And how, thro’ days so many, their lives to them were spared,
Were it not that God in heaven for them in kindness cared.
Hagen now no longer need live without a fellow;
Those good and lovely maidens soon found the little waif in a rocky hollow.
When, crawling to his hiding, they the child did see,
It might, so thought the maidens, a dwarfish goblin be,
Or perhaps it was a water-oaf, from out the sea up-driven;
But when the boy came near them, at once a welcome kind to him was given.
Hagen was ware of the maidens, as into their cave they stole,
While with fear and sadness their little hearts were full,
Before they yet had knowledge that they a Christian greeted.
But the care they later showed him lifted the pain from many hearts o’erweighted.
First spake the eldest maiden: “How darest thou in our cave,
Where from the God of heaven we home and shelter have?
Go, seek again thy playmates, the billowy waters under;
Enough ourselves we sorrow, and on our bitter lot in sadness ponder.”
The high-born child then answered: “I pray you let me stay;
I truly am a Christian, you must not say me nay.
One of the griffins seized me, and to the cave did carry;
I cannot live all lonely, and here with you would I most gladly tarry.”
Then to the child so friendless they loving welcome gave;
But they of his worth thereafter did better knowledge have.
They now could ask him only, whence he had been stolen;
But, such was then his hunger, in telling his tale, his heart was full and swollen.
Then spake the little foundling: “Food I sorely need;
Give to me, in kindness, a little drink and bread.
’Tis long since I have had it, and now three days I’m fasting,
The while the griffin bore me, and full a hundred miles was hither hasting.”
Then answered one of the maidens: “Our lot it so hath been,
That we our wonted cup-bearers never here have seen;
Neither our lordly steward, who should food to us be giving.”
Still they praised God’s goodness; altho’ their years were few, they were wisely living.
A search they soon were making for roots and herbage wild,
Wherewith they hoped to strengthen Sigeband’s darling child.
Such food as they had lived on they gave to him most freely;
To him ’twas a meal unwonted, but such as they long time had eaten daily.
Yet he needs must eat it, for hunger sore he hath,
And hard it is to any to meet with bitter death.
Thro’ all the days so dreary, while with the maidens dwelling,
To them his help most willing he ever gave, his thankfulness thus telling.
They, too, had him in keeping, that can I say for truth;
He there grew up in sadness, throughout his early youth;
Until, one day, the children, to make them greatly sorrow,
Before their cavern-dwelling saw wonders rise, that threatened more to-morrow.
I know not from what border, tossing o’er sea to land,
Came to those shores so rocky a holy pilgrim band.
The ground-swell it was heavy, and rocked the bark full sorely;
Thereat the banished maidens felt their care and sorrow growing hourly.
Soon the ship was shattered; not one his life could save.
Quickly the stern old griffins came down beside the wave;
Seizing many drowned ones, back to their nest they hurried.
Many a woman was mourning, soon as the sorry tale to her was carried.
When to the hungry nestlings the food they took in haste,
Back again the griffins came from their offspring’s nest;
From what far spot I know not, along the sea-paths flying.
Their young they left on the hillside, with a neighbor grim, while they were hither hieing.
One day the goods of the sailors Hagen saw near the sea,
For many had been drowned there; holy men were they.
He thought, among the wreckage, food might still lie hidden;
But, through fear of the wicked griffins, he softly crept to the shore, by hunger bidden.
No one could he find there, but a body in armor alone;
Thereby the wild old griffin hard work would give him soon.
Out from his armor he shook him, nor did he spurn to wear it:
He found a bow and weapons, by its side, on the sandy shore, lying near it.
With these himself he girded, that simple little child;
When in the air above him he heard a rushing wild.
He wished that he had loitered, the sorry little master;
But quickly came the griffin; to the sheltering cavern fain would he flee the faster.
The bird swung down in anger to the sandy beach and foam;
The little playmate and fellow of the young it left at home,
Would by the angry griffin have at once been swallowed;
But now the bold young Hagen the ways of a daring foeman bravely followed.
He with strength but youthful the tightened string drew out,
And arrows swift and many from the well-bent bow he shot.
Alas! he did not hit him; what hope of his ill-luck turning?
Then he of the sword bethought him; he heard the maids bewailing him and mourning.
Though his years were not yet many, he still was brave enough;
A wing from the angry griffin he struck at the shoulder off,
And in the leg he smote him a heavier blow and stronger;
So that his wounded body the bird away from the spot could drag no longer.
The boy was now the winner; one of his foes lay dead;
But quickly came another, who sorrow for him made.
All at last were slaughtered; nor old nor young were living;
God in heaven helped him; but truly against such strength ’twere hopeless striving.
When he that feat of wonder had done, with heart so brave,
He called the friendly maidens from out their rocky cave.
He said: “Let air and sunshine your sorry hearts be filling;
Since now the God in heaven to grant to us some bliss at last is willing.”
His call they kindly welcomed, and many times, forsooth,
The boy by the lovely maidens was kissed upon the mouth.
Their keeper now lay lifeless; and none there was to hinder
Their roaming o’er the hillsides, and, far or near, at their goodwill to wander.
By help of the boy, from sorrow they now were wholly free;
The little childish wanderer, so skilled with the bow was he,
That birds his well-shot arrows could never shun by flying.
He shot them now for pastime; but to get them soon for food must he be trying.
He in heart was daring, he was mild, but also brave;
Hey! from the wild beasts learning, what nimble leaps he gave!
As doth the strong young panther, over the rocks he scrambled;
Himself was his only teacher, and, far away from kin, alone he rambled.
While on the shore, by the waters, his time he often spent,
He saw, among the sea-waves, live fishes, as he went;
To catch them it were easy, but yet he did not get them,
For with fire
