Tale XX: How Hartmut Went Home to Normandy

No further will we tell you of how with these it fared,Or how the cloister-brothers their life together shared.Now to the tale of Hartmut we ask you all to listen;How he with many maidens, high-born and fair, unto his land did hasten.

After the fight was ended, as I have told before,For many there was sorrow for the bitter wounds they bore:Many who had fallen on the stormy field lay dying;Children bereft of fathers bewailed them soon with tears they ne’er were drying.

With heavy hearts the Normans were wafted o’er the flood;Every night and morning many a warrior goodFelt ashamed and sorry, thus from the sands to be driven;So felt the old and the youthful, although in all things else they well had thriven.

They came to the Norman borders, unto King Ludwig’s land.It was a day of gladness to all the sailing band,To see at last their homesteads and thither to be steering.Then said one among them: “These are Hartmut’s towns that we are nearing.”

Helped by kindly breezes, soon they reached the shore.Now the men of Normandy happy hearts all bore,When to their wives and children they again were coming;Long had they been fearing that they must die, while they afar were roaming.

When now the glad King Ludwig did on his castles look,Thus the lordly Norman to Gu-drun, the maiden, spoke:“See you that palace, Lady? In bliss you may there be living;If you to us are kindly, our richest lands will we to you be giving.”

Then the high-born maiden thus made her sorrow known:“To whom should I feel kindly, when kindness none have shown?From that, alas! I’m sundered, and in my hopes am thwarted;Nothing I know but hardship, and all my weary days I spend sad-hearted.”

Then answered her King Ludwig: “Throw off this sorry mood,And give your love to Hartmut, a knight both brave and good.Whatever we are owning to give you we are willing;With one who is so worthy blest may you live, and lofty rank be filling.”

Then spake Hilda’s daughter: “Why leave me not in peace?Rather than wed with Hartmut death would I dread far less.That he should be my lover by birth he is not fitted;To lose my life were better than take his love and as his bride be greeted.”

When this was heard by Ludwig, filled with wrath was he;Quick by the hair he seized her, and flung her into the sea.Straightway the daring Hartmut his ready help then gave her;He sprang at once to the maiden, and from the whirling waves his arm did save her.

Just as the maid was sinking Hartmut reached her side;Had not her lover helped her drowned were she in the tide.Her yellow locks well grasping, then from out the waterWith his hands he drew her: else nought from death had spared Queen Hilda’s daughter.

Back to the ship did Hartmut bring the maiden fair;—Rough ways to lovely women Ludwig did not spare.Dragged from out the water, she in her smock was seated;How full was she of sadness! Never before had the maiden thus been treated.

Then all her friends together wept for the lovely maid,None could there be happy; for what could be more sadThan to see the king’s own daughter handled thus so roughly?The thought to them was rising: “To us they now will bear themselves more gruffly.”

Then said the knightly Hartmut: “Why drown my hoped-for wife,Gu-drun, the lovely maiden, dear to me as life?If any but my father so foul a wrong had done her,Sore would be my anger, and I from him would take both life and honor.”

To him King Ludwig answered: “Ever free from shameHave I till age been living, and still a worthy nameAnd rank among my fellows will hold till life is ending.Bid now Gu-drun, your lady, that she no more her scorn on me be spending.”

Now unto Queen Gerlind errand-bearers came,Who, in mood most happy, bore in Hartmut’s nameWords of love and honor, as from her son was fitting.He asked a friendly welcome for his many knights who on the shore were waiting.

They bore from him the tidings that he across the waveHad brought the Hegeling maiden, to whom his love he gaveEre he had looked upon her, and for whom he still was pining.When this was heard by Gerlind, a happier day on her was never shining.

Then said he who told it: “Lady, you now should rideTo the sea before the castle, where yet the maid doth bide,And give her, in her sorrow, your love and kindly greeting;You and your daughter, Ortrun, should haste to the shore, the homeless maiden meeting.

