Tale V: How Wâ-te Was Sent to Ireland as a Suitor

Hettel was lord in Daneland; / to be its king he rose;
’Twas in the Sturmisch marches, / as many a one well knows;
There abode his kindred, / who ways of honor taught him.
Ortland also served him. / His might and worth high fame with all soon brought him.

One among his kinsfolk / the name of Wâ-te bore;
He for his lands and castles / fealty to Hettel swore.
As kinsman of his master, / he careful teaching gave him
In all things good and worthy, / and in his watchful care did ever have him.

A landed knight in Daneland / was Wâ-te’s sister’s son,
The brave and upright Horant. / Later his faith was shown
Unto his lord, King Hettel, / who for his worth did crown him.
This to him he grudged not, / but ever for a prince was glad to own him.

Hettel, rich and mighty, / at Hegeling held his seat,
Not far from the lord of Ortland; / this is true, I weet.
He there owned many castles, / eighty at least or over;
They who these strongholds guarded / in truest faith and honor held them ever.

Lord he was of Friesland, / its waters and its land;
Ditmarsh, as well as Waleis, / were swayed by his kingly hand.
Hettel was truly mighty; / his kinsmen they were many;
Bold was he and daring, / and ’gainst his foes he plotted, well as any.

Hettel was an orphan, / and so he felt the need
That he a wife should find him. / To him, at last, were dead
Father as well as mother, / who their lands had left him.
He friends in truth had many, / yet found he much in life that of bliss bereft him.

The best of these besought him / some maiden’s love to seek,
Who of his birth was worthy. / The knight did answer make:
“I here know none who fitly / should be o’er the Hegelings seated,
Nor is there any lady / who, brought from far, should as my queen be greeted.”

Then spake a knight of Nifland, / Morunc, a youthful lord:
“I know of a lovely maiden, / of whom I oft have heard;
She in truth is fairer / than all on earth now living.
Her will we gladly sue for, / that she her troth to you may soon be giving.”

Then quoth the king: “Who is she? / her name I pray you tell.”
Then said Morunc: “’Tis Hilda, / in Ireland she doth dwell;
Her father’s name is Hagen; / King Ger was her forefather.
If to this land she cometh, / your life will then be blissful altogether.”

Then spake the young King Hettel: / “I oft have heard it said,
Whoever woos this maiden / her father’s wrath must dread.
Many a worthy suitor / his life for her has ended;
But none among my vassals / must meet his death for having me befriended.”

Morunc quickly answered: / “Then send to Horant’s land,
And bid that he come hither; / he well doth understand
The ways and moods of Hagen, / for often has he seen them.
Unless his help he gives you, / ’twill come to nought, howe’er your friends demean them.”

He said: “Your will I follow, / since she is so fair;
But if my friends shall seek her, / yourself the suit must share;
And if unto your friendship / the task I’ve trusted fitly,
Wealth shall you have and honor, / when as the Hegeling’s queen she’s greeted rightly.”

He quickly sent out riders / through the Danish land to haste;
By them was the mighty Horant, / his nephew, found at last,
And to the court was bidden; / to come must he be speedy,
Within seven days, not later, / if he to help his lord in truth were ready.

When Horant met the heralds, / and did their errand hear,
Then for friendly service / himself he would not spare.
Right gladly did he listen / to the bidding of his master;
But this, on a day thereafter, / to him brought sorrow great, and sore disaster.

To the court he soon went riding, / with sixty of his men;
Of friends at home young Horant / to take his leave was seen.
He then made haste the faster, / when now the tale was told him
How he must help his master, / if for a faithful knight he now would hold him.

Upon the seventh morning / he came to Hettel’s land;
Decked in finest clothing / was he and all his band.
The king to welcome Horant / rode forth, most glad to greet him,
And saw that with him Fru-te, / another Danish knight, was there to meet him.

Good news it was of their coming, / of which all men now spoke;
Glad was the king to see them; / from him a share it took
Of the deep and heavy sorrow / which his heart was filling.
“Welcome, Cousin Fru-te!” / cried he, the while he looked upon him smiling.

When Horant now with Fru-te / before the king did stand,
Then he asked for tidings / of their home in the Danish land.
Both of them now answered: / “Not many days are ended
Since we in stormy battle / with many deadly blows our lives defended.”

He asked whence they had ridden / from off the stormy field.
They said: “It was from Portugal, / where the strife was held;
There the mighty ruler / from fighting would not spare us;
Daily within our borders / he did us wrong, and much ill-will did bear us.”

The young King Hettel answered: / “Now cast all care away;
I know that the aged Wâ-te / will never yield the sway
He holds o’er the Sturmisch marches; / he of the land is owner;
Who wins from him a castle / will earn high praise and long be held in honor.”

Within the roomy palace / the guests then took their seats.
Both Horant and Sir Fru-te / with thoughtless, merry wits,
Of the loves of high-born ladies / began to gossip gaily.
To them the young king listened, / and costly gifts he gave unto them freely.

