Tale XXVII: How Ludwig and Hartmut Met the Hegelings

Asleep still left he lying all his faithful men.He and his father Ludwig, the twain, to go were seen,And, gazing from the window, they saw the throngs below them.Quickly then said Hartmut: “Too near our castle-walls methinks they show them.

“I ween they are not pilgrims, in truth, my father dear;More like it is that Wâ-te and all his men draw near.He from Sturmland cometh, the lord of Ortland bringing;The men I see are like them, as I know from the flag that they to the breeze are flinging.

“I see a brown silk pennon, that comes from Karadé;Before that flag is lowered, many will rue the day.On it a head is blazoned,— as red as gold it glitters:Guests so bold and warlike we well can spare; their sight the day embitters.

“The Moorland king is bringing full twenty thousand men,Knights as strong and daring as any I have seen;To win from us great honor methinks they now are craving.There comes another banner, that o’er yet other knights its folds is waving.

“It is the flag of Horant, the knight from the Danish land;I see with him Lord Fru-te, I know both him and his band.And hither, too, from Waleis, many foemen leading,Morunc now comes riding; he, for the morning’s fight, o’er the sands is speeding.

“I see another banner, on it a chevron red,With sharpened spears within it; for this shall many bleed.Ortwin it is who bears it, from Ortland hither faring:Erewhile we slew his father; no kindly thought to us he now is bearing.

“There floats another banner, whiter than any swan;Blazons bright and golden you well may see thereon.It is our mother Hilda who sends it o’er the water;The hatred of the Hegelings will soon be known by me who stole her daughter.

“There I see uplifted a flag outspreading wide;Of sky-blue silk ’tis woven. The truth I will not hide;Herwic bears this banner, he in the Sealands dwelling.Sea-leaves are shown upon it; he soon on us his wrath will here be telling.

“There Irold, too, is coming,— this that I say is true,—From Friesland leading many, as well indeed I know,With fighting men from Holstein, warriors brave and daring.A stormy fight is nearing; now in our castle all must arms be wearing.”

Then cried Hartmut loudly: “Up, my faithful men!If to these guests so warlike, who ’neath our walls are seen,It may not now be granted to ride so boldly near us,Then, before the gateway, with sword-blows we must greet them, and bravely bear us.”

Then from their beds upsprang they all who yet did lie;At once, to bring their war-gear, loudly did they cry.The call to guard their master gladly they were hearing;Forty hundred warriors showed themselves, their shining armor wearing.

Ludwig and Hartmut with him armed themselves for fight:To the sad and homeless maidens this was a sorry sight;These within the castle uneasy hearts were keeping;They said to one another: “Let him who smiled before this day be weeping!”

Quickly came Queen Gerlind, old King Ludwig’s wife;She said: “What will you, Hartmut? Would you lose your life,With that of all your kinsmen who here our lot are sharing?The foe will surely slay you, if to leave the castle-walls you now be daring.”

The well-born knight then answered: “Mother, stay within;You may not give your teaching to me or to my men.Spare your words for women; they mayhap will listen,While they sit at sewing, making their silks with gold and gems to glisten.

“Now, mother, let us see you send Gu-drun to wash,As you did before, with her maidens, where the billows dash.You weened they all were friendless, and had no kindred living;You yet may see, ere nightfall, what thanks to us our guests will yet be giving.”

Then spake his devilish mother: “I did it for your sake,Thinking her will to bridle. My bidding kindly take;Strongly built is the castle, let now the gates be fastened;They then will gain but little who on their toilsome way have hither hastened.

“Full well you know it, Hartmut, you bear the maiden’s hate,For you have slain her kinsmen: your watch you must not bate.It is not friends or kinsfolk who at our gates are knocking;The proud and warlike Hegelings, twenty to one of us, come hither flocking.

“Of this bethink you further, my well-belovéd son:Bread we have in the castle and wine for every one;Food will not be lacking if here for a year we are staying;But if on the field you are taken, our foes will you from bondage ne’er be freeing.”

Then to him spake further old King Ludwig’s wife:“Ever guard your honor, but do not lose your life.Bid men to shoot with longbows at the loop-holes standing;So shall wounds be given, for which their friends at home will tears be spending.

