Poet

Mary Pickering Nichols

1829–1915

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English

A happy tale you bring me,” said then the well-bred queen
A king so rich and mighty, as you in name have been
A knight he was most truly, and well indeed he fought
After these came riding four and twenty men
After they had eaten, and while with them he sat
All of them were busy with care for the coming war
All the men he was able Hettel for this now sought
All, as they were able, waited on the maid
As he met his friendly liegemen, King Hettel wore a smile
As is the way of Christians, both of them were bid
Asleep still left he lying all his faithful men
At once old Wâ-te started, no longer would he wait
At this the king of Ireland unto his wife thus said
Back then went the maiden to where Gu-drun she found
Before his friends and kinsmen then spake King Sigeband
Before the hill they landed, in sight of the leafy grove
Beneath the silken bedspreads fishes’ skins were laid
Beneath the weight of the griffin forest trees broke down
Beyond her wont a little to laugh had the maid begun
Both the well-clad heroes before their seats now stood
By Wâ-te they were guided from the castle down to the sand
Clothed in the garb of tradesmen, on the shore did stand
Cried Herwic, lord of Sealand: “Maidens fair and young
Down to the beach they plodded, as was their wont before
Early on the morrow, after the mass was said
First spake the eldest maiden: “How darest thou in our cave
For days full four and twenty they fared thro’ the piny wood
For many a day thereafter his sway did Ireland bless
Forthwith to them said Hartmut: “Tell me now the truth
From Denmark sailing hither, Horant, your kinsman, comes
Grooms and also stewards with Hagen then did ride
Gu-drun then spake to her mother: “May blessings on you be
Gu-drun, the high-born lady, thus to the warrior spake
Had not the kindly maidens sought to end the fight
Hagen bade his followers: “Now ask these guests of mine
Hagen cleft the head-piece of Hettel’s brave old man
Hagen said, as he met them: “Safeguard to you I give
Hartmut left his wooing to wait for many a year
Hartmut’s mother, Gerlind, earnestly gave thought
He gave them also horses, both palfreys and war-steeds
He said to Lady Hilda: “Who are they sitting here
He said: “I thank you kindly, as I of right should do
He said: “That pledge I gladly, and on it give my hand
He with a host of fighters near the gates was seen
Hettel then sent tidings, to still their fears at home
Hettel was lord in Daneland; to be its king he rose
High in hand their weapons Hettel and Ludwig bore
His wolfish mother answered: “How could I better teach
Horant, lord of Daneland, then to his liegemen spake
How could he who led them have braver or bolder been
However much he asked them, they yet to tell were loath
However much she pressed him, would the king no longer stay
If this indeed may happen,” then young Hartmut said
In garments wet there standing, was seen the high-born maid
In olden days in Ireland a king to greatness came
In this their mood so gloomy, the happy, merry plays
Irold, he of Ortland, and Morunc of the Frisian land
Just as the maid was sinking Hartmut reached her side
Ludwig then and Hartmut, lords of the Norman land
Ludwig, king of the Normans, and Hartmut, too, his son
Many looked on gladly to see the strength of both
Meanwhile must men be making whatever we shall need
Never shall I kiss her; how can you ask for this
No more a truce was thought of by Wâ-te and the king
Nor Herwic’s men nor Siegfried’s yet would leave the fight
Now all would hence be faring, but the queen to them did say
Now Herwic made him ready, and to the strife gave thought
Now on the seashore weary lay they, one and all
Now the king of Karadie forthwith to come they bade
Now ’twas told to Herwic, men fast for help had gone
Now, throughout all Ireland, did Hagen his sway begin
Of simple folk and merry there rode with her enough
Of them we speak no longer; we now will let you hear
Of these came three and sixty; on them did Hartmut look
Of these the very lowest had clothing of the best
Of this bethink you further, my well-belovéd son
On the third morning early came, at break of day
On the waters floating three good ships were seen
Queen Hilda him awaited till on the shore he stood
Quoth Ludwig, Hartmut’s father: “We from our Norman land
Rich sails were seen to flutter near by upon the sea
Riders then went swiftly into the land of the North
Sackbuts loud and trumpets there might all men hear
Said one: “Your lady sent us; to you for help she turns
Seats were brought together, strong, and broad, and long
She soon to him was wedded, as hath of old been said
Since by the craft of Wigaleis King Hettel has been led
So long a time this lasted, the king at length was wroth
Soon as Hartmut’s warriors from all their toil were free
Soon as Matelan castle now from the ships was seen
Soon both men and women riding there were seen
Tale the Eighth
Tale the Fifteenth
Tale the Ninth
Tale the Second
Tale the Sixth
Tale the Tenth
Tale the Third
Tale the Thirteenth
