Part 12

[836] To him the lord of Alzabie, the Moorish Siegfried said: “Knew we where to find them, they should our coming dread.” The aged Wâ-te answered: “I can show you nearly Their path across the water: and we perhaps on the sea may meet them early.”

[837] Then to them all spake Hettel: “Where can ships be sought? And, if I wish to harm them, how bring my wish about? I might at home make ready within their lands to seek them, And there, when I had found them, my anger for my wrongs should quick o’ertake them.”

[838] To him then said old Wâ-te: “In this I can help you still; God is ever mighty to do whate’er he will. I know within these borders now are lying near us Well-made ships full seventy; filled with food, these barks from the sands will bear us.

[839] “In them have wandering pilgrims sailed the waters o’er: Their ships, whatever happens, we must seize upon the shore; The pilgrims must be willing that on the sand we leave them, Until our Norman foemen make good our wrongs, or we again shall brave them.”

[840] At once old Wâ-te started, no longer would he wait; A hundred knights went with him, the others lingered yet. He said he came for buying; what could the pilgrims sell him? For this men died thereafter, and, for himself, but sorry luck befell him.

[841] On the shore he found the pilgrims,— this I know is true,— Fully thirty hundred, I ween, and better, too. To fight were they unready, and could not rouse them quickly: Nearer came King Hettel, and with him led his men, now crowding thickly.

[842] Their goods the pilgrims guarded, yet Wâ-te sent on shore All that he had no need for, of silver and clothes a store; But the food was left on shipboard, so old Wâ-te chooses: He said he should come hereafter, and would reward them well for all their losses.

[843] Sadly mourned the pilgrims, for sorest was their need; But for all they said old Wâ-te cared not a crust of bread: The bold, unyielding warrior, stern and never smiling, Said: “Both ships and flatboats they to leave to him must now be willing.”

[844] Hettel recked but little if ever they sailed again Over the sea with their crosses: then he took of their men Five hundred at least, or over, the best they had among them; Of these to the Hegeling kingdom few came back, from the death that overhung them.

[845] I know not whether Hettel atoned for his evil deed Done to these poor pilgrims, that made their hearts to bleed, And, in a far-off kingdom, rent their band, to their sorrow. I ween the God in heaven saw the wrong, and his anger showed on the morrow.

[846] King Hettel and his followers met with a kindly breeze, And now their way were taking quickly across the seas; Seeking for their foemen, they sailed far over the water, Wherever they might find them, longing to show their wrath, and bent on slaughter.

Tale the Seventeenth. HOW HETTEL CAME TO THE WULPENSAND IN SEARCH OF HIS DAUGHTER.

[847] Ludwig, king of the Normans, and Hartmut, too, his son, Now, with all their followers, far away had gone, And on a lone, wild seashore, after their toil, were resting. Though many there were gathered, yet little happiness they then were tasting.

[848] ’Twas on a broad, low island, hight the Wulpensand, That now the brave King Ludwig, and they of the Norman land, Shelter for men and horses had found unto their liking; But a doom to them most woful erelong must come, instead of the rest they were seeking.

[849] The very high-born maidens, torn from the Hegeling land, Had been led out, and wandered along the barren sand; So far as ’twas allowed them to show their feelings freely, They who had been stolen in sadness wept before the foeman daily.

[850] Fires upon the seashore were seen on every side; The men from far-off Normandy were thinking there to abide. Gladly with the maidens would they seven days have rested, And there have made them lodgings; but every hope of this erelong was blasted.

[851] While on this isle forsaken Hartmut now must stay, Loth were he and his followers the hope to put away, Which till now they fostered, that they for rest might tarry Throughout a week in the shelter whither they the maidens fair did carry.

[852] It was from far-off Matelan that Ludwig and his band The fair Gu-drun had taken unto this lonely strand; Nor felt they now uneasy lest to their hidden dwelling Wâ-te them should follow, and never harm from him were they foretelling.

[853] Now saw King Ludwig’s sailors, tossing on the wave, A ship with sails the richest. To the king they warning gave; But when ’twas seen by Hartmut, and others with him standing, That on the sails were crosses, they said these must be pilgrims, bent on landing.

[854] On the waters floating three good ships were seen, With new and well-made flatboats; they bore across the main Those who on their clothing never yet wore crosses, Their love to God thus showing. The Normans must from them meet heavy losses.

[855] As they the shore were nearing, one on the ships might see Helmets brightly shining. No more from care were free King Ludwig and his kinsmen, and harm their fears foreboded: “Look there!” then shouted Hartmut; “with grimmest foes of mine these ships are loaded.”

