iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiw^ 
 
 >i-'i:': 
 
 Of Ca^ 
 Regi 
 Facili^
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 OF 
 
 NORTHERN ANTIQUITIES. 
 
 ffln0 iet in altcn macren toutiDcr© bil ceseit, 
 
 Qon jjelBcn lobtbccren, bon cro5?Et cljuonjjdt; 
 
 fflon frocBcn, f)ocf)ec5eitcn, ton toEtncn imB ton Maaen, 
 
 ®on cljuonct iccljen attcitc, mostt it nu tnunBct f)ocrcn caeen. 
 
 2)80 lict Bet J2i6elun8cn, aB initio.
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 OF 
 
 ^on^tm Antiquities, 
 
 FROM THE EARLIER 
 
 TEUTONIC AND SCANDINAVIAN 
 
 ROMANCES; 
 
 BEING AN 
 
 Abstract of tfjc TBoofe of ^etoeis!, anti Jl^ifielungen JLap ; 
 
 WITH TRANSLATIONS OF 
 
 METRICAL TALES, 
 
 FROM THE 
 WITH 
 
 NOTES AND DISSERTATIONS. 
 
 EDINBURGH : 
 
 Printed by James Ballantyne and Co. " 
 FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, LONDON J 
 AND JOHN BALLANTYNE AND CO., EDINBURGH. 
 
 1814. 
 
 8230'
 
 .'•'.♦/' ". "J /" '/' V'
 
 
 
 s 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 The purpose of the present Publication is to introduce the 
 reader to the Metrical Poems and Romances of the ancient 
 Gothic Dialects, a subject intimately connected with the earlier 
 history of European literature, but to which English antiqua- 
 ries have as yet but partially turned their eyes. The field of 
 Icelandic Antiquities has indeed been investigated by Percy, 
 /- by Johnstone, and more lately by Mr Herbert, with zeal, per- 
 
 severance, and success. But the Romances of ancient Ger- 
 many have been as yet unnoticed, and, with the Metrical Tales 
 of Denmark and Sweden, offer a new and interesting subject 
 of speculation to the English reader. 
 
 Should the present volume be favourably received by the 
 public, it is the purpose of the Editors to extend their re- 
 <5 searches to the Romances of Russia ; to the more rare and less- 
 
 known Sagas of Scandinavia ; to the Original Songs of the Letts 
 and Esthonians ; and to the Poetry of the Celtic Dialects. Upon 
 each of these subjects materials have been collected, and means 
 of access to eminent antiquaries and libraries on the continent 
 
 10
 
 vi ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 are in the power of the Editors. They would also esteem 
 themselves honoured by communications from any man of li- 
 terature, whose taste may have led him to this field of investi- 
 gation. 
 
 The intended prosecution of the work will depend on the 
 public taste : and although the Editors cannot augur brilliant 
 or extensive success for a work which relishes too much of pure 
 antiquity to be generally popular, they are not without hopes 
 that, since their materials are new to British literature, enough 
 of countenance may be extended to their labours, to encourage 
 perseverance in their present undertaking. Its end and im- 
 port may be expressed by reference to the beautiful lines by 
 which Pope has described the northern front of the Temple of 
 Fame : — 
 
 " Of Gothic structure was the Northern side, 
 O'erwrought with ornaments of barb'rous pride : 
 There huge Colosses rose, with trophies crown'd, 
 And Runic characters were graved around. 
 There sat Zamolxis with erected eyes, 
 And Odin here in mimic trances dies. 
 There on rude iron columns, smear'd with blood. 
 The horrid forms of Scythian Heroes stood ; 
 Druids and Bards (their once-loud harps unstrung,) 
 And Youths that died to be by Poets sung."
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 On the Antient Teutonic Poetry and Romance, — By Henry JVeber, 3 
 
 Sect. I A Sketch of the History of Teutonic Poetry and Romance, 5 
 
 Sect II. — Of the Teutonic Cyclus of Romance, 20 
 
 Das Heldenbuch. — The Book of Heroes, — By the same, 45 
 
 Book First. — Of the Emperor Otnit, and the Dwarf Elberich, ib. 
 
 Book Second.— Part I Of Hughdietrich and his Son Wolfdietrich 62 
 
 Book SECONO.^Part II Of Hughdietrich, and his Son Wolfdietrich 96 
 
 Book Third. — Of the Garden of Roses at Worms, 137 
 
 Book Fourth. — Of the Little Garden of Roses, and of Laurin, King of the Dwarfs, 149 
 
 Der Nibelungen Lied. — The Song of the Nibelungen, — By the same, 167 
 
 Adventure I. — Of the Nibelungen, > ib. 
 
 Adventure II Of Siegfried, 170 
 
 Adventure III. — How Siegfried came to Worms, 171 
 
 Adventure IV. — How Siegfried fought with the Saxons 173 
 
 Adventure Y.—H.OW Siegfried first beheld Chrimhilt, 175 
 
 Adventure VI. — How Gunter proceeded to Isenland, to obtain the Hand of Brun- 
 hild, „ 176 
 
 Adventure VII. — How Gunter obtained the Hand of Brunhild, 177 
 
 Adventure V III. — How Siegfried went to the Nibelungen, 180 
 
 Adventure IX. — How Siegfried was sent to Worms, 181 
 
 Adventure X. — How Gunter held his Bridal Feast with Brunhild, 182 
 
 Adventure XI — How Siegfried came home with Chrimhilt to Netherland, 184' 
 
 Adventure XII How Gunter invited Siegfried and Chrimhilt to a High Feast, .. 185 
 
 Adventure XIII How Siegfried and Chrimhilt went to the High Feast, ib. 
 
 Adventure XIV.— >0f the Altercation between the Queens, ib.
 
 viii CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Adventure XV. — How Siegfried was betrayed, .^ 186 
 
 Adventure XVI — How Siegfried was slain, 187 
 
 Adventure XVH How Siegfried was bewailed and interred, 189 
 
 Adventure XVIII How Siegmund departed from Worms, 190 
 
 Adventure XIX. — How the Nibelungen Treasure came to Worms, ib. 
 
 Adventure XX. — How King Etzel sent to Burgundy to obtain the Hand of Chrimhilt, 191 
 
 Adventure XXI How Chrimhilt came to the Huns, 192 
 
 Adventure XXII How Etzel and Chrimhilt held their Bridal Feast, ib. 
 
 Adventure XXIII. — How Chrimhilt invited her Brothers to a High Feast, 193 
 
 Adventure XXIV. — How Werbel and Swemmel did their Message, ib. 
 
 Adventure XXV. — How the Nibelungen went to the Huns, 194 
 
 Adventure XXVI How Ghelfart was slain by Dankwart, 198 
 
 Adventure XXVII. — How the Nibelungen were received by Rudiger, 199 
 
 Adventure XXVIII. — How the Nibelungen came to the Huns, ib. 
 
 Adventure XXIX How Haghen and Folker sat before the Hall of Chrimhilt, .... 200 
 
 Adventure XXX. How Haghen and Folker guarded the Kings, 201 
 
 Adventure XXXI — How the Kings went to hear Mass, 202 
 
 Adventure XXXII. — How Blodelin fought with Dankwart, 203 
 
 Adventure XXXIII. — How Dankwart brought the News of the Slaughter to his 
 
 Masters, ib. 
 
 Adventure XXXIV. — How Iring was slain, 204 
 
 Adventure XXXV. — How the three Kings spoke with Etzel and Chrimhilt of a 
 
 Truce, 205 
 
 Adventure XXXVI. — How Rudiger was slain, 206 
 
 Adventure XXXVII. — How Dietrich's Champions were slain, 207 
 
 Adventure XXXVIII The Death of Gunter and Haghen, 208 
 
 Die Klage. — The Lament, — By the same 211 
 
 Appendix I. — Fragment of a prose Romance, in the S.ixon Dialect of the Teutonic, 
 
 written about the eighth Century, and printed from a Manuscript preserved in 
 
 Cassel, in Eccardi Comment, de Rebus Francias Orientalis, — By the same, 215 
 
 Appendix II — The Song of Old Hildebrand, — By the same, 221 
 
 Appendix III. — The Battle of King Tiilrich and the Lion with the Linden- Worm, 
 
 By the same, 225 
 
 Popular IIeuoic and Romantic Ballads, translated from the Northern 
 
 Lanouagls, with Notes and Illustrations, — By E. Jnmieson 231 
 
 Introduction, 233 
 
 Sir Peter of Stauifenbergh and the Mermaid, 255, 265
 
 CONTENTS. ix 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Stark Tiderich andOlger Danske, 267, 268 
 
 Note on Stark Tiderich, &c 274. 
 
 Lady Grimild's Wrack, 275, 280 
 
 Notes on Lady Grimild's Wrack, 287 
 
 The Ettin Langshanks and Vidrich Verlandson, 295, 997 
 
 Hero Hogen and the Queen of Danmarck, 306 
 
 Sir Guncehn, 310, 311 
 
 Eibolt and Guldborg 317, 324. 
 
 Notes on Ribolt and Guldborg, 330 
 
 Young Child Dyring, 233 
 
 Ingefred and Gudrune, 340 
 
 Sir Stig and Lady Torelild, 344 
 
 Ulrich and Annie, 348, 349 
 
 The Maiden and the Hasel, 352 
 
 Child Axelvold. 354, 361 
 
 Notes on Child Axelvold, 366 
 
 Fair Midel and Kirsten Lyle, 368 
 
 Sir Wal and Lisa Lyle, 373 
 
 Fair Midel and Kirsten Lyle, 377 
 
 Notes on Fair Midel, 381 
 
 The King's Daughter of Engelland 384 
 
 The Wassel Dance, 389 
 
 OlufPant, 393 
 
 Rosmer Haf-Mand, or the Mer-Man Rosmer, 397 
 
 The Second Ballad of Rosmer Hafmand, , 411 
 
 The Third Ballad of Rosmer Hafmand, , 416 
 
 Sir Lave and Sir John 420 
 
 Note on Sir Lave and Sir John, .„. 423 
 
 Wit at Need, 4,24 
 
 Anke Van Tharaw, 427, 428 
 
 Balade, from Gower, „ , 431, 432 
 
 Grotta Savngr, an Eddie Lay of Pagan Times, 434 
 
 Rigs-Mai; the Song of King Eric, , , 444, 446 
 
 Libussa, or the Prince's Table, 460, 462 
 
 Notes on Libussa, ,. , 468 
 
 Abstract of the Eyrbiggia-Saga; being the early Annals of that District of 
 Iceland lying around the Promontory called Snasfells, — Bi/ IF. S 475 
 
 Glossary, — Bi/ R. Jamieson, ,„„„. , 51 
 
 a
 
 ON THE 
 
 ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 
 
 No nation can boast of a larger, and, in general, more ancient and 
 valuable stock of early poetry in the vernacular language, than the 
 Germans. The era during which the best and most considerable of 
 their romances were produced, was exactly co-eval with tlie most 
 flourishing period of the Norman romanciers and the Proven9al trouba- 
 dours, who have given occasion for volumes of dissertations, historical 
 deductions, and hypotheses as romantic, to the fuU, as the poems 
 they were intended to illustrate and recommend, while that of their 
 eastern neighbours has been absolutely unknown to foreigners, and, 
 till within these few years, very little studied by the natives themselves. 
 The respectable volumes of Schilter, which were published after his 
 death, by the learned Scherz, in 1727, were almost confined to the 
 most ancient biblical and monkish rhymes, and chiefly compiled with 
 a view of deducing the gradual advancement of the language ; for 
 which reason they afford great gratification to the students of etymo- 
 logy, but furnish little which can interest the lovers of romance, and
 
 4 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 of ancient poetry, for its own sake.' About the middle of the eigh- 
 teenth century, several laudable attempts were made by the poetic 
 veteran Bodmer, in conjunction with Breitinger, a learned Swiss, to 
 revive the study of their early poetry ; the principal of which were the 
 publication of the Parisian Codex of the works of a hundred and forty 
 troubadours, (Minnessenger,) which appeared in two volumes quarto, at 
 Zurich, in the year 1758, and an edition of the latter half of the great 
 romance of the Nibelungen, In 1784, a second attempt of the same 
 kind was made by another learned Swiss, Professor Miller. He pub- 
 lished two quarto volumes of Teutonic romances, and a third was be- 
 gun some years after,' by Koch, a clergyman of Berlin, author of a 
 most valuable Catalogue Raisonne of German poetry. But the en- 
 couragement for this species of research was so cold, though the work 
 was liberally supported by several German princes, and by most of the 
 universities, that the third volume remained incomplete, being broken 
 off in the middle of a long romance ; and the greater part of the im- 
 pression was sold for waste paper. 
 
 Within these ten years, however, the study has suddenly become 
 popular, and was carried on, with the characteristic enthusiasm of the 
 Germans, so rapidly, that the greater and more valuable part of their 
 romances would have been given to the public, if the confused state of 
 the nation, the complete abolition of the constitution, and the intoler- 
 able tyranny of their Gallic oppressors, had not entirely paralysed the 
 press, and the exertions of the learned. A second large collection of 
 I'omances' was projected, and the first volume published by F. H. von 
 
 ' The same observations hold good with respect to the valuable publications ofGoldast> 
 Eccard, Lambeccius, Michaelis, Petz, &c. 
 
 * The following are the contents of this scarce work. Vol. I. The romance of the 
 Nibelungen, with the Lament, (Klage;) the iEneis of Veldeck ; God Amor, a pretty 
 allegorical poem in the style of the Troubadours ; Pcrcival, by Wolfram of Eschenbach ; 
 and some fabliaux Vol. II. Gotfried of Strasburgh's Sir Tristan, with Vriebert's con- 
 tinuation ; Florice and Blancheflour ; Ywain, by Hartman of Ouwe ; Fridank, a conti- 
 nued string of gnomes ; and a collection of lays of love and devotion. — The fragment of 
 the third volume contains one half of Conrad of Wurzburg's Trojan War ; fragments of 
 Wigolais and of Partenopex ; and a score of fabliaux. 
 
 • Entitled, 'Deutsche Gedichte des Mittelalters,' Berlin, 1808, tto. The volume con-
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. d 
 
 der Hagen, a nobleman, enthusiastic and indefatigable in the cause, 
 and Dr J. G. Buesching, the son of the great geographer of that name. 
 But we understand (though we sincerely hope our intelligence is errone- 
 ous) that the undertaking, for want of the very moderate encourage- 
 ment required, has been dropped. Several other works of a similar 
 nature, though not of such extent, have been published ; the most 
 valuable of which we have been so fortunate as to procure from the 
 continent, for insertion in the present Work. 
 
 To give a short and general sketch of the history of Teutonic 
 poetry of the middle ages, and to exhibit an analysis, with specimens 
 of their original and most interesting romances, is the purport of this 
 portion of our work ; and we sincerely hope to be able to communi- 
 cate some of our enthusiasm in the cause to our readers. At any rate, 
 the subject is entirely new in this country ; and if the abstracts of the 
 romances should fail to amuse, on the score of the interest of the 
 story, or the merit of the translated specimens, they cannot fail to 
 awaken the curiosity of those who are anxious to investigate the very 
 singular history of the connection between the romantic legends and 
 traditions of the different nations of Europe. 
 
 Sect. I. — A Sketch of the History of Teutonic Poetrij and Romance. 
 
 We need not make any reference here to the songs of the ancient Ger- 
 man bards, mentioned by Tacitus, which are irrecoverably lost. They 
 have been said to have been collected by the order of Charlemagne ; but 
 it is more than probable that the passage in Eginhart' has been genei'ally 
 misunderstood. There is no actual reference to the bards, who, in- 
 
 tains King Rother, Duke Ernest of Bavaria, Wigamur, St George, and Solomon and 
 Morolf. 
 
 ' Barbara et antiquissima carmina, quibus veterum regum actus et bella canebantur, 
 scripsit memoriaeque mandavit.. — Eginliarti Hist. Caroli — See on this subject some inge- 
 nious remarks in Scblegel's Athenaeum, Berlin, 1799,11. 306, from which some of the ar- 
 guments in the text are copied.
 
 6 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 deed, do not seem to have been a separate order of men among the 
 Germans, as they were among the Celts. The barbara et antiqidssima 
 carmina were, no doubt, ancient poems in the vernacular language ; 
 but it is very improbable that Charlemagne would have collected the 
 pagan war-hymns of the time of Arminius and Ariovist ; or that he 
 could have accomplished such a collection, which was very unlikely 
 to have been so long preserved by tradition, and which would have 
 been quite unintelUgible in his time. The poems mentioned by 
 Eginhart were more likely to have celebrated the first Christian 
 monarchs among the Teutonic nations. It will be seen in the sequel, 
 that the most ancient Teutonic romances actually refer to the kings 
 of the Franks, Longobards, and Burgundians ; and though their pre- 
 sent state by no means indicates an age prior to the twelfth and thir- 
 teenth centuries, it is very possible that their continued popularity 
 induced the minstrels of those centuries to revise and modernize them, 
 and, by loading them with marvellous fictions, and introducing refer- 
 ences to customs and discoveries of their own age, to render them 
 more acceptable to their contemporaries. There are frequent allusions 
 to more ancient times dispersed in the Nibelungen ; ' and a fragment 
 of a prosaic romance of Hildebrant, one of the principal heroes of the 
 original German cyclus of romance, printed by Eccard,'' appears, 
 from the language, to have been composed previous to the reign of 
 Charlemagne. 
 
 The oldest specimen of Teutonic poetry, actually in existence, is a 
 creed, entitled Ue Poeta Kazungali, and appears to be considerably 
 older than the era of Charlemagne. A facsimile of the only manu- 
 script extant, which is preserved in the Bavarian monastery of Weis- 
 sobrunn, has been given in the very valuable antiquarian repertory 
 entitled, Braga and Hermode, (vol. II. p. 118,) ably illustrated 
 
 ' Thus, V. 1433 : 
 
 In I'iterliclicn zyliten die licrren taten daz. 
 
 /. e. The lords did this in the knigiitly times. 
 ^ Comment, de rehus rranciic orient. Wireeb. 1729, I. 86i-902. See the sequel of 
 this dissertation, and tlie fragment itself, in the Appendix.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 7 
 
 by the venerable and learned editor, Graeter, The next, in point of 
 time, is the well-known paraphrase of the four evangelists, by Otfried 
 of Weisscnburg, a monk of St Ciallcn, ably edited by Schiltcr ; if the 
 very similar work of an anonymous poet, preserved among the Cotton 
 MSS., be not of higher antiquity." A song on St George, preserved 
 in the Vatican manuscript of Otfi'ied, and printed by Sandwig, at 
 Copenhagen, in 1783, seems to be co-eval with that poet's paraphrase. 
 But the most valuable specimen of the poetry of that age is undoubt- 
 edly the encomium on the victory of Louis III. of France over the 
 Normans, printed by Mabillon, Hickes, Schilter, and others. About 
 the beginning of the twelfth century, another anonymous poet wrote 
 a poetical legend of St Anno, archbishop of Cologne, who died in 
 1075. It was first printed in 1639, by the poet Martin Opitz, and 
 exhibits the strangest medley of chronicle and legend. Half of the 
 work, which contains 880 lines, is occupied by a history of the crea- 
 tion, and of the four monarchies, and only a ssiuall part is dedicated to 
 the miracles and sufferings of the archbishop. 
 
 Soon after this, the most splendid period of Teutonic poetry and 
 romance commenced. For the space of a century and a half, begin- 
 ning about the middle of the twelfth, and ending with the reign of 
 Rudolph of Hapsburgh, emperors, kings, princes, nobles, monks, and 
 menial minstrels, vied with each other in producing and translating 
 lays of love, romances, fabliaux, chronicles, fables, and sacred legends. 
 The names and works of above three hundred minstrels of that period 
 have been preserved ; among whom we find the emperor Henry, 
 (either the fourth or sixth of that name,) Conrad, king of the Ro- 
 mans, (probably the unfortunate Conradin, beheaded in the year 1268,) 
 Wenceslaus, king of Bohemia, (who died 1253,) John, duke of Bra- 
 bant, and many others of high rank. 
 
 ' A long Anglo-Saxon poem on the expedition of Regner Lodbrog is preserved in the 
 Museum, tlie publication of which would be a very desirable object. Professor Thorke- 
 lin had prepared a manuscript and translation for the press, and from his learning and 
 zeal every thing could be expected. But it is much to be feared, that, together with the 
 other invaluable stores of his library, it was consumed during the bombardment of Copen- 
 hagen.
 
 8 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 With the exception of the original Teutonic romances, which form 
 a separate cyclus, the minstrels of these two centuries contented 
 themselves with following the tract of the Proven9al troubadours, and 
 the Norman trouveurs. On the models furnished by the former, they 
 built a vast number of love canzonets, very artificial in their construc- 
 tion, and with a most laboured multipUcity of rhymes. The general 
 subjects, like those of their prototypes, and of Petrarch, with his host 
 of imitators, are amatory and devotional. Both the emperor Henry 
 and ' Conrad, the virtuous clerk,' adore the shadow, even the neighbour- 
 hood of their mistress, deplore her cruelty, and declare that nothing 
 can induce them to break their vow of fidelity. Songs to the Virgin 
 Mary are equally the production of Friar Eberhard of Sax, and of 
 the doughty knight, Wolfram of Eschenbach. This is quite in the 
 style of chivalry, and common to the poets of France and the Pro- 
 vence. It cannot be denied, however, that we not unfrequently meet 
 with passages of great pathos, and descriptions very luxuriant ; and 
 that the versification is frequently wonderfld, considering the age 
 of the poems. The following almost literally-translated specimen is 
 one of the least complicated of these songs of love. It is the pro- 
 duction of Otto, margrave of Brandenburgh, surnamed, ' with the 
 arrow,' who died in 1298: 
 
 Make room unto my loved lady bright, ■ 
 And let me view her body chaste and fair ; 
 Emp'rours with honour may behold the sight, 
 And most confess her form without compare. 
 
 » This will remind the readers of old poetry of a beautiful song, printed in Tottel's 
 Miscellany, among the works of Unccrtaine Auctors, beginning, — 
 
 Give place, ye ladies, and be gone. 
 Boast not yourselves at all, 
 For here at hand approacheth one, 
 Whose face will staine you all. 
 
 ITie song is evidently a counterpart of one among Surrey's poems, but far better than 
 its prototype. 
 
 11
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 
 
 My heart, when all men praise her, higher swells ; 
 
 Still must I sing how far the maid excells. 
 
 And humbly bow toward the region where she dwells. 
 
 Oh, lady Love, ' be thou my messenger; 
 
 Say I adore her from my inmost soul. 
 
 With faith entire, and love no maid but her ; 
 
 Her beauties bright my senses all controul ; 
 
 And well she might my sorrowing fears beguile ; 
 
 If once her rosy lips on me would smile. 
 
 My cares would all be gone, and ease my heart the while. 
 
 Two bitter woes have wounded me to death j 
 
 Well may ye ween, all pleasures did they chace : 
 
 The blowing flow'rs are faded on the heath ; 
 
 Thus have I sorrow from her lovely face : 
 
 'Tis she alone can wound my heart and heal : 
 
 But if her heart my ardent love could feel. 
 
 No more my soul would strive its sorrows to conceal. 
 
 Beside the lays of love and devotion, the troubadours of Germany 
 were fond of a peculiar species of composition, which they entitled 
 Watchmen's Songs, possessing considerable variety, and a degree of 
 sprightliness which we look for in vain among their usual productions. 
 They generally begin with a conversation between the lover and the 
 sentinel stationed to guard the castle wherein the lady of his heart 
 dwells. The sentinel lends his assistance to convey the knight into 
 her chamber, and when he feels the dews of morning arise, warns 
 the lovers of its approach ; for which unwelcome intelligence he is 
 generally severely reproached ; but, fearing the consequences, he 
 insists upon their separation. I have ventured to present the reader 
 
 ' Literally translated from the original, ' Frau Minne,' the general deity to wlioni the 
 amatory poets of the age addressed their invocations.
 
 10 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 with the following translation of one of these pieces, printed in a late 
 collection of ballads and songs.' The general outhne of the versifica- 
 tion is the same, but it was found impossible to preserve the multipli- 
 city of rhymes in the original. 
 
 I heard, before the dawn of day, 
 The watchman sing aloud, 
 " If any loving ladies lay 
 With knightly lovers proud, 
 Arise ! the sun will soon appear : 
 Then fly, ye knights, your ladies dear. 
 And let the bed grow cold. 
 
 " Brightly gleams the firmament, 
 In silvery splendour gay ; 
 Rejoicing that the night is spent 
 The lark salutes the day : 
 Then fly, ye lovers, and be gone ! 
 Take leave before the night is done. 
 And dangerous foes appear." 
 
 • ' Des Knaben Wunderhorn,' published at Berlin, 1806, 8vo. in three volumes, by Achim 
 von Arnim, and Clemens Brentano. The following stanza is the last, and is subjoined 
 to give the German reader some idea of the merit of the original, and the difficulty of its 
 measure : 
 
 Seit macht mit Fleiss, jed Faehnlein weiss, im Kampfe heiss, 
 
 Mich ihrer Lieb gedenken, 
 
 Auf Todes-Au, in rothem Thau, sell icli mein Frau 
 
 Ihr Tuechlein traurig schwenken ; 
 
 Den Ring ich scliau, ich stech und hau, 
 
 Hindurch ich dring, und zu ihr sing, 
 
 " Mein Leib ist dir behalten." 
 
 The orthography has been modernised in the printed copy, which was taken from an an- 
 cient MS. of troubadour songs. I have omitted two stanzas, and fear that the song is still 
 of too great a length.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. H 
 
 The watchman's call did wound my heart, 
 
 And banished my delight : 
 
 " Alas ! the envious sun will part 
 
 Our loves, my lady bright !" 
 
 On me she looked with shamefast eye. 
 
 Awaking at my mournful cry, — 
 
 " Lady, we slept too long." 
 
 Straight to the window did she speed : 
 
 " Good watchman, leave thy joke ! 
 
 Awake us not till o'er the mead 
 
 The morning sun has broke. 
 
 Too short, alas ! the time since here 
 
 I rested with my leman dear. 
 
 In love and sweet delight." — 
 
 " Lady, be warn'd ! On roof and mead 
 
 The dew-drops glitter gay j 
 
 Quickly bid thy leman speed. 
 
 Nor hnger till the day ; 
 
 For by the twilight did I mark 
 
 Wolves hying to their caverns dark, 
 
 And stags to covert fly." — 
 
 Now by the rising sun I viewed 
 
 In tears my lady's face : 
 
 She gave me many a token good, 
 
 And many a soft embrace. 
 
 Our parting bitterly we mourned ; 
 
 The breasts which erst in rapture burned. 
 
 Were cold with woe and care. 
 
 A ring with glittering ruby red 
 Gave me the lady sheen. 
 And with me from the castle sped 
 Along the meadow green ;
 
 12 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 And whilst I saw my leman bright, 
 She waved on high her kerchief white, 
 And loud, * To arms !' ' she cried. 
 
 In the raging fight each pennon white 
 
 Reminds me of her love ; 
 
 In the field of blood, with mournful mood, 
 
 I see her kerchief move : 
 
 Through foes I hew whene'er I view 
 
 Her ruby ring, and blithely sing, 
 
 " Lady, I fight for thee !" 
 
 Tliere are several manuscript collections of the ' Minnelieder,' (lays 
 of love,) in different libraries. The most extensive is the one already 
 mentioned, as preserved in the Imperial library at Paris, and published 
 entire in the year 1758. It was made at the beginning of the four- 
 teenth century, and therefore exactly at the close of the golden 
 period of German romance and song, by Rudiger of Manasse, him- 
 self a troubadour, and a nobleman. The most valuable lays were 
 selected, and somewhat modernised, by substituting modern spelling, 
 and translating the most obsolete terms into the language of the pre- 
 sent day, by Tieck, a poet of great merit, though too frequently car- 
 ried away by his enthusiasm.'' There are also manuscripts at Jena, 
 (the greater part of which has been printed in Miller's collection, but 
 without the music, which must be highly curious, as the MS. is of the 
 fourteenth century,) in the abbey at Weingarten, at Bremen, Erlangen, 
 Landshut ; six among the Heidelberg MS., in the Vatican ; and one in 
 the possession of Brentano, an ingenious poet. From the latter the 
 above specimen is taken. The codices at Colmar, at Weimar, and in 
 
 ' In the original, ' Waffen !' a usual cry in the old German poems, generally used to 
 
 give alarm when any danger approaches, or to encourage champions in the fight Sheen, 
 
 a few lines above, is a common old English word, signifying beautiful, bright. 
 
 * Minnelieder ausdem Schwsebischen Zeitalter, Berlin, 1803, 8vo.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCP:. 13 
 
 the possession of Professor Iludiger, at Halle, do not belong to this 
 flouiishing era. 
 
 The number of romances produced during this period is prodigious, 
 and the length of some of them very wonderful. A catalogue, by no 
 means complete, is prefixed to the first volume of the projected publi- 
 cation mentioned before, in this introduction, divided into six classes.' 
 The first contains the original German cyclus of romance, which we 
 shall treat of more at large at the end of this historical sketch. The 
 second are those relating to Charlemagne, and, like the greater part 
 of the remaining classes, have French originals. Of the oldest romance 
 of Charlemagne, in the language, only a fragment has been preserved, 
 and printed by Schilter, in the second volume of his Thesaurus. It 
 was afterwards modernised, extended, and I'endered very dull, by the 
 poet Strieker. His work is printed in the same collection ; and there 
 are no less than fifteen manuscripts in existence. The I'omances of 
 Ogier Ic Danois, Rinaldo, and Malagis (the Malagigi of Bojardo and 
 Ariosto) are in the Vatican. Valentine and Orson has been printed, 
 as well as two copies of Floren and Blancheflour ; one in Miller's col- 
 lection, and another, very short and good, in the Platt-Dutch (Lower 
 German dialect,) by Bruns.^ The large French romance of Aymeri 
 de Narbonne (containing in the original no less than 77,000 verses,) 
 was translated by two poets, and the two first divisions printed at 
 Cassel, 1781 and 1784. 
 
 The fourth cyclus, of which King Arthur is the central hero, is still 
 more extensive than the last. That monarch's own romance was 
 translated by Henry of Turlin. One of the most curious is Titu- 
 i-el, or the guardians of the holy Graal, by the indefatigable Wolfram 
 of Eschenbach, which was printed in 1477. How far it coincides 
 with the voluminous St Grayl, by Thomas Lonelich, in Bennet college 
 
 ' Many readers will consider this catalogue as dry and uninteresting, but it was necessary 
 to give it, in order to enable collectors and admirers of English metrical romances and 
 traditionary ballads to view at once the extensive popularity of many lieroes celebrated 
 in them. 
 
 * Reraantische und andere Gedichte in Altplattdeutscher Sprache, Berlin, 1798, 8vo.
 
 14. ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 • 
 
 library, Cambridge, it would be a curious matter to investigate. 
 Percival was translated by the same poet ; not, as he professes, from the 
 false narrations of Chretien de Troyes, but from the faithful story of 
 the Proven9al Kyot.' It was printed in the same year with the last, 
 and again from an ancient MS. in Miller's collection. The adven- 
 tures of Lohengrin, son of Sir Percival, are in the Vatican. The 
 beautiful romance of Ywaine and Gawaine, by Hartmann von Aue, 
 who flourished about 1 1 80, very exactly coinciding with the English 
 poem printed by Ritson, was also edited by Miller, and separately by 
 Michaelis, a learned etymologist at Vienna. Of the famous tale of 
 Tristrem there are no less than three translations ; the principal one 
 by Gotfried of Strasburgh, (fl. circa 1230,) which, after his death, was 
 completed by Vribert, and is printed by Miller. Lancelot was cele- 
 brated by Ulrich of Zazichoven ; and other poets wrote romances of 
 Wigolais, Tandarius and Flordibel, Daniel of Blumenthal, and Wiga- 
 mur, all of them belonging to this cyclus. The French originals of 
 none of these are extant, and the latter, which has been printed by 
 Hagen, is highly curious. A singular cyclical romance of Arthur's 
 knights is the work of Furterer, a Bavarian poet of the fifteenth cen- 
 tury. It is divided into the following thirteen sections : Of the Ori- 
 gin of Knighthood, from the Times of the Argonautic expedition and 
 the Trojan war, of Merlin, Gawain and Gamuret, Tschionadulander 
 and Sigune, Percival, Lohengrin, Floricc and Wigolais, Siegfried de 
 Ardemont, Melerance of France, Ywaine, Persybein, Poytisleir, and 
 Lancelot. 
 
 The fiftli class contains romances founded on ancient history, 
 amongst which there are three different poems founded on Guido de 
 Colonna's fabulous history of the Trojan war ; other three relating to 
 Alexander, besides several which are known to have existed, but are 
 supposed to have pcrislied. ^ Albrccht of Halbcrstadt translated, 
 
 • See ' Metrical Romances,' Edinburgh, I81Q, III. 309. 
 ' See Romances ut supra, vol- I. Intr.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 1.5 
 
 Ovid's Metamorphosis, and Henry of Veldeck, one ol' their earliest 
 poets, wi'ote the ^neis, probably from some Freneh original. 
 
 The sixth and last class embraces all the romances whicli arc uncon- 
 nected with any of the former. Those of German growth are, Duke Er- 
 nest of Bavaria, by Henry of Veldeck, printed by Hagcn, an abstract 
 of which may be found in the third volume of the late collection 
 of Metrical Romances ; Otho the Red ; Henry the Lion, duke of 
 Brunswick, (only a modernised copy of which, circulating among the 
 common people, is extant;') Reinfried of Brunswick, (said to refer to 
 the. imprisonment of Richard Coeur de Lion;) Frederick, duke oi 
 Austria ; the crusade of Albrecht of Austria in Prussia ; William of 
 Austria ; Louis of Thuringia ; Frederick of Swabia ; Henry of Swa- 
 bia and the princess Amelberg ; and the ■ Moorish Lady. Those 
 which refer to foreign heroes are, William of Brabant, (founded on the 
 history of William the Conqueror ;) Geoffrey of Boulogne ; the 
 daughter of the king of France ; Count Mai and Belflor ; Wittich of 
 the Jordan ; Partenopex and Meliura, (only two fragments ;) Dari- 
 fant ; Apollonius of Tyre, (said to contain about 100,000 verses;) 
 Solomon and Morolf, (printed by Hagen, which is the prototype of the 
 popular Italian tale of Bertoldo, Bertoldino, and Cacasenno, and the 
 French original of which is in the Imperial library at Paris ;) the Seven 
 W^ise Masters ; Engeldrut and Engelhart, (the same as our Amis and 
 Amiloun ;) St George, (printed in Hagen's collection ;) Barlaam and 
 Josaphat, and many more. Many of these, it must, however, be ob- 
 served, are of a later age. A very curious romance of fairy, printed 
 about 1480, but evidently of the thirteenth or fourteenth century, the 
 subject of which is still popular in the south of Germany, is in the 
 valuable library of Francis Douce, Esq., who permitted me to copy it. 
 It seems to have escaped the notice of the German collectors. The 
 author names himself Eckenolt, and the romance relates the marriage 
 of the knight Peter of StaufFenberg with a mermaid. Master 
 Eckenolt is very tedious, but a later minstrel has condensed it into 
 
 ' See Romances ut supra, vol. III. p. "40, note f .
 
 16 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 the shape of a ballad, printed in 1595, which has considerable poetical 
 merit, and has been faithfully translated into the language of the ro- 
 mance of Ywaine and Gawaine, by Mr Robert Jamieson. His ver- 
 sion will be found in a subsequent part of this volume. 
 
 The reader's patience has already been severely tried, and I forbear 
 to enumerate the numerous chronicles, universal and partial, the 
 legends of saints, the great host of fabliaux, (scarcely less consider- 
 able than that of the French trouveurs,) and sixty-six different didac- 
 tic and moral poems. ' The most ancient of the latter are three 
 printed in the second volume of Schilter ; one of which, ' Der Wins- 
 beck,' bears a striking resemblance to a poem printed by Ritson, and 
 entitled, ' How the Wise Man taught his Son.' 
 
 When this flourishing period of German poetry and romance was 
 past, a system of the most singular kind gradually overspread the 
 whole country, blasting every exertion of genius, and banishing all 
 the playful and wild products of imagination, which had hitherto 
 ruled without controul, and flourished with irregular exuberance. 
 Poetry was no longer cultivated by princes and nobles, and sung by 
 minstrels in the castle halls : it transferred its seat into cities, became 
 a severe study, and was almost confined to the horde of mechanics, 
 who measured lines by the yard, constituted themselves into guilds, 
 with masters, treasurers, and other officers, and in their metrical 
 court passed judgment upon any member who did not conform to 
 their established rules and regulations. Versifiers (for poets there 
 were none, or but a very inconsiderable number amongst them) had 
 to pass througii the degrees of apprentice and journeyman, before 
 tliey received the envied title of master. They were sent on their 
 travels through Germany, as young mechanics in other arts are to this 
 day. The principal schools at Strasburgh and Nuremberg were con- 
 
 ' It is a singular circumstance that one of these, entitled, ' Der Waelsche Gast,' /. e. 
 the Italian Guest, was written by Tlionias Tircklere, an Italian, who cliose to write in 
 German, and who makes many excuses for the inaccuracy of his language, Being a fo- 
 reigner. The same circumstance gave rise to the title ofliis work, in which lie calls upon 
 the hospitality of the German nation to be indulgent to their ' Welsh (/. c. Italian) 
 Guest.' 
 
 11
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 17 
 
 sidered in the light of universities, and a metrical constitution was 
 established throughout the empire. Nor was this phenomenon merely 
 transitory. It endured for nearly three centuries and a half^ and 
 some ruins are still to be traced of its existence, in the old-fashioned 
 city of Nurimberg. The pedantry of the rules established by this 
 constituted body can only be equalled by King James I.'s ' Rules and 
 Cautels,' or by Bossu's vaunted, arrogant, and dictatorial directions 
 for epic poets. 
 
 A few classes of poetry were, however, cultivated with considerable 
 success, and chiefly long allegorical and satirical poems, in which the 
 vices of the times were lashed with considerable effect ; the whole 
 being shadowed under the disguise of commonwealths established 
 among animals. The most ancient of these, and which properly be- 
 longs to the former period, is the Renner, by Hugo of Trymberg, a 
 schoolmaster at Bamberg, who flourished between the years 1260 and 
 1300; a long poem, formed by the concatenation of numerous fables. 
 The next was the renowned Reynard the Fox, undoubtedly a trans- 
 lation from the French of Perot de Saint Cloot, and his continuators, 
 but formed into a regular and connected poem, of very considerable 
 merit, written by Henry of Alkmar, who lived about 1470, in the 
 dialect of Lower Germany, very nearly approaching to the Dutch. 
 Amongst several imitations of this poem, I will only mention the 
 ' Froschmaeuseler,' or the Battle of the Frogs and Mice, founded upon 
 the mock-epic attributed to Homer, but extended to the length of 
 nearly twenty thousand lines. It was the work of George Rollenhagen, 
 and first appeared in the year 1 59.5. The author frequently proves him- 
 self in possession of considerable poetical and satirical abilities. Ano- 
 ther poem, which bears some resemblance, at least in its scope, to those 
 just enumerated, is the Ship of Fools, by Sebastian Brandt, who was 
 born at Strasburg, in 1458, and died in 1520. His work acquired 
 great popularity, and was translated several times into Latin, as well 
 as into French and Dutch. The EngHsh translation, by Alexander 
 Barclay, was made confessedly " out of Laten, Frenche, and Doche,"
 
 18 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 but chiefly from the Latin version of Locher, a pupil of the ori- 
 ginal author. The woi'k, including the numerous German altera- 
 tions of it, underwent twenty editions before the year 1626. The 
 only romance of these times, worth mentioning, is the Theuerdank of 
 Melchior Pfinzing, who lived between the years 1481 and 1531 ; a re- 
 markably dull and stupid allegorical poem, on the deeds of the empe- 
 ror Maximilian, and which owes the renown it has obtained entirely 
 to the exquisite cuts in the two first editions. In the seven subse- 
 quent impressions, the text is altered, and the cuts of no value. 
 
