Tale XV: How Hartmut Carried Away Gudrun

Now at Hartmut’s bidding / heralds quickly rode
To where the queenly Hilda / and her daughter dear abode.
To them his word they carried, / that if to wed the maiden
They should think him worthy, / her and her mother both it well might gladden.

If she her love would give him, / as he had asked before,—
Ofttimes his heart was heavy / for the love to her he bore,—
That he would ever serve her / so long as he was living,
And many lands wide-reaching, / held of his father, would to her be giving.

But if she would not love him, / she then would earn his hate;
He asked of her that kindly / she his love would meet,
So that he to his fatherland / his lovely bride might carry
Without a fight or struggle. / To hope for this brave Hartmut ne’er was weary.

Did she gainsay his wooing, / Hartmut sent this word:
“I will not be bought with silver, / albeit a heavy hoard,
To leave in peace her kingdom; / she yet shall give me heeding.
I will show Gu-drun, fair maiden, / brave knights enough, to be for her eyes fine feeding!

“Further, good errand-bearers, / this say to her from me:
I ne’er will leave her borders / to sail on the wide, deep sea;
Better will I think it / to be hewn in pieces even,
Unless the Hegeling maiden / will follow me hence, to me in wedlock given.

“But, should she scorn me wholly, / and never my bride will be,
Then me, with my daring fighters, / riding here she will see.
Before the Hegeling castle / I will then leave lying
Twenty thousand warriors, / on both sides of the roadway, dead or dying.

“Since by the craft of Wigaleis / King Hettel has been led,
And by the aged Wâ-te, / hither our way we’ve made
Into the Hegeling kingdom, / time and toil thus spending;
For this shall many be fatherless, / and glad shall I be of the whole to make an ending.”

Those sent forth by Hartmut / fast on their way did ride,
For he bade them wait no longer. / They came to a castle wide,
By name ycleped Matelan; / therein was Hilda dwelling,
And with her was her daughter, / the maid about whose charms all men were telling.

With them sent Hartmut also / two earls of wealth and name,
Who with him out of Normandy / over the waters came.
He bade them see Queen Hilda, / and kindly to bespeak her;
To pledge to her his friendship, / and say that his goodwill would ne’er forsake her.

Of her they must ask her daughter, / for him who in his mind
So high had ever set her, / above all womankind:
In worthy love he wooed her, / and she would rank be taking
That for aye would make her happy; / to do her will she ne’er would find him lacking.

To the maiden’s waiting-women / the news was quickly told,
That from out the land of Normandy / a band of wooers bold
Hither rode to Matelan, / and for Gu-drun were suing:
Hilda hushed the tidings, / for now Gu-drun in fright the tale was ruing.

Queen Hilda’s faithful warders / opened soon the gate;
Those who had ridden thither / need no longer wait;
They to come in were bidden. / The gate was thrown wide open,
And the men sent there by Hartmut / into Matelan rode: no ill to them did happen.

They quickly told their wishes, / to see King Hettel’s wife.
It was not yet allowed them; / they who should guard her life,
And to the king must answer, / at first had this forbidden:
They never left uncared for / Hilda the queen, and eke Gu-drun the maiden.

At last the men of Hartmut / into the hall were led.
To them the queenly Hilda / kindly greeting made,
As did Gu-drun the lady, / with fair and lofty bearing;
But she, the high-born maiden, / love for Herwic in her heart was wearing.

Altho’ they felt unfriendly, / yet drink they gave to the men
Ere yet they told their errand; / freely then the queen
Bade them to be seated / before herself and her daughter.
She begged them then to tell her: / “What boon to seek had brought them o’er the water?”

All the men of Hartmut / before their seats yet stood,
As well-bred men beseemeth, / and errand-bearers should.
Then they told the ladies / what they would there be doing,—
That for their master, Hartmut, / they for the fair Gu-drun had come a-wooing.

The high-born maiden answered: / “Of this I nought will hear,—
That with the young King Hartmut / I the crown should share,
Before our friendly kinsmen, / and troth to him be plighted:
The name of the knight is Herwic / whose love shall never by myself be slighted.

“To him I am betrothed; / me he chose for a wife,
And him for myself I have taken. / Ever, throughout his life,
All of good I wish him / that can henceforth befall him:
Ne’er, till my days are ended, / will I ask the love of another, or my lord will call him.”

One of them then answered: / “This warning Hartmut gives:
If nay shall be your answer, / before three days, if he lives,
Against great Matelan castle / you shall see him leading
All his knightly followers.” / Smiles at this were the maiden’s face o’erspreading.

