Then said the knightly Herwic: “Upon my hand now look

Then said the knightly Herwic: “Upon my hand now look; Know you this ring I am wearing? Mine is the name you spoke; With this were we betrothéd: to Gu-drun I am faithful ever, And if you were my loved one, I would lead you hence, and would forsake you never.”

Upon his hand then looking, a ring there met her sight, Set with a stone from Abalie, in gold that glittered bright; Never her eyes had rested on one more rich or fairer. Gu-drun, the queenly maiden, of this same ring had whilom been the wearer.

The happy maiden, smiling, with words her bliss did show: “Of this I once was owner, and well the ring I know. Look upon this I am wearing; ’twas the gift of my early lover, While I, a gladsome maiden, still dwelt at home, nor stepped its borders over.”

He, on her hand now gazing, upon the ring did look; Then unto the maiden the knightly Herwic spoke: “That a queenly mother bore thee, I see by many a token; After my heavy sorrows, a blessed sight upon my eyes has broken.”

Then in his arms he folded the fair and high-born maid: For all they told each other they were both glad and sad. He kissed the maiden fondly, how oft I cannot reckon; So, too, he greeted Hildeburg, showing his love to both the maids forsaken.

Then the youthful Ortwin begged the maid to say Whether to do her task-work there was no other way Than, standing by the seaside, all day to wash the clothing? At this she greatly sorrowed, and felt for her work the deepest shame and loathing.

“Tell me now, fair sister, where may your children be Whom you have borne to Hartmut, in his land across the sea, That all alone on the seashore to wash they thus allow you? If here a queen they call you, the name you bear but little good can do you.”

Shedding tears, she answered: “How should I have a child? No love could Hartmut kindle, that I to him should yield; And well do all men know it who near him here are dwelling. Because I would not love him I now must toil, and woe my heart is swelling.”

Then spake the knightly Herwic: “We now can truly say That we good luck have met with, on our errand far away; And nought could have befallen that for us were better. It behooves us now to hasten to free the maid from the ills that here beset her.”

Then said the knight, young Ortwin: “That may never be. Had I a hundred sisters, I would sooner let them die Than here, in another’s kingdom, to hide a deed of plunder; Stealing those from our foemen whom they by stormy fight from us did sunder.”

Then spake the lord of Sealand: “This do I greatly fear, Should our search be known to any, or if they find us here, They then may take the maiden, and her far hence may carry, And never shall we see her: ’twere best to hide the deed, nor longer tarry.”

Him did Ortwin answer: “How can we leave in need Her faithful band of maidens? So long a stay they’ve made Here in this land of foemen that well may they be weary: Gu-drun, my worthy sister, should ne’er forsake her maids, in bondage dreary.”

To him then spake brave Herwic: “Is this in truth your mind? Ne’er shall my well-belovéd be left by me behind; To take the ladies with us, e’en as we can, ’tis better.” Him did Ortwin answer: “Here to be hacked with the sword for me were fitter.”

Then said the downcast maiden: “What have I done to thee, My dearest brother Ortwin? Never as yet in me Was seen such ill-behavior that I for that was chidden. For what great sin I know not am I, my lord, to make atonement bidden?”

“I do not thus, dear sister, for want of love to thee; Thereby your band of maidens I shall the better free. Only as fits my honor, hence will I ever take you; Herwic for your lover you yet shall have, and ne’er will he forsake you.”

Gu-drun was heavy-hearted as they went on board the boat; She said: “Woe worth my wanderings! my sorrow endeth not. He whom once I trusted, must hope in him be shaken That he will break my bondage? My bliss is yet far off, and my faith mistaken.”

In haste the daring warriors turned from the shore away. Gu-drun, the maid, heart-broken, to Herwic called to stay: “Of me you once thought highly, but now you hold me lightly: To whom, in my woe, do you leave me? Bereft of kin, to whom can I trust me rightly?”

“I do not hold you lightly; you are of maids the best. My coming, queenly lady, hide within your breast; Again, ere morning lightens, these shores will I be treading,— For this my troth I pledge you,— eighty thousand followers with me leading.”

As fast as they were able they hastened then away; Never friends were sundered more sadly than that day Were these from one another; (the truth to you I’m telling.) As far as their eyes could follow, the maidens watched the boat away fast sailing.

Gu-drun, the queenly maiden, her washing now forgot; Betwixt her bliss and sorrow, her toil she heeded not. The harsh and wicked Gerlind, the idle women spying Standing by the seashore, in anger stormed, that her clothes unwashed were lying.

Then said the maiden Hildeburg, from Ireland, o’er the sea: “Why do you let the clothing here uncared for be? The clothes of Ludwig’s followers still unwashed are waiting. If this be known to Gerlind, yet harder blows from her shall we be getting.”

Queen Hilda’s daughter answered: “Too proud I am, I ween, That for the wicked Gerlind I e’er should wash again. Henceforth a toil so lowly in scorn shall I be holding, For two young kings have kissed me, they in kindness me in their arms enfolding.”

Then Hildeburg made answer: “Scorn not that I should teach Or that I now would show you how best the clothes to bleach: We must not leave them yellow, but carefully must whiten; Else do I greatly fear me our backs with blows and stripes will well be beaten.”