 But the most prolific, and, at the same time, the best of the master- 
 singers is the shoemaker Huns Sachs, who took up the awl and the 
 pen alternately. He was born in 1494, and died in 1576. Besides 
 4275 master-songs which he was obliged to furnish for the trade, and 
 which he very judiciously ordered no future editor to force into the 
 world, he wrote no less than 6840 poems, within the period of 53 
 years. They were printed in five volumes, with the date of the poems 
 annexed to each. Among them are 197 comical fabliaux, 116 alle- 
 gorical, and 272 profane tales, 59 fables, 107 hymns, 64 plays for 
 Twelfth night, 52 profane and 26 sacred comedies, and 28 profane 
 and 27 sacred tragedies. This extraordinary member, both of the 
 metrical and of the gentle craft, was a man of considerable learning, 
 an intimate friend of Albert Durer, and of Wilibald Pirkheimer, 
 and, by his satirical and sacred songs, contributed considerably to the 
 advancement of the reformation. 
 
 This poet was, however, not the first who cultivated the drama of 
 Germany. If we could reckon those who did not write in the ver- 
 nacular language into the number of native dramatists, the oldest 
 in Germany is Helena von Rossow, commonly called Hroswitha, wlio 
 was a nun in the abbey of Gandersheim about the year 980, and has 
 left six religious Latin comedies, in imitation of Terence, the popu- 
 larity of whose profane plays in the monasteries they were meant 
 to usurp. The most ancient appearance of a drama, if it can be 
 called so, in the (ierman language, is ' The War at Wartburg,' a kind 
 of poetical warfare by eight ancient poets, celebrated in the year 1207.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. If) 
 
 In 1322, the tragedy of ' The Ten Virgins' was acted at Eisenacli, 
 before Frederick, hmdgrave of Thuringia, upon whom it had a very 
 tragical effect. Tlie play is not in existence. About the year 1450, 
 Hans Roscnblut wrote six short plays for Twelfth Night, (Fastnacht- 
 kSpiele,) a kind of dramatic composition which obtained great ])opula- 
 rity. They are very singular ; and one of them, in which the Grand 
 Sultan of Turkey gives audience to the Christian ambassadors, is still 
 acted by puppets at the fairs. But the most curious relic of the German 
 drama was produced in the year 1480, by Theodoricus Schernbeck, a 
 priest, and entitled Apotheosis Johannis VIII. Pontificis Romani. The 
 piece is in German rhymes, and the principal persons are, Jutta, the 
 supposed female pope, her lover, called Magister noster Parisiensis, the 
 Virgin Mary, St Nicolas, the seraphs Michael and Gabriel, Mors, or 
 Death, Lucifer the prince of Devils, and his mother Lillis, with a 
 whole host of fiends. At the opening of the drama, Lucifer convenes 
 his diabolical attendants, one of whom sings an infernal song, during 
 which Lillis and all the fiends join in a dance. Lucifer communicates 
 his intention of employing Jutta, a young Englishwoman, who, in the 
 di-ess of a student, was going to the university of Paris, for his ends, 
 and dispatches two devils, Sathanas and Spiegelglantz, to her. Their 
 tempting the virgin is the subject of the next scene. After the suc- 
 cessful performance of their errand, they return to hell, where Sathanas 
 is promised a fiery crown, ornamented with adders and snakes, for re- 
 ward. The Clericus and Jutta are next introduced, journeying to, 
 and arriving at Paris, where they prosecute their studies with great 
 success, and are created doctors. Then they proceed to Rome, and 
 are introduced by the four cardinals to Pope Basilius, into whose 
 service they enter, and are themselves raised to the dignity of cardi- 
 nals. Basihus soon after dies, and Jutta is chosen his successor. The 
 son of a Roman senator is brought to the female pope, possessed by a 
 devil ; who, before he consents to leave the body, acquaints the cardi- 
 nals with the pregnancy of Pope Jutta. In the following scene Christ 
 complains to his mother of the sinful abomination at Rome. But 
 Maria intercedes for mercy to the soul of Jutta, and Gabriel is sent to
 
 20 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 advise her to leave her lewd life, and to abandon the tiara ; which she 
 promises. Death is sent to her, and warns her of her speedy dissolu- 
 tion. She cries for mercy to the Virgin, who appears to her, and pro- 
 mises to intercede for her soul. Then she is delivered of the child, and 
 Mors kills her instantly after. The devil whom she had forced out 
 of the body of the senator's son was waiting to seize the soul, which 
 he carried to hell. There she was forced to drink the infernal potion, 
 and threatened with the most merciless treatment. But she con- 
 tinued to call upon the Virgin for help and deliverance. In the mean- 
 time the most portentous signs had appeared at Rome. Blood had 
 rained for three days, and earthquakes and famine had desolated the 
 countiy. The cardinals go in procession, with torches and banners, 
 and institute the famous chair for trying the virility of all future 
 popes. The soul of Pope Jutta was in the meantime tormented by 
 the devils, but the Virgin and St Nicolas intercede for her so effec- 
 tually, that Christ sends St Michael to fetch it from hell, which enter- 
 prise he accomplishes with considerable difficulty. The drama ends 
 with the soliloquy of the delivered soul. Notwithstanding the great 
 incongruity of the plot, there is considerable merit in the execution, 
 and some humour in the dialogues between the devils. 
 - With the exception of some fine church hymns, by Luther and se- 
 veral of his cotemporaries, there occurs no one among the German 
 metrifiers, from the time of Hans Sachs, worthy of mention, till the 
 appearance of Opitz, Fleming, and Wecklierlin, who flourished in the 
 first half of the seventeenth century, and produced some poems of the 
 very first rank, particularly the former, who obtained tlie name of fa- 
 ther of German poesy. But their successors, till within the last fifty 
 years, are worthy of no regard whatever. 
 
 Sect. II. — Oftlie Teutonic Cycliis of Romance. 
 
 Before we enter into a general investigation of this comprehensive 
 class of romances, and attempt to trace their connection amongst them-
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 21 
 
 selves, and with their romantic brethren of the North, we shall pre- 
 fix an enumeration of such as are in existence at present, in the dif- 
 ferent libraries, and dwell peculiarly upon those of which abstracts are 
 presented to the reader in this volume. For this purpose we shall fol- 
 low the arrangement of Hagen, in the collection of ancient German 
 poems mentioned above, which comprehends all those that have 
 been hitherto discovered, with the exception of the oldest fragment 
 extant of any of them, in prose. This, on account of its extreme an- 
 tiquity, will be given entire in the Appendix, with a Latin and Eng- 
 lish literal translation. It is in the dialect of Lower Germany, ap- 
 proaching very nearly to the Anglo-Saxon, and was printed in J. G. 
 Eccardi Commentar. de rebus FrancifE Orientalis, (torn. I. p. 864,) 
 with a Latin translation, and a very extensive body of notes, from a 
 MS., which once belonged to the abbey of Fulda, from whence it 
 was transferred to the library of the landgrave of Hesse-Cassel. The 
 age of the MS., according to the learned editor, is the eighth century, 
 and the romance, of which it is a short fragment, seems to have been 
 produced in the times of paganism, as the principal hero, Hildebrand, 
 invokes Irmin, the god of war amongst the Teutonic nations. The 
 fragment consists of a dialogue between Hildebrand, (who is one of 
 the heroes in all these romances) and his son Hatubrand, which ends 
 in a combat between them, and seems to have been the original of the 
 song of Hildebrand, mentioned in the ensuing list, (No. 13,) a trans- 
 lation of which will likewise be found in the Appendix. 
 
 1. The first among the romances of this cyclus, not in point of the 
 time of its production, but in priority of the events recorded in it, 
 consists of the adventures of Otnit, and of Hugh-and Wolfdietrich, 
 and forms the first and second part of the great Book of Heroes, or 
 Legend of Champions; an abstract of which is given in this volume. 
 Besides this romance, it contains two other portions, enumerated in 
 this list, (No. 7, 8.) There are several manuscripts of this extensive 
 work in the Vatican at Rome, at Strasburg, Vienna, Frankfort, &c. 
 It was first printed in the fifteenth century, without date, and re- 
 printed, with little variation, in the years 1491, 1509, 1545, 1560, and
 
 22 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 1590; all of these editions having wooden cuts tolerably executed. 
 From a transcript of the last, the present abstract has been taken. 
 The author of the two first divisions (and probably also of the 
 third) of this work is the knight Wolfram of Eschenbach, born in 
 Bavaria, who flourished about 1207, and was patronised chiefly by the 
 landgrave of Thuringia. He was a most prolific poet. Besides the 
 present work, he is asserted to be author of Titurel, or the Guar- 
 dians of the Holy Graal, of Percival, WilUam of Oranse, Lohengrin, 
 Duke Frederick of Swabia, the History of the Emperors, and Godfirey 
 of Bouillon, all of them poems of great length. 
 
 2. Etzel's Hof haltung, or The Court of Etzel, (Attila j) exists at 
 Dresden, in MS. 
 
 3. Dietrich and Sighenot ; was printed in the years 1490, 1577, 1613, 
 and 1677. 
 
 4. Ecken Ausfahrt, the Expedition of the Ecken; printed in 1491, 
 1512, and 1577. 
 
 5. The Earlier Combats of Dietrich and his Champions, in MS., at 
 the Vatican. 
 
 6. Romance of the youthful Adventures of the Horny Siegfried ; 
 printed at Nurimberg, without date. It relates the same adventures 
 of this hero which are the subject of a popular book still very current 
 in Germany. The hero leaving his father, wanders about for many 
 days, till, driven by hunger, he is forced to work for a smith ; but his 
 strength is so prodigious, that he splits the anvil with the first stroke. 
 The smith gives him some blows, and he in return throws him to the 
 ground. In order to be revenged upon the young apprentice, the 
 smith sends him, under pretence of fetching charcoal, to a forest, in- 
 habited by his brother, who had been transformed into the shape of a 
 dragon. But Siegfried tore out several trees, threw them on the mon- 
 ster, and then set fire to the pile. The fat of the dragon run upon 
 the ground like a rivulet, and Siegfried accidentally dipping his finger 
 in, and finding it become of a horny consistence, bathed his whole 
 body in the fat, and thus rendered it invulnerable, with the exception 
 of a place on his back, where a leaf happening to stick, prevented the
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 23 
 
 fat from having its due effect. (See the Nibelungen.) Afterwards he 
 releases the daughter of King Gihbaldus, who dwelt upon the Rhine, 
 from a dragon who had ravished her from her father's court ; and 
 achieves many other adventures with wild beasts, giants, and dwarfs. 
 He is married to the princess, and killed by the envy of her three bro- 
 thers, in the same manner as in the Nibelungen. 
 
 7. The Great Garden of Roses at Worms, which forms the third 
 division of the Book of Heroes. Another poem on the same subject, 
 but differing widely from the printed copy, is at Strasburg, and in the 
 Vatican. 
 
 8. The little Garden of Roses, or Laurin, King of the Dwarfs, being 
 the fourth and last part of the Book of Heroes. It was the production 
 of Henry of Ofterdingen, a cotemporary of Eschenbach's, and a citizen 
 of Eisenach. A copy, greatly enlarged, has been printed from a 
 Copenhagen MS., by Nyerup, (Symbolae ad Lit. Teut. Antiq. Havniae, 
 1787, p. 1 — 82.) 
 
 9. The Duke of Aquitania exists in MS. at Vienna, and is probably 
 cither the oi'iginal, or a translation of a very curious Latin poem, 
 which appears to have been written by a monk. It was printed by 
 Professor Fischer in 1780, under this title, — De prima e.vpeditione At- 
 tike, regis Hunnorum, in Gallias, ac de rebus gestis WaWiarii Aquitano- 
 rum pri7icipis, Carvien epicum sectdce VI., from a manuscript of the thir- 
 teenth century. Another edition was given by Molter, in 1 798. The 
 poem opens with the praise of Attila and his expedition from Panno- 
 nia. Gibicho, king of the Franks, sends the youth Hagano, a descen- 
 dant of the Trojans, with rich treasures, to deprecate his wrath. 
 Herrik, king of Burgundy, whose residence is at Cauillon, beyond 
 the Aar and Rhone, gives his daughter Hiltegund as hostage to 
 Attila, and Alphere, king of Aquitania, sends his son Walther for the 
 same purpose. Hiltegund, Hagano, and Walther are educated at the 
 Hunnish court, and to the former the royal jewels are given in charge. 
 Meantime King Gibicho dies, and his son Gunthar refuses to do 
 liomage to the Huns, which Hagano hearing, he flies from Attila. 
 Walther persuaded the 'princess Hiltegund to accompany him in his 
 
 11
 
 24 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 flight. She filled two chests with golden rings from the treasury ; and 
 they took occasion to effect their purpose during a feast. Walther rode 
 on his horse Leo, armed after the manner of the Huns, with a two- 
 edged sword on his left, and a one-edged one on his right side. The 
 princess rode on another horse with the treasure. They only travelled 
 during the night, and arrived in a fortnight at Vuormatia, (Worms,) the 
 residence of the Frankish king. Walther gave some fishes which he 
 had caught by the way to the ferryman who had ferried them over 
 the Rhine, which the latter brought to the royal table. Gunthar know- 
 ing them not to be the produce of the Rhine, and inquiring how he 
 obtained them, heard of the arrival of the knight and the princess, and 
 of the two chests, which, fi'om the sound they emitted, appeared to con- 
 tain gold. Hagano, by the description, recognised his fellow Walther ; 
 but King Gunthar resolved to seize on the treasures,and indemnify him- 
 self for those his.father had sent to Attila. He accordingly assembled 
 his champions, and pursued Walther, whom he overtook in the forest 
 of Vasgovia. In a place where two rocky mountains formed a nar- 
 row cave, the Aquitanian prince was attacked, after he had refused to 
 give up the treasure ; notwithstanding Hagano had used every exer- 
 tion to prevent the combat, the evil consequence of which to the king 
 he had beheld in a dream. For this counsel he was upbraided as a 
 coward by the king, and sullenly retired to a neighbouring hill, where 
 he beheld the fight. Of the other eleven champions who had accom- 
 panied Gunthar, eight defied Walther, one after another, and were all 
 felled to the ground by him. The I'cmaining three use a very curious 
 weapon, which is described in several chronicles of the Franks, against 
 him. They throw a trident with strings at his feet, and endeavour to 
 cast him to the ground, and then to murder him. But he stands firm, 
 and kills them all, Gunthar flies to Hagano, who is reconciled to 
 him, and advises him to get Walther into a snare, by a feigned retreat. 
 Walther not suspecting the stratagem, remains in a cave, and in the 
 morning, when he issued to proceed on his journey, is attacked by the 
 king and Hagano. The former soon falls before the Aquitanian, and 
 fractures his thigh-bone ; and the latter, after having struck off his
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 25 
 
 opponent's right hand, had his head opened, and his right eye thrust 
 out, by the poniard of Waltlier. Then the three heroes reconcile 
 themselves, drink together on the field of battle, and joke upon the 
 loss of their limbs. The Franks return to Worms, and Walther to 
 Aquitania, where he reigned in peace for thirty years. — The sub- 
 ject of this poem is alluded to, towards the conclusion of the Song of 
 the Nibelungen ; and a very similar story occurs in the 86th and the 
 following chapters of the Wilkina-Saga, an account of wliich will be given 
 in p. 28, &c. There the hero is called Walther of Waskastein, which 
 name he also bears in the third part of the Book of Heroes. Fischer 
 judges the poem to have been written in the sixth century. It was 
 probably produced in the time of King Pepin. Tlie MS. at Carlsruhe 
 appears to be of the ninth century ; and in the chronicle of the abbey 
 of Novalese, founded in the eighth century, at the foot of Mont Cenis, 
 printed by Muratori, and by him judged to have beeu compiled about 
 1060, an account is given of Walther, son of Alfer, king of Aquitania, 
 who was a monk in that monastery, and underwent similar adven- 
 tures. A quotation is given in the chronicle from the Latin poem. 
 The principal heroes of it also occur in the Nibelungen and the Book 
 of Heroes, but there, instead of Franks, they are Burgundians. 
 
 10 and 11. The Flight of Dietrich to the Huns, and his vain en- 
 deavour to recover his realm. Both in a MS. of the Vatican, tran- 
 scribed in 1477. 
 
 12. The Song of the Nibelungen, and the Lament. Of this most 
 ancient among the Teutonic metrical romances, there are three MSS. 
 at St Gallen, Hohenems, and Munich. The latter half, with the La- 
 ment, was printed separately by Bodmer ; and the whole in Miller's 
 collection, mentioned above. A new edition, in which the ortho- 
 graphy and the principal antiquated words have been modernised, 
 but the versification and the antique cast of the language retain- 
 ed, was published in 1807, by Hagen.' From a comparison of 
 
 " We have to regret that the copy which has reached us wants the introduction, 
 which would have given us great Hght upon the history of the poem, and its connection 
 with Scandinavian romances, as the learning of M. v. d. Hagen insures the great researcli 
 of his investigations. 
 
 D
 
 26 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 the latter with the old copy in Miller, the abstract in this volume has 
 been made. It is not easy to determine in what age the poem was 
 written, and the author is unknown. At the end of the Lament, which 
 is in a different measure, and was probably written by a different per- 
 son, and in a subsequent period, the author of that poem names him- 
 self Conrad ; from which evidence Miller very absurdly concluded the 
 whole to be the work of Conrad of Wuerzburg, who did not flourish 
 till the years 1280 and 1300. I have no doubt whatever that the 
 romance itseff is of very high antiquity, at least of the eleventh cen- 
 tury, though certainly the present copy has been considerably mo- 
 dernized. It will be seen immediately that it is quoted in the Wilkina- 
 Saga, as being very ancient at the time that work was compiled, 
 which was about the year 1250. 
 
 13. The Song of Master Hildebrand. The oldest copy is at Dres- 
 den, in MS. From an ancient edition, in which it has been considerably 
 shortened ; it was reprinted by Eschenburg, and a translation of the 
 latter wiU be found in the Appendix, No. II. The chief value of the 
 ballad, besides that of the poetry, is its coinciding so nearly with the 
 ancient prose-fragment already mentioned." 
 
 14. King Rother ; a very ancient poem, which has lately been pub- 
 lished from the only manuscript of it which is known, in the Heidel- 
 berg library, at the Vatican. It forms, as it were, an intermediate 
 chain between the German cyclus of romance and that of Charlemagne. 
 The hero is the grandfather of that emperor, and the father of Pepin. 
 Almost the same story, but attributed to a different set of actors, occurs 
 in the Wilkina-Saga, (p. 113 — 132.) The German editor supposes, 
 with great probability, that it was produced in the first half of the 
 twelfth century. The antiquity of the language, and tlie rudeness of 
 the versification and of the rhymes, which are very similar to those 
 used in the poem of St Anno, mentioned above, vouch for the truth 
 of his supposition. Tlie fable of the poem is so singular, that an ab- 
 stract of it deserves to be given to tlie English public. 
 
 ' In the Danish Koempe Viser there is a literal translation of the ballad.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 27 
 
 It will now be necessary to give some account of the Scandinavian 
 romances and poems, in which the same heroes, and very similar 
 actions occur. The oldest mention of this cyclus, in that language, is 
 in the Flateyan Codex, at Copenhagen, written in the fourteenth cen- 
 tury. There it is related by the historian Gunlog, how, at the court 
 of King Olaf Tryggvin, who first introduced the Christian religion in 
 Norway, about the year 1000, the poems of the Edda, the second ode 
 of Sigurd, who had killed the smith, that of Brynhildar's ride to hell, 
 (translated partly by the Hon. W. Herbert,') that of Gudrunar Ruida, 
 and, finally, the song of Gunnar, were sung to the harp. Of these 
 four poems, only the three first are preserved in the Edda of Saimund. 
 In these pieces, which have not as yet been published, as well as in 
 the Wolsunga-and Norna-Gest's Sagas, printed in the valuable col- 
 lection entitled, Nordiska Ksempe Datter by Bioerner, Brynhildr 
 is a mythological personage, one of the Valkyriae, not a mere mortal 
 virgin, as in the Teutonic romances. She is the daughter of Budla, 
 king of the Saxons and Franks, and lived in a lonely castle, encircled 
 by the fire Vafiloga. The Sigurd of the Edda, according to Warnefrid, 
 was the son of Sigmund, king of Hunnenland and of Hiordisa, and 
 had two wives, Brynhildr, and Gudruna Grimhild, daughter of Giuko, 
 (the Gibich of the German Book of Heroes,) king of Niflungaland. 
 His daughter Aslceg was the wife of the celebrated Regner Lodbrog. 
 According to this account, Sigurd must have lived in the eighth cen- 
 tury ; but the Hyndlu Lioth, in the Edda,' makes him a cotempo- 
 rary of Jormunrek, (the Ermanrek of the Wilkina-Saga,) and there- 
 fore also of Dietrich of Bern, which is more consonant to the Teuto- 
 nic romances. For an abstract of the Wolsunga-Saga, which may be 
 considered as a digest of the Scandinavian traditions, respecting 
 these celebrated heroes, the reader is referred to the elegant work of 
 Mr Herbert.* The discussion of the question respecting the relative 
 
 ' Miscellaneous Poetry, Vol. II. Part II. p. li. 
 
 ' Edda rhythmica seu antiquior, vulgo Ssemundina dicta, Pars. I. Hafiiioe, 1 787, 4tQ. 
 Praef. p. xxxviii. 
 3 Ibid, p. 331. 
 ♦ Misc. Poet, ut supra, pp. 20 — 33.
 
 28 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 antiquity of these and of the Teutonic traditions is reserved till tlie 
 end of the following enumeration of the other remains in the northern 
 languages. 
 
 Saxo Grammaticus, who wrote about the year 1200, relates, that 
 Magnus, the younger son of the Danish king Nicolas, conspired 
 against the life of his elder brother Canute, to prevent his succeed- 
 ing to the throne of his father, and sent a Saxon minstrel, one of the 
 conspirators, to invite Canute to a conference, at which he was to be 
 slain. But the minstrel had compassion on Canute, and having 
 sworn not to betray the secret, he chaunted, in order to give him an 
 indirect warning, the well-known treachery of Grimhild towards her 
 brothers, formed into a well-ordered poem. This poem is probably 
 stiU extant ; for in the valuable collection of Danish ballads entitled 
 Ksempe Viser, there are three which relate the revenge of Grimhild, 
 or Chrimhild, very little differing, as to the facts, from the Teu- 
 tonic romances. But the scene, which in these, as well as the older 
 Scandinavian romances, is laid upon the Rhine, is here transferred to 
 the island of Hvena," situated between Zealand and Sconia, and cele- 
 brated in latter times by the residence of Tycho de Brahe. One of 
 these very curious and ancient ballads will be found in a subsequent 
 part of this volume, translated by Mr Jamieson, together with some 
 others relative to these heroes, whose popidarity was nearly as exten- 
 sive as that of Charlemagne and Arthur. 
 
 The most comprehensive of the romances in the Scandinavian tongue 
 is the Wilkina-and Niflunga-Saga,' which is, however, to be considered 
 entirely as a Teutonic work. It is, in fact, a digest of several metrical 
 romances in the latter dialect of the Gothic, in the same manner as 
 Malory's Mort Arthur was formed from the French romances. In 
 several passages there is a direct reference to far more ancient Teu- 
 
 » Perhaps the reason of this variation may be accounted ior, by the corruption of Heu- 
 naland, thfe land of the Huns, which is so called in the Teutonic romances, as well as in 
 some of the Scandinavian, into the island of Hvena. 
 
 » Wilkina Saga, eller Historicn cm Kong Thiderich af Bern och hans Kasmpar; samt 
 Niflunga Saga, &c. Published by Peringskiold. Stockholm, 1715, fol., with a Latin and 
 Swedish translation.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 29 
 
 tonic songs and poems, from which it was compiled. Thus in the 
 328th chapter, where Queen Ostacia sends an army of wild beasts, 
 such as lions, bears, and dragons, German songs and poems are 
 quoted as authority.' Again, in the Niflunga-Saga, chapter ;36.3* and 
 367,^ similar references occur. And in the Blomsturwalla-Saga 
 it is said that " the History of King Thidrik was first written in Ger- 
 many, and afterwards brought to Norway by Master Bia^rn i Nidaros, 
 who was bishop of Norway." He was sent by King Hackan Hack- 
 anson, about 1250, to the court of Frederick II., emperor of Ger- 
 many, whose brother was to espouse Christina, the daughter of King 
 Hackan. At the German court he heard the history read, and 
 brought it with him to Norway, where it was translated into Scandi- 
 navian. Several manuscripts were preserved. One of them seems to 
 be nearly of the age in which the bishop lived. The following is a 
 bare outline of this extraordinary romance, a more dilated abstract of 
 which should certainly be given to the public. In order to exhibit 
 the connection of the Teutonic romances, it was, however, deemed 
 eligible to exhibit some general account of it in this place. The pre- 
 face to the Book of Heroes relates several parts of the Saga which 
 are not at present known to be extant in German, shortly, but with 
 considerable variations. 
 
 The romance begins with the history of the doughty knight Sam- 
 
 ' Sva seigir i kvaedum Thydverskum, at Iiennar liaer vaeri likur fiooedum sialfom, oc hon 
 sialf var oc sem einn flugdreki. i. e. The German songs say that lier armies were like the 
 devils themselves, and she herself was in the shape of a fire-drake. 
 
 * Sva er sagt i Thydeskum kvaedum, &c. German poems speak of the bloody fight 
 between Thidrik and the Niflungen, and how the sword Eckisax resounded on the 
 helmets. 
 
 ' Hier ma nu haeyra frasogn Thydeskra manna, &c. Worthy of notice are those Ger- 
 man songs of the inhabitants of Susa, [so the residence of Attila is called in this romance,] 
 where these memorable actions happened. They can tell where Hogen fell, where Irung 
 was slain, and where the dungeon was where King Gunnar was killed : They show the 
 garden, which is still called the Niflung-Garden, where the heroes were slain, &c. And 
 men of Munster and Bremen, worthy of belief, relate the same facts, without knowing 
 any thing of the others, almost without variation; from whicli may be deduced the fidelity 
 of the histories sung in poems in the Teutonic tongue, to the commemoration of the 
 deeds of illustrious men. (Oc er that mest eptir thvi sem seigia forkvasdi i Thyderskri 
 tunga, er giort hafa storir menn umm thau stortidendi er i thessu landi hafa ordit. )
 
 30 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 son, born in the city of Salerno, who became enamoured of Hildes- 
 vida, daughter of Rodger Jai-1, lord of that city, with whom he escaped 
 from her father's court, and killed him and King Brunstein, his bro- 
 ther. Then he became king of the Goths, and begot three sons ; 
 Ermenrek, king of the Goths in Puli, (Apulia,) Thietmar, king of 
 Bern, (Verona,) and a natural son, named Aka Orlungatrost. After 
 the death of Samson, Thietmar married Odilia, the daughter of Elsung 
 Jarl, and begot the celebrated Thidrek, (Dietrich, Theoderic,) of 
 Bern, king of Aumlungaland, (Italy,) who is the central hero of this 
 whole connection of histories, which relates successively the deeds of 
 the champions who attached themselves to him, and the manner in 
 which they joined his fellowship. The fust of these was Hildebrand, 
 son of Reginbald, duke of Venice, who came to thecourt of Thietmar 
 at the age of five ; Thidrek being at the time seven years old. A 
 strict intimacy between the boys took place, and when they grew up 
 to manhood they achieved several adventures, the most remarkable of 
 which was their making the dwarf Alpris ' captive, and their obtaining, 
 by his assistance, the valuable sword Nagelring. The next hero who 
 joins the fraternity, after being subdued in battle by Thidrek, was 
 Heimer, the son of Studo, who dwelt beyond the Alps, near Segai'd, 
 the castle of the Lady Brynhild, famed for her matchless beauty. 
 
 The history of the third champion, Vidga, (the Wittich of the Book 
 of Heroes,) is next related. His remote ancestor was Wilkinus, king 
 of Wilkinaland, (Sweden,) who, by a sea-monster, begot the giant 
 Wada, who lived in Sealand, and had a sou called Velint, one of the 
 most excellent smiths who ever lived. His father hearing of the 
 great skill of the smith Mimer, in Hunaland, sent him thither in his 
 ninth year, where he learnt the trade at the same time with the cele- 
 brated Sigurd, (Siegfried.) Afterwards he prosecuted his study with 
 the dw:arfs in a mountain, and there reached the summit of his art. 
 His father was killed by the fall of a rock, occasioned by an carth- 
 ()uakc, which his tremendous snoring produced.* Velint proceed- 
 
 ' A very similar adventure occurs in tlie first part of the Book of Heroes, which see. 
 * This ludicrous adventure is very like one of the god Tiior, in the twenty-third chapter 
 of the prose Edda, translated by Goranson.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 31 
 
 ed to the court of Nidimg, king of Waringia, living in Jutland, at 
 whose court he was challenged by the smith Amilias to a trial of 
 skill. The latter fabricated a suit of armour. Velint forged the 
 sword Mimung in seven days, with which he cut 'a 'thread of wool, 
 floating on the water, asunder, in the presence of the king. But find- 
 ing the falchion heavy and unweildy, he sawed it in pieces, and, in a 
 mixture of milk and meal, forged it in a red-hot fire for three days, 
 and at the end of thirteen produced another sword, which cut through 
 a whole ball of wool floating on the water. Still he was not satisfied 
 with its goodness, but committed it again to the flames, and after seven 
 weeks, having separated every particle of dross from the metal, fiibri- 
 cated a falchion of such exquisite goodness, that it split a whole bun- 
 dle of wool, floating on the water, in two. The smith Amilias trust- 
 ing to the impenetrability of his breastplate and helmet, sat down upon 
 a bench, and bade his rival strike at him with the sword. But Velint 
 split him to the navel; and when he complained that he felt as if cold iron 
 had passed through his entrails, Velint bade him shake himself a little, 
 upon which his body fell to the ground in two pieces.' Velint after- 
 wards assisted King Nidung in his wars, and obtained his daughter in 
 marriage ; but, by the order of the king, he was mutilated. After 
 several other adventiu'es, which would occupy too much room in this 
 introduction, to particularize them separately, Velint begot a son, 
 named Vidga, who, going to seek adventures when he had attained to 
 manhood, fought with several of Thidrek's knights, and at last suc- 
 ceeded in vanquishing that hero himself, upon which he joined his 
 company of champions. After the wounds had been cured which 
 Thidrek had received from the sword Mimung, he undertook a pere- 
 grination in search of adventures, anxious to recover his fame, which 
 had been tainished in the late engagement. In this expedition he 
 killed Ecka, and obtained from him the celebrated sword Eckisax ; 
 disarmed Fasold, and rescued Sintram from the jaws of a dragon; both 
 of whom become his sworn companions. 
 
 ' This singular story was adopted into the Edda by Sa?miind, under the title of Vcelun- 
 darquida. 
 
 11
 
 32 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 After this an episode is introduced respecting the wars of Wilimer, 
 and of his four giants, Aspilian, Aventrod, Etgeir, and Widolf, (the lat- 
 ter of whom is so strong, that in time of peace he is led by a chain,) 
 againgt the Russians ; and, after that, the battles of Osantrix, king of 
 Wilkina-land, and his obtaining Oda, the daughter of Melias, king of 
 Hunaland, for his spouse. ' After the death of King Melias, Attila, 
 the younger son of Osid, king of Frisia, made himself master of his 
 dominions, while his brother obtained those of their father. Attila 
 sent Rodolf, * mai'grave of Bechelar, to Osantrix, demanding his daugh- 
 ter Erka in marriage. But his request being refused, he invaded the 
 territory of Osantrix. Rodolfj however, went in disguise to Wil- 
 kinaburg, the residence of the latter, and persuaded the virgin to 
 elope with him. She was brought to Attila, who made her his queen. 
 After this follows the history of Walter of Waskastein, and his elope- 
 ment with Hildegund, very nearly coinciding with the fable of the La- 
 tin epic, an abstract of which has already been given. In the mean- 
 time an altercation had happened between Heimer and Vidga. The 
 former joined a robber named Ingram, who molested the forest of Fal- 
 ster, (a Danish isle near Zealand, here described as a forest lying be- 
 tween Saxony and Denmark.) 
 
 The sixth hero who joined the society of Thidrek was Thetlef, the 
 son of Bitterulf, who dwelt in Denmark and Sconia. ' After the fa- 
 ther and son had driven Heimer and his associates ftom their haunts, 
 the latter was knighted, and proceeded in search of adventures. He 
 fought duels with Sigurd the Grecian, and with Walter of Waska- 
 stein, and then joined the knights of Thidrek. Soon after, the old king 
 Thietmar died, and left the inheritance of his dominions to Thidrek. 
 Wildifer and Herbrand, two illustrious heroes, join the chivalrous 
 association. The wars of Osantrix and Attila had continued with 
 
 • This is the part of the fable which has nearly the same subject with King Rotlicr. See 
 above, p- 26. 
 
 '■ Tlic Rudiger of the Nibelungen. 
 
 • Dietlieb and his father Bitterolf are mentioned, in the third and fourth parts of the 
 liook of Heroes, as dwelling in Stji-ja.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 33 
 
 varied success, but the latter, craving and obtaining the assistance of 
 Thidrek, vanquished his opponent in a bloody battle. Vidga, how- 
 ever, fell into the power of the Swedes j but his friend Wildifer re- 
 leased him out of captivity by a stratagem. 
 
 Now the celebrated Sigurd (Siegfried) is introduced into the cir- 
 cle of heroes who assemble round Thidrek of Bern. His father, Sig- 
 mund, king of Jarlungaland, obtained the hand of Sisile, daughter of 
 the Spanish king Nidung. Being forced to leave her during an ex- 
 pedition which he undertook for the relief of Drasolf, king of the 
 Poles, he gave her in charge to his two counsellors, Hartvin and Her- 
 man. They prove unfaithful in their chai"ge, and not being able to 
 obtain their desires, accuse the queen of adultery, on the return of 
 Sigmund, who orders her to be executed. She is led away by the two 
 counts, but they cannot agree in what manner to deprive her of life : 
 A battle is the consequence? in which Hartvin is killed. The queen 
 had meanwhile been delivered of a boy, whom she had laid into a 
 drinking-cup of glass. Hartvin, when he fell dead on the ground, 
 accidentally threw the cup into the river, which when the queen be- 
 held, she instantly died of grief. ' Herman returning to the court, 
 related the manner of her death, and that of his fellow, which exciting 
 the suspicion of Sigmund, he ordered him immediately to quit his 
 sight. The child was found floating on the river by the celebrated 
 smith Mimer, by him rescued, and educated in his smithy. But the 
 boy acquired prodigious strength, and continually quarrelled with tlie 
 others who worked there, so that Mimer began to fear him, and in 
 order to be I'id of so troublesome a workman, sent him into a forest 
 haunted by his brother Regin, wlio, for his malice, had been metamor- 
 phosed into a dragon. Sigurd, however, killed the monster, and boiled 
 a piece of his body for his food. He put his finger into the broth, and 
 bringing it, in order to cool it, to his tongue, a few drops fell upon it. 
 
 ' This part of the story is very similar to the beautiful legend of St Genevieve. The 
 reader may compare the history of Sigurd, as here related, with that contained in the Ger- 
 man popular book, a short abstract of which is given above, and with that given in the 
 Wolsunga-Saga and the Edda. 
 
 E
 
 34 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 He instantly understood the language of the birds, ' who were just con- 
 versing about the danger in which he stood from the anger of Mimer, 
 tlie brother of the dragon. Sigurd, warned by their conversation, re- 
 turned to the smith, and killed him. Then he proceeded to the castle 
 of Brynhild, threw down the seven gates, and took away the wild horse 
 Grana, which was grazing in a meadow. Then he entered into the 
 service of Isung, king of Bertangaland.'' 
 
 About the same time flourished the three sons of Aldrian, king of 
 Niflungaland, ^ and of Oda, his queen, Gunnar, Gernoz, and Gissler. 
 Hogen was also the son of Queen Oda, but was the produce of a con- 
 nection she had had with an elf, (Alfur.) He was a hero of a fierce 
 and angry disposition, just as he is described in the Nibelungen. These 
 four heroes proceeded to Bern, where Gunnar and Hogen joined the 
 fellowship of Thidrek. The latter celebrated a feast, at which he, with 
 Gunnar, Hogen, Hildebrand, and Hornbog Jarl, sat upon the right 
 side of the table, and Widga the strong, Aumlung, the son of Horn- 
 bog, Thetlef, Fasold, Sintram, Wildifer, Herbrand, denominated the 
 wise, on account of his distant peregrinations, and Heimer the fierce, 
 who was the Ganelon of the society, sat upon the left. During the 
 feast, Thidrek and his twelve champions conversing of deeds of arms, 
 Herbrand related to them how King Isung of Bertangaland had 
 eleven sons, and that the matchless Sigurd was also at his court ; that 
 their swords and steeds were superior to those of the champions of 
 Bern, and that they wet;e more bold and heroic than themselves. A 
 trial of their comparative skill was immediately concluded on. The 
 knights proceed on the expedition, during which Vidga slays the 
 giant Etgeir,* on the frontiers. When they arrived they defied Isung, 
 
 ' From this circumstance it would seem as if this part of the romance was oriental. 
 Gerbert, afterwards Pope Sylvester II., who died in 1003, is said, by William of Malmes- 
 bury, among other magic arts, to have learned the language of birds from the Moors at 
 Seville. 
 
 * Peringskioid translates this, Britannia. 
 
 5 The country about Worms, called in the German romances Burgundy. 
 
 ♦ See the Danish ballad of the Ettin Langshanks, in this volume.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 35 
 
 his sons, and Sigurd, to do battle with them.' Hildebiand, Heimer, 
 Hogen, Sintram, and Gunnar are vanquished and bound, but Vidga 
 and Thetlef are more fortunate against their opponents, and release 
 their captive companions. The final and most obstinate combat takes 
 place between Thidrek and Sigurd, which is thrice renewed, but at 
 length the former remains victor, having borrowed Mimung, the sword 
 of Vidga. Aumlung espouses Fallborg, the daughter of King Isung, 
 and Sigurd joins the twelve knights of Bern. Upon their return, 
 Hornbog, with his son Aumlung, Sintram, and Herbrand, return home 
 to their donainions. 
 
