As it flew over our heads, we flung spears at it,\nbut they bounced off its horny skin like reeds. Next moment we heard a\ncry, and saw that the monster had caught up sweet Chriemhild from her\nseat in the garden, and was bearing her off through the air so rapidly\nthat both were soon out of sight.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd none of you went in pursuit!\u201d shouted the Nibelung hero, \u201ccowards\nthat you are!\u201d\n\n\u201cAre you mad?\u201d asked Hagen, unmoved. \u201cAre you a bird, that you can fly\nthrough wind and cloud?\u201d\n\n\u201cI shall seek out the monster,\u201d said Siegfried quietly; \u201cif I have to\nwander through the whole world and Helle\u2019s realm itself, I shall find\nthe maiden, or\u2014my death.\u201d\n\nHe hastened away, mounted his horse, and rode by unknown paths, leading\nhe knew not whither. A ferryman set him across the Rhine, and then he\nwandered about among the bare mountains, but found no trace of the\ndragon\u2019s abode. At length he reached a dark and trackless pine forest.\nThe boughs of the trees hung so low that he had to dismount, and lead\nhis horse by the bridle. As night came on, he threw himself under a\ntree, utterly exhausted, leaving his steed to graze at will.\n\nAt midnight he heard the tramp of a horse\u2019s hoofs, and, looking up, saw\na faint red light approaching. The rider was a little dwarf. On his\nhead was a golden crown, the point of which was formed of a shining\ncarbuncle. The hero asked the dwarf to show him the way out of the\nforest, and the little creature answered that he was glad they had met,\nfor no one knew the forest better than he; adding, that he was the\ndwarf-king Eugel, who lived in the mountains hard by with his brothers,\nand thousands more of their race.\n\n\u201cAs for you,\u201d he continued, \u201cI know that you are Siegfried of the\nNetherlands. I have often seen you when I have been going about the\nworld with my cap of darkness on. You could never have got out of the\nwild wood without my help, but would infallibly have found your grave\nat the Drachenstein, where the terrible giant Kuperan and the great\ndragon have taken up their abode.\u201d\n\nOn hearing this, Siegfried shouted aloud for joy, and promised the\ndwarf a rich reward, even to the whole Nibelung hoard, if he would lead\nhim to the Drachenstein. This Eugel refused to do, fearing for the\nhero\u2019s life; but when Siegfried threatened to slay him, and at the same\ntime seized him by the waist and shook him till his crown fell off, he\npromised to obey. He replaced his crown, and rode on first through the\ndark forest. At daybreak they reached their destination.\n\n\u201cKnock at that door,\u201d said the little king. \u201cIt is there that Kuperan\nlives. If you are hero enough to slay the giant, I and mine will serve\nyou, for now we are entirely in the power of that monster.\u201d\n\nHaving thus spoken, he donned his cap of darkness, and vanished.\n\nSiegfried knocked at the door, at first gently, then louder and louder,\nat the same time shouting to Kuperan to give him the keys of the\nDrachenstein. Suddenly the door sprang open, the giant rushed out in a\ntremendous passion, and asked in a thunderous voice what Siegfried\nmeant by disturbing his morning\u2019s sleep. With these words he hit out at\nthe warrior with the pole he had in his hands, which was taller than\nany of the tree tops, and every blow of which rang like a castle bell.\nSiegfried sprang aside to avoid the pole, and then the battle began.\nThe giant swung his pole with such good will that trees and rocks came\nrattling down, but he never succeeded in touching his agile foe. At\nlength, holding his weapon in both hands, he brought it down on the\nground with such terrible force that it clove the earth three fathoms\ndeep. As he stooped to draw it out, the hero sprang upon him and gave\nhim three deep wounds. The giant, howling with pain, slunk into his\ndwelling, and slammed the door behind him. Siegfried battered at the\niron door, but could not move it. He sought to force an opening with\nhis good sword, and succeeded in cutting some holes and crannies. He\npeeped into the inner room, and saw the giant binding up his wounds,\nand then arming himself in a suit of mail, that glistened like the sun\nwhen mirrored in the sea. In another minute Kuperan came forth, and the\ncombat was renewed. After a long struggle, Siegfried had the best of\nit, and the giant begged for his life, swearing to be a true comrade\nand helper in the hero\u2019s fight with the dragon, who could not be\novercome without his aid. Upon this Siegfried gave Kuperan his hand in\nfriendship, bound up his wounds, and promised on his side to be his\nfaithful comrade; but as he entered the cavern first, the false giant\nhit him so hard a blow on his helmet that he fell senseless to the\nground. Eugel, who was watching all that passed, unseen, came up at the\nsame moment and flung his cap of darkness over the hero. While the\nmonster thought he had vanished through enchantment, and felt about for\nhim outside, Siegfried recovered from his swoon, sprang to his feet,\nand tearing off the cap of darkness, cut down the giant with the first\nblow. He once more forgave the traitor, but forced him to go on before.\n\nFaithless Kuperan again tried to murder the hero at the entrance of the\nDrachenstein, and Siegfried would not have again forgiven him if he had\nnot needed his help to save the maiden. The giant now brought out the\nkey, unlocked the door, and led the hero through many passages into a\nvaulted chamber, in which a soft twilight reigned. Looking round,\nSiegfried saw her whom he sought, looking pale and wan, but very\nbeautiful. He called her name, and hastened to her. He even dared to\nclasp her in his arms; he felt that she returned his kiss, and the\nconsciousness that he was loved made him feel so strong that he could\nhave fought all the powers of hell for her sweet sake. Chriemhild wept\nbitterly, and entreated him to be gone before the dragon came back; but\nSiegfried asked for nothing better than to come face to face with the\nmonster, hew him in pieces, and save the princess. The giant now told\nthem that a sword was hidden in the Drachenstein, so fashioned that it\ncould cut through the scales of a dragon. The warrior set out to fetch\nit, accompanied by Kuperan and Chriemhild. Siegfried saw the hilt of a\nsword on a ledge of rock just below the edge of the beetling cliff. He\nstooped to pick it up, and at the same moment the monster seized him,\nand strove to fling him over. A terrible struggle began, in which the\nbandages came off the giant\u2019s wounds, his blood streamed down, his\nstrength failed him, and Siegfried flung him into the depths below. A\nloud laugh of joy was heard, and the victor, turning, saw King Eugel,\nwho thanked him heartily for having delivered the dwarfs from their\ncruel task-master. At his command a number of mannikins appeared,\nbearing food and wine to refresh the brave warrior after his exertions.\nHe was much in need of food, for he had not tasted a mouthful for two\ndays. The dishes Chriemhild placed before him, and the wine she gave\nhim, tasted better than anything he had ever eaten or drunk before.\n\nAll at once a rushing sound was heard in the air, and a howl of rage,\nso terrible, that all the dwarfs hid themselves in any crannies of the\nrock that they could find, and the hero and maiden were startled out of\ntheir momentary feeling of security. Chriemhild entreated, prayed her\nlover to conceal himself; but he was a stranger to fear, and refused to\nfly. The monster approached like a storm-cloud, preceded by flames of\nfire. It came nearer and nearer, dark, mysterious, gruesome. The\nmountain trembled, and the little dwarfs, hiding in the fissures of the\nrock, feared to be crushed to death. At Siegfried\u2019s request, Chriemhild\nwithdrew into the vaulted chamber. And now the dragon fell upon the\nhero, tore away his shield with its claws, and tried to seize him in\nits great teeth. The warrior knew how to act; he sprang aside, until\nthe fiery breath that issued from the dragon\u2019s yawning jaws had cooled.\nThen he renewed his attack, now on the right, now on the left of the\nmonster, taking care to avoid its claws.\n\nAll at once he felt himself encircled by the dragon\u2019s tail. He made a\nmarvellous spring, freed himself, and sought to attack the creature in\nfront, where it was undefended by scales. Upon this, the dragon caught\nhim so tight within its curling tail that he could not free himself. In\nsore distress, he seized his good sword Balmung in both hands, and gave\nso hard a blow that the rocks trembled; but his object was attained.\nThe tail was cut off, and rolled thundering over the edge of the cliff.\nA second blow, as hard as the first, divided the monster in two. \u2019Tis\ntrue, the jaws still snapped at the hero, but he, with the last effort\nof his strength, flung the pieces over the cliff. Having done this, he\nfell back exhausted and half stifled by the poisonous breath with which\nthe dragon had so long surrounded him. When he came to himself he found\nChriemhild\u2019s arms round him, and the dwarfs busily engaged burning\nherbs and sprinkling essences to do away with the baneful effect of the\nfetid odours with which the place was impregnated.\n\nThe dwarfs now led the hero and the maiden into their underground\nkingdom, where a feast was prepared for them. While they rested, Eugel\ntold them that the dragon had formerly been a man of handsome figure\nand face, but that a mighty enchantress, whom he had deserted, changed\nhim into a dragon, under which form he was to remain for the rest of\nhis life, unless a pure maiden should consent to marry him within six\nyears.\n\n[Illustration: SIEGFRIED\u2019S COMBAT WITH THE DRAGON.]\n\nThe dwarfs offered the warrior his choice of all their treasures. He\ntook certain things from them, placed them on his horse beside\nChriemhild, and, accompanied by Eugel, set out on his return to Worms.\nWhen they reached the edge of the wild forest, the dwarf-king looked at\nhim sadly, and said:\n\n\u201cYou must know, bold warrior, that your life will be short, but\nglorious. You will fall by the envy of your own kindred. But your fame\nwill last through all ages, and your name will be held in honour by the\nbards of every nation as long as the human race exists on the earth.\u201d\n\nEugel then took leave of him, and returned to his home in the forest.\nWhen Siegfried and Chriemhild came down to the banks of the Rhine, the\nhero took the treasure that the dwarf had given him, and sunk it in the\ndeep waters of the river.\n\n\u201cWhat is the use of gold to me?\u201d he said. \u201cMy life is to be short, but\nglorious! Hide it in thy bosom, mighty river; may it gild thy waves and\nmake them gleam more brightly in the sunlight! Gold does the devil\u2019s\nwork in the hands of the children of men; it sharpens the assassin\u2019s\ndagger to strike some unsuspecting heart\u2014perhaps mine. But as yet I\nlive in the light of day. I will rejoice in my glory, and in my love\nfor the sweetest maiden on the face of the earth.\u201d\n\nHe then rejoined Chriemhild, and called the ferryman to take them\nacross the Rhine, after which they pursued their way to Worms, and were\nreceived there with great rejoicing.\n\nSiegfried took the first opportunity when he found Gunther alone to ask\nhim for his sister\u2019s hand, and the king answered:\n\n\u201cI will give her to you with all my heart, if you will first help me to\nwin a high-born and most heroic woman to be my wife. I mean Brunhild,\nthe proud queen of Isenland, for whose sweet sake many a wooer has\nalready gone to his death.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know her well,\u201d replied Siegfried, \u201cand have seen how she bears\nherself in the fray. She fights bravely and well, yet I do not fear but\nthat she will find her masters in you and me. You will do well to\nprepare for an early start, that we may get back before the end of\nsummer.\u201d\n\nQueen Ute and her daughter feared the result of the adventure, but\nSiegfried told them to be of good courage. He promised to stand by\nGunther in life and death,\u2014even the proud queen of Isenland would\nscarcely prove so hard an antagonist as the monster of the\nDrachenstein. The king proposed to take a thousand warriors in his\ntrain, but Siegfried dissuaded him; and when at last they started, the\nparty of adventurers consisted of Gunther, grim Hagen, Dankwart, and\nhimself.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                       IV. THE WOOING OF BRUNHILD\n\nAfter a favourable voyage they arrived at Isenstein, and rode up to the\npalace. Servants hastened to meet them and take their armour and\nhorses. Hagen was at first unwilling to give up his horse and armour,\nbut he yielded when Siegfried told him that such was the law and custom\nat Isenstein. The warriors entered the hall where Brunhild awaited\nthem, clad in her royal robes. She greeted her guests with courtesy,\nand told the Nibelung hero how glad she was to see him again, as she\nhad been told of his great deeds of valour; adding that she supposed he\nhad come to enter the lists. Siegfried then informed her that he had\nonly come as the comrade of King Gunther, his lord, who desired to try\nhis fortune, and who was well worthy of the high prize of victory.\n\n\u201cThis is news to me!\u201d said the queen, \u201cI always thought you were your\nown man, and owed no allegiance to another.\u201d\n\nThen, turning to King Gunther, she told him that she had also heard of\nhis great deeds, and asked him who were the warriors that bore him\ncompany. Gunther answered with many thanks for her kind reception, and\nexplained who and what his companions were. Brunhild laughed, and asked\nwhether he intended to fight aided by his three comrades.\n\n\u201cNo, I alone am to fight,\u201d answered the king; \u201cI alone compete for the\ngreat prize.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery well,\u201d said the lady, \u201cthe lists are open, prepare to do your\nbest.\u201d\n\nThe warriors were led into the castle court, where a wide space was\nenclosed for the combat. The queen\u2019s serving-men surrounded it, well\narmed. One of these proclaimed in a loud voice:\n\n\u201cIf any nobly-born warrior ventures to play the three-fold play with\nthe queen, and gains the victory, she and her kingdom shall be his; but\nif he is conquered, his head and wealth belong to her.\u201d\n\nFour grooms now dragged a great stone into the lists, which the\ncombatants were to \u201cput\u201d (throw). It was as large and heavy as a\nmillstone. Three other men brought in the huge broadsword which the\nmaiden was accustomed to fling.\n\n\u201cIf the woman can play with such a thing as that,\u201d said Hagen, \u201cshe is\nthe devil\u2019s bride. No son of man can win her!\u201d\n\n\u201cIf we only had our weapons,\u201d cried Dankwart, \u201cneither the king nor we\nneed lose our lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cBe of good courage, King Gunther,\u201d said Siegfried, \u201cI will fetch my\ncap of darkness from the ship, and will help you without any one seeing\nthat I do so.\u201d\n\nHe hastened away whilst all eyes were fixed upon the queen, who now\nentered the court, surrounded by her ladies, and clad in full armour.\n\n\u201cIs it right, noble queen,\u201d said Hagen, \u201cthat your men should be armed,\nwhile we remain defenceless?\u201d\n\n\u201cBring the warriors their armour,\u201d commanded Brunhild. Then turning to\nHagen, she continued: \u201cBut, for all that, you must lose your lives\nhere. If I conquer Gunther, as I have hitherto conquered all who have\nentered the lists with me, your heads will fall under the axe of yonder\nman.\u201d\n\nThe heroes looked in the direction in which she pointed, and perceived\na man clad in blood-red garments standing without the barrier holding a\nsharp axe in his hand.\n\nThe trial of strength began.\n\nBrunhild went up to the stone, lifted it in both hands, and flung it\nthe length of six fathoms. After which, she leapt forward with one\nspring as light as a bird, making the point of her foot touch the\nstone. This feat was greeted with applause. Then came a silence as of\ndeath. Gunther advanced. Aided by Siegfried\u2019s strength, he lifted the\nstone, weighed it in one hand, and flung it a full fathom farther than\nthe queen. It was a stronger hand than his that helped him both in this\nand in the leap that followed, which carried him beyond the stone.\n\nIn the first feat of strength, he was thus indisputably the conqueror.\n\nThen Brunhild rose with flashing eyes, and seized the heavy spear with\nits sharp steel point.\n\n\u201cNow look to yourself, proud king,\u201d she cried, and flung the weapon\nwith such force that it crashed through his shield, and would have laid\nhim prostrate had not Siegfried come to his aid by turning the point\ntowards the edge of the shield instead of the centre. Then tearing it\nout of the broken shield, he turned the weapon so that the blunt end\npointed at the queen, and guiding Gunther\u2019s hand, Siegfried launched it\nat her. And immediately Brunhild fell backwards, her chain armour\nrattling with the force of her fall.\n\nThe combat was at an end, the victory won. Brunhild rose. She stood\ncalmly before the people, accepting her fate; but whoever could have\nread her heart would have seen it full of shame, anger, and a wild\nthirst for vengeance. The notables of Isenland were summoned to appear\nat Isenstein within three days to take the oath of allegiance to\nGunther. Brunhild begged the Burgundian warriors to remain her guests\nduring that time. She asked where the Nibelung hero was, and when he\nstepped forward, and said that he had been busied about the ship and\nthe sailors, she called him a faithless servant for not having been by\nwhile his master played so dangerous a game.\n\nA great feast was made in the hall. Many ladies were present, but the\nqueen remained in her own apartments. Gunther\u2019s feelings were very\nmixed. He was ashamed not to have won the victory single-handed, and\nyet he was pleased at having gained his object. Hagen drained many a\ncup of wine, and watched the laughing warriors around with a grim look\non his stern face. When the heroes of the Rhine were taken to their\ncommon chamber, Hagen advised them to see that their weapons were at\nhand, because he feared the queen was nursing some treacherous plan\nagainst them. Bold Siegfried answered that he would at once set out for\nthe land of the Nibelungs, and return with an army of good men and\ntrue. He made his way to the ship unperceived in the darkness, and set\nsail for his own kingdom. Arrived there, he went straight to the dwarf\nAlberich who guarded the treasure, and desired him to call out a\nthousand well-armed men to go with him to Isenland. His commands were\nobeyed in an incredibly short time, and he and his troops set out to\njoin his friends. On the third morning, he landed in front of the\npalace, to the great joy of the Burgundians. The queen, on the other\nhand, was anxious, not knowing what the arrival of so large a force\nmight mean. But Gunther comforted her by explaining that Siegfried had\nbrought over a band of his Nibelungs to do honour to him, the king.\n\nDuring the next few days everything was arranged for the proper\ngovernment of Isenland, and when Brunhild at length took leave of her\npeople and her mother\u2019s brother, who had been appointed governor, there\nwas hardly a dry eye to be seen. The queen herself was not happy, for\nshe felt sure she would never see her home again; but Gunther would not\nlet her lose time, being anxious to get back to Worms to celebrate his\nmarriage.\n\nWhen the travellers arrived in Burgundy, they were received with great\njoy by every one. The Lady Ute welcomed Brunhild as a daughter, and\nChriemhild kissed her, and promised to be a faithful sister to her. So\nthe two maidens stood side by side: the one, grand, beautiful, and\nmysterious as a starlight night; the other, sweet, gentle, and lovely\nas a May morning. None looking at them could say which was the fairest.\nBut Siegfried had no doubt. He never moved from Chriemhild\u2019s side till\nthey reached the castle.\n\nThat evening, Gunther asked Siegfried and Chriemhild if they were still\nof the same mind as before, and, finding that they were, announced that\nhe would make preparations for a double wedding on the following day.\n\nBrunhild sat at the feast that evening by Gunther\u2019s side, pale and cold\nas marble, while Chriemhild sat smiling and whispering between her\nmother and her lover.\n\n\u201cKing of Burgundy,\u201d said Brunhild, at last, \u201cI cannot understand why\nyou give your sister in marriage to one of your vassals. She ought to\nbe the wife of a great king.\u201d\n\n\u201cSay not so,\u201d answered Gunther; \u201cSiegfried is as much a king as I am.\nHe is king of the Nibelungs, and, after the death of his father\nSigmund, the whole Netherlands will belong to him.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is a strange story,\u201d she said; \u201che told me himself that he was your\nman.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will explain it all to you another time,\u201d replied Gunther; \u201cwe\u2019ll\nsay no more about it just now.\u201d\n\nThe double wedding took place next day. When the ceremony was over, the\nold queen showed her daughter-in-law all her possessions, and gave up\nto her all authority in the house.\n\n\u201cAh, mother Ute,\u201d said the young wife, \u201cthe Burgundians are rich in\nwealth and great in power; but they are poor in wisdom and weak in\naction, otherwise King Gunther never would have come to Isenland.\u201d\n\nWithout waiting for an answer, she turned and left the room.\n\nThe feast was at an end, twilight had long fallen, and the guests all\nsought their beds. Gunther and his queen went to their private\napartments. When he would have followed her into her room, she barred\nthe way, saying,\u2014\n\n\u201cThis is no place for you; you can find a more fitting room elsewhere\nin the palace. If I permitted you to enter, I should lose my great\nstrength.\u201d\n\nAt first he tried entreaties, then threats, and lastly force. They\nwrestled together, but she very soon mastered him, bound him hand and\nfoot, and left him lying outside the door. He did not sleep much that\nnight.\n\nNext morning, before the household was stirring, the proud queen loosed\nher husband\u2019s bonds, desired him to hold his peace, and to respect her\nwill in future. Gunther was sad at heart the whole day long; he looked\nat his wife with a feeling that was almost horror, and often left the\nfeast to walk alone in the garden. Siegfried met him there, and asked\nwhat ailed him. When he heard the strange story, he cried:\n\n\u201cBe comforted, dear comrade; we have conquered this proud woman before,\nand I think we shall get the better of her again. I will follow you\nto-night, hidden under my cap of darkness, when you take the queen to\nher room. Blow out the candles and let me take your place. Then she\nshall have an opportunity of trying her great strength against me.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh, good comrade,\u201d said Gunther, \u201cI fear for your life. We did ill to\nbring her from Isenland to the sunny banks of the Rhine. She is a\ndemon, as Hagen says, and has her marvellous strength from her friends\nthe devils.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said Siegfried, \u201cand even if a demon has taken up his abode in\nher heart, it shall go hard but we\u2019ll get the better of him. I shall be\nwith you to-night in my cap of darkness.\u201d\n\nThe kings returned to the feast, Siegfried looking as cheerful as ever,\nwhile Gunther was bowed down by manifold cares and anxieties. At\nmidnight Gunther led Brunhild to her room, blew out the candles, and\nimmediately Siegfried took his place. The wrestling began, Brunhild\npushed him between the wall and a cupboard, and tried to bind him with\nher girdle. She squeezed his hands till the blood spirted from under\nhis nails. Such a wrestling-match was never seen between a man and a\nmaid. He used all his hero-might, and pressed her into a corner of the\nroom with such force, that, shivering and moaning, she entreated him\nnot to kill her, and she would be an obedient wife. No sooner did\nSiegfried hear this than he slipped softly away, leaving Gunther alone\nwith the queen.\n\nThe wedding festivities lasted eight days longer; then the guests took\nleave of their host, and went home with many rich gifts. Siegfried and\nhis wife also made ready for their departure. The hero refused to take\nany dowry with his wife, for, in his opinion, the Nibelung treasure was\nwealth enough.\n\nIt was on a beautiful day that the travellers reached the Netherlands.\nKing Sigmund and Queen Sigelinde came out to meet them, and received\nthem with great joy. An assembly of the people was summoned to meet,\nand after a short speech from the throne, the old king and queen placed\ntheir crowns on the heads of Siegfried and Chriemhild. The people\nshouted, \u201cLong live our young king and queen! May they reign as long\nand as happily as their forerunners!\u201d\n\nIt seemed as if the people\u2019s wish were to be realized, for years passed\non, and all went well with the royal family. Queen Sigelinde had the\ngreat joy of holding a grandson in her arms. The child received the\nname of Gunther, in honour of his uncle in the distant Rhineland. And\nKing Gunther, who had a son born about the same time, called the infant\nSiegfried. Not long after this the old queen was taken ill and died.\nThis made a break in their domestic happiness; but still there was\npeace in the realm, and along its borders.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                         V. TREASON AND DEATH.\n\nEight years, or thereabouts, had come and gone, when messengers arrived\nfrom Burgundy inviting Siegfried and Chriemhild to a great feast. They\naccepted the invitation, and Sigmund determined to accompany them to\nWorms.\n\nBrunhild had said one day to her husband, \u201cKing Gunther, why does your\nbrother-in-law Siegfried never come to our court like the other\nvassals? I should like to see both him and your sister Chriemhild. Pray\nsend, and command their presence at court.\u201d\n\n\u201cI told you before,\u201d answered Gunther, somewhat nettled, \u201cthat my\nbrother-in-law is as mighty a king as I. He rules over the Nibelungs\nand the Netherlands.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow strange!\u201d she replied. \u201cYou cannot deny that he called himself\nyour man when he was in Isenland.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh! he only said that to help me in my wooing,\u201d said Gunther, feeling\nuncomfortable.\n\n\u201cYou only say that,\u201d was her answer, \u201cto make your sister seem to have\na higher rank. But however that may be, I should very much like to see\nthem both at our court.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery well,\u201d he answered kindly, \u201cI will send messengers to invite them\nto the Midsummer feast, and they will not refuse to come.\u201d\n\nHe went away, and did as he had said. Brunhild remained alone, plunged\nin thought.\n\n\u201cThere he goes,\u201d she muttered. \u201cThe man that conquered the once heroic\nmaiden, who thought herself strong enough to brave the battle like the\nValkyrs of old. And he, what is he but a weak reed, moved hither and\nthither by every breath of wind that blows? How much greater Siegfried\nis! He is a hero with the world at his feet. But then a vassal! To be\nsure, none such could dare to raise his eyes to the queen of Isenland.\nHad he done so, she must have scorned him, and would scorn him to this\nvery hour.\u201d\n\nSiegfried and his party came to Worms at the appointed time. There was\nno end to the feasting, tilting, and minstrelsy. Old Sigmund renewed\nhis youth again, and delighted to talk of old days with the Lady Ute,\nwhom he had known as a child. The young queens were always together, at\nchurch, or at the feast, or else in the gallery overlooking the\ntilt-yard. The only amusement to which Chriemhild did not accompany her\nsister-in-law was the chase.\n\nOne day when they were sitting together in the gallery watching the\nfeats of agility and skill shown by the warriors, she said in the joy\nof her heart:\n\n\u201cIs not my Siegfried glorious among warriors, like a moon among the\npale stars of night? He is a royal hero.\u201d\n\n\u201cHe is well deserving of your praise,\u201d replied Brunhild, \u201cbut still he\nmust yield the first place to my husband.\u201d\n\n\u201cOf a truth,\u201d answered Chriemhild, \u201cmy brother is a bold warrior, but\nhe does not equal my husband in feats of arms.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy,\u201d said Brunhild, \u201cdid not win he the prize at Isenstein, while\nSiegfried remained with the ship?\u201d\n\n\u201cDo you mean to accuse the Nibelung hero, the dragon-queller, of\ncowardice?\u201d cried the young wife indignantly.\n\n\u201cHe cannot stand so high as the king of Burgundy,\u201d answered Brunhild,\n\u201cfor he is not his own man, but owes fealty to my husband.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou lie, proud woman!\u201d exclaimed Chriemhild, her face flushing with\nanger, \u201cyou lie most insolently. My brother would never have let me\nmarry a man who was not free. Siegfried owes no man allegiance, neither\nfor Nibelungland nor yet for Netherland. The first kingdom he conquered\nwith his own right hand, the other is his inheritance; and I, his\nqueen, may hold my head as high as you.\u201d\n\n\u201cTry it, chatterer! I shall always walk into church before you.\u201d\n\nWith these words Brunhild left the gallery. Chriemhild felt both hurt\nand angry. It was the first grief that had ever befallen her, and she\ncould not get over it. She went to her rooms, put on her costliest\ngarments and the jewels that had come out of the Nibelung treasure;\nthen, followed by her ladies and serving-men, she walked to the\nminster. Brunhild was already there with her train. She would have\npassed the proud woman silently, but the latter exclaimed:\n\n\u201cYour husband is my husband\u2019s man, so wait here, and let your queen go\nfirst.\u201d\n\n\u201cBetter for you had you held your peace,\u201d said Chriemhild. \u201cA paramour\ngo before a king\u2019s wife, indeed!\u201d\n\n\u201cAre you mad?\u201d asked Brunhild. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d\n\n\u201cI will tell you what I mean,\u201d replied Chriemhild, \u201cwhen I come out of\nchurch;\u201d and passing before her enemy, she went in to the house of God.\n\nThe proud queen stood still, weeping, at the entrance door. Shame and\nanger struggled in her breast, and she could scarcely wait till the end\nof the service. At length the door opened, and Chriemhild appeared.\n\n\u201cNow,\u201d exclaimed Brunhild, \u201cstop, and explain what you meant by your\ninsulting words, you wife of a bondsman.\u201d\n\n\u201cWife of a bondsman?\u201d repeated Chriemhild, as though she had not heard\nthe other words. \u201cDo you recognise the gold ring on my hand shaped like\na serpent?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is mine,\u201d said Brunhild. \u201cNow I know who stole it from me.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d continued Chriemhild, \u201cmaybe you also remember the silken\ngirdle I wear round my waist, with its gold buckles and precious\nstones. My husband gained both the ring and the girdle that night, when\nhe, not Gunther, conquered you.\u201d\n\nChriemhild went her way with the air of a hero on the day of his\ngreatest victory. The proud queen remained standing where her\nsister-in-law had left her, her head bowed with shame. She sent for her\nhusband, and when he came, told him how she had been insulted. And\nGunther promised to ask Siegfried if he had any knowledge of what had\ntaken place. He received his brother-in-law in the royal hall, and in\nthe presence of many of his bravest warriors. He told him what had\nchanced, and immediately the Nibelung hero declared, in all good truth,\nthat he had never spoken of dishonour and of the queen in the same\nbreath; adding that too much weight should not be laid on the words\nthat women spoke in anger. He then offered to clear himself by a solemn\noath. But Gunther interrupted him, saying he knew him of old, and that\nhis word was as good as his bond.\n\n\u201cHearken, then, ye men of Burgundy,\u201d said the hero; \u201cyou see that I am\npronounced innocent of causing the humiliations your queen has endured,\nand indeed I have always regarded her as a modest woman, and a good\nwife. And now, dear comrade Gunther, chide your wife as I shall chide\nmine for what they have this day done, that we may never again be\nbrought to dispeace by their idle chatter.\u201d\n\nHe then turned and left the hall; but many a Burgundian felt that their\nqueen had suffered a cruel wrong.\n\nNext day Brunhild began to make preparations for her departure to\nIsenland. The king and his brothers entreated her to stay; but she sat\nsilent and immovable as a stone figure.\n\n\u201cWe cannot let you go,\u201d cried the king. \u201cWe will at any cost expiate my\nsister\u2019s thoughtless speech. What price do you demand?\u201d\n\nShe rose, looked round the circle of warriors, and said in a hoarse and\nhollow voice:\n\n\u201cBlood!\u201d\n\nThe Burgundians started, and stared at each other, none daring to\nspeak. She continued in the same tone:\n\n\u201cNot all the waters of the Rhine could wash the stain from my honour.\nThe heart\u2019s blood of yonder man alone can do it.\u201d\n\nThe uneasiness of the warriors increased; but Hagen said:\n\n\u201cAre the bold Burgundians grown weak with age? Have they become\nchildren again? I will explain the matter. Our queen demands the\nheart\u2019s-blood of Siegfried. Ha! The words seem to terrify you!\u201d\n\nThe Burgundians exchanged whispers about Siegfried\u2019s strength, how it\nwere certain death to fight with him, and, moreover, that he was\ninnocent of all blame in the matter.\n\nThen grim Hagen turned to Brunhild, and said, \u201cLady, it was against my\nadvice that Gunther went to woo you in Isenland; but, now that you are\nour queen, your honour shall be safe in our hands. I will satisfy your\ndesire.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut,\u201d exclaimed young Giselher, \u201cit is not the way in Burgundy to\nreturn evil for good. Siegfried has always been true to us, and I, at\nleast, will not be false to him.\u201d\n\nHagen tried to persuade Volker, the minstrel, to help him in the work\nof assassination, for Siegfried was not a man they could attack openly.\nBut Volker refused. Ortwin offered himself in his stead, saying that\nthe mere fact of Siegfried having given the ring and girdle to his wife\nwas an insult to the queen of Burgundy, and must therefore be revenged.\n\nGunther here broke in passionately, \u201cSuch a murder would cast dishonour\non all Burgundy, and it is my duty as the king to prevent it.\u201d\n\n\u201cLord of the Rhine,\u201d cried Brunhild, rising from her seat, \u201cI give you\nthree days to think of it. After that, I either go to Isenland, or have\nmy revenge.\u201d With these words she left the room.\n\n\u201cNo weapon can hurt him,\u201d said the Margrave Gere, \u201cfor he has bathed in\ndragon\u2019s blood, and is only vulnerable in one place, on which a\nlime-leaf fell when he was doing it.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf he guesses what we are after,\u201d added Sindolt, \u201che and his thousand\nNibelungs will conquer the kingdom.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will do it by cunning,\u201d said grim Hagen.\n\nThe king could not make up his mind one way or the other. He would\u2014and\nwould not. And when the warriors separated, nothing was settled. Three\ndays later, when Gunther saw that the queen\u2019s mind was fully made up,\nhe consented with a sigh to let his uncle Hagen try his plan.\n\nAbout this time heralds came from L\u00fcdegast and L\u00fcdeger to declare war\nagainst Burgundy. Siegfried at once promised to help his\nbrothers-in-law to defend the country. The ladies were all busy\npreparing the jerkins their husbands were to wear. One day when\nChriemhild was thus employed, Hagen entered her room. He bade her be of\ngood cheer, because the hero having bathed in dragon\u2019s blood was\ninvulnerable.\n\n\u201cGood friend,\u201d she answered sadly, \u201cmy Siegfried is so bold that he\noften pushes into the midst of the enemy, and, in such a case, he might\neasily be wounded in his only vulnerable point.\u201d\n\nHagen begged her to embroider a little cross upon his jerkin to mark\nthe place, so that he might always cover it with his shield. She\npromised to do so, and immediately worked a little cross with silver\nthread upon the garment. Her anxiety was needless, for the next day\nfresh messengers came to say that the kings had changed their minds\nregarding war, and were now determined to be true to their old\nalliance. Soon after this, Gunther made preparations for a great hunt\nto be given in honour of the continued peace. On the morning on which\nit was to be held, Chriemhild entreated her husband to remain at home.\nShe had had such terrible dreams the night before, that she feared for\nhis life. He laughed at her, and then kissed her, saying that a bad\ndream would be a foolish reason for keeping away from the hunt.\n\n\u201cBesides that, be comforted, dear wife. What harm can happen to me? I\nshall be amongst faithful friends and comrades all day long. I shall\ntake Balmung and a sharp spear with me, and I should like to see him\nwho would dare withstand me.\u201d\n\nHe kissed her again, and hastened away. She ran to the window, and\nwatched him until he disappeared from sight. The morning passed very\npleasantly, and then the warriors sat down to their mid-day meal, which\nwas spread out on the grass. There was food in plenty, but the wine ran\nshort. Hagen explained that he had sent the wine on to another place,\nthinking it was there they should have dined; but he told his friends\nof a cool spring under a lime-tree not far off, and offered to run a\nrace there with Siegfried. The latter laughingly accepted the\nchallenge, adding that he would carry his sword and hunting-tackle,\nwhile Hagen went empty-handed, that the race might be more equal. The\ntwo warriors ran across the meadow ground towards the linden, and, as\nthey ran, the field flowers tried to stop bold Siegfried, the branches\nof the trees beckoned him to go back, and the birds in the linden sang\nsadly as though they would say, \u201cTurn back, noble hero, the traitor is\nbehind you.\u201d But Siegfried did not understand the language of the\nflowers, trees, and birds. He trusted his friend as himself.\n\n\u201cHere we are at last,\u201d he cried to the panting Hagen. \u201cHere is the\nclear spring; see how the water sparkles. Let us rest under the cool\nshade of the linden, until the king comes up, for he must have the\nfirst draught.\u201d\n\nHe laid aside his sword and other weapons, and threw himself on the\nflowery grass.\n\n\u201cHow dull you look,\u201d he continued to Hagen, \u201cand yet it is such a\nbright and beautiful day, and we have had such good sport this morning.\nAh, here are the others. Come, Gunther, we are waiting for you. You\nmust have the first draught.\u201d\n\nGunther stooped and drank of the fresh, clear water of the spring, then\nSiegfried followed him, saying with a laugh:\n\n\u201cI intend to have a real good drink. But do not fear, noble friends, I\nshall leave you plenty. This spring is like mankind: one part goes down\ninto the earth, and another comes up into the light of day, but it\nnever ends.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery true,\u201d said Hagen; \u201cwhat matters one life more or less?\u201d\n\nThe Nibelung hero bent over the well and drank thirstily, and, as he\ndid so, Hagen caught up his spear and plunged it into his back, in the\nexact spot where Chriemhild had embroidered the silver cross on his\njerkin. He did it with such force, that the point of the weapon went\nthrough his back and came out at his chest. The wounded man sprang to\nhis feet, and, not finding his sword where he had put it, for it had\nbeen removed by one of the conspirators, seized his shield and struck\nthe murderer to the ground. More he could not do. He sank back\nhelplessly amongst the flowers, which were dyed red with his blood. The\nsilver stream was also reddened, and all the sky was crimson with the\nlight of the setting sun. It seemed as if nature were blushing for the\nevil deed that had just been done.\n\nOnce more the hero feebly raised his beautiful head, and said, looking\nround upon the Burgundians:\n\n\u201cYe murderous hounds, what harm did I ever do you? Had I known of your\ntreachery, ye had all lain dead at my feet. A devil from hell must have\ntempted you to do this foul deed. None of you ventured to meet me in\nopen battle, and so you fixed upon Hagen to do the cowardly deed. Your\nnames will be known until the latest times as those of cowardly\ntraitors. And now, King Gunther, dishonoured as you are through this\nill-deed, and weak of will, listen to the words of a dying man. Protect\nmy wife, she is your own sister, protect my poor wife from Hagen.\u201d\n\nThese were the last words of the royal hero.\n\nThe warriors stood silently around him, their hearts filled with sorrow\nand repentance. Gunther at length said:\n\n\u201cWe will tell the people, who all loved the dead man, that he was\nmurdered by robbers. Chriemhild will never then hold us to blame.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said Hagen, \u201cthat may not be. I will not deny what my own\ncunning and my own hand have done. Our queen has now the expiation that\nshe demanded, and your honour required. Burgundy is safe from all\nenemies, for no man was ever Siegfried\u2019s equal, or ever will be. What\ndo I care for the complaints of a people or for the tears of a woman?\nLet us make a bier of branches, that the dead warrior may be borne to\nWorms thereon. Ha! here is Balmung, his good sword; to-day it shall do\nits old master a last service, and its new master a first.\u201d\n\nWhen the bier was made, the hunting party set out for Worms in very\ndifferent fashion from that in which they had started in the morning.\nThey did not arrive until late at night. It almost seemed as though the\ndead hero inspired both warriors and serving-men with terror. None of\nthem would carry him up the staircase. Hagen called them cowardly\nloons, and raising the body on his shoulders, carried it up, and laid\nit outside Chriemhild\u2019s door. Next morning early the queen got up, and\nmade ready to go to the sanctuary. She called a chamberlain, and he,\nseeing a dead man, whom he did not recognise in the half-light, lying\nin the passage, told his mistress. She shrieked aloud:\n\n\u201cIt is Siegfried! Hagen has murdered him at Brunhild\u2019s command!\u201d\n\nThe servants brought lights, and they saw that she had spoken truth.\nShe threw herself on her husband\u2019s body, and with her tears washed his\nface clear of the blood stains that marred it. There he lay before her,\npale, cold, and motionless; never, never again should she hear his\nvoice;\u2014never again. The word rhymed in her ears, and seemed to madden\nher. She would willingly have died with him, and have gone down to the\ngrave; or, as her forefathers believed, have rejoined him in Freya\u2019s\nhalls.\n\nOld Sigmund, on hearing the news, uttered no word, but his heart seemed\nbroken. He kissed his son\u2019s wounds, as though he hoped thereby to\nrecall him to life. Suddenly he started to his feet, and the old spirit\nawoke in his heart.\n\n\u201cMurder! Vengeance!\u201d he cried. \u201cUp, Nibelungs, up, and avenge your\nhero.\u201d\n\nHe hastened into the court, and the Nibelungs, hearing his words,\ncrowded round him in full armour. The old man received a sword and coat\nof mail from them, but his trembling hands were too weak to hold them,\nand next moment he had sank unconscious on the ground. The Burgundians\nwere awaiting the assault with arms in their hands, and grim Hagen was\nbringing up new forces to help those already there.\n\nThe Nibelungs retired, gnashing their teeth.\n\nOn the third day after this, the bier was taken to the sanctuary to be\nblessed by the priest. The populace crowded into the church, that they\nmight give a last look at the dead hero, who had done so much for\nBurgundy. Chriemhild stood by the uncovered coffin, which was adorned\nwith gold and precious stones. Her eyes were tearless, but all could\nread her sorrow in her face and bearing. A veiled woman passed close by\namongst the crowd. Chriemhild alone recognised her.\n\n\u201cGo, murderess,\u201d she cried, \u201cdo not approach him, lest the very dead\nshould bear witness against you.\u201d\n\nThe Unknown vanished in the crowd.\n\nThe Burgundian warriors now came to view the corpse, as custom\ndemanded. When Hagen came up, the wounds of the dead man opened, and\nhis blood flowed forth in a warm stream, as at the hour of the murder.\n\n\u201cDo not stand there, assassin,\u201d said Chriemhild; \u201cdo you not see how\nthe dead bears witness against you?\u201d\n\nThe bold warrior remained where he was.\n\n\u201cI do not deny what my hand has done. I only acted as I was bound to\nact by my fealty to my liege lord and his queen.\u201d\n\nIf Chriemhild had had a sword in her hand, and had been possessed of a\nman\u2019s strength, Hagen had scarcely quitted the sanctuary alive.\n\nMany gifts were made to the poor in honour of the dead hero, who was\nburied on the fourth day. The grave-chamber was richly decorated, and\nover it rose a high mound. Chriemhild followed the coffin to its quiet\nresting-place. There the lid was opened once more at her command. She\nkissed and wept over the pale face of her husband. Her women at length\nhad to bear her away, for she would have remained there for ever. Hagen\nwas standing without, grim and unmoved as ever, and said with his usual\nfatalism, \u201cWhat has happened, must needs have happened. The will of the\nNorns must be done.\u201d The queen did not hear him. She did not even see\nhow Gunther, Gernot, and many of the other warriors tried to hide their\ngrief and repentance. Her thoughts were all with the dead.\n\nSigmund and the Nibelungs prepared to return home. They wanted to take\nChriemhild with them, to guard her from the false Burgundians, but she\nwould not leave her husband\u2019s grave, and only begged the old king and\nthe Margrave Eckewart to take care of her little son, and bring him up\nto be like his father. For she said he was an orphan, fatherless, and\nperhaps motherless. She had only one wish, which she whispered in the\nold man\u2019s ear\u2014the wish for vengeance. Sigmund took leave of none but\nthe Lady Ute, who mourned for Siegfried as if he had been a son of her\nown, and of Giselher, the youngest of the brothers. Then he set out for\nthe Netherlands.\n\nTime passed on, and it almost seemed as though Chriemhild had grown\ncontent, and had become reconciled to her brother. Grim Hagen alone\nseemed to fill her with horror, and Brunhild she also avoided. She, one\nday, told her brother that she wished the Nibelung treasure to be\nbrought up to Worms, as it was her private property. Gunther rejoiced\nat this proof of her renewed confidence in him, and at once consented\nto send for it. Alberich delivered the treasure to the messengers\nwithout hesitation, and at length it arrived at Worms. The queen made\ngenerous gifts to the people, and whenever she found a brave warrior\nwho possessed but few worldly goods, she would provide him with all\nthat was necessary for his calling, and with daily pay besides. So that\nshe gradually became complete mistress of a small army, which grew\ndaily larger, and more powerful.\n\nHagen warned the kings of this; he told them that the Lady Chriemhild\nmeditated vengeance. He did not care for his own life, he said, but the\nfair land of Burgundy must not fall into her hands. The only way that\nhe could see of preventing this consummation would be for the kings to\ntake the Nibelung treasure under their own care. The brothers would not\nconsent. Gernot said that enough harm had been done to their sister\nalready without heaping small indignities on her. Once, when his liege\nlords were absent, Hagen, who had always considered that prevention was\nbetter than cure, called his men together, and fell upon the warders\nwho had charge of the Nibelung treasure. He carried off all that\nremained of it, and sank it in the deep waters of the Rhine. It was of\nlittle use that the kings heard of his ill-deed on their return; it was\nof little use that Chriemhild made indignant complaint: the deed was\ndone, and could not be undone.\n\n\u201cIf you were not our uncle,\u201d said Gunther and Gernot, \u201cthis should have\ncost you your life.\u201d\n\nA short time afterwards, Hagen showed his nephews the place in the\nRhine where he had hidden the treasure, and made them swear that none\nof them would betray its hiding-place as long as one of them was alive.\nChriemhild was sad and sorrowful as before; she always sat with her\nmother, and embroidered tapestry in which she depicted the scene of\nBaldur\u2019s death, and showed how he was cruelly slain by his brother\nH\u00f6der, and how Nanna died of a broken heart, and shared her husband\u2019s\nbier. But in Baldur every one recognised the features of her hero, and\nin Nanna her own; while H\u00f6der had the features, garments, and murderous\nweapon of grim Hagen. She often held the needle suspended in her\nfingers, and sat watching the picture thoughtfully. When the Lady Ute\nasked her, on such occasions, \u201cWhat are you thinking of, my child?\u201d she\nwould answer, \u201cI was thinking of Hagen.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: HAGEN THROWS THE PRIEST OVERBOARD.]