“Likewise, riding with you down unto the flood,Should go both maids and women, and also warriors good.Her you will find in the harbor who from home was riven;Both to the maid and her followers a welcome kind by you should now be given.”

Then Queen Gerlind answered: “That will I gladly do;’Twill make me richly happy King Hettel’s child to know,And to find that, with her maidens, she has come to tarry.Well I know that Hartmut will soon be blest, when he the maid shall marry.”

Then she bade that horses, with saddle-cloths, be brought.Ortrun, the youthful princess, was happy in the thoughtSoon in her father’s kingdom to see Gu-drun, the maiden,If this might truly happen; for the speech of all was with her praises laden.

Then out of chests were taken of all the clothes the bestThey knew therein were lying, to be worn to meet the guest.Soon the knights of Hartmut to don the clothes were bidden;Erelong a throng of followers, gaily bedight, from Gerlind’s halls had ridden.

Upon the third day early, women as well as men,All who there had gathered before Gerlind, their queen,To give the maidens welcome, were ready and outfitted;Out of the gates they crowded, and on their steeds not long in the court-yard waited.

The Normans now with the women had into the harbor come:The booty they unloaded that they would carry home.All unto their birthland back had come right gladly;Gu-drun and her band of maidens, alone of all, demeaned themselves but sadly.

Now the brave Sir Hartmut led her forth by the hand,If she had deemed it fitting, this she had not deigned;Yet the poor child, in sorrow, took his love but coldly,Altho’ he showed it warmly, and worship more had done freely and boldly.

With her went sixty maidens who over the sea had come:One saw, as he beheld them, how that all from their homeCame with proudest bearing. They erst high rank had taken,In other lands and kingdoms; their hearts were heavy now, of bliss forsaken.

The sister of young Hartmut between two barons rode;Now to Hilda’s daughter a welcome warm she showed:Ortrun, Ludwig’s daughter, her eyes now wet with weeping,Kissed the homeless maiden, while she her fair white hands in her own was keeping.

Then the wife of Ludwig to kiss her, too, was fain,But to the youthful maiden the thought was full of pain.Thus she spake to Gerlind: “Why come you here to meet me?Loath am I to kiss you, and neither can I bear that you should greet me.

“’Twas by your own ill-doing that I, poor wretched maid,Have known no home nor dwelling; heart-sorrow long I’ve had;My lot, alas! is shameful, and will, I fear, grow harder.”Then Ortrun strove to soothe her, and did her best that with love Gu-drun should reward her.

One by one she greeted the maids on every side.Now rose a wondrous shouting; men flocked from far and wide:Upon the pebbly sea-beach stakes for tents were driven;With silken ropes were they fastened; to Hartmut and his men was shelter in them given.

To bear the goods from the seaside the folk were all astir.Gu-drun, fair maiden, sorrowed, and pain it gave to herTo see that all around her the Normans were so many;Unless it were to Ortrun, she never showed a friendly mood to any.

The maidens on the seashore must all the day abide.With tears their eyes were flowing, whatever others did;Dry were they but seldom, their cheeks were pale with sorrow:Hartmut tried to soothe them, but their sadness lasted yet through many a morrow.

To hold Gu-drun in honor was Ortrun ever stern,And, e’en if others wronged her, with love to her did turn:She in her father’s kingdom strove to make her merry,But, far from friends and kindred, often the poor young girl was sad and weary.

To the Normans home was welcome, as indeed was right;They boasted much of the booty, both churl as well as knight,Brought from the Hegeling kingdom, as they home were turning.What welcome glad all gave them who ne’er to see them hoped, albeit yearning!

Soon as Hartmut’s warriors from all their toil were free,And they were fully rested from off the stormy sea,They quickly left each other, for their homes in many places:While some their hands were wringing, smiles were seen to brighten others’ faces.

Then did Hartmut also turn away from the shore,And to a stately palace the fair Gu-drun he bore.Henceforth the youthful maiden must tarry there far longerThan she to stay was minded, and there her woe and pain grew ever stronger.

