If e’er my eyes behold them, ill shall they be faring:
Through them have I much sorrow, untold and openly, for years been bearing.
“The news that you have brought me a rich reward shall gain;
For you my heart have lightened of hopeless woe and pain.
Gold I give you freely, and this I do most rightly.”
They said: “Most noble lady, to make us rich we need your gold but slightly.
“Of the booty we have gotten we’re bringing home so much,
You need not think us scornful if your gold we do not touch:
Indeed, our boats are heavy with shining gold they’re bearing.
Over all our riches keepers we have, who well for it are caring.”
Then did Lady Hilda, when she the tidings heard
That guests so dear were coming, for food and drink give word;
For stools and benches, also, on which they should be seated.
She of all was thoughtful, that they might feel that they were fitly greeted.
Now at Matelan castle none were idle found;
Down on the sandy beaches and on the level ground
Workmen quickly gathered, who nought of toil abated
That fair Gudrun and Herwic, as them beseemed, should worthily be seated.
I cannot tell you truly if aught upon the sea
Of ill had them befallen. Six long weeks it must be
Ere Ortwin’s men saw Matelan at length before them looming.
They brought with them their lady, and many well-bred maids with her were coming.
When now they reached their homeland, this for truth we hear,
Their search and strife for the lady had lasted full a year:
It was upon a May-time their foes they home were bringing.
Their toils were not forgotten, but, as they came, the strand with shouts was ringing.
Soon as Matelan castle now from the ships was seen,
Of sackbuts and of trumpets loud began the din,
Of horns as well as fluting, and drums that men were beating.
The ships of the aged Wâ-te at last in a harbor good their rest were meeting.
After these came also Ortland’s warriors brave;
Then Hilda with her ladies to them a welcome gave.
Out from Matelan’s castle she to the shore went riding;
Gudrun they saw was coming, with well-bred maidens wont to do her bidding.
Alighted from their horses, and standing on the sand,
Were Hilda and all her ladies. Then, leading by the hand
Gudrun, the lovely maiden, came Irold, proud and knightly.
Though Hilda well had known her, yet now she knew her not, nor others rightly.
Hilda, among the followers a hundred women saw;
She said: “I know not truly which one from me should draw
A mother’s loving welcome; unknown to me is my daughter:
I give to all my greeting who here with her have come across the water.”
“This is your long-lost daughter,” by Irold she was told;
Hilda to her stepped nearer. Could ever wealth or gold
Outweigh the bliss that filled them, as each the other greeted,
And welcome gave with kisses? Now from their hearts had all their sorrow fleeted.
To Irold and his kinsmen kind greeting Hilda said;
Then to the aged Wâ-te a lowly bow she made.
“Welcome, knight of Sturmland! bravely thou hast striven!
Who can e’er reward thee, unless to thee both land and crown are given?”
He to the lady answered: “To help you all I may,
For that am I most willing, e’en to my latest day.”
Then, for love, she kissed him, and Ortwin thus she greeted.
Now came Herwic also, with proud and worthy knights, as him befitted.
Ortrun, the Norman maiden, then by the hand he led.
Gudrun besought her mother kindly to meet the maid:
“Dear lady, greet with kisses this good and high-born maiden;
Oft in my years of sorrow my life with help and kindness she did gladden.”
“To none will I give kisses who is to me unknown.
Who are this maiden’s kinsmen? What name doth the lady own,
That you should bid me kiss her, and be so friendly with her?”
He said: “Her name is Ortrun; she from the Norman kingdom cometh hither.”
“Never shall I kiss her; how can you ask for this?
If I should bid them kill her I should not do amiss.
Truly have her kinsmen filled my life with sorrow;
They fed their eyes upon it, and gladness all the while from this did borrow.”
Gudrun to Hilda answered: “Ne’er hath this lovely maid
The word to any given that wrong on you be laid.
Bethink you now, dear mother, would blame to me be owing
Should our men slay her kinsmen? To the luckless maid, I beg, your love be showing.”
Gudrun in vain besought her, until at last, with tears,
The maid now begged her mother; then gave she willing ears,
And said: “I can no longer see you sadly weeping:
If e’er the maiden helped you, for this shall she, in my land, her life be keeping.”
Then the stately Hilda kissed King Ludwig’s child,
And greeted other ladies, e’en as Gudrun had willed.
Then came also Hildeburg, from far-off lands brought thither,
Erst with her found washing. Now, by the hand, Sir Fru-te led her hither.
Then Gudrun said further: “Mother, most dear to me,
Your greeting give to Hildeburg. What better can there be
Than true and faithful friendship? Gold and jewels even,
Whate’er the kingdom holdeth, to Hildeburg most rightly should be given.”
Then said to her Queen Hilda: “To me it hath been told
How she both weal and sorrow hath borne with you of old.
Never shall I sit happy beneath the crown I’m wearing,
Till I indeed reward her for all the ills that she with you was sharing.”
At once she kissed the maiden, and others, too, as well.
Then Hilda said to Fru-te: “No shame for this I feel—
That I have come to meet you and those whom you are leading.
Good knights, you all are welcome into the Hegeling land, now homeward speeding.”
As they with thanks were bowing, and she her greeting gave,
Siegfried, king of Moorland, drew nearer on the wave,
And with his warriors, shouting, up to the beach was springing:
A merry song from Araby were all, as best they might, together singing.
Queen Hilda him awaited till on the shore he stood.
Then to the lord of Karadie a greeting warm she showed:
“Sir Siegfried, king of Moorland, welcome to you is given;
It ne’er shall be forgotten how you to right my wrongs have ever striven.”
“Lady, if I have helped you, to do it I was glad.
Now must I hasten thither to where my home I’ve had
Since early days of boyhood, ere I thence had ridden
To war against King Herwic; henceforth to strive with him it is forbidden.”
Then they their ships unloaded, and up they bore on the sand
The many things brought with them into Queen Hilda’s land.
The night was drawing nearer, the air was colder growing;
The guests no longer waited: to seek a shelter they in haste were going.
Then with the guests Queen Hilda rode up on to the plain.
Before great Matelan castle huts and tents