\n\n\n\n\n                         _THE NIBELUNGS\u2019 WOE._\n\n\n                                  I.\n                          KING ETZEL\u2019S WOOING.\n\nSome welcome guests arrived at Worms. Margrave R\u00fcdiger of Bechelaren,\nsurnamed \u201cthe Good,\u201d came with some of his warriors to the Burgundian\ncourt. Gunther, Gernot, and Hagen were old acquaintances of his, and he\nhad often held young Giselher on his knees as a child. Now that he came\nto the house of mourning, his gentle, noble spirit had such an effect\non Chriemhild that she would sometimes accompany her mother to the\nhall, and listen to the Margrave with a gentle smile, such as had not\nbeen seen on her face since her hero\u2019s death. But if Brunhild or Hagen\nentered, she would go away at once. Days and weeks passed on, and at\nlast Gunther said to his guest that he fancied the Margrave had not\ncome merely for the pleasure of renewing an old acquaintance, but had\nsomething on his mind. Then R\u00fcdiger answered:\n\n\u201cWell, King Gunther, I will tell you what brings me here. You know that\ngood Queen Helche, the faithful helpmeet of my liege lord King Etzel,\ndied some years ago, and that her sons were slain in battle by Wittich.\nThe king of the Huns has long sat lonely in the wide halls of\nEtzelburg, but he has now made up his mind to marry again. He consulted\nme on the subject, and I advised him to try and win the hand of the\nnoble Lady Chriemhild, your sister and the widow of heroic Siegfried.\nIf you will give your consent to the match, I am empowered to say that\nshe shall be queen of the Huns.\u201d\n\n\u201cShe is no longer under my charge,\u201d was the answer; \u201cshe is queen of\nthe Nibelungs, and of the Netherlands, and I fear that she will not be\nwilling to marry again.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will take her the good news,\u201d said Giselher, \u201cand mother Ute will\nadvise her to do as we wish.\u201d\n\nThe young warrior immediately rose, and went to the women\u2019s apartment.\nHe found his sister busied as usual with her embroidery. He told her\nthat it was time she should give up grieving so much for her dead\nhusband, and reminded her that she was still young, and might yet be\nhappy. Then he told her what R\u00fcdiger had related of Etzel\u2019s court, its\ngreatness and its glory, and finally told her of Etzel\u2019s wooing. But\nChriemhild answered with solemn firmness, that she would not leave the\ngrave-mound in which all she loved was buried.\n\nThen mother Ute spoke. \u201cIf you will be Etzel\u2019s queen, my child, you\nwill be the most powerful of women.\u201d\n\n\u201cMost powerful of women,\u201d repeated the daughter thoughtfully. \u201cLook,\nGiselher,\u201d she went on, pointing to her embroidery, \u201cyou know whom that\nhero is intended to represent?\u201d\n\nHe shook his head, and she added, \u201cIt is Wali, the Avenger, of whom our\nfathers said that he revenged Baldur, and sent dark H\u00f6der to his own\nplace.\u201d\n\n\u201cThese are old wives\u2019 stories that are forgotten now,\u201d answered\nGiselher. \u201cLet us speak of him in whose name good R\u00fcdiger is come to\nwoo you.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes\u2014but what if it were to be fulfilled?\u201d she said, \u201cperhaps\u2014Ask the\nMargrave to come to me, that I may hear his wooing myself.\u201d\n\nGiselher left the room, and the Lady Ute went out also, leaving\nChriemhild alone, as she requested.\n\n\u201cSiegfried,\u201d said the young queen, \u201cit is for your sake that I leave\nyour resting-place, from whence you have so often come to me, in waking\nand in sleep, and pointed to your wounds\u2014those gaping, bleeding\nwounds, that will never close until it is granted me to send grim H\u00f6der\ndown to dark Hella.\u201d\n\nR\u00fcdiger appeared, and in courteous fashion wooed the queen in his\nmaster\u2019s name; but not till he had promised, in the name of the god\nIrmin, that she should have men to fight her battles when she needed\nthem, did she consent to go to the land of the wild Huns, and to become\nEtzel\u2019s wife.\n\nThe Burgundians all rejoiced when R\u00fcdiger told them the good news,\u2014the\nthree royal brothers especially, for now, they thought, their sister\nwould again be happy. But Hagen came to them, and said,\u2014\n\n\u201cWhat are you thinking of, that you thus call the lightning down on our\nheads? Do not give your sister to the king of the Huns. Between the\nwidow of Siegfried and us, such friendship alone can exist as that\nbetween fire and water. Either must the one be quenched, or the other\nfly off in steam. It is a childish action to supply one\u2019s enemy with a\nsword to cut off one\u2019s head.\u201d\n\nBut the brothers refused to listen to his warnings. Preparations now\nwent on apace for the journey to Etzelburg. Ambassadors were sent to\nthe Nibelungs and to the Netherlands to tell them of the queen\u2019s\ncontemplated marriage. They returned with a numerous company of\nwarriors and servants. At length all was ready, the kings went with\ntheir sister as far as the Danube, where they took leave of her, and\nMargrave R\u00fcdiger took their place as leader of the travelling party. At\nthe borders of the land, King Etzel with a large following awaited the\nqueen\u2019s arrival. His face lighted up with pleasure when he saw the\npale, beautiful countenance of the Lady Chriemhild. He told her that\nshe should have full power over his treasures and his lands,\u2014that, in\nshort, she should be his queen. She answered that she would be a\nfaithful and obedient wife, but that her love was buried with\nSiegfried. The king paid no attention to the last words. He made sure\nof winning her love through kindness and affection. And so they went on\ntogether to Etzelburg. The marriage festivities lasted a fortnight, and\nwere celebrated in the usual way.\n\nChriemhild took little part in the rejoicings. She did all that she had\nto do, thinking of Siegfried the while. Now, amongst the warriors\npresent, there was one who was famed for his unusual strength, bold\nDietrich of Bern. His thoughts were far away in the beautiful land of\nthe Amelungs, which his uncle Ermenrich had taken from him by guile and\nforce. He longed to return to his own people, and win the victory for\nthem; but Etzel would not give him the necessary help. Sometimes, as he\nsat grave and sad in the great hall, while other men were laughing and\ntalking, the queen would go to him, and tell him of Hagen\u2019s foul deed.\nHe understood that she wished to woo him to vengeance, but he was\nsilent, for he neither could nor would raise his sword against the\nBurgundian warriors who had been his faithful comrades in the olden\ntime.\n\nMonths and years passed on; a little boy was born to the royal pair. He\nwas the image of his mother, and received the name of Ortlieb. The king\nand country rejoiced equally in the birth of an heir to the throne. For\nhis son\u2019s sake, Etzel loved his wife more than he had ever done before,\nand would have given her anything she chose to ask; but she cared for\nnothing; she remained grave, quiet, thoughtful about her duties, but\nsparing of her words. Even her little boy, carefully as she tended him,\ndid not bring her happiness. She was never seen to smile even on him.\nThe wound that her first husband\u2019s death had dealt her would not heal.\nThe spirit of vengeance, rising out of the abyss, never ceased to\nwhisper in her ears, \u201cBlood for blood, murder for murder,\u201d and her ears\nwere open to its cry.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                   II. THE BURGUNDIANS VISIT HUNLAND.\n\n\n                              THE JOURNEY.\n\nOne day when the king was playing with little Ortlieb, and speaking to\nhis mother, he said how much he wished that the child should one day be\na hero like Siegfried. She nearly shrieked when she heard the name, but\nforcing herself to be quiet, begged her husband to invite her brothers\nand their friends to come on a visit to the land of the Huns. It was\nthe first request that she had ever made, and so King Etzel was\noverjoyed to hear it. He despatched the minstrels Swemmeling and\nW\u00f6rbeling, with four and twenty noble warriors, to invite the\nBurgundian kings to the Midsummer festival. And Chriemhild sent a\nspecial message to her mother, begging her to come too. In spite of\nHagen\u2019s remonstrances, the three kings accepted Etzel\u2019s invitation.\n\nHagen prepared for the journey as though they were setting out on a\ncampaign, and not to a feast. The Lady Ute would have liked to go, but\nher age and infirmities hindered her taking so long a journey. Brunhild\nalso remained at home, for she had no desire to see her enemy\u2019s good\nfortune; besides, she had long given up caring for festivals; she only\ncared to spend her time near Siegfried\u2019s grave-mound.\n\n\u201cThe Nibelungs are going to visit the Huns,\u201d said the common people, as\nthey watched King Etzel\u2019s visitors crossing the Rhine; for, ever since\nthe treasure had come into the country, the kings and their followers\nhad been called Nibelungs, after the unknown land.\n\nThe travellers rode for twelve days through the Black Forest and many\nwaste places, till they reached the Danube. At the borders of Bavaria\nneither inn nor ferryman was to be found. While the rest made\npreparations to encamp for the night, Hagen went deeper into the\ninhospitable land, and came to a spring that ran into a small lake.\nThere he saw some women bathing in the clear water, and at once knew\nthat they were swan-maidens. Seeing him, they swam away, but he got\npossession of their feather garments, which obliged them to speak to\nhim.\n\n\u201cGive us back our garments,\u201d said one of them, \u201cand I will tell you of\nthe future.\u201d\n\nHe promised to do as she desired, if she would tell him how their\njourney should end. She then prophesied pleasant things to him, and the\nhero gave back all the swan-garments. No sooner had he done this, than\nanother of the maidens informed him that her sister had spoken words of\nguile, for that, far from the happy ending she had foretold, the\npriests alone of all that numerous company should ever see the Rhine\nagain; as for the warriors, they should all die by the sword, if they\ndid not at once return home. Hagen answered that he was ready to defend\nhimself and his kings, and then asked how to cross the river. The\nswan-maidens directed him where he should find a ferryman, and then\nflew away.\n\nHagen followed the advice given him, and brought his company down to\nthe ferry. The boatman turned out to be an old enemy, so after a\nhand-to-hand encounter, he was slain, and Hagen took his place. When\nthey were halfway across the river, Hagen flung the priest, who\naccompanied them, overboard, that at least one portion of the\nswan-maiden\u2019s prophecy might come to nought. But he had miscalculated\nin this instance; the priest\u2019s floating garments upheld him on the\nturbulent waters, and the current drove him back to the shore.\n\n\u201cThe holy man has the devil\u2019s own luck,\u201d said the grim warrior. \u201cI care\nnot, however. What must be, will be, as the Norns used to say.\u201d\n\nThe travellers pursued their journey rather more rapidly than before.\nAt length, after meeting with several adventures, they arrived at\nMargrave R\u00fcdiger\u2019s castle, where they met with a hearty reception from\ntheir old friend and his wife. During their visit to Bechelaren,\nGiselher fell in love with fair Dietelinde, the only daughter of the\nhouse, and wooed her through his brother. So, according to old custom,\nthe youth and the maiden were called to appear before the whole company\nin the great hall of the castle, and say whether they were willing to\nbe man and wife. Giselher did not hesitate for a moment. His \u201cyes\u201d was\nloud and clear. But fair Dietelinde blushed, and looked down, and her\nwhispered \u201cyes\u201d was only obtained in response to a second demand. Then\nGiselher clasped her in his arms, and gave her the kiss of betrothal.\nThe bond was therefore sealed for life.\n\nThe Burgundians, or Nibelungs as they were generally called, remained\nat Bechelaren for many days, and when they went away, their host\npressed all manner of costly gifts upon them. Hagen refused to receive\nanything in the way of ornament, and only begged for a strong shield\nthat hung on the wall amongst other pieces of armour.\n\n\u201cIt is Nudung\u2019s shield, and he, our only son, was slain by faithless\nWittich,\u201d said the Margravine; \u201ctake it, noble hero, and may it guard\nyou well.\u201d\n\nThe travellers continued their journey, and arrived at the land of the\nHuns, on the borders of which they were met by Dietrich and many other\nwarriors. Accompanied by these, and by R\u00fcdiger they at length arrived\nat Etzelburg. The queen came down to meet them in the castle court. She\ngreeted the kings, and kissed young Giselher, but scarcely seemed to\nsee the warriors who accompanied them. Hagen was angry, and said,\u2014\n\n\u201cWhen one comes as an invited guest, one is accustomed to hear one\u2019s\nhost at least say \u2018Welcome.\u2019 This praiseworthy custom does not seem to\nobtain in the land of the Huns.\u201d\n\n\u201cLord Hagen of Tronje,\u201d said Chriemhild, \u201chave you done anything to\ngain such greeting? Have you, perchance, brought me some of the stolen\nNibelung treasure?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt lies deep sunk in the Rhine,\u201d replied the warrior, \u201cand there it\nwill remain till the end of time. But had I known that you desired a\ngift, I am rich enough to have brought you one.\u201d\n\n\u201cI can do without it,\u201d said the queen, \u201cI too am rich; I only thought\nyou might perhaps have desired to restore to me my own again.\u201d\n\n\u201cI find my shield, helmet, sharp sword, and coat of mail a heavy enough\nweight to carry,\u201d replied the hero, \u201cbut I promise to try and bring you\nthe devil. _He_ has much rich treasure.\u201d\n\n\u201cI do not need your gifts,\u201d cried the queen, \u201cnor do I desire them. You\nhave served me ill enough in time past with your murderous and thievish\nhand. I have not yet requited you for what you have already done for\nme.\u201d\n\nShe turned away in anger, and calling her men-at-arms around her,\npromised to reward whoever avenged Siegfried\u2019s death.\n\nThe queen then asked her brothers to divest themselves of their armour,\nas it was not customary to appear in the panoply of war before King\nEtzel. Hagen at once advised them not to do so, warning them of the\nconsequences in plain terms.\n\nChriemhild exclaimed, that she would give much to know whose advice he\nwas following in this matter; then the Amelung hero came forward, and\nboldly avowed that it was he who had given this counsel, for he knew\nwell the devilish plots that were being contrived in the palace. The\nqueen only answered him with an angry look, and at once retired to her\napartments.\n\nWhile the kings talked together in the friendliest fashion, the Hunnish\nwarriors looked askance at the Burgundians. Hagen, desirous of showing\nthat he felt no fear, asked one of his comrades to go with him to the\ninner court to await the coming of the queen. His familiar friend,\nVolker the minstrel, declared himself ready. They seated themselves on\na bench near the queen\u2019s hall. As they sat there\u2014Hagen with his good\nsword Balmung laid across his knees\u2014Chriemhild came down the steps,\nand asked him why he had hated her so, and why he had slain the noble\nSiegfried.\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d he said, \u201cI never denied that I did it. The queen of Burgundy\nwas insulted for his sake, and the royal house dishonoured. The shame\nhad to be washed out with blood, and as the hero was too strong to\nattack in the open field, he had to be slain by cunning. Any one may\nblame me, any one may strive to avenge the deed, I am not afraid. I\nhave no cap of darkness, and am easily to be found.\u201d\n\nThen Chriemhild turned to her serving-men, and desired them to slay the\nslanderer of their queen, and the treacherous murderer of Siegfried.\nBut the two brave men were so terrible to look upon, that none of the\nHuns dared touch them, although the queen offered them much gold. They\nthen went their way, and the queen returned to her apartments, blushing\nwith shame.\n\nA message now came from King Etzel begging the Burgundians to visit him\nin his palace. They accepted the invitation, and he greeted them like\nold friends. After having welcomed the heroes, he said that he should\nvery much like to know who the two warriors were that looked so brave,\nand stood so close together.\n\n\u201cThey are Volker the minstrel, and my uncle Hagen of Tronje,\u201d replied\nKing Gunther.\n\n\u201cWhat, Hagen!\u201d cried Etzel. \u201cSo we have met again at last, old friend,\nand I can tell you to your face that you have not belied the promise of\nyour youth. But you are much changed in your looks from what you were\nin the old days when I was proud of your brave deeds in my service, and\nset you free, to return to Burgundy. You have lost an eye since then,\nyour hair is mixed with grey, and your face has grown so rugged that\nyou might alarm the boldest warrior when you swing your broadsword.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho can tell,\u201d replied the hero, \u201chow soon I may have to do it again?\u201d\n\n\u201cNever in the land of the Huns,\u201d answered the king; \u201cyou, like all\nBurgundians, are a favoured guest.\u201d\n\nThe evening passed quietly, and it was nearly midnight before the\nBurgundians were led to the great hall, where couches were spread for\nthem with down cushions covered with gold embroidery. They agreed with\nHagen that it would be well to keep watch during the night for fear of\nsurprise, and that each man should place his weapons where he could get\nthem at a moment\u2019s notice.\n\nHagen and Volker kept guard. They had been seated for some time in\nsilence, when all at once the minstrel saw helmets and shields glancing\nin the starlight. He pointed them out to his companion, who knew that\nthey were the queen\u2019s men, and needed no telling to inform him on what\nerrand they were come. The minstrel wanted to spring out upon them, but\nHagen prevented him, because some of the enemy might then have slipped\ninto the hall, and perhaps murdered their sleeping friends. So peace\nwas preserved for the time; and at dawn, the Burgundians marched to the\nsanctuary to keep the solemn Midsummer festival. King Etzel appeared\nwith his train, and asked, in astonishment, why they wore their armour.\nBut they answered that such was their custom, not thinking it well to\ntell him what had happened during the night.\n\nAfter the service was over, a great repast was served, which was in\nturn succeeded by games, dances, music, and other entertainments. In\nall feats of arms and trials of skill in the lists, the Nibelungs\nshowed themselves better men than the Huns. At length the games\nappeared to be over, and the warriors desired to rest after their\nexertions. As they were leaving the scene of contest, a prince of the\nHuns presented himself in shining armour, and offered to try his skill\nagainst the strangers, who, he alleged, had hitherto only measured\ntheir strength with the common people, and not with the princes. Bold\nVolker caught his spear more firmly in his hand, and turned to accept\nthe challenge. His thrust was so shrewd that he wounded the Hun\nseverely, and a cry of \u201cMurder, down with the murderer!\u201d arose on every\nside. A free fight would have begun in another minute, had not King\nEtzel thrown himself between the belligerents, and threatened death to\nany of his people who hurt one of his guests. Peace was then outwardly\nrestored; but the sullen glances each side cast on the other, showed\nthe angry turmoil in every heart.\n\nThat evening, Etzel sent for his little son into the hall, that he\nmight present him to his guests. The warriors all admired the handsome,\nfrank-mannered child, and told the father that they did so; but Hagen\nsaid he did not think the boy would live to grow up, he looked so\ndelicate.\n\nThis speech of Hagen\u2019s increased the bad feeling of the Huns towards\nthe Burgundians tenfold; but no one betrayed his thoughts. A little\nlater, a great noise was heard in the court without\u2014shouts, the clang\nof armour, howls and cries.\n\n\n                 THE FIRST BLOOD. BL\u00d6DELIN AND DANKWART\n\nBefore the warriors went to the feast that evening, Queen Chriemhild\nhad spoken privately to the hero of Bern. She promised him Etzel\u2019s help\nin regaining his kingdom, if he would do her one service\u2014if he would\navenge Siegfried\u2019s death. But he told her that he could not, for the\nBurgundian warriors were old friends and comrades of his; besides, he\nreminded her, that they had come to Etzelburg in all good faith and\nloyalty. A few minutes after Dietrich had left her sad and hopeless,\nBl\u00f6delin, Etzel\u2019s brother, came in, and told the queen of what had\nhappened that afternoon in the tilting ground. Seeing how hot his anger\nwas, Chriemhild thought she might perhaps succeed in gaining him over\nto her cause. She therefore told him of the unavenged death of\nSiegfried, and promised him a rich treasure of silver and gold if he\nwould do her will. But he refused, from fear of Etzel\u2019s anger. Upon\nwhich, the wise woman offered him a margravate in addition, with lands\nand towers, and the hand of a beautiful maiden of her court, whom he\nhad long wooed, and wooed in vain. These promises gained him to her\nwill. He told her that he would cause a quarrel to spring up between\nthe men on either side, and if Hagen came to try and settle matters, he\nwould have him overpowered, and carried to the queen in bonds.\n\nChriemhild then retired to her chamber, which was pervaded by a soft\nlight, the curtains of Indian silk keeping off the rays of the sun. As\nshe sat there thinking, the words that her mother had once spoken\nrushed into her memory. \u201cWomen often strike deeper wounds and shed more\nblood with their tongues than men with their swords.\u201d She would have\nstarted up, and recalled Bl\u00f6delin; but at the same moment she saw, as\ndistinctly as if it had really been there, Siegfried\u2019s bier with the\ndead warrior stretched upon it. She saw him raise himself, and stretch\nout his arms to her; but when she started forward to meet him, there\nwas nothing but empty air. She determined now to go on to the bitter\nend. Whether her vengeance brought about the death of her little son,\nand of King Etzel; whether it brought about the destruction of the\nkingdom, she did not care. She could die, and die willingly, if only\nshe had the murderer\u2019s life.\n\nMeantime, Bl\u00f6delin was making his preparations. His men were rejoiced\nto hear the news he brought them, and followed him joyously to the\nhall, where Dankwart the Marshal, Hagen\u2019s brother, had charge over the\nserving-men. The hero rose from his seat to greet the prince, who\nexclaimed:\n\n\u201cPrepare to die. The queen demands a bloody atonement for the death of\nthe great Siegfried.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut why should I have to expiate a murder of which I knew nothing?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat cannot be helped,\u201d said the Hun; \u201cmy men\u2019s swords cannot return\nunstained to their sheaths.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen I am sorry that I gave you words of peace. I shall now give you\nyour answer with cold steel.\u201d\n\nWith that he drew his sword, and swung it so lustily at the warrior\u2019s\nneck that his head fell to the ground at one blow.\n\nWild shrieks and shouts of vengeance arose, and all prepared to take\npart in the fight that had become inevitable. Dankwart made his way\nfighting to the hall, his armour bespattered with blood; but the\ndefenceless serving-men were slain to a man.\n\n\u201cUp, brother Hagen!\u201d he cried, \u201csave me from the faithless Huns. Lord\nBl\u00f6delin attacked both me and the servants, in order to avenge\nSiegfried\u2019s death. I slew him, but the servants are all dead, and I\nalone am escaped out of the traitorous toils that the Huns have laid\nfor us.\u201d\n\n\n                             THE SLAUGHTER.\n\nThe fight recommenced in the banqueting hall, in spite of all King\nGunther\u2019s efforts to smooth matters over, and during the struggle the\nlittle Prince Ortlieb, the sole hope of Etzel\u2019s house, was killed. At\nlength Hagen, Dankwart, and Volker, succeeded in locking and bolting\nthe doors of the hall.\n\nEtzel and the queen sat full of anxious care during the _m\u00eal\u00e9e_.\nDietrich and R\u00fcdiger, neither of whom took part in the fight, were also\ngrave and sad. At length the hero of Bern exclaimed:\n\n\u201cListen to me, Nibelungs. Hearken to my words, ye friends of Burgundy.\nGrant me a truce that I and my men and Margrave R\u00fcdiger may go away\nunharmed.\u201d\n\nKing Gunther recognised Dietrich\u2019s voice, and said: \u201cIf any of my\nwarriors has done harm to you or yours, noble hero of Bern, I shall\ntake your cause into my own hands.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo one has done me harm,\u201d replied the warrior; \u201call that I request is\nthat you should let us go freely.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat is the good of so much requesting?\u201d cried hot-headed Wolfhart;\n\u201cwe have sharp keys to unlock the doors with, even if a thousand such\nas these Nibelungs tried to keep them shut.\u201d\n\n\u201cHush! hush! foolish comrade,\u201d said Dietrich; \u201cthere was but little\nsense in that speech of yours.\u201d\n\nKing Gunther then commanded his people to open the door, and much to\nthe wrath of the Burgundians, Dietrich passed through their ranks with\nChriemhild leaning on one arm and King Etzel on the other, and followed\nby his six hundred warriors. After them came R\u00fcdiger with four hundred\nmen. Giselher said to the Margrave:\n\n\u201cGreet your daughter from me, and say to her that I shall think of her\neven in death.\u201d\n\nMany of the Huns tried to escape with King Etzel, but Volker cut them\ndown as they strove to pass the door.\n\nNo sooner were Dietrich and R\u00fcdiger safely gone than the horrible\ncarnage recommenced. The Burgundian swords had no rest, until all the\nHuns were lying dead or dying on the floor. After that the Nibelungs\nrested awhile from their labours, but Hagen speedily called them to be\nup and doing, and fling the corpses out, lest they should be in the way\nin any renewed attack. He was at once obeyed. The dead and wounded Huns\nwere one and all flung into the court below.\n\nVolker and Hagen now guarded the entrance, lest the enemy should\nunexpectedly break in.\n\nWhile Etzel wrung his hands, and moaned over the slaughter of so many\ngood men and true, Chriemhild offered a shield full of gold and jewels\nto whoever slew her deadly foe, Hagen of Tronje. Of all who heard her,\none alone came forward and said that he would try and do her will. And\nhe was Count Iring of Daneland, Haward\u2019s man.\n\nHe went forward boldly and performed prodigies of valour, but at length\nwas beaten back, and fell dead under Chriemhild\u2019s window.\n\nHaward and Irnfried of D\u00fcringen (Thuringia) determined to avenge bold\nIring, so they called out their men and went to the attack. The fight\nbegan at the door, where Irnfried fell under the minstrel\u2019s sword, and\nimmediately afterwards Haward was slain by the hero of Tronje. But\nstill the men of Daneland and D\u00fcringen fought on unheeding, and Hagen\nexclaimed,\u2014\n\n\u201cGive place. Let them go through the door, out of which they shall\nnever come back alive. Volker shall play them a slumber-song to which\nour swords can beat the accompaniment.\u201d\n\nSo the Nibelungs opened their ranks, and the men of Daneland and\nD\u00fcringen entered the blood-stained hall. Once more the battle began.\nMany a brave Burgundian fell to rise no more; but not one of their\nenemies escaped alive.\n\n\n                        THE PARLEY AND THE FIRE.\n\nSilence fell on the palace. The Nibelung warriors laid down their\nshields and heavy armour, that they might the better rest from their\nlabours, while Hagen and Volker kept watch by the door. During this\ntime of quiet, the Burgundians tried to make peace. They reminded King\nEtzel that they had come to his land at his own invitation, and relying\non his good faith, only to meet with treachery from him and his. But\nEtzel demanded that the Burgundians should acknowledge him their feudal\nsuperior. Then Giselher turned to his sister and asked what harm he had\never done her that she should behave in such a way. And even the women,\nwho were weeping for their husbands and sons, bore him witness that all\nhis life had been spent in doing good to others. Chriemhild was touched\nby his appeal, and told him that he, Gunther, and Gernot should go free\nwith all their warriors and men-at-arms if only they would give up the\nmurderer Hagen, that she might punish him as he deserved. But with one\nvoice the Nibelungs refused terms which were dishonourable in their\neyes.\n\nEnraged at the boldness of her foes, the queen called upon the Huns to\nmake one more assault, and drive them out of the house. Again the\nbitter strife began. Chriemhild knew no more compassion. She commanded\nher servants to set fire to the upper part of the house, which was\nbuilt of wood, and soon the flames were seen spreading over the whole\nroof, which at length fell with a crash. A wild wail of human creatures\nin their last agony accompanied the fall. After that the queen retired\nto her own apartments, and standing at the window overlooking the house\nwhere her brothers and their friends must have been burnt, thought\nsadly and half remorsefully over the past. Only half remorsefully, for\nshe felt her heart as full of hatred to Hagen as it ever had been.\n\nMeanwhile the Nibelungs had not perished in the flames, as Chriemhild\nfondly imagined. The great vaulted hall in which they had entrenched\nthemselves was too strongly built to have suffered much from the fire\nin the wooden upper storey; though the Burgundians were for a long time\nas if shut up in an oven, the heat was so terrific; they yet escaped\nwith their lives; and Hagen made them slake their intolerable thirst by\ndrinking the blood of their fallen enemies.\n\nWhen the Huns at length came to look for their charred bodies, they\nwere not a little surprised to find themselves confronted by six\nhundred brave and utterly undaunted warriors.\n\n\n                SLAUGHTER AGAIN.\u2014THE LORD OF BECHELAREN.\n\nThe queen heard with astonishment that the Nibelungs were still alive\nand armed for a new fight. While she pondered what it were best to do,\none of the Hunnish notables told her that she should apply for help,\neither to the Margrave of Bechelaren, who had received so many benefits\nfrom the king, or to Dietrich of Bern, who had enjoyed Etzel\u2019s\nhospitality so long as a fugitive. Chriemhild thought the advice good,\nand at once sent off a message to R\u00fcdiger.\n\nThe noble Margrave immediately obeyed the queen\u2019s summons. Etzel\nexplained to him the true position of affairs, and reminding him of all\nthe honours that had been heaped upon him, told him the time was come\nto prove his gratitude. He must punish the Nibelungs for the great\nscath they had wrought to the royal house and to the land of the Huns.\n\n\u201cMy liege,\u201d said the good old hero sadly, \u201call that you have said is\ntrue, and I am ready to do you any service, however dangerous, but do\nnot ask that I should break the faith I swore to them when they stayed\nwith me at Bechelaren, before I led them to Etzelburg at your command.\nThey trusted me utterly, and young Giselher chose my daughter to be his\nwife, and to share the Burgundian throne. Methinks it were an ill deed\nto raise my hand against them that trusted me.\u201d\n\nWhen the king reminded him of his oath of allegiance, he continued,\u2014\n\n\u201cTake back my castles and towns, the wealth that you have given me, and\nthe possessions I have won for myself. I will go penniless into the\nwide world with my wife and child, and what is my best wealth, Honour\nand Truth.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, noble Margrave, but you cannot do so,\u201d replied the queen, \u201cif you\nfail in obedience. Think of the time when you came to Burgundy to woo\nme for Etzel. I feared to go alone amongst the barbarous Huns, where I\nhad not a friend or helper, and you swore to me with a solemn oath that\nyou would help me against every adversary, except your liege lord. Your\nsworn faith to me is older than that which you promised to the\nNibelungs. If you break your oath to me, you are dishonoured.\u201d\n\nR\u00fcdiger stood in silent thought before the queen. At length he said,\u2014\n\n\u201cTake my head. I shall not even tremble when the executioner\u2019s sword\ntouches me. But do not force me to do what my conscience disallows.\u201d\n\nThe conversation lasted a good while longer. At length R\u00fcdiger with a\nheavy heart consented to obey the king and queen.\n\nThe Nibelungs stood by the window looking out for help. On seeing the\nnoble Margrave approach with his men, Giselher exclaimed joyfully that\nall was not lost, that they should see Bechelaren and the Rhine again.\nWhen R\u00fcdiger came close to the door he explained his errand. Gunther\nreminded him of the friendship they had sworn, and R\u00fcdiger answered\nsadly that the oath he had sworn to Etzel\u2019s wife forced him now to\nfight her battle. And so they took fair leave of each other, as noble\nfriends forced to fight against their will. Once more the blood of the\nNibelungs and their opponents stained the great hall. The heat of\nbattle raged anew in every heart, and many men were slain. Amongst the\nnumber were R\u00fcdiger and Gernot. At length the men of Bechelaren were\nconquered, and slain to the very last man. Two hundred Nibelungs also\nfell before this victory was gained.\n\nThe heroes were silent in the wide hall. They heard the sound of voices\nin the court without. The queen\u2019s voice was raised in indignation, as\nshe accused the Margrave R\u00fcdiger of playing the false traitor and\nmaking peace with the Nibelungs. Volker\u2019s anger was roused at this\nunjust suspicion. Leaning out of the window, he told her not to vex\nherself on that score, nor accuse a good man falsely, for the hero of\nBechelaren had died serving her. He then commanded the Margrave\u2019s body\nto be shown at the window, so that the king and queen and all the Huns\nshould see it. Etzel uttered a loud cry of horror, and cursed the hand\nthat had done the deed. He called for his sword, that he might himself\nlead the band of avengers, but he forebore to unsheath it when he saw\nthat terrible pair (Hagen and Volker) still guarding the threshold.\n\nChriemhild stood looking on with folded arms. She was beautiful as\never, but it was now the beauty of a fallen angel. She shed a few tears\nfor the loss of her old friend R\u00fcdiger. Perhaps also because she feared\nthat he was her last ally. She may likewise have pondered whether by\nany means she might yet attain her end. But be that as it may, the next\nevents were unexpected by her as by every one else.\n\n\n                       DIETRICH AND HIS AMELUNGS.\n\nOne of Dietrich\u2019s men heard what had happened. He hastened to his\nmaster and told him the strange tale. Dietrich refused to believe it,\nand sent Helfrich to the palace to find out the truth. On hearing the\nnews of R\u00fcdiger\u2019s death confirmed, the hero of Bern sent his old master\nHildebrand to ask the Nibelungs why they had done this evil deed.\n\nThe master would have gone unarmed upon this errand, but Wolfhart cried\nout upon the folly of appearing as a lamb in the presence of wolves.\nThe master thought the advice good, and put his armour on. When he was\non the way, he saw that all Dietrich\u2019s men were following him\nwell-armed, under Wolfhart\u2019s guidance. He desired his quick-tempered\nnephew to go back, but the latter refused point-blank, saying that he\ncould not let his uncle go alone; and the other warriors, one and all,\ndeclined to leave him. When the small band of five hundred brave men\ncame in front of the house the Nibelungs were defending, Master\nHildebrand lowered his shield, and asked if it were true that good\nMargrave R\u00fcdiger was dead. Hagen answered that they wished it were\nuntrue, but it could not be helped, for he had been slain in\nunavoidable fight. The Amelungs mourned aloud for their friend.\nWolfhart would have avenged him on the spot, but the master held him\nback, threatening him with Dietrich\u2019s anger if he thrust himself into\nthe quarrel. Then, turning to the Nibelungs, he demanded in the name of\nthe hero of Bern that the Margrave\u2019s body should be handed over to\nthem, that they might give him honourable burial. King Gunther replied\nthat it was a good and worthy desire on their part, and one that ought\nto be gratified. Wolfhart called to them to make haste and bring out\nthe body, upon which Volker said that they were too tired to do more\nwork, so the Amelungs might come in and fetch it.\n\nOne word led to another, till Wolfhart lost his temper altogether, and\nrushed forward, followed by the Amelungs, shouting as with one voice\ntheir ancient war-cry. Master Hildebrand, drawn on in the general rush,\nwas found in a foremost place when the battle began. The tired\nNibelungs, and the brave Amelungs\u2014men who had formerly fought side by\nside in the great battle of Ravenna, and on many other fields\u2014were now\nengaged in hand-to-hand conflict for life and death. Here was strong\nSigestap, duke of Bern, there brave Helfrich, there the bold heroes\nWolfwin, Wolfbrand, Helmnot, Ritschart, and others, all burning to\navenge the death of R\u00fcdiger. The confusion was so great that often\nthose who wished to meet could not find each other. Thus Volker and\nWolfhart were kept apart; the minstrel fell upon Sigestap, who had\nslain many of the Burgundians, and gave him his death-blow, only to\nmeet Hildebrand a little later and himself to fall under his hand.\nDankwart was slain by Helfrich; Wolfhart did many a deed of valour,\nuntil Giselher attacked him. After a tremendous struggle, the young\nking thrust him through the breast, but even then, though in mortal\nagony, he grasped his sword in both hands, and slew his adversary.\n\nOld Hildebrand saw his nephew fall, and hastened to him. He lifted him\nin his arms, and tried to bear him from that hall of doom; but he was\ntoo heavy. The wounded hero opened his eyes once more, and said in a\nfaint voice,\u2014\n\n\u201cUncle, tell our friends not to weep for me, for I have met my death at\nthe hands of a brave king, as he has at mine. My wild blood has grown\ncalm and still, and I am ready to sleep peacefully like a tired child.\u201d\n\nThese were the last words of the wildest, hottest warrior in Dietrich\u2019s\ntrain. Like Wolfhart, all the other comrades of the hero of Bern, save\nHildebrand alone, lay stretched on the bloody floor; and with them all\nthe Burgundians, except Hagen and King Gunther.\n\n\u201cCome now, Master Hildebrand,\u201d cried a rough voice, \u201cyou owe me\nsatisfaction for the death of my comrade Volker.\u201d\n\nIt was Hagen that spoke. The meafdtelsmer defend his bravely, but the\nhero of Tronje was strong and determined, and Balmung was sharp. One\nterrible blow cut through Hildebrand\u2019s coat of mail, and the blood\nflowed freely from his side.\n\n\n                       THE END OF THE NIBELUNGS.\n\nWhen the old man felt the wound, and looked in the grim, rugged\ncountenance of his antagonist, for the first time in all his long life\nfear took possession of him, and covering his back with his shield, he\nfled like a coward.\n\nWith shattered armour, and red with his own blood, and that of others,\nthe old man came before his master. Dietrich asked whether he had\nfought with the Nibelungs, and why he was so wet with blood. Then\nHildebrand told how the Burgundians had slain the good R\u00fcdiger, and had\ndeclined to give up his body for burial.\n\nThe hero of Bern was so saddened by these tidings, that he asked no\nfurther questions; he begged the old man to command his comrades to arm\nthemselves at once.\n\n\u201cWhom shall I command?\u201d asked the master.\n\n\u201cThe swordsmen of Bern are all here. You, my lord, and I, are all that\nremain of them; and of the Nibelungs, Hagen and King Gunther are the\nonly ones alive.\u201d\n\nAt first Dietrich did not understand, and when he did, he mourned aloud\nfor his friends and comrades.\n\n\u201cHow could my brave men have fallen under the swords of these tired\nwarriors? Who will now help me to regain the land of the Amelungs?\u201d\n\nSo he cried in his sore distress. But soon, mastering his emotion, the\nhero prepared to avenge his fallen friends, and, accompanied by the\nmaster, went full-armed to the house where Hagen and Gunther awaited\ntheir fate with undaunted courage.\n\nHagen and Hildebrand exchanged so many scornful words when they met,\nthat Dietrich chid them for a couple of old women, and demanded that\nthe combat should at once begin. Hagen sprang forward without delay.\nBalmung was as sharp as ever it had been, and the hero of Bern had much\ntrouble to defend himself; but the hand that wielded the sword was\nweary, and less nimble than of yore. Dietrich, seeing this, made a\nsudden spring upon Hagen, threw him down, and bound him fast. Then he\nbore his prisoner into the presence of Chriemhild, and recommended him\nto her mercy, saying that he was the boldest and bravest warrior in the\nwhole world. He only noticed the thanks and praise she gave him for his\ndoughty deed, and did not mark the gleam in her eyes, nor rightly\ninterpret the flush that rose to her cheeks. He hastened away to the\nlast battle with King Gunther.\n\nChriemhild had gained her end: that end to which she had waded through\nrivers of noble blood. Hagen read his fate in her eyes; but he never\nflinched: he would not give her that dear satisfaction. She wondered\nwhether she could make him confess where he had hidden the Nibelung\ntreasure. She spoke to him kindly, and promised to let him go safely\nhome, if he would only tell her the hiding-place. The hero seemed\ntouched by her gentleness, and said that he would willingly tell her,\nbut that he had sworn to keep the secret as long as one of the three\nkings of Burgundy was alive.\n\nShe promised him again that she would keep her word, if he did her\nwill; and then had him taken away to sure watch and ward.\n\n\u201cLies, lies, all lies,\u201d he said to himself, as his gaolers led him away.\n\nThe hero of Bern soon afterwards appeared with King Gunther as a\nprisoner; the latter was at once taken to a separate dungeon Chriemhild\nconsidered what was now to be done. Siegfried\u2019s murderers were now in\nher hands, both the man who had done the deed, and the king who had\ncondoned it.\n\nShe felt a few qualms of conscience when she thought that Gunther was,\nafter all, her brother; but she soon stifled them, and calmly pursued\nthe path she had marked out for herself. King Gunther\u2019s head was cut\noff by her orders, and laid at Hagen\u2019s feet to convince him that now\nthe last king of Burgundy was dead.\n\nThe hero thrust away the head contemptuously. \u201cIt was not thou,\u201d he\nsaid, \u201cto whom I swore allegiance, and whose crown I strove to keep\nfree from stain. The royal house of Burgundy, to which I belonged, is\nwasted, and its glory overthrown. Of what worth to me is the span of\nlife that remains?\u201d\n\nThat night Chriemhild had a happy dream. She thought that Siegfried\nstood before her as she had seen him first; that he stretched out his\narms to her in love and gratitude, and then vanished slowly in the grey\ndawn.\n\nNext morning Chriemhild seated herself beside King Etzel in all her\nrobes of state. The hero of Tronje was brought before her, a prisoner,\nand in bonds. She questioned him again as to the hiding-place of the\ntreasure. Raising his head, he answered with all his former boldness:\n\n\u201cYou are mistaken, woman, if you think that you have my mind in your\npower, that you have tamed me entirely. The kings are all dead now,\nGunther, Gernot, Giselher; now none but God and I know where the\ntreasure was sunk in the deep waters of the Rhine, and from me you\nshall never learn where you may seek with any hope of finding.\u201d\n\nChriemhild silently came down from the throne, and picked up the good\nsword Balmung that lay beside Hagen\u2019s armour.\n\n\u201cYou took good care of the gold you stole from me,\u201d she said, \u201cbut\nanother thing that you stole I have in my hands at this moment. My\nnoble husband Siegfried wore this sword when last I saw him, before he\nfell under your murderous hand. I will now try whether it be strong\nenough to avenge its master.\u201d\n\nShe had drawn the sword from its sheath, and now swung it with both\nhands, and with such force that the head was cut from the body, and\nfell at the feet of old Hildebrand.\n\nA cry of horror echoed through the hall, then all was still. Chriemhild\nthrust the bloody weapon back into its sheath, and said,\u2014\n\n\u201cThis blood may never be washed from the blade. Balmung must be taken\nto Worms as it is, and laid in Siegfried\u2019s grave. Perhaps he may then\nlearn that his wife loved him faithfully, and punished his murderer.\nTwo things alone made up my life: Love and Revenge. My work is done.\u201d\n\n\u201cStrange,\u201d said Hildebrand, staring at the hero\u2019s dissevered head,\n\u201cthat the bravest warrior in all the world should have been slain by a\nwoman! But although he wronged me much of late, I will yet avenge him.\u201d\n\nSo saying, the old master drew his sword, and gave the queen her\ndeath-blow. Etzel shrieked out, and threw himself on his knees beside\nhis wife. She was deadly pale, and had only strength to gasp rather\nthan speak,\u2014\n\n\u201cLet none touch the old master for this,\u201d she said, and they were her\nlast words.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                      III. THE NIBELUNGS\u2019 LAMENT.\n\n\n                             AT ETZELBURG.\n\nGreat as was the misfortune that had come upon the people and the royal\nhouse, the burial of the dead had yet to be seen to as speedily as\npossible. King Etzel was too full of his own grief to attend to\nbusiness of any kind, so Dietrich and Hildebrand gave all necessary\norders, and themselves helped in the sad work.\n\nAll the dead were buried with every honour, save and except the hero of\nTronje, who was forgotten. The grave-mounds were filled and closed,\nbefore the old master remembered the brave warrior, whose headless\ntrunk still lay in the audience-hall. Hildebrand ordered that he should\nreceive instant burial. So a separate grave was prepared for him, and\nthere he was laid with all his armour, except the good sword Balmung,\nwhich was to be taken to Siegfried\u2019s grave, according to Chriemhild\u2019s\nwish. Many of the Huns went with the funeral procession; they neither\nwept nor made moan for the dead man whose strong right hand had brought\nso much evil on their native land. Next spring lovely flowers decked\nthe other grave-mounds, while on Hagen\u2019s thistles and thorns alone were\nto be seen, in the midst of which a venomous adder had found its home.\nAll who had gone near enough to the snake to examine it carefully,\nmaintained that it had only one eye like the hero of Tronje, and were\nfirmly convinced that it was the form his spirit had taken.\n\n[Illustration: ETZEL BESIDE CHRIEMHILD\u2019S BIER.]\n\n\n                             AT BECHELAREN.\n\nDietrich and Hildebrand sent news to Bechelaren and to Worms of all\nthat had occurred. They chose the noble minstrel Swemmeling as their\nambassador, for they knew that he was tender-hearted, and would break\nthe news as gently as possible.\n\nThe Margravine and her daughter sat by an open window, watching the\nclouds that rose in the east. Godelinde felt strangely anxious, a\npresentiment of evil overpowered her, and she could not resist telling\nher daughter.\n\nShe said that she feared evil news was coming, for she had dreamed the\nnight before that Queen Helche had appeared to her, surrounded by the\nBurgundians, and many other warriors in full armour. \u201cThe queen,\u201d added\nGodelinde, \u201csaid that she wished all these heroes to go with her. She\ntook your father and Giselher by the hand, and led them away, the\nothers following. I wished to join the procession, but she signed to me\nto go back. Then they all vanished in a grey mist, out of which a hill\nseemed to rise like\u2014\u2014\u201d\n\nShe was interrupted by sounds of arrival. It was the procession of\nmourners who had come under Swemmeling\u2019s guidance. The Margravine\nrecognised R\u00fcdiger\u2019s horse and armour, and the meaning of her dream was\nclear to her. But in the midst of all her grief, she tried to keep up,\nthat she might comfort her daughter, who sat at her side, pale with\nterror.\n\nThe minstrel joined the ladies. The Margravine rose to meet him, and\nsaid it was needless for him to tell his tale, for she knew what had\nhappened. A few moments later, they were able to listen to what\nSwemmeling had to say; so they asked him how the noble R\u00fcdiger had met\nwith his death. He took up his harp, and sang a song of the heroes who\nhad kept their faith, and had conquered in the battle of life. He told\nhow they come to the realms of Woden and of Freya, how they float over\nearth and sea, and how they speak to their friends in the breath of the\nwind and in the rustling of the leaves, and thus bring them comfort in\ntheir sorrow.\n\nAfter that he gave them all the details of what had occurred at\nEtzelburg. On the following day Swemmeling had to continue his journey.