[856] The ships were turned so quickly that now men loudly heard Rudders strained and cracking, held by those who steered. Both the young and aged, who on the sea-sands rested, Were indeed bewildered when to spring on shore the foeman hasted.

[857] Ludwig and young Hartmut their shields in hand now bore. For them it had been easier to reach their homes once more If they had not too freely their rest on the island taken: They had falsely reckoned that Hettel had now no friends, and was all forsaken.

[858] Ludwig called out loudly to all his trusty men, (He thought it child’s play only that he before had seen,) “Now with worthy foemen must I, at length, be striving! He shall be the richer who ’neath my flag his help to me is giving.”

[859] Soon was Hartmut’s banner raised upon the shore. The ships had now come nearer; with spears the Normans bore To reach the foe were easy from where they now were waiting: I ween the aged Wâ-te was ready with his shield, the foeman meeting.

[860] Ne’er before so grimly did champions guard their land. Boldly the Hegeling warriors nearer pressed to the strand; Soon they met the Normans with sword and spear, undaunted; Blows they freely bartered: such bargains cheaply given no more they wanted.

[861] Everywhere the Hegelings sprang upon the shore. After a wind from the hill-tops was never seen before Snow so thickly whirling as spears from hands that threw them: Though they had done it gladly idle it were to shun the strokes that slew them.

[862] Thick fly the spears on both sides: the time but slowly goes, Till they on the beach are standing. Quickly on his foes Sprang the aged Wâ-te, just as they were nearing; His mood was of the grimmest, and soon they saw what mind he now was bearing.

[863] Ludwig, king of the Normans, then at Wâ-te ran, And hurled a spear well sharpened against the brave old man. The shaft, in splinters shattered, high thro’ air went crashing, For Ludwig drove it bravely; soon to the fight came Wâ-te’s kinsmen dashing.

[864] With a heavy stroke, old Wâ-te Ludwig’s helmet cut; The edge of the sword he wielded the head of his foeman smote, Who beneath his breastplate a shirt of silk was wearing; (In Abalie ’twas woven;) were it not for this, his end he must be nearing.

[865] Hardly from him could Ludwig with life and limb go free; The spot he would fain be leaving, for Wâ-te was ill to see When he was roused to anger, and to win the day was trying: Struck by his hand were many, who, brave in warfare, now on the field lay dying.

[866] Irold and young Hartmut each on the other sprang: On either side their weapons on the foeman’s helmet rang; Throughout the throng of fighters, all could hear it loudly; For bold in war was Irold, and Hartmut, too, was brave, and bore him proudly.

[867] Herwic from the Sealands, a warrior strong and good, Could not reach the landing, but leaped into the flood, And in the waves was standing, up to his shoulders hidden. Soon to his cost was he learning how hard a task it is to win a maiden.

[868] They the shore who guarded their foemen thought to drown While in the waters struggling. Shafts at them were thrown, And many on them broken; but they, their foes now seeking, Soon the sands were treading, and many a knight his wrath on them was wreaking.

[869] Ere they had reached the shoreland, one saw the watery flood Dyed by the killed and wounded, in hue as red as blood; Everywhere, so widely the reddened waves were flowing, One could not shoot beyond them, how far soe’er he might his spear be throwing.

[870] Heavier toil and losses heroes never found, And never so many warriors lay trampled on the ground: Enough were they for a kingdom who lay, unwounded, dying. The Normans who o’erthrew them, on all sides too, I ween, in death were lying.

[871] It was to save his daughter that there King Hettel fought, And all his kinsmen with him. On every side were wrought, By him and those who helped him, havoc and bitter sorrow. Dead on the Wulpensand were many bodies found before the morrow.

[872] Unto their lords all faithful, they strove upon the sand,— Alike the men of Normandy and they of the Hegeling land. Warriors brave from Denmark fought with matchless daring; He ne’er should wait their onset who much for his welfare or his life was caring.

[873] Morunc and with him Ortwin boldly held their ground, And for themselves won honor; nowhere could be found Men who greater slaughter wrought, with hearts undaunted: The heroes twain, with their followers, gave full many wounds, with spears well planted.

[874] Proudly the men from Moorland, as I have heard it said, When from their ships they landed, the way to the foemen led. Hettel hoped, in his struggle, help from them to be gaining, For they were daring fighters: one saw the blood beneath their helmets raining.

[875] How could he who led them have braver or bolder been? That day he dimmed with life-blood many breastplates’ sheen; Siegfried it was, unyielding in storm of battle ever. How could the Danish Fru-te, or even Wâ-te the old, have shown them braver?

[876] Thickly hurled were lances, hither and thither thrown: Ortwin, with his followers, in hopeful mood came on; Helmets that day he shattered, blows upon them dealing. Gu-drun was bitterly weeping: her women, too, were deepest sorrow feeling.