When now the high-born maiden sat in Hartmut’s hall,Where his men should crown her, then he bade them allTo be forever faithful, and their goodwill to show her;So would she not forget them, but would enrich whoe’er should kindness do her.

Then spake the mother, Gerlind, old King Ludwig’s wife:“When will Gu-drun be ready to share young Hartmut’s life,Our youthful prince so noble, and in her arms to fold him?Of her his rank is worthy, and ne’er will she be sorry for her lord to hold him.”

Gu-drun to this had listened, the wretched, homeless maid;She said: “My Lady Gerlind, ’twould make you sad indeedIf you must take in wedlock one who the lives had wastedOf many friends and kinsfolk; by toil for him your life were ever blasted.”

“This shall no one hinder,” to her then said the queen;“Gainsay his will no longer, let your love for him be seen,And on my head I pledge you that rich shall be your guerdon:If to be a queen you spurn not, you of my crown shall bear the happy burden.”

Then said the sorrowing maiden: “That will I never wear;Of all his wealth and greatness you the tale may spare.Your son, the knightly Hartmut, my love can ne’er be winning:Unwilling here I linger, and hence to go I day by day am pining.”

Then the youthful Hartmut, who of the land was lord,Was angry with the maiden when he her answer heard.He said: “If, then, to wed her the lady granteth never,So, also, to the fair one shall my goodwill and love be wanting ever.”

Then the wicked Gerlind to Hartmut said, in turn:“Ever the young and thoughtless from the wise should learn.Now leave to me this maiden, let me for her be caring,And I so well shall teach her that she will quickly drop her lofty bearing.”

“That will I grant you gladly,” Hartmut answering said;“Whate’er from this may follow, to you I give the maid,To have in your good keeping, as suits her rank and honor;The maid is sad and homeless; lady, ’tis right that kindly care be shown her.”

So Gu-drun, the fair one, when Hartmut went that day,Was left unto his mother, and given to her sway:But Hilda’s youthful daughter Gerlind’s guidance hated;She could not brook her teaching, and never her dislike for this abated.

Then to the lovely maiden the old she-devil spake:“If you will not live happy, then sorrow you must take.You have to heat my chamber; yourself the fire must kindle;See, there is none to help you, nor may you hope your toil will ever dwindle.”

The high-born maiden answered: “That I well can do;Whatever you shall bid me, in all must I yield to you,Until the God in heaven at last my wrongs has righted.Never my mother’s daughter the fire upon the hearth ere this has lighted.”

Said Gerlind: “As I’m living, to toil must you begin,As never queenly daughter to do before was seen.To be so proud and headstrong I will make you weary:Before to-morrow darkens, your maidens you must leave, and ne’er be merry.

“You hold yourself too highly, as I have heard it said;For this shall work most toilsome soon upon you be laid.This pride and froward bearing must be by you forsaken;Your lofty mood will I lower, and all your hopes will very quickly weaken.”

Then went the wicked Gerlind to court, in anger wild;She said to her son, young Hartmut: “Hettel’s wilful childScorns both you and your kindred, and ever at us is sneering:Would we had never seen her, if we such talk from her must now be hearing.”

Then spake unto his mother Hartmut, the knight so brave:“Pray treat the maiden kindly, howe’er she may behave:So, for the care you show her, my thanks will you be earning.Greatly have I wronged her; it well may be that she my love is spurning.”

Then said to him old Gerlind: “Whate’er by us is done,In mood she is so stubborn that she will yield to none.Unless we treat her harshly she ne’er, as you would have her,Will come to you in wedlock; this must we do, or else to herself must leave her.”

Then to her thus answered the worthy Norman knight:“Good lady, show her kindness henceforth in all men’s sight,Now for the love you bear me; such care I beg you give herThat from her love and friendship the king’s fair daughter may not bar me ever.”

Then his devilish mother, with anger brimming o’er,To the throng of Hegeling maidens quickly went once more.She said: “Make ready, maidens, and to your toil betake you,To do what you are bidden; the task to each that’s given ne’er forsake you.”