\nA few weeks after his departure, the Margravine died of grief, and\nDietelinde was left alone. She remained alone for a long time, but when\nDietrich reconquered the land of the Amelungs, he took the orphan from\nBechelaren, and brought her to his wife, the noble Herrat, at whose\ncourt she won the love of a bold warrior, whom she afterwards married.\n\nSwemmeling made his way to Worms as rapidly as he could.\n\n\n                               AT WORMS.\n\nMeanwhile things were going on very quietly at Worms. Queen Ute would\nsit spinning by the hour together, humming many a weird ditty, but\nseldom speaking. Queen Brunhild would sit by her side embroidering the\ndeath of Baldur, which she copied from old patterns. Curiously enough,\nthe white god was not like the pattern, but rather resembled Siegfried.\n\n\u201cLook, mother Ute,\u201d she said. \u201cIs it not strange that, in spite of all\nmy efforts, the picture will resemble Siegfried, as he looked that day\nwhen he rode out hunting for the last time. It is a sad story, and\nreminds me of an old legend that I used to hear in my childhood, in\nIsenland, in which a murder was committed for the sake of possessing a\nmagic sword. It seems to me that when Hagen comes back, I must get him\nto give me Siegfried\u2019s sword, Balmung, that I may restore it to the\ndead hero. Otherwise I fear that Burgundy will suffer as Isenland\nsuffered through the theft of that other sword.\u201d\n\n\u201cNeither Hagen nor any of the others will ever return to this house, on\nwhich the sin of bloodshed rests, as yet unexpiated,\u201d said mother Ute;\nand, breaking off, she began to hum one of her strange, weird ditties,\nwhich was so gruesome that none could listen to it without a shiver.\nAbout this time Swemmeling arrived, and told the queens of the journey\nto the land of the Huns, of the friendly reception the Burgundians had\nmet with from King Etzel, and then of the quarrel, the battle, and its\nfatal results. No plaints, no weeping, no questions, interrupted the\nminstrel\u2019s tale. When he came to an end, the Lady Ute said:\n\n\u201cIt is a sad tale, very, very sad, but it could not have been\notherwise, for much heroic blood was needed to wash away the curse of\nmurder from this house.\u201d\n\nNeither did Brunhild weep. She made all necessary arrangements for the\ncomfort of her guests. She asked that the good sword Balmung should be\ngiven to her, and, looking at the blood-stains on the shining blade,\nshe said:\n\n\u201cGrim Hagen stole this weapon out of Siegfried\u2019s grave. I will take it\nback to the hero, now that it has been dipped in the blood of his\nmurderer, that he may rest in peace.\u201d\n\nShe went to the grave-mound with the sword, and did not return that\nday, nor during the night. When they sought her, they found her lying\ndead beside Siegfried\u2019s coffin, on which she had laid Balmung.\n\nThe Lady Ute went on spinning for many a day, and as she span, she\nhummed a song of the snake-queen who murdered her own brood.\n\nThe Burgundian nobles, and all the people, mourned for their royal\nhouse and the fallen heroes. But when feuds arose in the kingdom, they\nunited, and raised the young son of Gunther and Brunhild to the throne,\nappointing brave men to act as guardians for the king so long as he\nremained a child.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: GUDRUN]\n\n\n\n\n                         _THE HEGELING LEGEND._\n\n\n                                  I.\n                                 HAGEN.\n\nZealously strove the knights in tilt and tournament to uphold their\ncountry\u2019s honour before Sigeband their king, when he held the Midsummer\nfeast at his high castle of Balian in Ireland. Sweetly the minstrels\nsang the praise of warlike deeds; and eagerly did boys of noble birth\ncontend in games of hurling the spear and shooting with the bow. But\nevermore did little Hagen, the king\u2019s son, bear him best in the gentle\nstrife; and the heart of his mother, the Lady Ute, was pleased.\n\nOne day the boys were amusing themselves by throwing their spears at a\ntarget. Having thrown them all, they ran forward to get their weapons\nagain, the prince among the rest. As he could run faster than his\ncompanions, he reached the target first, and was busy pulling out his\nspear, when an old man called to the children to run back and hide\nthemselves, for danger was approaching. He pointed up at the sky,\ncrying, \u201cA griffin!\u201d\n\nThe Lady Ute looked, and saw a dark spot in the sky. It seemed too\nsmall to be dangerous. But it approached with the swiftness of an\narrow, and the nearer it came the bigger it grew. All could now hear\nthe noise made by its wings, and the sound resembled the rushing of the\nstorm. The other boys fled in terror, but Hagen stood his ground\nboldly, and flung his spear with all his childish strength at the great\nbird. The weapon grazed its feathers harmlessly, and, at the same\nmoment, it swooped down upon the child and bore him off in its talons.\n\nSo the feasting and mirth that had reigned at Castle Balian were turned\ninto mourning, for the heir to the kingdom was gone. There was no hope\nof rescue; for though many a hero would willingly have fought with the\ngriffin, its flight was so swift that no one could see where it was\ngone. Years passed on, and the king and queen had no news of their boy.\n\nThe griffin carried Hagen over land and sea to its nest, which it had\nbuilt on a rock rising out of the water. It gave the boy to its young\nones to eat, and then flew away in search of new booty. The little\ngriffins fell upon the child, and prepared to devour him, but he made\nready for his defence, thrust back their bills with all his strength,\nand caught the birds by the throat striving to throttle them. At length\none of the griffins, which was old enough to fly, caught him up, and\ncarried him to the branch of a tree, that it might enjoy the sweet\nmorsel alone. The bough was too weak to bear their united weight; it\nbent, broke, and the monster fell with the boy into a thicket of thorns\nbeneath. The griffin fluttered away, and Hagen crept deeper into the\nthicket, unheeding the thorns. At length he reached a dark cave, where\nhe sank down utterly exhausted. When he came to his senses, he saw a\nlittle girl of about his own age standing a little way off and looking\nat him in astonishment. He raised himself on his elbow to see her\nbetter, upon which she fled to a greater distance, and no wonder, his\nappearance was so frightful. He was dirty, wounded, and bleeding, and\nhis clothes hung about him in rags. He limped and crept as well as he\ncould after the girl, and found that she had taken refuge in a large\ncave with two companions. They all shrieked when they saw him, for they\nthought he was either a wicked dwarf or a merman, who had followed them\nto devour them; but when he told them that he was a prince who had been\ncarried off by the griffin, and had only escaped from the monster as by\na miracle, they were comforted, and shared their scanty fare with him.\n\nAfter that they told him their story, which was much the same as his\nown. He found that the girl he had first seen was called Hilde, and\nthat she was an Indian princess; the second was Hildburg of Portugal;\nand the third came from Isenland. The maidens nursed their young\ncompanion with such care that his wounds were soon healed. When he was\nwell again, he went out to provide the needful food, and ventured\ndeeper into the land than the maidens had ever done. He made himself a\nbow and arrows, the latter of which he tipped with fish-bones, and\nbrought home small game of all kinds. As the children had no fire, they\nwere obliged to eat their food raw, but they became all the stronger\nand hardier for that, and when Hagen was twelve years old he was almost\na man in size.\n\nMeanwhile the young griffins were grown up, and were able to go out in\nsearch of food for themselves, so that the boy could no longer wander\nabout as freely and fearlessly as before. Nevertheless, one evening he\nventured down to the shore, and crept under an overhanging rock which\nhid him from view. He looked out at the foaming waves and the wild sea,\nwhich now looked dark as night, and again was lighted up by the vivid\nflashes of lightning that burst from the storm-clouds. He listened\nfearlessly to the loud peals of thunder, the howling of the wind, and\nthe sound of the frantic waves dashing against the rocks. But suddenly\nhe caught sight of a boat, struggling in unequal conflict with the\nelements, and his heart was filled with hope and fear; of hope, because\nthoughts of home and his parents were awakened in his breast; of fear,\nbecause the boat seemed too weak to live on such a sea. Then he saw it\ndrive upon a point of rock. There was one shriek of agony, and ship and\ncrew were swallowed in the waves. The storm raged on, until morning\ncame, and seemed with its soft light to calm the fury of the winds. On\nthe strand were scattered pieces of the wreck, and the corpses of the\nluckless mariners. Hagen was going to sally out in hopes of picking up\nsomething useful, when he was stopped by hearing the whirr of griffins\u2019\nwings, and knew that the great birds had come down to the shore, having\nscented the prey. While the monsters were busied with their meal, the\nboy crept out of his hiding-place in search of something to eat. But he\nonly found drift-wood, and a drowned man in full armour, with sword and\nbow, and a quiverful of sharp-pointed arrows. He could have shouted\naloud for joy, for now he had arms, such as he used to see at his\nfather\u2019s court. Quickly he donned the coat of mail, covered his head\nwith the helmet, girded the sword to his side, picked up the steel bow\nand the arrows. It was high time, for at this moment one of the\ngriffins swooped down upon him. He drew his bow with all his strength,\nand the arrow struck his enemy in the breast, bringing it down with\nfluttering wings. It fell at his feet, dead. A second monster shared\nits fate, and now the three other birds attacked him all at once; but\nhe slew them all with his sword. He took the heads of the dead monsters\nto his friends in the cave, who had passed a wakeful night in anxiety\nfor him. Great was their joy when they found that the griffins were\ndead. They accompanied their hero to the place of his victory, they\nhelped him to throw the great birds into the sea, and then, true to\npious custom, they assisted him to heap up a mound over the dead\nwarrior whose weapons had helped Hagen to victory. Vainly did they seek\nfor provisions among the wreckage; but they found a well-preserved box\nwith flint and steel, which enabled them to make a fire. So they were\nnow able to enjoy a well-dressed meal, which after their former\nprivations seemed a perfect banquet.\n\nHagen went out hunting much more frequently than before, and slew\nbears, wolves, panthers, and other wild beasts. Once, however, he met\nwith a curious creature. It was covered with shining scales, its eyes\nglowed like red-hot coals, and horrible grinders gleamed in its\nblood-red jaws.\n\nHe aimed a sharp arrow at its back; but the point glanced off the\nglittering scales, and the monster turned upon the lad. A second arrow\nwas likewise without effect. Hagen now drew his sword; but all his\nefforts were useless, and he only escaped the terrible claws by his\nmarvellous agility. When he was almost exhausted by the long struggle,\nhe at length saw his opportunity, and plunged his weapon into the great\njaws. Overcome with fatigue, he seated himself on the still heaving\nbody of the creature. He longed for a few drops of water to quench his\nthirst, and as none was near, he eagerly drank of the blood that\nstreamed from the monster\u2019s wounds. Scarcely had he done this, when his\nweakness vanished, and an unaccustomed sense of power took possession\nof him. He sprang to his feet, longing to put his new strength to the\ntest. He would not have hesitated to fight all the griffins and giants\nin the world. He drew his sword, and slew a bear with one stroke. In\nlike manner he killed two panthers, and a rhinoceros. He was covered\nwith blood from head to foot, and looked so ferocious carrying the bear\non his shoulders, that he frightened the maidens in the cave; but he\nregained his accustomed manner when he had seen the gentle Hilde.\n\nMany years came and went. Hagen and his three friends had enough to eat\nand drink, and were clothed in the skins of wild beasts. Although they\nwere very happy together, they longed to get back to the haunts of men,\nand often cast anxious looks over the sea in hopes of seeing some ship\napproach. At length one morning, when the three maidens were standing\non the shore, a white sail appeared on the horizon, and came gradually\nnearer and nearer. They lighted a fire, and called Hagen, who joined\nthem fully armed. Their signals were seen from the ship, and a boat was\nsent out, which soon approached the shore. The helmsman uttered a cry\nof astonishment when he saw their strange dress, and asked if they were\nhuman beings or water-sprites.\n\n\u201cWe are poor unfortunate people,\u201d said Hagen; \u201ctake us with you, for\nGod\u2019s sake.\u201d\n\nSo the sailors took them to the ship, and they were soon on board. The\ncaptain looked at them in amazement, and Hagen, in answer to his\nquestions, told their whole story. When he spoke of his father\nSigeband, the powerful king of Balian, the captain exclaimed:\n\n\u201cWhat! you can kill griffins like flies! Still you are a lucky catch\nfor me, for I am that Count of Garadie to whom your father has done so\nmuch injury. You shall now be hostage till a proper sum of money is\npaid to me. Here, men, put this young fellow in chains, and steer for\nGaradin.\u201d\n\nScarcely had the Count said these words when Hagen fell into a Berseker\nrage. He flung the sailors, who would have laid hold of him, into the\nsea: then, drawing his sword, he rushed upon the master of the vessel,\nwhen a soft hand was laid upon his arm. He turned round furiously; but\nat the sight of Hilde\u2019s gentle, lovely face, his terrible anger\nvanished. Hilde spoke gentle words of conciliation, and Hagen listened.\nThen, turning to the Count, he promised to make all matters right\nbetween him and the King, if he would at once steer for Balian. The\ncaptain agreed to do so, and steered for Ireland. Favourable winds\nswelled the sails, and ten days later the walls and towers of Balian\nhove in sight. Naturally his parents did not at first recognise Hagen;\nbut great was their rejoicing when they found who he was. A firm peace\nwas concluded with the Count of Garadie, and the three maidens were\nreceived with all honour and courtesy.\n\nHagen did not long remain quietly at home in his father\u2019s house. He\nwished to see something of the world, and to gain both name and fame.\n\nTime passed on, and Hagen, who was known far and wide for his great\ndeeds, was appointed to rule the land in his old father\u2019s place. When\nurged by his mother to choose a wife, now that he had settled down\nafter his wanderings, he wooed fair Hilde, the sweet companion of his\nchildhood, and soon afterwards married her.\n\nQueen Ute lived to hold a grandchild in her arms, who was called Hilde\nafter her mother; but soon after that she and Sigeband died, leaving\ntheir son to rule alone.\n\nThe Princess Hilde grew up beautiful, and many wooers came to Balian to\nask for her hand in marriage. But Hagen would receive no man as a\nson-in-law without first fighting with him, declaring that he would\nnever give his daughter to one that was not stronger than himself.\nWhoever ventured to try conclusions with him had the worst of it. Wild\nHagen, the terror of kings, became also the terror of wooers, and\nbefore long, he really had his house to himself.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                II. HETTEL THE HEGELING AND HIS HEROES.\n\nNow about this time King Hettel the Hegeling lived at Castle Matelane\nin Denmark. He was a bold warrior, and Nordland, Friesland, and\nDietmarsch owed him allegiance. Many princely heroes were about his\nthrone. Chief among them was his kinsman, old Wate, who bore rule in\nSturmland, and was famous for his doughty deeds of war. Not less\ncelebrated were the minstrels Horand and Frute, both powerful lords in\nDenmark. Then came Irold the Swift from Friesland, and Morung of\nNifland; bold warriors both, and ever ready to help their liege lord.\n\nOne evening, at the feast, Morung of Nifland advised King Hettel to\nseek a wife, and said that Hilde, the Irish princess, was the best maid\nfor him to woo, for she was famous in all lands for her beauty and\nvirtue. And Horand answered, that the lady was justly praised; but that\nwild Hagen, her father, would permit no man to woo her, and that many a\nnoble warrior had met his death in fighting with him for her hand.\n\nThe king was much taken with what he heard of fair Hilde, and greatly\ndesired to raise her to the Hegeling throne. He asked who would\nundertake the wooing for him. The courtiers advised him to make old\nWate his ambassador, and although the lord of Sturmland had no desire\nto go on any such errand, yet he promised to set out, and said that if\nHorand and Frute would accompany him he had no doubt the wooing would\nbe successful.\n\nThe three warriors, joined by Irold of Nordland, prepared to set out on\ntheir journey. They took a small fleet of ships laden with costly\nwares, and a thousand armed men, and started on their mission.\n\nAfter a long voyage they reached Balian, where wild Hagen held his\ncourt.\n\nTheir arrival was greeted with the utmost amazement, for no one in\nIreland had ever seen such splendour before. The masts of the Danish\nships were of shining cypress-wood, the sails of purple silk, and the\nanchors of silver. Sailors in rich garments bore foreign wares from\ndistant lands out of the ships, and spread them before the astonished\nmultitude. The captains offered rich articles for sale, explaining that\nthey were merchants, and had come to Balian on a trading expedition.\n\nWhen King Hagen heard what was going on at the wharf, he and Queen\nHilde went down to the ships to see what was to be seen. Then Frute at\nonce came forward, and, drawing him aside, explained that they were not\nreally merchants, but fugitives, who desired to be protected from their\nking, Hettel the Hegeling.\n\nHagen laughed when he heard this, for he had long wished to try his\nstrength in single combat with the Danish king. So he told the warriors\nto be of good courage, and to come up to the palace with him. The\nstrangers accepted the invitation. They gave the king and queen rich\npresents of garments and precious stones. Indeed, their riches seemed\nso inexhaustible, that Hagen would willingly have kept them in the\ncountry, and given them houses and lands. But they pleaded that they\nhad left their wives and children in Hegelingland, where they hoped one\nday to return.\n\nThey all met in the banqueting-hall, and the strangers were presented\nto the princess. Wate alone spoke little, and often looked out towards\nthe sea.\n\n\u201cGo, Hilde,\u201d whispered the queen, \u201cand greet the foreign lord with a\nkiss.\u201d\n\nThe girl started with fear, for the hero of Sturmland was a full head\ntaller than any of his comrades, and was a stern-featured man, with a\nlarge hooked nose, bald head, and long grey beard.\n\n\u201cWhat are you looking at, Lord Wate?\u201d said the queen. \u201cDo you see\nfairer women on the shore than here in the hall?\u201d\n\n\u201cI am looking at my ship,\u201d answered the hero, \u201cfor a storm is coming\non.\u201d\n\nThen the princess smiled and said:\n\n\u201cAre you not happy with us, noble warrior? or do you always wish to be\nout among storms and fighting?\u201d\n\n\u201cLady,\u201d said Wate, \u201cI never learned to talk sweet talk with women, or\nto dance with girls. I only care for the dancing of the stormy waves\nand for the din of battle, when the Norns sing of conquest or a\nglorious death.\u201d\n\nThis was the speech of the stern old man. But the other warriors talked\nof the lovely land of the Hegelings, of its castles and granges, and of\nthe minstrels and knights who served their ladies in all honour and\nmodesty. After this they took leave of their hosts and retired. The\nnext day passed, as was usual on such occasions, in jousting, feasting,\nand minstrelsy.\n\nHorand used to sing, early in the morning and in the late evening,\nbefore the queen and her daughter, who were both delighted with his\nvoice and his songs. Once, when he was alone with the princess, he sang\nabout a great king who fell sick with love for a beautiful maiden named\nHilde. The princess felt that there was something hidden behind the\nsong. So she asked at length who the king was that cared for her. Upon\nwhich the minstrel showed her a portrait of King Hettel, and told her\nof her father\u2019s stern cruelty to all noble warriors who came to Balian\nto woo the princess. He told her also on what secret mission he and his\nfriends had come, and entreated her to come with them to Hegelingland,\nwhere the king was waiting eagerly for her arrival. Once there, he\ncontinued, he would sing to her every day, and so would King Hettel,\nwho knew far more beautiful songs than he.\n\nHilde promised that she would ask her father\u2019s permission to go down to\nthe ships and look at the strangely beautiful stuffs and jewels on\nboard.\n\nWhat she promised she did.\n\nOne day the men of Hegeling came before King Hagen, and said that they\nhad good news from their home. Their king had found that they had been\nfalsely accused, and had therefore restored them to his favour. They\nwished now to take leave of Hagen, and return to their own land. The\nking was displeased to think of losing his guests, and yet they should\nnot go without rich gifts.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d said Frute the Wise, \u201cwe are so rich that we cannot well accept\neither silver or gold; but if you would show us a kindness, come on\nboard our galleys with the queen and her ladies, and look at our\ntreasures.\u201d\n\nWild Hagen shook his head, but his daughter and the queen wished so\nmuch to go that he at length gave way.\n\nAt the appointed hour, when the sails were spread and the ships were\nready for departure, the king, queen, princess, and their ladies\nappeared upon the strand. Boats were ready to take them to the ships.\nFair Hilde and her maid sprang quickly into a boat steered by Horand.\nBut when Hagen and his armed followers were about to get into another\nboat, Wate, Frute, and Irold thrust them back and pushed off from land.\nThe wild chieftain immediately caught up his spear, and rushed into the\nsea till the waves dashed over his head. Spears were hurled on either\nside, but Horand brought the princess safely to the ship. Hagen ran\nalong the shore and called despairingly for ships and men to pursue the\ntraitors; but the Irish boats were not ready for sea, and even at that\nmoment the sails of the Hegelings were disappearing in the distance.\n\nThe voyage lasted many days and many nights. Fair Hilde wept much for\nher father and mother, but Horand sang to her, now of great deeds, and\nnow of love, till she was comforted. At length they reached the coast,\nwhere King Hettel awaited them. He came down to meet them, and soon\ngained fair Hilde\u2019s heart. On the following morning they prepared to go\nto Matelane. But when they were about to start, they saw white clouds\nappear on the western horizon, which, as they came nearer, were\ndiscovered to be ships forming a great fleet, and from the topmast of\neach ship floated the banner of the cross. The Hegelings took it to be\na fleet of crusaders going out against the unbelieving Wilkin-men or\nReussen; but very soon a flag was hoisted bearing the arms of Hagen, a\ntiger, and then they knew that the enemy was approaching.\n\nKing Hettel and old Wate drew out their men in battle array on the\nstrand. The old man laughed loud for joy that he was really to have a\npassage of arms with the warlike Irish king. The other princes advanced\nwith their men to prevent the enemy\u2019s landing. The warriors were all of\ngood cheer; but fair Hilde, who looked down from the battlements of the\ncastle on the turmoil below, wrung her hands with grief that she should\nbe the cause of bloodshed.\n\nThe galleys cast anchor, and boats were put off filled with armed men.\nThe battle began, and so firm was the resistance made to their landing\nthat the boatmen could not approach the shore. Then wild Hagen flung\nhimself into the water and fought his way to land, followed by his\nbravest men. His blows were so terrible that he carried all before him,\nand even Hettel fell wounded to the ground, and was with difficulty\nborne away from the field. Old Wate now came forward, and he and Hagen\nhad a hand-to-hand encounter. Each fought like a lion, and neither gave\nway in the least before the other, although both were severely wounded.\n\nAt length King Hettel, his head bandaged, and looking pale from loss of\nblood, forced his way through the throng of combatants with Hilde\nleaning on his arm. He threw his arms round Wate, while she did the\nsame to her father, and entreated them both to make peace for her sake.\n\nWild Hagen was touched by his daughter\u2019s words. He clasped her in his\narms, and then held out his hand, first to Hettel, and then to the grim\nold hero of Sturmland.\n\nNow that the battle was over, Wate went about binding the wounds of all\nwhom he found, whether of Irish or Hegeling birth, with some healing\nherb, of whose virtues he was well aware. In the evening there was a\ngreat feast, and next morning the warriors all went to Matelane, where\nthe marriage was to take place. A ship was sent to bring good Queen\nHilde to her daughter\u2019s wedding, which was celebrated in the cathedral,\nwith all pomp and circumstance.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                              III. GUDR\u00dbN.\n\nKing Hettel and fair Hilde lived happily at Matelane, and the men of\nHegeling, Friesland, and Dietmarsch, were faithful subjects, out of\nlove and gratitude for the justice and protection afforded them by\ntheir liege lord. Two children were born to the royal pair, Ortwin and\nGudr\u00fbn (pronounced Goodroon), both of whom were strong and blooming as\nNordland roses. As the boy grew older, he was given into the charge of\nthe hero of Sturmland, that he might learn all that it became him to\nknow from the greatest warrior in the land. Gudr\u00fbn remained at home\nwith her parents, and was instructed by her mother, both by precept and\nexample, in all woman\u2019s work and knowledge. So she grew up, and became\ncelebrated in every land for her beauty, her gentleness, and her wisdom.\n\nMany noble princes came to woo her while she was yet very young. Among\nthem was the proud Moorish king, Siegfried, gigantic in height, and\nbrown of hue. With many kings for tributaries, he felt himself so\ngreat, that he feared no refusal. Queen Hilde, however, thought the\nhero too arbitrary in his manners, and ignorant of the proper way to\ntreat women. Hettel was of the same opinion; so he told the wooer that\nthe maiden was too young to be able to conduct a royal household. The\nMoorish king returned to his distant realm in great anger and disgust.\nBut before leaving Matelane, he had bribed some faithless men with gold\nto keep him informed of all that went on in the land of the Hegelings.\n\nNow, at this time, King Ludwig ruled over Normandy and the neighbouring\nlands. He was a great and warlike king. His son, Hartmut, was like his\nfather in character, and helped him in his wars. When the latter heard\nof Gudr\u00fbn, he determined to woo her for his wife. King Ludwig thought\nit a mistake, because the maiden\u2019s grandfather, Hagen, had once been\nhis feudal superior, and had never forgiven him for having freed\nNormandy from the Irish yoke; also he believed that Queen Hilde had\ninherited her father\u2019s temper. The Lady Gerlind, Ludwig\u2019s queen, was of\na different opinion: she thought that Hartmut was worthy of the noblest\nwife in Christendom, and that, if they only set about the matter in the\nright way, his offer would be accepted. The young warrior was pleased\nwith his mother\u2019s counsel, so ambassadors were sent to the Hegeling\ncourt, bearing rich presents. Queen Hilde accepted the gifts with\ngracious courtesy, thanked the ambassadors for bringing them, and added\nthat she supposed the lord of Normandy wished to pay off an old debt\nwhich he owed her father as his liege lord. The warriors were kindly\ntreated, although the king and queen heard their message with\ndispleasure, and said that the husband of their daughter must be of\nhigher birth than the lord of Normandy. The ambassadors, seeing that no\ngood would come of their further stay, returned to Ludwig with their\nevil tidings.\n\nThe Norman king was not much surprised at the result of the embassy;\nbut the Lady Gerlind, whose ancestors had been powerful kings, chafed\nunder the affront, and advised her son to avenge the insult with his\nsword. But the young prince had thought of another plan. He possessed\nstrongholds and granges in Scotland. So he determined to go a-wooing\nhimself in Scottish garb, accompanied by a large train of attendants.\nHe was a hero, learned in all knightly duties, tall, manly, and\nstrikingly handsome. He was accustomed to ladies\u2019 smiles, and to meet\nwith kindness from women wherever he went; so he never for a moment\ndoubted his power of winning the love of the Princess Gudr\u00fbn. The ships\nwere manned, a favourable wind filled the sails, but soon fell again,\nand the voyage was a very slow one.\n\n[Illustration: GUDR\u00dbN ON THE SHORE.]\n\nMeanwhile, another suitor had arrived at Matelane. This was bold\nHerwig, lord of Zealand. He was a brave warrior, celebrated in many a\nvictory; a faithful friend and loyal foe. Fair curls surrounded his\nface, and his blue eyes shone with intelligence.\n\nThe maiden and he soon learned to understand each other, and before a\nword of love was spoken, each knew the other\u2019s feelings.\n\nWhen Hartmut arrived, in the guise of a Scottish prince, he soon\ndiscovered what was going on.\n\nA favourable chance led Hartmut to the garden one day, and there he\nfound Gudr\u00fbn alone. He told her of his love, and at the same time\nexplained who he was. She was startled, but soon recovering herself,\nanswered that she cared for some one else. She further told him to\nbeware how he betrayed his identity, for her father and mother regarded\nKing Ludwig as a vassal, and his life would be in danger if they knew\nhis name and quality. The word vassal brought an angry flush to the\nyoung hero\u2019s cheek; he did not, however, betray his feelings, but took\nleave of the maid in seemly fashion, and, after saying farewell to the\nking and queen, set sail for his own land.\n\nHerwig lingered on at the palace in the hope that he might find some\nopportunity of seeing and speaking to the princess alone. But, whether\nby accident, or because the queen prevented it, he never found his\nopportunity. So he went boldly to the king, and made a formal offer for\nGudr\u00fbn\u2019s hand. Hettel listened to him calmly, and told him that the\nmaiden was too young to marry. This, however, was merely an excuse, for\nhe really thought the king of Zealand was too poor a match for his\npeerless daughter.\n\nHerwig found no rest at home. He assembled his forces, and prepared to\ninvade the land of the Hegelings. His army only consisted of three\nthousand warriors, but they were one and all tried men of valour, on\nwhom he could rely. Hettel was totally unprepared for the invasion. His\nheroes were at their own homes, or scattered abroad; but he collected\nwhat men he could, and went out against the foe. Soon the clang of arms\nsounded on the strand, and the battle began. It raged fiercely for a\nlong time. At length Queen Hilde, taking Gudr\u00fbn with her, and followed\nby her ladies, descended to the place of combat, and spoke so wisely\nthat she soon induced the men to put up their weapons, and make peace.\nHettel was so much pleased with the boldness and valour displayed by\nHerwig, that he consented to receive him as his son-in-law, but\nstipulated that the marriage should not take place for a year.\n\nHerwig spent some time at Matelane in company with certain other\nwarriors, and at midsummer, young Ortwin and several of his friends\nreceived their swords at the hands of old Wate of Sturmland, who bade\nthem act in all things so as to be soon worthy of the honour of\nknighthood. At the jousts that followed, the young men\u2019s prowess\ngladdened their teacher\u2019s heart. But the rejoicings came to a sudden\nend through the arrival of some wounded men from Zealand, who brought\nnews that the Moorish king, Siegfried, had fallen upon the island, and\nwas laying the country waste.\n\nHettel determined to send troops to help Herwig against the Moors; but\nthe king of Zealand would not wait until they could be summoned; he set\nout at once, saying that they could follow, and he would meantime go\nand show his people that he had not deserted them.\n\nHerwig landed in a small bay. His heart was wrung when he saw the\ndevastation caused by the cruel Moor, and knew that he was not strong\nenough to offer him battle. But he was not idle for all that. He and\nhis three thousand followers separated into companies, cut off isolated\nbands of free-booters, and harassed the enemy as much as they could. So\nmatters went on for days and weeks. At length the Hegeling fleet\narrived with Hettel and his heroes. A great battle was fought by sea\nand land, but, although the Moors suffered terrible loss, both in men\nand ships, it was by no means a decisive battle. Siegfried knew that he\nhad now no hope of winning the victory in open war, but still he\ntrusted to the chapter of accidents to get him out of his difficulties.\nAnd he did not hope in vain.\n\nWhilst King Hettel and his heroes were fighting in Zealand, Hartmut,\nwith a large Norman army, had fallen upon the land of the Hegelings.\nLudwig had accompanied his son. Together they had stormed the palace at\nthe head of their men, had taken it, and had carried away the Princess\nGudr\u00fbn and her maidens; amongst whom was Hildburg, granddaughter of\nthat Hildburg whom Hagen found on the griffin\u2019s strand.\n\nThe first messenger, who brought the news of the Norman invasion, was\nsoon followed by a second, with tidings of the storming of the castle,\nand the carrying off of Gudr\u00fbn. The first thought in every mind was to\nset off in pursuit of the robbers; King Hettel sent to offer terms to\nSiegfried, telling him at the same time of what had chanced, and the\nMoorish king immediately offered to help to rescue the princess; so an\nalliance was concluded between Hettel, Herwig, and Siegfried without\nmore ado.\n\nThis being settled, they turned their attention to the ships; but great\nwas their despair when they found that most of them had been burnt in\nthe fight, and of those that remained very few were seaworthy. Herwig\nand his men would have started alone in the few vessels that remained,\nbut Irolt the Frisian stopped them, by drawing their attention to a\nfleet that was already approaching the shore. The masts and flags of\nthe coming ships all bore the sign of the cross, and on deck were\nfigures in long grey garments, with the staff of peace in their hands.\n\n\u201cThey are pilgrims going to the Holy Sepulchre,\u201d said Horand the\nminstrel.\n\nThe pilgrims disembarked and pitched their tents on the strand, to\nenjoy a little rest after their long and toilsome voyage.\n\n\u201cNecessity knows no law,\u201d said Wate. \u201cThese pious men must put off\ntheir journey for a little. They have plenty of time to do their\npenance in. Let us borrow their vessels and provisions. If we return,\nwe can reward them richly for the enforced loan.\u201d\n\nHorand and Frute warned their friends that such a deed would surely\nbring its punishment. The pilgrims raised their hands in piteous\nentreaty. All in vain. King Hettel decided to take the ships, and Wate\nand Herwig voted with him.\n\nSo the heroes sailed over the high seas in pursuit of the Normans, in\nships that bore the cross as their pennon.\n\nAfter many days\u2019 sail they saw before them a low flat island, called\nthe W\u00f6lpensand, and on it a great army was encamped, upon whose banners\nwas depicted a raven with widespread wings, the ensign of the Normans.\nThey were able to get quite close to the land, thanks to the pilgrims\u2019\nships, before their real character was discovered. But no sooner was it\nknown, than the Normans sprang to their feet, and shouting their\nbattle-cry, stood ready to defend themselves.\n\nThe battle began. Lances and arrows filled the air, and many a deed of\ndesperate valour was done on either side. Darkness alone put an end to\nthe fight. The victory was undecided. It was a dark and cloudy night,\nand the flickering watch-fires alone threw any light upon the scene.\nThen it was that King Hettel challenged Ludwig to single combat,\ntelling him that he should always regard him as a coward if he did not\nat once arm him for the fray. Ludwig accepted the challenge, and came\nout to meet the king. Many a shrewd blow did the heroes exchange before\nLudwig at length gave his adversary his death-wound. Seeing their\nleader fall, the Hegelings rushed forward shouting their battle-cry,\nand a general engagement took place in the darkness. None could tell\nfriend from foe, and many a brave warrior fell under his comrade\u2019s\nspear. The leaders on either side ordered the horns to blow the recall,\nand the two armies took up their position at a greater distance from\neach other than before. Knowing the vengeance the Hegelings would take\non the following day, the Normans thought prudence the better part of\nvalour, and set sail for home under cover of the night, taking their\nprisoners with them; for they were on their way home from Hegelingland.\n\nAt daybreak, old Wate called his men to be up and doing. Great was the\nastonishment of all when they found their enemy flown. Wate and Herwig\nwere keen to follow the Normans without loss of time, but Frute and\nMorung advised them to be prudent. They reminded them of the numbers of\nmen they had lost, and advised that they should go home, and wait till\nthe young men, who were growing up, should be old enough to bear arms.\n\nThe wisdom of this advice was recognised by all. Herwig alone felt\nindignant, but he was powerless to act unaided, so he returned to\nZealand to work for his people, until the time should come to renew the\nexpedition.\n\nQueen Hilde was sad at heart when she saw the Hegelings return\nvanquished, and without either her husband or daughter. But what could\nshe do? She was only a weak woman, unable to wield a sword, to avenge\nHettel or to save Gudr\u00fbn.\n\nHorand, Morung, and Irolt mourned the dead king with her, but old Wate\nchid them for women, and bade them rouse themselves, and teach the\nyouth of the land all warlike accomplishments, to the end that they\nmight win the day when the time for vengeance came.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                           IV. QUEEN GERLIND.\n\nMeanwhile the Norman fleet had reached its destination.\n\nQueen Gerlind, her gentle daughter Ortr\u00fbn, their ladies, and many of\nthe citizens of Cassian went down to the harbour to welcome the heroes\nhome. After they had greeted the kings, Ortr\u00fbn hastened to sad Gudr\u00fbn\u2019s\nside, and, embracing her, told her to be of good courage. Gudr\u00fbn was\ntouched by the maiden\u2019s kindness, though it could not stop her tears;\nbut when Queen Gerlind would have kissed her, she recoiled from her\ntouch, for the sharp-featured woman with the bold, glittering eyes\nseemed to her a spiteful snake, ready to dart on his prey and crush it\nin his coils.\n\n\u201cEh, pretty puppet,\u201d said the offended queen. \u201cWhat, so shy? But you\u2019ll\nsoon grow tame under my training.\u201d She would have said more, but\nHartmut interposed, saying that Gudr\u00fbn was to be his wife when the days\nof mourning for her father were over. He then offered the princess his\narm, and sorely against her will, she had to enter the palace side by\nside with him. Some of the townsfolk, watching her, said, \u201cHow\nbeautiful she is!\u201d to which others made answer, \u201cBut how sad!\u201d\n\nDays and weeks passed on. Hartmut did his best to win fair Gudr\u00fbn\u2019s\nlove, but all his efforts were vain. One day he asked her why she would\nnot love him, and she replied that he was a great and noble warrior,\nwell worthy of a woman\u2019s love, but she was betrothed to Herwig, and\nwould never break her troth. Queen Gerlind was not of so patient a\ndisposition as her son: she was determined to break Gudr\u00fbn\u2019s proud\nspirit, and force her to consent to marry Hartmut. At first she tried\nsoft words and flattering speeches; but finding these of no avail, she\nhad recourse to sterner measures, though she waited till her son had\nleft home on a warlike expedition. Before going he confided Gudr\u00fbn to\nhis mother\u2019s care, telling her she might \u201ctry to tame the wild bird\u201d in\nany fashion she liked, that was not inconsistent with the maiden\u2019s\nroyal dignity.\n\nNo sooner was Hartmut gone, than Queen Gerlind set to work. She made\nGudr\u00fbn dress like a servant, and then set her and her maidens to cook\nand sweep, and do all the hardest work in the palace. Gudr\u00fbn bore her\nwrongs in patient silence. Her soft hands were blistered with scrubbing\npots and pans, and doing other kitchen work, with which she was busied\nfrom early morning till late at night. The queen would sometimes ask\nher viciously if she would not rather wear the Norman crown than\ncontinue to slave in that manner, but she answered gently that she\nwould keep her troth.\n\nSo she did all that was given her to do through the hot summer days,\nand in the icy cold of winter, without uttering a single murmur at her\nhard fate.\n\nYear after year she lived this wretched life. At length Hartmut came\nhome victorious from his wars. He greeted his father, mother, and\nsister with warm affection, and then looked round for Gudr\u00fbn. When he\nsaw her dressed in coarse clothing, and doing hard work, he was very\nangry with his mother for her ill-treatment of the girl. He begged\nGudr\u00fbn to forgive what was past and gone, and grant him her love,\ntrying to rouse her ambition by dwelling on the wealth and greatness of\nthe kingdom he offered to share with her. But Gudr\u00fbn answered that a\nnoble-minded woman could love but once, and never again. So he left\nher, but took care to protect her from Gerlind\u2019s malice.\n\nGudr\u00fbn was restored to her former position, and slept that night in her\nold room. Next morning, when she awoke, she found the princess Ortr\u00fbn,\nwhom she had not seen for a long time, bending over her. The two girls\nspent the summer together, and learnt to love each other warmly. As\nautumn came on, Gudr\u00fbn thought that her friend looked graver and sadder\nthan her wont, and asked her the reason of the change. Ortr\u00fbn then\nconfessed that as Gudr\u00fbn had not given way to Hartmut\u2019s entreaties, but\nremained obdurate as ever, Gerlind intended to separate her daughter\nfrom the Hegeling princess.\n\nWhile the two girls were talking, Hartmut joined them, and said:\n\n\u201cLady Gudr\u00fbn, the warrior to whom you plighted your troth is not worthy\nof your love, otherwise he would not have allowed so many years to pass\nwithout coming in search of you at the head of his men. He has\nforgotten you, and is most likely married to another.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou do not know him, noble hero,\u201d answered Gudr\u00fbn; \u201cdeath alone, which\nlooses all bonds, could separate us.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat if he has fallen in battle, or has died of some illness?\u201d asked\nthe young king.\n\n\u201cThen he shall find me faithful when I join him where there is no more\nparting,\u201d replied the princess, with a look of courageous resolve.\n\nSo Hartmut took leave of her, and again went away to try and forget her\namid the excitement of battle.\n\nWhen he was gone, Queen Gerlind once more deposed Gudr\u00fbn from her high\nestate, and sent her to wash the clothes, making her work from early\nmorning till late at night, and threatening her with the rod if she\nwere lazy; but the princess worked too hard to give her an excuse for\ninflicting this last indignity.\n\nMore years passed on, and at length Hartmut returned victorious as at\nfirst. He spoke to Gudr\u00fbn, but found her faithful as ever to Herwig.\n\nGerlind, after this, was harder than ever to Gudr\u00fbn. The other Hegeling\nmaidens were given lighter tasks than she. They had to spin and card\nflax and wool, while their beloved mistress had to wash the clothes all\nthe cold winter through, and often, on her return from the shore, she\nsank into an exhausted sleep on her straw pallet, without having the\nstrength first to take off her wet garments. At last matters came to\nsuch a pass that her cousin Hildburg could hold her peace no longer,\nand asked the queen how she dared treat a princess with such cruelty\nand disrespect. Upon which Gerlind set her to join her mistress in her\nwork.\n\nThis was just what Hildburg wanted. Her great desire was to be with her\nmistress, to cheer and comfort her, and lighten her toil. Still Gudr\u00fbn\nhad often to go down to the shore alone when Hildburg was busy at the\ncastle. On one of these occasions she saw a swan come swimming over the\nsea.\n\n\u201cO swan, had I thy wings, I would soar into the sky and hie me to my\nhome.\u201d\n\nWhile she spoke, the swan dived into the sea, and in its place up came\na mermaid:\n\n\u201cO heart long tried and true, thy grief shall pass away: thy lover and\nthy kindred live, and lo, they hasten to thy rescue.\u201d\n\nSo saying, the mermaid dived, and again the white swan floated on the\nwave. He spread his wings and rose in the air, flew three times round\nthe princess, and sang:\n\n           \u201cTrue love on the earth may yet be found,\n             True hearts that never roam;\n             Lo, through the breakers\u2019 foam\n           \u2019Tis thy warrior\u2019s bark o\u2019er the wave doth bound,\n             To lead his true-love home.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: MEETING OF OLD FRIENDS.]\n\nIt was well for Gudr\u00fbn that she had this secret hope to support her,\nfor Gerlind\u2019s cruelty grew daily more intolerable. The princess and\nHildburg were forced to wash the clothes on the sea-shore, dressed in\nsimple linen shifts, and without shoes. When they begged for shoes, the\ncold was so terrible, their taskmistress gave them insulting words, and\nthreatened to scourge them with thorns if their day\u2019s work were not\nfinished by evening. Trembling with cold in the cutting east wind, and\ntheir beautiful hair blowing about their faces, they worked on busily.\nSuddenly they saw a boat gliding swiftly along the shore, rowed by two\nwarriors in full armour. The maidens, ashamed of their insufficient\nclothing, would have fled, but the men called to them to stop, and tell\nthem what castle that was on the height above. When they added that\nthey would throw the linen into the sea unless they received an answer,\nthe girls came back, and as they did so, Gudr\u00fbn whispered:\u2014\n\n\u201cSee, it is Herwig. I know him well, but he\u2014he has forgotten me.\u201d\n\nAnd in good truth the hero was unaware that his long-lost bride stood\nthere before him; but no sooner had she pushed her fluttering hair back\nfrom her face, than he recognised her, hastened to her, and clasped her\nin his arms. When the other warrior opened his visor, Gudr\u00fbn exclaimed,\n\u201cOrtwin!\u201d and threw herself into her brother\u2019s arms.\n\nThen Ortwin turned to her companion, and said, taking her hand in his:\n\n\u201cIt is you, Hildburg! Do not be ashamed to confess that you and I have\nlong loved each other, and would have been openly betrothed years ago,\nhad not the Normans carried you off.\u201d\n\nThey then exchanged the kiss of betrothal.\n\nHerwig wished to take the two girls away with them at once, but Ortwin\nwould not consent. He said they must come openly on the morrow for\nGudr\u00fbn and Hildburg, who should never run away secretly from their\ncaptors.\n\nThe two girls stood on the shore watching the boat as long as it was in\nsight. At length Hildburg in startled accents begged her friend to help\nher to finish the washing. But Gudr\u00fbn answered proudly that the days of\nher slavery were over, and, so saying, she cast one garment after\nanother into the sea, and watched them floating away on the waves with\na smile; while poor Hildburg tremblingly remembered that they were\nstill in the power of the Norman queen.\n\nWhen they reached the castle, Gerlind came down to meet them, asking\nwhy they were so early, and what they had done with the linen. Gudr\u00fbn\nanswered that the work was too hard for them, and that she had thrown\nthe clothes into the sea, where Queen Gerlind\u2019s men might find them\nyet, if she did not delay too long in sending out boats. The queen was\ndumb with astonishment when she heard the gentle, patient Gudr\u00fbn speak\nto her in such a manner; but soon recovering herself, she called her\nbond-women to fetch thorny rods, and beat the maidens for their\ninsolence. The women hastened to do as they were desired; but Gudr\u00fbn\ncalled to them to stop, telling them to touch her at their peril, for\nshe would be their queen on the morrow.\n\n\u201cAnd will you really marry Hartmut?\u201d asked Gerlind joyfully. \u201cI fear\nthere is some trick in this.\u201d\n\n\u201cBring the king here,\u201d said Gudr\u00fbn; \u201cI would speak with him.\u201d\n\nThe queen went thoughtfully to her son, and said:\u2014\n\n\u201cHartmut, that obstinate girl has given in at last, and has consented\nto be your wife, but....