[877] The strife, on both sides, lasted throughout the livelong day; Longing to reach each other, they crowded to the fray. There to knights and warriors must the fight go badly, Where the friends of Hettel to win his daughter back were striving gladly.

[878] The evening sun sank lower; and for King Hettel now His losses grew the greater. King Ludwig’s men, I trow, Did their best in fighting, but could not flee the slaughter; Their foes they wounded deeply, and guarded thus Gu-drun from those who sought her.

[879] The strife began at morning; by night alone ’twas stopped, And steadily had lasted; they ne’er their weapons dropped. The old and young together gained no shame in fighting. Now the brave King Hettel forward pressed, the king of the Normans meeting.

Tale the Eighteenth. HOW LUDWIG SLEW HETTEL, AND STOLE AWAY IN THE NIGHT.

[880] High in hand their weapons Hettel and Ludwig bore,— Well had they been sharpened. Soon each knew the more Who was now his foeman, such strength they both were showing. Ludwig slew King Hettel; and out of this our mournful tale is growing.

[881] When the lord of Matelan upon the field lay slain, Soon ’twas told to his daughter: loudly then began Gu-drun to mourn her father, so did many a maiden; Not one could stop her wailing: friends and foes alike were sorrow-laden.

[882] Soon as the grim old Wâ-te the death of the king did know, He cried and roared in anger. Like to the evening glow, Now were helmets blazing, beneath the strokes quick given By him and all his followers, who by their loss were unto madness driven.

[883] However hard their fighting, how could it bring them good? Drenched was all the island with many knights’ hot blood. Not yet the Hegeling warriors to think of peace were ready; Away from the Wulpensand they only wished to bring Gu-drun, their lady.

[884] In stormy fight the Waal men bewreked the death of the king; To many a fighting Ortlander and hard-pressed Hegeling Those who came from Denmark of friendship gave a token: Soon these knights so daring found in their hands their trusty weapons broken.

[885] Now to avenge his father Ortwin bravely strove: Faithful to him did Horant and all his followers prove. Night the field had darkened, the light of day was failing; Then were given to many wounds from which the life-blood fast was welling.

[886] Soon, in the dark, on Horant a Danish follower sprang; The sword that he was holding loud on the armor rang: Thinking he was a foeman, Horant at once upon him Wrought most bitter sorrow: a deadly wound by that warrior brave was done him.

[887] When Horant saw that his kinsman beneath his blow lay dead, Then he bade that his banner be borne with his own o’erhead. The voice of him who was dying told whose life he had taken With his hand so rashly; sorely he mourned the friend who never would waken.

[888] Loudly called out Herwic: “Murder here is done! Since we can see no longer, and daylight now is gone, We all shall kill each other, friends and foes together. If this shall last till morning, two may be left to fight, but not another.”

[889] Where’er they saw old Wâ-te on the stormy fighting-ground, No one there was willing near him to be found; No welcome, in his madness, was he to any giving: Many a foe he wounded, and laid on the spot that he would ne’er be leaving.

[890] ’Twas well the foes were sundered until the break of day; On either side the foemen near each other lay, Wounded to death or slaughtered. Fast the light was waning, Not yet the moon was risen, and the Hegeling foe the field were nowhere gaining.

[891] The warriors grim, unwillingly, to the strife now put a stop; The hands of all were weary ere they gave the struggle up: But, when the fight was over, they near each other loitered. Wherever fires were burning, for each the other’s shields and helmets glittered.

[892] Ludwig then and Hartmut, lords of the Norman land, Talked aside together. Then to his faithful band Spake the elder warrior: “Why be longer staying So near the brave old Wâ-te, who all of us is madly bent on slaying?”

[893] The wily king then bade them: “Lie low, and be not seen, With your heads upon your bucklers: you then must make a din; And so the men of the Hegelings my plan will not be knowing,— That, if I now can do it, I with you all may hence unseen be going.”

[894] Ludwig’s men and kinsmen did as he had said: They upon their sackbuts and trumpets loudly played, As if they, by their prowess, the land had gained them wholly. Ludwig now to his followers showed his crafty plot and cunning fully.

[895] Then were heard, on all sides, mingled shouts and cries; But wailing from the maidens was not allowed to rise: All who would not stop it were threatened death by drowning,— To be sunk beneath the waters,— if they were sobbing heard, or loudly moaning.

[896] Whate’er was owned by the Normans now to the ships was ta’en; The dead were there left lying, e’en where they were slain. Friends were lost to many who, seeking, could not find them: So few there were still living, that many an empty ship was left behind them.