 After this, the nuptials between Sigurd and Grimhild, the sister 
 of Gunnar, and of that king with Brynhild, are related shortly, and 
 nearly in the same manner as in the Nibelungen, excepting the expedi- 
 tion to Isenland, and the trial of skill between Brunhild and Siegfried. 
 Sigurd, however, actually takes advantage of lying by the side of 
 Brynhild, and subduing her, as proxy for Gunnar. After these marri- 
 ages several episodes are introduced, which have but little connection 
 with the main action. The first relates the death of Herthegn, by the 
 hand of his brother Sintram, and the elopement of their third brother, 
 Herburt, with Hilder, the daughter of Artus, king of Bertangaland ; 
 which forms a singular connection between the Teutonic cyclus of 
 romance, and that of which King Arthur is the central hero. Then 
 the marriage of Thidrek himself, with the daughter of King Drusian, 
 follows. Her two younger sisters are espoused by Thetlef and Fasold, 
 two of his champions. After this triple espousal, the constructor of 
 this chain of fictions returns somewhat confusedly to King Artus, who, 
 at his death, left his empire, to his two sons, Iron and ApoUonius ; but 
 they were expelled by Isung and his eleven sons, who have been al- 
 ready mentioned. They fled to Attila, by whom they were well re- 
 ceived. ApoUonius was created earl of lliuringia, and Iron earl of Bran- 
 denburgh. Solomon was at that time king of the Franks, and the yoinig 
 earl of Thuringia fell in love with his daughter, with whom he eloped, 
 
 « This portion of the work is very similar to the third part of the Book of Heroes.
 
 36 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 assisted by his brother Iron, and his wife. The latter soon after died. 
 After this, the two earls and the king made continual chaces and de- 
 predations in each others' forests. At length Apollonius died, and 
 Iron was made piisoner by Solomon, but reconciled to him by his 
 wife, who shortly after died. Then he had an amour with Bolfriana, in 
 Fritilaborg, wife of the duke Ake Orlungatrost, by whom he was 
 killed. Ake was half-brother to Ermenrek, and dying soon after, the 
 strong knight Vidga married his widow, and thus became vassal to 
 that king who bore the crown at Rome, his dominions extending far 
 on both sides of the Alps. 
 
 Ermenrek had one day dispatched his counsellor Sif ka to a distant 
 castle, and took the opportunity of his absence to ravish Odilia, his 
 wife. When Sifka returned, and heard of the crime perpetrated by 
 the king, he resolved to obtain revenge in the most studied and mali- 
 cious way. By false insinuations he persuaded the king to cause his 
 own three sons, and then the two of Ake Orlungatrost, who had 
 been left to the care of Vidga, to be murdered during the absence of 
 the latter.' Sifka then advised Ermenrek to demand tribute of King 
 Thidrek, and when it was denied, to invade his territories. The lat- 
 ter, not able to withstand him, was forced to fly, and abandon Bern, 
 and to seek shelter with Attila. For thirty years he fought the battles 
 of that king with him, against Osantrix, king of Wilkinaland, who was 
 slain, and Waldemar, king of Russia. Queen Erka at last persuaded 
 Attila to assist Thidrek in an attempt to recover his kingdom, which, 
 however, proved fruitless. Thidrek was defeated, his youngest bro- 
 ther Thetter, and Erp and Ortwin, the two sons of Attila, were killed 
 by Vidga, who, flying from Thidrek, was drowned in a river. Queen 
 Erka died soon after of grief. 
 
 Here the Niflunga-Saga begins with the altercation of the two 
 queens, Brynhild and Grimild', and the fable proceeds nearly in the 
 same manner as that of the Nibelungen, and with very few valua- 
 tions, excepting Hogen's living some days in the dungeon, and be- 
 
 ' The beautiful popular story of Eckard the True bears great rcseiiiblance to this tale.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 37 
 
 getting a son, Aldrian,' who revenges the death of his father upon 
 Attila, by enticing him into the treasury of the Nibkuigen, and shutting 
 him up in it. Grimild, according to this narration, was killed by the 
 hand of Thidrek. 
 
 A short episode is introduced in the Niflunga-Saga, which relates 
 the warfare between King Isung of Bertangaland, and Hertnid, son 
 of Osantrix and king of Wilkinaland, in which the former, and his 
 eleven sons, were killed by the enchantment of Ostacia, the wife of 
 Hertnid, who conjured up an army of fiends and war-wolfs, commanding 
 them herself, in the shape of a dragon. Fasold tlie Proud, and Thetlef 
 the Dane, who served in the army of Isung, were also slain. The 
 magic queen, after her return from the battle, sickened, and died. 
 
 After the heroes had fallen at Susa, the residence of Attila, to gra- 
 tify the revenge of Grimild, and no one of Thidrek's companions 
 being left alive but Hildebrand, he resolved to return to Bern, 
 accompanied by the latter, whose son, Alebrand, had that castle in 
 his possession. On their road thither they heard of the death of 
 King Ermenrek. When Hildebrand came to Bern, he met with his 
 son, with whom he fought a severe battle, before they recognised each 
 other.* Alebrand gave up the castle to Thidrek, killed Sifka in a 
 battle, in which the latter endeavoured to drive Thidrek from his pos- 
 sessions, and became his faithful servant till his death. Thidrek was 
 crowned emperor at Rome, and, together with Hildebrand, embraced 
 the Christian faith. The latter soon afterwards died, at the age of 
 180, or, according to others, 200 years. Thidrek having lost his 
 wife Herraud, a relation of Attila's, reigned many years, amusing him- 
 self chiefly with the chace.3 
 
 ' See the Danish ballad of Grimild's Wrack, in this volume. 
 
 * This chapter, the 376th, bears great similarity to the Song of Hildebrand, and the 
 ancient Teutonic fragment in the Appendix. 
 
 ' A singular passage occurs in the Annals of Snorro, where he relates the history of 
 Widfor, or Magus Jarl. Charlemagne having heard much of those ancient heroes, Diet- 
 rich of Bern, Vidgo, the son of Velint, Gunnar the Niflung, Isung, and the northern hero 
 Haldan, wished to see them. A magician immediately, by a spell, brought them all before 
 the emperor, armed, sitting on their war-liorses, and marching in three rows. Among the 
 
 82301
 
 38 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 The comparison of this extensive chain of fiction, certainly grounded 
 upon historic truth, with the ensuing abstracts of the principal Ger- 
 man romances, and with the real Scandinavian remains mentioned 
 above, will lead to curious investigations, but a positive and undeniable 
 result can hardly be expected at present. The subject is compara- 
 tively so new, and the means of complete investigation so difficult of 
 access, that we must content ourselves chiefly with hypothetical con- 
 clusions. The most rational way of accounting for the wide diffusion 
 of these romantic tales, is, perhaps, to consider them as a congeries of 
 Gothic fictions of various times, (some of them possibly imported from 
 Asia, at the time of the emigration of the Goths from thence,) engraft- 
 ed upon real history ; and as a confusion of fictions and actual facts, pro- 
 duced by continual addition to the real original foundation. We have 
 seen that there is unquestionable authority to prove the existence of some 
 parts, at least, of this cyclus of romance in the eighth and ninth century ; 
 and there is reason to believe that they were popular a considerable 
 time, perhaps two centuries, before. The singidar question, whether 
 they owed their origin to the Teutonic Goths, or to their northern 
 brethren, wc have some data to determine. The residence of the 
 principal heroes is placed, even in the older Scandinavian romances on 
 the subject, in Germany ; and that of Lady Grimild was not trans- 
 ferred to the Danish islands till the time when the popular ballads of 
 Denmark were produced. It is true that the mythological cast which 
 the fictions acquired in Scandinavia, and the magic name of the Edda, 
 may startle our belief in their Teutonic origin ; but there are such 
 stubborn facts against deducing them from Scandinavia, that the 
 claims of the former certainly carry more weight. It is well known 
 that the most ancient Edda (if we except the Voluspa and a few 
 fragments) was compiled by Saemund, who was born about 1054, 
 and studied for several years in Germany, at Erlangen and Cologne. 
 
 twelve spectres, Dietrich, who was the third, and appeared more powerful and gigantic 
 than the rest, leaped from his horse. His example vvas followed by the others, and they 
 all seated themselves around the tiirone of Charlemagne.
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. ;i'j 
 
 It requires no great stretcli of hypothesis to suppose tliat he niighl 
 have adopted some of the Teutonic traditions into his mythological 
 collection, particularly as in tiiosc portions wliich refer to liryn- 
 hild, Gunnar, Grimhild, and Sigurd, the scene is placed on the 
 Rhine, and in Saxony. But even without having recourse to this 
 supposition, the antiquity of the fragment so often referred to, and of 
 the Latin epic analysed above, is evidently greatly superior to any 
 thing which the Scandinavians can show upon positive proof To this 
 may be added, that the most extensive Saga on these subjects, in their 
 language, is professedly a compilation from ancient Teutonic metrical 
 romances and songs. 
 
 Of the historical origin of the great epic Song of the Nibelungen, 
 (for the Book of Heroes, though placed before that poem, on account 
 of its relating the actions of older heroes, was evidently compiled in 
 much later times, and is far more fabulous,) a few data and coinci- 
 dences are all that can be expected. Attila (there named Etzel) 
 needs no explanation ; and it is well known that he had Thuringia, 
 Poland, and Wallachia under his dominion, as related in the poem. 
 His wife Halche, the Herka of the Wilkina-Saga, is mentioned in the 
 fragments of the embassy of Priscus to that king, where she is named 
 Erca. In the Hungarian chronicle of Thwortz, Dietrich, (that is, rich 
 in people, afterwards corrupted into Theodericus, but by Procopius 
 always spelt 5ivli^ix,) not the celebrated Theoderic, king of the Os- 
 trogoths, but one of his predecessors, who lived 80 years before, is re- 
 presented as fighting with an army composed of Ostrogoths, Germans, 
 and Longobards, against the Huns, at their first irruption into Europe, 
 by'whom he was defeated, and forced to join Attila with his own forces, 
 as in the Wilkina-Saga and the Nibelungen. It is there likewise re- 
 jated, that Attila left his kingdom to his two sons, Chaba and Aladar, 
 the former by a Grecian mother, the latter by Kremheilch, (Chrim- 
 hild,) a German ; that Theoderic sowed dissension between them, and 
 took, with the Teutonic nations, the party of the latter, in consequence 
 of which a great slaughter took place, which lasted for fifteen days.
 
 40 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 and terminated in the defeat of Chaba, and his flight to Asia. ' There 
 is, however, some confusion respecting the Theoderic (Dietrich) of 
 these romances. Several aUusions are made, which would cause us 
 to believe Theoderic the Great was intended. In the fragment of 
 Hildebrand, he is evidently and indubitably alluded to, as well as his 
 enemy Odoacer. But he was not born till about the year 442, his 
 great irruption into Italy, and his defeat of Odoacer did not take place 
 till 480, nor his death till 526 ; whereas Attila was leader of the Huns 
 already about 428, invaded Italy, and defeated the Western Goths, 
 about 450, and died soon after. It is therefore probable, that an 
 earlier Theoderic is the subject of these romances. Gunter, king of 
 Burgundy, is probably Guntachar, who was actually king of the Bur- 
 gundians, resided at Worms, and was slain in a battle with the Huns, 
 about 436. Siegfried cannot so easily be traced to any historical per- 
 sonage. It has been conjectured, with some probability, that he was 
 Sigbert, who is said to have been major-domo to Theoderic, and to 
 have dwelt, with his wife Chrimhild, at Worms. His castle of Santen 
 is undoubtedly Xanten, a town on the left side of the Lower Rhine. 
 Tronek, the possession of Hagen, may have been (according to the sup- 
 position of Johannes Mueller, the admirable historian of Switzerland) the 
 ancient Tournus, (Tornucium.) Isenland may either have been a super- 
 added fiction about Iceland, or the celebrated castle of Isenburgh, on 
 the left side of the Rhine, Charlemagne's favourite place of residence, 
 may be intended. There is great and inexplicable confusion re- 
 specting the real meaning of the title of the poem. In some places, 
 Nibelungenland is evidently Norway ; but, in general, here, as well as 
 in the Niflunga-Saga, it means Burgundy. The Nibelung heroes in the 
 latter are always Burgundians, but in the poem sometimes warriors 
 of that nation, at others, Siegfried's auxiliaries from Norway. The 
 great Niblung treasure is represented as having come from that coiin- 
 
 ' For this and numerous other notices I am indebted to a learned dissertation in the 
 Zeitung fuer Einsiedler, by .J. Goerrcs. 
 
 11
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 41 
 
 try where Siegfried slew Prince Niblung and his brotlicr. Bern, the 
 residence of Dietrich, is not the city so called in Switzerland, but was 
 the original Gothic name of Verona. 
 
 When we compare these Teutonic romances with those of France, 
 England, and Spain, we arc immediately struck with the want of chi- 
 valrous courtesy of the knights, and with the praises bestowed upon the 
 most savage and ferocious among them. We have not here that con- 
 stant obedience and attention to the ladies, who are indeed frequently 
 more savage than their lovers. The peculiar diablerie of these ro- 
 mances, is, perhaps, their most striking feature. The dwarfs, who, by 
 the French minstrels, were represented as mere naturals, and humble 
 attendants upon the knights, are here exalted into creatures of great 
 cunning, having dominion over the interior of the earth, consequently 
 possessing incalculable riches in gold and gems, and having the stronger, 
 but less sagacious, race of giants entirely under their controul. The 
 history of the creation of those three great classes, the dwarfs, giants, 
 and heroes, is given by the author of the preface to the Book of He- 
 roes, in the following manner. " It should be known for what reason 
 God created the great giants and the little dwarfs, and subsequently 
 the heroes. First, he produced the dwarfs, because the mountains 
 lay waste and useless, and valuable stores of silver and gold, with gems 
 and pearls, were concealed in them. Therefore God made the dwarfs 
 right wise and crafty, that they coidd distinguish good and bad, and 
 to what use all things should be applied. They knew the use of gems — 
 that some of them gave strength to the wearer, others made him invi- 
 sible, which were called fog-caps.'. Therefore God gave art and wisdom 
 to them, that they built them hollow hills ; he gave them nobility, so 
 that they, as well as the heroes, were kings and lords ; and he gave them 
 great riches. And the reason why God created the giants, was, that 
 they should slay the wild beasts and worms, (dragons, serpents,) and 
 
 ' Nebel-kappen, tarn-kappen. In tlie romances themselves, they are not represented 
 as gems, but as a kind of veils, which rendered every thing covered by them invisible.
 
 42 ON THE ANTIENT TEUTONIC 
 
 thus enable the dwarfs to cultivate the mountains in safety. But after 
 some time, it happened that the giants became wicked and unfaithful, 
 and did much harm to the dwarfs. Then God created the heroes, 
 who were of a middle rank between the dwarfs and giants. And it 
 should be known, that the heroes were worthy and faithful for many 
 years, and that they were created to come to the assistance of the 
 dwarfs, against the unfaithfid giants, the beasts, and tlie worms. The 
 land was then waste, therefore God made strong heroes, and gave 
 them such a nature, that their mind was ever bent on manhood, and 
 on battles and fights. Among the dwarfs were many kings, who had 
 giants for their servants ; for they possessed rough countries, waste fo- 
 rests, and mountains near their dwellings. The heroes paid all ob- 
 servance and honour to the ladies, pi'otected widows and orphans, did 
 no harm to women, except when their life was in danger, were always 
 ready to assist them, and often shewed their manhood before them, both 
 in sport and in earnest. It should also be known, that the heroes were 
 always emperors, kings, dukes, earls, and served under lords, as knights 
 and squires, and that they were all noblemen, and no one was a pea- 
 sant. From them are descended all lords and noblemen." 
 
 With respect to the following abstracts of the two principal Teutonic 
 romances, and particularly the passages of which a poetical translation 
 has been given, the reader will not here be troubled with many apo- 
 logies. We were chiefly anxious to give somewhat more than a mere 
 outline of these ancient romantic relics, which have not hitherto 
 been known in this island, and the value of which we, perhaps, rate too 
 hio-hly. The poetical specimens in .the Nibelungen are in the exact 
 measure of the original, which closely resembles that employed by the 
 Spaniards, in longer poems, previous to the time of Boscan. The most 
 proper model of translating them was therefore the elegant and spi- 
 rited version of some passages of the Pocma del Cid, in the appendix to 
 Mr Southey's Chronicle of that hero. The chief diflference of this mea- 
 sure from the one employed by the German minstrel, is, the Hues termi- 
 nating in rhymes instead of assonance, and being regularly formed into 
 stanzas of four lines. The original measure of the Book of Heroes is not
 
 POETRY AND ROMANCE. 43 
 
 exactly the same, every stanza containing eight short hnes, or rather ha- 
 ving a rhyme, (generally feminine,) at the caesura of each line, corres- 
 ponding with the rhyme of the caesura of the next. But as it would have 
 been almost impossible to preserve this exactly in an English version, 
 and as the metre is, at best, very fatiguing, by its uniformity, the same 
 measure has been employed as in the Nibelungen. The variation is, 
 moreover, warranted, by some ancient MS. fragments of the Book of 
 Heroes actually employing the exact form of the stanza in the Nibe- 
 lungen. In the latter, the translations are hne for line, and almost lite- 
 ral. Those from the Book of Heroes are also very close ; but it was 
 necessary, on account of the verbosity, and the fiequent repetitions, 
 to omit several stanzas, and often to condense two into one. The 
 Nibelungen and the first part of the Book of Heroes are divided into 
 adventures in the original. The other parts of the latter are not; but, 
 for the sake of uniformity, and for the ease of the reader, similar divi- 
 sions have been introduced here.
 
 Basf j^ellienbucJ). 
 
 THE 
 
 BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 BOOK FIRST. 
 
 OF 
 
 THE EMPEROR OTNIT, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 DWARF ELBERICH. 
 
 Adventure I. 
 
 " In the town of Surders, in Syria, a book has been discovered, which 
 had been buried there by the savage pagans, containing many marvels, 
 which I will relate to you." In the realm of Lombardy reigned the 
 mighty King Otnit,' and dwelt in his strong castle of Garten. He 
 was possessed of the strength of twelve other men, and by his valour 
 had rendered himself master of Rome, and of all the surrounding 
 countries, counting no less than seventy-two vassal-princes in his 
 train. 
 
 His barons advised him, when he was come to a mature age, to 
 espouse some princess, and he professed himself perfectly willing to 
 comply with their desire ; but Hellnot, margrave of Tuscany, declared, 
 
 ' Perhaps this name has been corrupted from Odenetus, the Roman emperor. He is 
 known to have fought against the Goths, and the era in which he Hved suits that of the 
 poetical Otnit, or Ottenit, remarkably well.
 
 46 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 that, in all Italy and Germany, no damsel existed who could aspire 
 to his bed. At length Eligas of Russia, his most powerAil vassal, de- 
 clared, that he had heard of the fairest virgin on earth : 
 
 " She shines all other dames before, right as the precious gold; 
 Believe me, prince, her form is dight with beauties manifold : 
 Even as the mid-day sim upon the roses gleams 
 And on the lily fair, the lovely lady seems." 
 
 She was the daughter of Machahol, king of Syria. All who had 
 hitherto endeavoured to obtain her hand had lost their lives, and the 
 battlements of the burgh of Montebure had thus been ornamented 
 with the heads of many heralds and lovers. The paynim king had 
 used this cruelty in the hope of his wife's speedy death, when he him- 
 self intended to put his daughter in her place. But Otnit, undismayed 
 at these tidings, declared his resolution to besiege the king in his cas- 
 tle, and obtain the hand of the princess ; nor could the persuasions of 
 Hellnot deter him from his resolution. 
 
 Eligas undertook to bring five thousand men to his assistance : HeU- 
 not and Duke Gherwart promised the same number each. Duke 
 Zacheris offered twenty thousand men, and twelve ships laden with 
 provisions. In this manner Otnit collected an army of eighty thou- 
 sand men, in complete armour, amongst whom he distributed his 
 treasures. He appointed his uncle Eligas standard-bearer. The pagan 
 king of Messina undertook to furnish the ships necessary for the expe- 
 dition. Then Eligas, with the other dukes and vassals, took leave, in or- 
 der to prepare the troops they had undertaken to furnish, within the 
 space of one year. 
 
 Adventure II. 
 
 The queen, his mother, incessantly entreated Otnit to relinquish 
 his design, but finding that all her prayers were in vain, she informed 
 him of a wonderful dream she had dreamt, of a hollow rock. Otnit,
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 4.7 
 
 who for some time had been without any adventure, supposed this to 
 be a very marvellous one, and undertook it without hesitation. His 
 mother gave him a ring, and conjured him never to part with it, as it 
 contained a stone of mighty power, which would guide him on his 
 road, and in the space of one year would be of more use to him than 
 thirty thousand marks of gold. She then instructed him to proceed 
 in the following manner : 
 
 " If thou wilt seek tli' adventure, don thy aiinour strong ; 
 Far to the left thou ride the tow' ring rocks along : 
 But bide thee, champion, and await, where grows a linden-tree, 
 There, flowing from the rock, a well thine eyes will see. 
 
 " Far around the meadow spread the branches green. 
 
 Five hundred armed knights may stand beneath the shade I ween. 
 
 Below the hnden-tree await, and thou wilt meet full soon 
 
 The marveUous adventure ; there must the deed be done." 
 
 The hero armed himself, took leave of his mother, who again re- 
 commended the ring to his particular care, and set out alone, in search 
 of the promised adventure. 
 
 And now the noble champion to a garden did he pass. 
 Where all with lovely flowers sprinkled was the grass ; 
 The birds light sweetly chaunted, loud and merry they sung : 
 Rapidly his noble steed pass'd the mead along. 
 
 Through the clouds with splendour gleam'd the sun so cheerfully ; 
 And suddenly the prince beheld the rock and the linden-tree. 
 To tlie ground the earth was prest, that saw the champion good ; 
 And there he found a foot-path small, with little feet was trod. 
 
 Quickly rode the fearless king along the rocky mount. 
 Where he view'd the linden-tree, standing by the fount : 
 The hnden-tree with leaves so green was laden heavily ; 
 On the branches many a guest chaunted merrily :
 
 48 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Many a duel sung the birds," with loud and joyous cheer. 
 Then spake the noble emperor, " Rightly did I spier." 
 
 Up spake the champion joyfully, " The linden have I found ;" 
 By the bridle took his steed, and leap'd upon the ground. 
 
 By the hand the noble courser led the champion stout, 
 
 And eagerly he looked the Unden-tree about : 
 
 He spake : " No tree upon the earth with thee may compare." — 
 
 He saw where in the grass lay a child so fair. 
 
 Much did the hero marvel, who that child might be : 
 Upon his little body knightly gear had he ; 
 So rich, no princess' son nobler arms might bear ; 
 Richly were they dighted with gold and diamonds fair. 
 
 And as the child before him lay all in the grass so green, 
 Spake Otnit, " Fairer infant in the world may not be seen. 
 I rode to seek adventures all the mirky night. 
 And along with me I'll bear thee, thou infant fair and bright." 
 
 Lightly he weened the child to take, and bear him o'er the plain. 
 But on his heart he struck him, with wond'rous might and main ; 
 That loudly cried Sir Otnit, writhing with pain and woe : 
 " Where lies thy mighty power hid, for full weighty was thy blow ?" 
 
 The combat between the two champions, to all appearance so un- 
 equally matched, was of long duration, and notwithstanding Otnit's 
 being possessed of the strength of twelve champions, he found it no 
 easy undertaking to subdue liis little opponent, who was named Elbe- 
 rich.* At last, however, he succeeded in throwing him to the ground, 
 where he threatened to slay him for his presumption : 
 
 * Thus in the original : 
 
 Die vcegcl mit gebrxchtc 
 Sie sungea wicJeistrcit. 
 
 * If we believe the romantic legends, this tlwarf must luivc lived till the times of Sieg- 
 fried, as he is mentioned both in the Song of tlic Nibelungen, and the Wilkina-Saga.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 49 
 
 . Forc'd by the hero's strength, he knelt upon his knee : 
 " Save me, noble Otnit, for thy chivalry ! 
 A hauberk will I give thee, strong, and of wondrous might : 
 Better armour never bore champion in the fight. 
 
 " Not eighty thousand marks would buy the hauberk bright. 
 A sword of mound I'll give thee, Otnit, thou royal knight : 
 Through armour, both of gold and steel, cuts the weapon keen ; 
 The hebiiet could its edge withstand^ ne'er in this world was seen. 
 
 " Better blade was never held in hero's hand : 
 
 I brought it from afar, Almary hight the land : 
 
 'Twas wrought by cunning dwarfs, clear as the clearest glass : 
 
 I found the glittering falchion in the mountain Zeighelsass." 
 
 Elbei'ich informed him that the weapon was named Rosse. He pro- 
 mised to give him also golden armour for the legs, a helmet and a 
 shield of incomparable goodness. He informed him that he was mo- 
 narch over great numbers of wild dwarfs, and that his dominions were 
 three times as extensive as his own. Otnit, however, would not re- 
 lease him unless he promised him his assistance in the expedition to 
 Syria. The dwarf was very importunate to obtain from Otnit the 
 ring which his mother had given him, and when he was denied, up- 
 braided him with his niggardly disposition, and the fear which he stood 
 in of his mother's displeasure. At last he cunningly drew it from his 
 finger, and disappeared in an instant. 
 
 When Otnit found himself alone he was greatly dismayed, and his 
 wrath was much increased by the bitter taunts and reproaches, for his 
 foolish inattention, by the invisible dwarf; who told him the amount 
 of the loss he had sustained by allowing the ring to be taken from 
 him, which had the quality of rendering the wearer invisible ; jeered 
 him with the scolding he would receive when he got home to his 
 mother ; and refused to give him the armour which he had promised. 
 The emperor, despairing of ever beholding him again, was mounting 
 his steed to depart, when the dwarf stayed him, began to give him^ 
 
 Q
 
 50 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 some hopes, and at last, upon his promising not to take any revenge, 
 returned the ring. Being thus rendered visible again, he greatly 
 astonished Otnit, by the assertion that he was his father. 
 
 " Thou art my son. Sir Otnit," the little champion spake. — 
 
 " Then in the fire ril burn her, and her faithless love a-wreak j 
 
 Because in the land of Lombardy she loved another knight. 
 
 She shall not live upon this earth another day, I plight." — 
 
 " Softl}', noble emperor ! When first by her I lay, 
 'Twas when brightly gleamed the sun, in the merry month of May; 
 With my might I forc'd the lady, for I found her all alone : 
 Bitterly she wept the deed ; against her will 'twas done." 
 
 He said that the father of Otnit had incessantly prayed for an heir, 
 and that he had taken compassion upon him, and had procured him 
 one in that manner. Otnit finding that he could not prevent his own 
 illegitimacy, contented himself, and resolved to conceal the circum- 
 stance fi'om his vassals. 
 
 Elberich entered the cave, and soon returned with the promised 
 arms, which greatly exceeded the expectation of Otnit. The rings 
 of the hauberk were so bright, that his eyes could scarcely endure 
 their splendour, and the helmet was ornamented with two carbuncles, 
 and a diamond of matchless value. Having put on his new armour, 
 he mounted his horse, and took leave of his diminutive father, who, 
 upon obtaining a vow from him never to revenge himself upon his 
 mother, promised to appear whenever he should desire liis presence. 
 
 Otnit was anxious to prove the vaunted qualities of the arms he had 
 obtained, and for that ptu-pose wandered about the forests for four 
 days ; but, to his great mortification, he did not meet with a single ad- 
 venture. Then he resolved to engage the knights at his own castle 
 in combat. 
 
 The king of Lombardy, in the morning-tide, 
 .Sped him, all alone, to his burgh to ride ;
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 51 
 
 While through the dusky clouds broke the star of morning bright. 
 And on his helm resplendent gleamed gaily the glitt'ring light. 
 
 Silently the knight abode all in a meadow green. 
 Until the rising sun in the firmament was seen. 
 Rashly through the castle-moat the noble champion nm. 
 As if he deemed to storm the castle all alone. 
 
 Loudly from the battlements shouted the careful wait : 
 
 " Though your hauberk gleam hke fire, ye come not to the gate." — 
 
 " To your lord and master wide your gates unfold ; 
 
 Bid my knights come forth !" Thus spake the hero bold. 
 
 The emperor then pretended that he was a pagan knight, who had 
 slain Otnit in battle, and who was come to challenge his seventy- 
 two vassals to combat with him. When his knights heard this, they 
 threw down the draw-bridge, and issued to the fight, where he found 
 the virtues of his sword and armour fully equal to the commendations 
 bestowed on them by the dwarf. Having unhorsed the burghgrave ' 
 and his brother, he suddenly stopped the combat, and revealed him- 
 self, to the great content of the combatants. Then he proceeded to 
 visit his mother, whom he found drowned in tears, but whose lamen- 
 tations were soon quieted by his appearance. He related his adven- 
 tures with the dwarf, whose paternal connection with him she did not 
 deny. 
 
 Adventure III. 
 
 When the year came about which had been appointed for the col- 
 lection of the forces to be employed in the expedition to Syria, the 
 several princes and dukes arrived with their respective quotas, and im- 
 mediately marched to Messina, where the heathen king had prepared 
 
 " The burghgrave is the same officer as the chastellain of the Frencli — sometimes tbe 
 lord of a castle ; at others, only the governor.
 
 52 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 every thing for their embarkation. After having sailed for six weeks, 
 the mariner on the mast saw the city of Suders. He at the same 
 time acquainted Otnit how dangerous it would be to enter the har- 
 bour, as the town's-people were greatly addicted to robbery. 
 
 Otnit was in great perplexity, and cursed the negligence he had 
 committed, in leaving his principal counsellor, the dwarf, behind him. 
 But turning suddenly round, he beheld him close at his side, invisible 
 to any one but himself, and could not help exclaiming with joy, " Ah, 
 father, what has brought thee here ?" The dwarf answered, smiling, 
 that he had sat on the top of the mast along with the mariner. When 
 the latter exclaimed that the pagans with great force were coming 
 out of the harbour, he gave it as his opinion, that Otnit should pre- 
 tend to have come to Syria as a merchant. Eligas was greatly asto- 
 nished at this conversation, and demanded who the invisible speaker 
 might be : 
 
 " I ween some strange adventure of magic this must be." — 
 
 " No," spake the king of Lombardy ; " if thou the dwarf wilt see 
 
 Clearly before thine eyes, place this riug thy finger round." — 
 
 A loud laugh laughed the Russian king, when the little knight he found. 
 
 Quickly spake Sir Eligas : " Thou little babe, alas ! 
 
 Why, far from friends and kindred, o'er the ocean didst thou pass:" — 
 
 " Not all so young am I as thy wits, sir champion, ween ; 
 
 Fifty and three hundred years in this world have I seen." 
 
 Otnit objected to the advice of Elberich, that he was not capable of 
 speaking the language of Syria -y but the dwarf soon removed the ob- 
 jection : 
 
 " Fear thee not. Sir Otnil ; here is a gem of mound : 
 Thou wilt speak all languages the spacious world around ; 
 Each one canst thou answer, from the north unto the south. 
 When sccrelly the precious gem lies hid within ihy inoulii."
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 53 
 
 This marvel staggered the faith of Otnit at first ; but when the hea- 
 then ships came within hearing, he soon had reason to dismiss his 
 unbehef ; for he found no difficulty in conversing with the pagans on 
 board. He informed them that he was come with merchandize from 
 Kerlingen ;' and the heathens sent the account of his arrival to the 
 judge of the town, who ordered no one to interrupt their ships, and 
 sailed himself in a war-galley, to convoy them into the harbour with 
 forty trumpetei's, bearing crosses on his flags, in token of his amica- 
 ble disposition. 
 
 When Otnit's navy arrived in the harbour, he consulted with the 
 dwarf, and proposed to enter the town during the night, and destroy 
 it, putting men, women, and children to the sword, they being no 
 better than pagans. But Elberich advised him to adopt more honour- 
 able measures; and himself undertook to pioceed to the king, and de- 
 clare to him the purport of the expedition. He accordingly set out, 
 and in the morning arrived at the burgh of Montebure, where he sat 
 him down on a stone by the gates. Machahol appeared on the bat- 
 tlements, and being interrogated by the dwarf, where the king was, 
 the monarch informed him that he bore the crown himself The 
 dwarf recommended to him to leave his false gods ; but, though greatly 
 dismayed at the invisibility of his monitor, he refused. Elberich then 
 demanded his daughter in marriage for the emperor Otnit, at which the 
 heathen was greatly enraged, answering him with insults and execra- 
 tions, and throwing a great stone, which knocked down Elberich, who 
 threatened the king, and scoffed at him, saying, that his master would 
 hang him before his own gates. 
 
 The enraged monarch awakened all his attendants, and calling on 
 Apollo and Mahound for revenge, told them of the insults he had re- 
 ceived. They descended into the moat, and with their swords pierced 
 and hewed the air, hoping to wound the invisible messenger. But 
 Elberich laughed and scoffed at them, advising the king to spare the 
 useless labour of his attendants. 
 
 * The country of the Franks, on both sides of the Rhine.
 
 54 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Wrathfully he struck him; afar the blow did sound 
 Cursing fell, and foaming, the evil pagan hound. 
 Mother and daughter knelt, lowly on the ground ; 
 Loudly the insult did they 'plain to Apollo and Mahound. 
 
 Adventure IV. 
 
 Elberich returned to his master, and left the king raging mad, and 
 bound with cords by his subjects. By the assistance of his magic 
 lore, he stole the ships of the heathens, five hundred in number, and 
 delivered them to the Christians. 
 
 Otnit then disembarked his troops, and marched to the gates ; Eligas 
 taking the charge of tlie standard, in which a red lion was depicted. 
 When the pagans beheld this army, they collected their troops in 
 great numbers, and met the enemy. They were under the command 
 of a Constantinopolitan general. A most bloody battle commenced, 
 in which all the champions of the Russian king were slain, and him- 
 self throAvn to the ground. But Otnit came to his relief, and got him 
 again mounted. After a long and severe fight, the pagans were com- 
 pletely defeated. But Eligas was inconsolable for the slaughter of his 
 knights, and loudly called for revenge. The dwarf heard his lamen- 
 tations, and, to console him in some degree, brought him to a cave 
 where a thousand pagans had concealed themselves, with their wives. 
 Eligas drove them out ; and though the men fell upon their knees, he 
 beheaded them all without mercy ; nor would he spare the women, 
 who offered to become Christians. At this cruelty the dwarf was en- 
 raged, and brought the news to Otnit. The emperor strongly up- 
 braided his uncle for his want of inclination to make proselytes ; but 
 the enraged Russian exclaimed, 
 
 " Sir Otnit, leave thy preaching ! little for thy wrath care I : 
 
 Another priest thou must appoint to baptize this pa«an fry; 
 
 Wherever I may meet tlieuj, tlicir death-wound have they caught ; 
 
 Never will I leave them, till all to the ground are brought." 
 
 11
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 60 
 
 Otnit, after much persuasion, prevailed upon Eiigas to spare the re- 
 mainder of the women, wlio were willing to be baptized, and to wreak 
 his vengeance upon the idols, whom he dashed in pieces wherever he 
 found them. When the evening broke in, and Otnit was forced to 
 desist from the combat, he found that no less than nine thousand of 
 his knights had lost their lives in the battle. 
 
 Adventure V. 
 
 In the morning the army broke up, and marched towards the castle 
 of Montebure ; but Eiigas declaring that he knew not how to guide 
 them, the dwarf himself took the banner, and rode before the host. 
 The soldiers marvelled greatly when they saw no one upon the horse ; 
 and Otnit, by the previous advice of Elberich, pretended that they 
 were guided by an angel, come from heaven to take charge of the 
 souls of such as fell in the fight ; whereat they were greatly comforted, 
 and encouraged to light with greater boldness. When they arrived 
 among the mountains within sight of the castle, Elberich returned 
 the banner to Eiigas, who led the army to the walls, and arranged 
 them in the plain. 
 
 There the roj'al tent was struck, wove of the silken twine ; 
 Richly was it furnished, by the pagan of Messyne. 
 Upon the blooming meadow the noble tent was pight; 
 Under its shade five hundred kemps stood ready for the fight. 
 
 Of ivory were the poles, clear as the mirror-glass; 
 With many a gem of mound the tent adorned was : 
 Right in the middle hung a bright carbuncle stone, 
 Like a flaming torch all around the tent it shone. 
 
 Elberich proceeded, unseen of any one, to the battlements of the 
 castle, and threw all the warlike engines and weapons over the wall. 
 The heathens supposed the evil fiend had entered the burgh, and 
 advised the king by all means to give up his daughter. The old queen
 
 .56 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 admonished him to comply with their request, but was punished for 
 her presumption, by the loss of some of her teeth. He bade the 
 dwarf tell his master, that he would give him battle in the morning, 
 with seventy thousand men. Elberich never ceased to scoff at the 
 enraged monarch, and when the latter threw a heavy stone at him, he 
 sprung aside, and in return tore a handful of hair out of the beard of 
 the pagan,' and then left him raging and foaming at tlie insults he 
 had received. 
 
 When the morning came, both parties prepared for battle, and the 
 pagans issued from the gates of the fortress, 
 
 Fiercely raged the battle in the tented field : 
 
 And when the lovely virgin the bloody fight beheld, 
 
 Down into her lap fell full many a tear : 
 
 For her father in the combat she wept with sorr}^ cheer. 
 
 Her swelling heart did burn like the ruby bright ; 
 Glittering with tears her eyes shone like the moon at night : 
 Fairly was her body dighl with pearls and roses red : 
 No one there consoled the sorrow of the maid. 
 
 Tied with a silken snood, hung her lovely hair 
 
 All adown her back : never was maid so fair : 
 
 A crown, with richest gems inlaid, she wore of the gold so red. — 
 
 Quickly Elberich, the dwarf, up to the lady sped. 
 
 Right before her crown lay a carbuncle stone. 
 
 Which, like a glitl'ring cross, o'er all the palace shone : 
 
 The hair upon her head clear it was and fine. 
 
 Brightly around it gleamed, as the sun at noon does shine. 
 
 Weeping came the mother where stood her daughter fair ; 
 Silently she led her to the house of prayer : 
 On their knees they lowly fell down upon the ground. 
 And told their woe and sorrow to Apollo and Mahound. 
 
 • This indignity may have suggested to Wieland the adventure of the Sultan of Baby- 
 lon's beard in his Obcron.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 57 
 
 Suddenly the cunning dwarf took her hands in his. 
 Afirighted spake the virgin : " What marvel strange is this ? ' 
 Some one has caught my hands. Alas !" she cried, and " woe ! 
 I would the man unseen safely let me go !" 
 
 She demanded of the invisible messenger whether he was Apollo or 
 Mahomet ; but when he had informed her of his real errand, she would 
 not hearken to his propositions, though he threatened that Christ 
 would make her blind and crooked, in case she refused baptism. 
 