Hettel turned to Horant, / and thus to ask began:
“If aught hath reached your hearing, / then tell me, if you can,
How ’tis with Lady Hilda, / King Hagen’s lovely daughter?
To her would I send most gladly, / and would that words of love from me were brought her.”

The youthful knight then answered: / “She is to me well known;
A maid so fair and lovely / my eyes ne’er looked upon
As she, that maid of Ireland, / Hilda, the rich and stately,
The daughter of wild Hagen; / to wear a crown with you would befit her greatly.”

On this King Hettel asked him: / “Now think you, can it be
That ever her lordly father / will give this maid to me?
If I deemed he were so friendly, / I would seek to win her,
And would reward him ever / who gave to me his ready help to gain her.”

“That can never happen,” / to him young Horant said:
“No rider with this errand / to Hagen need be sped.
To hasten thither boldly / I feel, myself, no longing;
The man sent there to seek her / is either slain with blows, or dies by hanging.”

Then spake again King Hettel: / “Not so for her I care;
To hang my trusty vassal / should Hagen ever dare,
Then he, the king of Ireland, / himself must death be facing.
Be he ne’er so boastful, / he’ll find his rashness is to him no blessing.”

Then spake the knightly Fru-te: / “If Wâ-te deigns to go
Unto the king of Ireland, / to woo this maid for you,
Lucky will be our errand, / and we shall bring the lady;
Or wounds throughout our bodies, / e’en to the heart, to take shall we be ready.”

Then said to him King Hettel: / “My men I now will send
With word to the lord of Sturmland; / I do not fear the end,
For Wâ-te will hasten gladly / wherever I shall bid him.
Bring Irold, too, from Friesland, / with all his men, for sorely do I need him.”

His riders then went quickly / into the Sturmisch land,
Where the brave old Wâ-te / they found among his band.
Then the word they gave him, / now to the king to betake him;
But Wâ-te felt great wonder, / to know for what the Hegeling king did seek him.

He asked if it were needful / to bring, when he should go,
His breastplate and his helmet, / and any followers, too?
One of the heralds answered: / “We did not hear it spoken
That he had need of fighters; / for you alone did his words a wish betoken.”

Wâ-te would be going, / but left behind a guard,
To care for lands and castles. / Then taking horse, at his word,
Twelve of his followers only / with him from home now started;
Wâ-te, the brave old warrior, / at once on his way to court in haste departed.

He reached the land of the Hegelings. / When he now was seen,
As he came near Kampatille, / but little sorrow, I ween,
Was felt by the kingly Hettel; / with speed he went to greet him,
And thought of the kindly welcome / he would give his friend, old Wâ-te, when he met him.

Right glad was he to see him; / with hearty speech he says:
“Sir Wâ-te, thou art welcome; / many are the days
Since I have looked upon you, / when on our horses sitting,
Side by side together, / we proudly met our foes with blows befitting.”

Then answered him old Wâ-te: / “Ever should good friends
Be glad to be together; / that fight the better ends
Where, before the foeman, / friends as one are fighting.”
Then by the hand he held him, / to him his love and friendship warmly plighting.

They took their seats together, / nor place to other gave.
Hettel, he was mighty, / and Wâ-te, he was brave;
He yet was also haughty, / and proud in all his bearing.
Hettel now was thinking / how Wâ-te could be brought to Ireland to be faring.

Then spake the knightly Hettel: / “For this I bade thee come;
Need have I of riders, / to send to Hagen’s home.
Truly I know of no one / whom I would send the sooner
Than thee, my good friend Wâ-te, / or who in this could bring me greater honor.”

Then said the aged Wâ-te: / “Whatever I can do
To show my love and fealty, / I’ll gladly do for you.
Herein I may be trusted, / to be for you bold-hearted;
And to bring about your wishes, / unless in this by death I should be thwarted.”

Then quoth the kingly Hettel: / “Many friends have said
That if the mighty Hagen / will my wooing heed,
And give to me his daughter, / she, as my queen, would honor
Me and my kingdom also; / my heart is bent as a wife and queen to own her.”

Angrily spoke Wâ-te: / “Whoever this has said
Would truly feel no sorrow / if I this day were dead.
’Tis Fru-te, he of Denmark, / I know it is no other,
Who to this has stirred you, / to send me to the maid, your suit to further.

“This young and lovely maiden / is guarded now with care;
Horant and Fru-te also, / who say she is so fair,
And speak to you her praises, / must go with me to seek her.
Never shall I rest easy / unless they strive with me your own to make her.”

Both these faithful vassals / King Hettel sent for soon;
To others good and trusty / they also made it known,
That by their king and master / they at court were wanted.
No more their thoughts men whispered, / but freely spoke of the coming raid, undaunted.

