In her heart she bore him, and owned the truth to all, no falsehood speaking.
The brave and happy Herwic begged that he might dare
To woo the fair young maiden. Now to grant his prayer
Were Hettel and Hilda ready; but first must they be knowing
Whether Gudrun, their daughter, was glad or sorry for the kingly Herwic’s wooing.
Herwic was quick in learning how kindly was her mood:
And now the brave young warrior before the maiden stood,
In shape as fair and comely as if the hand of a master
On a white wall had drawn him: while there he stood her love but grew the faster.
“If you your love will give me,” he said, “most lovely maid,
Then shall my truest worship to you be ever paid;
Throughout my lands and castles to you there shall be given
My kinsmen’s faithful service, and ne’er shall I repent that thus I’ve striven.”
She said: “I give you freely the love for which you pray;
By all your toils and daring you well have earned to-day
That you and all my kindred foes shall be no longer.
Now none can make me sorrow, and every day our bliss shall grow the stronger.”
Then they sent for Hettel: thus ended was the fight.
Soon came he to his daughter; and many a faithful knight
Followed the king, their master, who unto him had ridden
From all the Hegeling kingdom. Thus to the strife a long farewell was bidden.
Now when Hettel’s kinsmen their wish for this did speak,
Then asked he of his daughter if she would gladly take
Herwic, the knight so noble, who in his heart had set her.
Then said the lovely maiden: “There’s not another I could love the better.”
They then betrothed the maiden at once to the knightly king,
Who in his land would crown her. This did gladness bring
To him, and sorrow likewise: ere many years were ended,
And she to him was wedded, good knights in stormy fight their lives defended.
To take the maiden with him Herwic now was fain;
But this her mother grudged him: thereby much woe and pain
Came upon him later from foes as yet unheeded.
The king was told by Hilda that longer time ere she be crowned was needed.
They thought it best for Herwic to leave the maiden there,
While he with other women might pass the time elsewhere,
And wait to wed the lady until a year were ended.
This learned the men of Alzabie: to wait so long for her young Herwic ill befriended.
Tale XIII
How Siegfried Made War Against Herwic
Siegfried, a rival suitor for Gudrun, invades the land of Herwic, who sends to Hettel for his assistance: Hettel with many of his vassals comes to his help. Siegfried is driven into a castle, and there besieged.
Siegfried, king of Moorland, called for all his men;
Ships were soon made ready, wherever they were seen;
Then with food and weapons to load them it was bidden,
For war against King Herwic: from all but faithful friends his thoughts were hidden.
A score of wide, strong barges bade he to be made.
I ween they liked it little to whom the king now said
That forthwith unto Sealand to fight must they be faring;
And he would thither hasten as soon as, winter o’er, springtide was nearing.
Eighty thousand warriors soon to him had come;
Of fighting men in Alzabie none were left at home.
Then swore the Moorland princes for war to make them ready;
Some of these still lingered, others to follow with the king were speedy.
Then against the Sealands the threat of war he made.
This roused the wrath of Herwic, who well might him upbraid;
To earn the hate of Siegfried wrong had he done him never.
His marches and his castles he bade his men to guard, now more than ever.
Then he said in sorrow to friends who came in haste
That foes would burn his castles, and his lands lay waste:
All he could give his liegemen, that he held but lightly.
They took their wages gladly; that war would bring them riches, hoped they rightly.
About the gladsome May-time, there went across the sea
Warriors out of Alzabie, and eke from Abakie.
Onward came they proudly, as though the world’s end seeking;
Many now trod boldly who in the dust their rest would soon be taking.
Into the land of Herwic they cast the burning brand.
Then all whom he could gather, and all his friends at hand,
Rode to the field with Herwic. Thro’ war-storms grimly driven,
They with their lives must bargain for gold and gems and silver to them given.
To him, the king of Sealand, great ill erelong was wrought.
A stalwart foeman was he: Aha, how well he fought!
He made the land the richer with the dead there lying:
The old in fight grew youthful: the strong were slain, who recked not yet of dying.
Long the fighting lasted, till thickly lay the dead:
Then to the brave King Herwic came at last the need
To flee into his marches, for life he there was turning;
All his lands lay smoking: of this to Gudrun, his lady, sent he warning.
Now to the land of Hettel men at his bidding went:
Many tears and bitter they shed when they were sent
To find the great King Hettel, and the tale to him to carry.
They were not long in showing unto the king their plight so hard and dreary.
Though sad in mood he found them, a welcome kind he gave,
Such as far-off wanderers and homeless friends should have.
He asked if from their homesteads they were hither driven,
When foes their lands had wasted, and all their marches had to flames been given.
Then to him they answered: “In sorrow did we leave:
The faithful men of Herwic, from early morn till eve,
Sell their lives full dearly, and well his gifts are earning;
They fight for name and honor: for this at home are many women mourning.”
Then to them said Hettel: “To my daughter make it known;
Whatever she shall wish for at once shall that be done.
If she for vengeance calleth for the wrongs he wrought you,
We then will help you gladly, and pay him back the ill that he has brought you.”
Before they yet had spoken unto the fair young maid,
Already of her sorrow her friends had taken heed.
The lady had been longing to see the heralds hourly;
Them in haste she sent for, the loss of land and honor, mourning sorely.
When they came before her, they found the queenly maid
Sitting sad, and weeping— faithful love she had;
She asked them of her lover, and how they leave had taken,
And if he still was living when they of late had land and home forsaken.
Then answered one among them: “We left him sound and well;
But since the day we saw him we know not what befell,
Or how
