Tale XXIX: How Hartmut Was Taken Prisoner

Wâ-te loud was storming; / then went he towards the hall
That stood before the gateway. / On every side did fall
The din of sword-blades clashing, / of groaning and of weeping.
Hartmut was in bondage; / ill luck alone his liegemen, too, were reaping.

With him were also taken / eighty warriors brave;
The others all were slaughtered. / Hartmut his life did save,
But to a ship was carried, / and fast and long they kept him.
Not yet was sorrow ended; / greater ills must they know who now bewept him.

Though often from the stronghold / Wâ-te’s men they drove,
Both with slings and arrows, / yet still he grimly strove,
And won from them the castle. / The heavy bolts were broken
That once the gates had fastened; / at this fair women wept, with fear outspoken.

Horant, the lord of Denmark, / Queen Hilda’s flag now bore;
Him followed many warriors, / he might not wish for more.
Up to a palace tower / that high its walls was rearing,
Far above all others, / the Hegeling men the banner soon were bearing.

As I have told already, / the castle now was won:
To those they found within it / grimmest deeds were done.
Great was the crowd on-pressing, / for booty to enrich them.
Then cried the stern old Wâ-te: / “Where are now the sacks, and youths to fetch them?”

Now was broken open / many a well-filled room;
Loud was the din and uproar / that from within did come:
But all were not like-minded / who the halls were thronging;
While wounds were dealt by many, / others for plunder searched, for riches longing.

They bore so much from the castle, / as we have heard it told,
That such a heavy burden / two ships could never hold:
Richest silken clothing, / silver and gold, were taken,
To load the ships on the waters; / tho’ much they took, yet much must be forsaken.

Now within the castle / joy was all unknown.
To all the folk there gathered / the greatest wrongs were done;
Men alike and women / were slain who there were dwelling:
To children in their cradles, / even to them, the foemen death were dealing.

Irold then to Wâ-te / thus his mind made known:
“Of harm to you these children / devil-a-bit have done.
They indeed are blameless, / nor hate to our kin were showing;
For the love of God, I beg you, / spare the poor babes, some pity now bestowing.”

The aged Wâ-te answered: / “Thou hast the mind of a child;
Tho’ now in the cradle wailing, / say, wouldst thou have willed
That I should leave them living? / As soon as they are older,
They never can be trusted; / to trust a Saxon wild would be no bolder.”

Blood throughout the castle / flowed on every side.
Those who saw the slaughter, / how bitterly they cried!
Now the high-born Ortrun, / filled with care and sorrow,
Sought Gu-drun, kind maiden: / she feared yet greater wrongs before the morrow.

Then, her head low bending / before the lovely maid,
She said: “Gu-drun, my lady, / have pity on my need,
And, in my sharpest sorrow, / leave me not forsaken;
I trust me to your kindness, / or else my life will by your friends be taken.”

“Gladly will I shield you,” / she answered, “if I can;
Ever to do you kindness, / and help you, I am fain.
I will gain for you forgiveness; / no more for life be fearing.
Your maids and women also / must stand near me, my care they, too, are sharing.”

“This doth make me happy,” / the youthful Ortrun said.
With three and thirty maidens, / she was kindly kept and fed;
Warriors two and sixty / there the ladies guarded:
If they should gain their freedom, / their keepers would be slain, and thus rewarded.

The old and wicked Gerlind / ran to Gu-drun in haste;
As if she were her bondwoman, / herself at her feet she cast,
Saying: “Most high-born lady, / thou alone canst save us
From Wâ-te and his followers; / else will his wrath, I ween, of life bereave us.”

To her said Hilda’s daughter: / “I hear you asking now
That I to you be friendly; / how should I kindness show?
Nought that e’er I wished for / to grant me were you willing:
To me you showed but hatred; / and now my heart with hate for you is swelling.”

That Ortrun then was near him / Wâ-te became aware:
He his teeth was gnashing, / and straight up-stood he there;
Now his eyes were flashing; / his yard-wide beard was flowing;
And all were sorely frightened, / and feared what the Sturmisch lord would next be doing.

Over him blood was streaming, / with it his clothes were wet.
Tho’ Gu-drun was glad to see him, / she had liked it better yet
If he, in mood less wrathful, / had come for her to greet him;
Such fear they all were feeling, / I ween that no one there was glad to meet him.

To meet her friend, old Wâ-te, / went Gu-drun alone;
Then said Hilda’s daughter, / with sad and care-fraught tone:
“Welcome art thou, Wâ-te! / How glad would be my greeting,
If now these folk so many / no evil from thy hand should here be meeting.”

“I thank you, fair young maiden! / Are you Queen Hilda’s child?
Who are these many women, / whom here you seek to shield?”
“This,” said Gu-drun, in answer, / “is Ortrun, high in breeding;
I beg you, Wâ-te, spare her: / her women here your wrath are sorely dreading.

“Those there are wretched maidens, / from far across the sea,
Brought from the Hegeling kingdom / by Ludwig’s men with me.
But you are wet and bloody; / do not come so near us:
For all your help we thank you, / nor in our woe do scorn the love you bear us.”

Wâ-te went on further, / and Herwic soon he found,
And with him youthful Ortwin, / as king in Ortland owned.
Irold was there and Morunc; / Fru-te had thither hasted:
None of these were idle; / many they slew, nor soon from slaughter rested.

Quickly then came Hergart, / the lady of a duke,
And said: “Gu-drun, good lady, / on me with kindness look,—
On me, a wretched woman. / Forget not that we ever
Have been and are your handmaids; / and let me, lady, lose thy friendship never.”

Gu-drun in anger answered: / “Stand back, come not so near!
Whatever we poor maidens / of wrong have had to fear,
For all you wept but little, / and cared for it but slightly.
Not much do I care either / whether for you it now goes ill or rightly.

