King Diderick and the Dragon

The good king Diderick mounted horse
And rode to Bern away,
And found a lion and lothely worm
In fierce and bloody fray.

One day they had fought, and eke the next,
And all the third as well;
At night the lion could no more,
And down on the green-sward fell.

In great distress the lion cried,
As near him rode the king;
"O good King Diderick, pity me,
"And speedy succour bring.

"Come to my aid, thou gallant king,
"Make good thy glorious name,
"Since blazon'd upon thy shield I stand
"All glowing like a flame."

King Diderick stood in anxious thought
Some little while aside;
"This noble lion help I must,
"Whatever may betide."

Thereon king Diderick spurr'd his steed,
And drew his trusty sword,
And with that lothely lindworm closed,
And deep the monster gored.

Right stoutly laid the king about,
He hew'd with might and main,
Till at the hilt by dint of blows
His good sword brake in twain.

Him grasp'd the worm beneath her tail.
His horse beneath her tongue,
And bare them into a mountain cave
As meat to feed her young.

The king she into a corner toss'd,
But gave her young the steed;
"There, children, eat that morsel up,
"I'll sleep before I feed.

"Content ye, children, while I rest,
"With this the coarser fare;
"The man, when I wake up again,
"With all of you I'll share."

Pent in that lothely lindworm cave
He search'd it round and round,
And found the sword call'd Adelring!
That famous sword he found!

He knew the finely temper'd blade,
He knew the gilded knife;
"Ha, Sigfred! rest thy soul in peace!
"Thou here hast lost thy life.

"In many a fight I've stood with thee,
"In many a long campaign,
"But never did I know before,
"That here my friend was slain."

With joy the king his weapon grasp'd,
Its temper sought to know,
And struck the cavern's flinty side,
Till all was in a glow.

As saw the lindworm's elder son
Their cavern flash with flame,
"Who now," said he, "in her own house
"The hostess puts to shame?"

With wrath that little lindworm boil'd,
And fierce and fiercer grew;
"Who dares in her own dwelling house
"The hostess harm to do?"

Then spake the other lindworm young,
That in the corner lay;
"Should but our mother wake from sleep,
"How thou wilt rue the day!"

In wrath king Diderick thus replied,
For fierce of mood was he;
"From sleep I'll quickly rouse her up,
"And cold her dream shall be.

"Thy dam a knight of noblest birth,
"The brave King Sigfred slew;
"His death I'll with a heavy hand
"Avenge on each of you."

Up then the mother lindworm woke,
And much she shook with fear;
"Who then is this, disturbs my rest?
"Who makes such clamour here?"

"'Tis I — king Diderick, king of Bern,
"A word with thee I crave,
"The same whom coil'd beneath thy tail,
"Thou broughtest to thy cave."

"O good king Diderick, slay me not,
"My heaps of treasure take;
"We'll here instead of useless strife
"A bond of friendship make."

"Full many a knight hast thou devour'd,
"Allur'd by crafty wile;
"But never more so shaft thou me
"Or other one beguile."

"O good king Diderick, hear my prayer,
"And deign my life to save,
"And I will show thee where thy bride
"Lies hidden in the cave.

"Above my head the keys are hung,
"Which lock her prison door,
"And at my feet thy trulove lies
"Beneath the cavern floor."

"Above and with thy lying head
"Shall be the work begun,
"And down below and at thy feet
"Thy slaughter first be done/'

He straight the mother lindworm slew,
And then the eleven young,
But through the venom fear'd to step,
That dripp'd from off her tongue.

Before -his feet he dug a trench
To drain away the blood;
For well he knew, with death was fraught
That boiling poisonous flood.

King Diderick loudly curs'd the lion,
And angry he be.came;
"Light every curse and foul reproach
"Upon that lion's name!

'"Twas he brought me to this distress,
"May God reward his deed!
"Had he not stood upon my shield,
"I had ridden out my steed."

His voice the noble lion heard,
For loud king Diderick cried;
"Now wait, good king; I'll with my claw
"Dig through the cavern's side.

The lion dug, King Diderick hew'd,
The cave was all ablaze;
The king but for the lion's help
Had ended there his days.

He now had fell'd his monster foe,
And all her young ones slain,
And arm'd with shield and coat of mail
Came out upon the plain.

But though from prison he was free,
He much bewail'd his steed,
For oft they had each the other help'd
In time of urgent need.

"Now hear me, Diderick, hear me, king,
"And cease thy grief and care;
"Up! mount thee on my shaggy back,
"And thee I'll gladly bear."

So over meadow, hill, and dale
Right gaily rode the man,
As homeward through the forest glades
The grateful lion ran.

And comrades were the lion and king
In every field of strife;
For each had proved the other's friend,
And saved each other's life.

Beside him, when he rode afield,
Would run the faithful beast,
And laid his head in Diderick's lap,
When sat the king at feast.

From this his name of 'Lion knight'
The brave king Diderick bare,
And lifelong true in war and peace
Remained that faithful pair.