\u201d\n\n\u201cNo \u2018but,\u2019\u201d cried the hero, \u201cshe consents!\u2014mother, I must hear her say\nso with her own lips,\u201d and he hastened from the room.\n\nWhen he saw Gudr\u00fbn, he would have clasped her in his arms but she\nsigned to him not to approach her, telling him that she could not\nlisten to him in the abode of her misery; but that next morning, in the\nfull light of day, and in presence of all the warriors, she would\nreceive, and give the bridal ring. Hartmut now gave orders that Gudr\u00fbn\nshould be provided with all that was necessary for the comfort and\nwell-being of the future queen, and that her maidens should be restored\nto her.\n\nHis orders were fulfilled. The princess and Hildburg kept their secret\nwell. It was not till the Hegeling maidens were all safe in their\nsleeping chamber that they heard of the arrival of Ortwin and Herwig.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                         V. BATTLE AND VICTORY.\n\nBefore day-break one of the maidens stationed herself at the window,\nand gazed anxiously over the sea. After some time she saw vessels full\nof armed men approaching the shore; and, with difficulty restraining a\ncry of joy, she wakened her mistress and told her the good news. Not\nlong after, the alarm was given from the tower, where the sleepy\nwatchman had just woke up.\n\nQueen Gerlind had her wits about her more than any one else. She did\nnot need to be told who the enemy were, and had given the requisite\norders to the garrison before Ludwig\u2019s and Hartmut\u2019s eyes were well\nopen. But when the kings were ready, they countermanded her orders, and\ninstead of defending the castle, marched out to meet the foe in spite\nof all her warnings and entreaties.\n\nEach party moved forward to meet the other in close array; and no\nsooner had they met than the battle began. Ortwin and Hartmut fought\nhand to hand, and Ortwin had well been overthrown, had not bold Horand\nstruck up the Norman\u2019s spear. But he too was unable to withstand the\nking, and was soon afterwards carried to the rear by his men, severely\nwounded. Meantime Herwig and Ludwig had met, and after a terrible\ncombat, the latter was slain.\n\n\u201cThe king is dead!\u201d cried his men, and they fled incontinently, pursued\nby the victor, strong Irolt, and Siegfried the Moor. The old hero of\nSturmland pressed the advantage. His sword-arm was never still for a\nmoment, and he was always in the front rank. When the terrified Normans\nfled to the castle, they found, to their horror, that he was close\nbehind them. They only got the great gate shut just in time. But Wate\nwas not to be done. He shouted to his men to bring up ladders and\nstorming tackle, meaning to scale the wall.\n\nHartmut, ignorant of his father\u2019s death, had continued to fight\nbravely, till he saw that the Normans were flying. He then retreated\nslowly to the castle with his immediate followers. Looking up at the\nbattlements, he saw Queen Gerlind giving a man a naked sword, and\npointing with fierce earnestness to the women\u2019s apartments in the\ncastle. He knew his mother, and feared that she was telling the man to\ngo and murder the Hegeling women, so he exclaimed in a loud voice of\ncommand:\n\n\u201cCoward! If you raise your hand to murder any woman, I will have you\nhung before sunset.\u201d\n\nThe man let the sword fall to the ground, and slunk away. At this\nmoment Hartmut, to his intense amazement, caught sight of old Wate at\nthe castle gate. He looked round for help, but Ludwig was nowhere to be\nseen; on every side waved the banners of the Hegelings and their\nallies, and their foremost men were fast closing round him and his\nlittle band. Hartmut was too brave to fly; he prepared to defend\nhimself to the last. The lord of Sturmland now came forward to attack\nhim; and although he fought desperately, it had gone ill with him, if\nHerwig had not thrown himself in the old warrior\u2019s way, and pleaded for\nhis rival\u2019s life. In the heat of the conflict, Wate did not notice who\nit was that addressed him; he brought down one of his sledge-hammer\nblows on Herwig\u2019s head, and the king of Zealand was stretched\nunconscious on the ground beside many a dead and dying Norman. This\nrestored the wild lord of Sturmland to his senses. Leaving Hartmut\nalone, he bent over his friend, and, to his joy, discovered him to be\nwhole and sound. As soon as Herwig was on his feet again, Wate asked:\n\n\u201cWhat devil possessed you to make me spare the life of that Norman\nrobber?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo devil at all,\u201d replied Herwig; \u201cthe noble Gudr\u00fbn loves the Princess\nOrtr\u00fbn, and, for her sake, begged that Hartmut\u2019s life should be spared.\u201d\n\n\u201cWomen, women!\u201d cried the old warrior. \u201cThey are all alike. They have\nsoft hearts, as easily moved as a fleecy cloud is blown by the breeze.\nBut now let us haste, and trap the she-wolf in her lair.\u201d\n\nAt length the castle gate was burst open, and the hero of Sturmland cut\nhis way through the small crowd of defenders to the women\u2019s apartments.\nThere he found Gudr\u00fbn surrounded by all the frightened women in the\npalace, while Ortr\u00fbn and Gerlind knelt at her feet and entreated her\nprotection.\n\n\u201cWhere is the she-wolf?\u201d shouted Wate. \u201cSpeak, Gudr\u00fbn, and you others!\u201d\n\nHe was awful to look upon, with his grim, stern face, his armour and\nsword dripping with the blood of his enemies; but Gudr\u00fbn did not quail,\nnor did she utter a single word to betray the cruel woman who had used\nher so badly. She sat still and quiet, full of a gentle dignity, and\nlooked at the angry old man without blenching.\n\n[Illustration: GERLIND AND ORTRUN AT GUDR\u00dbN\u2019S FEET.]\n\nHe cast a quick glance round the room in search of Gerlind, and as he\ndid so, one of the maidens pointed to the queen. The moment he saw the\nglittering, snaky eyes, he caught Gerlind by the hair, and dragging her\nto the battlements, cut off her head, and flung both it and the body\nover the wall. \u201cNow the other!\u201d he cried, rushing up to the terrified\nOrtr\u00fbn; \u201cshe belongs to the serpent\u2019s brood, and must share her\nmother\u2019s fate.\u201d\n\nBut Gudr\u00fbn held the maiden tightly clasped in her arms, and told the\ngrim warrior of all the love and tenderness that Ortr\u00fbn had shown her,\nso Wate was fain to be satisfied with the vengeance he had already\nwreaked.\n\nMeanwhile the fighting outside the castle had also ceased. The Norman\nhero, weary to death, had surrendered with the eighty warriors that\nwere left him.\n\nThree days later, the victorious army went on board their ships, and\nset sail for the land of the Hegelings, leaving Morung and his men to\ngarrison Cassian. Hartmut, and Ortr\u00fbn with thirty of her maidens, had\nto accompany their conquerors. On their way they touched at W\u00f6lpensand,\nwhere Queen Hilde had had a minster built, and the bones of those who\nfell in the old fight buried; and there the heroes gave solemn thanks\nfor their great victory. Ortr\u00fbn sat alone in the churchyard, looking at\nthe graves: she thought of her slain father, and wished that she too\nwere at rest. But Gudr\u00fbn coming up to her, took her by the hand and led\nher to the Moorish king Siegfried, who desired to gain her love. During\nthe remainder of the voyage, Gudr\u00fbn managed to throw the two much\ntogether, and delighted in telling Ortr\u00fbn of Siegfried\u2019s noble and\nwarlike deeds.\n\nIn the meantime Queen Hilde, and Hergart, Herwig\u2019s sister, often sat\ntogether at a window overlooking the sea. The Hegeling army must soon\nreturn, but how would it return? and would Gudr\u00fbn have kept her troth?\nHilde was not so hopeful as her young companion, for she was more used\nto sorrow. One day when they were at the window as usual, Hergart saw\nthe fleet appear in the distance, and uttering a cry of joy, told Queen\nHilde that their friends were coming back.\n\nBefore the queen and her ladies could get down to the shore, Wate had\nalready landed. On seeing the queen, he at once told her the good news.\n\nThe rest of the ships were not long in arriving, and soon Hilde had the\npleasure of embracing her daughter, the long-lost Gudr\u00fbn. Time passed\non, and joy reigned in every breast but one. Hartmut ate out his soul\nin sadness. Gentle Hergart pitied him, and begged Queen Hilde to use\nher influence to have him set at liberty, and allowed to return to his\nkingdom. But Hilde explained how impossible it was to let a man go free\nwho was sure to bear them deadly enmity, and attack them when he could.\nHartmut one day by accident overheard Hergart pleading for him so\ntenderly and so wisely that he was deeply touched. He began to think\nthat she was, if possible, even more beautiful than Gudr\u00fbn, and took\nthe first opportunity he could find of speaking to her. It was not long\nbefore they learnt to love each other. Hartmut told the queen about it,\nand asked for her consent to his marriage with Hergart, which she at\nonce granted, and at the same time gave him back his sword and freedom,\nfor the husband of sweet Hergart could never be aught else than the\nfriend of the Hegelings.\n\nA few weeks later, a great marriage feast was held, in which four\ncouples appeared before the altar to receive a priestly blessing on\ntheir vows; after which they adjourned to the banqueting-hall, where\nall old scores were forgiven and forgotten for the sake of the\nhappiness that now prevailed. Then the old minstrel, Horand, took up\nhis harp and sang his last song. In it he told of the great deeds he\nhad known; he sang of noble lives and noble deaths, of truth and\nconstancy; and when he ceased, there was not a dry eye in the hall, for\neven the grim lord of Sturmland was seen to dash away a tear.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: BEOWULF FIGHTS WITH GRENDEL\u2019S MOTHER.]\n\n\n\n\n                               BEOWULF.\n                   (_I.E._, BEE-WOLF, OR WOODPECKER.)\n\n\n                              I. GRENDEL.\n\nOne evening while the warriors were feasting in King Hrodgar\u2019s hall, a\nminstrel was called upon to sing. He tuned his harp, and sang of the\ncoming of Ski\u00f6ld, the son whom Odin sent to live a human life among\nmortal men. He told how the babe had been seen lying on a shield\nfloating on the waves of the sea, how he had been drawn ashore and\ncarefully tended, and how he had become a mighty king and warrior in\nJutland. He sang of Ski\u00f6ld\u2019s glorious life, of the kingdom he had left\nto his children and grandchildren; and last of all he sung of Hrodgar,\nSki\u00f6ld\u2019s most famous grandson, who, like him, was the patron of all\npeaceful arts, the protector of all peaceful folk, and the punisher of\nevil-doers.\n\nMany heroes were collected round the king that night at Hirschhalle, so\ncalled from the gigantic antlers of a royal stag, which, carved in\nstone, adorned the battlements. At length the time came for the\nwarriors to separate for the night, and as there were too many of them\nto be accommodated elsewhere, beds were made up for them in the great\nhall. Two and thirty brave men lay down to sleep on the couches spread\nfor them; but next morning, when the servants came to waken them, they\nwere gone. The room was in confusion, here and there might be seen\nstains of blood, and other signs of struggle.\n\nKing Hrodgar came himself as soon as he heard what had chanced, and\nexamined the place carefully to try and find out the cause of the\ndisaster. He followed the blood-stains through the hall, and out of\ndoors, and there, in the soft earth, he saw the deep footprints of a\ngiant. The whole affair was clear to him now. He knew that the monster\nGrendel, who had been banished the land by the aid of a great magician,\nhad at length returned. When it became known that Grendel had come\nback, ten warriors offered to keep watch in the hall, and fight the\ngiant if he tried to come in. Next morning they were gone. They had\neither been surprised in their sleep, or had not been strong enough to\nwithstand the monster. The Ski\u00f6ldungs\u2019 people were brave and fearless,\nso twelve other heroes immediately offered their services. Eleven of\nthem laid themselves down to sleep in their armour, while the twelfth,\na minstrel, kept watch.\n\nAt midnight the giant came, smacking his great lips, and slowly\ndragging his heavy body along. The minstrel saw and heard all that took\nplace; but he could neither speak nor move; he was, as it were,\nparalysed with fear, and at last sank back senseless. Next morning,\nwhen with infinite trouble they restored him to consciousness, he\neither could not, or would not, tell what he had seen. He picked up his\narms and his harp, pointed to the stains on the floor, and strode down\nto the strand without a word or sign of farewell to any one. A vessel\nwas on the point of sailing for Gothland, so he went on board, and had\nsoon left the ill-fated shores of Jutland behind.\n\n\n                      II. BEOWULF, THE BOLD DIVER.\n\nHygelak, a brave and heroic man, ruled over Gothland at this time. He\nwas surrounded by a band of famous warriors, chief among whom was his\nnephew Beowulf (bee-hunter, _i.e._, woodpecker), son of Ektheov. When\nthe harper arrived in Gothland, he found that the Swedes had invaded\nthe country, and a great battle was about to take place. A few days\nlater the battle was fought, and would have gone badly with the Goths\nhad it not been for the almost superhuman prowess displayed by Beowulf,\nwho, in spite of repeated disaster, always returned to the charge. His\ncoolness and courage kept up the spirits of his men, and at last the\nSwedes had to return to their own land, mourning the loss of their\nking, and of many a valiant hero.\n\nDuring the feast that was given in honour of this great victory, the\nstranger minstrel sang to the assembled warriors of the great deeds of\npast and present times. He sang of Siegmund (Siegfried) the brave\nW\u00f6lsung, and of all his adventures with giants and dragons. Then,\nstriking yet louder chords upon his harp, he sang of Beowulf\u2019s victory,\nand called upon him to do yet greater things, to seek out and slay the\nhorrible fiend of the fen, Grendel, who nightly crept into the\nSki\u00f6ldungs\u2019 hall, and fed on the blood of heroes.\n\nBeowulf promised to go and try to slay the monster that had done such\nincredible mischief. Now one of the great lords, Breka by name, was\nenvious of Beowulf\u2019s fame, and proposed that they two should on the\nmorrow go down to the sea, and fight the monsters of the deep. They\nwould then see which of them was the better man; and the one that\nreached the shore first after the battle was over should receive the\nprize of victory. It was agreed that this trial of strength should take\nplace on the morrow, and King Hygelak promised to give the gold chain\nhe wore round his neck to whichever was the victor.\n\nNext morning the sun rose red in the east, the stormy sea moaned,\ngroaned, and dashed upon the shore, as though demanding a human\nsacrifice. The two bold swimmers stood on the strand, arrayed in their\nshirts of mail, their swords in their hands. When the signal was given,\nthey flung themselves into the raging sea, and were soon lost to sight.\nThey kept close together, that they might come to each other\u2019s help if\nhard pressed by the monsters of the deep, but were at length parted by\nwaves which bore them in different directions. Breka soon after found\nhimself in calm water, where he swam about until it was time to return.\nBeowulf, on the contrary, was carried to a place where the waves beat\nfiercely against great cliffs that towered above the water, a place\nthat swarmed with polypi, sea-dragons, and horrible nixies, all lying\nin wait for their prey. Gigantic arms were stretched out to grasp him,\nbut he cut them down with his sword. Monsters of every sort tried to\nclutch and stifle him, but he stabbed them through their scales. A\nnixie clasped him in his arms, and would have dragged him down to his\ncave, but he stabbed the monster to the heart, and drew him to the\nsurface of the water. After a long struggle he again reached the open\nsea, and then strove with all his might to get home before the sun\nshould quite have set. The storm was over, so that there was the less\ndanger. Breka was the first of the bold swimmers to reach the shore. He\nturned with a triumphant smile to greet Beowulf, but what was his\nastonishment, and that of all present, when the hero dragged the\nmonstrous form of the nixie on the sands, and stretched it out before\nthem. The princes crowded round the hideous creature, and gazed at his\nenormous limbs in speechless amazement.\n\n\u201cHere is the gold chain,\u201d said the king to Breka. \u201cYou have won it by\nhard labour; but my bold nephew has done even more than you, in that he\nhas conquered and slain one of the monsters of the deep. I shall\ntherefore give him my good sword N\u00e4gling with the golden hilt, and the\nRunic letters engraved in gold, that are sure to bring good fortune to\nthe possessor.\u201d\n\nBeowulf was held in high honour by the Goths; but he could not sit\nstill, satisfied with what he had already done. He longed to free the\nroyal palace of the Ski\u00f6ldungs from the monster Grendel, so he\npresently took ship for King Hrodgar\u2019s castle, accompanied by the\nminstrel, and fifteen noble and courageous Goths.\n\nOn their ship touching the strand below the fortress, the watchman\nasked them who they were, and what brought them to King Hrodgar\u2019s land.\nWhen he learnt their names and business, he was pleased, and sent them\non to the king. Hrodgar also received them with joy and gratitude. The\nminstrel tuned his harp and sang of Beowulf\u2019s heroic deeds, and\nprophesied that he would conquer and slay the monster of the morass.\nThis praise made Hunford, one of the courtiers, angry and jealous. He\nsaid it was Breka, not Beowulf, that had won the golden chain; that the\nGothic hero was undertaking an enterprise that would very likely lead\nhim to his death; and he advised him to think twice before attacking\nGrendel. Upon this, Beowulf exclaimed indignantly that he had won a\ngood sword instead of the golden chain, and that it was sharp enough\nboth to pierce the hide of the monster and to cut out a slanderous\ntongue. Hrodgar bade the courtier be silent, and promised the Goth that\nif he were victorious, he would give him rich presents, and would enter\ninto a firm alliance with his people.\n\nAt night-fall Hrodgar and his warriors withdrew, and serving-men came\ninto the hall to make up beds for the strangers. Beowulf felt so\nconfident of victory, that he laid aside his helmet and shirt of mail,\nand then gave his sword to the groom in attendance.\n\n\u201cI intend to master Grendel with my fists,\u201d he said; \u201che is unarmed,\nand I will meet him in like fashion.\u201d\n\nMidnight came, and the fiend of the fen rose out of his hiding-place.\nHe expected a feast that night, and, wrapping himself in a veil of\nmist, made his way to the palace. He entered the banqueting-hall, and,\nat sight of the Goths, a grin of satisfaction spread over his\ncountenance, displaying his great teeth, which resembled boar\u2019s tusks\nin size and shape. At the same time he stretched out his hairy hands,\nwhich were furnished with claws like those of an eagle.\n\nThe warriors were all sunk in a sleep so profound as to seem like\nenchantment. Beowulf alone remained awake, and that only by a mighty\neffort. He watched the monster through his half-closed eyes, and saw\nhim stand gloating over his intended victims, uncertain with whom to\ncommence. At last he seemed to have made up his mind, for he hurled\nhimself upon one of the sleepers, whom he rapidly slew, drinking his\nblood with evident eagerness and enjoyment. He turned next to Beowulf.\nBut the hero seized his outstretched arm in such a firm grip that he\nbellowed with pain. And now began a terrible struggle between the man\nand the demon. The hall trembled to its foundation, and threatened\nevery instant to fall in ruins. The sleepers awoke. They drew their\nswords and fell upon the monster; but their weapons glanced harmlessly\noff his scaly hide, and they were fain to take refuge in out-of-the-way\ncorners, that they might not be trampled under foot by the wrestlers.\nAt length Grendel had to acknowledge Beowulf\u2019s mastery, and now only\nstrove to escape. With a mighty effort he succeeded in freeing himself\nfrom the hero\u2019s grasp, but at the price of one of his arms, which, torn\nout at the socket, remained in his antagonist\u2019s hands. Then, with a\nhowl of rage and pain, the demon fled back to his morass, leaving a\ntrail of blood to mark the path by which he had gone.\n\nThe Gothic hero stood in the middle of the vast hall, holding his\ntrophy in his right hand. The rays of the rising sun streamed in at the\nwindow and lighted up his head as with a glory. His companions crowded\nround him and greeted him with awe and reverence. Then he fastened the\ntrophy of his victory over the door of the hall, and, having done this,\nhe returned thanks to All-father for having given him strength to\nwithstand the monster. The warriors knelt round him and joined him in\nhis praise and thanksgiving.\n\nWhen the Goths rose from their knees, they saw the king and his\ncourtiers assembled in the hall, gazing in astonishment, now at them,\nand now at the monster\u2019s arm over the doorway. They told Hrodgar all\nthat had happened during the night.\n\nThe king was at first too much amazed to speak, but recovering himself,\nhe desired his nephew, Hrodulf, to bring the gifts he had prepared to\nreward the victor. The warrior soon returned with some servants bearing\nthe presents, which Hrodgar gave to Beowulf with many words of\ngratitude for the service he had done him and the country. He then\nprayed the Goth to stand his friend and his son\u2019s friend as long as\nthey all should live.\n\nAfter these things the king ordered a great feast to be prepared in\nhonour of the last night\u2019s work. While this was being done, Hunford\ncame forward and said:\n\n\u201cNoble Beowulf, I wronged you yesterday evening by my scornful speech,\nwhich I never would have made had I known what you were. Will you\naccept my sword Hrunting? it was made by dwarfs, and the blade was\nhardened in dragon\u2019s blood, and, in taking it, will you grant me your\nforgiveness and friendship?\u201d\n\nThe two heroes shook hands in token of their reconciliation, and went\ntogether to the feast.\n\nWhen the feast was over, and the warriors sat over their wine-cups, the\nminstrel sang of Beowulf\u2019s victory over Grendel, and of the alliance\nwhich had that day been concluded between the Goths and the Ski\u00f6ldungs.\nWhen the song was finished, Queen Walchtheov filled the goblets of all\npresent. To Beowulf she presented a golden cup, telling him to keep it\nin remembrance of her, together with a ring and a necklace that she put\nin his hand, saying they were the same that Hama (Heime) in the olden\ntime stole from the Brosing (Harlung?) treasure.\n\n\u201cWear them,\u201d she added, \u201cfor our sakes, but also for your own, that you\nmay come whole and victorious out of all the battles you will have to\nfight during a long life.\u201d\n\nBeowulf thanked the queen in seemly fashion, and then the Lady\nWalchtheov retired.\n\nWhile the king and his men, and Beowulf and his friends, retired to the\nroyal apartments, beds were spread in the hall for many warriors, who,\nno longer fearing a one-armed Grendel, had now flocked to the palace\nand filled it to overflowing.\n\nThe night, however, was not to pass as quietly as was hoped.\n\n\n                     III. THE SHE-WOLF OF THE SEA.\n\nAt midnight a great column of water rose in the midst of the sea, and\nout of it came a gigantic woman, whose face was as grey as her\ngarments. Her eyes shone like coals of fire, her bristly hair stood up\non end, and her long bony arms were stretched out as though in search\nfor prey. It was Grendel\u2019s mother, who had come to avenge her son. She\ncame up out of the sea, crossed the morass, and entered the great hall;\nthere she slew one warrior after another, in spite of their resistance,\nand slaked her thirst with their warm blood.\n\nDeep was the sorrow of both king and people next day when they heard of\nthe new misery that had come upon the land. Then Beowulf said that the\ncause of all this wretchedness was Grendel\u2019s mother, and that she would\nnever cease to persecute the Ski\u00f6ldungs as long as she lived. The only\nthing to be done was to seek her out in her own place, and there to\nslay her. This he was prepared to do. He begged Hrodgar to send the\ntreasures that he and the queen had given him to his uncle Hygelak,\nking of Gothland, should he fall in his struggle with the giantess.\n\nThe whole party then went down to the shore, and Beowulf, wading into\nthe sea, sought to find the road leading to the monster\u2019s dwelling.\nFinding that it was a longer way than he had imagined, he came back to\nthe shore and took leave of his friends, who one and all entreated him\nto give up the enterprise; but in vain.\n\n\u201cWait for me two days and nights,\u201d he said, \u201cand if I do not then\nreturn, you may know that I have been conquered by the mer-woman; but\nthat is a matter that is in the hands of the gods alone in whom I\ntrust.\u201d\n\nHaving thus spoken, the hero tore himself away from his weeping\nfriends, and plunged into the raging sea with all his armour on, and\nwith Hunford\u2019s good sword at his side.\n\nHe swam a long way. At last he saw a light deep down in the water. \u201cHer\ndwelling must be here,\u201d he thought; \u201cmay the gods have me in their\nkeeping!\u201d He dived down, down, down to the bottom of the sea. Many a\nmonster of strange shape snapped at him as he shot past, but his coat\nof mail was proof against their teeth. Suddenly he felt himself caught\nas though with hooks, and dragged along so swiftly that he could\nscarcely breathe. In another moment he found himself in the crystal\nhall of a submarine palace, and face to face with the antagonist he had\nsought.\n\nThen began a terrible struggle. Beowulf and the giantess wrestled\ntogether for life and death. The walls of the palace shook so that they\nthreatened to fall. The two wrestlers fell to the ground, Beowulf the\nundermost. The mer-woman pulled out a sharp knife to cut his throat,\nbut Wieland\u2019s armour was too well made to give way, and Beowulf\nstruggled to his feet again. The giantess then drew a monstrous sword,\nso heavy that few mortal men could have wielded it; but, before she\ncould use it, Beowulf made an unexpected spring upon her, and wrenched\nthe sword out of her hand. He clutched it firmly in both hands, and,\nswinging it with all his strength, cut off the woman\u2019s head. He felt so\nexhausted with his labours that he rested awhile, leaning on his sword.\nAfter a few minutes he looked about him, and saw Grendel lying dead on\na couch of sea-weed. He cut off his head, meaning to take it with him\nas a sign of victory; but no sooner had he done so than the blood began\nto flow from the monster\u2019s body in a great gurgling stream, then it\nmixed with that of his mother, and flowed out of the entrance door into\nthe sea. The blade of the giantess\u2019 sword melted in it, and vanished as\ncompletely as ice in the rays of the sun. The golden hilt of the sword\nand Grendel\u2019s head were the only booty that Beowulf brought with him\nout of the depths of the sea.\n\nHis friends were collected on the shore, their hearts filled with a\ndeadly anxiety, for they had seen the sea reddened with blood, and knew\nnot whose it was. So when the hero appeared, they received him with\nacclamation.\n\nHrodgar and his people could find no words that would fitly express\ntheir gratitude to the hero who had saved the land from two such foes\nas Grendel and his mother; and when Beowulf and his warriors set out on\ntheir journey home, they were laden with blessings and gifts of all\nkinds.\n\nHygelak received his nephew with great delight, and listened to the\ntale of his adventures in speechless amazement and ecstasy.\n\n\n                       IV. BEOWULF IS MADE KING.\n\nMany years passed away in peace and quiet. At last the Frisians made a\nviking raid on Gothland, burning defenceless granges and cottages.\nBefore King Hygelak could reach the place of their depredation, and\noffer them battle, they had taken to their ships again, and were far\naway. The king determined to make a descent upon Friesland and punish\nthe marauders; he would not listen to Beowulf when he advised him to\ndelay till better preparations could be made for the onslaught.\n\nThe Goths landed in Friesland without opposition, and, marching into\nthe country, revenged themselves by burning many a farmstead, and\ntaking many a castle and township. Now the Frisians were a free and\nwarlike people, whose heroes had played an honourable part in the great\nBravalla-fight; the time had come for them to preserve their homes and\nliberty, and they did not shun to make ready for battle. A murderous\nengagement took place between them and their Gothic invaders, in which\nthe latter were defeated, and obliged to fly to their ships,\nterror-stricken by the loss of their king. Beowulf and the noblest of\nthe warriors alone stood their ground, and, although severely wounded,\ndid not join in the retreat until they had rescued and carried off\nHygelak\u2019s body. Then the conquered army set sail for Gothland.\n\nQueen Hygd was at first so overwhelmed with sorrow for the loss of her\nhusband that she could give no thought to matters of state; but after a\ntime she roused herself from her grief, and began to consider what was\nbest for the nation. It was well that she did so, for while she was\nstill wrapped up in her sorrow, the barons had been quarrelling among\nthemselves, and creating much disturbance. The royal widow therefore\ncalled a meeting of the notables, and standing up before the assembly,\nspoke of the anarchy into which the country was falling, and said that\nas her son Hardred was too young to govern the kingdom, and preserve it\nfrom civil or foreign war, she strongly advised that Beowulf should be\nmade king. The notables all cheered, and shouted that Beowulf should be\ntheir king; but the hero came forward and said:\n\n\u201cAnd do you really think, ye men of Gothland, that I would rob the\nchild of my uncle and friend of his rights and honours? May the gods,\nthe avengers of all evil, preserve me from such a crime! Here,\u201d he\ncried, lifting young Hardred on his shield, and holding him aloft,\n\u201chere is our king. I will be his faithful guardian, and will act in his\nname till he is old enough and wise enough to take the reins of\ngovernment into his own hands.\u201d\n\nNobody ventured to remonstrate with Beowulf; indeed, they all knew that\nremonstrance would be in vain. And so the matter was settled.\n\nYears passed on, and Beowulf kept his word. He ruled the kingdom with a\nstrong hand, and with absolute justice; and with the help of Queen Hygd\neducated the young king with so much wisdom, that when the sovereign\npower was placed in his hands, there was every hope that he would use\nit for his people\u2019s good. But Hardred was not long to rule over the\nGoths. Like his former guardian and teacher Beowulf, the king was of a\nfrank and honest nature, and trustful of all who had not shown\nthemselves his enemies. So when Eanmund and Eadgils, the sons of\nOhtere, king of Swithiod, came to him as fugitives, he received them\nwith all kindness. He often tried to make them see that they had been\nwrong in rebelling against their father, and offered to arrange matters\nwith him on their behalf. One day, when he was speaking to them very\nearnestly on this subject, Eanmund, a passionate, hot-tempered man,\ntold him that he was too young to advise a tried warrior like him.\nHardred sharply told him to remember to whom he was speaking; and\nEanmund, completely losing the little self-control he ever had, drew\nhis sword and stabbed his royal host to the heart. Young Wichstan\n(Weohstan) at once avenged the king\u2019s murder by slaying Eanmund; but\nEadgils fled back to Swithiod, and soon after succeeded his father on\nthe throne.\n\nThe Gothic Allthing, the assembly of all the free men of the nation,\nwas called together as soon as Hardred\u2019s murder was made known, and by\na unanimous vote Beowulf was elected king in his cousin\u2019s stead. He\naccepted the office, and swore to rule his people justly.\n\n\n                     V. THE FIGHT WITH THE DRAGON.\n\nWhen Hardred\u2019s death was noised abroad, several of the neighbouring\npeoples made raids upon Gothland, but Beowulf kept so strict a watch on\nthe borders that the enemy was beaten back at all points. Scarcely was\nthe country freed from the attacks of these sea-wolves, when Eadgils,\nking of Swithiod, came at the head of a large army to avenge his\nbrother\u2019s death. The Goths and Swedes met, and fought a murderous\nbattle, in which many men were slain, and among them King Eadgils.\nAfter the death of their king, the Swedes retired to their ships, and\nsailed back to their own land. The consequence of this victory was a\nlasting peace. No vikings dared attack the well-defended shores of\nGothland, and but few quarrels arose among the nobles to disturb the\ninternal peace of the realm. Beowulf ruled the land with great justice\nand wisdom. No one entreating his help was ever sent empty away, and no\nact of tyranny remained unpunished.\n\nForty years or more passed after this fashion. The hero had grown an\nold man, and hoped that the national peace and happiness would last as\nlong as he lived. But he was to be rudely awakened from this dream. An\nenemy attacked Gothland, against whom all weapons and armies were\nuseless. This was how it happened. A dishonest slave, who feared\ndiscovery and punishment at his master\u2019s hands, fled from home, and\ntook refuge in a wild, rocky place. When he got there, he looked about\nfor some cave in which he might take up his abode. Coming to one, he\nentered, but found it already tenanted by an immense dragon, which lay\nstretched on the ground asleep. Behind it, at the back of the cave,\nwere treasures of all sorts. The man looked greedily at the shining\nmass of jewels and gold, and thought in his heart, \u201cIf I had but a few\nof these treasures, I could buy my freedom, and need no longer fear my\nmaster.\u201d This idea made him bold. He slipped softly past the monster,\nand stole a golden pot, the knob on whose lid was formed of a shining\ncarbuncle. He escaped safely, and going back to his master, bought his\nfreedom. Neither of the men had the slightest notion of the harm this\ndeed would bring down upon the land.\n\nThe dragon, which had watched over its hoard for hundreds of years, and\nknew each costly thing by heart, saw at once that it had been robbed.\nAt nightfall it crept out of its hole to look for traces of the thief.\nFinding none, it lifted up its voice and howled so loud, that the earth\nshook, at the same time flames issued from its mouth and burnt up\ngranges and homesteads far and wide. The men, who sought to put out the\nfire, fell victims to its fury, or else were dragged into the monster\u2019s\ncave, where they perished miserably. This happened night after night;\nthe devastation had no end. Many brave warriors went out against the\ndragon, and tried to kill it, but none of them could withstand the\nfiery blasts with which the creature defended itself.\n\nThe old king heard the story of these events with infinite sorrow. He\ndetermined himself to attack the monster, and when his friends\nremonstrated with him on his rashness, he replied that it was his duty\nto defend his people from all their enemies, and that the gods would\nhelp him. He further announced that he would have fought the dragon\nunarmed, as he had done the monster Grendel, the son of the sea-witch,\nbut that he feared he could not make his way through the flames without\nsuch protection. He therefore had a shield made three times as thick as\nusual, and so large that it covered him completely. This done, he chose\neleven of his bravest warriors to be his comrades in this adventure,\namong them Wichstan, the man who avenged King Hardred\u2019s death.\n\nBeowulf and his companions set out on their journey, and in due course\narrived at the dragon\u2019s cave, out of which there flowed a brook whose\nwaters were made boiling hot by the monster\u2019s fiery breath.\n\nThe king bade his friends wait a little way off, until they saw whether\nhe needed their help, and then advancing to the mouth of the cave, he\ncalled the dragon to come forth. The great beast came out at his call,\nand a terrible struggle ensued. Both combatants were hidden from view\nin a dense cloud of smoke and fire. The rocks trembled and shook at the\nbellowing of the monster, which at the same time slashed out with its\ntail, whose blows fell like a sledge-hammer both in sound and\nregularity. For a moment the smoke and flames were blown aside by a\npuff of wind, and Beowulf\u2019s comrades saw that the dragon had just\nseized their king in its great jaws. They could not bear the sight, and\nten of them slipped aside and strove to hide behind rocks and trees;\nbut the eleventh, brave Wichstan, hastened to help his master. His\nshield was burnt up in a twinkling, and he was obliged to seek shelter\nbehind the king. Both heroes seemed lost. The dragon tore down\nBeowulf\u2019s iron shield, and caught him a second time in its great jaws,\ncrushing him between its teeth with such force, that the iron rings of\nhis coat of mail cracked like so much crockery, though they had been\nforged by Wieland himself. Then Wichstan seized his opportunity, when\nthe beast\u2019s head was raised, the better to champ his prey, and plunged\nhis sword into the fleshy part of its throat under the lower jaw. Upon\nthis the dragon dropped the king, and encircled both its adversaries\nwith its tail, but Beowulf at the same moment made a lunge at its open\nmouth, driving his weapon so deep that the point came out at the\ndragon\u2019s throat. After that they soon dispatched the monster, and then\nthrew themselves on a ledge of rock, panting and exhausted.\n\nWhen they had recovered a little, the heroes loosened their armour, and\nWichstan saw that blood was oozing slowly from under the king\u2019s gorget.\nHe wanted to bind up the slight wound; but Beowulf forbade him, saying\nthat it would be useless, as the hurt had been given by the dragon\u2019s\ntooth, and the poison was already in his veins.\n\n\u201cI must die,\u201d he added, \u201cbut I go to my forefathers without sadness,\nthough I am the last of my race, for my wife has given me no son and\nheir. I can look back on my past life with pleasure, for I have wronged\nno man, but have shown justice to all.\u201d\n\nHe then asked Wichstan to fetch him a drink of water, and afterwards to\nbring him the treasure out of the dragon\u2019s cave, that he might see,\nwith his own eyes, the last gift he should ever make to his people.\n\nHis commands were obeyed, and a few minutes later he had passed away\nquietly and peacefully. Wichstan gazed at him in silent grief. Beowulf\nhad been his dearest friend, and he felt that, with his death, his last\ntie to life was loosed. Meanwhile the ten warriors had come out of\ntheir hiding-places, when they found that all danger was over. On\nseeing what had chanced, they raised their voices in mourning; but\nWichstan bade them hold their peace, or if they must weep, at least to\nweep for their own cowardice, and not for the hero who had died at his\npost. He then advised them to make the best of their way to other\nlands, as he could not answer for their lives when the Goths became\naware of the way in which they had deserted their king in his hour of\nneed.\n\n[Illustration: BEOWULF DYING.]\n\nWith bowed heads and shame-stricken faces the men turned away. They\ndeparted out of Gothland, and sought to hide their heads in countries\nwhere their names were unknown.\n\nThe body of Beowulf was borne to its funeral pile on the height called\nHronesn\u00e4s, and there burnt amid the tears and sorrow of a nation. When\nthe funeral rites had all been performed, the great treasure was taken\nback to the dragon\u2019s cave. For the Goths would have none of the gold\ntheir beloved king had won for them in his death. So it still lies\nhidden in the heart of the earth as in the olden time when the dragon\nguarded it from mortal ken. If it is useless to men, it is at all\nevents not hurtful.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                              PART THIRD.\n\n                       _I. CAROLINGIAN LEGENDS._\n\n                 _II. KING ARTHUR AND THE HOLY GRAIL._\n\n                           _III. TANNH\u00c4USER._\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: MALAGIS FETCHES THE HORSE BAYARD BACK FROM HELL.]\n\n\n\n\n                         _CAROLINGIAN LEGENDS._\n\n\n                                  I.\n                         THE CHILDREN OF HAYMON.\n\n\n                                HAYMON.\n\nSafe and victorious, Karl the Great (Charlemagne), king of the Franks,\nhad returned from Hungary. He had conquered the wild Avars, destroyed\ntheir strongholds, and come back to Paris with much booty. High\nfestival was being held in the royal palace, for the king was busied\ndividing the newly conquered country into counties and baronies amongst\nthose of his warriors whom he thought best fitted for such responsible\ncharge. While thus employed, Lord Hug of Dordone came forward, and\nasked the king if he had forgotten the faithful services rendered him\nby Count Haymon of Dordone, that he had not mentioned his appointment\nto any of the new fiefs. Karl at once replied, that he had not\nforgotten Haymon, but he considered that bold warrior had already fiefs\nenough and to spare. Indeed, if he gave him more, it would only make\nhim think himself as powerful as his master, and might even tempt him\nto throw off his allegiance to the Frankish crown.\n\n\u201cHe is a faithful vassal, sire,\u201d answered Hug, \u201cas true as a sword to\nits sheath; but if he is given a lower position than meaner men, he may\nin good truth forget his oath of allegiance, and fight for his rights.\nDid he do so, he would not lack aid from many a trusty comrade.\u201d\n\nAs he spoke, the hero touched his sword significantly. The king\u2019s wrath\nwas so roused by the boldness of this speech, that he drew his sword,\nand, next moment, the good lord\u2019s head was severed from his body at one\nblow.\n\nThe courtiers drew back in speechless horror, and Haymon, who came in\nat that instant, asked one of the bystanders what had happened. When he\nheard the reason of the king\u2019s murderous deed, he turned sharp round\nupon his heel, and went out without further word or greeting.\n\nAs soon as he reached his own castle, he gathered his friends about\nhim, and declared war against his liege lord. No great battle was\nfought; but continual conflict raged between the contending parties,\nthe country was laid waste, and the peasantry suffered terribly. Haymon\nwas able to move about from place to place with such incredible\nswiftness that people began to say he rode a magic horse, gifted with\nthe speed of lightning, and the wit of man. The war lasted for years,\ntill at last King Karl came with a large army, and besieged the castle\nof the rebel count.\n\nOne morning, when matters were in this position, Haymon went to the\nstables as usual with a feed of oats for his favourite horse; but the\nstall was empty, the good steed Bayard was gone. Haymon was in despair.\nHe was just considering whether it was worth while carrying on such a\nhopeless war, when his cousin Malagis, a small, insignificant-looking\nman with a long beard, came to him, and told him that he knew for\ncertain that the devil had carried off the horse, and had hidden it in\nMount Vulcanus, which is near the mouth of hell. He further promised to\ngo and fetch it, in spite of all difficulties. Then, without waiting\nfor a word of thanks or warning, the little man turned, and left the\ncount.\n\nWhen he got outside the castle gate, Malagis pulled a small bag of\npowdered hellebore from his pocket. He sprinkled a good deal of it in\nthe air, and the wind carried it over the besieger\u2019s camp. A general\nfit of sneezing suddenly infected the whole army. While the men-at-arms\nwere thus sneezing, and calling out, \u201cGod bless you!\u201d to each other,\nMalagis quietly walked through their lines, and pursued his journey to\nMount Vulcanus.\n\nHe reached the foot of the great mountain in safety, and saw smoke and\nflames issuing from its top. He at once went in search of the ruler of\nthe world of fire, greeted him courteously, and introduced himself as a\ngreat necromancer, who had come to offer his valuable services to his\nSatanic majesty. The devil answered sarcastically, that he was\naccustomed to hear the followers of the black art vaunt their powers\nand wisdom, but as he was curious to see what the stranger could really\ndo, he would give him a chance of showing off.\n\n\u201cYou must know, fellow,\u201d he continued, \u201cthat I have always hitherto\nridden on the storm-wind, but I find that too great an exertion now. I\nam grown too old for that sort of thing, so I looked out for a good\nhorse, and managed to find one fleet enough to satisfy me. I therefore\ntook possession of it, and brought it here. I thought that I should now\nbe able to ride through the world of men more at my ease than before;\nbut,\u201d and here he sighed deeply, and blue flames issued from his mouth\nas he did so, \u201cif I were not the devil myself, I should say that that\nhorse was an incarnation of Satan, he will not even let me mount him. I\nhave therefore put him into the volcano, hoping to tame him in that\nmanner. I have kept awake for months to look after this work myself,\nbut hitherto without effect. Will you take my place while I enjoy a\nlittle nap?\u201d\n\n\u201cWell spoken, great king,\u201d said Malagis, \u201cbut should I not be able to\nwatch the effect on the horse better if I were close to it? Let me\ntherefore beg you to withdraw the fire and smoke for a few minutes,\nthat I may go down into the heart of the mountain, and enter upon my\nduty. Perhaps, also, the horse may be more easily induced to obey, if\nhe gets a breath of fresh air.\u201d\n\nSatan consented to do as he was asked. He climbed to the top of the\nmountain, accompanied by Malagis, and ordered the spirits of the\nnether-world to hold back the flames. As soon as the intense heat had\ncooled down, the necromancer descended into the abyss, and took up his\nposition near the horse. Then, as if by accident, he threw what looked\nlike a handful of ashes up in the air. But it was really a\nsleeping-powder. In another moment the prince of hell was sound asleep,\nand snoring so loud that the mountain trembled at the sound, and\nignorant men thought there was an earthquake. Malagis now approached\nthe horse, which snapped and kicked at him viciously. But no sooner had\nhe whispered the word, \u201cBayard,\u201d than the creature pricked up its ears,\nand when he added, \u201cyour master, Haymon, has need of you,\u201d it became\ngentle as a lamb, and allowed him to lead it to the upper-world.\n\n\u201cTo Haymon!\u201d cried Malagis, springing on its back; and the horse,\nneighing for joy, set off with the speed of the wind over hill and\ndale, heath and morass.\n\nAt the sound of the whinny, the prince of darkness awoke out of his\nsleep, and at once understood what had happened. Without loss of time,\nhe flung himself astride of a storm-cloud, and hurled a thunderbolt\nafter the fugitives. But Malagis quietly said, \u201cAbracadabra,\u201d at the\nsame time holding up his crucifix. The thunderbolt fell harmless to the\nground; but Lucifer was so much startled by the sight of the cross that\nhe tumbled off his cloud, and, falling to the earth, broke his leg; and\nfrom that day forward he has had a limp in his gait.\n\nMeanwhile Count Haymon was in sore distress. He was hunted like a wild\nbeast from place to place. His men were all dead, or else had deserted\nhim. He was alone and desolate. One day, as he rode through a wood on a\nwretched broken-down hack, listening bitterly to the bay of the\nblood-hounds, and the hollo of the hunters who pursued him, he saw a\nrider gallop into the clearing in front, and exclaimed in joy:\n\n\u201cMalagis, cousin Malagis, and Bayard, faithful Bayard! My misery is at\nan end now.\u201d\n\nScarcely had he uttered these words when his pursuers were upon him. He\nsprang on Bayard\u2019s back, swung his sword, and faced his foes. He and\nhis horse fought together, and but few of his antagonists lived to tell\nthe tale of that day\u2019s work.\n\nHaymon\u2019s evil fortune now changed to good. Friends came to his aid, and\nmany castles and strongholds fell into his hands. The paladins of the\ngreat king avoided giving him battle, and the war seemed as if it might\ngo on for ever. The proud king longed for peace, and at last sent\nambassadors to his disobedient vassal, offering to restore all his\nfiefs, and to pay him four times the weight in gold of the murdered Hug\nof Dordone. Count Roland was sent at the head of the embassy. Haymon\nreceived the messengers with all honour, especially his old friend\nRoland; but when he heard the terms offered by Karl, he said that the\nking\u2019s expiation for the murder must be six times the weight of his\nvictim, and that he must further give his sister Aya to Haymon in\nmarriage. These terms were at first rejected by the king, but\nafterwards he consented, partly because the country needed peace, and\npartly, it was said, because the fair princess Aya used her influence\nwith her brother to that end.