And give her, in her sorrow, your love and kindly greeting;
You and your daughter, Ortrun, should haste to the shore, the homeless maiden meeting.
“Likewise, riding with you down unto the flood,
Should go both maids and women, and also warriors good.
Her you will find in the harbor who from home was riven;
Both to the maid and her followers a welcome kind by you should now be given.”
Then Queen Gerlind answered: “That will I gladly do;
’Twill make me richly happy King Hettel’s child to know,
And to find that, with her maidens, she has come to tarry.
Well I know that Hartmut will soon be blest, when he the maid shall marry.”
Then she bade that horses, with saddle-cloths, be brought.
Ortrun, the youthful princess, was happy in the thought
Soon in her father’s kingdom to see Gudrun, the maiden,
If this might truly happen; for the speech of all was with her praises laden.
Then out of chests were taken of all the clothes the best
They knew therein were lying, to be worn to meet the guest.
Soon the knights of Hartmut to don the clothes were bidden;
Erelong a throng of followers, gaily bedight, from Gerlind’s halls had ridden.
Upon the third day early, women as well as men,
All who there had gathered before Gerlind, their queen,
To give the maidens welcome, were ready and outfitted;
Out of the gates they crowded, and on their steeds not long in the courtyard waited.
The Normans now with the women had into the harbor come:
The booty they unloaded that they would carry home.
All unto their birthland back had come right gladly;
Gudrun and her band of maidens, alone of all, demeaned themselves but sadly.
Now the brave Sir Hartmut led her forth by the hand,
If she had deemed it fitting, this she had not deigned;
Yet the poor child, in sorrow, took his love but coldly,
Altho’ he showed it warmly, and worship more had done freely and boldly.
With her went sixty maidens who over the sea had come:
One saw, as he beheld them, how that all from their home
Came with proudest bearing. They erst high rank had taken,
In other lands and kingdoms; their hearts were heavy now, of bliss forsaken.
The sister of young Hartmut between two barons rode;
Now to Hilda’s daughter a welcome warm she showed:
Ortrun, Ludwig’s daughter, her eyes now wet with weeping,
Kissed the homeless maiden, while she her fair white hands in her own was keeping.
Then the wife of Ludwig to kiss her, too, was fain,
But to the youthful maiden the thought was full of pain.
Thus she spake to Gerlind: “Why come you here to meet me?
Loath am I to kiss you, and neither can I bear that you should greet me.
“ ’Twas by your own ill-doing that I, poor wretched maid,
Have known no home nor dwelling; heart-sorrow long I’ve had;
My lot, alas! is shameful, and will, I fear, grow harder.”
Then Ortrun strove to soothe her, and did her best that with love Gudrun should reward her.
One by one she greeted the maids on every side.
Now rose a wondrous shouting; men flocked from far and wide:
Upon the pebbly sea-beach stakes for tents were driven;
With silken ropes were they fastened; to Hartmut and his men was shelter in them given.
To bear the goods from the seaside the folk were all astir.
Gudrun, fair maiden, sorrowed, and pain it gave to her
To see that all around her the Normans were so many;
Unless it were to Ortrun, she never showed a friendly mood to any.
The maidens on the seashore must all the day abide.
With tears their eyes were flowing, whatever others did;
Dry were they but seldom, their cheeks were pale with sorrow:
Hartmut tried to soothe them, but their sadness lasted yet through many a morrow.
To hold Gudrun in honor was Ortrun ever stern,
And, e’en if others wronged her, with love to her did turn:
She in her father’s kingdom strove to make her merry,
But, far from friends and kindred, often the poor young girl was sad and weary.
To the Normans home was welcome, as indeed was right;
They boasted much of the booty, both churl as well as knight,
Brought from the Hegeling kingdom, as they home were turning.
What welcome glad all gave them who ne’er to see them hoped, albeit yearning!
Soon as Hartmut’s warriors from all their toil were free,
And they were fully rested from off the stormy sea,
They quickly left each other, for their homes in many places:
While some their hands were wringing, smiles were seen to brighten others’ faces.
Then did Hartmut also turn away from the shore,
And to a stately palace the fair Gudrun he bore.
Henceforth the youthful maiden must tarry there far longer
Than she to stay was minded, and there her woe and pain grew ever stronger.
When now the high-born maiden sat in Hartmut’s hall,
Where his men should crown her, then he bade them all
To be forever faithful, and their goodwill to show her;
So would she not forget them, but would enrich whoe’er should kindness do her.
Then spake the mother, Gerlind, old King Ludwig’s wife:
“When will Gudrun be ready to share young Hartmut’s life,
Our youthful prince so noble, and in her arms to fold him?
Of her his rank is worthy, and ne’er will she be sorry for her lord to hold him.”
Gudrun to this had listened, the wretched, homeless maid;
She said: “My Lady Gerlind, ’twould make you sad indeed
If you must take in wedlock one who the lives had wasted
Of many friends and kinsfolk; by toil for him your life were ever blasted.”
“This shall no one hinder,” to her then said the queen;
“Gainsay his will no longer, let your love for him be seen,
And on my head I pledge you that rich shall be your guerdon:
If to be a queen you spurn not, you of my crown shall bear the happy burden.”
Then said the sorrowing maiden: “That will I never wear;
Of all his wealth and greatness you the tale may spare.
Your son, the knightly Hartmut, my love can ne’er be winning:
Unwilling here I linger, and hence to go I day by day am pining.”
Then the youthful Hartmut, who of the land was lord,
Was angry with the maiden when he her answer heard.
He said: “If, then, to wed her the lady granteth never,
So, also, to the fair one shall my goodwill and love be wanting ever.”
Then the wicked Gerlind to Hartmut said, in turn:
“Ever the young and thoughtless from the wise should learn.
Now leave to me this maiden, let me for her be caring,
And I so well shall teach her that she will quickly drop her lofty bearing.”
“That will I grant you gladly,” Hartmut answering said;
“Whate’er from this may follow, to you I give the maid,
To have in your good keeping, as suits her rank and honor;
The maid