When Wâ-te, the brave old warrior, / did on Horant look,
And on the Danish Fru-te, / how sharply then he spoke!
“Brave knights, may God reward you, / to me you are so friendly,
And of my fame so careful, / and my trip to court this time you help so kindly.

“You are, forsooth, most willing / that I this errand do;
But both of you are bounden / with me thereon to go,
To serve the king, our master, / even as our duty calleth.
He who my life endangers / himself the risk must share, whate’er befalleth.”

“For this I now am ready,” / answered Horant the Dane;
“If leave the king will grant us, / I then will shun no pain,
Nor aught of toil will grudge me. / Only to see this lady,
For me and for my kinsman, / were happiness enough, and bliss already.”

“Then we ought,” said Fru-te, / “to take upon our way
Seven hundred warriors. / No man doth honor pay
To Hagen without grudging. / He is overweening, truly;
If he thinks that he can crush us, / he soon must lay aside his boasting wholly.

“Sir king, you should bid your workmen / a ship of cypress-wood
To build upon the river; / strong must it be and good,
So your band of warriors / shall shipwreck ne’er be ruing.
From timber white as silver / the lofty masts your men must soon be hewing.

“Also food for your fighters / you must now bespeak;
And bid that men be busy / helmets for us to make,
And hauberks strong for many; / when we these are wearing,
Then wild Hagen’s daughter / we shall the easier win by craft and daring.

“Also my nephew Horant, / who is shrewd and wise,
Must go with us as a shopman; / (I grudge him not his guise)
There must he to the ladies / be clasps and arm-bands selling,
With gold and costly jewels; / thus greater trust in us will they be feeling.

“For sale we also must carry / weapons and clothing, too;
And since wild Hagen’s daughter / it is such risk to woo,
That only now by fighting / one can hope to wed her,
Let Wâ-te choose the warriors / to go with him, and home to the king to lead her.”

Then spake the aged Wâ-te: / “A shop I cannot keep;
Not often doth my money / in coffers idly sleep;
My lot I’ve shared with fighters, / and that I still am doing;
Therein I am not skilful, / that I to ladies gew-gaws should be showing.

“But since my nephew Horant / on me this task has laid,
He knows full well that Hagen / will never yield the maid:
He prides himself on owning / the strength of six and twenty;
If he shall learn of our wooing, / our hope to leave his land will be but scanty.

“Good king, now let us hasten, / but bid that first our hull
With a deck of deal be covered; / let it, below, be full
Of knights both strong and doughty, / who shall help be giving,
If ever the wild King Hagen / forbids that we shall leave his kingdom, living.

“Of these brave knights a hundred, / with outfits good for war,
Unto the land of Ireland / we in our ships must bear;
There shall my nephew Horant / in his shop be seated,
Keeping two hundred near him; thus shall the ladies’ coming be awaited.

“Your men must also build us / barges strong and wide,
To carry food and horses, / and to sail our ships beside:
Enough for a year or longer / we must take to feed us;
And we will say to Hagen / that to leave our land King Hettel did forbid us,

“And that our lord and master / great wrong to us hath wrought.
Then with our gifts so costly / we often shall be brought
To Hagen and to Hilda, / where they their court are keeping;
Our gifts shall make us welcome, / and kindness from the king shall we be reaping.

“We then the tale will tell him, / we wretched outlaws are;
And thus at once the pity / of Hagen we shall share.
To us, poor homeless wanderers, / shelter will be granted,
And in his land King Hagen / thenceforth will see that nought by us is wanted.”

Hettel asked his warriors: / “My friends, I pray you tell,
Since you to go are willing, / how soon you hence will sail?”
“So soon as comes the summer, / and May with gladsome weather,”
They said, “we shall be ready, / and, riding again to court, will we come hither.

“Meanwhile must men be making / whatever we shall need,—
Sails and also rudders, / well-made, and that with speed,
Barges wide, and galleys, / to bear us to our haven;
So the swell of the waters / shall stir us not, nor make us sick or craven.”

King Hettel said: “Ride quickly, / now, to your land and home.
For horses and for clothing / no cost to you shall come;
For you and all your followers / such outfit shall be ready,
That you no shame shall suffer, / whenever you are seen by any lady.”

When he his leave had taken, / Wâ-te to Sturmland rode;
Horant and with him Fru-te / followed in hurried mood,
Back to the land of Denmark, / where they held the lordship.
To help their master Hettel / they thought could never be to them a hardship.

Then, in his home, King Hettel / let his will be known;
Of shipwrights and of workmen / idle was not one.
While the ships were building / to do their best they hastened;
The beams that met together, / were with bands of silver strongly fastened.

All the spars and mast-trees, / they were strong and good;
Red gold, and brightly shining, / was laid on the rudder-wood,
And like to fire was glowing: / wealth their master blesses.
When time it was for leaving, / the men their tasks had done, and won high praises.

