Then to Gu-drun they offered castles strong and lands

Then to Gu-drun they offered castles strong and lands: Of these would she have nothing. So, upon the sands, She must wash their clothing, from early morn till even. Great ill this wrought for Ludwig, when he with Herwic in the fight had striven.

First, Gu-drun was bidden to leave her seat, that soon She, the high-born maiden, should go with fair Ortrun; They bade that she be merry, and wine with her be drinking. The homeless wanderer answered: “To make me queen you never need be thinking.

“Well you wot, Lord Hartmut, whate’er your wish may be, Betrothed am I to another, and am no longer free. That I one day shall wed him has with an oath been plighted; Until by death he’s taken I will not wed with any man e’er knighted.”

Then spake the lordly Hartmut: “You only waste your breath; By nought shall we be sundered unless it shall be death. In friendship with my sister you should now be living; Your hardships she will lighten, and will, I know, her love to you be giving.”

Fain to think was Hartmut that her unyielding mood Might now by this be softened; he hoped, whatever good Should e’er befall his sister, the maiden would be sharing: Thus for both he trusted, that a happy life erelong would them be cheering.

Gu-drun soon greeted kindly many a friend and maid. Ortrun sat beside her; her hue grew rosy-red With eating and with drinking, ere many days were ended. Enough was always ready: still the poor girl her mood ne’er wisely mended.