Their leave they would be taking, / and hasten on their way,
Those two great earls so haughty; / but Hilda bade them stay.
Altho’ she ne’er had known them, / of gifts she was not chary;
But yet they would not take them, / for crafty men were they, and in truth were wary.

At those sent there by Hartmut / Hettel’s followers sneered,
And said, their scorn and anger / they very little feared:
If to drink the wine of Hettel / they were, in truth, unwilling,
Then this warning gave they: / that they their cup with blood would soon be filling.

When they had heard this answer, / back to the shore they went
Whence they had been by Hartmut / upon their errand sent.
He then ran forth to meet them, to ask how they were treated,
And what had them befallen, / and how his courtship by Gu-drun was greeted.

Then one of them thus answered: / “This to us they said:
The high and queenly maiden / a lover long has had,
For whom, beyond all others, / love in her heart she is feeling:
If you will not taste their wine-cup, / they soon will fill to you, your life-blood spilling.”

“Ah, woe is me!” said Hartmut, / when he this answer heard;
“My heart is full of anger, / with shame I hear your word!
Never men more friendly / shall I need, till I am dying,
Than those who now will help me.” / Straightway his men upsprang, on the shore then lying.

Ludwig now and Hartmut, / with their men, set out for war;
Their banners high uplifted / in pride and wrath they bore.
These from Matelan castle / were seen afar to shimmer:
“Cheer up!” then said the maiden; / “Herwic and Hettel come! their weapons glimmer!”

But Hilda saw the standard / bore not King Hettel’s mark:
“Ah, woe shall now betide us / before this day grows dark!
To seek Gu-drun are coming / foemen grim and daring;
Many a well-made helmet / their blows shall hew before the night is nearing.”

Then her friendly Hegelings / thus to Hilda spake:
“If those led on by Hartmut / to-day an onslaught make,
Wounds we then must deal them, / and show we are the stronger.”
Queen Hilda then gave bidding / to shut the castle gates, and wait no longer.

But the men of brave King Hettel / followed not her hest;
They who the castle guarded / thought to fight their best.
They bade that now their banners / to the shafts be fastened;
King Hettel’s daring followers, / to slay his foes, from out the castle hastened.

The bars that should be lowered, / to keep the foemen out,
Were left, in over-boldness, / and the gates not fully shut,
Since from Hartmut’s foreguard / they little harm foreboded.
But when they pressed in boldly, / then came the rest, who ever on them crowded.

A thousand men or over / stood before the gate;
These, their swords upbearing, / the fight did there await.
A thousand more with Hartmut / now came thronging thickly;
They then from their steeds alighted, / and back to the rear they sent their horses quickly.

Spears in hand they carried, / with points full keen to cut.
Who could shun their onset? / With heavy wounds they smote
Those who the castle guarded, / in their pride o’erweening.
Just at the hour came Ludwig, / with his Norman knights, as the fight was now beginning.

Much the women sorrowed / as Ludwig nearer rode:
The banners o’er them floating / well and proudly showed
The fearless foe oncoming; / beneath each standard flocking,
Three thousand now came boldly, / tho’ sad on their homeward way they might yet be looking.

Before the walls beleaguered / the guards were a busy band:
Never hardier fighters / were seen in any land
Than were the faithful warders / in Hettel’s castle dwelling;
Their blows they were thickly dealing, / and Hartmut’s men their strength were quickly feeling.

Ludwig, Hartmut’s father, / the Norman king, was seen
From hardened rims of bucklers / to strike a fiery sheen:
Truly, great was the bravery / that now his heart was swelling;
His friends and followers also, / in the bloody game, were bold beyond all telling.

When they who the castle guarded / hoped for rest and peace,
Then their daring foemen / did nearer to them press,
Led by him of Normandy: / the youthful Hartmut’s father
Grudged no toil to help him; / and this from that day’s fight one well might gather.

Now the trustful warders / began in truth to mourn,
That they, ’gainst Hilda’s bidding, / had their care forborne,—
The hest of the wife of Hettel, / the high and worthy lady.
For this their shields were shattered, / and many a life was lost, in fight too ready.

Ludwig now and Hartmut / on the field had met,
And, holding speech together, / learned that, striving yet,
Queen Hilda’s men were seeking / the castle gates to fasten;
Then, with shields before them, / to bear their flags within they all did hasten.

Rocks were hurled from the castle, / and many spears were thrown,
But the foe it hurt but little, / and his daring lessened none.
Little thought was given / to the dead around them lying:
With heavy stones down beaten, / many bold besiegers there fell dying.

