For all your help we thank you, nor in our woe do scorn the love you bear us.”
Wâ-te went on further, and Herwic soon he found,
And with him youthful Ortwin, as king in Ortland owned.
Irold was there and Morunc; Fru-te had thither hasted:
None of these were idle; many they slew, nor soon from slaughter rested.
Quickly then came Hergart, the lady of a duke,
And said: “Gudrun, good lady, on me with kindness look—
On me, a wretched woman. Forget not that we ever
Have been and are your handmaids; and let me, lady, lose thy friendship never.”
Gudrun in anger answered: “Stand back, come not so near!
Whatever we poor maidens of wrong have had to fear,
For all you wept but little, and cared for it but slightly.
Not much do I care either whether for you it now goes ill or rightly.
“You still among my maidens may linger, if you choose.”
Now the stern old Wâ-te looked round among his foes,
To find the wicked Gerlind, whom he in wrath was seeking.
That devilish crone, with her women, the kindness of Gudrun was now bespeaking.
Grimly then old Wâ-te stood before the hall,
And said: “Gudrun, my lady, send down, with her maidens all,
The old and wicked Gerlind, who made you wash by the water;
And with her send her kinsmen, who in our land so many knights did slaughter.”
The lovely maiden answered: “Not one of them is here.”
Then Wâ-te, in his anger, went in and to her came near;
He said: “Now show me quickly the women I am seeking;
Else shall they, with your maidens, all alike in the grave their home be making.”
Wâ-te was sorely angry, of this was she aware.
A wink of her eye then gave him a lovely maiden there,
And he knew the old she-devil, on whom her glance was turning.
“Tell me,” he said, “Queen Gerlind, for other maids to wash are you still yearning?”
Then by the hand he took her, and dragged her thence away;
The while the wicked Gerlind sank down in sore dismay.
Said Wâ-te, wild to madness: “Most lofty queen, I warn you,
Never again, at your bidding, shall my ladies wash for you; they now can scorn you.”
I ween that when he brought her without the palace gate,
All looked on to witness what he would do in his hate.
Then by the hair he grasped her, no one a whit he dreaded,
His wrath indeed was bitter, and at once the evil queen he there beheaded.
Loudly shrieked the maidens, their fright at this was sore.
Back again went Wâ-te, and said: “Who is there more,
Who to the queen owns kinship? To me you now must show her;
However high she holds her, I yet to earth her head will quickly lower.”
Sobbing then and weeping, the child of Hettel said:
“Let these with me find shelter, who now to me have fled,
To ask of me forgiveness, here my love bespeaking.
This is the well-born Ortrun, who with her Norman maids my help is seeking.”
Those who were forgiven she bade stand further back.
Then, in mood unfriendly, the angry Wâ-te spake:
“Where shall I find young Hergart, now of a lord the lady,
Who here within this kingdom to take the love of the king’s great lord was ready?”
None of them would tell him, but he to her came near,
And said: “Were you the owner of all this kingdom here,
Who could in you be looking to see so proud a bearing?
Ill have you served your lady, here in the land where you her lot were sharing.”
Then all cried out together: “Let her now go free.”
But the aged Wâ-te answered: “That can never be;
I have the care of the women; behold my overseeing!”
With a stroke he her beheaded, while the maids in fright behind Gudrun were fleeing.
Now from the bloody struggle there was a rest for all.
Then the brave King Herwic came to Ludwig’s hall,
Leading in his warriors, with stains of blood upon them.
Gudrun her welcome gave him; her love for him was shown, and kindness done them.
Soon the knightly Herwic his sword from his side unbound:
He then shook off his armor into his shield on the ground,
And stood before the ladies; iron-stained was his body.
That day, for love of his lady, he oft on the field had hewn a pathway bloody.
With him came Ortwin also, who was of Ortland king.
When Irold came with Morunc, the clothes they off did fling
Worn outside their armor, for they were over-heated.
They wished to see the ladies, and hoped by them they would be kindly greeted.
When now the Danish warriors were both with slaughter spent,
They laid aside their weapons, and before the ladies went.
Shields no longer bore they, their helmets were unfastened;
A very loving welcome to give to both the knights Gudrun then hastened.
Irold and Morunc with him then most lowly bowed
Before the lovely maiden. How well her bearing showed
That to see these guests so lordly she was indeed most willing!
Right glad and happy truly the child of the Hegeling Hilda now was feeling.
Alike they all were thinking, both lords and all their men:
“Since now we have the castle— the stronghold Kassiane—
Of the land are we the masters, and everything is ours.”
Soon bade the aged Wâ-te that men should burn with fire the palace with its towers.
The Danish Fru-te answered: “That may never be;
In this my queenly lady to live must now be free.
Bid that from out the castle men the dead shall carry;
Then ’twill be the better for all our knights who in the land shall tarry.
“Very strong is the castle, wide it is and good;
Bid from the walls now everywhere to wash away the blood,
That for a home the maidens may not dislike it wholly:
Then the land of Hartmut we will raid throughout, and see it fully.”
They did as Fru-te bade them, for wise he was, in truth;
They bore from out the castle many who there, forsooth,
Were sorely slashed and wounded, and many who were dying:
Then to the waves they carried those who before the gates in death were lying.
They to the sea entrusted four thousand of the dead;
This to them was toilsome, but Fru-te thus had bade.
The work that they were doing not as yet was ended;
Then in Ludwig’s castle the maid Ortrun was held, now ill-befriended.
Two and sixty warriors and thirty maidens fair
With her were also taken. Then said Gudrun: “Forbear!
The maids are in my keeping, my word to them I plighted:
Wâ-te may do as he wishes with the knights he seized, until my wrongs are righted.”
Siegfried, king of Moorland, found a welcome warm,
As should to knights be granted after the battle-storm.
Thanks to that worthy warrior were by the ladies given,
That he from the land of Karadie so far had come, and so well for them had striven.
To the care of the Danish