The maidens then were sundered, and soon from each other torn;They saw not one another, and long must live forlorn.Those who once so worthily lofty rank were taking,In winding yarn were busied; while they sat at work their hearts were aching.

Some her flax were combing, others for her must spin;Ladies of lofty breeding, whose pastime it had beenOn their silken clothing to lay, with skill unsparing,Gold and gems most costly, these for her now heavy toil were bearing.

The first in birth among them at the court was kept;Water she must carry to the room where Ortrun slept:To wait upon that lady the high-born maid was bidden;By name was she called Hergart; her lofty birth was nought, she still was chidden.

Among them was another, brought from Galicia’s strand;The griffin her from Portugal had borne to a far-off land.She to the Hegeling kingdom with Hagen’s child was carried,From over Ireland’s borders; now with the maids in the Norman land she tarried.

She was a prince’s daughter, who castles owned and lands;The fire must now be lighted by her, with fair white hands,While in the room well heated Gerlind’s ladies rested.For all the work she was doing no thanks on her by them were ever wasted.

Now you well may wonder to hear her sorry plight.For Gerlind’s lowest wenches she drudged both day and night;Whatever task they set her, to do must she be willing.It helped her not with the Normans that she at home a lofty rank was filling.

The work was mean and shameful that they were made to doFor seven half years and over, —this is all too true,—Until the young Lord Hartmut, when three wars were ended,Had come again to his kingdom, and found the maids at work, and ill-befriended.

To see again his loved one Hartmut deeply yearned;But when he looked upon her, the truth he quickly learned,That she good food and lodging of late had seldom tasted:For choosing to live rightly, ’twas her reward to be with sorrow wasted.

When forth she came to meet him, to her young Hartmut said:“Gu-drun, most lovely maiden, what is the life you have ledSince I, with all my warriors, my lands and home was leaving?”She said: “Such tasks they set me, ’twas sin for you, and shame to me ’twas giving.”

Then outspoke young Hartmut: “Why has this been done,Gerlind, my dearest mother? Your love she should have known;When with you I left her, her lot you should have brightened,And all her heavy sorrows you should for her within my land have lightened.”

His wolfish mother answered: “How could I better teachKing Hettel’s ill-bred daughter? ’Twas bootless to beseech,Nor could I ever bend her, to make her leave her jeering:She scorned both you and your father and kindred, too: to this should you give hearing.”

Then again spake Hartmut: “Much wrong we’ve done the maid.Slain by us, her kindred and many knights lie dead;While from the lovely maiden her father we have taken,Slain by my father, Ludwig, and now with thoughtless words her woes we waken.”

Then answered him his mother: “My son, ’tis truth I say;If we Gu-drun, proud maiden, for thirty years should pray,If she with brooms were stricken, or with rods were beaten,Your wife we ne’er could make her; hopeless it is the wayward maid to threaten.”

She farther said to Hartmut: “However, since you bid,I’ll gladly treat her better.” But still her mind she hid,And Hartmut never knew it; erelong Gu-drun would find herHarsher yet than ever; and now the maiden’s wrongs could no one hinder.

Then went again old Gerlind to where Gu-drun then sat,And said to the Hegeling maiden, in her wrath and hate:“’Twere best you now bethink you, or else, my fair young maiden,You with your flowing tresses must wipe the stools and seats, with dust thick laden.

“Then the room I sleep in, mark what now I say,You, to do my bidding, must sweep three times a day;You carefully must warm it, and keep the fire well burning.”Said she: “That do I gladly, rather than take a lover I am spurning.”

Whatever she was bidden the willing maiden did;No work of hers she slighted, nor should for aught be chid.For seven years, full-numbered, in a land far over the water,The maid was toiling wearily, and none did hold her as a kingly daughter.

The years had long been running, and the ninth was coming on,When Hartmut to bethink him wisely had begun,That indeed ’twas shameful that he no crown was wearing;And for himself and his kinsmen ’twas right the name of king he now were bearing.