The ropes that held the anchors / came from a far-off strand,
Brought from the shores of Araby; / never on sea or land,
Before that day or after, / had any man seen better:
So might the men of the Hegelings / easier make their way o’er the deep sea-water.

They who the sails were making / worked late, and early rose;
For the king had bid them hurry. / For making these they chose
Silken stuff from Abalie, / as good as could be brought them.
Truly far from idle / were, in those days, the busy hands that wrought them.

Can any one believe it? / They had the anchors made
Of purest beaten silver. / The heart of the king was led
Strongly now to wooing; / no rest would he be knowing,
Nor of his men was sparing, / until the day when they should thence be going.

Well-framed, with heavy planking, / now the ships were seen,
Sound ’gainst war and weather. / Then word was sent to the men,
That to seek the lovely lady / they must soon be faring.
This was told to no one / but those who the trust of the king were rightly sharing.

Wâ-te to meet King Hettel / from Sturmland held his course;
With silver gear and housing, / heavily went his horse.
To court went, too, his followers, / four hundred men undaunted;
And now the doughty Hettel / brave knights enough, for guests, no longer wanted.

Morunc, the brave and daring, / from Friesland thither went,
And with him brought two hundred. / Word to the king was sent
That now, with helms and breastplates, / they were thither riding;
In haste came Irold also; / thus gladly Hettel’s kinsmen did his bidding.

Thither rode from Denmark / Horant young and brave;
Hettel to do his errand / did trusty liegemen have;
A thousand men or over / might he for this be sending;
Only a prince so mighty / of such a task had ever made an ending.

Irold, too, of Ortland, / was ready now to go:
E’en though on him King Hettel / should never clothes bestow,
Yet, for himself and his followers, / he had of these so many,
That wheresoe’er they were going, / they never need to beg for aught from any.

The king, as well beseemed him, / greeted all the band;
First, his liegeman Irold / he kindly took by the hand;
Then he turned to Wâ-te, / to where he found him seated:
At last, his hardy warriors, / ready to leave the land, his word awaited.

To all it now was bidden / that they should give good heed,
And everything make ready / that knights could ever need.
Now were seen by the warriors / the ships so fair and stately;
To woo the lovely Hilda / the king in all things showed his forethought greatly.

Two new and well-made galleys / they had upon the flood,
With two broad ships of burden; / both were strong and good.
A ship of state went with them; / than this had ne’er a better,
By any friend or foeman, / on the shores of any land, been seen upon the water.

To start they now are willing; / already on the ships
Were the clothes and horses loaded. / Then from Wâ-te’s lips
Came kindly words to Hettel; / he begged him to feel easy,
Till they should again be coming, / for to do his bidding they would all be busy.

The king to him said mournfully: / “I give into your care
The knights, untaught and youthful, / who such risks will dare,
With you upon this errand: / most earnestly I pray you
That, for your honor, daily / you teach these youths with care, and make them to obey you.”

Him thus Wâ-te answered: / “To that give not a thought;
Keep a brave heart, I beg you, / that here at home, in nought
You fail of being steadfast, / where’er your honor reaches:
Watch well, too, o’er our holdings: / these youths shall learn from me what wisdom teaches.”

The good and trusty Fru-te / the wealth of the king did guard,—
The gold and costly jewels, / and of many things a hoard.
The king was free in spending / whatsoe’er was wanted;
If Fru-te aught did ask for, / thirty-fold to him he gladly granted.

A hundred men were chosen, / and now within the ship,
Wherein to woo the maiden / his friends must cross the deep,
All craftily were hidden, / to help them, if ’twere needful.
Gifts both rich and worthy / the king to give these faithful men was heedful.

With these, among the followers, / every rank was seen;
Of knights and squires also, / thirty hundred men,
Who, for toil and struggle, / from far-off lands came riding.
Then said the king to his lieges: / “May God in heaven to you give careful guiding.”

To him thus Horant answered: / “From fear now be you free;
When you shall see us coming, / you then with us will see
A maid so fair and lovely, / you well may wish to greet her.”
This the king heard gladly, / but far was the day when he at last should meet her.

They took their leave with kisses, / the king and many a guest;
For these the king was feeling / wearisome unrest.
While they for him are toiling, / each hour he fear must borrow;
He forsooth was downcast, / and nought could cheer him, in his mood of sorrow.

This was for his welfare, / that a wind from out the north
Now their sails was swelling, / and briskly helped them forth.
The ships were wafted evenly, / as they from land were turning;
But hardships they had known not / the youths, upon their way, erelong were learning.

The truth we cannot tell you, / nor can it e’en be guessed,
For nights full six and thirty / what lodgings gave them rest,
While upon the water. / The youths they with them carried,
Bound by oaths of fealty, / swore again to keep them, where’er they tarried.

However willing were they / to sail on the tossing sea,
Yet sometimes it befell them / in great unrest to be.
Ease they took but seldom, / as the waves would spare it;
But he who ploughs the waters / pain must often feel, and yet must bear it.

