He set his hawk a-flying, and thence at once he rode.
Very soon thereafter darkened was his mood;
For when the men he greeted, and they their tale were telling,
He learned that the queen, his mother, ever in tears her loss was aye bewailing.
She to the youthful warrior sent her greeting kind:
In her wretched lot, she asked him what might be his mind;
And asked how many followers he could to the war be leading;
For from the Hegeling kingdom they all to the Norman land must soon be speeding.
Then Ortwin sent this answer: “Me dost thou rightly bid;
I from hence will hasten, and bring from far and wide
Twenty thousand fighters— men both brave and daring;
These my steps will follow even to death, their lives and homes forswearing.”
Now from every border many warriors went
Riding to Hilda’s kingdom, for whom the queen had sent;
They vied with one another, to win her praises striving.
Not less than sixty thousand together came, their help for Hilda giving.
On the river Waal Sir Morunc had upon the wave
Of broad-built ships full sixty, strong to bear the brave
Who with the Hegelings sailing would o’er the sea be carried,
To free Gudrun, the maiden, who sadly now among the Normans tarried.
From out the Northland also finest ships were brought,
With horses and with clothing, as good as could be sought:
Decked were all the helmets, the weapons glittered brightly,
Ready for the onset bravely they came, in armor fair and knightly.
Now by their shields men reckoned how many there might be
Who to the Norman kingdom would go the maid to free,
And to the great Queen Hilda their help to give were ready;
They numbered seventy thousand; gifts to all were given by the queenly lady.
On all who there were gathered, or to court who later came,
The queen, though ever mournful, yet let her kindness beam:
She gave them hearty welcome, and every one she greeted;
Wondrous was the clothing that to the chosen knights Queen Hilda meted.
The many ships of Hilda were stored with all things well,
And early on the morrow were ready thence to sail;
Seemly was the outfit for her worthy guests who waited:
They chose not to be going, while aught they lacked to meet the foeman hated.
They put on board the weapons, as was the queen’s behest,
And with them many helmets of beaten steel the best.
Hauberks white were given, besides the ones in wearing,
For warriors full five hundred; these she bade them take, to war now faring.
Their anchor-ropes well twisted of strongest silk were made:
Their sails both rich and showy to the winds were spread;
These to the shores of the Norman the Hegelings would carry,
Who back to Lady Hilda would gladly bring Gudrun, of waiting weary.
The anchors for the sailors were not of iron made,
But of bell-metal moulded; (so have we heard it said:)
They with Spanish brasses all were bound and strengthened,
That loadstones should not hold them, and so the sailors’ way by this be lengthened.
To Wâ-te and his followers the Lady Hilda gave
Many clasps and arm-bands. This roused the strong and brave
To meet their death from foemen, for the Hegelings fighting,
When they from Hartmut’s castle strove to wrest the maid, in bondage sitting.
Freely then and earnestly Queen Hilda spoke her thought
Unto the men from Daneland: “When you have bravely fought
On the stormy field of warfare, I will reward you fitly.
Still my banner follow; that will show the way, and lead you rightly.”
They asked of her, who held it; to this then answered she:
“He bears the name of Horant; a Danish lord is he.
His mother, Hettel’s sister, she it was who bore him;
Let him by you be trusted; forsake him not in fight with foes before him.
“Never, my hardy warriors, must you forget my son,
Young Ortwin, dear-belovèd, to manhood nearly grown.
Of life the youth has numbered twenty years already;
If any risk should threaten, to guard him well then let your help be speedy.”
To this they pledged them gladly, and all together said,
So long as they were with him nought had he to dread;
If he their lead would follow, those from whom he parted
Again unharmed would see him. At this young Ortwin showed himself light-hearted.
Soon the ships were laden with goods of every kind,
And now to tell his wonder none fit words could find.
They asked good Hilda’s blessing on the work now undertaken;
The queen then begged of Heaven that they by Christ should never be forsaken.
Many youths went with them whose fathers erst were slain;
Now bereft, these brave ones to right their wrongs were fain.
The women of the Hegelings were mourning all and weeping,
Beseeching God in Heaven to bring them back their sons in his holy keeping.
But all this pain and sorrow the warriors might not bear;
They sternly bade the women their bitter wails to spare;
Then on their way they started in gladness, shouting loudly,
And as they went on shipboard all were heard to sing, and set forth proudly.
After these daring sailors had cast off from the land,
Many sorrowing women did at the windows stand:
From Matelan’s lofty castle, never the watch forsaking,
Their eyes the sea-path followed, as from the land the men their way were taking.
A friendly wind was blowing, and loudly cracked the mast;
They the sails stretched tightly, and left the land at last.
The son of many a mother went, for honor seeking;
Though this awaited many, yet to gain it they must toil be taking.
I cannot tell you fully of all that them befell,
Save that the lord of Karadie, who in that land did dwell,
With fighters came to help them, the foeman never fearing;
He from home brought with him ten thousand knights, all men of strength and daring.
Where foes upon the Wulpensand had met in deadly fray,
These knights from many a kingdom, now, at this later day,
Chose the spot for meeting; and here they came together:
A church had here been builded, and old and young alike had their gifts brought hither.
Now within its harbor, to seek their fathers’ graves,
Out of the ships here gathered went many of Hilda’s braves.
Bitter was their sorrow, and anger keen did waken;
Hard would it be for any who erst in fight the lives of their friends had taken.
Unto the lord of Moorland they hearty welcome gave.
Four and twenty broad-boats he brought with warriors brave;
Food therein was laden that might for all have lasted
Till twenty years were ended: to war with the Normans now they gladly hasted.
When they to sail were ready, they left the sheltering shore
To make their way o’er the waters; but heavy toil they bore
Upon the wild sea-billows before their sail was ended.
What helped it that their leaders, Fru-te the Dane and Wâ-te, them befriended?
A wind from the south was blowing, and drove them out to sea.
The crew of warlike shipmates from fear no
