Beneath the silken bedspreads fishes’ skins were laid

Beneath the silken bedspreads fishes’ skins were laid, To make them thicker and warmer. The fair and lovely maid, Thither come from the Hegelings, Hartmut would be wooing, For he as yet knew nothing of the harm to him that her friends would soon be doing.

Then said the high-born maiden: “To sleep you now may go, All you that wait on Hartmut; we, too, the same will do. I, and my ladies with me, one night at least will rest us; For, since our coming hither, freedom from hardest toil hath never blest us.”

All who there were gathered of Hartmut’s knights and men, The wise as well as youthful, thence to go were seen; They to rest then hasted, the ladies’ bower now leaving. Wine and mead unstinted to the homeless maids were others freely giving.

Then said Hilda’s daughter: “Now shut for me the door.” They barred the ladies’ bedroom with heavy bolts full four: The room was shut so tightly that what therein was doing, However much one listened, outside he nought could hear, nor might be knowing.

Awhile they all were seated, merrily drinking wine; Then said Gu-drun, the queenly: “Dearest maidens mine, You well may now be happy, after your heavy sorrow: Your friends I soon will show you; on gladsome sights your eyes shall feed to-morrow.

“Herwic, my betrothéd, did I this morning kiss, And Ortwin, too, my brother; you now may think on this. She shall soon be richer, and care from her be taken, Who shall well be mindful, when night is over, me in the morn to waken.

“You well shall be rewarded. To us glad days are nigh: And freely will I give you castles strong and high, And with them many acres; for these shall I be gaining, If I the day shall witness when, as a queen, I o’er my lands am reigning.”