Tale the Thirtieth
Tale the Thirty-Second
Tale the Twentieth
Tale the Twenty-Eighth
Tale the Twenty-Fifth
Tale the Twenty-Ninth
That you may know too truly, as I see already well
The bold and daring Wâ-te from the sands had given a bound
The boy was now the winner; one of his foes lay dead
The child, while the bird was falling, broke from him away
The cross and wicked Gerlind for her hard tasks did set
The fair and noble Hilda soon heard the wondrous tale
The fair and queenly Hilda, with all her will and mind
The guests by the king were bidden freely in tilts to meet
The ice was loose and broken, floating everywhere
The kinsmen of King Hettel upon the sands had left
The lord who came from Ortland, Ortwin, brave and young
The night was drawing nearer, and the light began to wane
The poor Gu-drun was blithesome, as we have said before
The ship it had a master, a lord from out Salmé
The sports were then bespoken: he bade his men to send
The time had come already for snows to melt away
The truth we cannot tell you, nor can it e’en be guessed
The well-born maiden answered: “Why speak of me so ill
The wicked Gerlind answered: “Now daily to the beach
The wild young Hagen also the strength of twelve did own
The youthful knights were singing, as they left the field
Then came a fencing-master, and began his craft to show
Then from the water turning, both fled away in haste
Then quoth the knight from Sturmland: “The like I never saw
Then said Gu-drun, in sorrow: “I know not where to go
Then said King Hettel’s daughter: “That were a deed of shame
Then said the aged Wâ-te: “This can never be
Then said the knight, young Ortwin: “Let us bury them here
Then said the knightly Herwic: “Upon my hand now look
Then said the lord of the Hegelings: “To you I make my moan
Then said the maiden only: “Alas! O father mine
Then said the youthful Ortwin: “I beg you say to me
Then said to him another: “This tale, I know, is true
Then she told her wooer the pain to her it gave
Then spake again wild Hagen: “What may be his name
Then spake Gu-drun, with cunning: “Now list to what I say
Then spake his devilish mother: “I did it for your sake
Then spake one lovely maiden among the Hegeling band
Then the kings were hallowed, as in days of yore
Then the men of the Hegelings came down upon the plain
Then they all were busy, when thus old Wâ-te spoke
Then to Gu-drun they offered castles strong and lands
Then to her in answer spake the friendly swan
Then to his sister Ortrun Hartmut freely spake
Then to his trusty liegemen Hagen called aloud
Then to Siegfried of Moorland at once King Hettel told
Then to the band of wanderers the lordly Hagen said
Then to them said Morunc: “Would there were nothing more
Then, in the midst of uproar, they rode away from the shore
These clothes I should be washing down to the tide I’ll bear
This the wicked Gerlind heard, as the warder cried
Thither rode from Denmark Horant young and brave
Those there are wretched maidens, from far across the sea
Those who came with Morunc wore mantles over all
Throughout the night they rested, till dawn of the coming…
Thus unbeknown and slyly, sailed away o’er the main
To Fru-te thus she answered: “That gift is not for thee
To her King Herwic answered: “This will I say to you
To her the king thus answered: “That shall quickly be
To her then said fair Hildeburg: “For me it were not well
To her then said Lord Herwic: “How can she be clad
To him, the king of Sealand, great ill erelong was wrought
To Irold and his kinsmen kind greeting Hilda said
To meet her friend, old Wâ-te, went Gu-drun alone
To our beleaguered foemen we nought of this must tell
Upon the fourth day’s morning to court they bravely rode
Upon the morrow early, thither to come was seen
Upon the seventh morning he came to Hettel’s land
Wâ-te, the very daring, with all his knights had come
We ask you now to listen to a tale as yet untold
We beg you first to tell us who this land doth own
We now must leave them fighting as bravely as they will
We now will speak no longer of the toil the maidens bore
Well you know, Lord Herwic, our woe and plight forlorn
What more befell young Hartmut we now forbear to say
When he had reached his castle, and sat with the queen alone
When he the lion had smitten to death, with many blows
When now the fight was over, and all were free from care
When the knightly minstrel three songs to the end had sung
When the weaponed fighters by Hagen there were seen
When they had heard this answer, back to the shore they went
When they thus had spoken, the kings no more did rest
Whene’er to him it happened weapons at court to see
While on the shore, by the waters, his time he often spent
While the weary warriors were resting and asleep
Wisely then spake Wâ-te, the warrior old and good
With friendly love, Queen Hilda bade them all farewell
With these himself he girded, that simple little child
Within seven years thereafter Hettel, in stormy fight
Woe’s me!” said Lady Hilda, “what sorrows must we fear
Wounded, too, was Irold, Ortland’s champion brave
Yet he needs must eat it, for hunger sore he hath