[897] Thus unbeknown and slyly, sailed away o’er the main The men of the land of Normandy; great was the women’s pain From kinsfolk to be sundered, and yet to hush their weeping. Of this the men knew nothing who now upon the Wulpensand were sleeping.

[898] Before the day was dawning, well were on their way They whom the Danish warriors had thought that morn to slay. Then Wâ-te bade that loudly his war-horn should be sounded; He was in haste to follow, and hoped erelong to fell them, deeply wounded.

[899] On foot and on their horses, the men of the Hegeling land All were seen together, flocking o’er the sand, To fight the fleeing Normans; never in this they rested. Ludwig with his followers already far upon their way had hasted.

[900] Many ships lay empty, and clothing there was found; All about the Wulpensand ’twas scattered o’er the ground; Many weapons also were seen, with none to bear them. They had overslept their going, and never to harm their foes could they come near them.

[901] When this was told to Wâ-te, with anger he was torn: How for the death of Hettel he bitterly did mourn! And that on Ludwig’s body his wrath he was not wreaking! Helmets there lay shattered; for this must many a woman’s heart be aching.

[902] How gloomily and sadly now, in angry mood, Ortwin was bewailing the loss of his warriors good! He said: “Rouse up, my fighters! we may perhaps o’ertake them Before they leave these waters; not far from shore we yet in flight may check them.”

[903] Willingly old Wâ-te would his bidding do: Fru-te the winds was watching, to learn which way they blew. Then said he to his kinsmen: “What helps it though we hasten? Mark what now I tell you: the thirty miles they’ve gained we ne’er can lessen.

[904] “Moreover, we of fighters have not here enough That we in aught can harm them, e’en should we now set off: Scorn me not,” said Fru-te, “and to my words give heeding; What more to say is needful? Your foes you cannot reach, howe’er you’re speeding.

[905] “Bid that now the wounded upon the ships be laid; Then on the field of battle let search for the dead be made, And bid that they be buried upon this strand forsaken, So friends may rest together; this good at least from them should not be taken.”

[906] All, standing there together, wringing their hands were seen. For this one sorrow only, would their lot have hapless been,— To lose the youthful maiden, Hilda’s lovely daughter. How, when they saw her mother, if home they went, could news so sad be brought her?

[907] Then to them said Morunc: “Would there were nothing more, Beyond our own sad losses, for which our hearts are sore! Small reward will be given for the news we home shall carry, That Hettel dead is lying: far from Hilda fain would I longer tarry.”

[908] Then went the warriors searching for the dead upon the sand. Those they knew were Christians who lay upon the strand, As the Sturmisch Wâ-te bade them, were all together carried; Then both the old and the younger chose a spot whereon the dead were buried.

[909] Then said the knight, young Ortwin: “Let us bury them here; And thought must we be taking to build a church full near, That they be not forgotten, while this their end is showing. For it shall all their kinsmen give of their wealth, each one his share bestowing.”

[910] Then spake the Sturmisch Wâ-te: “In this thou well hast said; We now should sell the horses and the clothing of the dead, Who on the shore are lying; so, since their life is ended, Shall many poor and needy, with the wealth they left, be holpen and befriended.”

[911] Then asked the warrior Irold, if foes who there lay dead Should also now be buried, or if wolves should on them feed, And hungry ravens tear them, that round their bodies hovered? Then to the wise they listened; none of the dead were left on the field uncovered.

[912] When now the fight was over, and all were free from care, Hettel, their king, they buried, who for his daughter dear, Upon this barren seashore, e’en unto death had striven. To others who had fallen, whate’er their land and name, was burial given.

[913] First, the men from Moorland each by himself they laid; The same was done for the Hegelings found among the dead; Unto the Normans, also, gave they graves allotted: Alone was each one buried, if Christian he were or heathen, it nothing booted.

[914] Until six days were over, busy were they, at their best, And never time were finding (for the warriors took no rest) To ask for dead and dying the grace of God in heaven, For sins of which they were guilty; that they for their misdeeds should be forgiven.

[915] Saying mass and singing were later heard on the strand. Never was God so worshipped, in any other land, For the dead in stormy fighting. Wherever men were lying With their death-wounds smitten, holy priests they brought to shrive the dying.

[916] Many there did tarry to care for the churchly men. A deed of gift was written, wherein it could be seen How of land to the brothers three hundred hides was given. Far and wide ’twas bruited, that well a godly house was builded, and had thriven.

[917] All who there were mourning the loss of friends and kin Gave of their wealth a tithing, women as well as men, For weal of the souls of any whose bodies there lay buried. The cloister soon was wealthy, by the yield of three hundred hides, through toil unwearied.