Of all the deeds of kindness that here by them were done—
The tale might not be trusted, how they for these were ready;
They strove to gain high praises, and this at court was told to many a lady.
Of the poor nor man nor woman for clothes was seen to lack;
To those in need among them they gave their pledges back,
And from debt they freed them. To the princess, morn and even,
Oft by her faithful steward the tale of these guests from far was truly given.
To the king she made her prayer: “Dearest father mine,
Ask that these guests so worthy to ride to court will deign.
They say that one among them hath charms beyond all measure;
Should he to your bidding listen, the sight of him ofttimes would give me pleasure.”
To her the king thus answered: “That shall quickly be;
His well-bred ways and bearing I soon will let you see.”
But still the great King Hagen never yet had known him;
Long the ladies waited till Wâ-te came, and they could look upon him.
Word to the guests was carried; to them ’twas kindly said,
That if it e’er should happen that they of aught had need,
They should to the king betake them, and his food be sharing.
To Fru-te this was pleasing, for wise he was, not less than he was daring.
Those who came from Denmark, when at court, took care
Ever to be blameless for the clothes that they should wear:
’Twas so with the men of Wâ-te, from Sturmland thither faring,
And than himself no sword-knight in any land could show a finer bearing.
Those who came with Morunc wore mantles over all,
With robes from far Kampalia. Fiery red, as a coal,
Gold and gems that sparkled on their clothes were shining.
Irold, the daring champion, came not alone, young Hilda bent on winning.
Thither came brave Horant; all others he out-vied
In rich and costly clothing. With mantles long and wide,
Gay in hue and gaudy, his men were decked out brightly:
Those brave men from Denmark proudly came, and had a look most knightly.
Though Hagen’s birth was kingly, and lordly was his mood,
He yet went forth to meet them. His daughter, fair and good,
Rose up before old Wâ-te from where she now was seated.
Such was Wâ-te’s bearing as if with smiles his friends he never greeted.
She said, in way most seemly: “Welcome to you I give;
Both I and the king, my father, must from your looks believe
That you are weary warriors, and sorely have been fighting.
Goodwill the king will show you, and soon his faith to you will he be plighting.”
To her they all bent lowly; their ways, they were well-bred.
The king then bade to be seated, as hosts are wont to bid.
Of drink to them was given, wine the best and rarest;
Better ne’er was tasted in the home of any lord, albeit the fairest.
In talk and fun and merriment seated were they all.
Soon the queenly maiden was seen to leave the hall:
But first she begged her father the kindness now to show her
To bid the knights so worthy to come to her, for pastime, to her bower.
Her wish the king then granted, (so to us, ’tis said);
His young and lovely daughter at this was truly glad.
Soon fair clothes and jewels the maidens all were wearing;
And earnestly were watching the many knights from far, to see their bearing.
When now the elder Hilda sat by her daughter fair,
Each one of her lovely maidens demeaned herself with care;
So that all who saw her high in breeding thought her,
And nothing else could say of her, but that she was indeed a king’s fair daughter.
Now bade they that old Wâ-te should to the maids be brought;
Though he was gray and aged, none the less they thought,
To guard against his wooing, they must as children meet him.
Then to the aged Wâ-te stepped forth the youthful queen, right glad to greet him.
She was the first to do so, but wished she might be spared
When she now must kiss him: broad and gray was his beard,
And the hair of the aged Wâ-te with golden strings was braided.
He and the Danish Fru-te the queen’s behest to seat them slowly heeded.
Both the well-clad heroes before their seats now stood;
Well they knew fine breeding, and made their teaching good.
In many a bitter struggle, in their manhood early,
They gained a name as warriors; and men to them gave praises for it fairly.
Queen Hilda and her daughter, in lively, merry mood,
Began to ask of Wâ-te, whether he thought it good,
Thus with lovely ladies to sit in ease and pleasure,
Or if to him ’twere better his strength in stormy fight with foes to measure?
The aged Wâ-te answered: “To me the last seems best;
Altho’ among fair ladies glad am I to rest,
Never am I happier than when with knights most daring,
Wherever that may happen, upon the stormy field the fight I am sharing.”
At this the gay young maiden broke into laughter loud;
Well she saw, with ladies, his stern, uneasy mood.
With this in the halls yet longer were the maidens merry;
Queen Hilda and her daughter to talk with Morunc’s knights were never weary.
She asked about old Wâ-te: “Say, by what name is he known?
Has he any liegemen? Doth he lands and castles own?
Has he a wife and children in the land whence he is roving?
There, as I am thinking, at his home and hearth, there must be little loving.”
Then answered one of the warriors: “Both children and a wife
In his home and land await him. His riches and his life
He risketh for his duty; a hero brave he has shown him.
A bold and daring champion, throughout his life, both friend and foe have known him.”
Irold the tale was telling about this fearless knight,
That never worthier liegeman, or bolder man in fight,
A king need e’er be seeking, his lands and castles over:
Though mildly now he bears him, there ne’er was found a stronger or a braver.
The queen then said to Wâ-te: “Give heed to what I say;
Since in his Danish kingdom Hettel forbids your stay,
I here, within my borders, a home will gladly give you;
There lives no lord so mighty that he would ever dare from hence to drive you.”
Then to the queen he answered: “I too, myself, own land;
There give I clothes and horses, at will, with open hand.
To wait on you as liegeman, would make me sorry-hearted;
And from my lands and castles, more than a year, I never can be parted.”
At last they all were going: then begged the lovely queen,
That when at court they waited, they always might be seen
Seated among the ladies; no shame by this were done them:
Then said to her brave Irold, that in their home this seat was ever shown them.
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