After the waves had borne them / full a thousand miles,
They came to Hagen’s castle, / where, as was said erewhiles,
He, the master of Ballian, / shamefully had lorded:
This was a wicked falsehood, / the deeds were never done as the tale was worded.

When now the men from Hegeling / over the sea had gone,
And neared wild Hagen’s castle, / their coming soon was known;
Much the folk there wondered / from what far kingdom sailing
The waves had borne them thither; / how finely they were clad all men were telling.

First the ship with an anchor / was fastened on the strand;
To furl the sails then quickly / each gave a ready hand.
It was not long thereafter / before the news was bruited,
Throughout King Hagen’s castle, / that ships, with unknown men, in his harbor floated.

Now on the shore they landed, / and did their goods unlade;
Whatever could be wanted / on the sands, for sale, they spread,
And all that any asked for. / In wealth they were not lacking;
But tho’ their men had silver, / ’twas little that they bought, or for themselves were taking.

Clothed in the garb of tradesmen, / on the shore did stand
Sixty men or over, / well-dight, a goodly band.
Fru-te, the lord of Denmark, / was busy as their leader;
His clothing was far better / than there was worn by any other trader.

The worthy lord and master / over Ballian town,
When he heard of their coming, / and the riches they did own,
Rode down with many followers / to where those crafty sellers
He found, himself awaiting. / Kind was the mien of all who there were dwellers.

First the master asked them: / “Whence their way they had made,
And over the sea come thither?” / To him then Fru-te said:
“God have you in his keeping; / we from afar are sailing;
Tradesmen truly are we; / our masters rich, near by, in ships are dwelling.”

“Let peace with us be plighted,” / old Wâ-te then began;
But from the master’s grimness, / the truth to see was plain,
That, where he was the ruler, / stern and harsh was his bearing.
Straightway then to Hagen / they led the guests, who with their tale were faring.

Hagen said, as he met them: / “Safeguard to you I give;
My peace I pledge you willingly. / He shall no longer live,
But hang upon the gallows, / who these guests shall harry:
Let them not be fearful; / them shall nothing harm while in my land they tarry.”

Rich and costly jewels / they to Hagen gave,
In worth, of marks a thousand. / From them he nought did crave,
Nor even so much as a penny; / but what for sale they offered
He begged of them to show him, / such as to knights and ladies might be proffered.

For all he thanked them warmly; / he said: “If I should live
Not more than three days longer, / for all that now they give
My guests shall be rewarded. / If my liegeman do not heed me,
And these for aught be lacking, / all shall then for this with right upbraid me.”

Now the gifts they gave him / the king with his men did share;
Among them there were necklaces, / fit for ladies fair,
With finger-rings and arm-bands, / as well as ribands dainty,
And head-gear, to bedeck them: / these the king to many gave in plenty.

His wife and lovely daughter / now most rightly thought
That never to their kingdom / had gifts for them been brought,
That were so rare and costly, / by sellers or by traders.
Horant and Wâ-te also / in sending gifts to court were now the leaders.

Sixty silken garments, / the best that e’er were sold,
Up to the shore were carried, / and forty wrought with gold.
They would have prized but lightly / cloths from Bagdad even;
Of linen suits a hundred, / the best they had, now to the king were given.

Beside the handsome clothing, / made of silken stuff,
Of richest inner garments / they also gave enough;
There might perhaps be forty, / or more, if reckoned fully;
Could ever man buy praises, / they by their costly gifts had gained them truly.

Twelve Castilian horses, / all saddled, were brought, I trow;
Also many breastplates, / and well-made helmets, too,
Men were bidden to carry; / twelve bucklers likewise bore they,
Rimmed with golden edges. / Kind were Hagen’s guests; free givers were they.

Then, too, with gifts came riding / Horant the brave and bold;
Irold the strong came with him; / this to the king was told:
’Twas said to him, moreover, / that those now thither faring
Of lands were the lords and owners. / This might well be seen by the gifts they were bearing.

After these came riding / four and twenty men
Whom they were thither leading, / well-bred were they, I ween;
Such also was their clothing, / they seemed as if well fitted,
And now in truth were coming, / that very day to be by Hagen knighted.

Then unto King Hagen / one of his friends thus spake:
“The gifts the men now bring you / ’tis best you deign to take:
Never must you leave them / unthanked for all their treasure.”
Hagen lacked not riches, / but yet his thanks he gave them without measure.

He said: “I thank you kindly, / as I of right should do.”
Then he bade that his stewards / to see the gifts should go;
And also that the clothing, / piece by piece, be shown them.
Glad were they to see them, / and wondered greatly as they gazed upon them.

Then said one of the stewards: / “Hear now the truth I tell:
Chests there are of silver, / and filled with gold as well,
With many costly jewels, / rich and kingly even:
Marks fully twenty thousand / the goods are worth, which they to you have given.”