 Elberich finding his endeavours unavailing, proceeded to the bat- 
 tlements, and was delighted to observe the great number of dead pagans 
 lying in the moat of the castle. He brought the ladies thither, and 
 again tried to persuade the virgin to save her father's life, by accept- 
 ing Otnit for her husband. Though her mother joined in her en- 
 treaties, she steadily refused, and dared him to touch any of her gods. 
 Quickly he seized them, knocked them about the walls, and threw 
 them into the ditch, to the great delight of the combatants below. 
 At last, when she beheld her father in imminent danger, she consented 
 to send a ri«g to her lover, but wished previously to view him in the 
 fight. Elberich pointed him ovit to her : 
 
 " Behold the knightly champion, all other knights before; 
 Heaps of the dead around him lie welt'ring in their gore : 
 
 Bright his hauberk gleaming, the battle shines among. 
 
 As if a torcli were lighted in the warring throng : 
 
 With his bloody falchion he fights for all his host." — 
 
 *' Of all those champions," cried the maid, " I could love that hero most." 
 
 To his great joy he observed this sudden exclamation of passion, and 
 having obtained the promised ring, departed, to communicate the 
 intelligence to Otnit. 
 
 Elberich in vain endeavoured to stop the battle, and to ^^acify the 
 
 barbarous rage of Eligas, who drove all the pagans into the castle. 
 
 II
 
 5Q THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Otnit having consulted with the dwarf how he might gain the virgin 
 into his possession, they resolved to proceed to the moat of the burgh, 
 where the former concealed himself Elberich went up to the battle- 
 ments, where the two queens stood, placed himself bet ween them, and 
 reminded the maiden of the vow she had made, to become the wife 
 of his master. The old queen at last consented that her daughter 
 should go to the edge of the battlements, and call upon the gods for 
 assistance : but when they came thither, Elberich led her down into the 
 moat, where they found Otnit fallen into a sound sleep, after the fa- 
 tigues of the day. He was rudely awakened by the dwarf, and highly 
 gratified by obtaining actual possession of the object of his voyage'. 
 Elberich warned him, however, not to commit any indiscretions, nor 
 to espouse her till she had been baptised. 
 
 The dwarf, to indulge his jocular humour, carried the idols again 
 into the burgh, and placing liimself near them, unseen, spoke words, as 
 it were out of their mouths, indicating that they had been prevailed 
 upon by the curses of the young queen to return to their former places, 
 and admonishing the king not to cross her inclinations. 
 
 Adventure VI. 
 
 Elberich returning to the emperor, found him, at a considerable 
 distance, with his beloved. — When the king of Syria understood that 
 his daughter had eloped, he plucked out his beard, making woeful 
 lamentations. Immediately lie collected his remaining forces, to the 
 number of twenty thousand, and issued from the palace. When Otnit 
 beheld the helmets glittering by the light of the moon, he was sorely 
 dismayed, for his horse was ready to fall down for weariness. By the 
 advice of the dwarf he carried the princess over a rivulet, and there 
 put himself in a posture of defence. The heathen host was at first 
 unable to pursue him across. Meanwhile Elberich proceeded to ad- 
 vertise the Christian army of the dangerous situation of their monarch. 
 
 11
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 59 
 
 The heathens at last crossed the water, and attacked the emperor, who 
 defended himself with great valour till the evening came ; but then he 
 was so overcome with fatigue, that he offered to surrender, if his life 
 were granted to him. The pagans refused, and Otnit prepared himself 
 to renew the fight, when he heard the sound of horses' lioofs, and 
 discovered that Eligas was coming to his relief. 
 
 Otnit retired from the fight, and laid his head in the lap of the maid- 
 en, with whom he commenced a long amorous conversation, which was 
 interrupted by the appearance of Eligas, who admonished him to pre- 
 pare for battle, as they had not as yet been able to vanquish the 
 pagan host. After a long and bloody combat, in wliich Otnit granted 
 the Syrian king his life, the heathens took flight, and retired to the 
 burgh of Montebure. The young queen was easily pacified, by the 
 assurance that her father's life had been preserved, and wiUingly 
 embarked with the emperor and the small remainder of his army. 
 She was baptized in the sea by Eligas and Elberich, and named 
 Sidi'at. 
 
 On their arrival at the burgh of Garten, they were welcomed by the 
 whole nobility of Lombardy. Six weeks were spent in rejoicings, 
 tournaments, and games of all kinds. One day Queen Sidrat expi-essed 
 a wish to behold the god of Otnit, for such she supposed Elberich to 
 be ; and, at the desire of his son, he consented to make himself visible 
 to the whole company : 
 
 A crown of carbuncle he bore glittering on bis head. 
 
 And came where sat in royal hall many a knight and gentle maid. 
 
 There spake noble ladies, marvelling at his cheer. 
 
 That ne'er their eyes bad viewed for loveliness his peer. 
 
 Elberich, the little wight, bore a harp into the hall ; 
 Quickly o'er the strings flew his fingers small ; 
 Loud his tones and sweetly did in the hall resound : 
 Joyful sat the gentle dames, smiling all around.
 
 60 THE BOOK OF HEROES*. 
 
 The empress interrogating him, how he, being of such a Httle 
 stature, had dared to throw her gods over the battlements, he decla- 
 red that he was ready to serve all the pagan deities in that manner, 
 though they filled the bulk of three vessels. Otnit seeing the igno- 
 rance of his queen in pointfs of religion, caused learned clerks to teach 
 her reading and writing, and the psalter ; and they soon extinguished 
 every remnant of paganism in her mind. By the admonition of Elbe- 
 rich, he distributed Igreat riches among the poor, and armour a:id 
 horses among the knights. 
 
 Adventure VII. 
 
 In the mean time King Machahol was raging mad, and for eight 
 weeks would not suffer any one to approach him. But one day a gi- 
 gantic and sage huntsman arrived, and insisted upon being admitted to 
 the king. He burst into his room, and pacified Machahol's rage, by 
 offering to procure the death of his arch-enemy the emperor. The 
 pagan, highly delighted with the proposal, promised to load him with 
 rewards. The huntsman informed him that his name was Welle, and 
 that of his wife Rutz. 
 
 " One day the hounds I followed in forest drear and dark. 
 
 Till to a hollow rock I came, where I heard them fiercely bark: 
 
 Sudden two serpents venomous issued from the cave : 
 
 I would not fight the monstrous worms, the world in gree to have. 
 
 " The man who dared to nigh them would soon his death have found. 
 
 Secretly I hid me, and, creeping on the ground. 
 
 Sped me to their nest, where two little worms * I viewed. 
 
 Lying all alone, the monstrous dragons' brood. 
 
 » The terms worm, drake, dragon, and seqient, are indiscriminately applied to these 
 monsters, as well as lind-drake and liiid-worm ; probably from their haunt being gene- 
 rally under a linden or lime tree, which, (perhaps from the holiness in which trees were 
 held by the ancient Germans,) were also supposed to be frequented by dwarfs and fairies
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 61 
 
 *' In a cage of iron safely them I brought. 
 They shall wreak on him thy vengeance, who thy ruin wrought. 
 To Lombardy I'll bear thcmj and breed them in a cave : 
 Evil mischief shall they do, and bring Olnit to his grave." 
 
 The pagan monarch hugged liimsclf in the prospect of this diaboli- 
 cal revenge, and at the request of the huntsman, gave him two sump- 
 ter-horses laden with gold, as a specious introduction to the empress, 
 whom he was to present with the treasure, and with a letter fraught 
 with the most hypocritical fondness, and congratulations on her hap- 
 piness. 
 
 When Welle arrived at Otnit's burgh, he unloaded his sumpter- 
 horses, and delivered the treasures with the letter to the empress, who 
 was highly delighted with her father's pretended reconciliation to her 
 husband. Three of the packages had been opened ; the fourth, con- 
 taining the young dragons, remained locked up. The huntsman pre- 
 tended that it contained a young elephant, and a toad gifted with the 
 faculty of breeding precious stones. ' " When she comes to matu- 
 rity," he exclaimed, " she will produce a gem Avhose like has never 
 been seen in this world." In order to breed up these animals, he 
 demanded a cavern ; and one was accordingly delivered up to his use, 
 near the town of Trient, in the Tyrol. There he fed his youno- dra- 
 gons, who, as they grew up, demanded such immense quantities of 
 food, that the people of the country refused to furnish any more. At 
 the same time the huntsman fovnid himself in great danger from his 
 monstrous pupils, and therefore sent them into the world, himself 
 escaping with great difficulty from their rage. They spread tlieir 
 devastations over all, the dominions of Otnit, even to the gates of 
 Garten. 
 
 Leave we now Sir Otnit, the emperor of might : 
 With another matchless hero (Wolfdietrich was he higiil) 
 Merrily we'll pass the time, and speak of his chivalry, 
 And say no more of Otnit, by the serpents doom'd to die. 
 
 • Latterly the loadstone was not considered as a gem, but as a concretion formed In the 
 head of tlie animal, of matchless medicinal virtue.
 
 THE 
 
 BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 BOOK SECOND. 
 
 ap 
 
 HUGHDIETRICH, 
 
 AND HIS SON 
 
 WOLFDIETRICH. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 ** In the abbey of Tagmunde, in Franconia, an ancient volume was 
 discovered. There it was held in high honour, and was sent to the 
 bishop of Eichstaedt, who was greatly delighted with the adventures 
 related in it. Ten years after his death, it fell into the hands of his 
 chaplain, and when he began to tire of reading it, he presented it to 
 the abbey of St Walpurg, in the town of Eichstaedt. The abbess, a 
 lady of uncommon beauty, was highly amused by it, as well as her 
 nuns. She caused two clerks' to copy it in the German tongue, for the 
 jrood of the whole Christian world. In it were related the following 
 adventures." 
 
 ' By these two clerks may possibly be indicated tlie two authors of the Book of Heroes, 
 Wolfram of Eschenbach, who was a native of the bishopric of Eichsta.'ilt, and Henry of 
 Ofterdingen.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 6a 
 
 Adventure I. 
 
 In Constantinople resided the mighty King Hughdietrich, enriched 
 with every quahfication which might render him a powerful and noble 
 monarch. His father. King Attenus of Greece, when he found him- 
 self dying, convened his nobles, and gave his son into the particular 
 charge of Bechtung, duke of Meran," whom he had educated and 
 bred up for sixty years in every chivalrous exercise, in which he was 
 now to instruct the young king. Soon after Attenus died, and the 
 duke began to execute the charge committed to him. 
 
 Bechtung bred his lord till twelve years he had seen : 
 Many a game he taught him, £ind many a fight, I ween. 
 The prince's mood was rising, and he spake with eager cheer, 
 " By thy noble faith. Sir Bechtung, thy counsel would I hear. 
 
 " Full fain some gentle maiden would I gain for wedded fere : 
 O'er many a wide dominion am I lord, without a peer; 
 I am rich in lands and honours : then find some maiden fair. 
 Should I die or fall in battle, say who should be mine heir ?" 
 
 Right joyous was Sir Bechtung, and glad of the saw was he ; 
 He spake, — " Far have I traversed Paynim and Christiante, 
 But maid so fair and noble never have I seen. 
 Who in the realm of Greece might be thy fitting queen : 
 
 " For if her mind be noble, she is born of villain-blood ; 
 
 If rich she be, and high of birth, she is black and foul of rode ' 
 
 Far and wide around me, know I no queen so fair. 
 
 Who might be good and fitting thy bed and board to share." 
 
 ' Bechtung is a contraction of Berthold, and Meran is a town in the Tyrol. The first 
 duke of Meran was created in the poet's time, and was called Berthold of Andechs; which 
 makes it very probable that Eschenbach wished to pay his court to that duke, by descri- 
 bing his quaUties, shadowed under those of the imaginary Beciitung.
 
 64 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 The king convened all his nobles, and required them to give their ad- 
 vice respecting his marriage ; but they aU referred him to the duke of 
 Meran ; who at length recollected that the most beautifid damsel he 
 had ever beheld, and the only one qualified to share his throne, was 
 Hiltburg, the daughter ofWaligund,king of Salneck; but he had sworn 
 never to give her in marriage to any one, and had inclosed her in a 
 fortress situated on a rock, surrounded by two walls and a triple 
 moat, where no one had access to her excepting her father and mo- 
 ther, and a maiden who attended upon her. He then informed the 
 king tliat he had seen her twenty years before, but gave him little 
 hopes of obtaining her hand. 
 
 Hughdietrich, who was now twenty years of age, was, however, not 
 so easily to be deterred from an undertaking which he had resolved 
 upon. Knowing himself to. be too young to gain her by force, he 
 had recourse to a device, so strange and cunning, that the courtiers 
 complimented him unanimously upon his premature wisdom. 
 
 " Firmly my mind is fixed, Hiltburg the fair to win ; 
 
 Then, if ye think it fitting, I will learn to work and spin; 
 
 To sew like cunning virgin, quaintly with silken thread; 
 
 All the mast'ry will I learn which well-taught maidens need. 
 
 " Richly will I clothe me in gentle lady's guise ; 
 
 Then find me, noble Bechtung, a mistress quaint and wise ; ^'''*^. 
 
 Bid her come and teach me works fit for ladies mild ; 
 
 On the silk to broider beasts, both tame and wild."' 
 
 The young monarch soon became a prodigy in all kinds of female 
 work ; and wlien he was dight in ladies' attire, every one allowed that 
 he personated a female with great propriety. He was now ready to set 
 out, and Bechtung advised him to take fifty knights, four hundred 
 warriors, and six-and-thirty virgins with him, and when he arrived at 
 
 ' The reader will ininiediately observe the similarity of this adventure with the classical 
 tale of Achilles and Dejanira.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 65 
 
 Salneck, to encamp before the castle. He described the king as being 
 of a very courteous disposition, who would soon send his messengers 
 to inquire where the strange lady came from. Then he was to pre- 
 tend to be the sister of Hughdietrich, who had left Greece to avoid 
 marrying a heathen king, to whom her brother wished to espouse 
 her. He bade him remain three years at Salneck, and obtain the love 
 of the young lady, at the end of which he himself would come to con- 
 duct him back to his dominions. 
 
 Adventure II. 
 
 Every thing being prepared, the pretended lady set out, with Becli- 
 tung and the rest of her train, and safely arrived before the castle. 
 King Walgund viewed their encampment, issued from the castle, and 
 inquired what had brought the feigned princess into his dominions. 
 Hughdietrich told the tale he had been instructed by Bechtung to 
 relate, and concluded by asking for shelter and protection. The 
 courteous king offered to receive her whole suite into his castle, but 
 was answered that the old duke was forced to return. Walgund pre- 
 sented his old acquaintance with rich gifts, and the latter soon de- 
 parted, after his master had been admitted into the burgh. The king- 
 introduced his new guest to the queen, who immediately suspected 
 the trick. 
 
 Quaintly she look'd upon her lord, — " I fear we shall be shent; 
 Hearken to my words, sir king, nor too late thy courtesy repent : 
 Much I fear that virgin; like a warrior does she seem. 
 Who comes to gain thy daughter with cunning arts, I deem." 
 
 " Lady, leave thy carping," spake Walgund to the queen ; 
 " Never such blooming roses on the cheeks of man were seen." — 
 " I will counsel thee no more,' said Lady Liebegart, 
 
 " But much 1 fear the virgin will gain thy daughter's heart." 
 
 I
 
 66 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Hughdietricli, who went by the name of Hiltgund, began to amuse 
 himself with exercising the female arts he had acquired, and astonished 
 the whole court by fabricating a table-cloth, on which a great variety 
 of animals were worked to the life. The queen begged him to teach the 
 art to two of her virgins, which he readily undertook : and in order to 
 gain the favour of the king, he worked a cap for him of the most splen- 
 did description, and, as a reward, begged to be introduced to the young 
 princess. His request was granted ; and so highly was he honoured, as 
 to be placed opposite to her at the table, after having been six months 
 at court. 
 
 Never felt Hughdietrich such joy and such delight. 
 As when before his eyes he viewed the virgin bright : 
 The royal guest in courtly guise carved and cut the bread. 
 And with humble courtesy served the lovely maid. 
 
 The two virgins were admired by all the company, and still more 
 the richness of HUtgund's workmanship, which induced Hiltburg to 
 request her father's permission that the Grecian maid might teach her 
 all the arts of which she was possessed ; and Walgund readily gave his 
 consent. They were shut up together in a tower, and Hughdietrich 
 was so discreet as not to touch the virgin for twelve weeks, though he 
 was her bed-fellow every night. But he could then no longer resist the 
 temptation. He discovered his sex, and the design of his expedition 
 to the maiden, and, after some struggles, he subdued her modesty. In 
 this new character he remained with her for six-and-thirty weeks and 
 a day, at the end of which Hiltburg discovered that she was with 
 chUd. Her fears were of course violent ; but she succeeded in con- 
 cealing her pregnancy from her mother, wlio visited the two compa- 
 nions daily. 
 
 One morning, while they were taking the air on the battlements, a 
 troop of horsemen appeared, and Hughdietrich discovered by the ban- 
 ner that his faithful Bechtung was come, according to their agreement, 
 to fetch him from the castle. When the night came, the Grecian king 
 
 8
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 6? 
 
 used every endeavour to pacify Hiltburg, and begged her, in case she 
 was dehvered of a boy, to give him in charge to the centinel, and per- 
 suade him to bear the child to the cathedral, where he was to be bap- 
 tised by the name of Dietrich. He also instructed her to take the 
 first opportunity to escape from the castle, and confide herself to the 
 care of the centinel, the porter, to four knights and four maids, who 
 would conduct her to Constantinople, there to be crowned queen on 
 her arrival. Then he took occasion to speak secretly to the centinel 
 and to the porter, to whom he revealed his secret, and, by bribes, en- 
 gaged them to undertake the enterprise. 
 
 When the morning came, Bechtung went before the king, saying, 
 that the brother of the Grecian princess had remitted his anger against 
 her, and had sent him to bring her back to Constantinople. Walgund 
 heard the tidings with great sorrow, and at first refused to permit her 
 return, upon which the duke requested to see the two maidens. 
 Hughdietrich whispered to his master that he should by all means 
 insist upon taking him away, having fully accomplished his design. 
 Then he himself knelt before the king, and asked for permission to 
 return to Greece, which was at last granted. The parting with Hilt- 
 burg, whom he presented with a gold ring as a token, was of course 
 very mournfiU, but the promise of speedy re-union appeased her grief. 
 The king of Salneck presented the fictitious princess with splendid 
 presents, and accompanied her part of the way. The subjects of 
 Hughdietrich at Constantinople heard the news of his return with 
 transport, and received him with every mark of attachment. For a year 
 he remained alone, in continual pain for the absence of his bride. 
 
 Adventure III. 
 
 Hiltburg, whenever she cast her eye upon the ring, could not 
 restrain her tears, nor keep her hands from tearing out her silken 
 hair. At last she was delivered of a boy, which greatly appeased 
 her melancholy. On his body she discovered a small cross, which
 
 68 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 proved subsequently a very useflil token. Unfortunately the old 
 queen shortly after came to pay her accustomed visit, which put the 
 young mother into the greatest consternation. But the centinel was 
 ready with an ingenious device, proposing to let the child down into 
 the castle-moat with a rope, and to leave it there during the unwelcome 
 visit of Liebgart. As there was no time for reflection, the proposal 
 was accepted, and executed without hesitation. 
 
 Liebgart seeing her daughter very pale, asked the cause, but was 
 put off with the pretence of sudden illness, which, however, detained 
 her in the tower till the evening. During her presence her daughter 
 was in the greatest alarm, and her suspicions proved not to have been 
 unfounded. 
 
 In the moat the new-born babe meanwhile in silence lay. 
 
 Sleeping on the verdant grass, gently all the day ; 
 
 From the swathing and the bath the child had stinted weeping : 
 
 No one saw or heard its voice in the meadow sleeping. 
 
 But prowling for his prey, roved a savage wolf about ; 
 Hens and capons for his young, oft in the moat he sought: 
 In his teeth the infant suddenly he caught ; 
 And to the mirky forest his sleeping prey he brought. 
 
 Unto an hollow rock he ran the forest-path along : 
 
 There the two old wolves abode, breeding up their young: 
 
 Four whelps, but three days old, in the hollow lay ; 
 
 No wiser than the child they were, for they never saw the day. 
 
 The old wolf threw the babe before his savage brood ; 
 To the forest had he brought it, to serve them for their food : 
 But blind they were, and sought about their mother's teat to gain ; 
 And safely lay the infant young, sleeping in the den. 
 
 When the old queen was departed from her daughter, the centinel 
 descended into the moat, and became desperate when he found the in- 
 fant gone. All night he remained there, and having resolved what
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. (',<) 
 
 course to take, returned, and informed tlie princess that lie had carried 
 the child to tlie church, where it had been baptised, and had then given 
 it in charge to a wealthy nurse, who had undertaken to educate it. 
 
 In the morning King Walgund went a-hunting, and pursued the 
 very wolf that had done the mischief" to the cave. He ordered one 
 of his knights to enter, and bring the beast forth ; but no one had the 
 hardihood to undertake the enterprise. At last the cave was digged 
 open, and the wolves pierced with the spears of the huntsmen. One 
 of them, who had gone into the cave to bring out the bodies, heard 
 the cries of the infant, and brought it to the king, who was so de- 
 lighted with the discovery, that he immediately returned to the castle, 
 gave the boy in charge to a nurse, promised to bestow on him a 
 thousand marks of gold when he came to maturity, and ordered him 
 to be presented to him three days in the week. 
 
 Liebgart, in one of her visits, had related the history of the child to 
 her daughter, and thereby brought her own to her recollection. She 
 began to suspect the veracity of the centinel's narration, and at last 
 extorted the truth from him. She proceeded to lament the loss of 
 her infant, which woidd draw after it the wrath of God, and the ha- 
 tred of Hughdietrich, and began to beat her breasts and tear out her 
 hair. But the centinel hinted the possibility of the child found in the 
 cave being the identical one she had lost, and advised her to procure a 
 sight of it. She soon prevailed upon Liebgart to cause the nurse to bring 
 the young boy to her chamber, when, to her great joy, she discovered 
 the token upon his back. At last she saw the absolute necessity of 
 communicating her history to her mother ; and when she found her in 
 a confidential humour, related the whole affair ; informing her that the 
 fair virgin, Hiltgund, was no other than the Grecian monarch, her 
 pretended brother. The old queen was well content to hear the high 
 quality of the lover, and complimented herself on her sagacity, in ha- 
 ving discovered the virility of the princess, at the very first introduc- 
 tion of Hiltgund. She undertook to reveal the truth to the king, and 
 to manage the affair to the complete satisfaction of the Grecian king- 
 and her dauffhtei".
 
 70 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 At night, when the king and his spouse had retired to their cham- 
 ber, she craftily obtained a promise from him not to revenge himself 
 for the tidings she was about to communicate, and then related to him 
 the amour of her daughter and Hughdietrich; reminding him of his 
 having refiised to hearken to her suspicions, at the very first arrival of 
 the feigned princess. The king, however, would not so easily give 
 up his beUef in her virginity, and caused the centinel and porter, one 
 of whom he suspected to have broken his faith, to be imprisoned and 
 interrogated. By their examination he was at last perfectly satisfied of 
 the truth of their narrations, and caused his barons formally to ab- 
 solve him of the oath he had taken, never to give his daughter in mar- 
 riage to any one. 
 
 Preparations were now made for the baptism of the infant. Count 
 Wohelin and the margravine of Gallicia were associated with the ce- 
 lebrated St George," as witnesses at the baptism, in which the child 
 was named Wolfdietrich, in commemoration of his miraculous preser- 
 vation. The count presented him with a hundred marks of gold, 
 and the saint gave five hundred, and a ring of great value. It was 
 now resolved to send messengers to Constantinople, and invite the 
 king to come to Salneck for his bride. Wolfelin, with four-and- 
 twenty knights, and St George with fifty, undertook the embassy. On 
 the fifteenth day they arrived in the city of Constantinople, where 
 they were received royally, and richly rewarded for the welcome 
 message. 
 
 Hughdietrich summoned Duke Bechtung and many others of his 
 vassals to attend him on his journey. After eighteen days they ar- 
 rived at Salneck, where the king had prepared a splendid camp for 
 their reception, before the castle. Walgund went forth to meet him, 
 and jocularly reminded him of the part he had played in the castle. 
 Queen Liebgart and her daughter received him at the gates, and the 
 
 ' The poet, tliougli he has thus fabulously introduced St George, is pretty correct in 
 point of time. That saint was martyred in 303, and this period suits very well to that of 
 Hughdietrich, the great grandftither of Dietrich, who was the contemporary of Attila.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 71 
 
 nurse brought the infant to his father, on whom Walgund promised to 
 bestow his kingdom at his demise. 
 
 After Hughdietrich had been entertained for fourteen days at Sal- 
 neck, he returned to his own realm, accompanied by his father-in-law. 
 There the feast was renewed, with still greater splendoiu', for the space 
 of two weeks, and Walgund, with his attendants, sent home with rich 
 presents. Wolfelin was made marshal, and the margravine governess 
 of the child. Nor were the faithful porter and centinel forgotten, and 
 the latter was created an earl. 
 
 Adventure IV. 
 
 In the following year Hiltburg produced two sons, who were named 
 Boghen and Wassmut. They, with their elder brother, were given 
 in charge to Duke Bechtung, who bred them up in every kind of 
 warlike exercises. 
 
 The princes young were taught to protect all ladies fair ; 
 
 Priests they bade them honour, and to the mass repair ; 
 
 All holy Christian lore were they taught, I plight : 
 
 Hughdietrich and his noble queen caused priests to guide them right. 
 
 Bechtung taught them knightly games; on the war-horse firm to sit; 
 To leap, and to defend them ; rightly the mark to hit ; 
 Cunningly to give the blow, and to tlirow the lance afar : 
 Thence the victory they gain'd in many a bloody war. 
 
 Right before their breasts to bear the weighty shield. 
 In battle and in tournament quaintly the sword to wield. 
 Strongly to lace their helmets on, when called to wage the fight. 
 All to the royal brothers Bechtung taught aright. 
 
 He taught them o'er the plain far to hurl the weighty rock : 
 Mighty was their strength, and fearful was the shock. 
 When o'er the plain resounded the heavy stone aloud : 
 Six furlongs threw beyond the rest, Wolfdieterich the proud.
 
 72 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 When Boshen and Wassmut had reached their eleventh, and Wolf- 
 dietrich his thirteenth year, they were knighted, at a tournament given 
 in honour of that ceremony. Wolfdietrich did more deeds of arms 
 than twelve others of the boldest knights among the combatants. The 
 king appointed three hundred warriors to serve each of them. 
 
 Two years after, Wolfdietrich went in search of adventures to the 
 forests of Transylvania, accompanied by Bechtung and his sixteen 
 sons. Mean time the Grecian realm was invaded by the pagan king 
 Allan, with a hundred thousand men under his command. Hugh- 
 dietrich prepared to give them battle on the plain before Constanti- 
 nople, but could collect only forty thousand warriors to withstand 
 them. The shock of the two armies was dreadful. 
 
 Fiercely o'er the plaia they spurr'd their coursers good ; 
 Together rush'd the warriors to the fight of death and blood ; 
 Far they hurl'd around them shafts of wond'rous length ; 
 Wide about the splinters flew, for might)' was their strength. 
 
 Quickly drew their falchions, Wassmut and Boghen bold ; 
 Many a cursing infidel in the dust befoie them roli'd ; 
 Helmets they split asunder, shields to shivers hew'd; 
 Many a glitt'ring hauberk they dimm'd with the gush of blood. 
 
 The two royal brothers were however wounded, and the victory, 
 notwithstanding the valour of the Christians, inclined to the side of 
 the pagans, when Wolfdietrich fortunately returned from his expedi- 
 tion, and hearing of the dangerous situation of the Christian host, im- 
 mediately joined the combat, and encouraging those who had already 
 begun to turn their backs to renew the %ht, attacked the pagans, 
 and by his irresistible valour completely routed them. The heathen 
 king Hed, leaving eighty thousand of his troops dead in the field. The 
 salvation of the Grecian kingdom was entirely attributed to the timely 
 arrival of Wolfdietrich.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Adventure V. 
 
 In those times the mighty emperor Otnit reigned in Lombard), 
 and ruled over many a wide dominion. One day he boasted before 
 his nobles, that no monarch could withstand him, and that not only 
 Italy, but Swabia, Bavaria, Westphalia, Kerneten, and St Jacob's land,' 
 obeyed his command. One of his courtiers observed, that there 
 was a mighty king in Greece, who had never paid tribute to him j 
 and thereby stimulated the emperor immediately to send an embassy, 
 consisting of twelve earls, to demand tribute of Hughdietrich. 
 
 Upon their arrival in Greece, they appeared in Hughdietrich's pre- 
 sence-chamber, where Count Herman communicated the message to 
 him. The Grecian king convened his sons, and asked their adv-ice. 
 Wolfdietrich recommended sending back a defiance ; but his father, un- 
 willing to risk the life of him and his other sons, sent a sumpter-horse, 
 laden with gold, as tribute. But Wolfdietrich bade the messengers 
 carry his defiance to Otnit, and inform him that he himself would 
 come to wage war with him, when he arrived at man's estate. The 
 messengers returned, each having been rewarded with twelve gold- 
 en bows. 
 
 When Hughdietrich's death approached, he divided his dominions. 
 To his eldest son he gave Greece ; to Wassmut, Widren and Zyprian ; 
 and to Boghen, Swabia and Profand.* He recommended his first-born 
 to the peculiar care of the faithful duke of Meran. 
 
 Adventure VI. 
 
 Bechtung proceeded in the tuition of his pupil, and was particularly 
 carefld to teach him the art of throwing knives, which he had learned 
 from King Attenus, and in which he was a great proficient. At a 
 
 ' Kerneten is the country of the Franks ; St Jacob's land, Spain. 
 * Zyprian, is Cyprus ; Profand, the Provence. 
 
 K
 
 74 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 trial of skill, the two combatants were placed upon two chairs, and 
 before they threw, gave notice what part they intended to hit ; 
 each taking three knives for the purpose. The young hero warded 
 and threw so well, that Bechtung declared he had far outdone him 
 in the science. He related, that once having had an altercation 
 with King Attenus, he had entered into service with the heathen king 
 Grippigon, to whom, and to whose son Belligan, he had taught all the 
 throws, with the exception of two, the secret of which he had thought 
 proper to retain. 
 
 Boghen and Wassmut gave out that their elder brother was illegi- 
 timate, and seized upon his kingdom. He asked counsel of Bech- 
 tung, who immediately promised him every assistance in his power. 
 The young king was knighted on a Whitsunday, and Bechtung and 
 his sixteen sons swoi'e fealty to him, together with four dukes, twelve 
 earls, and a hundred knights, who entered into his service. He then 
 collected four thousand warriors, and issued from his town of Meran, 
 to attack the unnatural brothers. They embarked, and landed in a fo- 
 rest near Constantinople, where Bechtung ordered his men to wait 
 till they heard the sound of his horn. Himself and the young king 
 proceeded to Constantinople, and came into the hall of audience. 
 Wolfdietrich was utterly neglected, but great attention was paid to 
 the old duke. Wassmut bade him leave the semce of the illegiti- 
 mate offspring of Count WoLfelin, as he termed Wolfdietrich. Tlie 
 latter offered to divide the kingdom with his brothers, but was an- 
 swered only with abuse and scorn. Boghen, when he saw that he 
 could not succeed in detaching Bechtung from his fidelity to his bro- 
 ther, threatened him, but was so terrified at the menaces of the duke, 
 that he voided the hall with his brother, and escaped into the interior 
 of the palace. Then Bechtung blew his horn at the gate, and his 
 champions immediately entered the city. 
 
 A dreadful slaughter ensued upon both sides. Two thousand of 
 the townsmen threw themselves between Bechtung and his knights, but 
 by dint of extraordinary exertions, they rescued him and his lord. 
 The battle lasted for three days, till the whole of Bechtung's forces 
 were slain, excepting his sixteen sons.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 75 
 
 Up and spake Sir Bechtung, — "Master, keep thee well ; 
 
 Boldly shall my sixteen sons the enemy repel ; 
 
 Hundred men shall every one sturdily withstand : 
 
 Oft two hundred in the field repuls'd this wither'd hand." 
 
 They graithed them for the battle, when three days were gone and past: 
 But six of Bechtung's noble sons dead on the ground were cast : 
 Cheerfully the faithful duke his master smiled upon. 
 That he might not view the fall of each hardy son. 
 
 Wolfdietrich was at last thrown to the ground, by a stone hurled on 
 him from the roof, and it required the greatest exertions of his re- 
 maining followers to rescue him, and restore him to life. When they 
 at last succeeded, he was forced to fly into the forest, narrowly pur- 
 sued by the champions of his brothers. 
 
 Adventure VII. 
 
 Rapidly the Greeks pursued, all the day, until the night : 
 Hastily the heroes fled, while their steeds had strength and might; 
 To the forest green they hied them, there lay they all concealed. 
 Till the morning chac'd the night, and the rising sun revealed. 
 
 Down they laid them on the grass, gently to repose, 
 
 (But long they rested not, for with terror they arose :) 
 
 Their bloody armour they unlaced, their weapons down they laid ; 
 
 By a fountain cool they rested, beneath a linden's shade. 
 
 But one did keep his armour on ; Wolfdieterich he hight ; 
 Would not lay down his weapons, nor unlace his helmet bright ; 
 Silently he wander'd through the forest wide. 
 And left his weary champions by the fountain's side. 
 
 Twelve giants found the knights all on the grass recliu'd : 
 Silently did creep along those sworn brothers of the fiend ; ' 
 
 ' Des teufels eidgenossen. Orig — The heavy iron poles are the invariable attributes of 
 the Teutonic and Scandinavian giants.
 
 76 THE BOOK OF HEROES, 
 
 III their hands huge iron poles and falchions did they hold ; 
 Naked and unarmed, they seized and bound the heroes bold. 
 
 Quick they sent the tidings to the castle of Tremound ; 
 
 Glad was Palmund, giant fierce, when he saw the champions bound ; 
 
 Cast them in a dungeon dark ; heavily he chain'd them : 
 
 Of their woe and sad mischance, there to God they plain'd them. 
 
 Scornfully fierce Palmund spake with bitter taunt: 
 
 " Alfan in the field ye conquered ; but where is now your vaunt r 
 
 'Would I had in prison dark. King Hughdietrich's son! 
 
 He should feed on bread and water, in a dungeon all alone." — 
 
 But now Wolfdieterich hack to the fountain sped. 
 
 Beneath the linden's shade, where he ween'd the kemps were laid : 
 
 All around he sought them : woefully he cried, 
 
 " Alas, that e'er I left them by the fountain's side !" 
 
 He threw him on the grass, and sighed in mournful mood ; 
 Many a blow upon his breast struck ^he hero good ; 
 Loudly on their names he called, the forest all around. 
 Up the giants started, when they heard his voice resound. 
 
 " Arise, and seize 5'our weapons!" Palmund cried aloud ; 
 " Quickly to my prison bring that champion proud." 
 Many falls they caught, running down the mountain. 
 Ere they viewed Wolfdieterich, standing by the fountain. 
 
 Giant Wilker led them on ; before the king he sprung. 
 Stamping on the grass with his pole of iron long. 
 " Little wight!" he shouted, " straight thy falchion yield; 
 Captive will I lead thee quickly o'er the field." — 
 
 " Proudly I bore my we.npon from all the Grecian host ; 
 
 No hand but this shall wield it, for all thy taunting boast ; 
 
 If thou wilt gain the blade, hotly must thou fight : 
 
 Come near, and shield thee well; I defy thee, monstrous wight!"
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 77 
 
 The giant was soon laid low by tlie hero's sword. He was immedi- 
 ately attacked by the second, wlio struck liim down with his pole, and 
 bade him yield to his mercy. But Wolfdietrich roused himselii and 
 with one blow severed his right leg from his body. Upon tliis the 
 remaining ten giants attacked him jointly, but were all of them dis- 
 patched by the sword of the Grecian king. 
 
 Palmund hearing the lamentations of his gigantic companions, 
 quickly armed himself, and when he found Wolfdietrich standing sur- 
 rounded by the dead bodies of his champions, he bade him defend 
 himselti But the hero was wary, and struck him a blow, wliich felled 
 him to the ground. The pagan, however, soon renewed tlie combat 
 with redoubled vigour ; nor did the battle end till the evening, when 
 the giant fled into the forest. 
 
 Now the shades of evening came, when a little dwarf appear'd, 
 
 Welcom'd the noble champion, and his drooping spirit cheer'd : 
 
 " Soon shalt thou strike to death Palmund, that kemp of fame : 
 
 For thy father's love, sir knight, to thy relief I came." — 
 
 " God reward my father, that e'er he honour'd thee. 
 For a gentle dwarf thou art, and full of loyalty." 
 Much lov'd the little wight the noble Grecian king. 
 
 And soon upon his finger he thrust a golden ring. 
 
 " When the giant back returns, stick thy falchion in the sand. 
 His hauberk soft as lead will turn ; then pierce him with thy brand. 
 Now fare thee well, Wolfdieterich ; to the woods must I be gone." — 
 Over was the mirky night, the sun with splendour shone. 
 
 The giant returned ; Wolfdietrich followed the directions of the 
 dwarf, who was a rich king, named Bibunk ; and the fight was re- 
 newed, and lasted all that day, without any success on either side. 
 When the evening came, Palmund ran into the woods, where he drank 
 of a miraculous fountain, which had the quality of giving the strength 
 of sixteen men to whoever tasted the water.
 
 78 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 In the night the dwarf Bibunk appeared again, and informed the 
 king what additional might the giant had received ; but his mind was 
 not dismayed thereat. When he renewed the battle in the morning, 
 he found that the giant's armour was not able to withstand the blows 
 of his sword ; and after fighting all that day, he brought him to the 
 ground at last. He immediately unlaced his armour, and took from 
 his body an invaluable silken shirt, which originally belonged to St 
 George, and which admitted no weapon to penetrate through it. The 
 pagan had found this treasure in a monastery he had destroyed. The 
 Christian hero used every persuasion to convert the giant, but all his 
 endeavours were vain ; the latter expressing himself perfectly content 
 to become a martyr for his faith. After this he could not expect any 
 mercy, and his head was accordingly struck off". The conqueror now 
 unlaced his armour, in order to put the miraculous shirt upon his 
 body, armed himself anew, and proceeded on his way. 
 
 Adventure VIII. 
 
 At the termination of the forest he found the castle of Tremound, 
 and was discovered from the battlements by the heathen queen. At 
 the gate stood a giant, named Alfan, who acted as porter. The 
 Christian demanded of him to liberate his knights ; but instead of 
 receiving an answer, the giant rushed upon him, and threatened to 
 hang him up at the gate. But Wolfdietrich gave him a deep wound 
 in the side, and when he still refused to deliver the prisoners, struck 
 off his head. 
 
 He rushed up to the hall, where he found the queen and thirteen 
 of her vassal princes, about to regale themselves with a splendid re- 
 past. When he entered, they attacked him with benches and tables, 
 but were so well received, that after a severe combat, not one remained 
 alive. None of the servants would give him information who had the 
 charge of the dungeon ; but when he began to employ his sword, a 
 
 pagan started up, and acknowledged himself to be their jailor, though 
 
 6
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 7y 
 
 he refused to give up the keys. He soon fell, however, beneath the 
 hero's falchion ; who could not even then wrench them out of his hands, 
 till he had struck off his head. 
 