When Hartmut and King Ludwig / came within the gate,
Many, badly wounded, / from them their death-stroke met.
For this the lovely maiden / began to sorrow sorely;
Now in Hettel’s castle / the woe they wrought was growing greater hourly.

Then the king of Normandy / was glad enough, I ween,
When to the halls of Hettel / he could lead his men,
Bearing well their weapons: / soon his banner fluttered
Over the roof of the castle. / Hilda at this her sorrow loudly uttered.

Greatly do I wonder / what might these guests befall,
Had now the grim old Wâ-te / been there, and seen it all,
The while the men of Hartmut, / with Ludwig, brave and daring,
Thro’ the halls were rushing, / and from her home the fair Gu-drun were tearing.

Both Wâ-te and King Hettel, / if to them that day
A warning had been given, / would stoutly have barred the way;
They their foemen’s helmets / with swords would so have riven
That back to their homes in Normandy, / without Gu-drun, would they have soon been driven.

Now within the castle / were all in saddest mood;
So men to-day might sorrow. / Whate’er the foemen would,
There did they lay hands on, / and took from out the dwelling.
Rich grew Hartmut’s followers,— / you well may trust that I the truth am telling.

Then came the bold young Hartmut / where he Gu-drun could see,
And said: “Most worthy lady, / you erst looked down on me;
But now both I and my followers / think of your kin so little,
We will not seize and hold them, / but slay and hang them, so the strife to settle.”

Then said the maiden only: / “Alas! O father mine,
Had you of this been knowing, / that I, a child of thine,
One day from out your kingdom / would thus by foes be stolen,
Never to me, poor maiden, / such woe and sorry shame had here befallen.”

Then was the gold and clothing / borne out by the robber band:
Forth they took Queen Hilda, / led by her snow-white hand.
Matelan’s goodly castle / they would have burned up gladly;
For what became of the dwellers / the Normans never cared, nor thought of sadly.

But Hartmut now had bidden / that it should not be burned,
To leave the land he hastened, / and home again he turned,
Before ’twas known to Hettel, / who with his men was lying
Within the Waalisch marches, / and there against his foe his strength was trying.

“Leave your stolen booty!” / to his men young Hartmut said;
“At home my father’s riches / will I give to you instead:
Thus o’er the watery pathway / our sail will be the lighter.”
To Gu-drun the hand of Ludwig / brought a heavy wrong, and woe full bitter.

They overthrew the castle, / the town with fire they burned;
From it the best was taken; / with wealth they homeward turned:
Two and sixty women / thence with them they carried,
And many lovely maidens. / With heartfelt woe was queenly Hilda wearied.

How were they filled with sadness / to leave the wine behind!
Now did the queenly mother / a seat in the window find,
And looked upon her daughter, / from home in sorrow turning.
Many a stately lady / the Normans left in tears, and bitterly mourning.

Weeping now and wailing / was heard on either hand;
No one there was happy, / when from the father-land
The foe with Hilda’s daughter / and with her maidens hasted.
Many, now but children, / for this, when men, to work them woe ne’er rested.

Those who were seized by Hartmut / down to the shore he took;
All their lands were wasted; / their homes went up in smoke.
Now his hopes and wishes / happily were granted:
Both Gu-drun and Hildeburg / he with him carried off,—the prize he wanted.

Well he knew that Hettel / was many a league away,
And war was grimly waging; / no more would Hartmut stay.
Yet from the Hegeling kingdom / no whit too fast he speeded,
For word was sent by Hilda / to Hettel and his friends, that much their help was needed.

How mournful were the tidings / before the king she laid!—
That in his home and castle / his knights were lying dead,
Or else were left by Hartmut / now with death-wounds bleeding;
That foes had seized his daughter, / and with her many maids were homeward speeding.

She said: “Now tell King Hettel / that I am here alone;
Evil hath me o’ertaken, and now, / with pride o’ergrown,
Our mighty foeman, Ludwig, / back to his land is faring;
A thousand men or better / lie at our gates, and the pains of death are bearing.”

Quickly then went Hartmut, / and, ere three days were o’er,
On board his keels was ready; / these the plunder bore,
As much as they could carry, / whate’er his men had stolen.
The men of brave King Hettel / were dazed and stunned by all that had befallen.

What further did betide them, / who in truth can tell?
Loud on the ear it sounded, / as they shifted the flapping sail,
And away from the Hegeling kingdom, / unto an isle forsaken,
They their barks were turning; / the name of Wulpensand—or shore of the wolves—it had taken.