Then the king thus answered: / “Blessings on my guests!
I now will share with others / the riches in these chests.”
Then to his knights was given / whate’er of these they wanted;
To every one among them / all that he might wish by the king was granted.

The king now seated near him / both the two young men,—
Irold and also Horant; / he began to ask them then,
“Whence to his kingdom sailing, / they to come had striven?
Gifts so rich and worthy / have ne’er before by guests to me been given.”

Then spake the knightly Horant: / “This shall you know full well;
My lord, now hear us kindly / while we our sorrows tell.
Outlawed wanderers are we, / and from our homes were driven;
A king most rich and mighty, / to wreak his anger, woe to us hath given.”

Then spake again wild Hagen: / “What may be his name,
From whose rich kingdom driven, / outcasts you became?
You of wealth are owners, / and, if not by his wits forsaken,
To keep such worthy lieges / within his land he would some pains have taken.”

He asked “Who them had outlawed, / and what name he bore?
Of what misdoings guilty, / had they to this far shore
Made their flight in sorrow, / to ask the help of strangers?”
To him then answered Horant: / “To you will we make known our woes and dangers.

“He bears the name of ‘Hettel, / Lord of the Hegeling land’;
Brave and mighty is he, / and sways with a heavy hand.
We of all our happiness / have been robbed and plundered;
Of right are we embittered, / since from our land and home we now are sundered.”

To him spoke Hagen kindly: / “This to your good shall turn;
I will in full repay you / the losses that you mourn.
If I make myself a beggar, / by thus so freely giving,
Yet from the king of the Hegelings / you need not ask for help while I am living.

“If you, good knights,” he added, / “here with me will stay,
With you will I share right gladly / the lands I own to-day;
Such guerdon by King Hettel / ne’er to you was given.
The wealth from you he has taken, / that give I you, and more by tenfold even.”

“To stay with you we are ready,” / then said Horant the Dane,
“But we fear that when King Hettel / shall learn that we were seen
Within the Irish borders, / he will find a way to reach us;
And I am ever dreading / that we can nowhere live, and this he’ll teach us.”

Then to the band of wanderers / the lordly Hagen said:
“Do what now I bid you, / and a home for you is made.
Never will King Hettel / dare for your harm to seek you
Within my land and kingdom; / it were a wrong to me from hence to take you.”

He bade they should be sheltered, / at once, within his town;
Then to his men and lieges / he made his wishes known,
That now unto the wanderers / all honor should be granted.
The water-weary sailors / soon found the rest that they so long had wanted.

Then the townsmen freely / did the king’s behest;
To do it they were ready: / houses, the very best,
Forty, or even over, / were empty left, to be taken
By the Danish sailors; / their homes, by the king’s good lieges were willingly forsaken.

Up on the beach were carried / the wares, full many a pile,
That in the ships lay hidden. / Their owners thought, the while,
That they would rather struggle / with storms upon the water,
Than to seek their luck and welfare / in wooing Hilda, Hagen’s lovely daughter.

Hagen bade his followers: / “Now ask these guests of mine
If they will deign most kindly / to eat my bread and wine,
Till they, within my kingdom, / on lands they hold are living.”
The Danish Fru-te answered: / “To take your food would shame to us be giving.”

“If erst the great King Hettel / had been to us so good,
That he both gold and silver / would give to us for food,
We in our houses had them, / and might of them be wasteful;
We e’en could stay our hunger, / and feed thereon, if this to us were tasteful.”

’Twas bidden then by Fru-te / that his booth should be set up.
To see for sale such riches / men ne’er again could hope.
Never within their borders / did any trader offer
Fine goods at such a bargain; / they easily were sold before the day was over.

All could buy who wished them, / gold and jewels rare.
The king, by greatest kindness, / was to his guests made dear.
If any, without buying, / still these treasures wanted,
The traders were so friendly / that they, as gifts, the goods to many granted.

Whate’er of Wâ-te or Fru-te / was said by any one,—
Of all the deeds of kindness / that here by them were done,—
The tale might not be trusted, / how they for these were ready;
They strove to gain high praises, / and this at court was told to many a lady.

Of the poor nor man nor woman / for clothes was seen to lack;
To those in need among them / they gave their pledges back,
And from debt they freed them. / To the princess, morn and even,
Oft by her faithful steward / the tale of these guests from far was truly given.

To the king she made her prayer: / “Dearest father mine,
Ask that these guests so worthy / to ride to court will deign.
They say that one among them / hath charms beyond all measure;
Should he to your bidding listen, / the sight of him ofttimes would give me pleasure.”

To her the king thus answered: / “That shall quickly be;
His well-bred ways and bearing / I soon will let you see.”
But still the great King Hagen / never yet had known him;
Long the ladies waited / till Wâ-te came, and they could look upon him.