\n\nSo peace was at length concluded. Count Haymon was restored to his\nformer rank and dignity, and was married to the princess. After the\nwedding, the newly married couple retired to their castle of\nPierlepont, where they lived for some time in love and unity. But\nHaymon\u2019s was too active a disposition to be content with an idle life\nfor long. He thirsted for glory, and to do great deeds. So he crossed\nover the Pyrenees into Spain, a country where the Christians and\nheathen Moors kept up a constant internecine war. For the first few\nyears Count Haymon used to return home from time to time to see his\nwife and children, but when the fortune of war led him further south,\nhe stayed away altogether, and seemed to have forgotten his beautiful\nhome, and all that it contained.\n\n\n                       REINOLD AND HIS BROTHERS.\n\nCountess Aya mourned him as dead, and expended all her love on her four\nsons, whom she educated with the greatest care, and who rewarded her\nfor her pains by growing up into wise and stately men. Reinold, the\nyoungest, and his father\u2019s image, was taller and stronger than his\nbrothers, and a better swordsman than any one about Pierlepont. He had\ninherited much of his father\u2019s quick temper; but to his mother he was\nalways gentle and bidable.\n\nThe four lads, Richard, Adelhart, Wichart, and Reinold had already\nshown their prowess in the field, when a messenger came to Pierlepont\nto say that Count Haymon was lying sick at an inn at the foot of the\nPyrenean hills, and near a place where hot mineral springs were to be\nfound. He wanted his wife to come and nurse him. Aya prepared to obey\nher husband without a moment\u2019s delay, and set out accompanied by her\nsons.\n\nOn her arrival at the inn, she hastened to embrace her husband, and\npresent her sons to him. The three elder lads embraced their sick\nfather tenderly, but Reinold hung back.\n\n\u201cWho is this broken-down old man?\u201d he cried. \u201cIt cannot be my father,\nfor he is a great hero, and that man does not look much of a warrior. I\nwonder if he will try a bout with me.\u201d\n\n\u201cBoy,\u201d said Haymon, standing up straight, \u201cdo you not know me for your\nfather? Look at this ring which your mother gave me years ago, and at\nthese scars which I gained in battle.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd,\u201d continued the countess, \u201cdoes not my love for him bear witness\nthat he is your father?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, mother,\u201d cried Reinold, \u201cI recognise him now;\u201d and, so saying, he\nclasped his father in his arms, and squeezed nearly all the breath out\nof his body.\n\n\u201cAh, this one is my son, and no mistake,\u201d said Haymon. \u201cHe was cut out\nof the same quarry.\u201d\n\nAya and her sons were anxious to hear all that the count had done and\nseen since they had met last, so Haymon told them all that had befallen\nhim, and ended by saying that he had brought home great wealth. This\nwealth he intended his three elder sons to divide equally amongst them,\nwhilst his youngest son was to have his good sword Flammberg and the\nhorse Bayard, if he could manage to ride it.\n\nReinold did not in the least doubt his powers of riding anything, and\nbegged his father, mother, and brothers to come and see him mount his\nnew steed. They followed the lad into the stable. Reinold went straight\nup to Bayard, and seizing the halter in one hand, was about to mount,\nwhen the horse caught his coat between its teeth, and threw him on the\nground. The bold warrior, ashamed of his fall, sprang to his feet, and\nnext moment was seated in the saddle. There was a fierce struggle for\nmastery, which ended in the victory of Reinold. After a wild and\ndangerous ride, when Bayard once more stood in its stall, Haymon went\nup to the noble animal, and said:\n\n\u201cBayard, this is my son, your future master.\u201d\n\nThe horse seemed to understand, for it laid its head gently against\nReinold\u2019s breast, as though to acknowledge his mastery.\n\nCount Haymon was soon strong enough to return to Pierlepont with his\nfamily. Shortly after his arrival there, he heard that the king, who\nhad lately been crowned emperor at Rome, intended to confer the honour\nof knighthood on his son and heir, Prince Ludwig, and on several\nsquires of noble birth. Haymon and his sons at once determined to go to\ncourt on this occasion.\n\nA great tournament was held before the emperor knighted the young men,\nand each and all of the candidates showed himself worthy of the honour\nabout to be bestowed on him; more especially Reinold, whose prowess\nbrought down endless acclamations. After the ceremony of knighting the\nyoung nobles was over, Ludwig was crowned king, and named his father\u2019s\nsuccessor in the empire. The young king\u2019s first act was to distribute\nfiefs to the new-made knights, save and except to the brothers alone;\nthese he passed over entirely. He did not even invite them to the\nfeast, and to all appearance the day of general rejoicing was to be a\nfast day for them. Reinold thought it too bad, so he walked into the\nroyal kitchen and helped himself to all he needed for himself and his\nbrothers.\n\nThe reason of this extraordinary conduct on Ludwig\u2019s part was easy to\nguess. He was jealous of the superior strength and prowess Reinold had\ndisplayed in the lists; above all, he could not forget the fall he had\nmet with at his hands. He confided his dislike of Reinold to his\nfavourite, Ganelon, a fawning sycophant, and told him that he wanted to\nrid himself and the country of him whom he chose to regard as his\nenemy. Ganelon at once had a plan to propose. He said that Ludwig, who\nwas famous for his skill in playing chess, should challenge Adelhart,\none of the brothers, to play a game with him, each player to stake his\nhead to the other. Reinold would be sufficiently punished, in Ganelon\u2019s\neyes, by the pain his brother\u2019s death would cause him. Ludwig agreed to\nthe plan with alacrity. Adelhart, on receiving the challenge, declined\nto play on such terms, saying that if he won, he could not raise his\nhand against the life of his future liege lord; but Ludwig would not\nlisten to any excuse, saying he would have him proclaimed a coward if\nhe did not consent. So the young hero gave way, much against his will.\n\nA few minutes later the two men were seated opposite each other before\na chess-board, while three of the courtiers, who had been chosen\numpires, stood beside the table and watched the players. Five games\nwere to be played. The chess-men on the one side were made of gold,\nthose on the other of silver. Ludwig, who played with the golden\nchess-men, had the first move. The five stipulated games were played\none after the other, and in each of the five, Ludwig was check-mated.\nThe umpires were silent. The king swept the pieces together\nimpatiently, and when Adelhart said he had only played for the sake of\nhis life and honour, that the head of his king was sacred in his eyes,\nLudwig caught up the chess-board and flung it in his face with such\nforce that the blood flowed from his mouth and nose, and stained his\ngarments.\n\nThe hero instantly rose and withdrew. As he crossed the courtyard, his\nbrother Reinold hastened to meet him, and asked what was the matter. On\nlearning what had taken place, the younger brother was very angry. He\ngave orders that all should be got ready for their departure, and sent\na servant to tell his father and brothers to come down to their horses.\nThen, turning to Adelhart, he said he would fetch him the prize he had\nwon. Signing to his brother to follow him, he at once directed his\nsteps to the throne-room, where the emperor was seated with his knights\nand nobles about him. Ludwig and the umpires were there also. Reinold\nadvanced to the throne, and told Karl the whole story, asking the\numpires if it were not so. Two of them were afraid, and held their\npeace; but the third boldly avowed the truth. Reinold, upon this, drew\nhis sword Flammberg, and with one stroke severed Ludwig\u2019s head from his\nbody. Almost before the spectators could draw breath, the brothers had\nleft the room. On reaching the courtyard, they at once mounted their\nhorses and rode away, accompanied by Haymon and the rest of their party.\n\nThey were pursued on the instant. The men-at-arms came up with them\noutside the town gates, and a battle ensued. From the first there\nseemed to be very little chance for Count Haymon and his sons. They had\nbut a few men-at-arms to support them, and the enemy\u2019s numbers\nincreased every minute. Their men were at last all slain, and so were\nall their horses, except Bayard, which bore bold Reinold here, there,\nand everywhere with equal speed and safety. At length, seeing that\nfurther contest was useless, Reinold called to his father and brothers\nto mount behind him on Bayard. The three brothers lost no time in\nobeying him but Haymon was so hemmed in by the press of people that he\ncould not move. Although bearing a fourfold burden, Bayard galloped\naway as lightly and easily as if he had had nothing on his back.\n\n[Illustration: THE CHILDREN OF HAYMON.]\n\nHaymon meantime yielded himself prisoner to Bishop Turpin, the bishop\npromising that his life should be spared. But the emperor refused to be\nbound by Turpin\u2019s promise, and ordered that Haymon should be publicly\nhung for the offence his son had committed. The bishop\u2019s entreaties\nwere vain. It was not until Roland and the other paladins threatened to\nleave his service if he persisted in ordering Haymon\u2019s death, that the\nemperor gave way, and set his prisoner free, after making him swear to\ndeliver his sons into his hands on the first opportunity. With the\nprospect of the gallows before his eyes, Haymon took the oath demanded\nof him.\n\nMeanwhile the brothers journeyed rapidly through the broad lands of\nFrance. Nowhere could they find an abiding-place, for they were\noutlaws, whose life was forfeited if they fell into the emperor\u2019s\nhands. At length they came to Saforet, a Moorish chieftain, with whom\nthey made friends, and to whom they swore fealty. They remained with\nhim three years, serving him well; but when, at the expiration of that\ntime, they asked for the pay he had promised but never given, the Moor,\nwho thought them unable to defend their rights, refused to listen to\nthe request. So Reinold, growing impatient, cut off his head. It was\ncertainly an effectual way of ending the argument, but it necessitated\nimmediate flight on the part of the brothers. This time they turned for\nprotection to Iwo, prince of Tarasconia, the mightiest opponent of\nSaforet. The prince received them with every mark of honour, and with\ntheir help gained many victories over his enemies. But when he heard of\nthe imperial ban under which they lived, Iwo called his council\ntogether, and asked what was to be done. Some of his advisers wanted\nhim to get rid of the brothers as quickly as possible; while others\nsaid that it would be well to court the emperor\u2019s favour by delivering\nthe outlaws into his hand; but the greater number were of opinion that\nthe best thing to do would be to bind the heroes by some strong tie to\nthe princely house. This last piece of advice was the one followed by\nIwo, who gave Reinold his only daughter Clarissa to wife, and appointed\nhim and his brothers a residence by the sea. There a strong fortress\ncalled Montalban was built, which became the chief stronghold of the\nprincipality. On one occasion the emperor\u2019s forces besieged it for a\nwhole year, and then had to withdraw, baffled.\n\n\u201cLook,\u201d cried Richard, looking down from the battlements, \u201cthe imperial\neagle flutters away into the forest with a broken wing. Up, Reinold,\nand after it, that we may send it home like a plucked goose.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have something else to do,\u201d answered his brother thoughtfully.\n\u201cSeven years have passed over our heads since we saw our good mother.\nThe longing to see her again gnaws at my heart; I must go and visit\nher, were it to cost me my life.\u201d\n\nHis brothers agreed to go with him; so they armed themselves cap-a-pie,\ndrew long grey pilgrims\u2019 dresses over their armour, and set out for\nCastle Pierlepont. They got there safely, and were received with the\ngreatest joy by their mother, who could not do enough to show them how\nhappy their coming had made her.\n\nThe chamberlain who had taken them into the presence of the Countess\nAya, soon discovered who they were, and determined to betray them. He\nwent at once to his lord, Count Haymon, told him who the supposed\npilgrims were, and reminded him of his oath to the emperor. Haymon was\nvery angry, and felt inclined to slay the chamberlain there and then,\nbut refrained. After taking counsel with himself, he made up his mind\nthat the best thing he could do would be to take his sons prisoner, and\nmarch them off to the emperor; giving them, however, an opportunity of\nslipping away before they reached Paris. So he called his men-at-arms\nto follow him, and went to his wife\u2019s apartments. Aya, seeing them\ncrossing the court, would have hidden her sons, but they refused to\nhide, and, throwing off their pilgrims\u2019 robes, prepared to defend their\nlives to the last. Reinold\u2019s great strength served him in good stead.\nHe fought so furiously that the men-at-arms fell back. Haymon alone\nstood firm. Reinold swung his sword, but his mother clung to him,\nentreating him to remember that it was his father who stood before him.\nReinold at once put up his sword, but disarmed his father, and took him\nprisoner.\n\n\u201cThe man that would have delivered his own children up to the\nexecutioner\u2019s axe shall go to his friend the emperor in a guise that\nbefits his knightly character,\u201d said Reinold.\n\nThe men-at-arms stood so much in awe of the young man\u2019s prowess and\nstrong arm, that they promised implicit obedience. Reinold, therefore,\nsent one of them to fetch an ass. When it was brought he placed the\ncount upon it, and bound him to the saddle. Then calling a boy, he\nplaced the reins in his hands, and bade him lead the prisoner to Paris.\nThe count, however, had not so far to go, after all; for, meeting some\nof the imperial troops on the way, he was set at liberty, mounted on a\nhorse, and taken back to Pierlepont.\n\nThe brothers were enjoying themselves in their old home, when the\nemperor\u2019s troops arrived before the gates of the castle. Reinold was\nalone with his mother when the order to surrender was given by the\ninvaders. The young man snatched up his sword, but his mother silently\npointed to the gates, which were already thrown open. She then dressed\nhim hastily in his pilgrim\u2019s robes, and led him out of the castle by a\nsecret door. Having done this, Aya returned to seek, and, if it might\nbe, save her other sons; but she found them prisoners and bound, and in\nthe hands of their enemies. She wept and wrung her hands, for she knew\nthat she was powerless to help them.\n\nMeantime Reinold was hastening back to Montalban as quickly as he\ncould. He was determined to save his brothers, and knew that delay\nwould be fatal. Arrived at home, he went straight to the stables, where\nBayard whinnied with joy to see him. After eating a few mouthfuls of\nfood hastily, he mounted his gallant steed and started for Paris, as\nswiftly as if his horse had had wings.\n\nHe halted in a thick wood near the town, dismounted, and while his\nhorse grazed beside him, threw himself down at the foot of a great\ntree, and began to consider what would be his best plan of operation.\nOvermastered by fatigue, he presently fell asleep, and dreamt that a\nnecromancer was stealing his horse. When he awoke he looked about him\nanxiously, and called \u201cBayard,\u201d but in vain. He called louder and\nlouder. No answer was returned. He looked carefully for marks of his\nhorse\u2019s feet, but found none.\n\nAt the edge of the wood, he met a pilgrim, who spoke to him humbly.\nAfter some conversation, the pilgrim pushed back his hood, and looked\nat Reinold with a smile, and the young man recognised his cousin\nMalagis. The necromancer then promised to restore the brothers and\nBayard safe and sound. He took some yellow powder out of a box, and\nsprinkled it over himself and Reinold, at the same time muttering his\nAbracadabra, and in a moment they were changed into the likeness of\ncrippled beggars. Together they limped into Paris.\n\nA crowd of richly-dressed lords and ladies were crossing the bridge\nover the Seine, which at that time connected the island-city with the\nmainland. The emperor was there also, and beside him was the famous\nhero Roland, to whom he had promised the horse Bayard, if he would\nfight and conquer the sons of Haymon. The horse was led by several\ngrooms. All at once it stopped short, whinnied, jerked the reins out of\nthe grooms\u2019 hands, and trotted up to the two beggars, who were watching\nthe procession.\n\n\u201cBayard is strangely constituted,\u201d cried Count Roland; \u201cthe beast seems\nactually to like poor folk better than noble knights.\u201d\n\n\u201cBayard! Is this Bayard?\u201d asked one of the beggars. \u201cOh, noble\ngentleman, if this be Bayard, pray permit my poor comrade to mount him.\nA holy man told us that if he did so, he would at once be cured, and,\nas you see, he is a lamester.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, Cousin Roland,\u201d said the emperor, \u201chelp the poor fellow up, that\nwe may see a miracle for once in our lives. I only hope it _will_ be a\nmiracle, and that the miserable wretch\u2019s arms and legs may not be\nbroken.\u201d\n\nRoland signed to his servants, who with much difficulty hoisted the\nragged lamester into the saddle. They had to do it three times before\nhe was safely settled. No sooner was he firmly seated than he drew\nhimself up proudly, touched Bayard with the heel of one of his wooden\nshoes, and galloped away so fast that no one could overtake him.\nMalagis pretended to be much frightened lest his comrade should meet\nwith some injury from the runaway horse.\n\nAt midnight, a little man might have been seen creeping along the\nstreets of Paris, dressed in a grey coat. He kept continually\nmurmuring, \u201cIsta, sista, pista, abracadabra!\u201d And dark clouds rose and\ncovered the sky, making the moon and stars grow dim. He at last reached\na tall, gloomy-looking house, before which a guard was set; but the\nwatchmen had bent their heads and fallen asleep at his approach. The\nstrong oak doors opened when he touched them with the point of his\nstaff. He entered, and went straight to an underground dungeon, where\nthree men were chained to the wall. He muttered some mysterious words,\nand the chains fell from off them.\n\n\u201cRise, brothers,\u201d he said; \u201cyour cousin Malagis is here. He has come to\nsave you.\u201d\n\nSo they rose and followed him.\n\nBefore leaving Paris, the necromancer went to the sleeping emperor, and\nasked him for the loan of his crown and sword. Karl immediately gave\nthem to him.\n\nThe emperor\u2019s feelings next morning may be more readily imagined than\ndescribed, when he heard of the events that had taken place during the\nnight. He longed more than ever to have his revenge on the sons of\nHaymon; but could not see how to accomplish his desire.\n\nCunning Ganelon then said that he was sure that Iwo had his price, and\nmight be induced to sell the brothers to the emperor. Karl tried the\nplan, and won Iwo to his side, on paying him a ton\u2019s weight of gold.\n\nThis done, the faithless traitor went to Montalban, and said that he\nbrought good news from Paris; he had persuaded the emperor to let\nbygones be bygones, and all would now be well if the four brothers\nwould only go to Falkalone unarmed, and in the garb of penitents, and\nthere beg forgiveness. The emperor had promised, Iwo said, to grant\nthem a full pardon, and to restore them to their ancient dignities.\n\nWhen the brothers were about to start for Falkalone, Clarissa entreated\nthem to beware lest the message were a treacherous one, adding that she\nknew her father would sell his own child for gold. Reinold sternly told\nher she was an unnatural daughter, and bade her hold her peace. He then\nrode on; but Adelhart remained behind for a moment, and hid four\nswords, which his sister-in-law handed him, under the skirts of his\npenitent\u2019s robe.\n\nAs the brothers were riding on their asses up the steep and narrow path\nthat led to Falkalone, they were set upon by an armed band of warriors.\nAdelhart divided the swords with which Clarissa had provided him, and\nthey defended themselves so well, that the count of Ch\u00e2lons, fearful of\nlosing more men, determined to draw a cordon round the place where the\nbrothers had taken their stand, and starve them out.\n\nThe four weary men sat down to rest. They looked anxiously all round to\nsee whether help would not come. The hot day was over, and evening\ncoming on apace, when all at once they saw a well-known banner on the\nopposite hill. It was waved by a horseman who was galloping towards\nthem, accompanied by a small band of armed men. Reinold immediately\nrecognised his Bayard, and his cousin the necromancer.\n\nThe battle at once began in the plain below. Before it had lasted long,\nBayard had caught sight of its master; with a loud neigh of pleasure\nthe noble horse broke through the enemy\u2019s ranks and galloped up to\nReinold. Malagis dismounted, threw his cousin the reins, and at the\nsame time handed him his sword Flammberg, which Clarissa had sent.\nReinold flung himself into the saddle, and rode down to the place of\ncombat, followed by his brothers, who had in the meantime caught some\nof the riderless chargers that were flying from the field. The brothers\ngained a glorious victory, and the count of Ch\u00e2lons only succeeded in\nsaving the remnant of his forces by retreating under cover of the\ndarkness.\n\n\u201cWho told the magician? Who is the traitor?\u201d cried the emperor, when he\nheard what had happened.\n\nAfter many conjectures had been hazarded, every one came to the\nconclusion that none other than Iwo had betrayed the true state of\nmatters to Malagis, and one of the courtiers added that the prince of\nTarasconia had taken refuge in the monastery of Beaurepart. Upon which\nthe emperor said grimly, that even the walls of the sanctuary should\nnot protect him from his vengeance, and immediately despatched Roland\nto capture Iwo, and see him hanged.\n\nWhen Reinold first returned to Montalban, it was his firm intention to\npunish his father-in-law\u2019s treachery with death; but Clarissa\u2019s\nentreaties prevailed, and he promised to spare him. It was for fear of\nhis vengeance that Iwo had taken refuge in the monastery. He never\nthought of the emperor turning against him. Reinold did not hide his\nsatisfaction when he learnt that Karl had sent to take Iwo out of the\nmonastery, that he might hang him at Monfaucon. But Clarissa was much\ntroubled in spirit when her husband told her the news.\n\n\u201cAh, my baby,\u201d she said, bending over her child, \u201cperhaps you will grow\nup to be a hero like your father, and then people will point at you and\nsay, \u2018Yes, he is very brave, and a true hero; but still, he is the\ngrandson of a man who died on the gallows,\u2019 and then you will creep\naway from the assembly of noble men, and try to hide your shame in the\nwilderness.\u201d\n\nReinold sat for some minutes in thoughtful silence; then springing to\nhis feet, he kissed his wife, and said:\n\n\u201cYou are as wise and good as one of God\u2019s angels. The traitor shall be\nsaved.\u201d\n\nHe hastened to the stable, mounted his horse, and galloped away to the\nforest of Monfaucon. There he found Iwo standing at the gallows with\nthe cord round his neck. Reinold knocked down one of the executioners,\ncut the cord round Iwo\u2019s neck, exclaiming, \u201cBe off, you rascal, lest\nyou be hanged after all,\u201d and then beat back the other executioner, who\nwould have recaptured the prince of Tarasconia. Count Roland now came\nto the rescue, but was soon forced to measure his length upon the\nground, and Reinold rode away, saying, \u201cIt was your horse\u2019s fault, good\ncousin, not yours.\u201d\n\nSeveral of the paladins, who had witnessed the short combat between the\nheroes, began to make jesting remarks about what had occurred. Roland\nhad never been unhorsed before, except once or twice by Oliver, and he\ntook the matter grievously to heart. He rode away in silence; not to\nParis, but in the direction of Montalban, that he might seek vengeance\nfor his overthrow.\n\nAs he was riding through a wood, he met a man with a crossbow, who was\nshooting a deer, and at once recognised him to be Richard, Reinold\u2019s\nbrother. He took him prisoner, and in spite of Richard\u2019s remonstrances,\nand his reminders of their relationship, took him to Paris, and\ndelivered him to the emperor. Karl was delighted at the lucky chance,\nat once condemned Richard to be hung at Monfaucon, and asked which of\nhis paladins would undertake the task of seeing the sentence carried\nout. They all refused, saying that hanging was not a seemly death for a\nknight to die. At length Rype, a new-made knight, offered his services\nto the emperor. A pious pilgrim who was present at the discussion,\nbegged that execution might be delayed until he had had time to pray\nfor the weal of the poor sinner at St. Denys.\n\nBut instead of going to St. Denys, the holy man went to Montalban, and\ntold Reinold all that had happened, bidding him make haste if he would\narrive at Monfaucon in time to save Richards life. Having said this,\nMalagis\u2014for the pilgrim was none other than he\u2014went to the kitchen to\nask for some food, for he was tired and hungry after his long and\narduous journey on foot.\n\nReinold, Adelhart, Wichart, and their men soon reached the gallows at\nMonfaucon. There was no one there, so they stretched themselves out on\nthe grass and fell asleep. When Rype came with his prisoner, they were\nstill asleep; but Bayard, hearing them, awoke his master with a kick.\nIn another moment the brothers had fallen upon the imperial troops,\nwhom they soon put to flight. They then set Richard free, and hung Rype\nwith the same rope he had brought for his prisoner.\n\nThe emperor, finding that all his former attempts to avenge his son\u2019s\ndeath had been in vain, determined on a new plan of action. He called\nout a large army, and marched to lay siege to Montalban.\n\nThe fortress was strictly invested. The besieged ventured on making an\noccasional sally on the enemy without the walls, for the purpose of\ngetting provisions, etc. Much blood was shed on either side, but\nnothing decisive took place. The siege went on for years, and neither\nparty gave way. At length the garrison of Montalban began to feel the\nwant of provisions, and Reinold made up his mind to a desperate step.\nHe broke through the besiegers\u2019 camp and carried off a number of\nprovision wagons. Malagis had rendered such action possible by slipping\nout of the fortress unnoticed and sprinkling some of his sleeping\npowder over part of the camp. As he was about to scatter another pinch,\nhe was seized by the collar, and, looking round, saw that it was strong\nOlivier, one of the twelve paladins, who was dragging him away. The\nrough attack had knocked the powder out of the necromancer\u2019s hand, and\nit had fallen on the ground. Instead of laying his hand on his sword,\nthe little man caught hold of the bag of hellebore snuff he had hidden\nwithin his garment, and threw a pinch into Olivier\u2019s face. The hero\nsneezed and sneezed, and still he sneezed; but the more convulsively he\nsneezed, the tighter he clutched his prisoner, whom he at length\ndragged into the emperor\u2019s presence.\n\n\u201cA-chew! your Highness!\u201d he said and sneezed; \u201cI bring\nyou\u2014a-chew!\u2014the wicked-a-chew!\u2014necromancer\u2014a-chew!\u2014do with\nhim\u2014a-chew!\u2014as you will.\u201d Here such an agony of sneezing came upon\npoor Olivier that he could say no more.\n\nThe emperor thanked and pitied the worthy paladin, and ordered that the\nmagician should be bound, and guarded to Monfaucon, where he was to be\nhanged.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d whimpered Malagis, \u201cpray let me live this one more night, and\nlet me have a good supper, for I have not tasted food for the last four\nand twenty hours.\u201d\n\nMeanwhile the paladins and many other knights had entered the royal\ntent. They one and all joined their entreaties to those of the poor\nlittle man. Seeing that the emperor seemed inclined to yield, Malagis\nsaid in a grave and solemn tone,\u2014\n\n[Illustration: MALAGIS CARRIES THE SLEEPING EMPEROR TO MONTALBAN.]\n\n\u201cYour Majesty, I swear on my honour that I will not go away from here\nwithout your own consent, nor will I go unless you bear me company.\u201d\n\nKarl then promised to let him have the twenty-four hours\u2019 grace, and\nseveral of the knights offered their services as guards.\n\nThe lords sat down to supper, and devoted their whole attention to the\ngood food and wine that were set before them, while Malagis, curled up\nin a corner close at hand, appeared to do the same. When supper was\nover, the necromancer was taken to the place that was to serve him as\nprison, and the noble knights, who had undertaken to keep watch and\nward, took up their places for the night.\n\nAt midnight Malagis had recourse to his knowledge of the black art. He\nmade a deep magic sleep fall upon the camp, and all within its bounds,\nsave and except himself. Then, stepping softly, he made his way to the\nemperor\u2019s bedside, and dropped a few drops of some medicament into\nKarl\u2019s mouth, which insured his sleep lasting for twelve good hours.\nAfter which he lifted him up, and carried him pickaback to the castle.\nThe great gate was flung open at the sound of his well-known voice, and\ngreat was the astonishment of Reinold when he saw what burden he\ncarried on his shoulders.\n\n\u201cHere is the pledge of peace,\u201d said Malagis. \u201cIt has cost me much hard\nwork to bring it here. See that my labour bears fruit.\u201d\n\nThe emperor was carried to the best guest-room the castle contained,\nand the Lady Clarissa did all that lay in her power for the comfort of\nthe great man.\n\nKarl did not awake till noon. At first he thought he must be dreaming\nwhen he saw Reinold, Malagis, and strange servants about him. The truth\ndawned upon him gradually, and a bitter truth it was. Hunger forced him\nto accept the food Clarissa brought, though he would much rather not\nhave eaten it. Reinold tried by every means in his power to induce the\nemperor to give up his plans of vengeance, and make peace with him. But\nhis efforts were vain. Then it occurred to him that a proud, haughty\nnature, that could not be bent by harshness, was often softened by\nkindness. He set Kaiser Karl at liberty, and the emperor went away from\nMontalban without a word or sign that betokened reconciliation.\n\nWhen Reinold re-entered the castle, he found his cousin Malagis burning\nboxes, bags, and all kinds of written papers. Much surprised, he asked\nwhat he was doing, and Malagis replied:\n\n\u201cI am burning all that the noble art of necromancy has taught me. I\nshall need these things no more, for my services are useless to such a\nmadman as you. I am now going away into the wilderness to join the holy\npenitents, there I shall repent with them in sackcloth and ashes.\u201d\n\nHe was as good as his word, for he took his departure soon afterwards,\nnever to return.\n\nWhen the emperor went back to his camp, he related all his adventures.\nThe paladins one and all entreated him to make peace with the heroic\nbrothers, but he refused, saying that his murdered son\u2019s blood still\ncried aloud for vengeance. So the castle still remained beleaguered,\nand fortune seemed to have deserted the garrison with the departure of\nthe little necromancer. The store of provisions grew less every day.\nHunger stared the brave men in the face. Reinold, after much\nconsideration, thought of a way of escape, and made all needful\npreparations. One evening, when darkness had begun to set in, he took\nleave of his weeping wife, and, accompanied by his brothers and a small\nband of determined men, made his way cautiously and silently through\nthe enemy\u2019s lines, and set out for a strong castle in the forest of\nArdennes.\n\nNext morning the emperor was told what had happened, and he did what\nReinold had expected. He at once ordered the siege of Montalban to be\nraised, and started in pursuit of the fugitives. He soon came up with\nthem, but they defended themselves so well, and took such wise measures\nto ensure their safety, that they succeeded in reaching the stronghold\nfor which they were bound.\n\n\n                      DEATH OF BAYARD AND REINOLD.\n\nThe heroes fought as bravely as ever in defence of their new place of\nrefuge, emboldened by the knowledge that their dear ones at Montalban\nwere now free; but however courageous a man may be, hunger and disease\nare foes under whose attacks it is impossible to hold out for ever.\n\nIn the time of their sorest distress, Aya went to the imperial camp,\nand entreated her brother to have mercy on her children. The emperor\nrefused to listen to her, and harshly bade her go out of his presence.\nBut she returned again and again to the charge, and at last Karl said:\n\n\u201cVery well, listen to my offer, and let Reinold accept it if he will.\nThe horse Bayard, that Malagis brought up out of hell, has done me more\nharm than any other creature, excepting Reinold himself. Now I will\npardon your four sons, and restore their fiefs, if Reinold will give\nthe brute to me, to be killed as I think best. I give you my word as an\nemperor that I will accept Bayard\u2019s life in expiation of my son\u2019s\ndeath.\u201d\n\nWhen Aya returned to the castle, and showed the parchment on which she\nhad had the terms of the proposed treaty written out in full, Reinold\nrefused to give up his dearest and most faithful friend.\n\n\u201cThink of your wife, your children, and your brothers\u2014the gallows at\nMonfaucon are prepared\u2014an inscription will be placed there that will\nbe read by future generations: \u2018He gave them all up to die a shameful\ndeath for the sake of a dumb animal.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cMother,\u201d cried the hero, and rushing up to Bayard, he fed his faithful\nfriend with a last piece of bread, and, bursting into tears, threw his\narms round its slender neck. The horse whinnied softly, and laid its\nhead trustingly on his shoulder.\n\n\u201cI cannot do it, mother, I cannot do it,\u201d cried Reinold. \u201cBayard and I\nmust live and die together.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery well, my son,\u201d she said; \u201cbut remember that when all my children\nand grandchildren are hanging on the gallows, your mothers heart will\nbreak.\u201d\n\n\u201cMother,\u201d he answered, in a strange, hollow voice, \u201chave your will. You\nhave conquered, but I shall not survive it.\u201d\n\nHe then signed the treaty, and Aya returned with it to the imperial\ncamp.\n\nA crowd was assembled on the bridge in Paris, for the news had gone\nabroad that the famous Bayard was to be drowned. Kaiser Karl was there\nalso with his paladins.\n\n[Illustration: BAYARD\u2019S DEATH]\n\nThe noble horse was led to the middle of the bridge, with iron weights\nfastened to its feet, and at a signal was suddenly pushed over the\nedge, and fell with a splash into the Seine. In spite of the weights\nupon its legs, it rose to the surface, once, twice, thrice.\n\n\u201cThat horse is the devil incarnate,\u201d cried the emperor furiously. \u201cHa,\nCount Reinold, beware, its eyes are fixed on you; if you are keeping it\nalive by any enchantment, it will be the worse for you. I will tear up\nthe treaty.\u201d\n\nWith a low cry of terror Aya flung her arms round her son, drawing down\nhis head, so that he did not see how Bayard rose a fourth time, and\nthen, not seeing its master\u2019s face, sank, to rise no more.\n\nThe hero felt that all his happiness was gone with Bayard. He thrust\nhis mother aside, flung at the emperor\u2019s feet the letters patent\nentitling him to his fiefs, and breaking his sword Flammberg, threw it\ninto the Seine, muttering,\u2014\n\n\u201cLie there with my Bayard, and may God forget to be gracious to me, if\nI ever mount a horse or draw a sword again.\u201d\n\nThen he turned, and fled into the depths of the wild forest, until at\nlast he sank exhausted on the ground. There he remained for two days\nand a night, overwhelmed and mad with misery.\n\nAfter that he went home to Montalban. Meeting a pilgrim on the way, he\ngave him his golden spurs and all his ready money for his grey robes\nand felt hat.\n\nLady Clarissa wept when she heard the end of the noble horse, for she\nhad loved Bayard; but she wept still more bitterly, when Reinold took\nleave of her for ever.\n\n\u201cWho will teach our sons,\u201d she cried, \u201cto be true knights and noble\nmen, if you go and leave them thus?\u201d\n\n\u201cOur cousin Count Roland will do so,\u201d he answered, \u201cand you will do\nyour part, dear wife.\u201d He kissed the tears from her eyes, and\ncontinued: \u201cAccept no fief from Kaiser Karl. Go with our children to\nour own lands on the other side of the mountains. The tyrant has no\npower there, for the lands are your own. As for me, I am about to start\non a pilgrimage to the grave of our Lord, to see whether I may find\nforgiveness. You will never see me again.\u201d\n\nSaying this, he tore himself away, and set out at once upon his long\nand toilsome journey.\n\nReinold went to the Holy Land, where he found a fierce war raging\nbetween the Christians and Infidels. He was true to his vow. He neither\nmounted a horse, nor wielded a sword; but still he fought like a hero\nwith an enormous club, and helped in the taking of Jerusalem. After he\nhad prayed at the Holy Sepulchre, he returned to his native land; but\nnot to his wife and children, nor yet to his brothers, for he had died\nto all earthly ties and joys. He went to Cologne, where the cathedral\nwas being built. There he lived a hard, ascetic life, and worked as a\nlabourer at the building. He did not even stop working during the hour\nof rest in the middle of the day, although his wages were only a penny\na day. This conduct aroused the anger of the stone-masons, so they rose\nin a body, killed him, and threw his body into the Rhine. But the river\nwould not keep it, the corpse floated on the surface of the water, and\nwas drawn to land by some pious souls. And now several miracles were\nwrought upon those who touched his body, which showed that he had been\na holy man. The emperor, hearing of the wonders that had taken place,\nhad the murderers tried and executed, and sent orders that the body of\nthe saint should be brought to Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen), or to Paris.\nNo sooner was the body laid upon the cart which was to convey it, than\nthe vehicle moved of its own accord, and rolled on and on, no matter\nhow bad the roads, till it arrived at Dortmund in Westphalia, where it\nstopped, that being the spot the saint had evidently chosen as his last\nresting-place. The Reinaldi-Church at Dortmund was built in his honour.\n\nThe Legend gives the exact date of the miracle, 7th of January, 811.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                              II. ROLAND.\n\n\n                        SIEGE OF VIANE (VIENNE).\n\nKaiser Karl had not been married very long. He held a great assembly of\nthe notables. Count Gerhart appeared amongst the rest, for he expected\nthat this would be the time chosen by the emperor to invest him with\nthe promised fief of Viane (Vienne in France), and perhaps also with\nthat of Burgundy. When he received the letters patent relating to the\nfirst of these, he stooped, and, in fulfilment of ancient custom, would\nhave kissed the emperor\u2019s foot; but he staggered, for the empress had\nstuck out her foot, which he involuntarily touched with his lips in\nfalling.\n\n\u201cHe must have drunk too much Burgundy before he would have kissed the\nfoot of the Lady, whose rosy mouth he formerly disdained. Wine teaches\nhumility,\u201d murmured the courtiers.\n\nGerhart sprang to his feet, his cheeks flushing with anger. He waited\nin expectation of the second letter; but the emperor told him that he\ncould not have the fief of Burgundy, for the empress, who was also the\nwidow of the last duke, was strongly against it. The count took his\nleave with a low bow, and set out for Vienne, his heart boiling with\nrage. Arrived there, he called out his troops, and sent to ask his\nbrother, the mighty lord of Apulia, for help against his sovereign. He\nknew that the emperor\u2019s heart would henceforth be turned against him,\nfor was not the empress that same widowed duchess of Burgundy whose\nproffered love he had rejected?\n\nThe brothers took the field at the head of a great army. With them came\ntheir younger brother Rainier, his son Olivier, a bold warrior, and his\ndaughter Auda, who was marvellously beautiful, and brave as one of the\nNorthern valkyrs.\n\nKarl besieged the stronghold on the river Rhone where they had taken up\ntheir abode. The place seemed impregnable, for it was defended by brave\nmen, rocks, and river. Sometimes the besiegers tried to take the\ncitadel by storm, and sometimes part of the garrison would make an\nattack on the enemy beneath the walls. On such occasions, Auda would\nnow and then accompany her friends dressed in full armour, and would\nfight with the best. Once when she had done so, she found that her\nopponent was none other than strong Roland. He disarmed her without\neven drawing his sword, and took her prisoner. Her brother Olivier,\nseeing what had happened, at once came to the rescue. While the heroes\nwere engaged in single combat, Auda made good her escape, and took\nrefuge in the castle, where she was soon afterwards joined by the rest\nof the party. The siege continued. The Lady Auda often stood on the\nbattlements, and helped to fling stones on the heads of those warriors\nwho came within reach of their missiles. One day Roland came with the\nrest, and, seeing the maiden, asked her name and parentage. When she\nhad told him, and he had answered by informing her that he was Count\nRoland, a nephew of the emperor, he went on to say that he loved her,\nand would never cease to woo her, even though it were at the cost of\nhis life. At this moment Olivier appeared, and flung a spear at him,\nupon which Roland challenged him to single combat on an island in the\nRhone.\n\nThe heroes and their horses were ferried over the river to the island,\nand there they fought. Each of the combatants displayed the most heroic\nvalour. At length, when evening was drawing on, a fleecy cloud hovered\nover them, and, coming between them, forced them apart. An angel\nwrapped in rosy light came out of the cloud, and said:\n\n\u201cWherefore do you fight, Christian against Christian? Why would you\nshed a brother\u2019s blood? I call upon you to be reconciled in the name of\nthe Saviour who died upon the cross. Be of one heart and of one mind,\nand turn your arms against the adversaries of the true faith.\u201d\n\nThe angel then waved a palm branch as a sign of farewell, and vanished.\n\nThe two men exchanged a hearty shake of the hand, and sat down to talk\nover matters of much moment to both of them. Before they separated,\nOlivier had promised to use his influence with his sister in Roland\u2019s\nfavour, and the latter had given his word to fight no more against\nVienne, and its defenders.\n\nNow the emperor was very fond of hunting, and used to go on many an\nexpedition into the neighbouring country in search of game. On one such\noccasion he and his companions were attacked and hard pressed by a\nparty of Viennese under the leadership of Olivier. At one moment it\nseemed as if Karl must lose his life in the struggle. Olivier, seeing\nthis, protected him with his shield. When the combat was over, the\nemperor and Olivier had some talk together, and the former was so\ntouched and pleased with the noble and generous disposition of the\nyoung man, that he not only promised to make peace, but to appoint\nOlivier one of his paladins, to forgive Gerhart, and to restore the\nfiefs he held under him.\n\nThere was great joy in Vienne and all the neighbouring country when the\nnews of the peace was spread abroad. Smiling faces were everywhere to\nbe seen, and happiest of all was perhaps Kaiser Karl himself. A few\ndays later a time was fixed for the public betrothal of Roland and\nAuda. Great preparations were made, and all was done to make the day a\njoyful one.\n\nWhile the heroes were sitting at the feast in the royal tent,\nmessengers appeared from the banks of the Garonne, who brought the sad\nnews that the Moorish king Eigoland had come from Africa with a large\narmy of blacks, had fallen upon Gascony, and laid waste the country\nwith fire and sword.\n\n\u201cThat is good news,\u201d said brave Roland, \u201cfor an angel appeared to my\ncomrade Olivier and me, and told us to fight against the infidel.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is bad news,\u201d answered the emperor, \u201cfor the Moor is a great\nwarrior, and has an immense number of black devils at his back. Listen,\nnoble knights, and I will tell you what happened years ago. After the\ndeath of my father Pipin, my step-brothers, the sons of cunning Bertha,\ndrove me out of my inheritance. I found refuge with the heathen king\nMarsilio at Saragossa. With the help of brave Diebolt, I regained my\nrights, was crowned king of the Franks at Aix (Aachen), and emperor in\nRome. One night St. James, the apostle, appeared to me, and commanded\nme to free his grave, to which there was a yearly pilgrimage, from the\nyoke of the infidel. I obeyed him, and reduced the whole country as far\nas Galicia, where the apostle lies buried. There I learnt that Eigoland\nhad come over from Africa, and had already reached Pampeluna. I marched\nback at once, and met the Moorish forces near the river Ceres. There\nwas a terrible battle. The Africans fought like very devils. They broke\nthrough our ranks, and defeat seemed certain. Then the brave Milo, my\nbrother-in-law, and your father, nephew Roland, threw himself upon the\ndemons at the head of his men. They fought like heroes, and defeated\nthe enemy. But before the victory was quite decided, the noble Milo\nfell, wounded to death. The loss on both sides was so great that either\nparty retreated on the morrow. Eigoland returned to his African\ndeserts; but he seems to have come back at the head of a larger army\nthan before, and to have invaded our own land. We must now fight for\nhome and faith, for on this crisis will depend whether Christ or\nMachmet shall rule the Franks.\u201d\n\n\u201cI think this much is certain,\u201d said Roland: \u201cwe shall conquer, whether\nwe live or die. Was not my father victorious, though he fell at\nPampeluna? The Lord would not deny him the martyr\u2019s crown, when he\npassed away on that field of blood. Here, or there, ye Frankish men,\nwhat does it matter which? The crown is ours.\u201d\n\nAs he spoke, his eyes shone with enthusiasm.\n\n\u201cAnd what is to become of me,\u201d whispered Auda, \u201cif you do not return?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are the angel that shall give me the palm, either here or there,\u201d\nhe answered; and before the assembled knights and ladies he gave her\nthe kiss of affiance.\n\n\n                                GANELON.\n\nNext day they marched to meet the enemy, whom they saw when they had at\nlength reached the beautiful land that is watered by the Dordone\n(Dordogne). The morning after their arrival, a terrible battle took\nplace between them and the Moors. Roland, Olivier, Ogier, Archbishop\nTurpin, and the other paladins fought like heroes, and led their men\nagain and again against the foe. At night-fall, and not till then, did\nthe Moors acknowledge themselves beaten. They fled to Pampeluna, where\nthey found more troops that had just arrived from Africa. Eigoland and\nhis men were impatient to avenge the defeat they had sustained, and\nthey were sure that they could do so, for they trusted in their\nnumbers, their skill, and their prophet.\n\nKarl did not at once follow the fugitives. He waited for reinforcements\nfrom France, and from Marsilio, who, although a heathen, had formerly\naided him. He sent messengers to him; but soon afterwards learnt that\nthe faithless king had murdered them, and had joined the Moors. Then\nthe emperor called his heroes around him, and, telling them of the evil\ntidings he had had, asked them whether they advised him to risk a\nbattle, when the enemy\u2019s numbers were so overwhelming.\n\n\u201cLet us go forward,\u201d cried brave Roland; \u201cbefore us lie two objects,\nvictory or paradise; who is it that will draw back?\u201d\n\nThe rest agreed with him, and the horns sounded to battle; and a great\nbattle took place, in which many men were slain on either side, and\neach party fought with a desperate valour. At last Eigoland fell under\nthe sword of Roland, and then the Moors took flight.\n\nThe emperor reduced the country to obedience to his rule. Saragossa\nalone held out, for there Marsilio had taken up his station and\ndetermined to defend the town alone until the arrival of the troops his\nliege lord Baligant, caliph of Babylon, had promised to send to his\naid. Karl, remembering his former kindness, had determined to treat\nMarsilio with the greatest forbearance. He therefore sent Ganelon, one\nof his paladins, to offer the king terms, and they were these:\nMarsilio\u2019s life should be spared if he would be baptized, and become a\nvassal of the empire. Ganelon would have liked to decline the honour of\ncarrying this message; but he knew the emperor too well to dare\nremonstrance.