 Having obtained the keys, he proceeded to the dungeon, and by 
 the help of a leathern thong, drew up his knights to the liglit of day. 
 Fearing a further attack from the friends of Pahnund, they immedi- 
 ately rode into the forest, and towards evening made a fire in the 
 thickest part. Wolfdietrich observed that only ten sons of Bechtung 
 were present, and asking what had become of the other six, the old 
 duke told him what hitherto he had carefully concealed from him, — 
 that they had fallen in Constantinople. This, added to Wolfdietrich's 
 other misfortunes, made him so desperate, that he endeavoured to 
 plunge his sword into his breast, but was prevented by the interposi- 
 tion and the persuasions of Bechtung. When night came, he insisted 
 upon guarding his knights during their sleep, though the old duke 
 warned him that a wild woman had been in search of him for seven 
 years past, in order to obtain him for her husband. Till midnight he 
 stood centinel by the fire. 
 
 Adventure IX. 
 
 When soundly slept Sir Bechtung, came the rough and savage dame^ 
 
 Running where the hero stood watching by the flame : 
 
 On four feet did she crawl along, like to a shaggy bear. 
 
 The champion cried : " From savage beasts, why hast thou wandered here r" 
 
 Up and spake the hairy Else: "■ Gentle I am and mild : 
 
 If thou wilt clip me, prince, from all care I will thee shield ; 
 
 A kingdom will I give thee, and many a spacious laad ; 
 
 Thirty castles, fair and strong, will I yield to thy command." 
 
 With horror spake Wolfdieterich, — " Thy gifts will I not take. 
 Nor touch thy laithly body, for thy savage kingdom's sake : 
 The devil's mate thou art, then speed thee down to hell : 
 Much I marvel at thy visage, and I loath thy horrid yell."
 
 80 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 She took a spell of grammaiy, and threw it on the knight : 
 
 Still he stood, and moved not : (I tell the tale aright :) 
 She took from him his falchion, xnilac'd his hauberk bright. 
 
 Mournfully Wolfdietrich cried, " Gone is all my might. 
 
 " If my faithful kemps eleven should from their sleep awake. 
 
 How would they laugh, that woman's hand could from me my weapon take ! 
 
 Scornfully the knights would say, that, like a coward slave. 
 
 My falchion I had yielded, this wretched life to save." 
 
 But vain were his laments ; for through the forest dark. 
 With arts of witching grammary, a path-way she did mark : 
 Following through the woods, with speed along he past ; 
 For sixty miles he wander'd, till he found the Else at last. 
 
 " Wilt thou win me for thy wife, hero young and fair ?" — 
 Wrathfully Wolfdieterich spake with angry cheer : 
 " Restore my armour speedily ; give back my weapon bright. 
 Which thou with witching malice didst steal this hinder night." 
 
 " Then yield thy gentle body, thou weary wight, to me ; 
 With honours will I crown thy locks right gloriously." — 
 " With the devil may'st thou sleep : little care I for my life. 
 Well may I spare the love of such a laithly wife." 
 
 Another spell of might she threw upon the hero good ; 
 Fearfully she witched him ; motionless he stood : 
 He slept a sleep of grammary, for mighty was the spell : 
 Down upon his glittering shield, on the sod he fell. 
 
 All above his ears, his golden hair she cut ; 
 
 Like a fool she dight him, that his champions knew him not : 
 
 Witless rov'd the hero for a year tiie forest round ; 
 
 On the earth his food he gather'd, as in the book is found.' 
 
 * A very similar adventure occurs in the beautiful romance of Ywaine and Gawaine, 
 where the former hero roves about the forest in the same mauucr as Wolfdietrich.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 81 
 
 When Beclitung awoke, and found that Wolfdietrich was gone, 
 his sorrow was boundless. He awtikencd his ten sons, and coinnuini- 
 cating tlie woeful intelligence to them, bade them go to Constantino- 
 ple, and offer their service to his brothers, under the condition of be- 
 ing allowed to rejoin Wolfdietrich as soon as he should again make his 
 appearance. Himself, in the garb of a palmer, wandered about many 
 countries, till he came to the land of Troy, where he found the rough 
 Else standing before a castle situated on a high rock. He immedi- 
 ately charged her with having borne away his pupil, and begged her 
 to deliver him out of her bondage ; but she swore that he was not in 
 the castle, and thiew a spell upon him ; the duke was however wary, and 
 escaped her toils. He wandered around all the countries of Paynim, 
 and not succeeding in his search, concluded that his pupil was killed, 
 and returned mournfully to Constantinople, wheie he viewed his sons 
 standing upon the battlements, to whom he communicated the ill suc- 
 cess of his pilgrimage. The two kings, Boghen and Wassmut, offered 
 to take him into their service, but would not hearken tQ the condition 
 he proposed, to return to his original lord as soon as he should re-ap- 
 pear. They ordered him and his sons to be heavily chained, and 
 forced them to do nightly watch upon the battlements of Constan- 
 tinople. 
 
 Adventure X. 
 
 Now roved Wolfdieteiicli, the prince without a peer. 
 
 Around the mirky forest, witless for a year : 
 
 But God his sorrows pitied, when he saw the hero shent ; 
 
 Quickly to the ugly witch message did he send. 
 
 An angel bright before her suddenly she viewed : 
 
 " Say, wilt tliou bring," he questioned, " to his death the hero good i 
 
 God has sent his sond, to warn tliee, woman fell ; 
 
 If thou wouldst save thy life^ quickly undo the spell.
 
 82 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 When the threat'ning message the savage woman heard. 
 And that at God's supreme commaBd the angel had appear'd. 
 Rapidly she sped her where rov'd the champion 
 Around the mirky forest, witless and alone. 
 
 There naked, like an innocent, run the hero bold : 
 
 Strait the spell of grammary from his ear she did unfold : 
 
 His wits he soon recover'd, when the spell was from his ear. 
 
 But his visage and his form was black and foul of cheer. 
 
 " Wilt thou win me for thy wife, gentle hero, say ?" — 
 Speedily he answer'd to the lady, " Nay ; 
 Never will I wed thee, here I pledge my fay. 
 Till in holy fount thy sins are wash'd away." — 
 
 " Son of kings, oh care thee not! If thou my love wilt gain. 
 
 Soon, baptis'd in holy fount, will I wash me clean : 
 
 In joy and sweet delight merr}' shalt thou be. 
 
 Though now my body rough and black with loathing thou dost see." — 
 
 " No, since my knights are lost, not for woman's love I long. 
 When wild about the woods drove me thy magic strong." — 
 '' To thy brothers hied they, gentle hero, hark ! 
 But heavily they chain'd them; threw them in dungeon dark." — 
 
 " How may I woo thee in the woods, lady, quickly speak ? 
 Or how embrace thy hairy form, or kiss thy bristly' cheek r" — 
 " Fear not : I will guide thee safely to my realm ; 
 Give thee back thy falchion, thy hauberk, and thy helm." 
 
 By the hand she led Wolfdietrich unto the forest's end ; 
 To the sea she guided him; a ship lay on the strand : 
 
 To a spacious realm she brought him, hight the land of Troy. 
 " Wilt thou lake me to thy wife ? all around thou shalt enjoy." 
 
 To a rich and gorgeous chamber she led the wond'ring knight ; 
 There stood a well of youth,' flowing clear and bright ; 
 
 • The well of youth is probably an oriental fiction, and occurs in the French fabliau of 
 Coquaigne :
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 83 
 
 The left side was full cold, but warmly flowed the right: 
 She leap'd into the wond'rous well, praying to God of migiit. 
 
 Rough Else, the mighty queen, in the baptism did he call 
 Lady Siegheminn,' the fairest dame of all. 
 Her bristly hide she left all in the flowing tide : 
 Never gazing champion lovelier lady eyed. 
 
 Her shape was form'd for love, slender, fair, and tall. 
 Straight as is the taper burning in the hall ; 
 Brightly gleam'd her cheeks, like the opening rose: 
 Wond'ring stood Wolfdieterich, and forgot his pains and woes. 
 
 " Wilt thou win me to thy love ? gentle hero, say ?" — 
 Quickly spake Wolfdieterich, — " Gladl}^, by my fay ; 
 Mirrour of ladies lovely, fain would I lay thee near. 
 But alas ! my form is laithly, and black am I of cheer." 
 
 To the loving youth she said, " If beauteous thou wilt be. 
 
 In the flowing fountain bathe thee speedily : 
 
 Fair thy visage will become, as before a year ; 
 
 Nobly, champion bold and brave, will thy form appear." 
 
 Black and foul he leaped into the well of youth. 
 But white and fair he issued, with noble form, forsooth. 
 In his arms, with gentle love, did he clip the maid ; 
 Merrily he kissed the dame, as she led him to her bed, 
 
 Wolfdietrich considered that the best mode of delivering his knights 
 was to fight his promised battle with the emperor Otnit, and thus to 
 induce him to become his sworn brother at arms. He communicated 
 his purpose to his queen, who, perceiving his resolution unalterable, 
 
 lafontaine de Jovenf, 
 
 Qui Jet rajovenir le gent. 
 
 Barbazan, ed. 1808, IV 180. A curious wooden cut, representing a wdl of youth, and 
 the effects of bathing in it, is in the possession of F. Douce, Esq. 
 ' The name is compounded of sieg, victory, and mhine, love. 
 
 6 
 
 e
 
 84 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 furnished him with a ship, the sails of which were made of the wings 
 of griffons, and with every thing necessary for the voyage, amongst 
 whtch were the shirt of St George, and the precious holy unguent of 
 
 St Beatrix. 
 
 After a prosperous voyage he arrived in Lombardy, close to the 
 burgh of Garten. There he beheld a Unden tree, under which no one 
 was°suffered to repose without being attacked by the emperor. Ha- 
 ving given provisions for two years to the mariners, to await his re- 
 turn, he proceeded to the tree, and laid himself down in its^hade. 
 
 Merrily sung the birds all under the liuden tree ; 
 Rapidly their notes they chaunted ; sweeter none might be : 
 Full joyously the hero heard their melody arise : 
 Nightingales and thrushes strove to gala the prize. 
 
 Rjo-ht winsome was their voice, as they flew the tree around : 
 Cheerful was Wolfdietrich's mood, when he heard their song resound : 
 LuU'd to gentle slumber, he lay beneath the tree; 
 But Otnit from the battlements soon the sleeping knight did see. 
 
 The empress in vain endeavoured to dissuade Otnit from the fight : 
 he even accused her of being favourable to the strange knight ; nor 
 would he allow any of his vassals to accompany him to the tree. He 
 awakened the Grecian king somewhat harshly, ordered him to pre- 
 pare for the combat, and, at his request, assisted him in putting on his 
 armour. Wolfdietrich refused to tell his name, but the emperor 
 guessed who he was, and was answered, — 
 
 " Defend thyself, King Otnit ; 'tis the Wolf dares thee to fight." 
 
 The battle between the two heroes lasted for three hours. Wolfdietrich 
 was struck to the ground, but soon revenged his fall. Lifting his 
 sword with both his hands, he inflicted such a blow upon Otnit, that 
 he fell senseless to the ground, bleeding profusely from his mouth and 
 cars. The empress, who had approached to view the combat, re-
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 85 
 
 quested the victor to bring some water from a neighbouring fountain ; 
 which he cheerfully complied with, filling his helmet with the liquid. 
 When Otnit recovered from his swoon, he requested to be admitted 
 brother at arms to his opponent, who swore fidelity to him, under the 
 condition of receiving assistance for the liberation of his imprisoned 
 knights. 
 
 The noble guest remained, to the great discontent of Lady Sieghe- 
 min, twelve weeks with his newly-acquired friend, who could not be- 
 hold the amorous looks which the empress threw upon him without 
 jealousy, and gave him frequent hints, recommending him to rejoin 
 his own spouse. The Grecian therefore took leave, to make a pil- 
 grimage, as he pretended, to the holy sepulchre. 
 
 Adventure XI. 
 
 At the sea-shore Wolfdietrich found his queen, who, impatient of 
 his absence, had come to search for him. They returned to Troy, 
 and there remained for half a year, in the full enjoyment of their ma- 
 trimonial felicity. One day they issued from the castle, to amuse 
 themselves with the chace. 
 
 They sped them to the forest in the merry month of May, 
 When for the glowing summer the fruit-trees biossom'd gay. 
 
 A gorgeous tent was pitch'd upon the meadow green : 
 Straight a stag of noble form before the tent was seen. 
 
 Round his spreading antlers was wound the glittering gold ; ' 
 
 Full of joy and marvel, gaz'd on the stag the hero bold : 
 
 'Twas done with arts of magic, by a giant fierce and wild. 
 
 With subtle sleights to win to his bed Dame Sieghmia mild. 
 
 ' A fiction similar to this occurs in the legend of St Julian, the tutelary saint of travel- 
 lers, who was informed by a stag, bearing a cross between the antlers, tliat he would kill 
 his father and mother'; which accordingly came to pass. His legend is the subject of a 
 comedy, by Lope de Vega, which, notwithstanding the absurdity of the fable, has consi- 
 derable merit.
 
 86 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 And when Wolfdieterich beheld the noble deer, 
 
 Harken how the hero spake to his gentle peer : 
 
 " Await thou, royal lady ; my meiuy soon returns ; 
 
 With my hounds I'll hunt the stag with the golden horns." 
 
 To their palfreys speedily the king and his nieiny flew : 
 
 Through the woods they chac'd the stag, with many a loud halloo. — 
 
 But silently the giant came where the lady lay ; 
 
 With the tent he seiz'd her, and bore the prize away. 
 
 O'er the sea he brought the dame, to a distant land. 
 Where, deep within a forest, his castle strong did stand. 
 Though for half a year they sought all around that lady fair. 
 They never found the castle where she lay in woe and care. 
 
 Around the forest hunted Wolfdietrich and his men ; 
 Down they brought the noble stag, and proudly turned again : 
 Merrily they spurred through the wood with speed. 
 Where they left the gorgeous tent on the verdant mead. 
 
 When Wolfdietrich returned, found his tent carried off, and heai'd the 
 lamentations of the queen's attendants, he was nearly distracted, and 
 leaving the charge of governing the kingdom to one of his knights, cloth- 
 ed himself in the garb of a palmer, and concealed his sword in his pil- 
 grim's staff. Thus he wandered through many a land, without hearing 
 any tidings of his queen ; and, at last, came again to the castle of Otnit, 
 where no one recognised him excepting the empress, who, sitting oppo- 
 site to him, knew him by his eyes, and by his adroit manner of carving. 
 She spoke secretly to him, and inquired liis reason for wandering about 
 in such a mean guise. He related his misfortunes to her, but charged 
 her not to acquaint the emperor with the secret. Notwithstanding 
 this injunction, she awakened Otnit, and communicated to him the 
 welcome intelligence of his brother in arms being in the castle. The 
 emperor immediately proceeded to Wolfdietrich, upbraided him with 
 his want of confidence, and, when he heard of the purport of his ex- 
 pedition, declared his resolution to accompany him, notwithstanding
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 87 
 
 the remonstrances of his friend, and to the great sorrow of Dame 
 Sidrat. 
 
 Adventure XII. 
 
 The two companions set out on their perilous expedition, as palmers, 
 -and towards evening entered a forest, where they met with an old 
 woodman, and were entertained by him with great hospitahty. Otnit, 
 tired with the fatigues of the day, fell asleep, and his friend bade 
 the woodman not awake him, fearing he should fall in the expected 
 combat. Inquiring for adventures, he was told, to his great joy, that 
 an old giant, named Tressan, had carried a lady to his castle of Alten- 
 feUen. When Wolfdietrich requested the woodman to point out the 
 way to him, he was unwilling, fearing the anger of his gigantic lord ; 
 but when he understood the high rank of the palmer, and obtained 
 the promise of being made sovereign of a country, he consented. 
 
 The king followed the instructions, but, losing his way among the 
 wild thickets of the forest, he wandered for fourteen days about, feed- 
 ing upon the leaves of trees, and such game as he happened to find on 
 his way. 
 
 Wearily he wandered, for gone was all his strength : 
 Before a woody rock came the linight at length : 
 From tlie rock a flowing well issued, bright and clear; 
 And o'er the well was laid, a stone of the marble fair. 
 
 Many a herb of virtue bloom'd the well around : 
 By the marble laid him the champion on the ground : 
 O'er his head their melodies sung the birds aloud. 
 Cheering up the weary soul of the palmer proud. 
 
 Lady Sieghemin was leaning over the battlements of Tressan's castle, 
 and beheld the pilgrim lying by the well. She sent her damsel to ga- 
 ther some of the medicinal herbs which flourished round about it.
 
 88 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 When the maiden approached the well, the palmer inquired by wliom 
 she had been sent thither. She informed him that her mistress was 
 the disconsolate Sieghmin, who had made a covenant with the giant, 
 to fulfil his desires at the end of six months, which expired that even- 
 ing. At her departure the knight gave her a ring, bade her show 
 it to her mistress, and demand of her to give him lodging for the 
 night. 
 
 When Sieghmin beheld the ring, she knew that Wolfdietrich had 
 come in search of her ; and promising to become the wife of the old 
 giant that night, she prevailed upon him to bring the palmer into the 
 castle, and entertain him till day-break. 
 
 He led the weary pilgrim into the castle-hall. 
 
 Where brightly burnt the fire, and many a taper tall : 
 
 On a seat he sate him down, and made him right good cheer: 
 
 His eyes around the hall cast the hero without fear. 
 
 With anxious care he looked for his ladj- bright, 
 And he view'd the gorgeous tent once in the forest pight. 
 Cheerfully the hero thought, " Rightly have I sped : 
 In the perilous adventure God will be mine aid !" 
 
 From the glittering flame straight the champion sprung ; 
 Sharply he eyed the tent, which the giant stole with wrong. 
 Wondering, spake Sir Tressan, — " Weary pahner, stay ; 
 Rest thee by the fire, for long has been thy way." 
 
 Up and spake Wolfdieterich, — " Strange marvels have I seen. 
 And heard of bold adventures, in lands where I have been ; 
 Once I saw an emperor, Otnit is his name. 
 Would dare defy thee boldly, for mighty is his fame." 
 
 When he had spoke the speech to the giant old. 
 Grimly by the fire sate him down the palmer bold; 
 Waiting with impatience, long the time hiiu thought. 
 Till into the glittering hall the supper-meat was brought.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 89 
 
 But to call them to their meat, loud did a horn resound. 
 Soon entered many iiigh-born meHj and stood the hall around : 
 In th'2 giant's courtly hall, winsome dwarf's appeared. 
 Who the castle and the mount with cunning arts had reared. 
 
 Among the dwarfs the gentle queen up to the deas was led : 
 The palmer straight she welcomed, her cheeks with blushes red. 
 "■ With that palmer will I sit at the board," she ciied. 
 Soon they plac'd Wolfdieterich by the lady's side. 
 
 The queen inquired of the pilgrim if he had been in Troy, or had 
 heard of Wolfdietrich. He answered, that since the loss of his s{)ouse 
 that hero had never been seen, which brought the tears into her eyes. 
 Tressan prepared to avenge the sorrow which the palmer had occa- 
 sioned, but, at the intercession of the lady, he mitigated his anger. 
 The feast was now over. 
 
 Suddenly Sir Tressan seized his struggling bride. 
 Ho ! how soon Wolfdieterich his sclaveyu threw aside: 
 Out he drew his falchion ; " Hold !" spake he wrathfuUy ; 
 " That lovely bride of thine, sir giant, leave to me." 
 
 " Dar'st thou fight me, silly swain i" cried Sir Tressan fierce ; 
 
 " But shame befall the champion who an unarmed knight would pierce ! 
 
 Dight thee in hauberk quickly, and he who in the fight 
 
 Strikes his opponent down, let him take the lady bright." 
 
 Glad was the palmer when he heard that thus the giant said. 
 Speedily the cunning dwarfs upon the ground have laid. 
 Right between the champions, three weighty coats of mail : 
 " Palmer, choose in which thou wilt the giant fierce assail." 
 
 Here lay an ancient hauberk, fast was every ring ; 
 
 There lay two of glittering gold, fit for the mightiest king : 
 
 But soon the palmer seized the hauberk old and black. 
 
 " Who bade thee take that hauberk old ?" in wrath the giant spake. 
 
 M
 
 90 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 "While the giant armed himself, Sieghmin assisted her lord. The com- 
 bat lasted for three hours. Wolfdietrich was thrown to the ground, 
 and the dwarfs cast stones upon him ; but his lady encouraged him, 
 bade him call to God for help, and reminded him of his former deeds. 
 He leaped from the ground, and lifting his sword with both hands, split 
 the giant to the girdle. He wished to seize upon Tressan's treasures, 
 but the maUcious dwarfs had locked themselves in the treasury, to es- 
 cape his wrath. Immediately he set fire to the house, and burnt them 
 alive. Now he wished to depart with his lady, but was informed that 
 he had previously to encounter a more perilous adventuie than the 
 one he had just achieved. She related to him, that in a neighbouring 
 cave dwelt Sir Tressan's sister, named Grel, a most unwieldy and war- 
 like giantess ; who would, upon seeing the castle in flames, instantly 
 attack him. Wolfdietrich resolved to await her arrival before the gate, 
 where she soon made her appearance. Her form was most hideous,' 
 and in her hand she bore a sharp pole of steel, which she threw at the 
 hero's shield. Unable to stand the shock, he fell upon the ground, 
 and was seized and bound by the monster, who bore him away, to 
 hang him on a neighbouring willow. But previously she took his 
 weapon, and leaving him lying on the ground, carried it to her cave. 
 At this very time a most seasonable shower came on, and he had soon 
 the satisfaction of finding himself disencumbered of his bonds. 
 
 But mournfully he sighed, for Dame Grel his sword had ta'en : 
 A dwarf 'gan hear and pity the hero's woeful strain : 
 He saw where she had hid in the rock the noble blade ; 
 Straight he run where on the sod Wolfdieterich was laidt 
 
 O'er the champion did he cast a tarn-cap* speedily, 
 
 And has Jed l)im to the cave, where his falchion he did see. 
 
 ' The original describes her form at length. The following may serve as a specimen- 
 Gross waren ir die brueste, 
 Als ichs vernommen han, 
 Wenn sy lauttcns gelucste 
 So stiess sy sich daran. 
 
 ? See p. 41.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 91 
 
 Now, with leathern thongs, the savage giantess 
 
 Run where the hero she liad left, bound upon the grass. 
 
 But when there no more she saw him, back to her cave she came : 
 Scornfully Wolfdietrich laughed, when he saw the uncouth dame : 
 Off he tlirows his tarn-cap, and in her sight appears: 
 WrathfuDy upon him grins that fiend-like woman fierce. 
 
 With the ftrst blow he cut off the right breast of the giantess, who 
 soon fell down dead. Then he proceeded to the castle with the 
 friendly dwarf Otwell, whom the queen loaded with thanks, and to 
 whom half the possessions of Tressan were promised; the other half 
 being reserved for the woodman who had shown him the way to the 
 giant's castle. 
 
 They departed from Altenfellen, and rejoined the woodman, whom 
 they informed of his advancement. He brought them where they found 
 the emperor Otnit, whose colour they were surprised to find had be- 
 come perfectly black. He related to them that he had sought his 
 companion for many days in the forest, and, among other adventures, 
 had come to a hollow hill, guarded by a savage giant, whom he sub- 
 dued, and entered the cavern, which he found inhabited by malicious 
 giants and dwarfs. When they found his force superior to their own, 
 they filled the cave with sulphureous smoke, which forced him to eva- 
 cuate it, and changed his complexion to that of a negro. 
 
 They proceeded to the emperor's castle of Garten, where the em- 
 press received them, but did not recognise Otnit, and for some time 
 would not believe the sable knight to be her husband. When Wolf- 
 dietrich and the emperor parted, they again swore fidelity to each 
 other ; and the former renewing his resolution to visit the holy sepul- 
 chre, was promised every assistance to recover his country, by Otnit. 
 After Wolfdiel rich had dwelt twelve weeks in peace with his spouse, 
 in the castle of Troy, the latter departed out of this life, to the great 
 sorrow of her husband. 
 
 e
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Adventure XIII. 
 
 It was about this time that Machahol, the father-in-law of Otnit, 
 had sent the gigantic huntsman Welle, with the brood of dragons, into 
 Lombardy. The terrible devastation which they committed brought 
 the emperor to the resolution to attempt their extermination ; nor 
 could the prayers of his empress divert him from his purpose. He 
 charged her, in case he should perish in the attempt, to take that man 
 for her husband who should revenge his death, and particularly recom- 
 mended his companion Wolfdietrich for the enterprise. 
 
 Accompanied only by a grey-hound, he set out to the forest, and 
 blew his horn under a linden ti'ee. The gigantic huntsman soon appear- 
 ed, and the battle commenced. He was armed with an immense pole oi 
 iron, with which he struck down one half of the tree, but Otnit 
 hewed the weapon asunder with his blade. Welle now drew his 
 sword, the length of which was eleven ells, and struck the emperor 
 to the ground. Supposing him dead, he called to his wife Rutz, who 
 yielded nothing to him in size and strength, and bade her prepare ta 
 ascend the imperial throne with him. During her presence, Otnit 
 thought it prudent to lie still, but fortunately she heard the barking ot 
 his dog, and run into the wood, to pursue him. The empei'or took 
 this opportunity of her absence, arose, and again attacked the giant, 
 whose legs he hewed from the body, one after the other. But Dame 
 Rutz hearing her spouse roaring with pain, ran to his succour, and for 
 want of a better weapon, tore up a whole tree by the roots. Otnit 
 was, however, so alert, as to avoid the blow, and with one stroke 
 cut off" her head, which he proposed to present to the empress, but 
 found himself unable to lift it. 
 
 Otnit returned with the tidings of his success to the empress, and 
 demanded his mother's ring from her ; informing her that the person 
 who returned the ring to her would bring her tidings of his death ;
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. gs 
 
 he who brought the heads of the two serpents had slain them, but she 
 should not believe hiin unless the tongue was in the head;' but iiim 
 who brought his hauberk to her she should immediately make lord of 
 her person, and of the realm. Again he set out on his perilous en- 
 terprise, and found the dwarf Elberich standing before his cave, who 
 strongly advised him to abandon his intention, and when he found 
 his resolution firm, demanded the ring, which Otnit delivered to him. 
 Having taken final leave of the dwarf, he pursued his journey, and in 
 the evening kindled a large fire, to induce the serpents to come and 
 attack him. Having refreshed himself, his horse, and his dog, during 
 the night, he proceeded at day-break, and rode on till he came to a lin- 
 den tree, which had been enchanted by a female magician. All who 
 lay down under the tree fell into a profound sleep, which lasted for 
 three days. Otnit being fatigued, and lying down on the grass, was 
 immediately thrown into the magic sleep. One of the serpents in the 
 mean time approached. In vain did the horse endeavour to wake 
 the hero, by biting, and scratching him with his hoofs, and the dog 
 with barking. The serpent threw down the tree, swallowed Otnit 
 entire, and bore him towards its nest. But the female enchantress 
 had beheld the fact, recovered him out of the serpent's maw, and 
 bringing him back to life by a root of great virtue, carried him into a 
 hollow hill, where he was courteously received by a number of dwarfs, 
 and detained for a year among them. 
 
 Abventure XIV. 
 
 In the mean time the faithful dog returned to Garten, where every 
 one concluded that the emperor had fallen in the attempt. The dog 
 endeavoured, by pulling them by their garments, to induce some of 
 the knights to go and attack the dragons ; and one of them actually 
 
 • This was a common expedient among dragon-slayers. The reader will recollect an ad- 
 venture in Sir Tristrem, very similar to this, and will find a complete parallel to its con- 
 clusion in the sequel of this romance. 
 
 8
 
 94 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 undertook the enterprise. He was led by the dog to the cave ; but 
 when he viewed their enormous footsteps, he abandoned his resohition, 
 and returned. The barons endeavoured to induce the empress to 
 take another husband, and when she would not hearken to them, they 
 turned her out of the palace, obhging her to gain her sustenance by 
 the work of her hands. The burghgrave, however, received her, and 
 entertained her according to her quality. 
 
 When God beheld the affliction of the empress, and of the whole 
 realm of Lombardy, he sent an angel to the enchantress, charging her 
 to deliver Otnit out of the cave. She obeyed the divine mandate, and 
 Otnit proceeded to the cave of his father, who returned to him the 
 magic ring, and proceeded in his company to the burgh of Garten, 
 where they were received with all manner of rejoicings. A tourna- 
 ment was proclaimed, to which all the vassal princes repaired. The 
 gifts distributed by the emperor and the dwarf Elberich were of ines- 
 timable value. He who begged one mark received three ; and many 
 who never had a shilling in their possession, obtained a hundred pounds 
 at the tournament. 
 
 Soon after the conclusion of the high feast, the mother of Otnit 
 died. After her interment, Elberich took his leave of the emperor, 
 and informed him that he would no more see him ; charging him 
 never to attempt battle against the serpents. Notwithstanding every 
 entreaty, he departed to his subterraneous dominions, where he was 
 received by his numerous subject dwarfs and giants. 
 
 Adventure XV. 
 
 Otnit now reigned in peace over his realm for the space of eleven 
 years, but the damage done by the serpents, who had now increased 
 to the number of twelve, was so dreadful, that he again resolved to go 
 and attack them ; closing his ear against all the entreaties of the em- 
 press and his barons. Accompanied only by his faithful grey-hound, 
 he proceeded to the forest, and had not rode far when he found an
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 95 
 
 elephant fighting with one of the serpents. As he bore an elephant 
 in his shield, he considered himself bound to assist the distressed ani- 
 mal. After wounding the monster in three different places, he put him 
 to flight, and asked the elephant if he would assist him in the accom- 
 plishment of his adventure. The sagacious beast answered with a signi- 
 ficant nod. The two companions proceeded on their way, but Otnit 
 unfortunately laid himself under the enchanted tree, and yielded soon 
 to its soporific effects. Meanwhile the worm approached, and was at- 
 tacked by the elephant ; but when the latter found himself unable to 
 overcome the monster, he endeavoured to aid the horse and the dog 
 in waking their master ; but they could not rouse him from his magic 
 sleep. The serpent again attacked the elephant, and tore him in 
 pieces ; then he swallowed the empei'or in complete armour, and 
 bore him to his cave. By the way he awoke, and endeavoured to draw 
 his sword in the belly of the dragon, who, perceiving his intention, 
 killed him, by running his head against a tree. 
 
 The horse and the dog returned to the emperor's castle, whose death 
 was now concluded as certain. The empress incessantly wept for liis 
 loss, and would not hearken to any proposition of marriage. For the 
 space of three years no one dared to withstand the ravages of the 
 dragons.
 
 THE 
 
 BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 BOOK SECOND. 
 
 OF 
 
 HUGHDIETRICH, 
 
 AND HIS SON 
 
 WOLFDIETRICH. 
 
 PART II.» 
 
 Adventure I. 
 
 After the death of Sieghmin, Wolfdietrich resolved to execute hia 
 long-projected pilgrimage to the holy sepulchre. Entering a forest, 
 he was perceived by twelve robbers,* who immediately divided the 
 expected prey between them, and expressed their gratitude to Ma- 
 homet, Jove, and Apollo, and to their lord Tressan. One of them 
 reserved the shield for himself, another the horse, the third his hel- 
 met ; the rest claimed his leg-armour, hauberk, and sword, the foot- 
 
 ' In the more modern editions of the Book of Heroes, the second book begins here, 
 but that of 1509 is divided more properly, and has been followed in this abstract. 
 
 ^ In the Wilkina-Saga occurs a similar battle, between Vidga the Strong, and Grama- 
 leif, with his twelve companions. In the Danisli ballad of Child Vonved, the armour and 
 ecjuipment of that knight are also divided previous to the battle, by his twelve opponents, 
 as in the text.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES, 97 
 
 cloth and trappings of his horse, his silken mantle, his collar, his steel 
 cap, &c. Then they attacked him, but after a long fight they were 
 all of them put to death by Wolfdietricli. 
 
 At the end of the forest he discovered the castle of a friendly baron, 
 named Ernest, by whom he was courteously received and entertained. 
 Every thing was done to accommodate him, particularly when he re- 
 vealed his quality to the beautiful daughter of the old knight. Ha- 
 ving taken his leave, he traversed many a country, and passing through 
 Austria, Lombardy, and Tuscany, proceeded to Bullen,' and from 
 thence to Meffrit, where he took a ship, and crossed the Mediterra- 
 nean. He landed on a desert shore, and commanded the mariner to 
 await his return. During his absence a most ghastly giant seized the 
 mariner, and throwing him over his shoulder, bore him to his hut. 
 The head of the monster was an ell broad, his eyes yellow, the nose 
 shaped like the horn of a ram, his hair rough as gum, and white as a 
 swan, his mouth of an enormous width, and the ears of the length of 
 those of an ass. He was clothed in the skins of bears. 
 
 Wolfdietrich on his return beheld the giant's hut, and entered it at 
 the moment when he was preparing to roast his murdered victim over 
 the fire. The giant viewing the champion, conceived he would be a 
 more delicate morsel than the mariner, and attacked him with a tre- 
 mendous club, but soon repented his enterprise ; for Wolfdietrich with 
 one blow struck off both his hands, and then finished his life by se- 
 vering the head from the body. Then he returned to the vessel, and 
 consulted with the ship-boy on the possibility of their navigating the 
 ship. He was soon instructed how to govern the helm, and they stood 
 out to sea ; but had not sailed far before they were attacked by a pi- 
 rate, manned by seventy pagans, who did such damage to the ship with 
 their cross-bows and wild-fire, that Wolfdietrich, whose breast-plate 
 began to burn with the heat, leaped into their ship, and began a most 
 dreadful slaughter. All the mariners were killed, with the exception 
 
 ' Bullen is Bologna, and MefFrit probably Manfredonia. 
 
 N
 
 98 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 of one, who craved for mercy, and expressed himself wiUing to he 
 baptised. For this purpose, he Avas thrown into the sea, and named 
 "Werner, and became a most faithful servant to the Grecian hero. 
 
 Adventure II. 
 
 Wolfdietrich, accompanied by Werner and the ship-boy, landed in 
 the harbour of Acres, and proceeded to the house of the Teutonic 
 order. They were received courteously, but the grand master of the 
 order complained of the misfortunes which had befallen them, and 
 that no less than eleven hundred of the knights had fallen in battle with 
 the Saracens, who, on the following morning, were expected to renew 
 the attack. Wolfdietrich undertook to defeat them, and only required 
 forty knights to accompany him. 
 
 The night was spent in conviviality, and in the morning the hero 
 issued with his little troop, and soon discovered the pagan host ad- 
 vancing, to the number of a hundred thousand. 
 
 The Christians rushed into the throng of their enemies, and com- 
 menced such a terrible slaughter, that not one of them escaped. 
 Eighty thousand lay dead on the field, and the rest were drowned in 
 the sea." Wolfdietrich returned in triumph to Acres, and the fol- 
 lowing day, to the great grief of the brethren of the order, proceeded 
 on his pilgrimage. 
 
 • The poet, conscious of having here exceeded the bounds of probability, thinks it ne- 
 cessary to mention his name, in order to induce his readers to believe the miraculous vic- 
 tory, for the sake of his poetical celebrity. He says, 
 
 Das ist mir gar wol kund, 
 Mir WolfFaram dem werden 
 Meyster von Eschenbach. 
 
 /. e. " Those deeds are well known to me, Wolfram, the worthy master of Eschenbach."
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 90 
 
 Advknture III. 
 
 Accompanied by his two companions, he arrived, after seven days, 
 at Jerusalem, without having met with any adventures. They found 
 the city surrounded by a great host of heathens, and, undismayed at 
 their number, immediately commenced the attack, upon a detachment 
 of a thousand. Wolfdietrich was unhorsed by the pagan Telfigan, 
 but calling upon God, who died on the cross, he roused himself again, 
 and attacked and slew him, while his companions fought in other parts 
 of the field. 
 
 Twixt the champions and the host was fought a sturdy fight. 
 Against the Christian hero advanced, with falchions bright. 
 Beneath their waving banners, with loud and savage shout, 
 Dimming the air with arrows^ many a pagan rout. 
 
 Their heathen tongues with blasphem}' at the Christians railed. 
 Many a youthful Saracen the knight of Greece assailed ; 
 Round him did they crowd, and struck him many a blow; 
 Buf where his glittering falchion fell, they cried alas and woe ! 
 
 On their bucklers loud his blows did to the sky resound. 
 And the blood his wrath had spilt in torrents rolled around; 
 Many a ring of steel from their hauberks down he felled. 
 Blows of death and horror his trusty weapon dealt. 
 
 Warriors from their prancing steeds to the ground he thrust ; 
 The number was right marvellous, whom he rolled into the dust. 
 The battle's din resounded in the firmament like thunder. 
 Thrice he cleft, with sword in hand, the pagan host asunder. 
 
 The ship-boy, who had been left under a tree, was pierced by the 
 
 sword of a Saracen ; but Wolfdietrich soon revenged his death, and 
 
 6
 
 100 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 was so incensed, that he speedily finished the battle, and by the as- 
 sistance of his fellow, Werner, left all the pagans dead on the field. 
 Then he retired into a neighbouring forest to rest, after the fatigues 
 of the fight. 
 
 The heathen king Mertzigan soon heard of the defeat of his knights, 
 and of the death of his nephew Telfigan. He sent out another de- 
 tachment of a thousand knights, under the conduct of Terferis. The 
 Christian champions came out of the forest to meet them. Terferis 
 was killed by Werner, and the fight continued till the night. It 
 was renewed in the morning. Werner, after performing wonders of 
 chivalry, was slain. This misfortune made Wolfdietrich desperate. 
 He pursued the flying pagans into the middle of the royal camp, where 
 his horse fell, and himself being entangled among the tent-ropes, made 
 captive, and brought before the king, who adjudged him to be hanged 
 the following morning. But a pagan having beheld his matchless va- 
 lour with admiration, and unwilling that such a champion should die 
 an ignominious death, released him, restored his horse, and assist- 
 ed him to arm himself When he found himself again at liberty, 
 he rode into the tent of Mertzigan, and made his table flow with the 
 blood of his vassal princes. The pagan host was summoned to arm 
 themselves, and Wolfdietrich again found himself in great danger. 
 
 Fortunately a Christian knight in the city beheld the battle, and 
 immediately admonished his brother knights to issue for the relief of 
 the hero. Five hundred followed his advice, and found Wolfdietrich 
 in the midst of an innumerable host of pagans. After a terrible com- 
 bat, they succeeded in completely defeating them, and Mertzigan was 
 happy to escape, with a few followers, into his realm of Martzfell. 
 
 The Christians returned into the city of Jerusalem with the rescued 
 hero, after having buried two hundred of their knights, who liad fallen 
 in battle. Wolfdietrich now accomplished his vow, and paid his de- 
 votions at the holy sepulchre : then he departed, repelling every soli- 
 citation of the knights to remain amongst them.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 101 
 
 Adventure IV. 
 
 And now the Grecian hero from the holy city hied ; 
 
 His ship with gentle gales sailed o'er the ocean-tide : 
 Among the savage Paynims he came to Russian land ; 
 
 His ship he left at Budin^' and leaped upon the strand. 
 
 A gorgeous castle stood upon the meadow green, 
 (Never fairer did he view,) built of the marble sheen, 
 Wilh battlements five hundred,' and hundred turrets high; 
 But there a sight of horror met his wondering eye. 
 