Word to the guests was carried; / to them ’twas kindly said,
That if it e’er should happen / that they of aught had need,
They should to the king betake them, / and his food be sharing.
To Fru-te this was pleasing, / for wise he was, not less than he was daring.

Those who came from Denmark, / when at court, took care
Ever to be blameless / for the clothes that they should wear:
’Twas so with the men of Wâ-te, / from Sturmland thither faring,
And than himself no sword-knight / in any land could show a finer bearing.

Those who came with Morunc / wore mantles over all,
With robes from far Kampalia. / Fiery red, as a coal,
Gold and gems that sparkled / on their clothes were shining.
Irold, the daring champion, / came not alone, young Hilda bent on winning.

Thither came brave Horant; / all others he out-vied
In rich and costly clothing. / With mantles long and wide,
Gay in hue and gaudy, / his men were decked out brightly:
Those brave men from Denmark / proudly came, and had a look most knightly.

Tho’ Hagen’s birth was kingly, / and lordly was his mood,
He yet went forth to meet them. / His daughter, fair and good,
Rose up before old Wâ-te / from where she now was seated.
Such was Wâ-te’s bearing / as if with smiles his friends he never greeted.

She said, in way most seemly: / “Welcome to you I give;
Both I and the king, my father, / must from your looks believe
That you are weary warriors, / and sorely have been fighting.
Good-will the king will show you, / and soon his faith to you will he be plighting.”

To her they all bent lowly; / their ways, they were well-bred.
The king then bade to be seated, / as hosts are wont to bid.
Of drink to them was given, / wine the best and rarest;
Better ne’er was tasted / in the home of any lord, albeit the fairest.

In talk and fun and merriment / seated were they all.
Soon the queenly maiden / was seen to leave the hall:
But first she begged her father / the kindness now to show her
To bid the knights so worthy / to come to her, for pastime, to her bower.

Her wish the king then granted, / (so to us, ’tis said);
His young and lovely daughter / at this was truly glad.
Soon fair clothes and jewels / the maidens all were wearing;
And earnestly were watching / the many knights from far, to see their bearing.

When now the elder Hilda / sat by her daughter fair,
Each one of her lovely maidens / demeaned herself with care;
So that all who saw her / high in breeding thought her,
And nothing else could say of her, / but that she was indeed a king’s fair daughter.

Now bade they that old Wâ-te / should to the maids be brought;
Though he was gray and aged, / none the less they thought,
To guard against his wooing, / they must as children meet him.
Then to the aged Wâ-te / stepped forth the youthful queen, right glad to greet him.

She was the first to do so, / but wished she might be spared
When she now must kiss him: / broad and gray was his beard,
And the hair of the aged Wâ-te / with golden strings was braided.
He and the Danish Fru-te / the queen’s behest to seat them slowly heeded.

Both the well-clad heroes / before their seats now stood;
Well they knew fine breeding, / and made their teaching good.
In many a bitter struggle, / in their manhood early,
They gained a name as warriors; / and men to them gave praises for it fairly.

Queen Hilda and her daughter, / in lively, merry mood,
Began to ask of Wâ-te, / whether he thought it good,
Thus with lovely ladies / to sit in ease and pleasure,
Or if to him ’twere better / his strength in stormy fight with foes to measure?

The aged Wâ-te answered: “To me the last seems best;
Altho’ among fair ladies / glad am I to rest,
Never am I happier / than when with knights most daring,
Wherever that may happen, / upon the stormy field the fight I am sharing.”

At this the gay young maiden / broke into laughter loud;
Well she saw, with ladies, / his stern, uneasy mood.
With this in the halls yet longer / were the maidens merry;
Queen Hilda and her daughter / to talk with Morunc’s knights were never weary.

She asked about old Wâ-te: / “Say, by what name is he known?
Has he any liegemen? / Doth he lands and castles own?
Has he a wife and children / in the land whence he is roving?
There, as I am thinking, / at his home and hearth, there must be little loving.”

Then answered one of the warriors: / “Both children and a wife
In his home and land await him. / His riches and his life
He risketh for his duty; / a hero brave he has shown him.
A bold and daring champion, / throughout his life, both friend and foe have known him.”

Irold the tale was telling / about this fearless knight,
That never worthier liegeman, / or bolder man in fight,
A king need e’er be seeking, / his lands and castles over:
Though mildly now he bears him, / there ne’er was found a stronger or a braver.

The queen then said to Wâ-te: / “Give heed to what I say;
Since in his Danish kingdom / Hettel forbids your stay,
I here, within my borders, / a home will gladly give you;
There lives no lord so mighty / that he would ever dare from hence to drive you.”

Then to the queen he answered: / “I too, myself, own land;
There give I clothes and horses, / at will, with open hand.
To wait on you as liegeman, / would make me sorry-hearted;
And from my lands and castles, / more than a year, I never can be parted.”

