Who in the castle of Kassian still were left alive.
To him was Gudrun entrusted, and all her maidens near her:
To her was he a kinsman; they so might hope that he would kindness bear her.
Him they made the master of forty towers strong,
And six wide, roomy dwellings, that stood the shore along.
Over three rich palaces to him was lordship granted,
And there Gudrun, the maiden, with him must stay, and nought she ever wanted.
To guard their ships on the waters others now they bade;
Then back to castle Kassian Hartmut, the knight, was led
With many of his kinsmen, who in the fight were taken;
There the Norman ladies, seized with the knights, were held, by hope forsaken.
They bade that care be taken that none from them might flee;
A thousand of their brave ones must the women oversee:
They, with the men from Denmark, kept guard in many places.
Wâ-te, meanwhile, with Fru-te, sought other foes, and shields to hew in pieces.
Thirty thousand warriors with them the war-path shared.
Fire was thrown on all sides; flames now flashed and flared.
Throughout the land, the dwellings everywhere were burning;
And now the brave young Hartmut, sad at heart, his first true woe was learning.
The warriors from Sturmland, and they of the Danish land,
Broke down the well-built castles on every hill and strand.
They took away more plunder than foemen ever carried;
Many lovely women the Hegelings seized, the while the land they harried.
Before the friends of Hilda came back thro’ the wasted land,
Six and twenty castles fell beneath their hand.
Happy went they homeward; proud were they of their raiding;
Soon of those there taken a thousand or more to Hilda they were leading.
Throughout the Norman kingdom was Hilda’s banner seen,
Waving now unhindered; back again her men
Bore it down to the sea-sand, where they had left their lady.
Here would they stay no longer; to seek their homes they all were glad and ready.
Those who still were resting within King Hartmut’s halls
Down to their friends came riding from out the castle walls.
Gladly both old and youthful now each other greeted;
Then asked they of Denmark: “Youths, what luck in the raid hath you awaited?”
To them King Ortwin answered: “We there have done so well
That I to those who helped me my thanks must ever tell.
Our foes are well rewarded, though sore has been the fighting,
For all the wrongs they did us; a thousand-fold have we ourselves been righting.”
Then spake the aged Wâ-te: “Who best can tarry here
To guard for us this kingdom? Bid now Gudrun, the fair,
Come down again to meet us; soon shall we be going
To Hilda’s land of the Hegelings; and what we bring we will to her be showing.”
Then said they all together, both the old and young:
“To Horant and to Morunc doth the warder’s task belong;
They, and a thousand with them, here in this land must tarry.”
’Twas done as they had bidden; but those who went did many a hostage carry.
When to go back to Hegeling they now made up their minds,
Then to their ships they carried goods of many kinds,
All they once brought with them, and all they had of plunder.
Gladly they bore their booty; on this their friends at home would look with wonder.
Hartmut now was bidden to leave his father’s hall,
With all his bravest warriors, five hundred men in all;
They now were held in bondage who had in strife been taken,
And won from their foes thereafter many a weary day, of hope forsaken.
Ortrun took they likewise, the fair and high-born maid;
On her and on her maidens a heavy woe they laid:
As they away from fatherland far from friends were carried,
They well might know the sorrows felt by Gudrun and her maids, who with them tarried.
Those whom they had taken they bore with them away.
The castles, overmastered, henceforth must own the sway
Of Morunc and of Horant: when they homeward started,
They left in the Norman kingdom a thousand of their men, all fearless-hearted.
“Now do I beseech you,” to them young Hartmut spake,
“That in my father’s kingdom my freedom I may take;
If this to me be granted, I pledge my life and riches.”
The aged Wâ-te answered: “Now in our hands to keep you wisdom teaches.
“Why it is I know not, that ’tis my nephew’s will
To carry home young Hartmut, who him would gladly kill,
And take from him his riches. Even before the morrow,
Were only my nephew willing, I would see that his foe no more in bonds should sorrow.”
Then spake the youthful Ortwin: “What gain to us would come
If we should slay our foemen here in their land and home?
Hartmut and his kindred may better things be hoping;
Them will I bring to my mother, as well beseems a knight to wrong ne’er stooping.”
All their goods and riches down to the ships were brought;
With gold and gems and clothing, and horses they were fraught.
Her whom they had sought for they were homeward bringing:
They who once went mourning now on their way were heard in gladness singing.
Tale XXX
How Gudrun Was Brought Home to Hilda
The Hegeling army returns home, bringing Gudrun and her maidens, with the Norman captives. Hilda welcomes the returning ships, and embraces her daughter, whom she does not at first recognize, after her long absence. By Gudrun’s request, Hilda is reconciled to Hartmut and Ortrun, and Ortwin takes Ortrun for his bride. Hartmut and his men are set free, on their promise not to escape, and Hartmut agrees to wed Hildeburg. Herwic’s sister is sent for, and betrothed to Siegfried.
Homeward the men of the Hegelings gladly took their way;
But many whom they carried erewhile across the sea
Now lay dead and wounded; these must they be leaving:
Three thousand men or over were mourned by friends, who tears to each were giving.
Now their ships went smoothly, the winds for them were good:
Bearing home their booty they came in happy mood.
How it was done I know not, they sent on men before them
Unto the Hegeling ladies: of what had them befallen they tidings bore them.
With all their speed they hastened— that I well can say—
And reached at last their kingdom— I cannot tell the day.
Never a tale so happy had Lady Hilda gladdened
As this that now they told her: Ludwig was slain, who long her life had saddened.
She asked: “Still lives my daughter, and all her maiden band?”
They answered: “Herwic brings her, his own, again to her land.
Ne’er to so brave a warrior it hath befallen better.
Ortrun, too, they are bringing, and Hartmut, her brother; these in bonds they fetter.”
“A happy tale you bring me,” said then the well-bred queen;
“My life with care and sadness by them hath cumbered