\n\nThe king received the ambassador with all kindness, listened to his\nmessage quietly, and begged for a short time to think the matter over,\nand consult his friends. Meanwhile he led Ganelon over the palace, and\nshowed him all his treasures. When he saw that the sight of these\nthings had had the desired effect on the ambassador, he offered him\nthree baggage-horse loads of gold, three of silver, and three of costly\nstuffs, if he would turn the emperor\u2019s vengeance away from him, and\nsave him from becoming a Frankish vassal. Ganelon promised to do all\nthat the heathen wished; nay, for double the reward, he even promised\nto detain a division of the Frankish army when the rest had gone away,\non the pretext of guarding the country, and then to deliver them into\nMarsilio\u2019s hands. The compact was soon concluded, and each of the\ncontracting parties swore to keep his share of the bargain.\n\nMarsilio, who thought little of bloodshed, did not hesitate to hand\nover some of the nobles of his host as hostages for his good faith,\nwhich therefore was not doubted. Ganelon spoke strongly of Marsilio\u2019s\nrepentance for the past, and promises for the future; and then, when he\nhad succeeded in turning matters as he wished, and the emperor was\nabout to return to France with his whole army in the belief that he now\npossessed a faithful vassal in Marsilio, went on to persuade him to\nleave Roland and the other paladins behind at the head of a small force\nto watch the borders. His eloquence carried all before it, and what he\nadvised was done. He alone of all the paladins returned to France with\nthe emperor, while Roland and the other ten remained with six thousand\nchosen warriors to guard the land from foreign invasion.\n\n\n                     AT RONCEVAL (VALE OF THORNS).\n\nThe heroes spent one quiet day after the army had gone. On the second\nmorning, their outposts came in to announce the approach of a large\narmy, so they got ready for the fight. Roland led his forces to\nRonceval, a narrow pass between two high mountains, which he determined\nto defend. The Moors, more than twenty thousand strong, came up with\nthe Franks before they had reached the end of the pass.\n\n\u201cBlow your horn,\u201d said Olivier, \u201cthe emperor will hear you and return,\nhe cannot have got very far yet.\u201d\n\nRoland gazed at his great horn, Olifant, which was hanging at his side.\nIt was made of ivory with gold inlaid, and, when blown by one who\nunderstood how to sound it, would send its voice for miles around.\n\n\u201cLook, faithful friend,\u201d said the hero, \u201cI was given this horn, and my\ngood sword Durindart, by an angel from heaven. I then swore only to\nblow the horn in case of utmost need. We are not now in such a case; I\nthink we are strong enough to make these heathen bite the dust. Ha!\nwhat do I see? Look, there is the traitor Marsilio! No doubt the\nfaithless Ganelon has betrayed us for much red gold, but we will fight\nfor the good cause. Monjoie, Saint Denys! Up, soldiers of Christ, let\nus do battle for our holy Faith!\u201d\n\nThe heroes and their men rushed on to meet the Moorish hosts, who\nwithstood their furious onslaught with the greatest courage; but after\na while fell back, and fled, pursued by the Christians, who slew all\nthey came up with.\n\nWhen the heroes had recalled their little army from the pursuit, they\nmade their men sit down and rest. Before they had sat very long, they\nwere startled by a shout behind them of \u201cMachmet! Machmet!\u201d and a great\nblowing of trumpets and beating of drums. A larger army than that which\nthey had already put to flight was approaching in their rear. Marsilio\nwas at its head.\n\nRoland prepared for battle. He sent Count Walter to guard a wooded\nheight, and then, accompanied by his brother Balduin, brave Olivier,\nthe bold Archbishop Turpin, and the other paladins, advanced with his\nmen against the foe.\n\nThe battle raged with intensest fury round the leaders. Wild cries and\nthe clash of arms filled the air. At last Roland flew at Marsilio, but\nnext moment his horse was killed beneath him. He sprang to his feet,\nand fought so desperately that the Moors turned and fled. He looked\nround, and could see none but the dead or dying. He raised his horn to\nhis lips, and blew a mighty blast. About a hundred men-at-arms appeared\nin answer to his call, then came a few more, and lastly Olivier,\nBalduin, Archbishop Turpin, and others of the heroes.\n\n\u201cYour horn has a goodly sound, and carries far, friend Roland,\u201d said\nOlivier; \u201cthe emperor must have heard it, and will return and help us.\nIt will be high time, in sooth; for see how the wild Moors assemble in\nclose order, and prepare to renew the attack.\u201d\n\n\u201cUp, ye faithful of the Lord,\u201d cried Roland; \u201cclose your ranks. May\nChrist preserve us!\u201d\n\nThe hero mounted an Arab horse he had caught a moment before, and took\nhis place at the head of his men. Soon spears were hurtling through the\nair, and swords were clashing. Many a doughty deed was done by small\nand great in the Christian force; but fight as they might, the Franks\nwere so few in number, that it seemed as if the Moors must finally\nprevail. Olivier fell defending his friend and brother-in-arms.\nRoland\u2019s sword did such terrible execution that the Moors once more\nretreated in fear, and the hero was too weary to pursue them. His\nwounded horse fell dead beneath him, and he, bleeding from many wounds,\nand feeling that his end was near, staggered into a neighbouring gorge,\nand sank upon the ground at the foot of a rock. Then, raising his eyes\nto heaven, he whispered,\u2014\n\n\u201cLord, give me grace in Thy sight. Receive, if so be that Thou hearest\nme, this pledge of my submission to Thy will.\u201d\n\nSo saying, he held up his gauntlet; a soft breeze passed over his face,\nand an invisible hand took the gauntlet, and bore it away. The hero\nthen lifted his sword Durindart, and tried to break it against the\nrock, that it might not fall into the hands of the Moors. But the\nmarble rock was split by the blow, while the sword remained unharmed.\nHe now blew his horn for the third time. The worthy Archbishop Turpin\nlimped up to him, then came Balduin, Roland\u2019s half-brother, his\nfaithful squire Thiedrich, and bold Walter, who had defended the height\ncommitted to his charge until all his men were slain.\n\nTime passed slowly with the wounded men. At last they heard the glad\nsound of horns blowing, and the clanking of armour. Kaiser Karl had\ncome back to their assistance. But before he arrived, Roland had gone\nto the realms of eternal peace. His faithful squire told the emperor,\nwith tears in his eyes, that he had seen one of God\u2019s angels come to\nreceive his master\u2019s soul. Then he went on to tell of Marsilio\u2019s\nfaithlessness, of the battles which had that day been fought, and of\nthe suspicion they all felt that Ganelon had betrayed them into the\nhands of the Moor.\n\n\u201cYou were right there,\u201d said the emperor; \u201cthe traitor deceived me\nalso. I wanted to return the moment I heard Count Roland\u2019s horn, but\nGanelon dissuaded me, saying that my nephew must only be hunting.\u201d\n\nThe bodies of the Frankish soldiers were buried, while those of the\npaladins who had lost their lives at Ronceval, amongst whom were\nTurpin, Roland, Olivier, and Walter, were to be taken away and embalmed\nfor burial in France. Ganelon was at the same time arrested and bound.\n\nThese things done, the emperor marched against the Moors, who meanwhile\nhad been reinforced by the arrival of Caliph Baligant of Babylon with\nhosts of followers. The battle between the Christian and Moorish forces\nlasted two days, and was then decided in favour of the Franks. Baligant\ndied on the field, and Marsilio at Saragossa. This victory gave Spain\nto the conqueror.\n\nThe emperor returned to France. Halt was made by the vine-clad banks of\nthe Dordone, and the bodies of the fallen heroes were interred at\nBlaive, after which the march to Paris was resumed. There the feast of\nvictory was held, and when it was over, Kaiser Karl set out for Aix,\nwhere Ganelon was tried before a jury of twelve of his peers. He was\nsentenced to prove his innocence by single combat against Thiedrich,\nRoland\u2019s faithful squire. As Ganelon was much weakened by his\nimprisonment, he was allowed to choose any one he liked to act as proxy\nfor him. He chose Pinabel, one of the most famous swordsmen of his day;\nbut that availed him nothing; God fought for Thiedrich, and Pinabel was\noverthrown. Ganelon was then sentenced to be torn in pieces by wild\nhorses.\n\nSoon after this, fair Auda came to Aix in search of her betrothed. None\nof the warriors had courage to tell her the truth, so they referred her\nto the emperor, and he told her with tears in his eyes.\n\n\u201cDead,\u201d she said; \u201cRoland dead!\u201d\n\nWith these words she sank lifeless to the ground, so they took her\naway, and buried her beside her hero in the vault at Blaive.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n                        III. WILLIAM OF ORANGE.\n\n\n                            THE INHERITANCE.\n\nCount Henry of Narbonne, who was both a good man and a hero, lived at\nthe time when Kaiser Karl ruled over the Franks. He was held in much\nesteem by the emperor, because of his valorous deeds, and had received\nmany fiefs in addition to his paternal estates. After a time he\nwithdrew to his own castle, and, together with his wife, occupied\nhimself with the education of his seven sons, and several daughters.\nYears passed on, and the sons all grew up to man\u2019s estate. One day\ntheir father called them to him, and said that he had a story to tell\nthem, to which they must listen attentively.\n\n\u201cYou must know,\u201d he said, \u201cthat once, long ago, I sank exhausted on the\nfield of battle, worn with fighting, and covered with wounds. The enemy\nrushed up to slay me, but a faithful squire defended me at the risk of\nhis own life. Just as further help arrived, he sank severely wounded on\nthe blooming heather beside me. We were removed from the field, and\nevery care and attention was lavished on us. I got better, but he grew\nweaker every day. He was not afraid to die, but he was troubled about\nthe fate of his little son, whom he would leave an orphan, for his wife\nhad died some time before. I comforted the man who had given his life\nfor me, by telling him that I would be a father to the boy, and that if\nhe grew up fit for the trust, he should be my heir, whether I had\nchildren of my own or not. He is now a gallant knight and brave\nwarrior, and I am proud to call him my pupil. Now, my sons, tell me, do\nyou wish me to keep my word to my dying preserver, or do you desire to\nshare my estate amongst you?\u201d\n\nThen one of the sons, named William, answered for the rest, and said\nthat they would all rather be beggars than that their father should\nbreak his word to his faithful squire.\n\n\u201cNot beggars,\u201d cried the Countess Irmschart. \u201cAll that I brought my\nhusband belongs to you, and your father has already endowed you with a\npriceless inheritance; namely, his piety, his good faith both to God\nand man, his courage, and all the lessons in knightliness he has given\nyou. This is an inheritance that cannot be taken from you.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, my sons,\u201d continued the count, \u201cyou may go to the emperor\u2019s\ncourt in the full certainty that you will get on there, if you are true\nto the lessons you have learnt in your youth.\u201d\n\nThe young warriors followed their father\u2019s advice. They were well\nreceived by the emperor, at first for Count Henry\u2019s sake, and then for\ntheir own. They fought against the Moors when Eigoland invaded Gascony,\nand helped to avenge the death of the heroes at Ronceval. After their\nreturn from Spain, the emperor knighted the brothers, and gave them\nconsiderable fiefs. William, who enjoyed the special favour of his\nliege lord, was made governor of the whole southern coast of France. He\nshowed himself a vigilant warden of the coast. Wherever any Saracens\nventured to land, there he was with his troopers to beat them back, and\nsometimes even seized their ships.\n\nAfter the death of Kaiser Karl, surnamed the Great, his son Ludwig\nsucceeded him on the throne. The first action of the new ruler was to\ngo about the country, and see in what condition it was. Amongst other\nplaces, he visited the castle where Count William lived with his\nyoungest sister. Ludwig was so taken with the maiden\u2019s beauty and\nsweetness, that he fell in love with her, and soon afterwards married\nher. This circumstance increased Count William\u2019s influence at court,\nand enabled him to keep up a larger army, and do what he otherwise\nconsidered necessary for the proper defence of the coast.\n\n\n                       CAPTIVITY AND DELIVERANCE.\n\nPeace lasted for a long time under the wise rule of Count William, but,\nsuddenly and unexpectedly, the Moors invaded the land, under the lead\nof the powerful Emirs Terreman and Balikan. King Ludwig and Count\nWilliam attacked the children of the desert, and strove to chase them\nfrom the country. After performing many feats of valour, William was at\nlast surrounded by the Moors, and carried off a prisoner to Valencia by\nthe Emir Tibalt, whose captive he was by the fortune of war.\n\nArrived at Valencia, the count was chained up in a dark and dismal\ndungeon, and placed under the charge of the emir\u2019s wife, Arabella,\nduring her husband\u2019s absence on a plundering expedition. Before going\naway, Tibalt told his wife to feed the prisoner on bread and water, and\nforbade her on any account to take off his chains. He added that he\nhoped on his return to find him willing to embrace the Mahommedan\nreligion.\n\nFor some time Arabella did as her husband had desired with the\nstrictest punctuality, but after a time she became curious to see what\nthe Frankish prisoner was like. So she made her servants accompany her\nwith torches to the cell. She saw that William was a goodly man, and\nfelt sorry for him. As for him, he never could have imagined that an\ninfidel could look so gentle and like an angel.\n\nThe weeks passed quickly. Arabella tried to teach the count her\nreligion, by repeating passages of the Koran, and by entreating him to\nremember that he had only to become a Mahommedan, and he would at once\nbe free. And he, on his side, told her about God and Christ, and\nexplained to her the religion of mercy and love. What he said came home\nto her heart. She visited him again and again, thought over his\nteachings when she sat quietly in her own room, and at last confessed\nthat she wished to become a Christian. She and William had by this time\nlearnt to love each other, so they determined to fly to King Ludwig.\n\nBy the help of an old and faithful servant, Arabella hired a vessel,\nset the count free, and went on board with him. The captain, on\nlearning that he was to steer for the coast of France, refused\npoint-blank to do so; and William, without an instant\u2019s hesitation,\nflung him overboard. He then threatened to slay the mate if he did not\nobey him in all things, and he looked so terrible with his drawn sword\nand stern face, that the crew durst not disobey him.\n\nMeanwhile Tibalt returned from his raid, and learnt all that had\noccurred from the captain, who had swum ashore. He embarked without\nloss of time, and set sail in pursuit of the runaways, but only came\nwithin bow-shot just as William and Arabella landed and took refuge in\nthe citadel.\n\nTibalt vainly tried to take the place by storm, and had at last to\nreturn to Valencia without accomplishing the object of his voyage.\n\nLudwig invited Count William and Arabella to his court, where they were\nreceived with the utmost kindness by both him and his queen. Every one\nadmired the Moorish lady\u2019s beauty, and thought her lovelier than any\none about the court, even than the queen herself. This roused the\nqueen\u2019s jealousy, and she began to treat both her brother and Arabella\nwith marked coldness.\n\nCount William and his bride went on to Avignon, where they were married\nby Pope Leo, after Arabella had been received into the Christian\nChurch. She was given the name of Gyburg at her baptism, as that was an\nold family name in the house of Narbonne. Ludwig was present at the\nmarriage, but the queen said she was too busy to go.\n\nA few days after this, William sent his wife home to Orange, while he\naccompanied King Ludwig to Italy, with the object of recovering Rome\nand the States of the Church for the banished Pope. This they succeeded\nin doing after much fighting; and when Leo was once more master of the\nimperial city, he showed his gratitude to the Frankish king by crowning\nhim emperor in the room of his great father.\n\nWhen the coronation feast was over, the warriors all returned home, and\nWilliam with the rest. He and his wife lived happily at Orange, and, as\nthey had no children, William adopted the son of one of his sisters who\nhad died early, and brought him up as his heir. The boy Vivian (or\nVivianz) grew up to be a bold youth, and showed promise of future\nexcellence.\n\n\n                             MORE FIGHTING.\n\nAs it happened, Vivian was to have a chance of winning glory at an\nearly age. The Moors invaded France in hordes. They swept over\nAquitaine in no time, and seemed as though they would soon have the\nrule in France. Count William took leave of his wife, and, accompanied\nby young Vivian and his men-at-arms, set out to meet, and, if it might\nbe, drive back the bold invaders.\n\nThe armies met on the plain of Alischanz (Alicon). \u201cMachmet! Machmet!\u201d\nwas the cry on one side, and \u201cMonjoie, St. Denys!\u201d on the other.\n\nThe battle began, and raged for hours; young Vivian fought like a hero,\nand then fell, mortally wounded. His men avenged his fall. He was\ninsensible for some time, and when he came to himself again, he found\nthat he was lying on the battle-field surrounded by the bodies of the\nslain. He was very thirsty, and prayed for a drink of water. His prayer\nwas heard. A shining angel came down from heaven, and supported his\ntottering steps to the side of a little rushing brook, where he\nquenched his raging thirst. Before finally disappearing from sight, the\nangel said,\u2014\n\n\u201cThe good town of Orange and kind Gyburg are in danger.\u201d\n\nThe young man fainted again when he heard these words. On recovering\nhis senses, he saw his uncle bending over him, and had just strength\nenough to repeat the warning given him by the angel, before he fell\nback dead.\n\n[Illustration: WILLIAM OF ORANGE AND HIS DYING NEPHEW.]\n\nThe count considered what was to be done. He had lost sight of his men\nin the wild hand-to-hand conflict in which he had cut his way through\nthe enemy\u2019s ranks; and then, coming upon his nephew\u2019s broken shield, he\nhad followed his bloody track until he found him. The battle was now at\nan end; but without men how could he save Gyburg and Orange? His horse\nwas so severely wounded that he had to lead it by the rein. Without\nfurther loss of time, he set out on his long and toilsome walk. At\ndaybreak he met a Moorish commander with several followers. He was at\nonce attacked by them, but with the first blow he clove the emir to the\nsaddle, and put his men to flight. Finding himself alone and\nunobserved, he slipped the emir\u2019s dress over his armour, and, mounting\nthe emir\u2019s horse, pursued his journey to Orange. He made his way in\nsafety to the castle gate, which opened in time to receive him just as\nthe enemy had recognised the Frankish accoutrements of his wounded\nwar-horse, for the faithful beast had followed him all the way.\n\nThe besiegers tried again and again to storm the castle, but in vain.\nAt last they determined to starve the garrison out. After a time, the\ninmates of the castle suffered so much from want of food that the count\nmade up his mind to slip through the Moorish hosts to bring back\nreinforcements and provisions. He made his wife and captains swear to\nhold the fortress at all hazards, and then, donning the garments he had\ntaken from the emir, set out on his perilous undertaking.\n\nHe made his way through the enemy\u2019s lines, and reached Orleans in\nsafety. There he was taken prisoner by the captain of the guard, and\nordered to instant death as a Moorish infidel. In vain he assured the\nman that he was a Christian and a Frank; in vain he told him his name\nand rank; neither the captain nor any one else would believe him, and\nhe was in great danger of being torn in pieces by the excited populace.\nFortunately, at that moment the governor of the town appeared at the\nhead of an armed force, and, on seeing William, at once recognised him\nas his brother, and took him away to his house. The count would have\nnothing to eat but bread and water; he could not feast while his wife\nand his men were fasting. Having rested for an hour or two, he set out\nagain on his way to court.\n\nLudwig received him coldly, and his sister was still more unkind.\nIndeed, the empress went so far as to say, that for aught any one knew,\nthe Moorish woman might have sent for those Saracens; she might be\ntired of France and Christianity, and want to return to her own people.\nLudwig showed himself unwilling to call out his troops, saying that\nWilliam was strong enough to help himself.\n\nDay after day passed, and nothing was done. Meanwhile the rumour spread\nthat the count of Orange had come to court to ask for help against the\nMoors; and the aged count of Narbonne, his six sons, and many noble\nknights came to offer their help in the good work. When they heard how\nill William had fared at court, the lord of Narbonne went to the\nemperor, and warned him that if he did not support his vassals in their\nneed, he must not be surprised if they threw off his suzerainty. Then,\nturning to his daughter, he told her plainly what he thought of her\nconduct, and threatened her with his curse if she did not forget her\nfoolish rancour and do her duty. This bold speaking had such good\neffect, that orders were at once given to call out a great army, which\nassembled in an incredibly short time.\n\nOn hearing of the approach of a Frankish host, the Moors hastened to\ntheir ships, leaving their tents and provisions behind. These William\ngladly seized for the use of the imperial troops. Life and bustle now\nreigned in the castle from garret to cellar, and the cooks had hard\nwork to provide food for so many men. Among the scullions was a tall\nstrong young fellow, a Moor by birth, who had been stolen from his\nhome, and presented by his captors to Kaiser Ludwig. William thought\nfrom his appearance that he must be of noble birth, but every one else\nregarded him as half-witted, and called him nothing but Jack\nDunderhead. While he was at the palace, he had once had the good\nfortune to save the Princess Alice from a wolf. The only reward he\nasked of her was that she would keep the adventure a secret. This she\ndid. But when he was going to the wars with the other officers of the\nroyal kitchen, she sought him out and gave him a ring as a farewell\ngift. After his arrival at Orange, William\u2019s attention was drawn to\nhim; and seeing the heroic qualities of the youth, and the masterly\nfashion in which he handled his quarter-staff, the only weapon he\npossessed, he redeemed him from servitude, took him to the Lady Gyburg,\nand desired her to provide him with coat of mail and all the requisites\nof a warrior. Rennewart, for that was his real name, was so grateful\nfor this kindness that he swore to be faithful to William to the death.\nAnd, as he turned to leave the room, the countess heard him say, in a\nlow voice:\n\n\u201cNow, at length, I can show that I am of royal lineage, and may strive\nto win my pearl. Ah, father Terramer, while you have forgotten your\nlong-lost son, he has become a Frank, and is both able and willing to\nfight for his new and better country.\u201d\n\nThese words revealed to Gyburg that Rennewart was her own brother, so\nshe called him back hastily and told him all. After this joyful\nrecognition, he went out in full armour, but still bearing the long\nstaff he had always carried for his defence. He joined the rest of the\nforces and marched with them to fight the Moors, who were awaiting them\non the shore.\n\nThe battle began, and Rennewart showed himself so good a warrior as to\njustify Count William\u2019s trust to the full. He even attacked and boarded\nsome of the Moorish ships, freed the Christian slaves who were attached\nto the oars, and, getting them to join him, drove the Moors overboard,\nand, taking several of high degree prisoners, returned to the castle.\n\nAmong the prisoners taken was the Moorish commander Terramer. Badly\nwounded, and broken-hearted at his utter defeat, he was astonished at\nthe kindness with which he was tended by William and Gyburg, to whom he\nhad tried to do so much harm. But he soon made friends with them, and\nwas then rejoiced to see the son he had long mourned as dead.\n\nA few days later William and Gyburg went with the victorious army to\nwhere Ludwig was staying with the court. They met with a hearty\nreception, and the count of Orange was created duke of Aquitaine, while\nRennewart was given the town and district of Nismes. The emperor then\nrewarded all the other leaders for their services, and gave a great\nfeast to the men-at-arms, and a banquet to the nobles.\n\nWhile the heroes were enjoying the good things provided for their\nentertainment, the empress noticed that the young hero Rennewart sat\nsilent and absorbed, till her daughter Alise approached to fill his\nglass; then his eyes rested joyfully on her countenance, the royal\nmaiden blushed, and her hand trembled so, that the wine ran over. She\nwondered where they could have met before, and took the first\nopportunity of questioning her sister-in-law. The Countess Gyburg told\nher brother\u2019s story, and informed the empress that Rennewart and Alise\nhad loved each other ever since the day when the prince, in the guise\nof a scullion, saved the princess\u2019s life. A few days afterwards the\nyoung people were betrothed, and on the very day of their betrothal\nmessengers arrived bringing rich presents from the Emir Terramer to his\nson.\n\nWilliam, who was now duke of Aquitaine and count of Orange, governed\nhis people wisely and justly. He preserved them from dangers without\nand within, and listened to all petitioners of whatever rank with equal\nkindness. The Lady Gyburg helped him in all ways that a woman might.\nTogether they founded churches and alms-houses, and the blessing of God\nwas with them. When they were both stricken in years, an angel one\nnight appeared to the count in a dream, and, showing him a desert place\nhigh up in the mountains, desired him to build there a religious house,\nwhere pious monks might live, and give shelter to any travellers who\nhad lost their way, and might even seek out belated wanderers lost in\nthe snow, and save them from a dreadful death. Next day the pious hero\nset out in search of the place the angel had pointed out, and, having\nfound it, built the monastery. He and his wife lived on together for\nseveral years after this, doing good to all; then they withdrew into\nsolitary cells to prepare for eternity. After their death so many signs\nand wonders were wrought at their graves, that the people believed they\nmust have died saints.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: TITUREL SEES THE HOLY GRAIL.]\n\n\n\n\n              _LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR AND THE HOLY GRAIL._\n\n\n                              I. TITUREL.\n\n\n                         HIS CALL TO THE GRAIL.\n\nAt the time when the bold hero Vespasian was called away from the siege\nof Jerusalem, to be made emperor of Rome, a rich man of Cappadocia,\nnamed Parille, or as the Romans called him, Berillus, followed in his\ntrain. He was brave in war, and wise of counsel in times of peace, so\nthe emperor gave him large estates in Gaul. His virtues were inherited\nby his sons, grandsons, and later descendants. One of these,\nTiturisone, married a noble maiden, named Elizabel, but they had no\nchildren. The knight was much distressed at the thought that a noble\nand chivalrous race should end in him. Once, when he was quite elderly,\na soothsayer came to the castle, and asked for a night\u2019s lodging, which\nwas as usual granted. That evening, when he was sitting alone with his\nguest, the knight began to discourse of the sorrow of his life, and the\nstranger told him that he ought to make a pilgrimage to the church of\nthe Holy Sepulchre, and lay a crucifix of pure gold on the altar.\nTiturisone followed the wise man\u2019s advice, and he and his wife had the\npleasure of having a son born to them. As the boy grew up, he showed\nrare gifts of mind, great piety, and unusual strength. He had received\nthe name of Titurel at his baptism, a name that soon became known\nthroughout the length and breadth of the land.\n\nWhen the boy grew to man\u2019s estate, he went with his father to fight\nagainst the heathen. He showed such marvellous prowess, that his father\nbegan to praise him, and prophesy great things for his future; but the\nlad modestly said that he had only done his duty like others.\n\nWhen the victorious army returned home, Titurel was not to be tempted\nto remain at court, but hastened away to his native place. Arrived\nthere, he did not go first in search of his mother, but made his way to\nthe chapel, dressed in the robes of a penitent. He approached the altar\nbare-foot, and presented the booty he had brought from the war. Having\nprayed for God\u2019s blessing on all his undertakings, he rose from his\nknees, and, going into the castle, hastened to embrace his mother.\n\nTiturel sometimes took part in the crusade against the Saracens. His\ngallant deeds were so numerous that they became noised abroad, and his\nname was held in honour by Christians and infidels alike.\n\nMany years passed on. Titurisone and his wife both died, leaving a\nlarge inheritance to their only son. The change in his outward fortunes\nmade no difference in Titurel\u2014he remained as humble in the sight of\nGod and man as before; he had more to give away to the poor and needy,\nthat was the only use of wealth in his eyes.\n\nOne beautiful spring morning he went out to walk in the wood. Coming to\na soft mossy bank, he seated himself, and looked about him. Flowers\nfilled the air with their perfume, birds were singing in the trees, and\na gentle breeze whispered among the fresh green leaves. He felt full of\npeace and joy; it almost seemed to him as though God were speaking to\nhim in the songs of the birds, the rustle of the foliage, and the\nmurmur of the brook. The sky was blue, one soft fleecy cloud alone was\nvisible. He was surprised to see it coming as if towards him with\nextraordinary speed, and yet it was not driven by the wind. At last it\nsank to the earth before him, and out of it came an angel, who spoke to\nthe hero in a deep melodious voice like the sound of the organ in\nchurch.\n\n\u201cHail, chosen hero of the Most High! The Lord hath called thee to guard\nthe holy Grail on His mountain, Montsalvatch. Set thy house in order,\nand obey the voice of God.\u201d\n\nThe angel stepped back, the cloud closed round him like a silver veil,\nand he floated away to heaven.\n\nTiturel went home in a state of ecstasy. He divided his wealth among\nhis servants and those who had most need of it, after which he returned\nfully armed to the place where the angel had appeared to him. Once more\nhe saw the cloud in the sky, and this time it was fringed with the gold\nof sunshine. It went before him, showing him the way to the goal of his\npilgrimage. He went on and on through vast solitudes. At length he came\nto a deep dark wood, and after that to a mountain, the sides of which\nseemed too steep to climb. But the cloud preceded him, and he followed,\ndragging himself up precipitous rocks, past great abysses that made him\ndizzy to look into, and through thickets of thorn. Often he felt so\nweary he could hardly drag one foot after the other, and was tempted to\ndespair of ever reaching the top. But a voice seemed to speak to him\nencouragingly at such moments of weakness, and he found strength to\nstruggle on. At length he reached the top of the mountain. He saw a\nbright light before him, it was the Sangreal borne in the air by\ninvisible hands. Beneath it knelt a number of knights in shining\narmour. Seeing him, they rose to their feet, and cried,\u2014\n\n\u201cHail to thee, chosen hero, called to be guardian of the holy Grail!\u201d\n\nHe did not answer, his eyes were fixed on the sacred vessel, which was\nlike a cup of emerald-coloured jasper, encircled by a stand of chased\ngold. Lost in the wondrous sight, he prayed for strength to guard what\nwas put under his charge.\n\nAnd in good truth Titurel was worthy of his high calling. He, with the\nhelp of the other knights under his command, prevented any infidels\nfrom approaching the holy mountain. Many years passed away, and the\nvessel never came down to earth. So Titurel determined to build a\ncastle and temple on the mountain-top worthy to hold and protect the\nSangreal.\n\n\n                        BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.\n\nWhen the grass, ferns, and stones were cleared away, it was discovered\nthat the rock, or core of the mountain, was one entire onyx of enormous\nsize. This was flattened into a flooring, and polished with great care;\nand upon it the castle was built. Now came the more important task of\nrearing the temple, but they were in doubt as to the plan and shape\nthat would be most fitting.\n\nOne morning when Titurel awoke, he prayed that he might be enlightened\nto know how to build the church, and when he went out he saw the entire\nground-plan clearly marked out on the rock-foundation, and all the\nmiraculous materials that were wanted, ready piled up in huge stacks.\nSo the knights worked hard all day long, and the invisible powers\nworked all night. It was wonderful how quickly the walls rose, and the\nchurch was finished. It was circular in form, and had seventy-two\noctagon choirs, every two of which supported a belfry. In the midst\nrose a tower with many windows, and openings with pointed arches. The\ntopmost point of the tower was a ruby, out of which rose a cross of\nclear crystal surmounted by a golden eagle with outstretched wings.\nWithin the building, sculptured vines, roses, and lilies twined about\nthe pillars, forming bowers, on whose branches birds seemed to flutter\nas if alive. At every intersection of the arches was a glowing\ncarbuncle that turned night into day; and the vaulted roof was of blue\nsapphire, in which a miracle of art was to be seen. The sun, moon, and\nstars placed there by the builders, moved in the same order as the real\nluminaries in the heavens.\n\nIn the wide inner space of the great temple a second and smaller\nsanctuary was built, resembling the first, but far more beautiful. This\nwas the place intended for the Sangreal, should it come down to earth.\n\nAnd now the work was finished. The hour of consecration had come. The\nbells rang. The priests began to chant the hymn, and a chorus of angels\njoined in: \u201cGlory to God on high, peace on earth, good will to men.\u201d At\nthe same moment a sweet perfume filled the air, the sacred vessel\ndescended and floated over the altar in the inner sanctuary. A deep and\nsolemn silence reigned in the mighty building. Then the invisible choir\nbegan to sing: \u201cThe glory of the Lord has arisen in Zion! Praise Him,\nye faithful, and make known His holy name.\u201d The priest spoke the\nblessing, and the consecration was complete. Titurel did not move for\nsome time after the others had withdrawn. He was lost in wonder and\njoy. He did not touch the vessel, for he had not been told to do so.\n\nThe building had taken thirty years to complete. After the\nconsecration, a dove appeared every Good Friday carrying a wafer from\nthe holy sacrament in its bill. It dropped the wafer into the sacred\nvessel, thereby keeping up the miraculous powers of the Grail, which\nprovided food for the knights who guarded it, and healed any wounds\nthey might sustain at the hands of the unbelievers who sometimes\nattacked them.\n\n\n                     HIS MARRIAGE AND DESCENDANTS.\n\nTime passed on, and Titurel was four hundred years old, but no one\nlooking at him would have thought him more than forty. One evening when\nhe entered the sanctuary and turned his eyes upon the Grail, he saw\nthat it had a message for him. Drawing near, that he might read the\nletters of fire in which all such commands were issued, he read that he\nwas to take a wife, so that the chosen race might not die out of the\nland. He called the knights of the Temple. They saw what was written,\nand said that he must obey. With one accord, all fixed upon the Lady\nRichoude, daughter of a Spanish chief, as the most worthy maiden to be\nhis wife. The wooing was done by solemn embassage, and neither father\nnor daughter was deaf to the call. The marriage took place, and on the\nsame day Titurel received the honour of knighthood, which he had always\nrefused before out of humility. Two children were born to Sir Titurel\nand his wife; a son named Frimutel, and a daughter called Richoude\nafter her mother. Twenty years later Titurel lost his wife, and was\nonce more alone in the world, except for his children, to whom he was\ndevoted.\n\nRichoude, who was very lovely, married a king whose realm lay far away\nfrom her old home; and Frimutel married Clarissa, daughter of the king\nof Granada; by her he had five children. Two of them were sons,\nAmfortas and Trevrezent by name, and three daughters, Herzeleide,\nJoisiane, and Repanse.\n\nTiturel was no longer able to bear the weight of his armour: he passed\nhis time either in church or with his grandchildren. One day when he\nwent, as he often did, to gaze at the holy Grail, he saw written in\nletters of fire on the rim of the vessel, \u201cFrimutel shall be king.\u201d The\nold man\u2019s heart was full of joy. He called his son, his grandchildren,\nand all the young heroes who served the Sangreal, around him, and told\nthem what had been ordained. He then desired his granddaughter Joisiane\nto place the floating Grail upon the altar; for she, as a pure virgin,\ncould touch it. She obeyed, and then the old man put the crown on his\nson\u2019s head, and blessed him and the assembled brotherhood.\n\nTiturel lived on, and saw many joyful and many sorrowful things happen.\nJoisiane married King Kiot of Catalonia, and died at the birth of her\nbabe Sigune,\n\n               Who fairer was than flowers in lusty May,\n               That ope their dewy cups to dawning day.\n\nHer sister Herzeleide took the child, and brought it up with\nTchionatulander, the orphan son of a friend; but after a time she lost\nher husband, and had to fly with her son Percival, leaving Sigune and\nTchionatulander under the care of friends. But worse things than this\nwere yet to happen. Frimutel thought his life at Montsalvatch confined\nand dull, he wearied of it, and went out to seek excitement in the\nworld. He died of a lance-wound far away in the land of the\nunbelievers. His son Amfortas was crowned his successor, in obedience\nto the fiery letters that appeared on the holy vessel; but he had\ninherited the wild blood and roving spirit of his father; and instead\nof fulfilling the office to which he was appointed, he went out into\nthe world in search of love and fame. At length he was brought back to\nhis grandfather, sick unto death of a wound caused by a poisoned spear.\n\nOne day, while Sir Titurel knelt in the sanctuary praying for his\ngrandson, whose life of pain was prolonged by the holy Grail appearing\nto him once in every seven days, he suddenly saw these words in letters\nof fire:\u2014\n\n\u201cMurmur not, good old man; endure the load of others\u2019 sins. A chosen\nhero shall one day climb the holy mount. If he ask, before nightfall,\nof the beginning and end of this tale of woe, then shall the spell be\nbroken, and Amfortas cured, but the new-comer shall be king in his\nstead.\u201d\n\nAgain and again Titurel read the mysterious words, and asked when the\nhero would come. He received no answer; but the words, \u201cmurmur not;\nendure,\u201d shone brighter than before, and he bowed his head, leaving the\nfuture confidently to God.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration: KING ARTHUR AND HIS ROUND TABLE.]\n\n\n                             II. PERCIVAL.\n\n\n                       JOURNEY TO ARTHUR\u2019S COURT.\n\nWhen Queen Herzeleide had to fly from home with her little son on the\ndeath of her husband, she retired to a small house she possessed in an\nout-of-the-way district, and devoted herself to the education of her\nboy. She never spoke to him of knightly deeds, for she feared lest,\nwhen he was grown up, he should leave her to seek adventures, and\nshould die in some tournament or feud. Notwithstanding this, young\nPercival grew up a bold, strong youth, fearless of all danger.\n\nOne day, as he was coming home from hunting, he met some knights riding\nthrough the wood arrayed in full armour. One of them asked him a\nquestion, which Percival answered at random. Then, going up to the\nknight, he asked what strange garments those were that he and his\ncompanions wore, and why they had golden spurs. The knight was amused,\nand answered the lad\u2019s questions very kindly, adding, \u201cIf you want to\nknow more of knights and knighthood, you must go to King Arthur\u2019s\ncourt, and there, if you are worthy, you may perchance be made a knight\nyourself.\u201d\n\nPercival could not forget what he had heard and seen. He cared no more\nfor hunting, and spent his days and nights in dreaming of swords,\nknighthood, and battle. Herzeleide asked her son what ailed him, and\nwhen she learnt the cause of his sorrow, her heart was filled with\nterror lest, inheriting his father\u2019s heroic spirit, Percival might meet\nwith his father\u2019s fate. At length she gave way to the lad\u2019s entreaties,\nand let him go, but with a breaking heart.\n\nPercival felt the parting with his mother very much; but youth and hope\nwere strong in his heart, and thoughts of the joy of meeting again soon\nthrust the sorrow of parting into the background.\n\nLost in such reflections, he came to a meadow in which some tents were\npitched. In one of these he saw a couch on which a beautiful woman lay\nasleep. She was richly dressed; her girdle blazed with precious stones,\nas did also the ornaments on her arms, neck, and fingers. He thought,\nas he plucked a flower, so he might also steal a kiss from the rosy\nlips of the sleeping beauty; but, as he did so, she awoke, and was very\nangry.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t be angry,\u201d he said, throwing himself at her feet. \u201cI have often\nkissed my mother when I have caught her asleep, and you are more\nbeautiful than my mother.\u201d\n\nThe lady gazed at him in astonishment, and listened to his boyish\nconfidences about going to Arthur\u2019s court, being made a knight, and\ndoing great deeds thereafter. Suddenly a horn sounded at no great\ndistance.\n\n\u201cThat is my husband,\u201d cried the lady; \u201cquick, boy, get away as fast as\nyou can, or we are both undone.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, I am not afraid,\u201d he said. \u201cLook at my quiver; it is quite full; I\ncould defend you as well as myself. Let me have one of your bracelets\nas a sign that you are not angry with me.\u201d\n\nAs he spoke, he slipped the bracelet off her arm, left the tent,\nmounted his horse, and rode away.\n\nShortly after this Lord Orilus, the lady\u2019s husband, appeared, and with\nhim many knights. When he heard from her what had happened, he fell\ninto a passion, and swore that he would hang the \u201cimpudent varlet\u201d if\nhe could catch him. But though he set out at once in pursuit, he could\nsee nothing of the youth.\n\nMeanwhile Percival continued his journey. That night he slept in the\nforest, and went on his way next morning at an easy pace. As he was\npassing under a rock, he saw a maiden sitting by a spring that gushed\nout of it. She wept bitterly as she bent over a dead man, whose head\nlay in her lap. Percival spoke to her, and tried to comfort her by\nsaying that he would avenge the death of the murdered man, for murdered\nhe was sure he was. He then told her his name, and she said that she\nwas his cousin Sigune, and that the dead man was her old playfellow\nTchionatulander, who had met his end in trying to gratify a silly wish\nof hers\u2014a wish she had no sooner given utterance to than she repented.\nShe had lost a dog, and had wanted to have it again. That was the cause\nof all her sorrow.\n\n\u201cHe was a real hero,\u201d she continued, \u201cand one of the knights of King\nArthur\u2019s Round Table. Your mother made him governor of her wasted\nlands. He conquered the robber hosts, slew their leader, wild Lahelin,\nand flung his ally, Orilus, Lord of Cumberland, from his horse, so that\nhe only escaped by the help of his troopers who bore him off the field.\nWhen he promised to get me back the dog, he challenged Orilus to single\ncombat before King Arthur and his knights, the prize of victory to be\nthe setter that Lord Orilus had caught, and kept, when it ran away from\nme. The challenge was accepted, but the time of meeting was put off for\na while, because Orilus was suffering from an unhealed wound. Meanwhile\nthe Lady Jeschute, fearing for the life of her husband, sent me back\nthe dog. Tchionatulander and I regarded the matter as settled, so we\nset out together to go to the sanctuary of the Holy Grail, where we\nwere to be married. As ill luck would have it, we met Orilus and his\nwife, and in spite of all the entreaties of Jeschute and myself, the\ntwo knights quarrelled and fought. Orilus recovered from the stunning\nfall; but my dear love\u2014oh that I had died instead! It was my fault,\nall my fault.\u201d\n\n\u201cBe comforted, cousin,\u201d said Percival, \u201cI will go to King Arthur, I\nwill tell him your story, and ask him to make me a knight, and to take\ncare of you. Then I will go and seek out Orilus, and avenge your\nwrongs.\u201d\n\nHe then took leave of Sigune, and went on his way. Coming to a broad\nriver he questioned the ferryman as to where he should find King\nArthur\u2019s court. The man answered that he must go to Nantes, a good bit\non the other side of the river; so Percival gave him the gold bracelet\nhe had taken from the lady\u2019s arm, and asked him to set him across. This\nthe man did, and afterwards put him in the right road.\n\nArrived at Nantes, the first person he met was a red-haired knight clad\nin red armour, and riding a sorrel steed. Percival spoke to him\ncourteously, and asked for the loan of his horse and armour, that he\nmight go in seemly fashion to the king and ask for knighthood at his\nhands. But the stranger laughed, and said, \u201cA rustic youth in a fool\u2019s\ncap were the very thing to carry my message of defiance.\u201d\n\n\u201cHere,\u201d he continued, \u201ctake this cup to the king as a token, tell him\nthat I challenge him and all his Round Table to deadly combat. You see\nthat I cannot lend you my horse and armour, as I need them myself, but\nafter the battle you will be able to pick and choose amongst the armour\nand horses of the slain.\u201d\n\nIndignant at the knight\u2019s refusal, Percival rode on in silence. As he\nwent down the principal street of the royal borough, the people all\nlaughed at his appearance, the very boys pointed and hooted at him, and\nin good truth he looked ridiculous enough. The ribbons of his striped\ncap fluttered in the breeze, his many-coloured jacket and leather hose\nwere very shabby, and his sorry nag limped with fatigue. At length a\nsquire named Iwanet took his part, chased away the boys, and chid them\nfor their discourtesy to a stranger. The young hero thanked the man,\nand begged him to take him to King Arthur to whom he was the bearer of\na message. Iwanet at once complied with Percival\u2019s request, and took\nhim to the palace. On entering the open hall where the king was seated\nwith his knights at the celebrated Round Table, the young man turned to\nhis companion in amazement, saying:\n\n\u201cAre there so many Arthurs? My mother only told me of one.\u201d\n\nThe squire smiled as he replied that there was indeed only one Arthur,\nand that he was the knight whose beard was beginning to turn grey, and\nwho wore the crown on his head.\n\nPercival now walked up the hall, and bowing to the king repeated the\nmessage of the red knight, adding that he wished the king would use his\npower and give him the red knight\u2019s horse and armour, for he liked them\nwell.\n\n\u201cThe boy would have the bear-skin before the hunter has slain the\nbear,\u201d said Arthur laughing; \u201cbut,\u201d he added, \u201cI will give you the\nthings you ask for, if you can get possession of them.\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you, sire,\u201d answered Percival, \u201cI shall need your gift if I am\nto become a knight;\u201d so saying, he bowed, and took his leave.\n\nWhen he returned to the red knight, he told him all that had occurred,\nand asked him for the horse and armour the king had given him. The\nknight upon this rapped him so shrewdly on the head with the butt end\nof his lance, that he fell from his nag. He soon recovered, however,\nand attacked the knight so suddenly with his spear that he killed him\non the spot. He then tried to take off his armour, but in vain.\nFortunately Iwanet happened to pass that way, and seeing the lad\u2019s\ndifficulty offered to help him. Percival was soon arrayed in the full\nsuit of armour, which he insisted on wearing above his other clothes as\nthey had been made by his mother. This done, he thanked the squire for\nhis timely assistance, mounted the red knight\u2019s charger, and rode away,\nhe knew not whither.