After heavy fighting, Hartmut, with his men,Bearing the prize of bravery, riding home was seen.He hoped the love of the maiden would now to him be granted;For, more than any other, he the fair Gu-drun for his true love wanted.

When he reached his homestead, he bade them bring the maid.His evil mother, Gerlind, allowed her to be cladIn meanest clothing only: Gu-drun but little heededThe youthful Hartmut’s wooing; steadfast and true, no love from him she needed.

To him his friends then whispered, that, whether glad or noFor this might be his mother, he never should foregoTo bend the maid to his wishes; and must his care be givingThat so he might with the lady for many a happy day in love be living.

To the ladies’ room he hastened, when thus his kinsmen spoke,And there he found the maiden; her by the hand he took,And said to her: “Fair lady, love me now, I pray you,And sit as queen beside me; my knights and men shall worship ever pay you.”

Then said the lovely maiden: “For this I have no mind;For while the fiendish Gerlind to me is so unkind,The love of knights, tho’ worthy, I can long for never.To her and all her kindred henceforth am I a bitter foe forever.”

“Sorry am I,” said Hartmut; “to you will I make goodThe hate my mother Gerlind to you so harshly showed;As for both of us is worthy, your wrongs shall now be righted.”The high-born maiden answered: “I trust you not; your word need ne’er be plighted.”

Then said to her young Hartmut, the lord of the Norman land:“Gu-drun, most lovely maiden, you well must understandMine are these lands and castles: to none may you betake you;Who is there here would hang me if, ’gainst your will, I now my own should make you?”

Then said King Hettel’s daughter: “That were a deed of shame:Of aught so wrong and hateful never did I dream.It would be said by princes, should they the tale be hearing,That one of the kin of Hagen in Hartmut’s land a harlot’s name is bearing.”

Then did Hartmut answer: “What care I what they say?If only you, fair lady, do not say me nay,A king my men shall see me, and you my seat be sharing.”Then said the maid to Hartmut: “That I should love you be you never fearing.

“Well you know, Sir Hartmut, how with me it stands;And all the wrong and sorrow I met with at your hands,When far from home you carried me whom you had stolen,And, wounded by your warriors, my father’s men erewhile in death had fallen.

“Well known to you ’tis also, —for this I mourn again,—How my father, Hettel, was by your father slain.Were I knight, and not a woman, he durst not come before meUnless his weapons wearing. Why wed the man who from my kindred tore me?”

For many years now bygone, it ever was the way,No man should take a woman, and have her in his sway,Unless they both were willing. Much praise for this is owing.Gu-drun, the homeless maiden, her father’s loss still mourned, with tears o’erflowing.

Then spake to her in anger Hartmut, the youthful knight:“Whatever may befall you, I reck not for your plight;Since now you are not willing to wear the crown beside me,You’ll have what you are seeking, your meed you’ll daily earn, nor need you chide me.”

“That will I earn most gladly, as I have done before,Though for the men of Hartmut the hardest toil I bore,And for Queen Gerlind’s women. If God my wrongs forgetteth,To bear them I am willing; but heavy is the woe that me besetteth.”

Still they sought to soothe her: first to the court they sentYoung Ortrun, Hartmut’s sister, whose looks all kindness meant;’Twas hoped that she and her maidens, now by friendly dealing,Would bring Gu-drun, poor lone one, to bear towards them all a better feeling.

Then to his sister Ortrun Hartmut freely spake:“Wealth I will give you, sister, if kindly, for my sake,To me you will be helpful, and bring Gu-drun, fair lady,Soon to forget her sorrows; nor o’er her woes to brood be ever ready.”

Then spake the youthful Ortrun, the Norman maiden fair:“To help both her and her maidens shall ever be my care,Till they forget their sorrows: I bow my head before her,And I and mine will hold her even as our kin, and watchful love spread o’er her.”

Gu-drun now said to Ortrun: “My hearty thanks you win,That you, with kindly wishes, would see me sit as queen,By the side of Hartmut, while with pride I’m gladdened:For this my trust I give you, but homeless, none the less, my days are saddened.”