 Hearken, gentle lordings ! that marvel will I tell : — 
 If Christian knight adventurous came to the burghgrave fell. 
 Rest and ease he purchased dear : in the morn he left to wed, 
 Pight upon the battlements, with treachery, his head. 
 
 Belligan, the pagan fierce, had a daughter fair and young ; 
 She could not be more beauteous, but she wrought with woe and wrong 
 By her evil arts of grammary each wand'ring Christian knight 
 Left his head in pledge, high on the turrets pight. 
 
 When Christian to the castle came, weary and alone. 
 Courteously Dame Marpaly received the champion ; 
 Without his arms she led him . to her chamber, richly dight. 
 There to rest him from his travel with the lady all the night. 
 
 But when, full of love, he hied him to the bed,* 
 And thought within his arms to clasp that matchless maid, 
 A potion mix'd with potent herbs the wanton youth she gave : 
 Soon into a magic sleep fell the warrior brave. 
 
 * If by Budin the poet means the city of Buda, in Hungary, he is no better geographer 
 than most of his fellow-romanciers. 
 
 * See the beautiful fabliau of The Knight and the Sword, translated by Way, where a 
 similar adventure is told of Sir Gawain.
 
 102 THE BOOK OF HEKOEis. 
 
 Secretly Sir Belligan into the chamber crept. 
 When the morning sun had dawned, where by the maid he slept : 
 In fetters strong he bound him, and struck the champion dead. 
 And pitched, in triumph of the deed, on the battlements his head. 
 
 One tower exceeded all the rest In beauty and strength, being sur- 
 rounded by nine ditches, and the pinnacles ornamented with an un- 
 usual number of heads. It was covered with transparent glass, and 
 no bird of the air could enter it. Wolfdietrich could not refrain from 
 the wish to be enabled to transfer such a splendid castle to Constanti- 
 nople. He did not greatly admire the manner in which the battle- 
 ments were ornamented, but, being greatly fatigued, resolved to enter 
 the castle. 
 
 Belligan was charmed with the appearance of the knight, and obser- 
 ving one of the highest battlements, which was not as yet adorned in 
 the same manner as the others, resolved to honour his head with such 
 a distinguished place. He issued with his meiny to receive the cham- 
 pion, and ordered his daughter to be in readiness to play her part. 
 The porter took the horse ; but when his sword was demanded, Wolf- 
 dietrich alleged that it was not the maflner of his country to deli- 
 ver up that weapon, and persisted in retaining it by his side. The 
 pagan king finding his resolution firm, offered him his daughter in 
 marriage, and acquainted him with the penalty of not having accom- 
 plished the amorous enterprise. Many hundred knights had lain by 
 her side, but she was as yet a virgin. . Hearing the perilous condition, 
 the Grecian hero resolved to leave the castle, and his horse was ac- 
 cordingly returned to him. 
 
 Now before the castle gate spurred the noble knight; 
 But he viewed a swelling sea, wrought by magic sleight. 
 " Who caused the roaring waves ' to flow the burgh around. 
 Where grass and flowers blossomed before upon the ground?" 
 
 Into the roaring waters he spurred his courser good ; 
 But raging all around him rushed the magic flood ;
 
 TlIK BOOK OF HEROES. lOf} 
 
 The powei of the swelling waves his strength could not withstand ; 
 With mighty force they drove liiiu aback upon the land. 
 
 He called upon God and St George to assist him in his perilous situa- 
 tion, and kneeling before the king, prayed him to present him to his 
 daughter, and to give him an opportunity of judging whether the 
 damsel was worthy to be his spouse. She appeared with a train of 
 sixty maidens, and Wolfdietrich was so struck with her beauty, that 
 he declared himself willing to make her his queen, if she would per- 
 mit herself to be baptised. She prevailed upon him to take off his ar- 
 mour, very courteously assisted him in unlacing it, and then led him 
 to the hall. But his charms had an effect upon her heart, which no 
 knight had as yet been able to produce. Against the instructions of 
 her father, she declared her love to him, and giving him many tokens 
 of her real affection, bade him be without fear. 
 
 In midst the gorgeous hall stood of gold a linden tree. 
 
 And on the branches many a bird was framed right cunningly; 
 
 Cast of the precious gold, inlaid with many a gem. 
 
 And brightly pearls of mound glittered upon the stem. 
 
 Through the stem and branches silver reeds ascended. 
 
 Quaintly framed by master's hand, in the birds they ended: • 
 
 Bellows drove the wind through the reeds along ; 
 
 Nightingales and thrushes there sweetly tun'd their song. 
 
 Around this superb piece of machinery was placed an ivory table, of 
 a size sufficient for a thousand knights to sit around it. Belligan now 
 entered the hall with his attendants, who ranged themselves around 
 the table, giving the place of honour, by the side of the princess, to 
 Wolfdietrich. Many of the pagan knights, and amongst them, Gra- 
 maly the porter, pitied his fate. The king insisted upon his taking 
 his daughter to wife that night, and when the supper was over, con- 
 ducted him to the fatal chamber. The chamberlain brought the
 
 104 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 sleeping potion, but Marpaly advised the hero not to touch it, warn- 
 ing him of the consequences ; so it was poured upon the ground. 
 Seeing the unwilhngness of Wolfdietrich to approach the bed, she up- 
 braided him with his unmanhke coldness, but was answered, that he 
 could not touch an unbaptised woman, under the penalty of being 
 condemned eternally to the pains of hell. Nothing, however, could 
 induce her to part with her attachment to Mahound, who had enabled 
 her, notwithstanding such numerous temptations, to preserve her chas- 
 tity for fifty years, in the hopes of meeting the Grecian hero Wolfdie- 
 trich, whom she found, by the magic books of Sybilla, to be at that 
 time exactly thirty years, twelve weeks, and two days old, and who 
 was destined to reign over all other kings. Then Wolfdietrich disco- 
 vered himself to her, and each of them endeavoured to convince the 
 other of the superior power of their deities, but without effect. Mar- 
 paly made every effort to tempt him, and had nearly succeeded, but 
 a salutary prayer to the Virgin Mary soon banished every wicked idea 
 from his mind- 
 In the morning, Belligan came to the chamber with a drawn sword, 
 and inquired of his daughter, whether the Christian knight was ready 
 for execution. But she called out aloud, cursing him, and lamenting 
 that all her temptations had proved fruitless. The pagan then defied 
 him to battle, which Wolfdietrich immediately accepted. They is- 
 sued from the chamber, and proceeded to another, where an image 
 stood, which Belligan alleged to be Death ; and said, that any one 
 who dared to approach too near was sure to feel the penalty of his 
 rashness instantaneously. But the Grecian king took up the image, 
 and dashing it against the walls, broke it into a thousand fi'agments ; 
 ironically complimenting the pagan upon the long life he would en- 
 joy, now that his Death was no more. 
 
 A heathen knight then defied him to leap over a ditch nine fathoms 
 wide, bearing a shield on his arm. He accepted the defiance, and 
 leaped a fathom beyond his adversary. Then he demanded his steed, 
 but was informed that he must first fight a duel, of a very singular na- 
 ture, with Belligan. A chair was placed at some distance on the cas-
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 105 
 
 tie green, upon wliich were laid three sticks, and upon these the cham- 
 pion was to stand, and not to touch the ground, under the penalty 
 of immediate death. Each combatant received three sharp knives, 
 and a small buckler, scarcely the breadth of a hand. Before proceed- 
 ing to the combat, Wolfdietrich, who fortunately wore the impenetra- 
 ble silk shirt of St George, knelt down, and addressed prayers to God, 
 for himself and his eleven knights imprisoned in Constantinople. The 
 heathen upbraided him with the length of his oration, and shewed the 
 empty battlement destined to be ornamented with his head ; saying, 
 that he himself feared no champion but Wolfdietrich, king of Greece, 
 by whose hands he was destined to fall ; and offering him his whole 
 kingdom, in case he was that hero. But the Christian concealed his 
 rank, and called himself a poor knight-errant. 
 
 " Look to thy foot, sir knight/' spake the heathen Beliigan ; 
 " Tliou must leave it here to pledge, nor bear it hence again ; 
 Fast unto the ground I will pin it with my knife ; 
 Such is my skill and mastery : Christian, guard thy life!" 
 
 The heathen threw the weapon ralhly through the air; 
 But cunningly Wolfdielerich leapt quickly from the chair. 
 And down upon the sticks again he did alight; 
 No bird in air had done it, to tell the truth aright. 
 
 Foully cursed the pagan, when he had tint that throw. 
 
 And to Mahomet, his god, he plained him of his woe : 
 
 " Never will I leave thee, thou god of might and main. 
 
 If thou wilt grant thy help, when I throw the knife again. 
 
 " Who taught thee thus to leap ? say, thou bold compeer." 
 But Sir Wolfdielerich spake with cunning cheer : 
 " Say no more, Sir Beihgan : what boots that speech of thine ? 
 With thy second throw, alas ! I must lose this life of mine." 
 
 Again the heathen cried, " That leap I learnt of yore. 
 From my noble master, Bechtung ; right wonderous was his lore. 
 
 o
 
 106 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Say, is thy name Wolfdieterich, and art thou bred in Greece i 
 If thou be, thou shalt baptise me, and our enmity shall cease." 
 
 But when the Christian knight his fear and terror viewed, 
 " May linight be born of savage wolves?" cried the champion good : 
 " Alas ! my rank 1 must conceal ; but thou shalt know my name 
 When thrice thy blows have missed. Come, renew the bloody game." 
 
 Again with wrath the pagan heaved his hand on high; 
 Again he threw the weapon, and prayed for victory: 
 Two locks from the hero's temple he cut with cunning skill. 
 As if the shears had dipt them ; but he did none other ill. 
 
 Speedily Wolfdielerich cried to God his life to save. 
 
 " Heathen hound, how cunningly a tonsure thou canst shave! 
 
 I sliall need a priest no more, to shrive me of my sin ; 
 
 By the help of God on high, I hope the fight to win." 
 
 " Have I not hit thee yet?" spake Belligan with wrath. 
 " Ay, thou hast shav'd my crown, but done no other scath : 
 As yet I bear no wound, tlien throw the other knife : 
 If once again thy weapon miss, it's I have gained the strife," 
 
 " Christian, guard thy heart !" cried the heathen king accurst ; 
 
 " Soon a bloody well from thy side shall burst. 
 
 Keen is the trusty weapon, and bears the name of Death ! 
 
 Thou need'stnot guard thy life ; thou hast breathed thy latest breath." 
 
 Ti>e Christian wound St George's shirt his body all about. 
 Quickly passed the weapon keen through the buckler stout ; 
 Birt from the wonderous shirt, to the ground the knife did start. 
 Shivered into splinters, nor touched the champion's heart. 
 
 " I have stood thy throws. Sir Belligan," spake the knight aloud : 
 " Better I can cast than ihou the knife, thou pagan proud." — 
 " Boast not of thy cunning," cried King Belligan ; 
 " Thy knives with magic art are dight, Ihou foolish Christian man." 
 
 1
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 107 
 
 Safe he lliouglit his body ; but the knight bade him beware 
 His right foot and iiis left eye, that the heathen cried, witii care, 
 " How may I guard them both? In this fearful stound. 
 Save me from that Cliristian fell, with thy power. Sir Mahound !" 
 
 Wolfdietrich quickly threw the knife, and he heaved his hand on high ; 
 
 He pinned the right foot on the chair, and laughing did he cry, 
 
 " My skill it is but little ; much I feared thy flight. 
 
 So I pinned thee to the chair: now thou canst not quit my sight." 
 
 The second knife he threw, and he hit him in the side : 
 " Heathen, thou must die, for all thy boast and pride." 
 Woefully spake Belligan, — " Knight without a peer. 
 Quickly tell thy name, for much thy throws I fear." — 
 
 " I am the king of Greece, Wolfdietrich is my name." — 
 Trembling cried the pagan, " Save me, thou knight of fame. 
 In the fount thou shalt baptise me, and teach me Christian lore : 
 Save me, noble champion ! 1 pray thee, throw no more." — 
 
 " Thou must die, Sir Belligan ; many Christians hast thou shent : 
 Alas ! I view their bloody heads upon thy battlement." — 
 The pagan bade his meiny his gods before him bring: 
 Vainly by their might he ween'd to quell the Grecian king. 
 
 But over them Wolfdieterich signed the holy cross. 
 And instantly the idols false broke down to dust and dross. 
 Up and spake fair Marpaly, — " He works with magic sleight: 
 Much I dread the malice of that Christian knight." 
 
 With sorrow cried Sir Belligan, " Mahoun, help with thy might: 
 I will give thee to thy spouse Marpaly the bright." 
 Laughing, cried the champion, " A god full strange is thine! 
 Does he seek to spouse the dame ? but his marrow he shall tine. 
 
 " Guard thy heart, sir king ; I warn thee, guard it well ; 
 Quickly will I pierce it, with this weapon fell ;
 
 108 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 If I fail asunder straight thy heart to cleave. 
 
 This head upon the battlement, in forfeit, will I leave." 
 
 Speedily Wolfdieterich the third knife heaved on high : 
 Trembling stood Sir Beiligan, for he felt his death was nigh. 
 The pagan's heart asunder, with cunning skill he cleft : 
 Down upon the grass he fell, of life bereft. 
 
 When the pagans beheld the death of their sovereign, they rushed 
 upon Wolfdietrich, to the number of five hundred. He grasped the 
 sword of one of them, and made great slaughter amongst them ; but 
 the mother of Marpaly, who was a great magician, caused a fog to 
 come over him, that he could not see any of his adversaries. The 
 hero took the knife with which he had pierced the heart of Beiligan, 
 and fortunately laid the enchantress dead on the ground. Instantly 
 the sun shone again in all his splendour, and the hero recommenced 
 the slaughter. Unfortunately his sword broke. His friend the porter 
 beheld him in this extremity, delivered another to him, and rush- 
 ed to his assistance. The two knights stemmed their backs against 
 each other, and soon forced their assailants to give over the battle, 
 and to crave baptism of their conqueror. This he refused, unless 
 God caused a manifest token of his pleasure that they should receive 
 baptism, by causing a well to flow from the rock. The infidels laughed 
 at what they supposed an impossibility, but were soon convinced of 
 the superior power of the God of the Christians over that of Maho- 
 met, and were baptised in the well. The young queen refused bap- 
 tism, but was informed by Wolfdietrich that she must prepare her- 
 self to accompany him. To the faithful porter Gramaly he trans- 
 ferred the possession of the castle and the country ; and the heads of 
 the Christians on the battlements he caused to be taken down and 
 
 buried. 
 
 His armour and horse being re-delivered to him, he exclaimed on the 
 folly of any knight who gave up his weapon on entering a castle. The
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 109 
 
 young queen he bound on his horse before him, and having mounted, 
 issued from the gate. 
 
 With magic art all o'er the lake a broad bridge threw the dame ; 
 But onward as they rode, still narrower it became: 
 In wonder stood the hero ; to the maiden he 'gan say, 
 " Damsel, truly tell, who has borne the bridge away." 
 
 " Little care I though thou drown," cried Dame Marpaly. 
 
 " Then graithe thee," spake Wolfdieterich ; " 'tis thou must plunge with me."- 
 
 " No harm the waves can do me; with magic am I dighl." — 
 
 " Then speed we to the castle back," cried the Christian knight. 
 
 Back the fearless hero turned his trusty horse ; 
 
 But down the bridge was broken, by the lady's magic force. 
 
 In his sorrow, cried the champion, " Help, God, in this my need ! 
 
 Say, how may we hither pass, damsel, right ai'eed." 
 
 From the courser Marpaly suddenly would fly. 
 
 " Stay thee here, thou woman fell! quickly must thou die." 
 
 Piteously she wept, prayed him her life to save. 
 
 He tied her to his body fast, and plunged into the wave. 
 
 In the name of God he leapt into the lake amain ; 
 
 But the water suddenly was gone; on the mead he stood again. 
 
 " Lady, say, how passed the waters f How bloomed the mead so green ?" 
 
 " Alas !" she cried, " tliy God is strong, or dead thou sure hadst been. 
 
 " Let me pass, Wolfdieterich, for thy chivalry ! 
 
 Knightly deed it were not, but evil treachery. 
 
 If thy hand thou didst imbrue in gentle lady's blood." 
 
 Straight iier bonds he loosened, and she leapt from the courser good. 
 
 Suddenly, upon the mead, her garments down she threw. 
 And shewed her beauteous form to the wondering champion's view. 
 
 3
 
 no THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Her liands she clapt together,' on the hero did she look, 
 And straight, by arts of grammary, a raven's form she took. 
 
 High upon a tree perched the raven black. 
 " Tiie devil's fere thou art ; to bell then speed thee back ! 
 Had I done thy will, by the foul fiend had I lain." — 
 He grasped his courser's bridle, and away he rode amain. 
 
 But suddenly around him a laithly fog she cast; 
 
 Fouler it grew, and thicker still, as he onward past : 
 
 And straight beside his courser stood a champion fell 
 
 A club the black man brandished, and seemed the hound of hell. 
 
 Up and spake Wolfdieterich, — " Say, thou doughty knight. 
 Why wilt tliou give me battle ? I have done thee no despight." 
 But fiercel)' struck the monster on his helm a blow of might : 
 
 Down he fell upon the mead, and saw nor day nor night. 
 
 Full of shame he rose again ; his glittering shield he clasped. 
 
 Run against the fiend of hell, and fast his falchion grasped : 
 
 In the dreadful stour he took the monster's life. 
 
 Fondly he weened the fight was done, nor thought of further strife. 
 
 But suddenly two other fiends, fouler than the other. 
 Brandished on high their iron clubs, to avenge their fallen brother. 
 Down they struck him to the ground, in deadly swoon he fell ; 
 Gone was all his strength, and his face grew wan and pale. 
 
 But God on high was with him : quickly he arose. 
 Run upon the hell-hounds, and struck them mortal blows. 
 When the two were dead, behold! by his side four others stood. 
 And rushed upon the Christian, thirsting for his blood. 
 
 Hotter was the battle, bolder the champion grew ; 
 
 Quick his might o'ercame them; to the ground the fiends he threw ; 
 
 ' This is avery coraraon way of pioducing an enchantment in the Arabian Tales.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. Ill 
 
 Down lie felled the four, dead lay they by his side ; 
 But, alas ! upon the plain, eight fouler he descried. 
 
 The uncouth champions black upon the hero rushed; 
 With their weighty clubs of steel, him to the ground they pushed ; 
 Mickle was his pain and woe ; his force was well nigh spent: 
 Loudly of his sorrow to the heavens did he lament. 
 
 Again he grasped his buckler, and from the plain arose ; 
 
 Again, with his good falchion, he dealt them heavy blows. 
 
 And all the evil hell-hounds rathly made he bleed ; 
 
 Deep were the wounds his weapon carved ; dead fell they on the mead. 
 
 But the battle was not over ; he came in greater pain ; 
 Sixteen fouler fiends than they stood upon the plain ; 
 And as their clubs they wielded, the champion cried amain, 
 " When a fiend, alas ! I vanquish, two fiercer come again." 
 
 Amongst the hell-hounds fierce he rushed, and thought to be awroke : 
 With their iron clubs they struck him, that his helmet seemed to smoke. 
 He feared his fatal hour was nigh ; astounded and dismayed. 
 On the ground in crucial form he fell, and called to Heaven for aid. 
 
 O'er him stood the foul fiends, and with their clubs of steel 
 Struck him o'er the helmet, that in deadly swound he fell : 
 But God his sorrow saw ; to the fiends his sond he sent ; 
 From the earth they vanished, with howling and lament. 
 
 And with them to the deep abyss they bore the sorceress fell: 
 
 Loudly did she shriek, when they cast her into hell. 
 
 The Christian hero thank'd his God ; from the ground he rose with speed ; 
 
 Joyfully he sheathed his sword, and mounted on his steed.
 
 112 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Adventure V. 
 
 On the fifteenth day, after he had passed, without any adventure, 
 through many countries, he arrived at the Straits of St George,' 
 where he was overtaken and attacked by five hundred Saracens. He 
 behaved with his usual bravery, but when the night came, was 
 fiDrced to leap into the sea, after having killed two hundred of his ad- 
 versaries. His horse, who had been wearied in the battle, began to 
 sink. In his need he called to God for assistance, and immediately 
 heard himself called by his name. Turning round, he discovered a 
 dwarf, who, in a very diminutive ship, came to his assistance, and car- 
 ried him over to the shore of Greece. He saw the royal burgh of 
 Constantinople, but did not recognise it in the dark, till the dwarf in- 
 formed him that his brothers dwelt there, and that his eleven faithfial 
 champions were forced to mount guard upon the battlements. Ap- 
 proaching to tlie walls, he heard the lamentation of Bechtung and his 
 sons, which affected him so much, that he fell to the ground, and 
 cursed his unfortunate fate. But the dwarf warned him that two hun- 
 dred of his brothers' knights were on the watch, and that he had lit- 
 tle chance of escaping, if they discovered him. Again he mounted 
 his courser, and taking his leave of the dwarf, continued his journey. 
 But his knights had heard his voice, and in vain consoled themselves 
 in the prospect of being speedily reheved from their bondage. 
 
 Wolfdietrich rode on till he came to the ocean, which he crossed, 
 and was rejoiced to see on the opposite shore, at some distance, a 
 splendid castle, built of white marble. He pursued a narrow path 
 through the forest, and soon met a giant, taller than any he had yet 
 encountered. His head reached far above the tallest trees, his iron 
 pole was twelve ells in length, and his shield appeared like a great 
 
 • No uncommon appellation for the Hellespont, and which was used as late as the 
 twelfth century.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 113 
 
 rock. But the champion's courage and aversion against giants was 
 not subdued. He ran to the monster, and calHng him the devil's com- 
 panion, defied him to the combat. The latter answered contemptu- 
 ously, tluit he would suffer him quietly to depart, upon delivering him 
 either a foot or an arm, which was no more than the usual toll he exact- 
 ed from passengers. But when he felt the heavy blows of the hero, he 
 soon changed his opinion, and was content to engage in the battle. 
 The combatants were very equally matched ; what the one wanted in 
 size was fully made up by his superior skill. Wolfdietrich first cleft 
 his opponent's shield, and then shivered his pole to splinters. The 
 giant then drew his tremendous falchion ; but being unable, by the loss 
 of his shield, to cover his body, he was soon wounded in the heart, 
 and his enormous body fell thundering to the ground. AVhen he found 
 himself dying, he cursed Apollo and Mahound, that they had suffered 
 him to die such a shameful death, and that he had not received his 
 mortal wound honourably matched with one of his own size. The 
 Grecian having struck off the monster's head, proceeded to the tree 
 to which he had tied his steed, who welcomed him with every mark 
 of joy^. Exhausted with the fight, he lay down by its side, and fell 
 asleep. 
 
 The goi'geous castle he had beheld belonged to the heathen king 
 Marsilius of Messina, the vassal of Otnit, whose land had long been 
 ravaged by the giant ; and no merchant had dared to land in his domi- 
 nions, in dread of being forced to pay the cruel tribute exacted by the 
 monster. At the very time when the Grecian hero had struck off his 
 head, an old astrologer was reading the stars, and discovered the fall 
 of their uncouth enemy. He straight awakened the king with the 
 welcome intelligence, and advised him to cause the deed to be pro- 
 claimed throughout his dominions, in order to produce a revival of 
 commerce. But the old king preferred first to show his gratitude and 
 hospitality to the doughty champion, sent four-and-twenty of his 
 knights to conduct him to the castle, and issued himself with his queen 
 to receive him. Unfortunately Wolfdietrich mistook them for ene-
 
 ] 14 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 mies, and mounting his steed, unhorsed twenty of the knights, some 
 of whom fell to rise no more. In the mean time the king and queen 
 arrived, and made use of every persuasion to sooth the hero's anger, 
 and convince him of their friendly intentions, in which they succeeded 
 at last, and conducted him in triumph to the palace. Every exertion 
 was made to entertain the noble stranger, and the king recommended 
 to his queen to pay every attention to him. She offered him one of 
 her beauteous damsels for his wife, but he answered, — 
 
 " I did not hither hie with ladies fair to sport : 
 The weighty spear and buckler, gentle queen, I court; 
 For the love of bloody battles around the world I rove; 
 Leave then, royal dame, to talk of ladies' love." 
 
 The queen presented him with the richest garments, and with a crown 
 inlaid witli the most valuable gems. She accompanied him herself 
 to the chamber, to assist him in unlacing his armour, and put on the 
 garments she had prepared. 
 
 But when his hauberk she would doff, the champion blushing said, 
 " Lady, 'tis far unmeet to stain thy hand with the rusty red. 
 Whilst I dighl me in those garments, leave me for a while : 
 Lady, spare my blushes." — She departed with a smile. 
 
 When he entered the hall, dressed in the gorgeous garment, and 
 crowned with the rich coronet, he was received by five hundred la- 
 dies, and allowed by all to be a miracle of beauty : And when he re- 
 lated his adventures, every one praised him as matchless, and the min- 
 strels sung his actions to the sound of their harps. 
 
 Ever the host's right noble fame will I praise and sing. 
 Who richly for his guests prepares the feast like that proud king; 
 And the guest I praise him too, who shows his high-born blood. 
 By honouring the landlord, as a courteous champion should.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 115 
 
 After he had been entertained for the space of thirteen days, Wolfdie- 
 trich took his leave, to the great sorrow of his royal host and his 
 queen. He travelled towards Lonibardy, and soon entered a dark 
 forest. 
 
 Adventure VI. 
 
 He had not proceeded far before he was encountered by a giantess 
 of the most horrible appearance, and of enormous size, who grinned 
 upon him in a very friendly manner. But Wolfdictrich, who did not 
 much relish her appearance, nor covet her friendship, began to draw 
 his sword. The lady, however, informed him that her name was Runy, 
 that she had the best intentions towards him, and would entertain him 
 for any length of time, and, finally, that she was a near relation of his, 
 no less than his aunt. The hero began to repose confidence in her, 
 and followed her into her fastness, where he was welcomed in a most 
 courteous maimer by seven other women, equal to her in size, over 
 whom she reigned as queen. For three days he was most royally 
 feasted ; and when he signified his resolution to proceed to Lombardy, 
 she took him under one arm, as if he had been a squirrel, and his 
 horse in the other, and carried them above a hundred miles with ease 
 that day. When she had set him down in the realm of Lombardy, 
 she returned back, having received many thanks from her nephew. 
 
 Wolfdictrich passed through Lombardy, and on the fifth day came 
 to Terfis, which was possessed by the rich burghgrave Werner. He 
 was just holding a tournament, at which his daughter, the beautiful 
 Amey, presided. Hitherto Count Herman of Tuscany had bore the 
 prize away ; but the lady having hung a ring on a small tlii'ead, and 
 challenged the knights to throw their spears through it, for which 
 they were to be rewarded with a kiss, no one could accomplish the 
 enterprise. At this moment Wolfdictrich arrived, and the lady sup- 
 posing him to be a knight adventurous, prayed her father to invite him 
 to partake of the games. Werner rode towards him, but was obliged
 
 110 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 to start aside; for the Grecian supposing liira to come with hostile in- 
 tentions, had laid his lance in rest. When he understood the real in- 
 tentions of the burghgrave, he proceeded with him to the throng of 
 knights, and was courteously received. Count Herman begged him 
 to try his skill in piercing the ring. At first he pleaded the fatigue 
 his horse had undergone, but the count offered to lend him his own, 
 which was found incapable of bearing him. His own steed had been 
 fed in the mean while, and when it was perfectly recovered, he mount- 
 ed, and the horse making a leap twelve fathoms high, he pierced the 
 ring, and presenting it to the lady of the tournament, received three 
 kisses for his reward. 
 
 Count Herman seeing the skill of the unknown knight, defied him 
 to joust with him for a thousand marks ; and when the latter answered 
 that he had not a single one in his possession, he upbraided him for 
 joining the company of such wealthy and high-born knights. But 
 Amey, unwilling to lose the sport, and enraged at the insolence of the 
 count, undertook to stand good for the knight, and vowed to become 
 Herman's spouse, if he could unhorse the unknown champion ; stipu- 
 latino-, however, that the latter should be allowed fourteen days to 
 recruit himself and his courser. During the interval he was enter- 
 tained very splendidly, and distinguished before all other knights by 
 
 the fair Amey. 
 
 When the day appointed for the jousting arrived, the count was 
 ready upon the field, and, at the request of the lady, pledged himself 
 that his knights should attempt nothing against the unknown cham- 
 pion, if he vanquished him. She armed Wolfdietrich, presented him 
 Avith an excellent old hauberk, which had belonged to Olnit, and or- 
 namented his helmet. Upon his arriving in the field, Herman pro- 
 posed to him to be allowed to have the first jousting, and if Wolfilic- 
 trich was noit unhorsed, he would receive the shock of his lance in re- 
 turn. The proposal was accepted, and the count, who had the strength 
 of ci"-ht other men, chose a heavy lance. Eight hundred knights had 
 assembled to view the tournament, and the lady-arbitress was seated 
 ftmong her maidens, to decide the combat.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 117 
 
 Count Hcvinan spurred liis courser, and gallopped o'er the plain; 
 With anger burnt his heart, and he hoped the prize to gain : 
 Against the Grecian hero he ran with envious force. 
 But he could not stand the shock, and tumbled from his horse. 
 
 Firmly sat Wolfdieterich, his shield repell'd the spear. 
 
 From his courser to the ground leap'd he without fear ; 
 
 But Sir Herman bowed full courteously to the unknown knight: 
 
 " Take the gold, thou champion, for I may not stand thy might,'' 
 
 " Nay," cried the king of Greece, " it must not, count, be so. 
 For first before the lady my power must I show." 
 A long and weighty spear he chose, as in the book is told ; 
 And the spear a fathom in the ground thrust the hero bold. 
 
 Amongst the knights resounded, aloud, a joyful cry. 
 When, withouten stirrups, on his steed he leaped on high.' 
 Count Hennan on his courser mounted, full of care ; 
 But through his shirt of mail ran the sweat of fear. 
 
 O'er the court in full career the Grecian did advance. 
 
 And above the saddle bow he hit him with the lance; 
 
 Little could the count withstand that thrust of might and main; 
 
 Fathoms eight it cast him, down upon the plain. 
 
 Tlie knights of Count Hennan, to the number of two hundred, when 
 they beheld the fall of their master, drew their falchions, and rushed 
 upon his conqueror. But Wolfdietrich wielded his lance so well, that 
 he unhorsed sixty of them. The burghgrave parted the fray with his 
 champions, and was glad to find that no harm was done, save the 
 breaking of a few limbs. 
 
 The unknown champion had made such an impression upon the fail 
 
 " Tliis was reckoned one of the requisites of a knight; and in some countries no noble- 
 man could succeed to certain lands possessed by his ancestors, without leaping upon his 
 horse completely amied, and without touching the stirrups. 
 
 e
 
 118 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Amey, that she declared to her father that he was the man of her 
 heart, and notwithstanding his objections on the score of his apparent 
 low rank and poverty, insisted upon having no other husband. Wer- 
 ner accordingly made the proposal, which he was surprised to find re- 
 jected. The guest declared his resolution to visit the emperor Otnit ; 
 and when Werner informed him that he had been destroyed by the 
 serpents three years before, he resolved to combat against them, and 
 in case the empress was as yet a widow, to obtain her hand. Werner 
 returned, and acquainted his daughter with the bad success of his er- 
 rand, upon which she declared to the Grecian, that she would take no 
 husband, if he was not recommended by him, and returned with a 
 mantle of ermine, which she then gave him. He promised her the 
 most worthy among his eleven imprisoned champions. As he stood 
 in need of a hauberk, above a hundred were offered to his choice. In 
 order to try their strength, he threw them on the ground, and, to the 
 great astonishment of the spectators, shivered twelve of them in pieces, 
 before he met with one upon which he could rely. 
 
 Adventure VII. 
 
 The burghgrave accompanied Wolfdietrich to the castle of Garten, 
 and by his advice he remained under the walls till night, in order to 
 hear the lamentations of the empress, and thereby to understand whe- 
 ther she was as yet unmarried. Meantime Werner took his leave, 
 and returned home. When night came, the Grecian hero rode up to 
 the castle-moat, but the centinel hearing his approach, and calling out 
 to him not to approach the walls, he thought it prudent to leap from 
 his horse, and silently to conceal himself in the moat. The centinel 
 began to lament the death of Otnit, and the unfortunate situation of 
 the empress ; and the latter hearing his complaints, arose from her 
 chamber, and joined him. They began mutually to deplore her misfor- 
 tunes ; her being kept from any share in the government by the barons, 
 and obliged to gain her livelihood by spinning and embroidery ; and
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 119 
 
 sorrowing for the dcatli or absence of WolfUietricli, the best friend 
 of Otnit. The licro could not endure her lamentations, but, in token of 
 his presence, threw a heavy stone up to tlie battlements. The em- 
 press swooned for fear, and the centinel was scarcely less terrified. 
 When she recovered, and considered the strength of the throw, she 
 exclaimed that no one had so much force since the death of Otnit, 
 except Wolfdietrich ; and sighed for the absence of the latter, who 
 was alone capable of destroying the dragon-brood, and to whom she 
 would willingly deliver up the realm of Lombardy, in case he suc- 
 ceeded in the enterprise. 
 
 Wlien she had recovered from her consternation, she called out from 
 the battlements whether any one lay concealed there, and why he had 
 so rudely interrupted her lamentations. He answered that he was 
 come to do battle with the serpents, and had thrown the stone to give 
 her a specimen of his strength. She promised to make him master of 
 Lombardy and Germany, if he was successful ; but he declared that 
 he would never undertake the enterprise, unless she promised to be- 
 come his spouse, and gave him a ring in token. After some difficulty 
 she consented, and bade him enter the castle, which he refused. Then 
 she let down a ring tied to a thread, and informed him that it would 
 give him the additional strength of two men, and preserve him from 
 the effects of the fiery breath of the dragons. When she inquired his 
 name, he refused to discover it, but leaped upon his horse without 
 stirrups, which again brought the strength of Otnit and his brother in 
 arms to her recollection. 
 
 Adventure VHI. 
 
 Having taken leave of the empress, he proceeded on the perilous 
 adventure, and entered the forest. At the very entrance he found a 
 knight dying, and incapable of giving any answer to his offers of as- 
 sistance. As he stood over him, he heard the cries of a woman at a 
 
 distance, and immediately ran to her assistaiice. He found her naked 
 
 1
 
 120 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 above the girdle, and clasping a tree with great agony. He threw the 
 ermine mantle given to him by the damsel Amey over her shoulders, 
 and inquired the cause of her misfortunes. She related, that having 
 been married to a young knight, she was proceeding to her mother, 
 in order to be delivered of her first child, when they were attacked by 
 the dragon called Schadesan, ' who had devoured eleven knights of 
 their train, and had left her husband lying on the ground bleeding. 
 She had escaped the dragon's fury, but was then in labour. The 
 courteous knight of Greece offered her his assistance, and directed 
 her to bhndfold his eyes, that he might play the part of a midwife 
 modestly.* But she refused what she considered incompatible with a 
 lady's honour, and begged the hero to bring her some water, in order 
 to be rid of his presence. He fetched water from a neighbouring well 
 in his helmet ; but when he returned, he found both the lady and her 
 new-born infant dead. 
 
 The knight, the mother, and the child, he lifted from the ground. 
 And bore them to the forest's end, where a chapel old he foimd : 
 Amongst the mouldering ruins he bore the bodies lliree: 
 Wilh his falchion he digged a grave right mournfully. 
 
 With sorry cheer he digged the grave with his trusty blade; 
 Many bitter tears he shed, and many a prayer he pray'd. 
 In the grave he laid the knight, the ciiild, and lady fair. 
 And for their souls to God he prayed the funeral prayer. 
 
 The champion having performed this pious office, proceeded in 
 search of the dragons, and soon discovered their den. He defied them 
 aloud, but found that they were gone in search of prey. Anxious to 
 conclude his adventure, he traced their footsteps through the forest j 
 but being aware of the soporific effect of the magic linden, he avoided 
 
 ' Literally, " without damage ;" a very improper name for the monster, as indeed the 
 poet himself observes in another place. 
 
 ' See the Danish ballad of Fair Midel, in this volume. 
 
 3
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 121 
 
 approaching every tree of that species. He had not proceeded far 
 before he heard a great noise at a distance. Upon his approach, he 
 found a Hon giving battle to one of the dragons ; and as he bore a 
 golden lion in his shield, he considered himself bound to give every as- 
 sistance to the distressed animal. The latter signified his gratitude 
 by an inclination of the head, and redoubled his exertions in su])port 
 of the champion. The dragon's head was of a horny consistence, his 
 shoulders were two ells in length, and he walked upon four-and- 
 twenty feet. The battle lasted all the day, but, notwithstanding the 
 faithful assistance of the lion, Wolfdietrich found himself unable to in- 
 flict any wound upon his enemy. By the monster's fiery breath his 
 sword became soft, and the rings of his haubei'k glowed with heat. 
 He lamented the lion's inability to vmderstand his directions, wish- 
 ing him to maintain the fight whilst he cooled his armour. But the 
 noble animal guessed his intentions, and rushing upon the dragon, kept 
 him at bay for some time, till he was driven back to his preserver. The 
 latter then leaped on the back of the serpent, but unfortunately broke 
 his falchion against the impenetrable scales. Now he despaired of ac- 
 complishing his undertaking, and was proceeding to mount his horse, 
 when the dragon threw his tail around his body, and took him prison- 
 er. The faithful lion attempted to rescue him, but was himself made 
 captive, and carried away in the mouth of the monster. 
 
 The dragon bore his prisoners over hill and dale, to the den where 
 his young brood were famishing with hunger. He threw down the 
 lion, who was soon devoured, without satisfying their appetite. Wolf- 
 dietrich was then cast before them, but he covered himself among the 
 bones of his predecessors, and eluded their fury for some time. At 
 last they discovered him, but the miraculous shirt of St George bade 
 defiance to their teeth. When the parent saw their rage, he issued 
 from the cave, and returned with the champion's horse, which at last 
 put a stop to their appetite. They now bore Wolfdietrich into the 
 middle of the cave, and amused themselves with throwing stones up- 
 on liim, which cast him into a swoon. The young ones at last tired 
 
 Q
 
 122 THE BOOK OF HEROES, 
 
 of their diversion, and fell into a sound sleep. The hero having reco- 
 vered fi'om his swoon, had time for recollection, and roused himself by 
 considering the dangerous situations in which Noah, Jonas, and 
 Daniel, had been preserved. He resolved to follow their example, 
 and confide in Providence. Stumbling about in the dark, among the 
 dead bodies, he fortunately found a sword, which had once belonged 
 to the giant Egkeleit. To try its mettle, he struck it several feet in 
 the rock, and filled the cave with fire occasioned by the stroke. By 
 this light he discovered the old worm Schadesan, lying amongst his 
 young ones. Convinced of the excellence of the weapon, he struck a 
 hea^y blow at the dragon, who found himself severely wounded when 
 he awoke. The battle was very severe, and lasted all the day. The 
 champion was obliged to fly, and hide himself behind a corner of the 
 cave. But he soon renewed the fight, and was at last so fortunate as 
 to sever the monster's head from his body. In the agony of death, 
 the dragon striking his tail against the rock, illumined the whole cave 
 with the fire he struck out of it, very opportunely for Wolfdietrich, as 
 he was thereby enabled, though with much difficulty, to find his way 
 to the entrance of the cavern. 
 