\n\nAfter he had ridden a long way he came to the castle of Gurnemann, an\nelderly man and a brave warrior. The old chief asked the youth to come\nin and spend the night under his roof, and Percival accepted the\ninvitation with pleasure. He was so taken with his host\u2019s kindly\nmanner, that before the evening was over he felt drawn to tell him of\nhis mother and all his adventures since he had left her. Gurnemann\npersuaded the lad to remain with him for some time, and began to teach\nhim how to become a true knight and hero.\n\n\u201cDo not always have your mother\u2019s name upon your lips,\u201d he would say,\n\u201cfor it sounds childish. Preserve her teaching faithfully in your\nheart, and you will please her more than by talking of her continually.\nA knight should be modest, love one maiden only, not play at love with\nmany women. He should help the oppressed, and show kindness to all.\nWhen he has conquered an enemy he should show mercy; and when he is\nconquered he should not beg for life. To face death boldly is a hero\u2019s\nglory, and such death is better than a dishonoured life.\u201d\n\nWith these and other words of wisdom the old man strove to fit the\nyouth for knighthood. At the same time he gave him fitting clothes,\ntelling him it was no disrespect to his mother to cease to wear the\ncurious garments with which she had provided him. Time passed on, and\nPercival proved such an apt pupil that Gurnemann grew as proud of him\nas if he had been his own son.\n\nAt last he told the youth that the time had come for him to go out into\nthe world and draw his sword in defence of innocence and right, for\nQueen Konduiramur was hard pressed in her capital, Belripar, by the\nwild chief Klamide and his seneschal Kingram. Percival was nothing\nloth, and at once prepared to go and help the queen.\n\nArrived at Belripar, which stood on the sea at the mouth of a great\nriver, he rowed himself across the stream, his good horse swimming at\nhis side. Though artillery frowned from the castle walls, he gained\nadmittance on pronouncing the password given him by Gurnemann, and was\nconducted into the queen\u2019s presence. She received him kindly, and he at\nonce offered her his services. She entreated him to have nothing to do\nwith so unlucky a cause as hers; but he was not to be persuaded to\nabandon her. It almost seemed as though he had brought good fortune in\nhis train, for a few days later some ships laden with provisions\nmanaged to run the blockade, and when Percival made a sally on the\nenemy soon after, he unhorsed and took prisoner the seneschal Kingram,\nwhom he set free on condition that he at once set out to tell King\nArthur of his defeat at the hands of the red knight. The same fate\nbefel Klamide himself not long afterwards.\n\nPeace was now restored. The people were all devoted to the young hero\nwho had freed them from Klamide, and were rejoiced to hear that he was\nabout to marry the queen.\n\nThe wedding took place with great pomp and ceremony. In the midst of\nall his happiness Percival had only one sorrow, and that was that his\nmother was not there to share his joy. He told Konduiramur what he\nfelt, and she agreed with him that he ought to go and fetch his mother\nto Belripar. So Percival mounted his good horse and rode away.\n\n\n                          QUEST OF THE GRAIL.\n\nHe knew in which direction to go to his mother, but not the roads that\nled to her house; so it was not surprising that he lost his way several\ntimes. One day he came to a great lake which he had never seen before.\nHe saw a man seated in a boat, fishing. The man was richly dressed, but\npale and sad. Percival asked if he could get food and shelter anywhere\nabout for himself and his tired horse, and was told that if he went\nstraight on, and did not lose his way, he would come to a castle, where\nhe would be kindly received. He started in the direction indicated by\nthe fisherman, and reached the castle at nightfall, after a long and\ntoilsome search. There he met with so much kindness and consideration,\ngarments even being provided for him \u201cby Queen Repanse\u2019s orders,\u201d that\nhe was filled with amazement. When freshly attired he was taken into\nthe hall, which was brilliantly lighted. Four hundred knights were\nseated on softly-cushioned seats at small tables, each of which was\nlaid for four. They all sat grave and silent, as though in expectation.\nWhen Percival entered, they rose and bowed, and a ray of joy passed\nover each woeful countenance.\n\nThe master of the house, who much resembled the fisherman Percival had\nseen on the lake, sat in an arm-chair near the fire, wrapped in sables,\nand was apparently suffering from some wasting disease.\n\nThe deep silence that reigned in the hall was at length broken by the\nhost, who invited Percival, in a low, weak voice, to sit down beside\nhim, telling him that he had been long expected, and, at the same time,\ngiving him a sword of exquisite workmanship. The young knight was\nfilled with astonishment. A servant now entered carrying the head of a\nlance stained with blood, with which he walked round the room in\nsilence. Percival would much have liked to ask the meaning of this\nstrange ceremony, and also how his arrival had come to be expected, but\nhe feared lest he should be deemed unwarrantably curious. While thus\nthinking, the door opened again, and a number of beautiful blue-eyed\nmaidens came in, two and two, with a velvet cushion embroidered with\npearls, an ebony stand, and various other articles. Last of all came\nQueen Repanse bearing a costly vessel, whose radiance was more than the\nhuman eye could steadfastly gaze upon.\n\n\u201cThe holy Grail,\u201d Percival heard whispered by one voice after another.\nHe longed to question some one; but felt too much awed by the\nstrangeness and solemnity of all he saw.\n\nThe maidens withdrew, and the squires and pages of the knights came\nforward. Then from the shining vessel streamed an endless supply of the\ncostliest dishes and wines, which they set before their masters. The\nlord of the castle, however, only ate of one dish, and but a small\nquantity of that. Percival glanced round the great hall. What could\nthis strange stillness and sadness mean?\n\nWhen the meal was at an end, the lord of the castle dragged himself to\nhis feet, leaning on two servants. He looked eagerly at his guest, and\nthen retired with a deep sigh. Servants now came to conduct Percival to\nhis sleeping apartment. Before leaving the hall they opened the door of\na room in which a venerable old man slept on a low couch. His still\nhandsome face was framed in a coronal of white curls. His sleep was\nuneasy, and his lips quivered as though he were trying to speak. The\nservants closed the door again, and led Percival to his chamber.\n\nWhen he entered the room he looked about him, and at once became aware\nof a picture embroidered on the silken tapestry, that arrested his\nattention. It was the picture of a battle, in which the most prominent\nfigure, a knight strangely like the lord of the castle in appearance,\nwas sinking to the ground, wounded by a spear of the same kind as the\nbroken weapon that had been carried round the hall. Much as he desired\nto know the meaning of this, he determined to ask no questions till the\nfollowing morning, though the servants told him that his coming had\nbeen long expected, and deliverance was looked for at his hands; and\nthey went away, sighing deeply.\n\nHis sleep was disturbed by bad dreams, and he awoke next morning\nunrefreshed. He found his own clothes and armour beside his bed; but no\none came to help him. He got up and dressed. All the doors in the\ncastle were locked except those that led out to the ramparts, where his\nhorse stood saddled and bridled at the drawbridge. No sooner had he\ncrossed the bridge than it was drawn up behind him, and a voice called\nout from the battlements:\n\n\u201cAccursed of God, thou that wast chosen to do a great work, and hast\nnot done it. Go, and return no more. Walk thy evil way till it leads\nthee down to hell.\u201d\n\nThe hero turned, and looked back at the castle: a face with a fiendish\ngrin glared at him for a moment over the battlements, and then\ndisappeared. Percival put spurs to his horse, and rode away. He\njourneyed all day long through bleak, inhospitable country, and at\nnightfall reached a solitary cell. He dismounted, hobbled his horse,\nand entered the quiet room. A woman crouched on the floor praying. She\nwore a penitent\u2019s grey robe, and her long hair lay neglected about her\nface and neck. Startled by his entrance, she rose slowly to her feet\nand looked at him.\n\n\u201cWhat, you?\u201d she said, \u201cHerzeleide\u2019s wretched son! What do you want of\nme? Tchionatulander\u2019s body is embalmed, and I have laid it in this\nchest. Here I must kneel and pray, and do penance till the All-Merciful\nsets me free.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood heavens!\u201d said the hero to himself, \u201cit is Sigune; but how\nchanged!\u201d\n\nThe unhappy woman stared at him for some time in silence, then she went\non, \u201cWretched man, do you not know that you are lost for ever. You were\npermitted to look upon the holy Grail, yet, of your own will you put\naside the opportunity of freeing the poor sufferer from his pain. Do\nnot longer pollute this cell with your unhallowed presence. Go, flee,\ntill the curse overtake you.\u201d\n\nShe stood before him like an angry prophetess. A feeling of dread, such\nas he had never known before, took possession of him, and he staggered\nout of her presence and into the night. He walked on and on, leading\nhis horse, till at length he sank on the ground, and found relief from\nhis troubles in a sound and refreshing sleep.\n\nThe sun was high in the heavens when he awoke. His faithful horse was\ngrazing near him, so he mounted and rode on without knowing or caring\nwhere he went. As evening came on, a farmer met him, and offered him a\nnight\u2019s lodging, which he thankfully accepted. Next day, when he\nresumed his journey, he was able to think more calmly of all that had\noccurred; and came to the conclusion that he ought to return to the\ncastle, and try to expiate the sin he had committed unconsciously. But\nhe could not find the way to it. He asked every one he met to show him\nthe way to the castle where the holy Grail was to be seen: but every\none took him for a fool or a madman. As he rode on sadly, he met a\nknight leading a woman in chains. He at once recognised the beautiful\nlady from whom he had stolen the kiss when she was asleep. She looked\nat him in silent entreaty, so he felt himself bound to help her. He\ndesired the knight to let the poor woman go, but was answered with a\nscornful laugh. Upon this the fight began, and raged hotly for some\ntime. At last Percival was victorious. As he was about to slay his\nfallen and unconscious foe, he remembered Sir Gurnemann\u2019s teaching, and\nrefrained. Leaving the man lying on the ground, he turned to the lady,\nand freed her from her chains. By this time the fallen knight had\nregained his senses, and Percival let him go after making him swear to\ntreat the lady for the future with all courtesy, and to go to King\nArthur\u2019s court and say that he had been defeated by the red knight.\nBefore they parted, Percival learned that his opponent was Sir Orilus,\nand that the lady was his wife, whom, ever since that scene in the\ntent, he had persecuted out of groundless jealousy. Percival solemnly\nswore that the meeting had been innocent and accidental, and thus he\nbrought about a sincere reconciliation.\n\nThe hero continued his search for the holy Grail, but all in vain. He\nfollowed out the quest in summer\u2019s heat and winter\u2019s storm, yet never\nseemed to get nearer the goal. One day he met Sir Gawain, King Arthur\u2019s\nnephew, who asked him to come back to court with him, and see the king,\nand be made a knight of the Round Table. Percival at once consented,\nhoping, as he did so, to learn something from Arthur about the holy\nGrail.\n\nSir Gawain sent a squire on to announce the red knight\u2019s arrival to his\nuncle, so the king came out to meet them, accompanied by his heroes and\nmany of the townsfolks, for all were anxious to see the warrior of\nwhose powers so much had been heard and of whom so little was known. On\nthe following day, in the open field, Percival received from Arthur\u2019s\nhand the sign of knighthood, and was enrolled a member of the Round\nTable.\n\nWhilst the heralds were yet proclaiming the new knight\u2019s name and\ndeeds, a woman rode into the royal presence on a miserable nag. She\nthrew back her veil on approaching the king, and displayed a hideous\ncountenance, brown, yellow, and grey, like a withered leaf, and her\neyes glowed like burning coals out of their deep sockets.\n\n\u201cIt is the witch Kundrie, the messenger of the Sangreal,\u201d cried many\nvoices.\n\n\u201cIt is even she,\u201d said the woman, \u201cand she comes to cry woe upon King\nArthur and his Round Table if they suffer the man I shall name to\nremain in their midst. Percival is unworthy of the honour you have\nshown him. He was chosen to the highest dignity, and has wickedly\nneglected to end the pains of the greatest sufferer upon earth. Woe\nunto him! Woe unto Arthur and his heroes, if the unhallowed presence of\nthe dishonoured knight be not at once removed.\u201d\n\nEvery eye was fixed now on the prophetess, and now upon Sir Percival,\nwho, horror-stricken at what had occurred, slipped quietly out of the\nassemblage, and, mounting his horse, rode away. Amongst all the heroes\nof the Round Table there was only one who took his part, and that was\nGawain. He said it was a shame to let the flower of chivalry thus\ndepart on the word of a hawk-nosed witch. Upon this Kundrie got into a\ngreat rage, and said:\n\n\u201cThou wretch, the curse hath fallen upon thee too. Go, if thou dare,\nand find Klinschor\u2019s magic castle, where thy grandmother, thy mother,\nand sister, and other noble ladies lie under the spell of enchantment;\nfree them if thou canst!\u201d\n\nGawain turned, and went away without a word. He mounted his horse, and\nset out in pursuit of Percival.\n\n\n                     KLINSCHOR\u2019S ENCHANTED CASTLE.\n\nWherever the hero went, he found people who told him they had met the\nred knight, and again he came up with armed men who had fought with him\nand whom he had conquered. So the days and weeks passed on, and he\nstill continued to follow Percival until he lost all trace of him in\nthe far East. At last he heard of him again, and seeking him, heard\nmore of his great deeds, but himself he could not find.\n\nSir Gawain thought the matter over carefully, and made up his mind that\nthe best way to find Percival, would be to seek out the holy Grail, for\nwhich he also sought.\n\nAs he rode along, he met a knight whom Percival had wounded. Gawain\noffered him help; but Kingrimursel, as the man was called, felt too\nsore about his defeat to be able to accept any kindness, and at once\nchallenged Gawain to fight him when his wounds were healed. Before the\nhero had gone much farther he met a woman whose beauty made him forget\nboth the challenge and the holy Grail, and even the red knight. And\nindeed she was a lady of most marvellous beauty; her dark hair fell\ndown her neck in curls, and her eyes gleamed like stars. Gawain\napproached her, and entered into conversation with her. Finding her as\nwise and witty as she was fair, he told her that he loved her; but she\nonly laughed at him. He persisted, so she said that if he would find\nfavour in her sight, he must go into the garden hard by, and fetch out\nher white palfrey.\n\nHe went to the garden gate, and seeing an elderly man standing within,\nhe asked him where he should find the lady\u2019s palfrey. The man shook his\nhead sadly as he answered:\n\n\u201cAh my friend, take care. That lady is the Duchess Orgueilleuse, a\nwitch who has caused the death of many a noble knight, and for whose\nsake the great King Amfortas faced the danger in which he was wounded\nby the poisoned spear. Throw off her bonds while yet you can. Look,\nthere is your horse. Mount, and ride away.\u201d\n\nThe warning was vain: a mere waste of words. It was as though the\nhaughty duchess had cast a spell over Sir Gawain. He was powerless in\nher hands. He brought her the palfrey, and not noticing the\nsupercilious way in which she refused all help from him in mounting,\nfollowed her with passive obedience through many lands. Many a battle\nhad he to fight for her sweet sake, and every now and then, he could\nnot help seeing that it was she who brought on the fight, when\notherwise there would have been none. Yet he was always victorious, and\nnever swerved from his fealty to the lady of his love, who was now\npleased to allow him to ride beside her.\n\nAt length they reached a hill-top from which they had an extensive view\nover a wide valley. Opposite, there was a castle perched on the top of\na high rock, and overshadowed by a gigantic pine-tree. Orgueilleuse\npointed to it, and said that it belonged to Gramoflans, her mortal\nenemy, and the man who had slain her lover. \u201cNow,\u201d she continued, \u201cif\nyou will bring me a spray of the magic tree yonder, and conquer\nGramoflans, who will at once challenge you to single-combat, I will\u2014be\nyour\u2014your faithful wife.\u201d\n\nThe knight would have fought the prince of darkness himself for such a\nprize, so he set spurs to his horse without a moment\u2019s hesitation, and\nrode away in the direction of the castle. He crossed the valley, swam\nover a deep moat, and reached the tree. He pulled a small branch, and\ntried to weave it into a wreath, but as he did so, he heard a voice\ncall in angry tones:\n\n\u201cWhat are you doing there, rash youth? How dare you touch my magic\ntree! I know you well, you are Sir Gawain, a knight of the Round Table.\nYour father slew my father long ago, and I intend to have vengeance.\nMeet me, therefore, in eight days time before Klinschor\u2019s magic castle.\nThere shall twelve hundred of my warriors see me avenge my father\u2019s\ndeath. You may bring as many men, or more, if you like.\u201d So saying, the\nspeaker turned his back upon the hero and re-entered his castle.\n\nGawain brought the wreath to his lady, who received it calmly. She did\nnot waste her words in thanks, but pursued her way in silence; he\naccompanying her wherever she chose to go. After a time, they came in\nsight of two strong castles, one of which, the duchess said, was\nLogreis, her father\u2019s ancestral residence, and the other was\nKlinschor\u2019s magic castle, in which the great magician, Klinschor, kept\nthe noble dames and damsels he had stolen, in close confinement and\nladen with heavy chains. She herself, she added, had only bought her\nfreedom by giving the monster all the gold she had inherited from her\nfather. Scarcely had she uttered these words, when a grim warrior\nappeared, and called to Gawain to defend himself. Orgueilleuse\nwithdrew, reminding Gawain of her promise. A few minutes later, having\noverthrown his adversary, the knight got into the ferry-boat, that had\njust returned from setting the duchess on the other side of the water,\nand went across. That night he lodged with the ferryman, who told him\nall the gossip of the place, and particularly of the great doings of a\nvaliant knight clad in red armour.\n\n[Illustration: GAWAIN BREAKS THE SPELL IN KLINSCHOR\u2019S CASTLE.]\n\nAs darkness came on, Gawain went to the window, and looked out. He saw\nthe lighted windows of the magician\u2019s castle, at each of which a sad\nfemale face appeared. The women were a curious medley. Their ages\nseemed to range from early childhood to grey old age. Sir Gawain turned\nwrathfully from the sight, saying that he would slay the caitiff\nknight, and set the wretched ladies free; but the ferryman bade him\nbeware what he did, for Klinschor was not only very strong, but was\nlearned in the black art. Sir Gawain, however, was not to be dissuaded\nfrom the emprise.\n\nHe mounted his horse early next morning, and set out for the magic\ncastle, the towers of which rose dark and mysterious-looking before\nhim. He was admitted into the court by a gigantic porter, who opened\nthe door for him without making any difficulty. The building seemed\ntotally deserted. Not a household utensil was to be seen anywhere, nor\nany woman. He wandered from room to room lost in astonishment. At last\nhe came to a room in which a comfortable couch was spread, and as he\nfelt tired, he thought he would lie down and rest for a little; but, to\nhis intense surprise, the bed retreated as he advanced, and he could\nnot get in. Rendered impatient by this he boldly leapt upon the bed,\nand next instant was assailed by a perfect storm of arrows, lances,\njavelins, and heavy stones. From these he guarded himself as well as he\ncould. Had he not been dressed in full armour, he would speedily have\nbeen slain, and even as it was he received many a wound.\n\nThe terrible hail of weapons ceased as suddenly as it had begun. A\nstillness as of death set in. The silence was at length broken by the\nheavy tramp of a peasant, who entered the room bearing a great club in\nhis hand, and followed by a lion. The man was of enormous size, and his\nvoice was deep and gruff.\n\n\u201cQuiet, Leo,\u201d he said, \u201cI am going to break that fellow\u2019s skull before\nI throw you his carcase. What!\u201d he continued in amazement, \u201cstill\nalive, and in full armour! Nay then, go at him yourself, good Leo.\u201d So\nsaying, he hastened away as fast as his legs would carry him.\n\nThe lion sprang upon the hero, and tried to tear him with its claws;\nbut almost instantly fell backwards with a howl of mingled rage and\npain, for Gawain had cut off one of its fore-paws. The hero now jumped\nout of bed, and attacked the lion with such hearty good will that he\nfinally killed it; but the exhaustion caused by the protracted struggle\nwas so great that he sank fainting on its carcase.\n\nWhen he came to himself again he found a number of women bending over\nhim, and calling him their deliverer. Amongst them were his\ngrandmother, his mother, and his sister Itonie. The spell was broken,\nand Klinschor had fled. As soon as Gawain had a little recovered from\nhis fatigue, he sent messengers to tell Arthur what had happened, and\nto ask him to come and witness the combat that was to take place\nbetween him and Gramoflans.\n\nArthur came, and Sir Gawain felt that his cup of happiness was full\nwhen he presented the beautiful Lady Orgueilleuse to his uncle.\n\nAt length the wished-for day of combat dawned. A knight arrived dressed\nin black, and riding on a coal black steed. Gawain rode forward to meet\nhim. Their swords flashed, and they fought as beseemed noble knights in\nsuch fair company. The king and the ladies drew nearer that they might\nthe better watch the skill of the combatants. Gradually the black\nknight had the best of the fight. Gawain\u2019s strength to parry the\nthrusts of his adversary grew less and less. Suddenly a maiden darted\nfrom amongst the spectators, and cried,\u2014\n\n\u201cNoble knight, spare my brother Gawain, he is yet weak from the many\nwounds he received in the magic castle.\u201d\n\n\u201cGawain!\u201d echoed the stranger, raising his visor, and displaying the\nwell-known features of Sir Percival.\n\nThe meeting of the friends was right joyful, and while they talked,\nanother knight came forward and asked for reconciliation and friendship\nwith the other two. This was Gramoflans, who had long been secretly\nbetrothed to the gentle Itonie. But Gawain knew too well what depended\non their combat; he knew that the lady Orgueilleuse was only to be won\nby defeating this man, whom she hated. He laid his hand upon his sword\nand would have spoken, but the great king drew near and stopped him. He\npromised on his word of honour to soften the heart of the proud\nduchess, and bring her to his nephew. Then sending for the lady, he\ntook her apart and talked with her, and his wisdom and nobleness so\nwrought upon her that her anger left her, and she forgave her foe.\n\nA few days afterwards two marriages were solemnized at the castle, and\nQueen Guinevere did all that she could to ensure the general happiness.\nSir Percival was at the same time openly received as Knight of the\nRound Table; but still he was not happy. He could not forget. He heard\nas distinctly as of yore the curse that the witch had pronounced\nagainst him; he always saw the face of the sufferer Amfortas, the\nSangreal, and further in the background his lovely wife and weeping\nmother. He could not bear it, so he slipped quietly away without taking\nleave of the king or any one. The innocent joy of his friends but\nincreased his grief.\n\nHe rode away, a feeling of almost despair possessing him. Should he\nnever find the holy Grail, should he never be able to right the wrong\nhe had done so unconsciously?\n\n\n                  PERCIVAL, TREVREZENT, AND THE GRAIL.\n\nSummer and autumn were gone, and the ground was covered with snow, when\none evening Percival saw the dwelling of a recluse at a little\ndistance. He was half frozen with cold, and so very weary, that when he\ndismounted he could only drag himself with difficulty to the door. A\ntall and stately, but somewhat haggard man answered his knock, and told\nhim to come in, while he attended to his horse.\n\nThe hermit gave him food, and spread a bed of moss for him, and while\nresting there, Percival began to look about him. He saw a sword with a\nrichly carved hilt, inlaid with gold, hanging on the wall, and asked to\nwhom it had belonged. The hermit sighed as he answered that it had\nbelonged to him at the time when he cared for nothing but glory and\nlove, and forgot the holy Grail, the care of which had been committed\nto him.\n\n\u201cFor, stranger,\u201d he continued, \u201cyou must know that I am Trevrezent,\nbrother of the unhappy King Amfortas, and that, like him, I devoted my\nlife to the pursuit of fleeting pleasures. When the poisoned lance\nstruck Amfortas, and caused him the unspeakable pain that he still\nendures, I laid aside my sword and armour and retired to this solitary\nplace that I might do penance for my own sins, and perhaps even redeem\nmy brother. Idle hope! the sufferer still endures his agony, and he\nthat was chosen by God to save him neglected to do it, and has earned\nthereby the curse of perdition instead of the glorious place that was\nprepared for him.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am he who sinned so deeply, yet unconsciously,\u201d cried Percival, \u201cbut\nwhere is the justice or love of a Being that punishes the sin of\nignorance with such a curse?\u201d\n\n\u201cSo you are Percival, the son of my sister Herzeleide,\u201d said\nTrevrezent. \u201cYou found the way to the Grail, but not to redemption, for\nyou did not know the All-merciful, who only speaks in those who have\nreceived Him into their hearts. Hearken to me, and I will unfold the\nwondrous goodness and love He has shown to the children of men, that\nyou may learn to endure and to trust.\u201d\n\nTrevrezent then proceeded to tell his nephew of God\u2019s dealings with man\nfrom the beginning of time until the coming and death of Christ, and to\nshow him what lessons might be learnt therefrom. He afterwards told him\nthat his mother had died of sorrow not long after his departure, and\nthat in dying she had blessed him. He went on to say that Percival must\nnow seek the Sangreal with a pure heart and humble mind, trusting in\nGod, who knew that he had repented, and whose mercy was without end.\n\nThe hero remained for some days with his uncle, who strengthened and\nencouraged him to perform the task that lay before him.\n\nAt last, taking leave of Trevrezent, he departed and journeyed for a\ngreat distance without seeing any trace of the holy mountain. One day\nhe met a knight who insisted on fighting with him. But suddenly in the\nmiddle of the fray Percival\u2019s sword broke, and he exclaimed that if he\nhad had his father Gamuret\u2019s weapon it would not have played him such a\nsorry trick. The stranger then questioned him about Gamuret, and after\nhe had heard what Percival had to say, he added:\n\n\u201cThen you and I are brothers, for when Gamuret was in the East, he\nmarried the Moorish queen; after her death he returned home and wedded\nyour mother. I was brought up by my mother\u2019s relations, and am now king\nof the Moors. My name is Feirefiss.\u201d\n\nSo saying he opened his visor and showed Percival a dark, handsome face.\n\nThe brothers embraced with great affection, and Percival said:\n\n\u201cThe sword that Amfortas the sufferer gave me would not drink a\nbrother\u2019s blood; this is the first sign that God has heard my prayers.\nAnd\u2014but was I blind?\u2014surely I know this place! There is the lake, the\nrocks are here\u2014yes, there is the road to the holy mountain. Come,\nbrother, follow me up the steep path to the heights above, where Divine\nmercy awaits us.\u201d\n\nBoth heroes set out on their toilsome road with a stout heart and a\nwilling mind; but the way was so full of difficulties that the sun was\nabout to set before they reached the castle. On their arrival they were\nreceived like expected guests, and their horses\u2014which they had been\nobliged to lead most of the way\u2014were taken to the stable. Percival and\nFeirefiss were conducted straight to the hall, which was brilliantly\nlighted with wax candles. King Amfortas and his knights were in their\nusual places. The squire then came in with the bleeding lance, and was\nfollowed as before by the maidens bearing the cushion, stand, etc., and\nlastly, by the fair virgin, Queen Repanse carrying the holy Grail.\n\n\u201cMerciful Father, and our sweet Lord and Saviour,\u201d whispered Sir\nPercival, \u201cteach me what I must do to bring redemption.\u201d\n\nAnd it seemed to him that an angel spoke in his ear the one word,\n\u201cAsk!\u201d His understanding was now enlightened. He knew what to do. Going\nup to Amfortas he said:\n\n\u201cWhat ails you, great king? and why are the halls that contain the holy\nGrail filled with mourning and woe?\u201d\n\nThe candles went out, but the Sangreal spread a brighter radiance than\nbefore throughout the room, and on the side of the sacred vessel\nappeared in letters of flame, \u201cAmfortas is cured; Percival shall be\nking.\u201d At the same moment soft and heavenly music filled the air, and\ninvisible angels sang \u201cGlory to God on high, and on earth peace,\ngoodwill to men.\u201d\n\nThe hero stood silent, his heart overflowing with joy and thankfulness.\nAn old man now approached him with a firm step and dignified mien. He\nbore a crown in his hands, and this he set on the head of the chosen\nking, saying:\n\n\u201cHail, Percival, all hail! Long have we waited for your coming. I am\nyour great-grandfather Titurel, and have been called to make over to\nyou the insignia of the highest honour. Now I may depart in peace. The\ndays of my earthly pilgrimage will soon be over, and I shall rest in\nthe Lord.\u201d\n\nAmfortas, who was now well, and free from pain, rose from his seat, and\ngreeting Percival with solemn joy, placed the royal mantle on his\nshoulders, calling on him to uphold the right, and to punish all\ninjustice and wrong.\n\nThe assembled knights joined in proclaiming the new king, and in\nswearing to be true to him.\n\nAnd the angelic choir sang in jubilant tones:\n\n               \u201cHail to thee Percival, king of the Grail!\n               Seemingly lost for ever,\n               Now thou art blest for ever.\n               Hail to thee Percival, king of the Grail!\u201d\n\nWhile Percival stood there, touched and softened by all that had\nhappened, the door opened, and a veiled lady came in, followed by her\ntrain. As he looked at her inquiringly, she threw back her veil, and\nshowed the face of Konduiramur, the wife he loved so well, and from\nwhom he had so long been absent.\n\nIt was strange that the light shed by the holy Grail left one man, and\none alone, in darkness. This was Feirefiss, the Moorish king, who\nseemed to be overshadowed by a dark cloud. He asked, whence came the\nbright rays that lighted the hall, but did not fall upon him.\n\n\u201cThe sacred vessel,\u201d replied old Titurel, \u201cthat received the Saviour\u2019s\nblood, only enlightens those who believe. You still live in the\ndarkness of unbelief, in the bonds of the Evil One. Bow your head\nbefore Christ the crucified, the Prince of Light and Truth, and your\nheart also shall be enlightened.\u201d\n\nThe old man\u2019s words had a strong effect upon Feirefiss, who desired,\nand immediately received, baptism at the hands of Titurel; and no\nsooner was the rite concluded than he too could see the Sangreal, and\nwas embraced in the radiance that emanated from it.\n\nAfter that, Titurel knelt down before the sacred vessel and prayed.\nHaving done this, he rose from his knees, and, taking solemn leave of\nall, told them that Sigune was now at rest. Having thus spoken, he\npassed out of the hall, and was no more seen of them, or of any mortal\nman.\n\nFeirefiss remained for some time at the castle on the holy mount. While\nthere, he received instruction in the Christian faith, and when he went\naway, he took as his wife the fair Queen Repanse, to rule with him over\nhis own land. They had a son named John, who became a great warrior,\nand who formed a brotherhood, like that of the Templars, of the holy\nGrail; a brotherhood, strong, mighty, enduring, and of great renown.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: ELSE\u2019S DREAM.]\n\n\n                                 III.\n                               LOHENGRIN.\n                             (LOHERANGRIN.)\n\n\n                            THE SILVER BELL.\n\nUnder the lead of Gawain and others, and lastly of Arthur himself, the\nknights of the Round Table sought in vain for that which lay so near,\nyet seemed so far, because their dim vision could not pierce the\nearthly mists that cloud Heaven from our view. Some said that angels\nhad conveyed the Holy Mountain farther East, where it was guarded by\nPrester John; and that only when wild Saracens threatened Christendom,\ndid the Templars appear with the silver dove on shield and helmet, and\nhelp to win the victory; then they vanished, and none knew whence they\ncame or whither they went. Meanwhile Percival and Konduiramur lived\nhappily together, serving in the Temple of the Sangreal, and educating\ntheir children with the greatest care. Kardeiss, the eldest son, on\nreaching man\u2019s estate, was made ruler over his mother\u2019s kingdom of\nBelripar, and over his patrimony of Waleis and Anjou. The younger son,\nLohengrin, remained at home with his parents, while the daughter,\nAribadale, took the place of Queen Repanse, and bore the holy Grail\nfrom the altar to the hall and back again. It was long since any of the\nknights of the temple had been called by the sound of the silver bell\nto go out and fight against the unbelievers, for the Saracens had been\ncompletely conquered by the Christians. But one evening, when the\nknights were all assembled round the king in the royal hall, the silver\nbell was heard apparently at a great distance, but coming ever nearer\nand nearer. It sounded like a cry for help. At the same moment the\nannouncement appeared on the sacred vessel in letters of flame, that\nLohengrin was the hero chosen by God to defend the rights of the\ninnocent, and that he should be borne whither he should go, in a boat\ndrawn by a white swan with a crown upon its neck.\n\n\u201cHail Lohengrin, chosen of the Lord!\u201d cried the knights of the temple.\n\nPercival rejoiced greatly, and embraced, and blessed his son, while\nKonduiramur, her heart filled with joy at Lohengrin\u2019s high calling, and\nalso with anxiety about his safety, went to fetch the armour inlaid\nwith gold that Amfortas had once worn, and the sword that had broken\nduring Percival\u2019s fight with his brother Feirefiss, but which had since\nbeen re-forged and tempered in the sanctuary of the Sangreal.\n\nA squire now entered the hall, and announced that a boat lay in the\nlake below the mountain, which a swan with a golden crown was towing by\na chain of gold. This was the sign that the hour of the young hero\u2019s\ndeparture was come. The king and queen, and all the knights accompanied\nhim to the shore, where the boat awaited him. As he was about to\nembark, Percival gave him a golden horn, and said:\n\n\u201cBlow three times on this horn as a sign that you have arrived amongst\nthe worldly-minded children of men, and again three times to show that\nyou are coming home; for, if you are ever asked from whence you came,\nand of what family you are sprung, you must at once be up and away on\nyour return to the holy mountain. This is the indestructible law of the\nbrotherhood of the Sangreal.\u201d\n\nLohengrin sprang into the boat, and the swan swam away with it, bearing\nit towards the sea. The air was full of the softest strains of music;\nbut whether it was the swan that sang, or a choir of angels, Lohengrin\ncould not tell. The music ceased when the boat reached the sea. Its\nplace was taken by the howling of the storm, and the sound of many\nwaters. When night came on, the young hero stretched himself in the\nbottom of the boat, and fell asleep, undisturbed by wind or waves.\n\n\n                        FAIR-ELSE, THE DUCHESS.\n\nOne day the youthful Duchess of Brabant had gone out to hunt. She was\nof such surpassing beauty that she was always called Fair-Else. On this\noccasion she had somehow got separated from her companions, and to tell\nthe truth, she was not at all sorry, for she wanted to have a little\nquiet time for thought; so she threw herself on the grass under a great\nlinden tree, and began to ponder over her troubles. She had many\nlovers, and would gladly have got rid of them all, especially of the\nCount of Telramund, a mighty warrior and her former guardian, who\npersisted in maintaining that her father had promised her to him on his\ndeath-bed. The young duchess both hated and feared the count. She had\nrefused point-blank to marry him in spite of his threats, and he now\ndeclared that he would make war upon her, and would also bring a heavy\ncharge against her before the newly-elected German King, Heinrich of\nSaxony. Else thought over all these things with a heavy heart, till she\nfell asleep, lulled by the humming of the bees and the soft murmur of\nthe wind in the branches overhead. And in her sleep she dreamt. It was\na strange dream. She thought that a youthful hero came to her out of\nthe wood, and offering her a little silver bell, told her to ring it if\never she needed assistance, and he would come without delay. It seemed\nto her that she tried to take the bell but could not, and in the effort\nshe awoke. While puzzling over the meaning of her dream, she became\naware of a falcon hovering over her. It wheeled round her head several\ntimes, and finally perched on her shoulder. Tied round its neck was a\nsilver bell exactly like the one she had seen in her dream. She gently\ndetached the bell and the falcon flew away.\n\nSoon after she returned home, a messenger arrived to summon her before\nKing Heinrich\u2019s judgment-seat at Cologne on the Rhine. She obeyed the\nsummons with a heart at ease, for she felt herself in the keeping of a\nHigher Power, and trusted in the hope her dream held out to her.\n\nKing Heinrich was a man who both loved and exercised justice; but the\nempire sorely needed stout defenders,\u2014hordes of wild Hungarians\nravaged the south every year,\u2014and Count Telramund was a mighty warrior\nwhose assistance was of great value to him, so he hoped that his claims\nwould be successfully proved.\n\n[Illustration: LOHENGRIN\u2019S ARRIVAL.]\n\nThe trial began. Three witnesses were brought to prove that the duchess\nloved one of her vassals, and for a lady in her position to marry a\nvassal was strictly forbidden by the laws of the realm. Two of the\nwitnesses, however, were declared false and perjured; and the evidence\nof one witness was not enough. Then the count stood up, and offered to\nshow the truth of his allegation against the duchess by challenging to\nsingle combat any knight that the Lady Else might choose to defend her\ncause, and might God show the right.\n\nThe challenge could not be refused, but three days\u2019 time were allowed\nher to find a champion. Else looked round the hall to see if any noble\nwarrior would defend her, but all feared the terrible strength and\nskill of Count Telramund. No one moved; a silence as of death reigned\nin the court. Then the maiden remembered the silver bell. She drew it\nfrom her bosom and rang it, and the clear sound that it gave forth\npealed through the silent hall, and passed on in louder and louder\nechoes till it was lost in the distant mountains. After that she turned\nto the king and said that her champion should appear at the appointed\ntime.\n\nThe three days were over. The king was seated on his chair of state\noverlooking the lists, and thoughtfully gazed over the rushing waters\nof the Rhine that flowed close to where the combat was to take place.\nHis princes and knights surrounded him, and before him stood Count\nTelramund in battle array, and the fair duchess, who looked lovelier\nthan ever.\n\nThree times the count called upon the champion who was to defend the\nLady Else to appear. He received no answer. All eyes were fixed upon\nthe king, anxious to hear whether he would now pronounce judgment on\nthe accused. While he yet hesitated, distant music was heard coming\nover the Rhine. The sounds were passing sweet, such as none had ever\nheard before. A few moments later a boat was seen approaching the\nshore, drawn by a white swan with a golden crown upon its neck, and in\nthe boat a knight clad in rich armour was lying asleep. As the prow\ntouched the land, he awoke, and sounded a golden horn three times. The\nnotes echoed across the river, and were lost in the distance. This was\nthe sign that he accepted the position of champion of innocence. He\nunderstood what was required of him, and disembarking, entered the\nlists where his adversary was awaiting him.\n\nBefore the fight began, the herald came forward, and demanded the\nstranger\u2019s name and condition.\n\n\u201cMy name is Lohengrin,\u201d answered the knight, \u201cand I am of royal birth;\nmore than that you need not know.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is sufficient,\u201d replied the king; \u201cyour patent of nobility is\nwritten on your forehead.\u201d\n\nThe trumpets sounded to battle, and the combat began. Telramund\u2019s blows\nfell thick and fast, and the stranger knight at first contented himself\nwith standing on the defensive; but suddenly changing his tactics, he\nattacked in his turn, and with one blow he cleft the count\u2019s helmet and\nhead.\n\n\u201cGod has decided,\u201d said the king, \u201cand His judgments are just. As for\nyou, noble knight, will you accompany us on our expedition against the\nwild invaders, and command the contingent that the fair duchess will\nsend us from Brabant?\u201d\n\nLohengrin joyfully accepted the proposal, and at the same moment the\nLady Else came up and thanked him for the great service he had done\nher. She had recognised him from the first moment of his appearance as\nthe hero of her dream, and her heart was full of wonder and gratitude.\n\nOn the journey to Brabant, Lohengrin and Else saw a great deal of each\nother, and the more they saw, the more they liked. In the castle at\nAntwerp they were publicly betrothed, and a few weeks later, married.\n\nWhen the bridal pair left the cathedral after the wedding, Lohengrin\ntold his wife that she must never question him as to the place from\nwhence he came, or as to his parentage, for if she did, he must leave\nher that very hour, and leave her for ever.\n\nThey were startled out of their honeymoon by the king\u2019s call to arms.\nNumerous robber hordes from Hungary had invaded the land, so King\nHeinrich had determined to collect his armies at Cologne, and march\nagainst the foe. The duchess, like most of the other ladies, went with\nher husband to the royal city. There were many great warriors amongst\nthe princes of the empire, and the ladies used to talk of their\nglorious deeds and those of their ancestors; but when Else\u2019s husband\nwas mentioned, a strange silence would fall upon the company, for\nrumours ran that Lohengrin was the son of a heathen magician, and that\nhe had gained the victory over Count Telramund by his knowledge of the\nblack art.\n\n\n                                PARTING.\n\nWhen Else heard the scandalous tale, she was deeply hurt, for she knew\nher husband\u2019s noble nature. She longed for the power of justifying him,\nand of making the scandal-mongers eat their words, and reverence her\nhero. So full did she become of these thoughts that she forgot her\nhusband\u2019s warning, and, going to him one day, told him of her trouble,\nand asked him whose son he was, and whence he came.\n\n\u201cDear wife,\u201d he said, in quiet sorrow, \u201cI will now tell you, and the\nking and all the princes, what was hidden and ought to have remained\nhidden for ever; but remember, the hour of our parting approaches.\u201d\n\nThe hero led his trembling wife before the king and his nobles, who\nwere assembled on the banks of the Rhine. He told them of his great\nfather, Percival, and of his own coming to Cologne in obedience to the\nDivine order conveyed to him by the holy Grail.\n\n\u201cI would fain have fought the barbarians with you, noble king,\u201d he\ncontinued, \u201cbut destiny calls me hence. Be of good cheer\u2014you will\nconquer the robbers, rule over the heathen, and win imperishable glory.\u201d\n\nThe hero spoke with the enthusiasm of an inspired seer, as he added a\nprophecy of the wonders time should unfold regarding the future of the\nempire. When he ceased, all present heard the same strange wild melody\nthat had attended his coming, but this time sad and slow as a dirge. It\ncame nigher, and then they spied also the crowned swan and the boat.\n\n\u201cFarewell, beloved,\u201d said Lohengrin, clasping his weeping wife in his\narms. \u201cI had grown to love you, and life in this world of yours,\npassing well; but now a higher will than mine tells me to go.\u201d\n\nHe tore himself away with tears in his eyes, and entering the boat,\nwhich the swan had brought close to the bank, was borne away from their\nsight.\n\nShe did not long survive the parting from her husband, and when she\ndied, she died in the firm conviction that she was about to join her\nhusband and see the holy Grail.\n\nWhether she was right or wrong, none of those about her could ever\nagree.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n[Illustration: TRISTRAM TEACHES ISOLDE TO PLAY THE GUITAR.]\n\n\n                        IV. TRISTRAM AND ISOLDE.\n\n\n                    TRUSTY RUAL AND HIS FOSTER-SON.\n\nA furious battle was raging before the gates of the castle, for\nRivalin, the lord of the place, was fighting against Morgan, his feudal\nsuperior, whose oppression had grown too great to be borne. Within the\ncastle, Blancheflur, Rivalin\u2019s wife, was praying fervently for her\nhusband\u2019s safety, as she clasped in her weak arms her little son that\nhad been born while the din of battle filled the air.\n\nAll day long it lasted. In the evening, Rual, the marshal, hurried back\ninto the castle bleeding, and called to his wife to save what she\ncould, and make ready for instant flight, for King Rivalin had fallen,\nand the enemy threatened to blockade the castle. Queen Blancheflur\nheard what he said, and with a piercing cry fell back dead. Rual,\nseeing that nothing could be done for her, hurried the other women in\ntheir preparations, and, heedless of his own untended wounds, made\nready to fly with his master\u2019s child to a place of safety.\n\nBut while they hastened to obey the marshal, it was already too\nlate\u2014the castle was surrounded, and no way of escape remained. They\ncarried the dead queen to another room, and the marshal\u2019s wife took the\nbaby for her own. The servants were all faithful, and when Morgan took\nthe castle soon afterwards, he never guessed that Rivalin had left a\nliving child. The victorious king, who honoured Rual for his fidelity\nto his late master, made him governor of the kingdom he had just\nsubdued, and then went back to his own place.\n\nTime passed on, and the foster-parents were delighted with the good\nqualities their pupil developed. They had had him christened Tristram,\nor Tristan (Sorrowful), because of the sad circumstances that had\nattended his birth. Rual himself taught him all knightly exercises, and\ngot him tutors to instruct him in music, languages, and many other\naccomplishments.\n\nOne day some foreign merchants landed on the coast, and offered their\nwares for sale. Young Tristram often went down to see them, and\nquestioned them about their country, and about the many strange lands\nthey visited. The boy\u2019s unusual beauty and the great knowledge he\npossessed aroused their cupidity. They determined to steal him, and\nsell him in some foreign country where he would bring a good price. So\nonce, when he was on board their ship, they quietly raised the anchor,\nand set sail. Rual pursued them, but they escaped, owing to the greater\nswiftness of their vessel. Another danger, however, threatened to\noverwhelm them. A terrific storm came on, worse than any they had ever\nencountered before. They thought it a sign of God\u2019s wrath, and were\nfilled with fear and awe. In the perturbation of their souls they swore\nto set the boy free, and they kept their word. They put him ashore on\nan unknown coast, feeling assured that with his uncommon gifts he would\nsoon make a livelihood. They were not mistaken. A troup of pilgrims\nhappening to pass that way, Tristram joined them, and accompanied them\nto the court of King Mark of Cornwall. The king took the boy into his\nservice as page, and grew very fond of him.\n\nMeantime Rual had sought his foster-son everywhere, and was\nbroken-hearted at not being able to find him, or hear any news of him.