“Let slings with ropes be fitted; we then will meet the foeBy hurling rocks upon them: knights we have enow.Before with these new-comers you your swords are crossing,Stones will I and my maidens bring in aprons white, on them to be tossing.”

Angrily spake Hartmut: “Lady, get you gone!Why do you seek to lead me? Is not my mind my own?Before my foes shall find me within my castle hiding,Outside I would die far sooner, in fight with Hilda’s men, against me riding.”

Then to him said, weeping, old King Ludwig’s wife:“I gave to you this warning that you might spare your life,And guard yourself the better. Whoe’er is seen this morningBeneath your banner fighting, rich gifts from us shall he be fairly earning.

“Now arm ourselves,” cried Gerlind, “stand by my son in fight;Strike from your foemen’s helmets a glowing, fiery light.Be always near your master, to help him ever striving;Fitly these guests to welcome, deep be the wounds that you to them are giving.”

Then to his men said Hartmut: “My mother’s words are true;If you to me are faithful, and strive your best to do,And this day, in the struggle, to give your help are ready,When fathers shall have fallen, a friend I’ll be to sons bereft and needy.”

A thousand and a hundred within King Ludwig’s hallsNow were all well-weaponed. Before from out the wallsWent any thro’ the gateways, they left the stronghold guarded;Still within it posted, five hundred warriors brave the castle warded.

On four gates of the castle the bolts were backward thrown:Ne’er had they been opened to a single spur alone.Then with the youthful Hartmut, outgoing at his bidding,All with helmets fastened, went thirty hundred followers boldly riding.

The hour of strife drew nearer. He of the Sturmisch land,Wâ-te, his horn was blowing; and loud across the sand,For thirty miles or over, men the blast were hearing;The fighters of the Hegelings, to flock to Hilda’s flag, their arms were wearing.

Once again he blew it: at this should all take heed,That every knight among them then should mount his steed,And each his men should gather to ride as they were bidden.A knight so old as Wâ-te, and yet so brave, to the fight had never ridden.

The third time that he blew it, he such a blast did makeThat all the land was shaken, and the sea a sound gave back;Almost from Ludwig’s castle the corner-stones were falling:To raise Queen Hilda’s banner Wâ-te to Horant then was loudly calling.

They feared old Wâ-te sorely, none dared to speak aloud;A horse was e’en heard neighing. Upon the roof now stoodHerwic’s well-belovéd, and saw the warriors daring,Onward proudly riding, to wage the fight with Hartmut, nothing fearing.

Hartmut rode to meet them; he and all his men,Bearing well their weapons, to leave the gates were seen.Those from the windows gazing saw the helmets glistenOf friends as well as foemen. Hartmut not alone to the fight did hasten.

To all four sides of the castle the foes their banners bore;Bright in hue like silver was the armor that they wore;The bosses of their bucklers were seen to glitter brightly.Much was Wâ-te dreaded; no lion grim and wild were feared more rightly.

The fighters from the Moorland were seen apart to ride,And heavy shafts were hurling; splinters were scattered wide.When with the Norman foemen soon the fight did thicken,Sharply from their weapons and from their breastplates fiery sparks were stricken.

The warriors from Denmark near to the castle rode.There the mighty Irold six thousand fighters goodUp to the walls was leading, an onslaught to be making:Brave and daring were they; sore ill from them erelong was Ludwig taking.

Elsewhere, riding boldly, Ortwin his followers led,No less than eighty hundred; sorrow and woe they madeFor many of the Normans, and all the land they harried.Gerlind and Ortrun weeping, watching the fight from the roof, together tarried.

Then came Herwic also, betrothed to fair Gu-drun;Through him full many a woman must come to sorrow soon,When, for his heart’s belovéd, he to the fight was springing.Beneath the heavy weapons were heard the clattering helmets loudly ringing.

Now came the aged Wâ-te, with warriors not a few;Grim was he and fearless, as soon they all well knew.His spear not yet he lowered as he to the walls came riding:Sad was the sight to Gerlind, but other were the thoughts Gu-drun was hiding.