 But the combats of the champion were not over. He was soon en- 
 countered by the oldest and fiercest of the dragons, whose head he 
 cut off', after a severe battle. Then he entered the cave, and slew ten 
 of the young brood. Unfortunately an old dragon and a young one 
 escaped. One of these was not destroyed till eighty years after, when 
 he fell by the sword of Dietrich of Bern.' Wolfdietrich cut out the 
 tongues of the dragons which he had subdued, and proceeded to the 
 place where Otnit's body lay, and appropriated to himself his crown, his 
 cross, and his armour, praying the dead body to forgive the deed. An 
 angel suddenly entered the body, and bade him take them, promising 
 him at the same time the crown of Lombardy, and the empress for 
 liis spouse. Wolfdietrich armed himself in the dead emperor's ar- 
 
 " His battle vvitli tlic remaining dragon is described in a Danisb ballad, a translation of 
 which will be found in the Appendix. Most of the circumstances arc closely copied from 
 the combat related in the text.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 123 
 
 mour, and placed his bones in a corner, to distinguish them from those 
 of the other dead knights. He then issued from the cave, in search 
 of the worms who liad escaped, but found his new armour so heavy, 
 that he could not proceed. 
 
 Adventure IX. 
 
 In the mean time Duke Gherwart came to Garten, with eighty of 
 bis knights, and craved the permission of the empress to proceed to 
 the forest, and give battle to the dragons. But she denied her con- 
 sent, informing him that a stranger knight had already undertaken the 
 adventure. The duke, however, would not desist, but went with his 
 knights into the forest, where he found the dragon Schadesan lying 
 dead before the cave. He struck so many blows upon the body with 
 his sword, that the forest resounded with them. Then he declared 
 his resolution to be emperor, and made his knights swear that they 
 •would make a false report that he had killed the monsters. But two 
 brothers. Count Hartman and Count Herman, refused, for which they 
 were threatened with the vengeance of Gherwart, when he should 
 bear the imperial crown. They left the duke, who took the dragon's 
 head, and set out on his return. He found Wolfdietrich standing un- 
 der a tree. The duke offered him a horse, if he would enter his ser- 
 vice. But when the Grecian beheld the head of the dragon, he scorn- 
 fully asked him on what adventure he had rode ; and when the duke 
 asserted that he had slain the dragon, he gave him the lie. Gherwart 
 ordered his knights to strike down the champion, but he defended 
 himself so well, that, with the assistance of Hartman and Herman, he 
 unhorsed two-and-twenty, though he himself was on foot. The duke 
 struck him to the ground, but he soon arose again, and wounded his op- 
 ponent in three places, so that he was glad to own his treacherous inten- 
 tion, and to present his conqueror with his own courser. Wolfdietrich 
 convinced him of his folly, by showing the tongues which he had cut out
 
 12* THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 of tlie dragons' lieads ; and they all confessed that he deserved the 
 crown and the empress. 
 
 One of the fugitive knights gallopped to Garten, with the intelligence 
 of the destruction of the serpents by the stranger knight, and was 
 richly rewarded for the intelligence by the empress. He was soon 
 followed by the two counts Hartman and Herman, who recounted to 
 her the intended treachery of the duke, and the valour of the unknown 
 champion. Hartman undertook to carry a message from the empress, 
 who advised him to bear a falcon on his fist, in token of his intentions 
 being peaceable. The precaution was very seasonable, for Wolfdie- 
 trich supposing him one of the fugitive knights, ashamed of his cowar- 
 dice, and returning to give him battle, gallopped against him with his 
 lance couchant ; but beholding the token ui" peace, threw it away, and 
 inquired his ei'rand. The count asked him why he did not proceed 
 to court, after having destroyed the dragons. The Grecian answered, 
 that two had escaped, so that he had not wholly fulfilled his vow ; and 
 gave him the empress's ring, in token of his having executed the mes- 
 sage. When the empress beheld him, she concluded that the stranger 
 despised her love, and fell into a swoon. On her recovery, the count 
 informed her of the reason of his absence, with which she was not 
 entii'ely satisfied. Duke Gherwart, who now arrived, she would 
 not suffer to remain in her presence ; so he returned into his own 
 countiy. 
 
 Wolfdietrich meanwhile proceeding in search of the two dragons, 
 came to a lake, where he found a lion fighting fiercely with a very di- 
 minutive worm, and I'oaring out with pain. At first he could not dis- 
 cern the worm, but the latter beholding him, flew at his golden shield, 
 and threw fire at it so fiercely, that the gold began to burn and con- 
 sume away. HiR whole armour became glowing hot, and every effort 
 to strike tlie animal was in vain, as it avoided all his blows, leaping 
 over his head, and again attacking him witli the greatest celerity. The 
 heat was so intense, that he threw himself into the lake, to quench the 
 fire. In the mean time the lion had caught the worm, which the
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. liS 
 
 knight perceiving, leaped upon the land, struck it asunder with his 
 sword, and threw the fragments into the water. The whole lake was 
 soon in a flame, and continued burning when the hero lefl it. " I 
 will now tell you of that marvellous worm : In French it is called Zun- 
 der, in German, Saribant, and in the country of Sittelenland," Viper. 
 Only two of them exist in the world at a time ; for when the young 
 ones are grown to a certain age, they fall upon their parents, and de» 
 vour them. You have heard of these strange animals : I will now re- 
 turn to the knight." 
 
 Having obtained the fellowship of the lion by a significant nod of 
 the head, he proceeded to Garten, to have the wounds of the animal 
 cured. On their road they encountered the two fugitive dragons, 
 and Wolfdietrich having instructed the lion to remain quiet, unless he 
 beheld him in imminent danger, attacked the old dragoness. The 
 latter, astonished at the blows which' she received from the champion, 
 run against him, and struck him to the ground. The lion immediately 
 came to his assistance, but when the monster found herself assailed on 
 both sides, she sent forth a doleful cry, and fled so speedily, that the 
 attempt to overtake her proved fruitless. 
 
 Adventure X. 
 
 Wolfdietrich proceeded with the lion to the burgh, and calling tu 
 the watchman, informed him that he was the knight who had killed 
 the dragons, and instructed him to request the empress to heal the 
 wounds of his faithful lion. Then he departed, refusing to enter the 
 castle. The watchman bore his message to the empress, and she 
 arose to comply with the request of her champion. But when the 
 burghgrave, who was now inimical to her, heard her rising, and in- 
 quired the cause, she pretended that she had dreamt of the arrival of 
 the knight and of his lioji. She issued from the castle-gate where tlie 
 
 ' Perhaps Sicily.
 
 126 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 lion stood, whom she conjured, for his master's sake, to submit quietly 
 to her operations. The animal was borne into a chamber, where she 
 cauterized and bound up his wounds. 
 
 The following night she silently arose, and joined the watchman, in 
 the expectation of the champion's arrival, in search of his lion ; nor 
 did she wait long, for he soon rode up to the castle walls, and de- 
 manded his -companion. The empress used every persuasion to induce 
 him to enter the castle, and at last succeeded. The centinel opened 
 the gates, took his horse from him, and led him to the empress, by 
 whom he was well entertained, but at whose request he lay at the 
 furthest side of the bed, fearing the malice of her knights. 
 
 But the burg-ligmve had observed the entrance of Wolfdietrich, and 
 came in the morning, accompanied by two hundred knights, to the 
 chamber door, accusing the empress of having committed adultery 
 with the murderer of Otnit, whose armour they had observed upon 
 the hero. The lion was now let loose, and committed great havoc 
 amongst the enemies. As soon as his master was armed, he joined 
 him, and conunenced a dreadful slaughter, but his faithful companion 
 fell in the fight ; and the hero, though he re-doubled his exertions 
 to avenge him, was at last forced to yield to numbers. A heavy stone 
 thrown upon him benumbed his senses, and he woidd have become a 
 prey to his enemies, had not the two faithful kniglits, Hartman and 
 Herman, bestridden and defended him till he recovered from his 
 swoon. Then he re-commenced the slaughter, striking so many 
 knights to the ground, that the empress, fearing the destruction of all 
 her vassals, prayed him to desist, and persuaded the burghgraxe to 
 accompany her to the forest, where the truth might be discovered, 
 whether he had murdered the emperor, or had actually killed the ser- 
 pcnts. 
 
 The empress issued to the forest, accoippanied by her knights. They 
 soon came to the place where the little Saribant lay dead, at which 
 sight Count Hclnot of Tuscany scoffed at the boasted prowess of Wolf- 
 dietrich. But he was soon convinced of his folly, when one of the 
 fugitive dragons appeared, which put hiiu and the other knights of
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 127 
 
 Lombardy into such a panic, that they were glad to escape, and climb 
 the neighbouring trees. The dragoncss attacked AV^olfdietrich, and 
 notwithstanding a severe wound which he iuHictcd upon lier, he found 
 himself unable to bear her fiery breath, as he had not the presei"vativc 
 ring upon his finger. But the empress beholding his danger, bade him 
 enter the cave, and take the shield of Otnit, which was inlaid with 
 gems, ha\ang also the virtue of rendering the fire innocuous. When he 
 had obtained the shield, he attacked the monster, and allowed himself 
 to be driven to the place where the terrified knights had concealed 
 themselves. Then he employed his falchion so well, that he struck 
 her into two pieces. Four young ones who fell out of her body then 
 attacked him, but soon shared the fate of their parent. 
 
 The knights were now satisfied of the valour of Wolfdietrich, and 
 unanimously offered the imperial crown to him. He insisted upon 
 their entering the cave, and viewing the dragon Schadesan, which they 
 could hardly be prevailed upon to do. Above eighty bodies of dead 
 knights were brought out and buried, and amongst them the head of 
 Otnit, which removed every scruple in the mind of the empress and 
 her barons. 
 
 Adventure XI. 
 
 Great preparations were made for the marriage and coronation. 
 Duke Helnot was appointed to invite the neighbouring princes to the 
 high feast, and a splendid encampment was made before the castle of 
 Garten. Thither resorted, among others, three noble kings, with their 
 knights ; Hartenit, king of Spain, Adelgar of France, and Fridolt of 
 Sicily. The high feast was held for fourteen days, and in the jousting 
 the new emperor bore the prize from all the competitors. Immense 
 sums of money were distributed among the poor, and many squires re- 
 •ceived the order of knighthood from the monarch. 
 
 Notwithstanding these rejoicings, Wolfdietrich mourned in his heart 
 for his companions imprisoned at Constantinople ; and his spouse ha-
 
 128 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 ving one night understood the cause of his sorrow, upbraided him for 
 his neglect, and for preferring eleven of his knights to her, and to the 
 innumerable champions whom she had placed under his command. 
 But when he answered that he preferred his faithful eleven to a thou- 
 sand empresses, she waxed wroth, and assembling thirty thousand war- 
 riors, complained of her husband's neglect, and called upon them for 
 vengeance. They were just proceeding to attack him, when one, 
 more prudent than the rest, stayed their fury, and requested the 
 emperor to explain who the champions for whom he had such an af- 
 fection were. Wolfdietrich then related the matchless fidelity of 
 Bechtung and his ten sons. Wlien the empress understood that her 
 new spouse was no other than the companion and brother at arms of 
 Otnit, she fell upon her knees, prayed his forgiveness, and offered all 
 the assistance of her empire to procure the release of his knights. Out 
 of the thirty thousand warriors he chose twelve thousand to accom- 
 pany him. The realm of Westria he gave to the faithful counts Hart- 
 man and Herman, pardoned the treachery of Duke Ghei'wart, and 
 permitted him to embark, with his thousand knights in his company. 
 The empress bade him beware of the beauty of the Grecian ladies, 
 and prevailed upon him to spare the life of his two treacherous bro- 
 • thers. 
 
 Adventure XII. 
 
 After having sailed twenty days, the emperor arrived near Con- 
 stantinople, and landed five miles from the city. By the advice of 
 Count Herman, the camp was struck in a dark forest, and Wolfdietrich, 
 with twelve of his bravest knights, proceeded to the walls, disguised as 
 palmers, where he heard two of Bechtung's sons, Hache and Herbrant 
 lamenting their misfortunes. Approaching to the walls, he prayed them 
 to bestow alms upon him and his brother pilgrims, for the souls of his 
 dead friends. Herbrant lamented his inability to give him any money, 
 but threw down a hauberk, and bade him sell it in the city, saying,
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 129 
 
 that he had bestowed the gift for the souls of Wolfdietrich and of their 
 father Bcchtung, who shortly before had died of grief at a feast pre- 
 pared by the two brother kings, at which they had been forced to of- 
 ficiate in wretched raiment. When the emperor heard of his faithful 
 master's death, he sunk to the earth with grief, and revealed himself 
 to his faithful knights.' 
 
 Herbrant blew his horn aloud ; to his brothers did he call, 
 " Quickly speed ye hither, brethren, to the wall ! 
 Behold that palmer on the green ! boldly did»he speak : 
 'Tis I your king Wolfdietrich, come your sorrows to awreak." 
 
 On the walls the champions knelt, lowly on their knee ; 
 
 To God on high they called to aid them speedily : 
 
 " Help us," cried Sir Herebrant, " help us for thy might ! 
 
 Still we kept our faith and truth, then our chains asunder smite." 
 
 God did help them in their need, those faithful brothers young ; 
 Suddenly asunder broke their fetters strong : 
 Their care was past, a shout of joy was heard the knights among. 
 And down upon the meadow, from the battlements they sprung. 
 
 The sons of Bechtung did not at fii'st recognize their master, who, 
 during an absence of ten years, had become hoary. But when he 
 shewed them the wound on his head, which he had received when his 
 brothers expelled him from his inheritance, they were immediately satis- 
 fied. By their advice the city was set fire to in four places, and a loud 
 war-cry informed the citizens of Wolfdietrich's arrival. Twenty thou- 
 sand opposed his entrance, whom himself and his two-and-twenty 
 champions kept at bay, until he had sounded his horn, and given warn- 
 ing to his concealed troops to join him. After a long and bloody bat- 
 tle, an ancient knight stept before his fellow-citizens, reminded them 
 of their allegiance to Wolfdietrich, and recommended to throw them- 
 selves on his mercy. Instantly all their banners were cast to the
 
 130 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 ground, and the to\vn was delivered up to the rightful owner, who gave 
 it in charge to Duke Gherwart, and marched to the burgh of Atnis, 
 where his brothers resided. 
 
 When Boghen and Wassmut understood his approach, they proposed 
 to give liim battle after seven days. They sent their messengers to 
 the different parts of Greece, and soon collected'an army of forty thou- 
 sand, against whom Wolfdietrich could only bring into the field his 
 twelve thousand Lombards, and four thousand citizens of Constanti- 
 nople. 
 
 e 
 
 And now the truce was over, and on th' appointed day 
 
 The armies rushed together, all to the bloody fray ; 
 
 From their tents the}' issued in glittering array. 
 
 Before the city on the plain, their fortune to essay. 
 
 Proudly marched the Grecian host, their helmets laced they on ; 
 Bright their gleaming falchions, and bright their brunies shone. 
 O'er the blooming meadow trampled the destrers proud, 
 And all around resounded the horns of war aloud. 
 
 Wolfdieterich the brave straight his helmet laced. 
 And all his host in ireful mood, fast their hauberks braced: 
 He chose the boldest of his knights, the trusty Herebraad, 
 Grasped the storming banner, and placed it in his hand. 
 
 The banner of the faithless kings bore a noble duke : 
 Tow'rds Herebrant he spurred his steed that all the meadow shook ; 
 But he recked not for his boasting : together have they sped, 
 Herbrant pierced him with his lance, on the meadow fell he dead. 
 
 Together flew the heroes, tlie steeds together rushed ; 
 'Gainst the weighty bucklers their spears to splinters crushed; 
 Many a warrior in the press lost his courser's rein. 
 Fell among the horses' hoofs, ne'er to rise again. 
 
 Many a noble courser, lances sharp did pierce : 
 
 Tliere lay many riven shields, and many shivered spears. 
 
 8
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 131 
 
 Then iheii- glittering falchions from the sheatiis they drew, 
 Down they cast with deadly blows warriors brave and true. 
 
 Ever their noble chivalry and courage will I sing. 
 How their blades cut many a helm, and many an iron ring, 
 How they struck from hauberks, sparks of fire on high. 
 How the dust in clouds arose, darkening all the sky. 
 
 All the field was streaming with the tide of blood ; 
 From many a dying warrior's side rushed the gory flood. 
 But bolder far than other kemps, Wolfdietrich waged the fight; 
 Steeds and champions dead lay around the noble knight. 
 
 There his matchless force he showed, burning in his wrath ; 
 
 Habergeons he hewed asunder, striking blows of death; 
 
 All the Grecian chivalry fled before his brand : 
 E'en the boldest of them all feared his deadly hand. 
 
 After a most bloody combat, the forces of Boghen and Wassmut were 
 completely routed ; and they, with the principal barons of their party, 
 taken prisoners. They were brought to Constantinople, and there 
 swore fealty to their conqueror and rightful sovereign. 
 
 Wolfdietrich proceeded to the cathedral, where he saw the tomb of 
 Bechtung. He heaved up the stone, and beheld the dead body of his 
 beloved master. He called upon God to give him some token of his 
 soul's welfare, and immediately the bones assumed a glittering white- 
 ness. Many masses were sung for liis soul by the command of the 
 emperor. 
 
 Adventure Xin» 
 
 Having established the Grecian kingdom in peace, Wolfdietrich re- 
 turned to Lombardy, where the empress received his captive brothers 
 with so much courtesy, that he upbraided her with bestowing such fa- 
 voiu's upon his enemies, and neglecting his faithful companions. He
 
 132 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 resolved, notwithstanding his promise, to execute the two kings ; but 
 his knights understanding his purpose, persuaded the empress to ask 
 their lives of him. At length he yielded to her intreaties, took their 
 oaths of allegiance, and sent them to the possessions which his father 
 had bequeathed to them. 
 
 The emperor having prevailed over all his enemies, proceeded to 
 Rome, where he was crowned, and held a splendid plenar court. Sit- 
 ting on his throne, he received the oaths of all the vassals of the Ro- 
 man empire. On his return to Garten, he recollected the promise he 
 had made to the beautiful daughter of Count Werner of Terfs, and 
 sent Hartman with twelve knights to her father. Having expedited 
 this message, and received a hundred marks of gold, and rich dresses 
 of scarlet silk in reward, he returned to the emperor, and was soon fol- 
 lowed by the count and the fair Amey, accompanied by eight hundred 
 knights. A tournament was given in their honour, but no one dared 
 to run a course against Wolfdietrich. Herbrant exchanged rings with 
 the beauteous Amey, and they were that night married. 
 
 And when the evening sun was down, under pall they laid. 
 
 And oh ! liow full of love was Herbrant and the maid ! 
 
 Gently in her snowy arms lay the loving champion; 
 
 But ere they weened the night half past they cursed the morning sun. 
 
 After another tournament had been held in the morning, the em- 
 peror rewarded his faithfiil knights with rich possessions. To the new 
 bridegroom he gave the burgh of Garten, where he lived many years 
 with his wife, who bore three sons, from whom the Wolfings (Guelphs) 
 arc descended. The eldest was named Hildebrand, and proved the 
 faithful tutor and companion of Dietrich of Bern, tlie grandson of 
 Wolfdietrich ; the second was Ner, a brave champion ; and the third 
 the renowned monk Ilsan. He had also a daughter named Mergant, 
 from whom the doughty Wolfhart descended. The second of Bcch- 
 tung's sons, Hache, was created duke of Brisac ; he w as father to 
 
 Eckart, surnamed the true ; on the third, who bore his father's own 
 
 9
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES, 133 
 
 name, the emperor bestowed the duchy of Meran, which the old duke 
 had possessed ; the fourth, Bechtwin, was made lord of Kcrnerland ;• 
 the fifth and sixth obtained Saxony and Brabant ; and the other four 
 were sent to Greece, and rewarded with large dominions in that coun- 
 try. After they had sworn fidelity to the emperor, they departed to 
 their seveial possessions. 
 
 Wolfdietrich reigned for twenty years over the Roman empire, and 
 had a daughter, called after the empress, Sidrat, and a son named Hugh- 
 dietrich the young. The latter was given in charge to Herbrant, who 
 educated him with his own son Hildebrand, in all knightlike exercises. 
 Wlien the young prince was twelve years old, his mother Sidrat died, 
 and the emperor calling his barons together, declared his resolution to 
 retire into a monastery, for the welfare of his soul, and to give up the 
 crown to his son. All the vassals swore fealty to the young emperor, 
 nor could their most pressing solicitations dissuade the old monarch 
 from his pious intentions. 
 
 Adventure XIV. 
 
 At the very furthest extremity of Christendom stood the monaster) 
 of Tuskal, dedicated to St George. Thither Wolfdietrich proceeded, 
 became a monk, and led a most exemplary life. Having sent back his 
 son and his knights, who had accompanied him thither, he laid his arms 
 and his golden crown upon the altar, and commenced his holy occu- 
 pation. 
 
 But the friars' wicked gluttony he saw with angry mood; 
 Unequally amongst them they dealt their drink and food. 
 " Brethren," he spake, " to poor and rich alike the food divide: 
 Alas ! for your poor souls little boots your pride. 
 
 " Thus into your filthy maws your precious souls ye eat; 
 But, gluttons, in the fire of hell, hotly shall ye sweat." 
 
 ' Carniola.
 
 134 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 He snatched the dainty viands, and the poorer friars ted : 
 
 " Thus, brethren, let us honour him, that on the cross has bled." 
 
 o 
 
 VVrathfuliy two princes old, 'gainst the hero hied ; 
 
 But by their chins he caught them, and their beards together tied; 
 
 O'er a pole he hanged them ; for mercy loud the}- cried. 
 
 Swore to honour the poor friars, and leave their wicked pride. 
 
 The heathen king Tharigas had long borne enmity to the abbey, 
 and sent a messenger thither, ordering the monks to dehver themselves 
 into his hands. But Wolfdietrich consoled them, and bade the mes- 
 senger return and defy the pagan king. The latter was glad to escape 
 his fierce looks, and when he reached the capital of Tharigas, reflised 
 to carry any further messages to the abbey. Wlien the pagan heard 
 that the renowned champion Wolfdietrich was become a friar there, 
 he convened a great host, and marched to the abbey. Five other 
 kings served under him, all thirsting to revenge the injuries they liad 
 sustained from Wolfdietrich. But when they sent to demand the hero 
 from the monks, he issued out of the abbe}', and made a great slaugh- 
 ter amongst them. For half a year he continued these excursions, 
 and seldom returned without having killed sixty of them. 
 
 In the mean time he sent word of the perilous situation of the ab. 
 bey to his son, who immediately assembled his army, and was joined 
 by the sons of Bechtimg. With eighty thousand troops they marched 
 to the relief of the abbey, and were met by Wolfdietrich with his five 
 hundred friars. The host of the young emperor, according to his fa- 
 ther's direction, attacked the pagans on one side, while he with the 
 friars rushed against them on the other. The young Hughdictrich, 
 and his fellow Hildebrand, shewed themselves worthy of their descent; 
 but they were at last surrounded and unhorsed. Herbrant seeing them 
 fall, flew to their assistance, rescued them, and slew an incredible num- 
 ber of the enemies. But the deeds of the regular troops were not to 
 be compared to the atchievcmcnts of the friars and their leader. 
 
 Up and spake an ancient pagan, and plained him to Mahound : 
 " Alas and woe ! that friar old was bora in evil stound !
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 136 
 
 With his letters long and redj foully we are perplex'd. 
 
 For where that evil priest doth write we dare not read his text." 
 
 The heathen king Borok, brother to Palmunt the giant, was killed 
 by Wolfdietrich, and Tharigas himself was struck to the ground, and 
 taken prisoner, after the pagan banner had been cast down. Sixty thou- 
 sand of their host lay dead on the field, and the rest fled with precipita- 
 tion. The Christians had lost two thousand, amongst whom were six sons 
 of Bechtung. They were buried with many lamentations in the ab- 
 bey, and subsequently a splendid repast was provided in the refectory. 
 Tharigas was pardoned on his consenting to be baptised, and swearing 
 eternal fealty to the monastery. He sent for his vassals, who were 
 all christened, and swore allegiance to the abbots and monks. Then 
 they returned to their possessions, remaining ever after faitliful to 
 their superiors. 
 
 Wolfdietrich now took leave of his son and companions, and pro- 
 mised to visit them once every year. Hildebrand begged him to give 
 him armorial bearings ; and he gave him a shield with a wolf depicted 
 upon it, which his descendants have borne ever since, and from which 
 they have derived the denomination of Wolfings. ' 
 
 Strictly Sir Wolfdieterich kept his holy slate. 
 But to cleanse him of his sins he begged a penance great : 
 His brethren bade him on a bier in the church to lay. 
 There to do his penance all the night until the day. 
 
 When the night was come, to the church the hero sped : 
 Sudden all the ghosts appeared who by his sword lay dead. 
 Many a fearful blow they struck on the champion good ; 
 Ne'er such pain and woe he felt when on the field he stood. 
 
 Sooner had he battle fought with thousands in the field. 
 Striking dints with falchions keen on his glittering shield. 
 
 ' The German writers abound in fabulous genealogies of this race of princcsi See Me» 
 trical Romances, &c. Edinburgh, 1810, 1, p. xliii.
 
 136 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Half the night against the ghosts he waged the battle fierce : 
 
 But the empty air he struck when he weened their breasts to pierce. 
 
 Little recked they for his blows : with his terror and his woe. 
 
 Ere half the night was past his hair was white as snow. 
 
 And when the monks to matins sped, they found him pale and cold : 
 
 There the ghosts in deadly swoon had left the champion bold. 
 
 Having restored him to life, the friars thanked God for having granted 
 him such a severe penance, and cleansed him of his sins. He conti- 
 nued for sixteen years in this transitory life, and when his soid left its 
 mortal habitation, the angels appeared and conducted it to eternal 
 glory.
 
 THE 
 
 BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 BOOK THIRD. 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GARDEN OF ROSES, 
 
 AT 
 
 WORMS. 
 
 Adventure I. 
 
 On the banks of the Rhine is situated the magnificent city of Worms, 
 where in ancient time King Ghibich' reigned. He had three sons, 
 and a daughter of great beauty, named Chrimhilt, who was promised 
 in marriage to Siegfried, a hero from Nethei'land, whose courage was 
 so superlative, that " he caught the hons in the woods, and hung them 
 over the walls by their tails." Chrimhilt had a garden of roses before 
 the city, seven miles in length, surrounded only by a silken thread ; 
 but no one was suffered to enter it without giving battle to the twelve 
 gigantic guardians. These were the old King Ghibich, Gunter, Gher- 
 not, Haghen, Folker, Pusolt, Schruthan, Ortwin, Asperian, Walter of 
 Wachsenstein, Staudenfuss, and Siegfried himself. 
 
 » So he is denominated also in the older Scandinavian romances, but inihe Nibelungen 
 and the Wilkina-Saga lie is called Aldrian.
 
 J 38 THE BOOK OP HEROES. 
 
 One day Lady Chrimhilt was boasting of the invincibility of her 
 champions, when Folker of Alsace upbraided her for her pride and 
 presumption, and bade her beware of the Wolfings at Bern, in Lom- 
 bardy, and particularly of their leader, the renowned Dietrich. She 
 immediately called upon him to bear a message of defiance to him ; but 
 he refused, on account of the bravery and fierceness of the heroes of 
 Bern. But the youthful Duke Sabin of Brabant came before her, and 
 expressed himself willing to undertake the expedition, on the condi- 
 tion of obtaining the beautiful Saba, one of Lady Chrimhilt's damsels, 
 for his spouse. The damsel consented reluctantly, apprehensive of 
 never beholding her lover again. 
 
 Tlie duke having collected five hundred knights, set out on his 
 journey, and on the sixth day arrived within sight of the castle of Bern. 
 To guard themselves against any sudden attack, they grasped their 
 shields, and made themselves ready for battle. Dietrich was just sit- 
 ting at the high table, with his thousand knights and their ladies, and 
 when he beheld the strangers, bade his champions prepare for the 
 fight. But the noble duchess of Ghisel, in Lombardy, recognised the 
 duke of Brabant, and issuing from the castle, demanded the reason of 
 his entering the dominions of Dietrich without his safeguard. He 
 explained the nature of his message, and she conducted him into the 
 presence. It was, however, not easy to pacify the wrath of the 
 enraged Lombard. The chaplain read the letter of defiance, in which 
 the knight of Bern was challenged to come to Worms, with eleven 
 of his champions, every one of whom was to fight with one of Chrim- 
 hilt's, and the conqueror to be rewarded with a chaplet of roses, and 
 a kiss from the young queen. In the conclusion she threatened to 
 drive him fiom his possessions, if he refused the challenge ; which 
 so enraged Dietrich, that he swore none of the messengers should re- 
 turn alive. Both the parties prepared themselves for the engagement, 
 but the duchess begged the bold Sir Wolfort to intercede for the Bur- 
 cundians, oft'erintj to bestow on him one of her fairest damsels. He 
 declared that his mind was not bent on lady's love, but promised to 
 defend the guests, and to strike down the fii-st who lifted up his hand
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 139 
 
 against them. He armed himself, collected his knights, and rode up 
 to the Berner, declaring his resolution to defend the guests, and up- 
 braiding him with his treacherous intention. Old Hildebrant applaud- 
 ed his purpose ; and at last Dietrich saw his error, and received the 
 duke of Brabant courteously. They were splendidly entertained for 
 ten days, and a thousand marks of gold distributed amongst them. 
 Dietrich accompanied them through his dominions, and bade them 
 bear message to Lady Chrimhilt, that he would shortly appear before 
 Worms with twelve champions, and an army of sixty thousand men. 
 The duke returned to Burgundy, and having dispatched his message, 
 was rewarded with the hand of the beauteous Saba, with whom he re- 
 turned to his own dominions. 
 
 Adventure II. 
 
 Dietrich sitting in counsel, prayed Hildebrand to choose the seve- 
 ral champions who were to fight against the twelve guardians of the 
 garden of roses. The old hero advised Dietrich to fight with Sieg- 
 fried of Netherland. He himself undertook to challenge the old 
 King Ghibich. Against the other ten he directed Wolfort, Sigliestab, 
 Heyme, Wittich, young Ortwin, Eckart the ti'ue, Helmschrot, Duke 
 Amelolt, Monk Ilsan, and Dietlieb of Styrla. Sighestab was sent as 
 messenger to Styria, with five hundred knights, to induce the latter to 
 accompany them. But when he came thither, Bitteroif, the father of 
 Dietlieb, admonished him to abandon such a dangerous and fruitless 
 enterprise, and informed him that his son was gone to Bettelar. Sig- 
 hestab cared little for his admonitions, and immediately proceeded in 
 search of Dietlieb. But the old margrave Rudiger informed him 
 that the hero whom he sought was at the time in Transylvania, where 
 he had been wounded by a sea-monster. The indefatigable messenger 
 renewed his journey, but had the satisfaction of finding Dietlieb stand- 
 ing before the cathedral of Vienna ; who accepted the fight in tJie gar- 
 
 3
 
 lib THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 den of roses without hesitation, and proceeded to Bern with Sig- 
 hestab. 
 
 Dietrich had now assembled his army and all the champions, with 
 the exception of the warlike monk Ilsan, who dwelt in the abbey of 
 Eisenbiu'g. Thither he marched with his host, and encamped before 
 the walls. When Ilsan beheld the army lying on the territory of tlie 
 abbey, his face waxed green and yellow with anger. None of his bre- 
 thren dared to inquire the cause of his wrath. He explained to them 
 his alarm, bade them bring his armour, and declared his resolution 
 singly to attack and drive away the supposed enemies. He took an 
 iron pole, twelve fathoms long, and issued from the abbey. His bro- 
 ther Hildebrand was the fust to descry him, and perceiving his me- 
 nacing attitude, bade the host beware, armed himself, and came out to 
 meet liim. He endeavoured to avoid the blow of the monk's pole, 
 but was hit on the head, and his helmet struck off. Then Ilsan disco- 
 vered him to be his brother, and demanded the reason of the warlike 
 encampment before the abbey. Hildebrand related the challenge from 
 Worms, and Ilsan bade him ask the abbot to grant him leave of ab- 
 sence. Dietrich, with all his champions, proceeded to the gate of the 
 monastery, and the abbot issued with all his monks. He did not at 
 first grant the request, but expatiated on the impropriety of friars en- 
 gaging in temporal warfare. But Ilsan threatening to make him and 
 the friai-s answerable for the death of any of the Lombard champions, 
 the abbot granted him leave to accompany Sir Dietrich, on the con. 
 dition of his bringing him a chaplet of roses from Worms. Ilsan ex- 
 claimed, that every one of the friars should receive one, if they would 
 pray for his success, and for the welfare of his soul ; and that to obtain 
 them, he would fight with a number of champions ccpial to that of the 
 /Hars. They promiseil to pray for him day and niglit; but they were 
 weary of such a savage companion, and offered up daily prayers that 
 he might fall under the blows of the giant Staudenfhss. 
 
 Hildebrand guided the host towards Worms, and on the fifth day 
 they arrived on the opposite shore of the Khinc. There he acquainted
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 14 1 
 
 his companions that the ferryman was the most fierce and savage one 
 in Christendom, and that he and his twelve sons demanded, as re- 
 ward, a foot and a hand from every one wliom they ferried over. 
 
 Up and spake Monk Ilsan, — " Quickly will I ride. 
 And beg the savage ferryman to lead us o'er the tide; 
 When he views my mickle beard, and this grey cowl of mine. 
 He will deem us friars, and speed him o'er the Rhine." 
 
 " Marvel strange," spake Wolfort, " were it thus to beg. 
 And for such a host as our's to lose a hand and leg. 
 Pray him as ye pray an ass, when the sack he will not bear; 
 Tell him his lord and master, Satan, give him care." 
 
 ^Quickly sped Monk Ilsan, and cried to the ferryman bold, 
 " Say, wilt thou I'erry over and fetch twelve friars old?" 
 When he viewed his beard he spake, — " Yes, holy father mine." 
 He took his oars and rudder, and ferried o'er the Rhine. 
 
 But when he beheld the armed champions instead of the twelve cowled 
 monks, he heaved up his oar, and struck a weighty blow on the monk, 
 who had leaped into the boat. But the latter returned his blows so 
 forcibly, that he was obliged to pray for mercy, exclaiming that he 
 had never before met his match. And when he understood that the 
 heroes came upon Lady Chrimhilt's invitation, he quickly provided 
 ships for them, and ferried them to the opposite shore. 
 
 Adventure III. 
 
 When the arrival of the Lombard heroes was made known. King- 
 Ghibich went forth to receive them, accompanied with five hundred 
 knights. A splendid encampment was prepared for the guests be- 
 fore the city. Queen Chrimhilt soon appeared, with a train of three 
 hundred virgins, richly apparelled, to welcome Dietrich and his chani.
 
 142 THE BOOK OF HERO£S. 
 
 pions. Wolfort was so enraged at her pride and presumption, that he 
 declared he would give her a blow if she approached hiin ; but Hilde- 
 brand upbraided him for his want of courtesy, and Dietrich command- 
 ed every mark of honour to be paid to her. On her approach she 
 bade them be without fear, and gave them a truce of eight days, du- 
 ring which they were splendidly entertained with feasts and tourna- 
 ments. 
 
 On the ninth morning the truce was at an end, and Chrimhilt came 
 to propose the conditions ; but old Hildcbrand, who had little cour- 
 tesy towards the ladies, bade her beware, and leave the camp. She 
 complained of his uncourteous behaviour to the old king, who com- 
 manded the giant Pusolt to revenge her injury. When the Lombards 
 beheld him, they armed Wolfort, who leaped into the garden, tread- 
 ing the roses under his feet. The giant struck him to the ground, 
 but Hildebrand called to him, and encouraged him, that he arose again, 
 and, after a fierce fight, struck oft" the giant's head ; upon which Lady 
 Chrimhilt gave him the stipulated chaplet and the kiss. The old 
 king called upon Pusolt's brother, the giant Ortwin, to avenge his 
 death, against whom Sighestab appeared. They drove one another 
 about the garden for a long time, but in the end the giant shared his 
 brother's fate, and his opponent received the promised reward. Ghi- 
 bich cursed the fatal garden of roses, and begged Schruthan to re- 
 venge the fall of his champions, promising him half his kingdom if 
 he succeeded. The giant called out aloud, and demanded upon whom 
 he should take vengeance for the death of his two nephews. Heyme 
 was called upon to engage him, but was not immediately willing, 
 pleading the enormous strength of Schruthan. At last Hildebrand 
 encouiaged him to the fight, and he leaped into the garden, felled the 
 giant to the ground, and was rewarded with the chaplet and the kiss. 
 Asperian, a bolder giant than the former, now appeared, and defended 
 the garden, bearing a sword in each of his hands. Wittich, a cham- 
 pion of little size, but great strength, was called upon, but felt little 
 inclination to encounter the uncoulji champion. Not even the proftcr 
 of a dukedom could prevail upon him. Hildcbrand advised Dietrich
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 143 
 
 to offer his invaliial)le grey horse in exchange for Wittich's falcon, to 
 whicli the IJerner was very unwilling to consent. But when he saw 
 nothing else would induce Wittich to hazard the combat, he made the 
 offer, which was immediately accepted. The champion assaulted the 
 giant with the two swords, and after receiving many severe wounds, 
 put his opponent to flight, and received for reward from Dietrich the 
 horse, and fioni Chrimhilt the kiss and the chaplet. The old king 
 could not stifle his wrath, and called upon Staudenfuss, the fiercest of 
 all the giants, who lamented that he had not been the first, as he would 
 have put all the knights of Bern to flight. 
 
 'Mongst the roses Staudenfuss trod with mickle pride ; 
 With rage and with impatience, his foe iie did abide ; 
 
 Much he feared no Longobard would dare to meet his blade ; 
 
 But a bearded monk lay ready for the fight arrayed. 
 
 " Brother Ilsan, raise thine eyes," spake Sir Hildebrand, 
 
 " Where, 'mongst the blooming roses, our threatening foe does stand! 
 
 Staudenfuss, the giant hight, born upon the Rhine. 
 
 Up, and shrive him of his sins, holy brother mine!" — 
 
 , " It's I will fight him," cried the monk ; " my blessing shall he gain ; 
 Never 'mongst the roses shall he wage the figlit again." 
 Straight above his coat of mail his friar's cowl he cast. 
 Hid his sword and buckler, and to the garden past. 
 
 Among the blooming roses leaped the grisly monk : 
 With laughter ladies viewed his beard, and his visage brown and shrunk ; 
 As he trod with angry step o'er the flowery green, 
 Many a maiden laughed aloud, and many a knight, I ween. 
 
 Up spake Lady Chrimhilt, — " Father, leave thine ire! 
 Go and chaunt thy matins with thy brothers in the choir." 
 " Gentle lady," cried the monk, " roses must I have. 
 To deck my dusky cowl in guise right gay and brave."
 