\nHe wandered from one country to another, begging his way. At last,\nfootsore and weary, he arrived at King Mark\u2019s court. Tristram greeted\nhim with joy, and took him to the king.\n\nWhen Mark heard who the supposed beggar was, he exclaimed angrily:\n\n\u201cWhat! Are you the former marshal of the traitor Rivalin, who stole\naway my sister Blancheflur?\u201d\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d replied Rual, \u201clove made him do so. The Lady Blancheflur had\nbeen secretly married to my master before she went away from here. She\nand her husband are both dead, and this youth,\u201d laying his hand on\nTristram\u2019s shoulder, \u201cwhom I have brought up from his infancy, and whom\nI have sought for years, is their only child.\u201d\n\nThe king was astonished to hear this tale, and was pleased to find that\nhis favourite page was in reality his nephew. Rual remained in Cornwall\nwith his foster-son, for, his wife being dead, he did not care to\nreturn home, and again endure Morgan\u2019s despotic sway.\n\nTristram grew up to be a tall and handsome man, a brave warrior, and a\nnoble knight, as much beloved in peace as in war. But although he lived\na full and joyous life, he could not forget his native land, and often\nmourned over the thought that his fellow-countrymen and rightful\nsubjects groaned under the tyranny of a foreign oppressor. He at last\nexplained his feelings on the subject to his uncle, who gave him men\nand ships, telling him to go and set his people free, but making him\npromise to return to Cornwall afterwards, as he had appointed him to\nsucceed him on the throne.\n\nThe expedition was successful. Morgan was defeated and slain, and\nTristram was crowned King of Parmenia. He remained for a year longer in\nhis native land, settling all differences, and arranging matters for\nthe good of his subjects. Having done this, he made Rual governor of\nthe realm, and returned to Cornwall as he had promised.\n\n\n                        ISOLDE (YSEULT, ISOUD).\n\nOn his arrival there, he found every one in great distress. King Gurmun\nof Ireland had, during his absence, invaded Cornwall, and, with the\nhelp of his brother-in-law Morolt, a powerful chief and great warrior,\nhad subdued the country, and forced King Mark to pay him tribute; and a\nshameful tribute it was. By the treaty with Gurmun, the Cornish king\nwas bound to send thirty handsome boys of noble birth to Ireland every\nyear, to be sold as slaves for the benefit of the Irish king. On the\nvery day of Tristram\u2019s return, Mark was about to deliver the thirty\nboys into the hands of grim Morolt, Gurmun\u2019s messenger, who had come to\nreceive them.\n\nTristram was very angry when he heard the news, and told the knights\nthey were cowards ever to have consented to such an arrangement. Then\ngoing straight to Morolt, he tore up the treaty, saying it was too\ninhuman to be kept. Morolt\u2019s only answer was to draw his sword and\nchallenge him to single combat. He accepted, and the fight began. After\nsome time, Morolt, having severely wounded Tristram, cried:\n\n\u201cYield, Sir Tristram: I feel pity for your youth. Yield, and my sister,\nQueen Isolde, shall cure your wound, for she alone can heal a wound\nmade by my poisoned blade.\u201d\n\n\u201cDeath rather,\u201d exclaimed the young knight, and making a mighty effort,\nhe split his adversary\u2019s head open from crown to jaw.\n\nThis settled the matter. The Irish returned home sadly, bearing with\nthem the corpse of their hero, while the victor went back to his\nuncle\u2019s palace. His wound was washed and bound, but it would not heal.\nIt continued to fester, in spite of the use of balm, and other herbs of\nwell-known excellence. An experienced doctor who was called in to see\nthe patient, said that only the Irish queen Isolde, and her daughter of\nthe same name, possessed the art of drawing such poison out of a wound.\nSo Tristram determined to go to Ireland in the guise of a minstrel, and\nseek healing at the hands of the queen, although he knew that Gurmun\nhad sworn to kill him and every Cornishman who had the misfortune to\nfall into his hands.\n\nAt length he reached the Irish court, and there he played and sang so\nbeautifully that the queen sent for him, and begged him to teach his\nart to her young daughter Isolde. The minstrel found the princess an\nattentive pupil; and while teaching her, and listening to her sweet\nvoice as she sang some plaintive ditty, he would even forget for a time\nthe pain of his wound. And she, in learning from him, learnt to love\nhim with all the strength of her innocent young heart.\n\nThe days went on, and the pain of his wound grew worse and worse. Then\nhe told the queen of his suffering, and asked her to heal him. This she\nat once consented to do, and a few weeks later he was cured. He now\nsang with greater power than before, and the king was so charmed with\nhis music that he would have liked to keep him for ever at his court.\nBut, fearful of discovery, Tristram determined to be gone while yet\nthere was time.\n\nOn his return to Cornwall, he was joyfully received by all except the\ngreat lords, who foresaw that King Mark would make him his heir, and\nthey did not wish to have a foreigner to rule over them. They wished\nthe king to marry, and Tristram, finding what was in their minds,\nhimself advised his uncle to choose a wife, saying that the Princess\nIsolde of Ireland would be the most suitable person for him to wed.\nAfter some deliberation, it was agreed that Tristram should go to King\nGurmun as his uncle\u2019s ambassador, to ask for the hand of the princess.\n\nArrived in Ireland, he set out for the royal residence. On the way he\nheard heralds proclaiming that the king would give his daughter in\nmarriage to whoever slew a dragon that was devastating the land,\nprovided he who rescued the country were of noble birth.\n\nTristram sought out the dragon, and, after a long struggle, killed it;\nthen cutting out the tongue of the creature, as a proof that he had\nreally slain it, he turned to go; but the pestiferous breath of the\nmonster so overpowered him, that he sank backward into the morass out\nof which the dragon had come.\n\nStruggle as he might, he could not free himself, for he had sunk up to\nthe shoulders. While in this miserable plight, he saw a horseman\napproach, cut off the head of the dead monster, and then ride away.\n\nThe horseman was sewer (head waiter) at the palace. He showed the king\nthe dragon\u2019s head, and boldly demanded the meed of victory. The queen,\nwho knew the man well, and held him to be a coward, did not believe his\ntale; so she went with her train to the dragon\u2019s hole, and discovered\nthe real hero in the morass. His bloody sword, and the dragons tongue\nshowed that it was he who had done the deed. He was quite insensible\nwhen he was taken out of the morass and carried to the palace. The\nprincess at once recognised him to be the minstrel who had before\nvisited Ireland, and hoped that his birth was sufficiently good to\nenable him to win the prize. The queen gave him a sleeping potion, and\ntold him to keep quiet. Then taking her daughter into the next room,\nshe showed her the horrible tongue of the lind-worm, and the sword with\nwhich the creature was slain.\n\n\u201cLook,\u201d she said, \u201cthe minstrel is the real hero of this adventure, and\nnot that cowardly sewer.\u201d\n\nShe left the room, adding that the truth would soon be known. Isolde\ntook up the sword and examined it. She saw that a bit of the blade was\nbroken off.\n\n\u201cMerciful heaven,\u201d she cried, \u201csurely he cannot be the\u2014\u2014\u201d She ceased,\nand took from a drawer the splinter of steel she had drawn out of the\nwound on her uncle\u2019s head. She fitted the splinter to the blade, and\nsaw that it was as she had feared.\n\n\u201cHa,\u201d she went on, trembling with anger, \u201che is the murderer of my\nuncle Morolt. He must die, die by my hand, and be slain with his own\nweapon.\u201d\n\nSeizing the sword in a firmer grip, she went into the room where\nTristram was sleeping, and swung the sword over his head; but as she\ndid so, he smiled as in a happy dream, and she could not do the deed.\nThen it seemed to her that she saw her uncle looking at her\nreproachfully, and she nerved her heart to strike, but at that moment\nher hand was seized by her mother, who had entered unnoticed.\n\n\u201cWretched child,\u201d she cried, \u201cwhat are you doing? Are you mad?\u201d\n\nIsolde told the queen that this was Tristram, her uncle\u2019s murderer; and\nthe mother answered:\n\n\u201cI loved my brother dearly, but I cannot revenge him, for this man has\nsaved our people from the dragon, and a nation is worth more than a\nsingle man, however dear to our hearts.\u201d\n\nIsolde confessed that her mother was right, and let her resentment die.\n\nWhen Tristram had recovered, he did not show the dragon\u2019s tongue in\nproof of what he had done, but challenged the sewer to trial by combat.\nNow the man had often fought before, but when he saw Tristram come\nforth to meet him in the lists, his heart died within him, and he\nconfessed his guilt. King Gurmun thereupon ordered the recreant\nknight\u2019s shield to be broken, and sent him forth a banished man.\n\nTristram then fetched the dragon\u2019s tongue, and was at once proclaimed\nvictor amid the acclamation of the people.\n\nGreat was the astonishment of all, when Tristram, instead of claiming\nthe princess\u2019 hand, proceeded to woo her for his uncle King Mark, of\nCornwall. Gurmun had such a dislike to King Mark that he would have\nrefused him as a son-in-law point-blank, if Queen Isolde had not taken\npart in the debate, and shown the wisdom of giving way. So Tristram\nreceived a gracious answer from the king, and was content. No one\nthought of asking the maiden if she were willing to marry the old king\nof Cornwall. She was a princess, and princesses were never allowed a\nchoice, when reasons of State demanded that they should marry some\nparticular person.\n\n\n                            THE LOVE-POTION.\n\nThe princess went on board Tristram\u2019s vessel, which was about to sail\nfor Cornwall. Her dresses and jewels were there also, and as soon as\nher old nurse and faithful companion came down to the ship, they were\nto set sail. Brang\u00e4ne was closeted with the queen, who wished to say a\nfew last words in private.\n\n\u201cLook, Brang\u00e4ne,\u201d said the mother, \u201ctake this goblet, and keep it\ncarefully. It contains a drink made of the expressed juices of certain\nplants, and is a love-potion. See that my daughter and her husband both\ndrink it on their marriage day, and all will yet be well.\u201d\n\nThe nurse promised to be careful, and took leave of the queen.\n\nWind and weather were favourable to the voyagers. One day when Tristram\nhad been singing and playing to the princess for a long time, and\ntrying his best to distract her thoughts from dwelling on her dead\nuncle, her old home, and the unknown future, he became so thirsty that\nbefore beginning another song he was fain to ask for something to\ndrink. One of the attendants opened a cupboard, and finding there a\ngoblet with a drink all ready prepared, supposed that the nurse had\nmade it in case it were wanted, and took it to Tristram, who handed the\ncup first to Isolde that she might pledge him, as was the custom. The\nprincess raised the cup to her lips and drank a little; but finding it\nvery good, she put it to her lips again, and drank half the contents.\nThen she returned it to Tristram, who finished it at a draught.\n\nTheir eyes met, and they knew that they loved each other.\n\nWhen Brang\u00e4ne came in a few minutes later, and saw the empty goblet\nupon the table, she burst into tears, and bemoaned what had occurred,\nsaying that the queen had given her the love-potion to administer to\nIsolde and King Mark upon their wedding-day. But the princess comforted\nher by asserting that no harm was done, for human beings had free will,\nand could struggle against enchantment. And struggle they did; but\ntheir love was strong.\n\nThe ship reached the harbour, and King Mark came down to meet his\nnephew and his bride. He was much pleased with the appearance of the\nprincess, whom he welcomed with all ceremony. The marriage took place,\nand King Mark thought himself a happy man.\n\nAll went on quietly for some time, so carefully did the nurse conceal\nher lady\u2019s love for Sir Tristram; but after a time people began to\nwhisper, and at length the whisper reached the ears of the king. At\nfirst he would not believe the truth of what he heard, but afterwards\nthe thing was proved to him so clearly that he could no longer doubt.\nHe determined to bring the lovers to trial. Meanwhile Brang\u00e4ne had\ndiscovered that the king knew all; she therefore warned Tristram, and\nfled into the forest with him and Isolde. There they hid themselves in\na cave for a long time. But winter was coming on, and the nurse feared\nfor her darling\u2019s life if she remained in such a place during the frost\nand snow.\n\nOne day as they were talking over what were best to be done, King Mark\nsuddenly appeared amongst them. Brang\u00e4ne stepped forward, and assured\nhim that the stories that he had been told were all gossip; and the\nking, who loved both Tristram and Isolde, willingly believed her, and\ntook them home with him.\n\nBut the effect of the philter had not yet passed off, nor had the young\npeople conquered their love. Whispers again arose about the court, and\nTristram could not call any of the whisperers to account, for he knew\nthat he had dishonoured the name of knight, and had ill repaid his\nuncle\u2019s kindness. Isolde, too, was miserable. They both made up their\nminds that they must part, and as they said farewell, it was with the\nfervent hope that the magic potion would have lost its power by the\ntime they met again.\n\nTristram went away. He wandered through Normandy and Alemannia; he\nfought many battles, and led a bold, adventurous life, but he could not\nforget Isolde. At last he came to the kingdom of Arundel, and there he\nfound King Jovelin and his son Kaedin hiding in a thatched cottage in a\ngreat forest, from the bands of robbers who had overrun the land. It\nwas late in the evening when he arrived at the solitary house, where he\nmet with a kind reception. The lovely daughter of his host, curiously\nenough, was also named Isolde, to which was added the appellation of\n\u201cla blanche mains.\u201d It did him good to be with the maiden and her\nfather. He promised them his aid, and for this purpose went to visit\nhis own kingdom. There he found his presence much wanted, for old Rual\nwas dead, and all was confusion in the land. His first action was to\nre-establish order and good government, after which he called out his\ntroops, and marched to Arundel to help King Jovelin. He fought the\nrobbers there, chased them out of the land, replaced the king on his\nthrone, and made friends with Kaedin. Weeks passed, and he became\nengaged to Isolde of the white hand. He vainly hoped that being married\nto another woman would cure him of his love for the Queen of Cornwall,\nand he knew that the princess loved him.\n\nHis betrothal did not bring him peace. His affection for the Lady\nIsolde grew no stronger, so in despair he put off his marriage, and,\nunable to feign a love he did not feel, went out to seek death at the\nhands of the robber hordes that had again invaded the country. He\nconquered them, and forced them to fly. On his return from this\nexpedition, his marriage day was fixed; but one evening he was induced\nto accompany his friend Kaedin on a dangerous adventure, and during the\ncombat to which this led, he received a spear thrust in the breast. He\nfell senseless to the ground. Kaedin carried him out of the fight, and\ntook him home to the palace, where Isolde succeeded in bringing him to\nhimself again.\n\nEvery one hoped that he would soon recover from his wound; but instead\nof that he grew worse. One day he said that the Queen of Cornwall had a\nremedy that would cure him, if she could only be induced to bring it.\nKaedin at once set off for Cornwall to appeal to her compassion. No\nsooner had the queen heard his tale than she persuaded King Mark to let\nher go to Arundel, and cure his nephew. Armed with his permission, she\nstarted on her long journey by sea and land, and never rested till she\narrived at King Jovelin\u2019s palace. There she was greeted with the sad\nwords, \u201cYou have come too late\u2014he is dying.\u201d They led her to his\ncouch, and she knelt down and took his hand. A slight pressure showed\nthat he knew who she was; next moment he opened his eyes, gazed at her\nwith a sad and loving look, and then died. She bent over him and kissed\nhim, and in that kiss her spirit passed away. They were buried three\ndays later under the same grave-mound in the distant land of Arundel.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: TANNH\u00c4USER BETWEEN ECKHARD AND VENUS.]\n\n\n\n\n                        _LEGEND OF TANNH\u00c4USER._\n\n\n                         TANNH\u00c4USER IN TROUBLE.\n\nOne evening when the noble knight Tannh\u00e4user was sitting in a miserable\nwayside inn, grumbling over the fate that had made him a poor man\ninstead of a prince, he was startled by a loud knocking at the door. He\nfelt a moment\u2019s terror lest it should be the bailiffs come to arrest\nhim for debt; but instead of that, it was his good lord, Duke Friedrich\nof Babenberg, who ruled the rich Danubian land of Austria.\n\nThe duke chid the young man for his debts and follies, and then, giving\nhim a purse full of gold, desired him to return to court, where his\nmusic and society were much missed.\n\nSo Tannh\u00e4user once more returned to court, and took part in the gay\ndoings there. He also aided his liege lord in many a great battle waged\nagainst the enemies of the realm. He was a great favourite of his\nmaster, both because of his gift of song, and because of his bravery.\nSo Friedrich gave him the fair estate of Leopoldsdorf, near Vienna, as\nwell as a large sum of money.\n\nThe Hohenstaufens, too, looked upon him favourably, both the Emperor\nFrederick II., and his son Konrad, who ruled in Germany after him. The\nminstrel received many gifts at their hands, and was devoted to their\nservice.\n\nBut although large sums were thus continually passing into his coffers,\nhe was always in debt. In course of time his patron the Duke was killed\nin the battle of the Leitha. He mourned him deeply, and wrote a number\nof beautiful songs in memory of the man who had been so kind to him.\nBut at length his poetic soul began to turn with more pleasure to\ncheerful themes, so he collected what little remained of his wealth,\nand, setting out in the bright summer days, he wandered from castle to\ncastle, and from town to town, sometimes hungry, sometimes happy, as he\nwas ill or well received. He travelled through Bavaria, and remained\nsome time at N\u00fcrnberg, where song was loved and studied; and after that\nhe crossed the Alps into Italy. At Pavia, he made the acquaintance of a\nGerman knight, who was much drawn to the fascinating minne-singer, and\nhe, in his turn, to the knight\u2019s fair daughter, Kunigunde. The old\nknight, on being asked for his daughter\u2019s hand, replied that he liked\nTannh\u00e4user very much, and would give him his daughter willingly if he\nhad the wherewithal to support her. Minstrelsy was all very well, he\nadded, but it would not keep a family in bread and butter. \u201cYou have\nboth your sword and your harp to trust to,\u201d he concluded with a smile;\n\u201cgo, and make enough money to set up house, and then I will give you\nKunigunde.\u201d\n\nTannh\u00e4user took leave of his lady-love, promising to return in a year\nwith the needful ducats; and he fully intended to keep his promise.\n\n\n                     KLINGSOHR AND TRUSTY ECKHARD.\n\nHe rode away sad at heart; but the weather was so beautiful, and the\nbirds were singing so gaily, that he could not remain sad long. He sang\nwherever he could get an audience, but sweet and joyous as was the\nmusic he made, it brought him no gold. He therefore tried what his\nsword could do for him, and fought under the banner of King Konrad,\nagainst his rival Heinrich Raspe, the \u201cpope\u2019s king,\u201d thereby helping to\nwin the battle of Ulm. He was handsomely rewarded for his assistance.\nThen he went back to Italy, and fought there also for the\nHohenstaufens, for which service he was richly paid. Once, soon after\nthis, he sought and found shelter for the night in a castle where many\nknights were assembled. After supper he delighted every one with his\nminstrelsy. But immediately after he had ceased to sing, a stranger\ncame in, dressed in black garments embroidered with gold, and wearing\nblack feathers in his cap. He had a harp in his hand, and, seating\nhimself, began to play and sing in a deep, powerful, and yet melodious,\nvoice. His song was strange and eerie in its effect. The guests all\nglanced at each other in silence when it was done. They felt ill at\nease, they knew not why.\n\nTannh\u00e4user, throwing off the unaccountable feeling that possessed him,\ncaught up his harp, and sang a merry ditty about woods and birds and\nflowers, and soon both he and the other guests were restored to their\nusual cheerfulness. After that, they all began to play at dice.\nTannh\u00e4user won large sums, and lost them again immediately to the black\nstranger, and not only these, but some of the money he had put aside\nfor his marriage.\n\nThe next day, when he left the castle, the stranger went with him,\nremained with him all day, and before night fell, had won all his money\nfrom him. Seeing how sad Tannh\u00e4user looked, the stranger laughed, and\nsaid:\n\n\u201cDo not pull such a long face over so small a matter as the loss of a\nfew gold pieces, but come with me to Wartburg; Landgrave Hermann has\nsummoned a minstrel tournament to meet, in which the prizes are lands\nand wealth, but he who fails will lose his head. My name is Klingsohr,\nand I come from Hungary. I am willing to enter into an alliance with\nyou. Your songs are like the bliss of heaven; mine, like the horrors of\nhell. If we are successful, you may have the wealth\u2014I shall take the\nheads; if, on the other hand, we lose, we shall go together to heaven\nor hell; what does it matter which? You shudder like a weakling to hear\nme talk thus, for you believe the tales the priests tell you about fire\nand brimstone; but instead of that, it is the realm of Dame Venus, who\ngives her friends the most exquisite pleasures earth can afford, and\nboth silver and gold in abundance. If you do not care for the minstrel\ntournament, you can visit the fair queen on the road to Wartburg, for\nshe lives in the H\u00f6rselberg, which we shall have to pass at any rate.\u201d\n\nTannh\u00e4user listened to his companion with a shudder; but when he went\non to describe the unspeakable glories of the H\u00f6rselberg, and to tell\nof the marvellous charms of the queen, he felt a growing desire to see\nDame Venus with his own eyes. So he set out with his strange companion,\nforgetting, or nearly forgetting, Kunigunde, and his love for her.\n\nWhen the travellers approached the mountains of Thuringia they were\njoined by a tall and stately man in full armour, with his sword at his\nside, and a white staff in his hand. As they walked on together, they\nexchanged confidences as to who they were, and from whence they came.\nThe new-comer said:\n\n\u201cPeople call me the faithful Eckhard, the Harlungs\u2019 comfort, for I took\ncare of the noble youths for many years; but, alas! wicked Ermenrich,\nand his evil counsellor Sibich, slew them in my absence, and all I\ncould do was to avenge their death.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Harlungs, Ermenrich, Sibich,\u201d repeated Tannh\u00e4user thoughtfully,\n\u201cit must have been long ago.\u201d\n\n\u201cThree or four hundred years or even more may have passed since then,\u201d\nanswered Eckhard. \u201cI find it difficult to reckon time after the manner\nof men; but ever since those old days I have been busily employed in\nwarning people away from the Venus Mount.\u201d\n\nKlingsohr burst out laughing, and cried, \u201cSpare your words, old fool;\nso you are one of the idiots who blaspheme Dame Venus.\u201d\n\n\u201cGet thee behind me, tempter,\u201d said Eckhard; \u201cI am going to take the\ngood knight to the Wartburg, where he may win glory and wealth.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd I am going on to prepare his lodging in our queen\u2019s palace,\u201d\nanswered the other, as he set off at a brisk pace towards the mountains.\n\nThe minstrel and Eckhard continued their way quietly, talking the\nwhile. At last they came to the beautiful H\u00f6rselthal, with its meadows,\ntrees, and rushing stream, and, a little farther on, to a bleak\nmountain, out of which came a confused sound as of waves beating a\nrock-bound coast, the roar and clatter of a water-mill, human cries of\nrage, and the howling of wild beasts.\n\n\u201cThat is the H\u00f6rselberg,\u201d said Eckhard, \u201cthe place where Dame Venus\nholds her court, with the wicked who are under her dominion. Keep thine\neyes and ears both shut, lest the temptress entangle thee in her net.\u201d\n\n\n                              DAME VENUS.\n\nThe nearer the travellers came to the mountain, the more the confused\nand discordant sounds they had at first heard resolved themselves into\nharmony. Through a door in the rock they could see knights, beautiful\nwomen, and dwarfs. All seemed to be enjoying themselves to the utmost.\nAt the entrance sat a fair woman in royal robes. The moment she saw\nTannh\u00e4user, she smiled, and signed to him to approach. Eckhard in the\nsame moment entreated him by all he held sacred to beware of the\ntemptress, who was outwardly like an angel of light, but inwardly a\nfiend incarnate. He would have said more, but Venus interrupted him by\nbeginning to sing a wondrous song about all the joys that awaited those\nwho entered her kingdom; and Tannh\u00e4user, as thoroughly enchanted as\nthough a magic spell had been cast over him, thrust Eckhard aside, and\nhastened to the queen of beauty, who stretched out her arms towards\nhim. She half drew him over the threshold, and he half staggered\nacross. Then the door shut, and the faithful Eckhard saw him no more.\n\nIt would be impossible to describe all the wonders and delights that\ngreeted the eyes and ears of the lost knight. Every day brought new\npleasures, which he enjoyed to the utmost. But at length he began to\ntire of it, and confessed to himself that satiety was not happiness. He\nhad a horror of himself, and of the self-indulgent life he was leading;\nand his conscience, once awake, left him no peace. After an inward\nstruggle, he made up his mind to go and seek out a pious priest, tell\nhim all, and entreat him to show him how he might gain absolution.\n\nTannh\u00e4user felt much happier when he had formed this resolution. He\nwent to Queen Venus, and asked her to let him go. At first she refused,\nand then consented, saying that he might come back to her if he did not\nfind what he was going away to seek. So he went out into the sweet\nfresh air, which was so pure that it almost took his breath away for\nthe first few minutes. Then he went on his way with much foreboding:\nshould he, or should he not, find a priest who could help him?\n\nHe told his tale to priests, abbots, and bishops, but they one and all\ndeclared that they could not help him, that the Holy Father at Rome was\nthe only person on earth who had power to absolve a sinner who had had\ndealings with the powers of the under-world.\n\nHe went to Rome, and confessed all his sin and sorrow to the Pope, whom\nhe found walking in the garden, and awaited the answer of his Holiness\nwith a broken and a contrite heart. But the Pope replied with harsh\nvoice and unbending brow:\n\n\u201cYou are an adherent of the cursed race of Hohenstaufen; you have dwelt\namong the lost spirits in hell, and have been one with them: I tell you\nplainly that God can no more pardon you than this dry stick can put\nforth leaves and flowers\u201d; so saying, he thrust his gold-headed\nwalking-stick into the ground, and walked away leaving it there.\n\nTannh\u00e4user then exclaimed in his misery, \u201cWhat shall I do? The\nhigh-priest of the Lord has cast me off, heaven is closed against me,\nand men will have nought to do with me.\u201d\n\nAt this moment an unknown voice broke in, \u201cThere is a higher than this\npriest, even He whose dwelling is in heaven, and He that came to redeem\nmen from their sins, and who said, \u2018Come unto Me, all ye that are weary\nand heavy laden, and I will give you rest.\u2019\u201d\n\nTannh\u00e4user started when he heard himself thus addressed, and, turning\nround, beheld the faithful Eckhard.\n\n\u201cAlas,\u201d he answered, \u201cit is too late; I cannot, dare not, pray any\nmore. I will now return to Dame Venus, and the pleasures she offers me.\u201d\n\nSo he went back to the H\u00f6rselberg in spite of Eckhard\u2019s entreaties; for\nhe was utterly hopeless.\n\nNow it came to pass, three days after, that the Pope again walked in\nhis garden, and behold, the walking-stick which he thrust into the\nground had taken root, and put forth leaves and blossoms. The sight\nfilled him with amazement, and he remembered the words of the Saviour:\n\u201cBe ye also merciful, even as your Father in heaven is merciful.\u201d And\nhe sent out messengers in search of Tannh\u00e4user; but he could not be\nfound, for he had returned to Dame Venus.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n                                 INDEX.\n\n\n  Aachen, 396, 400, 407.\n  Adehart, son of Haymon, _v._ Children of Haymon.\n  Aelfrich (Alberich), 59.\n  Africa, 400, 401.\n  Aix-la-Chapelle, _v._ Aachen.\n  Alberich, Dwarf, 55, 59-81, 109, 236, 256.\n  Alboin, 19-27.\n  Aldarich, 21.\n  Alemannia, 472.\n  Alicon, 412.\n  Alischanz, 412.\n  Alise, Princess, 415, 417.\n  Allfather, 353, _v._ also Odin, Wodan.\n  Allthing (assembly), 359.\n  Alphart of Aquitaine, 203, 209, 216, 217-9.\n  Alps, 476.\n  Amelolt, 203, 206, 208, 216.\n  Amelungs, the, 82-135, 208, 214, 216, 222, 224, 277, 294, 295, 296,\n    304.\n  Amfortas, King, 425, 426, 441, 447, 448, 449, 450, 454.\n  Ancona, 200.\n  Anjou, 454.\n  Antwerp, 460.\n  Anzius, Emperor, 82.\n  Apollo, 69.\n  Apulia, 58, 397.\n  Aquitaine, 213, 412.\n  Arabella, 410, 411.\n  Ardennes, Forest of, 392.\n  Aribadale, 454.\n  Arnold, 50-54.\n  Aron, 146.\n  Arthur, King, Legends of, 419-82; 427, 428, 430, 431, 432, 438, 439,\n    446, 453.\n  Arundel, 472, 473.\n  Aspilian, 192.\n  Asprian, 49.\n  Attila, King, _v._ Etzel.\n  Auda, 398, 400, 401, 407.\n  Audoin, 20.\n  Austria, 475.\n  Avars, 20, 367.\n  Avignon, 411.\n  Awentrod, 192, 196.\n  Aya, 372, 373, 380, 381, 393, 394, 395.\n  Aymon, _v._ Haymon.\n\n\n  Babenberg, 475.\n  Babylon, 402.\n  Badhilda, 157.\n  Balduin, 404, 405, 406.\n  Baldur, 241, 273, 276, 304.\n  Balian, Castle, 307, 308, 312, 313, 314, 316, 318.\n  Baligan, King, 103, 104.\n  Baligant, Caliph, 402, 406.\n  Balikan, Emir, 410.\n  Balmung (Sword), 236, 267, 269, 283, 296, 297, 298, 299, 304, 305.\n  Bari, 28, 49.\n  Basilistum, 50-54.\n  Bavaria, 280, 476.\n  Bayard (Horse), 370, 371, 373, 374, 376, 382, 383, 385, 387, 393, 394,\n    395.\n  Beaurepart, Monastery of, 385.\n  Bechelaren, 189, 208, 212, 281, 291, 292, 293, 303, 304, _v._\n    also R\u00fcdiger.\n  Belt, Magic, 176.\n  Belripar, 433, 434, 454.\n  Berchtung, Duke of Pola, 29-54, 83-92, 93, 112, 113, 114, 205, 206,\n    208.\n  Bee-wolf, _v._ Beowulf.\n  Beowulf, 347-364.\n  Berillus, 419.\n  Bern (Verona), 123, 124, 158, 160, 163, 169, 172, 174, 181, 189, 190,\n    195, 199, 201, 203, 204, 206, 207, 208, 216, 223.\n  Berserker, 313.\n  Bertha, 400.\n  Biterolf, 171, 172, 189.\n  Black Forest, 280.\n  Blancheflur, 463, 464, 465.\n  Blaive, 407.\n  Bl\u00f6delin, 285, 286, 287.\n  Bogen, 88, 89, 91, 113.\n  Bolfriana, 198.\n  B\u00f6swilde, 157.\n  Brabant, 460.\n  Brang\u00e4ne, 470, 471, 472.\n  Bravalla, Battle of, 357.\n  Breisach, 114, 201, 202.\n  Breisgau, 201.\n  Breka, 350, 351.\n  Brosing Treasure, 354.\n  Brunhild, 234, 235, 251, 253-73, 275, 304, 305, 306.\n  Brunstein, 122.\n  Bulgaria, 82.\n  Burgundians, 210, 212, 213, 256, 258, 269, 270, 272, 276, 279-99.\n  Burgundy, 186, 191, 209, 237, 238, 241, 257, 261, 266, 271, 273, 284,\n    292, 305, 397.\n  \u2014\u2014 Duchess of, 398.\n\n\n  Cap of Darkness, 176, 246.\n  Cappadocia, 419.\n  Carolingian Legends, 367-418.\n  Cassian, 331, 345.\n  Catalonia, 425.\n  Caucasus, 182.\n  Ceres (River), 400.\n  Clarissa, 380, 384, 385, 386, 391, 395, 425.\n  Ch\u00e2lons, Count of, 384, 385.\n  Charlemagne, 27, 367, 372, 376, 382, 383, 384, 386, 387, 391, 392,\n    393, 394, 395, 396, 398, 399, 402, 406, 407, 408, 409.\n  Children of Haymon, 367-96.\n  Chriemhild, 237, 238-99, 300.\n  Cologne, 162, 396, 456, 461.\n  Conduiramur, _v._ Konduiramur.\n  Constantine, 30-54.\n  Constantinople, 27, 30, 49, 82, 87, 89, 90, 91, 111, 112.\n  Cornwall, 465, 466, 468, 470, 473.\n  Cumberland, 430.\n\n\n  Dankrat, 238, 252, 254, 285, 287, 288, 295.\n  Danube, 189, 277, 280.\n  Denmark, 315.\n  Diebolt, 400.\n  Dietelinde, 281, 304.\n  Dieter the Harlung, 201.\n  Dietherbernet, 226.\n  Dietleib of Styria, 169-78, 179, 189, 205, 207, 213.\n  Dietmar, 122, 201.\n  Dietmarsch, 315, 321.\n  Dietrich of Bern, 52, 135-226, 277, 281, 286, 288, 291, 293, 294, 295,\n    296, 297, 300, 303, 304.\n  Dietwart, 125.\n  Dordo(g)ne, 401, 407.\n  Dortmund, 396.\n  Drachenfels, 198.\n  Drachenstein, 243-52.\n  Drusian, 98-101.\n  Durindart (Sword), 404, 405.\n  Duringen (Thuringia), 289.\n\n\n  Eadgils, 358, 359.\n  Eanmund, 358, 359.\n  Ecke, 162, 163, 164.\n  Eckehart, 114, 186, 189, 201, 202, 203, 206, 219, 223, 224.\n  Ecke-sax (Sword), 164, 168.\n  Eckewart, 238, 272.\n  Edgar, 192.\n  Eigel, 157, 158.\n  Eigoland, King, 400, 401, 402, 409.\n  Ektheov, 349.\n  Elias (Ylyas), 56.\n  Eligas (Ylyas), 56.\n  Elizabeth, 419.\n  Else, _v._ Fair-Else.\n  Elsung of Bern, 123, 222.\n  Engel, King, 245, 247, 248, 251.\n  Erka (Herka), 193.\n  Ermenrich, Emperor, 169, 170, 197, 198, 199-208, 213, 216, 223, 277,\n     479.\n  Etzel, King, 172, 189, 190, 191-7, 208, 209-22, 274-306.\n  Etzelburg, 275, 277, 281, 286, 291, 300, 304.\n\n\n  Fair-Else, 455-61.\n  Falcon (Horse), 154, 220.\n  Falkalone, 384.\n  Feirefiss, 449, 450, 451, 452, 454.\n  Flammberg (Sword), 373, 376, 385.\n  France, 409, 411.\n  Franks, 209, 210, 405, 406, 408.\n  Frederick, Duke of Babenberg, 475, 476.\n  \u2014\u2014 Prince, 200, 216.\n  Freya, 235, 270, 304, _v._ also Frigga.\n  Friedburg, 198.\n  Frigga, 25, _v._ also Freya.\n  Frimutel, 424, 425.\n  Friesland, 192, 315, 321, 357.\n  Fritele, 114, 201, 202.\n  Fritilaburg, 169, 198.\n  Frute, the Wise, 315, 316, 318, 328, 329.\n  Furious Host, 226.\n\n\n  Galicia, 400.\n  Gamuret, 449.\n  Ganelon, 375-384, 401-403, 404, 406, 407.\n  Garadie, Count of, 313.\n  Garadin, 313.\n  Garden, 10, 75, 76, 79, 80, 106, 107, 110, 113, 173, 206, 216, 222,\n    223.\n  Garonne (River), 400.\n  Gascony, 400, 409.\n  Gaul, 419.\n  Gawain, 438, 439, 440, 442, 445, 446, 447, 453.\n  Gere, 238, 266.\n  Gerhart, Count, 397, 399.\n  Gerlind, Queen, 322, 331-346.\n  Gepid\u00e6, 20, 25, 26, 27.\n  Gernot, 237, 238, 240, 272, 273, 274, 290, 298.\n  Gerwart, 110.\n  Gibich, 190.\n  Giselher, 238, 265, 272, 274, 275, 276, 281, 282, 290, 291, 292, 295,\n    298, 303.\n  Godelinde, 303.\n  Gothland, 349.\n  Goths, the, 351, 352, 353, 354, 359, 363, 364.\n  Grail, Holy, 419, 421, 424, 425, 426, 430, 434-440, 447, 448, 449,\n    450, 452, 454, 455, 462.\n  \u2014\u2014 Legends of, 419-482.\n  Gramoflans, 441, 447.\n  Greece, 82.\n  Greeks, the, 91.\n  Grendel, 347, 348, 349, 351, 352, 353, 354, 356, 357.\n  Gudrun, 320-346.\n  Guinevere, 447.\n  Gunther, 212, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255,\n    256, 257, 258, 259, 261, 264, 265, 266, 268, 269, 272, 273, 274,\n    275, 283, 287, 288, 290, 292, 295, 296, 297, 298, 306.\n  Gunther (nephew), 260.\n  Gurmun (King of Ireland), 466, 467, 468, 470.\n  Gurnemann, 432, 433, 438.\n  Gyburg, 411, 413, 416, 417.\n\n\n  Hache, 114, 223.\n  Hadubrand, 116.\n  Hagen of Troye, 209, 210, 212, 213, 234, 237, 239, 240, 241, 243, 244,\n    252, 254, 256, 259, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273,\n    274, 275, 276, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 286, 287, 288,\n    289, 290, 291, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 300, 304, 305, 307-314,\n    316, 318, 319, 320, 322.\n  Hama, 354.\n  Hardred, 358, 359, 361.\n  Harlungs, the, 114, 199, 201, 224, 479.\n  Hartmut, 322, 325, 327, 331, 332, 333, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 345,\n     346.\n  Haward, 289.\n  Hawk\u2019s Nose, 110.\n  Haymon\u2019s Children, 367-396.\n  Hegeling Legends, 307-364.\n  Henne the Grim, 189.\n  Heime, 152-157, 160, 169, 170, 171, 172, 197, 198, 202, 204, 206, 218,\n    223, 224.\n  Heine (Hama), 354.\n  Heinrich of Saxony, King, 456, 461.\n  Helche, 54, 210, 215, 275, 303.\n  Helfrich, 293, 295.\n  Helfrich of Tuscany, 146.\n  Heligoland, 157.\n  Hel, _v._ Helle.\n  Hella, _v._ Helle.\n  Helle, 243, 276.\n  Helmigis, 25.\n  Helmnot, 295.\n  Helmschrot, 208.\n  Henry of Narbonne, 408-418.\n  Herche, _v._ Herka.\n  Herbrand, 113, 186, 194.\n  Hergart, 345, 346.\n  Herka, 54.\n  Hermann, Landgrave, 478.\n  Herrat, 54, 215, 221, 224, 304.\n  Hertnit, 189, 192, 194.\n  Herwig of Zealand, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 331, 334, 337, 339, 342,\n    345.\n  Herzelinde, 227, 425, 448.\n  Hettel the Hegeling, 315-330.\n  Hildburg, 82-89, 309.\n  Hildburg (grand-daughter), 327, 334, 337, 338, 339.\n  Hilde, 309, 312, 313, 314, 315, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 326,\n    329, 345, 346.\n  Hildebrand, 114, 135-151, 160, 161, 163, 168, 173-178, 180, 183, 189,\n    191, 203, 205, 206, 216, 219, 221, 222, 223, 294, 295, 296, 299,\n    300, 303.\n  Hildegunde, 83, 209-213.\n  Hildeswid, 119, 122.\n  Hirschhalle, 348.\n  H\u00f6der, 273, 276.\n  Hohenstaufens, the, 476, 477.\n  Holy Land, 396.\n  \u2014\u2014 Mountain, 453.\n  Horand, the Minstrel, 315, 318, 319, 328, 330, 340.\n  Horn, Golden (port of Constantinople), 31.\n  Hornboge, 160, 163, 168.\n  H\u00f6rselberg, 478, 479, 482.\n  H\u00f6rselthal, 479.\n  Hrodgar, 347, 348, 351, 352, 353, 355, 356.\n  Hronesnas (Hill), 364.\n  Hrunting (Sword), 354.\n  Hug of Dordone, 368, 371.\n  Hugdieterich, 82-114.\n  Hugelwarte, 90.\n  Hunford, 351, 353, 355.\n  Hungary, 367, 461, 478.\n  Hunolt, 238.\n  Hunland, 279-299.\n  Huns, the, 89, 172, 192, 194, 209, 210, 211, 212, 215, 216, 219, 221,\n    275, 276, 288, 289, 291, 292, 293.\n  Hygd, Queen, 357, 358.\n  Hygelak, 349, 350, 355, 357.\n\n\n  Ilmenrik, 169, 170.\n  Ilsan the Monk, 162, 166-9, 185, 188, 189, 190.\n  Imbreke, 114, 201, 202.\n  Imelot, 50-54.\n  Ireland, 307, 316, 468.\n  Irmin, 276.\n  Irmschart, Countess, 409.\n  Irnfried, of D\u00fcringen, 289.\n  Irolt, the Swift, 315, 316, 318, 328, 330, 341.\n  Isenland, 233, 251, 252, 253, 255, 256, 258, 261, 262, 265, 305, 309.\n  Isenstein, 253, 255.\n  Isolde, 463-74.\n  Isoud (Isolde), 466.\n  Isung, the Minstrel, 195, 196.\n  Italy, 412, 476, 477.\n  Itonie, 446, 447.\n  Iwanet, 431.\n  Iwo, Prince of Tarasconie, 379, 380, 384, 385, 386.\n\n\n  Janibas, 145, 147.\n  Jeraspunt, 147.\n  Jerusalem, 57, 396, 419.\n  Jeschute, Lady, 430.\n  Joisiane, 425.\n  Jovelin, 472, 473.\n  Jutland, 347, 349.\n\n\n  Kaedin, 472, 473.\n  Kardeiss, 454.\n  Kingram, 433.\n  Kingrimursel, 440.\n  Kiot, King, 425.\n  Klamide, 433, 434.\n  Klingsohr, 440, 442, 445, 446, 477-80.\n  Knife-Man, the, 102-6.\n  Konrad, King, 223, 476, 477.\n  Koran, 410.\n  Konduiramur, Queen, 433, 434, 454.\n  Kundrie (witch), 439.\n  K\u00fcnemund, 21.\n  K\u00fcnhild, 174, 181, 182, 183, 184.\n  Kunigunde, 476, 477, 478.\n  Kuperan (Giant), 245, 246, 247.\n\n\n  Ladmer, King, 125.\n  Lahelin, 430.\n  Langobards, 20.\n  Laurin, King, 173-184.\n  Lausitz, 226.\n  Leitha, Battle of the, 476.\n  Leo, Pope, 411, 412.\n  Leopoldsdorf, 476.\n  Leupold, 31-54.\n  Liebgart, 74, 76, 79-81, 106, 110, 111, 113, 114.\n  Lilienporte, Castle, 88, 91, 111, 112.\n  Lindolt, 208.\n  Lind-worms, 73-79, 106-111.\n  Lodwig, 223.\n  Logreis, Castle, 442.\n  Lohengrin, 453-62.\n  Loherangrin, 453.\n  Lombardy, 55, 56, 60, 71, 80, 82, 106, 110, 113, 201, 216, 221.\n  Longinus, 26.\n  Love-potion, 470.\n  L\u00fcdegast, 241, 266.\n  L\u00fcdeger, 241, 266.\n  Ludwig, King of Normandy, 322, 327, 329, 340, 374, 375, 376, 409, 410,\n    411, 412, 414, 415.\n\n\n  Machorell, 57, 66, 67, 69-73.\n  Mahomet, 69.\n  Malagis, 369, 370, 371, 382, 383, 385, 387, 388, 391, 392, 393.\n  Mantua, 207.\n  Mark, King of Cornwall, 465, 466, 468, 470, 471, 472, 473.\n  Marpilia, 103, 104, 105.\n  Marsilio, King, 400, 402, 405, 406.\n  Martin, 110.\n  Matelane, Castle, 315, 320, 321, 325, 326.\n  Melias, King of Huns, 192, 193.\n  Mentigger, 162.\n  Meran, 91.\n  Mermaid, 158.\n  Merman, 95, 96.\n  Messina, 64.\n  Milan, 200, 205, 206, 207.\n  Milo, 400.\n  Mimer, 230.\n  Mimung _v._ (Sword), 158, 160, 161, 162, 194, 196, 197, 198, 218.\n  Minne, Princess, 126.\n  Monfaucon, 386, 387, 383, 388, 393.\n  Montalban (Fortress), 380, 381, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 392, 393,\n    395.\n  Montsalvatch, 425.\n  Moors, 409, 410, 412, 415.\n  Morgan, 463, 464, 465, 466.\n  Morolt, 466, 467, 469.\n  Morung of Nifland, 315, 329, 330, 345.\n  M\u00fcnchenzell, 189.\n  Muntabure Castle, 56, 57, 68, 69, 70.\n\n\n  Nagelring (Sword), 198.\n  N\u00e4gling (Sword), 351.\n  Nanna, 273.\n  Nantes, 430.\n  Naples, 64.\n  Narbonne, 412.\n  Narses, 22.\n  Netherlands, 237, 259, 261, 263, 272, 275, 277.\n  Niars, 157.\n  Nibelung, King, 235.\n  Nibelungs, 229-306.\n  Niduder, 157.\n  Nifland, 315.\n  Nordian, 194.\n  Nordland, 315-321.\n  Normandy, 322, 472.\n  Norns, 205, 243, 272, 281.\n  Nudung, 281.\n  N\u00fcrnberg, 476.\n\n\n  Oda, Queen, 50, 54, 192.\n  Odilia, 124.\n  Odin, 347, _v._ also Allfather, Wodan.\n  Ogier, 401.\n  Ohtere, 358.\n  Old-Troja, 95, 101.\n  Olifant (Horn), 404.\n  Olivier, 388, 398, 399, 400, 401, 404, 405, 406.\n  Omlung, _v._ Amelung.\n  Orange, 412, 413, 416.\n  Osantrix, 192, 193, 194, 195, 214.\n  Oserich, 192.\n  Osid, 192.\n  Ostrogoths, 22.\n  Orgueilleuse, Duchess (witch), 441, 442, 446, 447.\n  Orilus, Lord, 429, 430, 438.\n  Orleans, 414.\n  Ortgis, 145.\n  Ortnit, 55-81, 102, 106, 192.\n  Ortlieb, 278, 279, 287.\n  Ortrun, Princess, 331, 342, 345.\n  Ortwin (Gaoler), 112.\n  Ortwin of Metz, 237, 238, 240, 242, 266, 321, 326, 327, 339, 340.\n\n\n  Padauwe, 216.\n  Padua, 216.\n  Pampeluna, 400, 401.\n  Parille, 419.\n  Paris, 367, 380, 381, 382, 383, 386, 394, 396, 407.\n  Parmenia, 466.\n  Pavia, 22, 476.\n  Percival, 425-52, 454, 455, 461.\n  Peredeus (Giant), 26-7.\n  Pierlepont, Castle, 372, 373, 374, 380, 381.\n  Pinabel, 407.\n  Pipin, 400.\n  Portugal, 309.\n  Prester John, 453.\n  Pyrenees, 372, 373.\n\n\n  Raging Host, _v._ Furious Host.\n  Rahen, _v._ Ravenna.\n  Rainier, 398.\n  Randolt, 200.\n  Randwer, 199, 201.\n  Raspe, Heinrich, 477.\n  Rauch-Else, 93-95.\n  Raven-fight, 216-221, 295.\n  Ravenna, 26, 207.\n  \u2014\u2014 Battle of, 216-221, 295.\n  Regenbald, 200.\n  Reinaldi Church, 396.\n  Reinhold, 204.\n  Reinold, Son of Haymon, _v._ Children of Haymon.\n  Rennewart, 416, 417.\n  Repanse, 454.\n  Reussen, 56, 189, 192, 214, 319.\n  Rhine (River), 186, 189, 201, 202, 251, 265, 273, 279, 280, 282, 292,\n    298, 396, 456, 459, 461.\n  Rhineland, 114, 162, 190.\n  Rhone (River), 398.\n  Ribestein, 199, 200, 201, 203, 206.\n  Richard, son of Haymon, _v._ Children of Haymon.\n  Richonde, 424.\n  Rimstein, 197.\n  Ring (Magic), 176.\n  Rinold of Milan, 219, 220.\n  Ritchart, 295.\n  Rivalin, 463, 464, 465.\n  Rodgeier, 116, 119-121.\n  Roland, 371, 372, 379, 382, 383, 386, 395, 396-407.\n  Romaburg, _v._ Rome.\n  Rome, 64, 125, 169, 200, 203, 206, 213, 224, 374, 400, 412, 481.\n  Ronceval, 403-407, 409.\n  Rosamund, 19-27.\n  Rose Garden, the Great, 185.\n  Rose Garden, the Little, 173-184.\n  Rosen (Sword), 74, 76.\n  Rothaires, 27.\n  Rother, King, 28-54.\n  Round Table, 430, 431, 438, 439, 442, 447, 453.\n  Rual, 463, 464, 465, 466, 473.\n  R\u00fcdiger of Bechelaren, 189, 190, 191, 193, 208, 214, 294, 295, 296,\n    303, 304.\n  Rumolt, 238.\n  Runes, 357.\n  Ruother, _v._ Rother.\n  Ruotwin, 146.\n  Ruotze, 71, 74, 75.\n  Rype (Knight), 387.\n\n\n  Sabene, 87-92, 112, 113.\n  Saforet, 379.\n  Salern, 115.\n  Sampsing, _v._ Samson.\n  Samson, King, 115-124, 222.\n  Sangreal, _v._ Grail, Holy.\n  Saracens, 409, 420, 453, 454.\n  Saragossa, 400, 402, 406.\n  Scotland, 322.\n  Schilbung, King, 235.\n  Seeburg, Queen, 162.\n  Seine (River), 382, 394, 395.\n  She-wolf of the Sea, 354.\n  Sibich, 200, 203, 204, 206, 207, 223, 479.\n  Sicily, 58, 64.\n  Sidrat, Princess, 57, 69-71, 79-81.\n  Siegfried, 229-273, 275, 276, 277, 279, 282, 283, 286, 287, 297, 298,\n    299, 304, 305, 321, 326, 327, 341, 345, 349.\n  Siegmund, 229, 230, 257, 259, 261, 262, 270, 272.\n  Siegmund (Siegfried), 349.\n  Siegwart, 229.\n  Sigebrand, 208, 307, 312, 313.\n  Sigelinde, Queen, 229, 259, 260.\n  Sigeminne, 92-106.\n  Sigestab, 189, 203, 206, 295.\n  Sigfr\u00eet, 229.\n  Sigunne, 425, 429, 430, 437, 452.\n  Sigur\u00f0r, 229.\n  Sinai, 183.\n  Sindolt, 238.\n  Sintram (Dwarf), 181.\n  Skeming (Horse), 196.\n  Ski\u00f6ll, 243, 347, 348.\n  Ski\u00f6ldings, the, 348, 349, 351.\n  Soti, 169.\n  Spain, 191, 372, 406, 409.\n  Spoleto, Duke of, 205.\n  Stag, Golden, 96, 97.\n  St. Denys, 387, 404, 412.\n  Steiermark, 172.\n  St. James the Apostle, 400.\n  Studas, 153, 154, 203.\n  Sturmland, 315, 341, 346.\n  Styria, 172, 174, 189.\n  Suders, City of, 64.\n  Susat, 194, 208.\n  Swan-garments, 280.\n  Swanhild, 199, 201.\n  Swan-maidens, 280.\n  Swedes, 349, 359.\n  Swemmeling, 279, 303, 304, 305.\n  Swithiod (Sweden), 358.\n  Swords, _v._ Balmung, Durindart, Ecke-sax, Flammberg, Hrunting,\n    Mimung, Nagelring, N\u00e4gling, Rosen.\n  Syria, 57.\n\n\n  Tannh\u00e4user, 475-482.\n  Tarasconia, 379.\n  Tchionatulander, 425, 429, 430.\n  Telramund, Count of, 455, 456, 459, 461.\n  Templars of the Holy Grail, 452.\n  Terramer, 416, 417.\n  Terreman, Emir, 410.\n  Theoderic, 20.\n  Thessalonians, 83, 85, 87.\n  Thiedrich, 406, 407.\n  Thuringia, 289, 478.\n  Thurisind, 20.\n  Tibalt, Emir, 410, 411.\n  Titurel, 419, 420, 421, 422, 424, 425, 426, 451, 452.\n  Titurisone, 419, 420.\n  Toads, Magic, and eggs, 71-73.\n  Tralenburg, 202.\n  Transylvania, 215.\n  \u201cTrekanfil,\u201d 198.\n  Trevrezent, 425, 447, 448, 449.\n  Tring, 289.\n  Tristram, 463-474.\n  Tristan, _v._ Tristram.\n  Tronege, 209.\n  Turpin, Bishop, 379, 404, 405, 406.\n  Tuscany, 64, 200.\n  Tuscany, Margrave of, 80.\n  Tyre, 64, 65.\n  Tyrol, 174, 184.\n\n\n  Ulen, Battle of, 477.\n  Ute, Queen, 207, 216, 217, 223, 238, 239, 242, 243, 252, 257, 258,\n    262, 272, 273, 275, 276, 279, 304, 305, 308, 313.\n\n\n  Valencia, 410, 411.\n  Valkyrs, 235, 262, 398.\n  Venus, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482.\n  Verona, _v._ Bern.\n  Vespasian, 419.\n  Vienna, Siege of, 396-401.\n  Vikings, 115.\n  Virginal, Queen, 146-151, 154, 183, 205.\n  Vivian, 412.\n  Vivianz, 412.\n  Volker of Alzeyen, 238, 265, 266, 283, 284, 285, 288, 289, 290, 293,\n    294, 295.\n  Vosges, 170, 212.\n  Vulcanus, Mount, 369.\n\n\n  Wachilde, 220.\n  Walberan, 182, 183.\n  Walchtheov, 354.\n  Waldemar, King, 214.\n  Waleis, 454.\n  Walgund, 83, 84.\n  Wali, 276.\n  Walkyrs, _v._ Valkyrs.\n  Walter of Wasgenstein, 170, 209-213.\n  Walter, 404, 406.\n  Wartburg Castle, 478.\n  Wasengau (Vosges), 212.\n  Wate, 315, 317, 318, 319, 320, 328, 329, 341, 342, 345, 346.\n  Waxmuth, 88, 89, 113.\n  Wayland the Smith, _v._ Wieland the Smith.\n  Welle, 71.\n  Weohstan, 359.\n  Westenmer, 125.\n  Westphalia, 396.\n  Wichart, son of Haymon, _v._ Children of Haymon.\n  Wichstan, 359, 362, 363.\n  Widolf (Giant), 192, 194, 195, 196.\n  Widolt, 50-54.\n  Wieland the Smith, 152-162, 197, 230, 356, 362.\n  Wildeber, 162, 168, 194, 195, 196.\n  Wilkin-men, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 319.\n  Wilkinus, King, 158, 191, 192.\n  William of Orange, 408-418.\n  Wisora, 163.\n  Wittich, 157-162, 163, 168, 170, 174, 175-178, 179, 189, 191, 194,\n    196, 197, 198, 202, 204, 206, 218, 220, 275, 281.\n  Wodan, 25, 31, 226, 229, 304.\n  Wolfbrand, 295.\n  Wolfdieterich, 87, 88, 89-114.\n  Wolfhart, 174-176, 181, 189, 190, 205, 208, 294, 295.\n  Wolfings, 206, 216, 222, 229.\n  Wolfrat, 49.\n  Wolfwin, 295.\n  W\u00f6lpensand, 328, 345.\n  W\u00f6lsung, 349.\n  W\u00f6rbeling, 279.\n  Worms, 186, 190, 234, 237, 241, 251, 257, 261, 262, 269, 272, 274,\n    299, 303, 304.\n  W\u00fclfings, 114.\n\n\n  Ylyas, 56-81, 192.\n  Yseult (Isolde), 466.\n\n\n  Zacharias, 58, 64, 65.\n  Zealand, 192, 325, 326, 327, 329.\n\n\n                         ---------------------\n\n     Butler & Tanner, The Selwood Printing Works, Frome, and London.\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n                           Transcriber's Notes\n\n  When italics were used in the original book, the corresponding text\n  has been surrounded by _underscores_.\n\n  Some presumed printer's errors have been corrected, including\n  normalizing punctuation. Page number references in the Table of\n  Contents and Index were corrected where errors were found. Further\n  corrections are listed below with the printed text (top) and\n  corrected text (bottom):\n\n                 Tristram and Isold\n                 Tristram and Isolde (Table of Contents)\n\n                 Herling\n                 Herlind (p. 39)\n\n                 gransdon\n                 grandson (p. 60)\n\n                 Harnboge\n                 Hornboge (p. 160)\n\n                 befal\n                 befall (p. 197)\n\n                 month\n                 mouth (p. 370)\n\n                 Aspilian\n                 Asperian (Index)","title":"Epics and Romances of the Middle Ages","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":131547}