Then came the Norman Hartmut, riding before his men.E’en had he been Kaiser, never would he be seenTo bear himself more proudly. In the sun was seen to glistenAll his shining armor. His boldness on the field not yet did lessen.

When he was seen by Ortwin, the lord of Ortland’s throne,He said: “Will any tell us, to whom this knight is known,Who is the daring fighter now against us turning?He shows as bold a bearing as if to win a kingdom he were yearning.”

Then said one among them: “’Tis Hartmut whom you see;There indeed is a warrior! a daring knight is he.The selfsame foeman is he who erstwhile slew your father.Where’er the strife is raging, a bolder man than he there’s not another.”

Angrily spake Ortwin: “Me for his wrongs he owes,And must atone full dearly before from here he goes.The ills that he has done us must he be soon undoing;Gerlind cannot help him that he from hence may e’er alive be going.”

Down upon young Ortwin Hartmut riding bore.Altho’ he did not know him, deep he plunged his spur;His horse sprang forward widely, against brave Ortwin driven.Both their spears were lowered; fire on their armor flashed from spear-strokes given.

No thrust against the other did either leave undone:The war-horse then of Ortwin was on his haunches thrown;Soon, too, the steed did stagger whereon was Hartmut seated;They could not bear the onset of kings who rushed together, to madness heated.

High upreared the horses; a mighty clang aroseFrom clash of kingly sword-blades. Thanks were due to thoseWho the fight thus opened, as knights beseemeth ever.Brave were both and fearless; to shrink from one another thought they never.

On both sides came their followers, lowering their spears,And bringing death to many; each his foeman nears,And in the shock of the onset heavy wounds was giving.All of them were faithful, and well for a worthy name they now were striving.

A thousand ’gainst a thousand, now the strife beganOf Hartmut’s men with Wâ-te’s, each man against his man.Soon by the lord of Sturmland were they so badly treatedThat whoso now came near him never a second time with him was mated.

Now were thickly mingled of foes ten thousand men,Among King Herwic’s warriors; they came in anger keen.Their mood it was so stubborn that rather than be flyingFar from the field of fighting, they on the ground would first in death be lying.

A knight indeed was Herwic; what daring deeds he did!Earnest was he in fighting, that so the lovely maidMight be to him the kinder. But how could he be dreamingThe boon could e’er befall him, that the eyes of fair Gu-drun on him were beaming?

Ludwig, king of the Normans, and they of the Danish land,Now had met together. Ludwig bore in handHis strong and heavy weapon; lordly was his bearing,Yet he with all his followers to come too far without the walls was daring.

There, with his men from Holstein, Fru-te, brave and bold,Slew full many a foeman; of this could much be told.Now, too, from the land of Waleis, Morunc, many slaying,Before King Ludwig’s castle made rich the earth with the dead he low was laying.

Irold, the youthful champion, a knight both true and good,Slashed thro’ foemen’s armor, shedding their hot life-blood.Under Hilda’s banner was Wâ-te’s kinsman fighting;Many in death grew paler as Horant thinned the crowd he fast was smiting.

Now the young King Hartmut and Ortwin met again.Thicker then than snow-flakes blown by the wind are seen,The sword-strokes of the warriors upon each other lighted:Thus it was that Hartmut once more by Ortwin on the field was greeted.

Gu-drun’s young brother, Ortwin, was bold and brave enow,But Hartmut through his helmet smote him a heavy blow;Over his shining breastplate soon the blood was streaming:The followers of Ortwin sadly saw the flow, its brightness dimming.

Great was the crush and uproar; hand to hand they fought;Many wounds were gaping thro’ rings of steel well-wrought;Many a head had fallen beneath the sword-strokes given:Death was like a robber, that from their kin the dearest friends had riven.

Now saw the Danish Horant that Ortwin from his foeA bloody wound had taken; then Horant bade them showWho ’twas that thus had wounded his master loved so dearly.Hartmut at this was laughing, for both upon the field had met too nearly.

Ortwin himself then answered: “’Tis Hartmut this has done.”Then Hilda’s banner was given by Horant to one of his own;Thinking thus the foeman he could harm the better,And gain himself much honor: now he sought his foe with boldness greater.

