Tale XXXI: How the Four Kings Were Wedded in Hilda’s Land

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 the ladies seated, / riders bold in many a tilt were vying.

Now at length the maidens / were left no longer there;
They, with the queenly Hilda, / were led to a window near,
Where the daring champions / their eyes on them were feeding:
Beside the four betrothéd, / a hundred well-clothed maids they were thither leading.

Many wandering players / there let their skill be shown;
The best that each was able, / how gladly was it done!
When early mass was ended, / upon the next day’s morning,
And God by them was worshiped, / knights of the sword again to their games were turning.

Of uproar and of gladness / where could more be found?
Of many tunes and singing / the halls gave back the sound.
Until four days were over, / there the high times lasted:
Well-born throngs were gathered, / nor oft the hours in idleness they wasted.

An open-handed giver, / that day was Herwic seen.
He knew the wandering players, / who there had come again,
Were bent on growing richer, / and well for this were striving;
Herwic meant, in kindness, / that all, while there, should gain an easy living.

First the lord of Sealand / flung his gifts around
With willing hand so freely / that thanks from all did sound
Who saw his love and kindness, / or heard about it later:
In ruddy gold King Herwic / the worth of full a thousand pounds did scatter.

Clothing, too, was given / by his friends as well as kin;
Horses finely saddled / many there did win,
Who before not often / on such steeds had ridden.
When this was seen by Ortwin, / in giving then he would not be outbidden.

He, the king of Ortland / finest clothes now gave:
Since then, if better clothing / knights did ever have,
Forsooth we cannot tell you,— / it never reached our hearing.
He and all his followers / stood bereft, erelong, of much that they were wearing.

No one now could reckon / what store of clothing good
Was given by those from Moorland. / There fine horses stood,
Soon to be given also,— / such indeed is the saying:
Those who were to have them / for better never hoped, nor e’er were praying.

All were now made richer, / both the young and old.
Then, too, was seen King Hartmut; / nought would he withhold,
As though his home and kingdom / had not in war been wasted:
They saw him give so freely, / that greater love and kindness none e’er tasted.

By him and his friendly kinsmen / who thither with him came,
And there were held in bondage, / how readily by them
Was given what was left them, / that any from them wanted!
By Hartmut and his followers / all that could be asked was gladly granted.

Gu-drun, the lovely maiden, / a friendly will e’er bore
To Hildeburg of Ireland, / with whom, in days of yore,
To wash upon the sea-sands / the clothes she oft was bearing.
I ween no pains she slighted / that Hartmut’s love her friend might now be sharing.

Gu-drun then bade her steward / a hoard of goods to take
For those who shared her kindness. / Men of this would speak,
And say in wealth to give them / she would ne’er be wanting;
Heavy gold and silver, / and clothes, could she to all her friends be granting.

Before his seat upstanding, / the Sturmisch lord was seen,
Clad so well and richly / that never king nor his men
Finer clothes or better / at any time were wearing.
None long time were waiting / who hoped that day his kindness to be sharing.

Above all others, Wâ-te / gave such clothing there
That truly never better / a king was seen to wear;
With gold and gems it sparkled, / o’erhung with richest netting:
Such clothes with him he carried / when on his way to court he was forth setting.

In every one of the meshes / lay a costly stone,
However one might name it; / thereby it could be known
That in the land of Abalie / the gems therein were fitted.
To Wâ-te and his followers / all gave the hand, and them with thanks they greeted.

None of those there gathered, / who saw the clothes that day,
Could of the brave old Wâ-te / this truth indeed gainsay,—
That beyond the gifts of princes / his were far outreaching.
Of wealth he soon was master / who for these gifts his hand was now outstretching.

Willingly did Irold / let them see his mind,
That he to none was grudging / gifts of any kind.
Good care of Hilda’s riches / was Fru-te ever taking:
He was a faithful steward, / and long of him thereafter men were speaking.

The high times now were ended, / and all their leave would take.
Then ’twas allowed to Hartmut, / as well his worth bespake,
His peace to gain forever; / to this Gu-drun had brought him.
Then for their home they started; / each happier went than he had erst bethought him.

With friendly love, Queen Hilda / bade them all farewell;
With her, Gu-drun and Hildeburg / went, with kind goodwill,
Far beyond the castle, / with all their maids-in-waiting.
There took they leave of Hartmut, / when he at last was on his way forth setting.

A guard Queen Hilda gave them / across the land and sea;
Great was the host that Herwic / and Ortwin now set free,
Whom, long held in bondage, / they now were homeward sending;
Full a thousand followers / Hartmut brought to his land when the war was ending.

Everywhere the ladies / one another kissed.
Many now were sundered / who long each other missed,
And nevermore thereafter / might again be meeting.
The high-bred Ortwin and Herwic / went with them to the boats that for them were waiting.

Irold must be their leader, / while they did homeward fare.
Then by the king ’twas bidden / that he the word should bear
To Horant, lord of Denmark, / how they the land were leaving:
Soon Irold to the warriors / guidance and guard unto their homes was giving.

The time, or late or early, / in truth I cannot tell,
When they for their home in Kassian / did at last set sail.
The folk, now faring thither, / were nought but gladness showing;
After many sorrows, / God on them was fullest bliss bestowing.

Irold said to Horant, / when he reached the Norman land,
That he by the king was bidden / homeward to lead the band.
“To leave to them their kingdom,” / he answered, “it is fitting,
They home have come so gladly; / I, too, to see my land with pain am waiting.”

Then they welcomed Hartmut, / and to him his land did leave;
But how he swayed his kingdom / I now no knowledge have.
With all his friends, then Horant / quickly homeward hasted,
And left the land behind them; / Denmark they reached, nor many days they wasted.

There we now will leave them, / and only this will say:
That never from a wedding / homeward took their way
Happier knights and kinsmen / than now from there were going:
Only the men of Karadie / tarried still in the land, their gladness showing.