Soon to send for Ortwin; also the Moorland king must them be meeting.
When they to court were coming, finest clothes they wore.
The news Gudrun had told them others to Wâ-te bore;
To Irold, too, they gave it, as soon as he came thither;
This aside they talked of, and fitting speech long time they held together.
Then spake the aged Wâ-te: “Peace we can never know
Until Ortrun and Hartmut to Hilda, the queen, shall go,
And ask of her forgiveness, down at her feet low bending.
Only if she allows it, can we be friends, and hatred have an ending.”
Then spake Gudrun, the high-born: “This I can truly say:
To them is she not unfriendly; Ortrun wears to-day
Such clothes as by my mother to me and my maids were given.
I’ll gladly gain forgiveness; in me they all may trust, from home now riven.”
Within a ring of maidens Ortrun then they set,
And with her also Hildeburg, of birth both high and meet:
Ortwin then and Hartmut led them out to wed them.
“I hope,” said Lady Hilda, “that now, forever, we our friends have made them.”
When to his side young Ortwin did the maiden Ortrun bring,
Lovingly and kindly, he took a golden ring,
And this upon the finger of her fair white hand he fitted.
Then far off were driven the many woes that late her life had greeted.
Hartmut around fair Hildeburg then his arms did throw;
Each on the hand of the other did a golden ring bestow.
The lovely maid was blameless, and sorrow gave him never;
Of him and of fair Hildeburg nothing their faithful hearts thro’ life could sever.
Then said Queen Hilda’s daughter: “Herwic, my lord most dear,
Say, does the land of your fathers lie to us so near
That men could bring your sister, if this by us were needed,
Here to my mother’s kingdom, that she to the lord of Karadie may now be wedded?”
To her King Herwic answered: “This will I say to you:
Your men, if they will hasten, in twelve days’ time can go;
But if any to your kingdom the maiden would be leading,
Ill luck, I ween, awaits him, unless with him my own good knights be speeding.”
Then answered Hilda’s daughter: “Your help, I beg you, grant;
By doing this, of happiness you nought shall ever want.
To your men both food and clothing my mother will be giving;
Only bring us the maiden, that I may thank you, long as you are living.”
To her then said Lord Herwic: “How can she be clad?
The mighty lord of Karadie a waste of my kingdom made;
There he burned my castles, and of her clothes bereft her.”
Then said the king of Moorland: “Her would I woo, if only a smock were left her.”
To bring the maid then Herwic a hundred warriors sent;
He bade his men to hasten when on their way they went.
He begged that Wâ-te and Fru-te would with them go riding:
This was to them a burden; but yet the worthy knights both did his bidding.
With greatest speed they hastened, both by day and night,
Until they found the maiden. Wâ-te they feared would fight—
’Gainst this did Herwic’s liegemen give their careful heeding.
Soon from her home the lady, with four and twenty maids, the knights were leading.
By Wâ-te they were guided from the castle down to the sand:
Two ships they found, with row-boats, lying by the strand;
One of these they seized on, and, helped by breezes blowing,
They fast away were sailing: throughout twelve days they to their homes were going.
When to the land of the Hegelings they had brought the maid,
Many knights bethought them over the sand to speed,
To meet the lovely lady, and all with banners hasted.
They who had brought the maiden had kept their oaths, nor from the task had rested.
How could any maiden a better welcome find?
Gudrun went forth to meet her, and gave her greeting kind;
Hilda, with many ladies, to see the maiden hasted:
Nor came King Herwic’s sister all alone, though with fire her land was wasted.
She from home was followed by full three hundred men.
Now when the kingly Herwic his sister met again,
He, to show her honor, rode forward, proudly dashing;
So did many others: loud were the shields of the knights together clashing.
Four kings both rich and mighty rode to meet her there;
Thereon the knights ’gan wrangle which of the ladies fair
Was loveliest and fairest. Long their time they wasted,
For all alike were worthy; on this at last their wordy war they rested.
The fair Gudrun then kissed her and those who with her came.
They walked along the seashore, till a tent was seen by them,
With richest silken hangings; while they stood thereunder,
What now to her should happen gave to Herwic’s sister greatest wonder.
Now the king of Karadie forthwith to come they bade;
Then they asked the maiden: “Will you this man now wed?
Kingdoms nine most mighty have for their master owned him.”
With him were knights full many, yellow in hue, now standing all around him.
His father and his mother were not of faith the same;
But him, so light in color, one might a Christian name.
Like to gold, spun finely, the hair on his head was lying:
She would choose unwisely if she to him her love were now denying.
She was slow her love to grant him, as oft one sees a maid;
But she to him was given. The worthy knight then said:
“So well I like this lady, from love I ne’er can free me.
Never will I leave her, and as her husband men erelong shall see me.”
At last this knight and maiden each their troth did plight:
Both of them scarce waited till day should turn to night,
When, from others hidden, they should their bliss be owning.
Soon, ’mid knightly warriors, daughters of four rich kings were hallowed for the crowning.
Tale XXXI
How the Four Kings Were Wedded in Hilda’s Land
A great wedding festival is held, at which the four kings, Herwic, Ortwin, Hartmut, and Siegfried, try to surpass each other in generous giving. Hartmut with his bride, Hildeburg, leaves for Normandy.
Then the kings were hallowed, as in days of yore;
Also there were knighted five hundred men or more.
Now in Hilda’s kingdom the folk high times were having;
It was at Matelan castle, before the walls where the sea the sands was laving.
There the fair Queen Hilda to all fine clothing gave.
How, in the sight of ladies, rode Wâ-te old and brave!
How Irold, too, and Fru-te of Daneland, rode before them!
One heard the spear-shafts broken, as these they lowered, and in the onset bore them.
Lightly the wind was blowing, but the dust was dark as night;
Yet to the maidens’ clothing the knights gave heeding slight,
Altho’ ’twas soiled and covered with the dust thick flying.
Before