Hartmut heard around him a loud and stormy din.On many of his warriors streams of blood were seenFast from wounds out-welling; down to their feet ’twas flowing.Then cried Hartmut boldly: “For this shall you atone, and this be ruing.”

Now he turned him quickly where Horant met his sight;Then might one be seeing, so brave were both in fight,How from their ringed armor sparks of fire were flying;Blunted were the sword-blades which they on each other’s helmets fast were plying.

Hartmut wounded Horant, even as he had doneNot long before to Ortwin; a ruddy stream full soonRan from out his armor, at Hartmut’s hand forth welling.Strong indeed was his foeman; who now to win his lands could hope be feeling?

Then in bitter struggle many, on either side,Saw their bucklers shattered, tho’ strong and often tried;Beaten were they and broken by sword-strokes quickly givenBy each upon the other. Well to guard himself had Hartmut striven.

Now the friends of Ortwin, and those of Horant, too,Away from the field did lead them; and care did they bestowTo bind their wounds wide-gaping; no time for this they wasted.Then again to the war-field the knights both rode; once more to the strife they hasted.

We now must leave them fighting as bravely as they will.Who the day was winning, or whom his foe did kill,Before King Ludwig’s castle, none could yet be saying.Grimly strove the Normans; their foes, not less, for fame were strength outlaying.

Of all that there befell them none may ever tell;But ’tis not yet forgotten that many a knight there fell.On every side were sword-blades heard together ringing;Foemen all were mingled, the slow with those who quick in fight were springing.

Wâ-te stood not idle, that can I well believe.He bade farewell to many, nor longer let them live;Cut down by him in the struggle, were they before him lying.Fain were Hartmut’s kinsmen to wreak their wrath for friends who there were dying.

Now came Herwic nearer, so the tale is told,And led against King Ludwig many a champion bold.He saw that aged warrior his weapons bravely bearing,Where he with all his liegemen, a wondrous host of foes beat down, unsparing.

Herwic called out loudly: “Can any one now tellWho is that fighting graybeard, who all his foes doth fell?Deepest wounds for many there his hand is hewing,With bravery so fearless: women in tears will this erelong be ruing.”

When this was heard by Ludwig, outspoke that Norman foe:“Who in the midst of battle seeks my name to know?I bear the name of Ludwig: for Normandy I’m fighting;Could I but meet my foemen, them indeed would I be sorely smiting.”

Then spake to him King Herwic: “This thou well dost earn:Seeing thou art Ludwig, with hate for thee I burn.For us, upon the sand-drifts, many knights thou wast slaying:Thou slewest Hettel also; a warrior brave was he, beyond all saying.

“Still further thou hast wronged us, before thy day was done:For this we still are mourning. I for my loss have knownHeart-heaviness and sorrow: thou hast my lady stolenFrom me upon the Wulpensand; and many knights for her in death have fallen.

“I bear the name of Herwic: thou hast taken my hoped-for wife,And again to me must give her; else to give his life,With that of many a liegeman, must one of us be willing.”Then King Ludwig answered: “Too boldly thou in my land in threats art dealing.

“Thy name, and this thy warning, thou hast no need to tell;There yet are many others from whom I took, as well,Their goods and eke their kinsmen. To trust my word be ready,In this I will not falter; thou nevermore may’st hope to kiss thy lady.”

When they thus had spoken, the kings no more did rest,But sprang upon each other. If either got the best,To hold it was not easy; youths were forward pushingUnder both the standards, and daring knights to help their lords were rushing.

A fearless king was Herwic, and long and bravely fought;But quickly Hartmut’s father the youthful Herwic smote,Till he began to stagger ’neath blows by Ludwig given,Who gladly would have slain him, or would from out his lands his foe have driven.

If Herwic’s faithful followers so near him had not been,And given help so quickly, never could he, I ween,Have freed himself from Ludwig, or left the field yet living;So well that aged warrior to make young Herwic dread him now was striving.

But help to him was granted, his life he did not lose;And, neither stunned nor wounded, he from his fall arose.Then to the roof quick turning, his eyes he now was raising,To see if, ’mongst the ladies, his heart’s beloved had on his fall been gazing.