At last they all were going: / then begged the lovely queen,
That when at court they waited, / they always might be seen
Seated among the ladies; / no shame by this were done them:
Then said to her brave Irold, / that in their home this seat was ever shown them.

To load with gifts these wanderers / the king was ever bent.
But in a mood so haughty / had they been thither sent,
To no man were they willing / to be for a mark beholden.
Hagen, the king, was lordly, / and took it ill that their pride should them embolden.

To the king they now betook them; / many were they who came;
There they found, for pastime, / for each some merry game:
Draughts were many playing, / or spear and shield were trying;
For these they cared but little, / but ever were in Hagen’s praises vying.

As happens oft in Ireland, / with every kind of fun
Forthwith the men made merry. / In this old Wâ-te won
A friend for himself in Hagen; / but to win the ladies’ praises,
Horant, the knight from Denmark, / his time in lightsome frolic with them passes.

Fru-te and also Wâ-te / were knights full brave and bold;
When standing near each other, / both alike looked old.
Their locks were gray and hoary, / and with gold were twisted;
But where the bold were needed, / to show their bravery earnestly they listed.

The followers of King Hagen / wore their shields at court,
With clubs as well as bucklers; / there they strove in sport,
In the sword-play slashing; / thrusts of spears they parried;
Well themselves they shielded. / The youthful knights in games were never wearied.

Then asked the brave King Hagen / of Wâ-te and his men,
“If, where they erst were living, / such fights were ever seen,
Or such heavy onslaughts, / as his good knights were dealing,
Here in his Irish kingdom?” / A smile of scorn o’er Wâ-te’s face was stealing.

Then quoth the knight from Sturmland: / “The like I never saw;
If any here could teach it, / from here would I not withdraw
Till a year was fully ended, / and I had learned it rightly.
Whoe’er should be my master, / for his care and pains would I not reward him lightly.”

The king to him then answered: / “For the love to you I bear,
I will bid my best of masters / teach you his art with care,
Till the three strokes are easy, / that, in field-storms raging,
Men give to one another; / by this will you be helped when battle waging.”

Then came a fencing-master, / and began his craft to show
To Wâ-te, the daring fighter; / in him he found a foe
Who fear for his life soon gave him. / Wâ-te his onset parried,
With all the skill of a fencer. / The face of Fru-te the Dane a smile now carried.

To save himself, the teacher / gave a spring as wide
As doth an untamed leopard. / Wâ-te his weapon plied,
And in his hand it clattered, / until the fire-sparks glistened
Upon his foeman’s buckler; / he well might thank the youth who to him had listened.

Then said the king, wild Hagen: / “Give me the sword in hand.
I will take a little pastime / with him of the Sturmisch land;
I will be his teacher, / and he my four strokes be learning.
He for this will thank me.” / Soon was the king high praise from Wâ-te earning.

To him old Wâ-te answered: / “A pledge I now must hear
That I from you, great Hagen, / no guile soe’er may fear;
Should I by you be wounded, / with ladies’ scorn shall I redden.”
In the fight was Wâ-te nimble; / such quickness to believe should none be bidden.

The simple, untaught fencer / smote Hagen many a blow;
Till, like a wet brand steaming, / was the king before his foe.
The learner outdid his teacher: / well his strength he boasted.
The host laid strokes unnumbered / upon the guest, who in his skill had trusted.

Many looked on gladly / to see the strength of both.
To own the skill of Wâ-te / the king was nothing loth;
He might have shown his anger, / and brought no shame upon him.
Great was the strength of Wâ-te, / but yet ’twas seen that Hagen had outdone him.

To the king then spake old Wâ-te: / “Let each no favor show,
While we together struggle. / Well have I learned from you
Your four strokes to be plying; / my thanks be you now sharing.”
Such thanks he later showed him / as doth a fighting Frank or Saxon daring.

No more a truce was thought of / by Wâ-te and the king;
With strokes that loud were crashing, / the hall began to ring.
Harder blows than ever / they gave, as now they battled;
All their thrusts were sudden; / the knobs upon their swords snapped off and rattled.

The two sat down to rest them; / then Hagen said to his guest:
“You fain would be a learner, / but you in truth are the best
That ever I was teaching / the skill that the foeman dazes.
Wherever you are fighting, / you in the field will win most worthy praises.”

Then to the king spake Irold: / “My lord, the strife is done
That you so well were waging; / such fights have we seen won,
In the land of our king and master. / Oft, at home, we freely
Try our skill with weapons; / knights and squires there meet in matches daily.”

Then again spoke Hagen: / “Did I this understand,
I never a fighting weapon / had taken in my hand.
No youth have I ever met with / who was so quick at learning.”
When to these words they listened, / the face of many a one to smiles was turning.

Now by the king ’twas granted / to his guests to pass the day
As they might all be choosing. / Glad of this were they,
The men from out the Northland. / When the hours grew weary,
They vied huge stones in hurling; / or else in shooting arrows made them merry.