“You still among my maidens / may linger, if you choose.”
Now the stern old Wâ-te / looked round among his foes,
To find the wicked Gerlind, / whom he in wrath was seeking.
That devilish crone, with her women, / the kindness of Gu-drun was now bespeaking.

Grimly then old Wâ-te / stood before the hall,
And said: “Gu-drun, my lady, / send down, with her maidens all,
The old and wicked Gerlind, / who made you wash by the water;
And with her send her kinsmen, / who in our land so many knights did slaughter.”

The lovely maiden answered: / “Not one of them is here.”
Then Wâ-te, in his anger, / went in and to her came near;
He said: “Now show me quickly / the women I am seeking;
Else shall they, with your maidens, / all alike in the grave their home be making.”

Wâ-te was sorely angry, / of this was she aware.
A wink of her eye then gave him / a lovely maiden there,
And he knew the old she-devil, / on whom her glance was turning.
“Tell me,” he said, “Queen Gerlind, / for other maids to wash are you still yearning?”

Then by the hand he took her, / and dragged her thence away;
The while the wicked Gerlind / sank down in sore dismay.
Said Wâ-te, wild to madness: / “Most lofty queen, I warn you,
Never again, at your bidding, / shall my ladies wash for you; they now can scorn you.”

I ween that when he brought her / without the palace gate,
All looked on to witness / what he would do in his hate.
Then by the hair he grasped her, / no one a whit he dreaded,
His wrath indeed was bitter, / and at once the evil queen he there beheaded.

Loudly shrieked the maidens, / their fright at this was sore.
Back again went Wâ-te, / and said: “Who is there more,
Who to the queen owns kinship? / To me you now must show her;
However high she holds her, / I yet to earth her head will quickly lower.”

Sobbing then and weeping, / the child of Hettel said:
“Let these with me find shelter, / who now to me have fled,
To ask of me forgiveness, / here my love bespeaking.
This is the well-born Ortrun, / who with her Norman maids my help is seeking.”

Those who were forgiven / she bade stand further back.
Then, in mood unfriendly, / the angry Wâ-te spake:
“Where shall I find young Hergart, / now of a lord the lady,
Who here within this kingdom / to take the love of the king’s great lord was ready?”

None of them would tell him, / but he to her came near,
And said: “Were you the owner / of all this kingdom here,
Who could in you be looking / to see so proud a bearing?
Ill have you served your lady, / here in the land where you her lot were sharing.”

Then all cried out together: / “Let her now go free.”
But the aged Wâ-te answered: / “That can never be;
I have the care of the women; / behold my overseeing!”
With a stroke he her beheaded, / while the maids in fright behind Gu-drun were fleeing.

Now from the bloody struggle / there was a rest for all.
Then the brave King Herwic / came to Ludwig’s hall,
Leading in his warriors, / with stains of blood upon them.
Gu-drun her welcome gave him; / her love for him was shown, and kindness done them.

Soon the knightly Herwic / his sword from his side unbound:
He then shook off his armor / into his shield on the ground,
And stood before the ladies; / iron-stained was his body.
That day, for love of his lady, / he oft on the field had hewn a pathway bloody.

With him came Ortwin also, / who was of Ortland king.
When Irold came with Morunc, / the clothes they off did fling
Worn outside their armor, / for they were over-heated.
They wished to see the ladies, / and hoped by them they would be kindly greeted.

When now the Danish warriors / were both with slaughter spent,
They laid aside their weapons, / and before the ladies went.
Shields no longer bore they, / their helmets were unfastened;
A very loving welcome / to give to both the knights Gu-drun then hastened.

Irold and Morunc with him / then most lowly bowed
Before the lovely maiden. / How well her bearing showed
That to see these guests so lordly / she was indeed most willing!
Right glad and happy truly / the child of the Hegeling Hilda now was feeling.

Alike they all were thinking, / both lords and all their men:
“Since now we have the castle,— / the stronghold Kassiane,—
Of the land are we the masters, / and everything is ours.”
Soon bade the aged Wâ-te / that men should burn with fire the palace with its towers.

The Danish Fru-te answered: / “That may never be;
In this my queenly lady / to live must now be free.
Bid that from out the castle / men the dead shall carry;
Then ’twill be the better / for all our knights who in the land shall tarry.

“Very strong is the castle, / wide it is and good;
Bid from the walls now everywhere / to wash away the blood,
That for a home the maidens / may not dislike it wholly:
Then the land of Hartmut / we will raid throughout, and see it fully.”

They did as Fru-te bade them, / for wise he was, in truth;
They bore from out the castle / many who there, forsooth,
Were sorely slashed and wounded, / and many who were dying:
Then to the waves they carried / those who before the gates in death were lying.

They to the sea intrusted / four thousand of the dead;
This to them was toilsome, / but Fru-te thus had bade.
The work that they were doing / not as yet was ended;
Then in Ludwig’s castle / the maid Ortrun was held, now ill-befriended.

Two and sixty warriors / and thirty maidens fair
With her were also taken. / Then said Gu-drun: “Forbear!
The maids are in my keeping, / my word to them I plighted:
Wâ-te may do as he wishes / with the knights he seized, until my wrongs are righted.”

Siegfried, king of Moorland, / found a welcome warm,
As should to knights be granted / after the battle-storm.
Thanks to that worthy warrior / were by the ladies given,
That he from the land of Karadie / so far had come, and so well for them had striven.

To the care of the Danish Horant / they their foes did give
Who in the castle of Kassian / still were left alive.
To him was Gu-drun intrusted, / 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 Gu-drun, 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, / tho’ 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 Gu-drun, 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 Gu-drun 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.