 Hi THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Loudly laughed the giant, when he saw his beard so roujjh, — 
 " Should I laughiug die to-morrow, I had not laughed enough. 
 Has the kemp of Bern sent his fool to fight ?" — 
 " Giant, straight thy hide shall feel that I have my wits aright." 
 
 Up heaved the monk his heavy fist, and he struck a weighty blow, 
 Down among the roses he felled his laughing foe. 
 Fiercely cried Sir Staudenfuss, " Thou art the devil's priest! 
 
 Heavy penance dost thou deal -with thy wrinkled fist." 
 
 Together rushed the uncouth kemps; each drew his trusty blade; 
 With heavy tread below their feet they crushed the roses red ; 
 All the garden flowed with their purple t)lood ; 
 Each did strike full sorry blows, with their falchions good. 
 
 Cruel looks their eyes did cast, and fearful was their war. 
 But the friar cut his enemy o'er the head a bloody scar; 
 Deeply carved his trusty sword through the helmet bright: 
 Joyful was the hoary monk, for he had won the fight. 
 
 They parted the two champions speedily asunder : 
 The friar's heavy interdict lay the giant under. 
 Up arose Queen Chrimhilt, to Sirllsan has she sped. 
 On his bald head did she lay a crown of roses red. 
 
 Through the garden roved he, as in the merry dance ; 
 A kiss the lady gave him, where madly he did prance. 
 " Hear, thou lady fair; more roses must I have; 
 To my two-and-fifty brothers I promised chaplets brave. 
 
 " Ifyc have not kemps to fight, I must rob thy garden fair. 
 
 And right sorry should I be to work thee so much care." 
 
 " Fear not, the battle shaltthou wage with champions bold and true; 
 
 Crowns and kisses mayst thou gain for thy brothers fifty-two." 
 
 The next combat was fought between Walter of" Wachsenstcin and 
 the noble Dietlicb of Styria, both of them young heroes. 13y tlie 
 
 o
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 143 
 
 persuasion of Hildebrand, Clirimhilt consented to allow them to be 
 parted, and to bestow the stipulated reward on each of them. Then 
 King Ghibich called Folkcr of Alsace, surnamed the Fiddler, to the 
 fight, who bore a golden fiddle on his back. Young Ortwin was op- 
 posed to him, and put him to fligiit. The giant Haghen was now or- 
 dered to defend the garden, and the true Eckart defied him to the 
 combat. After a courteous salutation, they commenced the fight ; but 
 Chrimhilt, when she found her champion in danger, relieved him, by 
 crowning Eckart with the chaplet ; he, however, refused the kiss of a 
 maiden so cruelly inclined, and without truth. The young kings 
 Ghernot and Gunter fought successively with Helmschrot and Duke 
 Amelolt, and were both forced to fly to the ladies for shelter, cursing the 
 bloody disposition of their sister. When King Ghibich saw the evil 
 success of his champions, he armed himself, and was attacked by old 
 Hildebrand. The two aged champions waged a long and bloody fight. 
 At last the king was felled to the ground ; but Hildebrand spared his 
 life, at the intercession of his daughter. He received the chaplet, but 
 refused the kiss. 
 
 " Lady, keep thy kisses," spake Hildebrand the bold; 
 " Mine will I carry home with me, to my liousewife old; 
 Far her love is famed around, her stedfast faitb and sooth; 
 Why then should I kiss a maiden without truth i" 
 
 No champions now remained but Dietrich of Bern, and the horny 
 Siegfried. The latter leaped into the garden, and loudly upbraided 
 his opponent for making him wait. The knight of Bern was admo- 
 nished by Hildebrand and Wolfort to the fight, but he accused them 
 of conspiring his death. He feared particularly three things : — Sieg- 
 fried's sword Mimung,' his hauberk, made by Master Eckenbrecht, 
 
 * We have here another instance of the confusion which has taken place among the 
 writers of these romances. Mimung, according to the Wilkina-Saga, was the sword of 
 Vidga, or ^Vittich, not that of Siegfried, to whom the former lent it in the adventure cor- 
 responding with this portion of the Book of Heroes. ( See page 35. ) 
 
 T
 
 146 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 and the horny consistence of his skin, in consequence of his having 
 bathed in the dragon's blood. Hildebrand used every persuasion to 
 stimulate his master to the fight, and at last gave him a severe blow, 
 which Dietrich returned, and threw him to the ground. Ghibich up- 
 braided him with the disgrace he had received ; and at last, growing 
 ashamed of his fears, he mounted his horse, and entered the garden. 
 This battle was the fiercest that had yet been fought. Siegfried gave 
 the knight of Bern a severe wound, and was very near gaining the 
 victory, when Wolfort, to rouse his rage, cried out aloud, that Hilde» 
 brand had been murdered. This had the desired eflect. Dietrich cut 
 through the hauberk and the horny hide of his opponent, and forced 
 him to fly into the lap of Chrimhilt, who covered him with a veil, 
 and begged his life of the conqueror. But Dietrich would not be 
 pacified till Hildebrand shewed himself. Then he received the re- 
 ward from Chrimhilt, and retired. 
 
 Up spake the queen, — " Monk Ilsan, see your chaplets ready dight; 
 Champions two-and-fifty stand waiting for the fight." 
 Ilsan rose, and don'd his cowl, and run against them all ; 
 There the monk has given them many a heavy fall. 
 
 To the ground he felled them, and gave them his benison ; 
 Beneath the old monk's falchion lay twelve champions of renown, 
 And full of fear and sorrow the other forty were ; 
 Their right hand held they forth, begged him their liveB to spare. 
 
 Rathly ran the monk, to the queen Chrimhilt he hied : 
 
 " Lay thy champions in the grave, and leave thy mickle pride: 
 
 I have dight them for their death ; I did shrive them and anoint them 
 
 Never will they thrive or speed in the task thou didst appoint them. 
 
 " When again thy roses blow, to the feast the monk invite." 
 The Lady Chrimhilt gave him two-and-fifty chaplets bright. 
 " Nay, lady queen, remind thee! By the holy order mine, 
 I claim two-aud-fifty kisses from your lips so red and fine."
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 147 
 
 And when Chrimhilt, the queen, gave him kisses fifty-two, 
 Witli bis rough and grisly beard full sore lie made her rue. 
 That from her lovely cheek 'gan flow the rosy blood : 
 The queen was full of sorrow, but the monk it thought him good. 
 
 Thus should unfaithful maiden be kissed, and made to bleed. 
 And feel such pain and sorrow, for the mischief she did breed. 
 
 The old King Ghibich was obliged to swear fealty to Dietrich, and 
 take his dominions from him in fee. Chrimhilt never re-established 
 the garden of roses. The Lombards returned to Bern, where their 
 victory was celebrated with feasts and tournaments ; at the expiration 
 of which the monk took his leave, and returned to the abbey. When 
 he knocked at the gate, every thing was in consternation, and the 
 friars issued forth in procession, to deprecate his anger. 
 
 " Brothers mine, approach ! coronets I bring : 
 Come, your bald heads will I crown, each one like a king." 
 He pressed a thorny chaplet on each naked crown. 
 That o'er their rugged visages the gory flood ran down. 
 
 They sighed that all their prayers for his death had been in vain ; 
 Loud they roared, but silently they cursed him in their pain. 
 " Brothers we are," so spake the monk, " then must ye have your share; 
 For me to bear the pain alone, in sooth it were not fair. 
 
 " See how richly ye are dight ! beauteous still ye were ; 
 Now ye are crowned with roses, none may with ye compare." 
 The abbot, and the prior, and all the convent wept. 
 But no one, for his life, forth against him stept. 
 
 ■ " Ye must help to bear my sins, holy brethren all ; 
 For if ye do not pray for me, dead to the ground ye fall." 
 A few there were who would not pray for Monk llsan's soul : 
 He tied their beards together, and hung them o'er a pole.
 
 148 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Loud they wept, and long they begged, " Brother, let us go ; 
 At vesper and at matins will we pray for you." 
 Ever since, where'er he went, they knelt, and feared his wrath ; 
 Helped to bear his heavy sins, untill his welcome death.
 
 THE 
 
 BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 BOOK FOURTH. 
 
 OF 
 
 THE LITTLE GARDEN OF ROSES, 
 
 AND OF 
 
 LAURIN, KING OF THE DWARFS. 
 
 Hearken, knights of noble cheer ! 
 Many marvels shall ye hear ; 
 Wonders done in times of old. 
 In ancient parchments truly told : 
 How, in many distant lands. 
 Champions fought with glittering brands. 
 With giants bold, and dwarfish knights. 
 Many fierce and sturdy fights.* 
 
 • These lines are given as a specimen of the versification employed in this part of the 
 work, (perhaps the most valuable of the four,) in the printed copy. To have translated 
 all the specimens in this metre, would not have been very eligible, as the nakedness of the 
 original, and the frequent repetition of the same epithets and the same rhymes, would 
 have appeared too evident in a close version ; and to avoid this, great latitude in the 
 translation would have been necessary, to make it any way palatable, and more poetical 
 imagination than the present writer can make any pretensions to possess. But the most 
 valid confirmation of the propriety of employing the same metre as in the other parts of 
 the Book of Heroes, is the circumstance, that the MS. copy of this part, in the library at 
 Dresden, is actually in the same stanza as the other parts.
 
 150 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 In the land of Styria dwelt a youthful kemp of fame ; 
 
 Far was spread his high renown, and Dietlieb was his name. 
 
 A fair and lovely sister bred the noble blade : 
 
 Evef with laud and honour will I crown the gentle maid. 
 
 One morn, with all her virgins, she issued to the plain ; 
 Dietlieb, with three noble earls, followed in her train : 
 With many knights and squires she rode to an ancient linden tree ; 
 There in mirth and feasting lay the gallant company. 
 
 But sudden from their wondering eyes vanished Similt the bright : 
 With arts of cunning grammary, the robber wrought the sleight. 
 A tarn-cap o'er the fair he cast, and his prize he quickly bore. 
 Many a day and many a night, through forests dark and hoar. 
 
 He bore her to his cavern, where he ruled in royalty. 
 
 O'er savage hills and valleys, with his little chivalry. 
 
 The gentle maid he welcomed: " Thou shall wear the crown of gold. 
 
 And reign o'er many cunning dwarfs, and many giants bold." 
 
 " Hear, thou king of might and main," cried the beauteous may; 
 " It Dietlieb gave me for thy bride, I will dwell with thee for aye : 
 If not, no pleasure shall I know, but rest in dark despair, 
 Till back to the land of Styria a maiden I repair." 
 
 Up and spake the royal dwarf, — " Cast thy fears away : 
 Fifteen lordly kings thy sceptre shall obey. 
 On this middle-earth, not the richest king commands 
 Nobler peers and champions, nor rules o'er richer lands." 
 
 " But say," cried Lady Similt, " thy name, thou little knight; 
 
 Why so small thy body, and so great thy royal might?" — 
 
 " Lady, my name is Laurin ; bloody fights I fought. 
 
 Before I gain'd my royal crown, and deeds full knight-like wrought." 
 
 " Then," cried the lovely damsel, " since thy pow'r so great and wide. 
 
 Here 1 pledge my faith to thee." — The dwarf smiled on his bride.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 15J 
 
 In the mean time Dietlieb and his knights had sought the lady in 
 vain, but fearing themselves the spells of the magician by whom she 
 had been borne away, they abandoned the pursuit, and returned to 
 the castle. But Dietlieb was inconsolable for the loss of his sister. 
 He left his castle, and proceeded to the burgh of Garten, to consult 
 with old Hildcbrand, whose wisdom was renowned in those days. The 
 old hero marked his dejected countenance as he approached, and led 
 him into his chamber, where he received the news of the sudden dis- 
 appearance of Similt. He consoled the young knight, and promised 
 to make every exertion to discover and punish the ravisher, and bring 
 the lady back. Having armed themselves, they proceeded into the 
 forest, accompanied by the knights of Hildebrand, where they met a 
 forester, and were about to take him prisoner, when he deprecated 
 their wrath, and informed them that he had been outlawed by Laurin, 
 the mighty king of the hills and valleys. 
 
 He dwells among the mountains, and rules with royal might; 
 
 What though his form be little, he bears him like a knight. 
 
 Should hundred armed champions against him wage the fight. 
 
 They would fall in fearful jeopardy, before that little wight. 
 
 For two-and-thirty years he has graithed a spacious mead. 
 And a garden fair has planted all with the roses red ; 
 A silken line is drawn around : there many a champion good 
 Upon the blooming meadow has shed his purple blood. 
 
 Four portals to the garden lead, and when the gates are closed. 
 
 No living wight dare touch a rose, 'gainst his strict command opposed. 
 
 Whoe'er would break the golden gates, or cut the silken thread. 
 
 Or would dare to crush the flowers down beneath his tread. 
 
 Soon for his pride would leave to pledge a foot and hand : 
 
 Thus Laurin, king of dwarfs, rules within his land. 
 
 In this manner Laurin committed great ravages in the forest of the 
 Tyrol, and Hildebrand resolved to communicate his intelligence to
 
 152 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Dietrich and his heroes, and to stimulate younger knights than him- 
 self to undertake the enterprise, and punish the presumption of the 
 dwarf. Having returned to Bern, and remained there some time, he 
 one day related to Wittich, the son of Wieland, who was extolling the 
 matchless prowess of Dietrich, the strange and perilous adventure. 
 But Dietrich overheard him, blamed him for having so long concealed 
 it, and immediately resolved to put down the pride of the little mo- 
 narch. Wittich undertook to accompany him in the expedition. 
 Having put on their armour, they issued from the burgh of Bern, and 
 entered the thick and mountainous forest of the Tyrol ; and after having 
 proceeded about thirty miles, they discovered the spacious meadow, 
 and the garden of roses. The knight of Bern was so charmed with its 
 beauty, that he was unwilling to begin the work of destruction ; but 
 Wittich exclaiming against the pride and presumption of Laurin, im- 
 mediately began its desolation. 
 
 WiUich, the mighty champion^ trod the roses to the ground. 
 Broke down the gates, and ravaged the garden far renowned : 
 Gone was the portals' splendour, by the heroes bold destroyed ; 
 The fragrance of the flowers was past, and all the garden's pride. 
 
 But as upon the grass they lay, withouten fear. 
 No heed they had of danger, nor weened their foe was near : 
 Behold, where came a little kenip, in warlike manner dight; 
 A king he was o'er many a land, ■ and Laurin was he hight 
 
 A lance with gold was wound about, the little king did bear: 
 
 On the lance a silken pennon Hultered in the air; 
 
 Thereon two hunting grey-hounds lively were pourtrayed ; 
 
 They seemed as though they chaced the roebuck through the glade. 
 
 His courser bounded like a fawn, and the golden foot-cloth gay 
 
 Glittered with gems of mound, brighter than the day. 
 
 Firmly in his hands he grasped a golden rein ; 
 
 And with rubies red his saddle gleamed, as he pricked along the plain.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 153 
 
 In guise right bold and chivalrous in the stirrups rich he stood : 
 Not the truest blade could cut his pusens red as blood: 
 Hardened was his hauberk in the gore of dragons fierce, 
 And his golden bruny bright not the boldest knight miglit pierce. 
 
 Around his waist a girdle he wore of magic power; 
 The strength of twelve the strongest men it gave him in the stour. 
 Deeds of noble chivalry and manhood wrought the knight; 
 Still had he gained the victory in every bloody fight. 
 
 Cunning he was, and quaint of skill, and when his wrath arose. 
 The kemp must be of mickle might could stand his weighty blows. 
 Little was King Laurin, but from many a precious gem 
 His wondrous strength and power, and his bold courage came. 
 
 Tall at times his stature grew, with spells of grammary ; 
 
 Then to the noblest princes fellow might he be : 
 
 And when he rode, a noble blade bore he in his hand ; 
 
 la many fights the sword was proved worth a spacious land. 
 
 Silken was his mantle, with stones of mound inlaid. 
 Sewed in two-and-seventy squares, by many a cunning maid. 
 His helmet, strong and trusty, was forged of the weighty gold. 
 And when the dwarf did bear it, his courage grew more bold. 
 
 In the gold, with many gems, a bright carbuncle lay. 
 
 That where he rode the darkest night was lighter than the day. 
 
 A golden crown he bore upon his helmet bright; 
 
 With richer gems and finer gold no mortal king is dight. 
 
 Upon the crown and on the helm birds sung their merry lay ; 
 Nightingales and larks did chaunt their measures blithe and gay; 
 As if in greenwood flying, they tuned tiieir minstrelsy: 
 With hand of master were they wrought, and with spells of grammary. 
 
 On his arm he bore a gilded buckler bright ; 
 
 There many sparhawks, tame and wild, were pourtrayed with cunning sligli t, 
 
 u
 
 154 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 And a savage leopard ranging, prowling through the wood. 
 Right in act to seize his prey, thirsting tor their blood. 
 
 When Wittich beheld the gorgeous array of the dwarf, lie imagined 
 some angel, most probably St Michael, appeared to them ; but Diet- 
 rich immediately supposed him to be the lord of the garden, and ad- 
 vised his companion to fasten his helmet, and lace his armour tight. 
 Upon the dwarf's approach, they saluted him courteously, but were 
 overwhelmed with the most insulting reproaches in return. He or- 
 dered them instantly to quit the garden, and to choose between death 
 and the usual penalty he had imposed upon all those who transgressed 
 his commands — losing the left foot and the right hand. Wittich, who 
 possessed great valour, but little prudence, said to the knight of Bern, 
 that he would revenge the insults they had received ; and taking the 
 horse, which was the size of a goat, and the dwarf in one hand, throw 
 them against the rock. But Dietrich counselled him to beware, know- 
 ing the miraculous strength which was often inherent in the most di- 
 minutive dwarfs ; and recollecting what unprovoked injury they had 
 done to the little king, he wished himself safely returned to his castle of 
 Bern, and advised his companion to collect all his strength when he 
 attacked their diminutive opponent. Wittich was wroth at what he 
 supposed cowardice in his master, and boasted that he would hang up 
 a thousand such champions, if they dared to oppose him. King Lau- 
 rin heard his bravadoes, and courteously invited liim to try the com- 
 bat. Wittich, having laced his helmet fast, leaped upon his courser, 
 and run against him. But his force was of no avail against the magic 
 power of his opponent, whose lance hit him on the helmet, and struck 
 him to the ground, where he writhed M'ith shame and anguish. The 
 dwarf leaped out of his stirrups, bound him, and was about to take 
 the forfeit he usually exacted upon the knights whom he vanquished, 
 when Dietrich struck his falchion aside, and defied him to the combat. 
 King Laurin ui)braidcd him for^the insults he had dared to commit 
 against him, and rejoiced in the hope of subduing the far-famed hero 
 of Bern.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 155 
 
 They both mounted their hoi'ses, and were just about to run the 
 course, one against the other, when the sage Hildcbrand arrived, with 
 DietHeb and Sir Wolfort. The old hero advised Dietrich to beware 
 of the dwarf's strength, and to recollect that he could never appear 
 with honour at the court of princes, if he should be felled to the ground 
 by such a diminutive opponent. He counselled him to try the com- 
 bat on foot, and not to attempt to penetrate his armour, but strike 
 him a heavy blow upon the ear. Dietrich followed the old hero's ad- 
 vice, leaped from his horse, and defied the dwarf to close combat, 
 which he imiiiediately accepted. King Laurin at the first outset struck 
 the shield out of Dietrich's hand, but the latter gave him such heavy 
 blows upon his helmet, that he began to despair of the victory, and 
 cursed the untimely arrival of Hildebrand, without whose intervention 
 he could not have failed to gain the day. When he found that he 
 would fall under the sword of his opponent, he took a tarn-cap out of 
 his pouch, cast it over his head, and instantly disappeared from the 
 sight of the five knights. But though invisible, he continued to strike 
 at his foe, and wounded him in twelve different places. The rage of 
 Dietrich was boundless, and his breath became fiery ; a quality which 
 it always possessed when he was greatly enraged, and which proved 
 very useful to him in the sequel of thi^dventure. He struck the air 
 in all directions, and cut into the rocks the depth of an ell, but the 
 dwarf knew well how to avoid his blows. Hildebrand continually en- 
 couraged his master to keep up the battle ; and when he found that all 
 was vain, he counselled him to challenge his little enemy to wrestle 
 with him, and if he once caught him, not to let him escape. The dwarf 
 accepted the defiance, and, pulling him by the legs, threw him to the 
 ground. There they wrestled for a long time, till Hildebrand called 
 to the champion of Bern to seize him by the magic girdle, and en- 
 deavour to break it asunder. Dietrich followed the advice, heaved 
 the dwarf up by his girdle, and threw him so violently against the 
 rocks, that all the valleys re-choed to the fall. The necromantic gir- 
 dle was broken asunder, and fell on the ground. Hildebrand imme- 
 diately seized it, and thus left to King Laurin no more than the ordi-
 
 156 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 nary strength of a dwarf. He was now forced to submit to the victor, 
 and hiunbly to pray for his Hfe. But though he offered to deHver up 
 all the immense treasures concealed in his subterraneous dominions, 
 Dietrich was so enraged at the opposition he had experienced from an 
 enemy apparently so contemptible, that he bade him prepare for death, 
 nor indulge in the hope of being suffered to live longer. 
 
 Laurin had now recourse to the only resource he had left. He 
 called upon Dietlieb, flattered his vanity, by extolling his prowess, and 
 begged him to save his life, for the sake of his sister, whom he had in 
 his possession. The knight of Styria promised to intercede for him, 
 and prayed him of Bern to deliver up the dwarf to him, offering to 
 continue in his service for his whole lifetime. But Dietrich refused 
 to hearken to any of his offers, whereupon the brother of Similt laced 
 fast his helmet, took his horse by the bridle, and coming up to Diet- 
 rich, told him that he was prepared to be the dwarf's champion, and 
 to defend his brother-in-law to the last extremity, against any one who 
 dared to offer him an injury. Having given this defiance, he took 
 the little king by the hand, led him away, and concealed him in the 
 forest. 
 
 Dietrich did not say a word, but by his angry eye Dietlieb saw his 
 rage, and knew that he woul^ be obliged to combat with him. The 
 knight of Bern grasped his shield and spear, and bade Hildebrand 
 bring his steed. Having mounted, he rode to the course, and found 
 the Styrian ready to abide his fury. They rushed together with such 
 force, that both the knights fell over the crupper of their horses. 
 Dietlieb struck his opponent's shield out of his hand, but Dietrich, 
 heaving up his sword with both his hands, felled him to the ground. 
 He rose again, and the fight was renewed ; but Hildebrand, seeing the 
 fury of the champions, bade Wolfort and Wittich part them, and be- 
 gan to negociate a peace, in which Laurin was to be included. When 
 the dwarf understood this, he came forth from his retreat, and gave 
 Dietlieb an account of the manner of his having obtained his sister, 
 who was as yet a virgin, vaunting to him the power and immense 
 riches which were at her connnand. Dietlieb demanded to see her,
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 157 
 
 and promised, in case he found his account true, to give her to him for 
 his spouse. Hiidebrand had in the meantime advised the knight of 
 Bern to endeavour, by every concession, to obtain the service of the 
 valorous Dietheb, to which he consented ; and a general peace was con- 
 cluded between the champions and King Laurin, who promised to 
 lead them into his subterraneous dominions, and to show them their 
 wonders. 
 
 To his brother spake the king of dwarfs, — " Since fellows now we be, 
 
 I will subject all my treasures and all my might to thee: 
 
 With your knights I'll lead you into the hollow bill; 
 
 There many a dwarf, alert and fair, shall serve ye at your will. 
 
 " There, my fellows, shall ye find pastimes biythe and gay ; 
 With song of birds and play of harps, a week will seem a day : 
 All the merry pastimes never may I tell : 
 There, without all guile and ff;'ar, in pleasures shall ye dwell." 
 
 Dietrich and his companions counselled with Hiidebrand, on the 
 propriety of believing the fair promises of King Laurin. The old hero 
 advised them, as they trusted their reputation, to accept the invita- 
 tion, and not to cast any imputation upon their courage. Wolfort 
 expressed great curiosity to view the wonders of the caverns, but 
 Wittich warned them not to confide in the deceitful words of the lit- 
 tle king, and to beware of " his lies and idle phantasies, wrought by 
 the devil's cunning ;" for which he was upbraided and laughed at by 
 his companions. Enraged at their ridicule, he leaped on his courser, 
 and, without uttering a word, gallopped on before them. When the 
 other knights came up, they inquired of the dwarf what distance they 
 were from his cavern, and were informed that they had yet fifteen miles 
 to ride. 
 
 Darker grew the night, and the little monarch cried, 
 " Follow me, you heroes bold, through the forest wide ;
 
 158 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Soon before a cavern sliall ye view a fountain : 
 
 We'll spend the nigiit with mirth and glee in the hollow mountain." 
 
 The little king they followed, but the night was dark and dreary, 
 And as through the forest's shade they rode, the kemps grew wroth and weary ; 
 But soon their anger past away, when the fountain clear they viewed: 
 There King Laurin bade them leap from their coursers good. 
 
 To the mountain's gate he hied ; there hung a bell of gold ; 
 Quickly he drew the siring, and the bell has loudly tolled ; 
 Through all the hollow hill aloud the sound did ring: 
 Soon the portals they unclosed, to their master and their king. 
 
 And when the gates were opened, forth a splendour gleamed; 
 Brighter than the day it shone, and around the forest beamed; 
 From many a gem the splendour came, hung in the cavern bright: 
 Wond'ring stood the heroes, when they viewed the magic light. 
 
 Up spake the trusty knight of Bern, — " Marvels strange we view ! 
 
 I ween, carbuncles in the cave, are hung of glittering hue." — 
 
 " Leave your coursers on the mead," — spake King Laurin, bold and free ; 
 
 " Come, ye kemps, we'll spend the night in mirth and jollity. 
 
 " A knight of worth and courage high that hollow hill commands ; 
 In fee I gave him castles strong, and many spacious lauds ; 
 He will graitheye noble cheer, the bread and sparkling wine: 
 Follow me without all fear, gentle brothers mine." 
 
 The champions sped into the cave, where many dwarfs appeared ; 
 Tliere the merry song of birds, and the sound of harps they heard : 
 The trumpets clear resounded in the royal hall aloud : 
 To the deas had sped the host, when he viewed the champions proud. 
 
 There they brought him tiding of his royal guest: 
 Laurin, his uiiglily suzerain, bade him graithe the feast. 
 The heroes five he welcomed, and bade his meiny dight 
 Noble cheer and chambers fair, to rest them for the night.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 159 
 
 They placed them all the table round, and made them royal cheer; 
 Costly meats and wine they brought for each bold compeer ; 
 At the feast the noble host made them biythe and gay : 
 When they had supped in roy;il guise, the deas was borne away. 
 
 To Laurin spake the host, — " Say, thou king of might. 
 How long the royal feast for these champions shall I dight?" — 
 " To-morrow, with the rising sun, to my palace will we ride. 
 There to shew these noble kemps ail its gorgeous pride." 
 
 The night they spent right merrily, with pastimes biythe and gay. 
 
 Leave took the little monarch, and prepared to pass away. 
 
 When the dwarfs unclosed the portals, quickly 'gan he say, 
 
 " Pale grows the moon, and speedily in the east will gleam the day," 
 
 The champions having severally taken leave of the ruler of the cave, 
 and thanked him for his noble entertainment, departed. The sun 
 broke out in aU its splendour, and King Laurin led the way. They 
 travelled through the forest with speed, and, after riding fifteen miles, 
 arrived before the habitation of the little king of the mountains. 
 
 Before the hollow mountain lay a meadow green ; 
 So fair a plain upon this world never may be seen ; 
 There with the fruit full many a tree was laden heavily ; 
 No tongue e'er tasted sweeter, fairer no eye might see. 
 
 All the night and all the day the birds full sweetly sung. 
 That the forest and the plain to their measures loudly rung ; 
 There they tuned their melody, and each one bore his part. 
 That with their merry minstrelsy they cheered each hero's heart. 
 
 And o'er the plain were ranging beasts both wild and tame. 
 
 Playing, with merry gambols, many a lusty game : 
 
 On the noble champions fondly 'gan they fawn : 
 
 Each morn, beneath the linden tree, they sported on the lawn. 
 
 o
 
 160 THE BOOK OF HEROES, 
 
 The meadow seemed so lovely, the flowers bloomed so fair, 
 Tiial he who had the plain in rule would know nor woe nor care. 
 Up and spake the knight of Bern, — " So high my heart doth rise. 
 So full of joy the meadow, that I hold it paradise." 
 
 Up spake hero Wolfort, — " Bless him who brought us here ! 
 So fair a sight did ne'er before to mortal eye appear." 
 
 " Enjoy the scene, young kemps," cried Hiidebrand tlie proud ; 
 " Fair day should in the eveniag be praised with voice aloud." 
 
 But Wittich spake a warning word, — " Hark to my reed aright! 
 The dwarf is quaint, and full of guile, then beware his cunning sleight ; 
 Arts he knows right marvellous, if to his hollow hill 
 
 We follow, much I dread me, he will breed us dangerous ill." 
 
 " Fear not," cried King Laurin ; " doubt not my faith and truth ; 
 The meadow blythe your own shall be, and my treasures all, forsooth." 
 Proudly cried bold Wolfort, — " Wittich, stay thee here ; 
 Enter not the hollow hill, if his treachery thou fear." 
 
 " Never," cried fierce Wittich ; " here will I not stay." 
 In wrath he left his courser ; without fear he sped away : 
 Before the mountain-gate he run, there hung a horn of gold ; 
 Quick he blew a merry strain : Loud laughed Sir Dietrich bold. 
 
 Soon toward the mountain sped the little knight. 
 And with him all the heroes of high renown and might: 
 King Laurin blew upon the horn a louder note, and shrill. 
 From all the mountains echoing, and resounding on the hill. 
 
 Quickly ran the chamberlain where he found the golden key. 
 And threw the spacious portals open speedily. 
 King Laurin led his guests through the golden gate; 
 There many dwarfs, alert and fair, their coming did await. 
 
 When through anotiier gate of steel the noble knights had passed. 
 At the little king's command, were closed the portals fast.
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. i6l 
 
 A necromancer, old and sage, dwelt in the hollow hill ; 
 Soon he came to Laurin, and asked his master's will. 
 
 " Look upon those strangers," spake the little knight ; 
 
 " Kemps they are of high emprise, and love the bloody fight: 
 
 Cast upon them, master mine, for the love of me, 
 
 A magic spell, that none of them may the others see." 
 
 Upon the knights his magic charms cast the sorc'rer fell ; 
 None could behold his brothers, so mighty was the spell. 
 Loudly cried Sir Wittich, " Mark my counsel now ; 
 I told ye that the little king would breed ye cares enow. 
 
 " What think ye now. Sir Wolfort ?" spake the hero stern : 
 " I warned ye all to shun the dwarf, and speed ye back to Bern." 
 About the cavern roved they, in mickle woe and care ; 
 Fiercely to the king they cried, " Is this thy promised fare !" 
 
 But up spake little Laurin, " Fear not, my noble guests ; 
 All my courtiers shall obey quickly your behests." 
 Many a winsome dwarf was seen, graithed in rich attire; 
 Garments bright with gold and gems bore each little sire. 
 
 From the gems full mighty stiength had the dwarfish chivalry : 
 Quaintly they danced, and on their steeds they rode right cunningly; 
 Far they cast the heavy stone, and in their warlike game. 
 They broke the lance, and tourneyed before the knights of fame. 
 
 There many harpers tuned their lay, and played with mirth and glee. 
 
 Loudly, in the royal hall, their merry minstrelsy. 
 
 Before the table high appeared four learned singing men. 
 
 Two short, and two of stature tall, and sung in courtly strain. ' 
 
 ' The lines stand thus in the original : 
 
 Auch sah man vor dem tische stahn, 
 Vier wol gelehrte singend man, 
 Zwen kurz, und auch darzu zwen lang, 
 Die sangen hoefelichen gsang. 
 X
 
 162 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 Soon to the table sped the king, and bade his meiny all 
 
 Wait upon his noble guests, in the royal hall. 
 
 " Chosen knights, and brave they are/' he spoke with friendly cheer : 
 
 Guile was in his heart, and cunning ; but his treach'ry bought he dear. 
 
 Similt, the lady fair, heard of the royal feasts : 
 
 Of her meiny did she speir, " Who are the stranger guests ?" 
 
 " Noble knights of German birth," spake a kemp of stature small ; 
 
 " Laurin bids ye speed to court, for well ye know them all." 
 
 Quickly spake the lady, — " Up, my damsels fair; 
 
 Deck ye in your richest guise, for to court we will repair." 
 
 Soon they dight them royally in glittering array; 
 
 Full blythe they were to speed to court with Similt, the gentle may. 
 
 There came many a minstrel, tuning his lay of mirth ; 
 Shawms and trumpets shrill they blew, the sweetest on the earth. 
 There full many a song was sung, by learned singing men ; 
 Of war and chivalrous emprize they tuned the noble strain. 
 
 Now to court, in bright array, all the maids are gone. 
 
 With many a knight not two feet long ; one leaped, the other run ; 
 
 Merry were they all : and before the lovely dame. 
 
 Two tall,,two little gleemen sung the song of fame. 
 
 Before the queen they chaunted the merry minstrelsy. 
 And all who heard their master-notes dwelt in mirth and glee. 
 There fiddlers quaint appeared, though small their stature were. 
 Marching, two and two, before the lady fair. 
 
 Similt into the palace came, with her little maidens all ; 
 Garments they wore which glittered brightly in the hall. 
 Of fur and costly ciclatoun, and broches of the gold : 
 No richer guise in royal courts might mortal man behold. 
 
 The gentle lady Similt bore a golden crown ; 
 
 There full many a precious stone around the cavern shone;
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 163 
 
 But one before the others glittered gorgeously : 
 
 The wight who wore that noble gem ever biylhe must be. 
 
 And now the spell was ta'en away from the champions bold : 
 
 Full glad they were when openly their feres they might behold. 
 
 Right noble cheer was offered to the champions brave ; 
 
 In royal guise the feast was held the whole day in the cave. 
 
 Similt received the guests, and particularly her brother, with the 
 greatest affection ; and when the latter inquired whether she wished 
 to stay with the dwarf, or whether he should endeavour her libera- 
 tion, she answered, that though she had all her heart's wislaes in the 
 cave, and was attended upon in the most splendid manner, she could 
 not endure the absence of her friends, nor the paganism of her pre- 
 sent pigmy attendants. Dietlieb promised to effect her liberation by 
 whatever means he could devise. 
 
 The guests were now invited to the high table, after having unwarily 
 laid off" their armour and weapons, which were borne away by two 
 chamberlains. The high table was of ivory, quaintly carved with 
 figures of men and beasts, and the benches covered with scarlet vel- 
 vet. During the feast they were entertained with singing, reading, 
 and juggling ; and when it was over. King Laurin bade Similt go in- 
 to her chamber : but as soon as she quitted the haU, the knights were 
 again spell-bound, and unable to see one another. The king proceeded 
 to the chamber of Similt, and related to her all the injuries he had 
 received from the guests, dwelling particularly on the loss of the 
 girdle. He excepted, however, her brother, against whom he had 
 no malice, and whom he promised to treat with all manner of cour- 
 tesy. Similt having obtained his vow, that he would merely punish 
 the four heroes, but not touch their life, gave him a ring, endued with 
 the same qualities as the magic girdle. Feeling liis strength increa- 
 sed twelve-fold, he sent for Dietlieb, and endeavoured, by every per- 
 suasion, to win him over to his service, and to separate him from his 
 companions. But Dietlieb steadily refused, declaring, that he wished 
 
 6
 
 104 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 to share the same fate as liis brethren ; for wluch refusal King Lau- 
 rin locked him up in a chamber, apart from his companions. 
 
 The little king returned to the four knights, and challenged them 
 to drink, having previously prepared a strong potion, which threw 
 them instantly into a death-like sleep, that they fell off the benches 
 upon the floor. Then Laurin sent for a giant, who took them up, 
 and tied them to a pole, which he lifted upon his shoulders. Follow- 
 ing the king through many vavilts, he bore them to a black and deep 
 dungeon, and threw them into it. There they lay all the night, and 
 awoke in the morning in terror and despair. Fortunately Dietrich 
 was seized with his habitual rage, and the fiery breath which issued 
 from his nostrils burnt the cords with which one of his hands was fas- 
 tened, and liberated it. He soon released the other, and struck the 
 iron chains with which his legs were bound asunder. Then he freed 
 his companions, one after the other, from their bonds ; but without 
 their armour they could not issue from the dungeon, where they lay, 
 without food or drink, for three days. 
 
 Dietlicb was in the mean time confined in the chamber ; but his 
 sister having at last found the key, liberated him. He immediately 
 asked after his companions ; and wlien he heard of their imprisonment, 
 called for his armour, which she delivered to him, giving him at the 
 same time a ring of magic virtue, which gave victory to him who bore 
 it in battle. Then she led him to the place where the armour of bis 
 companions lay, which he took up, and bore to the dungeon. He 
 endeavoured to call to them, but the depth of the prison prevented his 
 voice from reaching their ears. Then he threw their arms down to 
 them, and prepared to oppose himself to King Laurin, who, observing 
 his liberation, had blown his horn in the cavern. All the dwarfs 
 flocked around him, to the number of a thousand, clad in glittering- 
 hauberks. He bade them attack the great Christian knight, and im- 
 mediately three hundred rushed upon him. A champion, scarcely an 
 ell in length, stepped before the host, and defied the knight, who fell- 
 ed him to the ground with a weighty stone. Laurin bade his little 
 army rush against him in a body, and at the same time to guard the
 
 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 165 
 
 entrance to the dungeon, and prevent the imprisoned knights from 
 escaping. But Dietheb standing with his back against a wall, de- 
 fended himself so well with his good sword Walsung, that he felled 
 many of the little knights to the ground. Meanwhile Dietrich and 
 his knights had issued from the dungeon, but, by reason of the spell, 
 they could not see any of their friends or enemies. Hildcbrand gave the 
 magic girdle which Laurin had borne to the knight of Bern, which 
 at once undid the spell, and gave him the power of twelve men ; ad- 
 vising him to take the magic ring from the hand of the king, if he 
 could subdue him. Dietrich instantly rushed into the little multitude, 
 the number of which had now increased to twenty thousand, amongst 
 whom he made such slaughter, that above two thousand lay dead 
 around him. King Laurin viewing his valour, opposed himself to 
 him, but was struck to the ground by the knight of Bern. His ring 
 was taken from him, and given to Hildebrand, who, recovering his 
 sight, and obtaining the additional strength of twelve men, rushed in- 
 to the midst of the dwarfs, and made great havoc amongst them. 
 
 One of the pigmy knights seeing the jeopardy in which King Lau- 
 rin was placed, issued from the hollow hill, blew the horn aloud, and 
 rung the alarum bell. Five giants dwelt in the forest, who were sub- 
 ject to the little king. When they heard the sound of the horn, and 
 of the bell, they armed themselves, convened together on a meadow, 
 and resolved to succour their sovereign. When the horn was blown 
 the third time, they appeared before the cavern. The three cham- 
 pions had in the mean time killed twelve thousand of the dwarfs, and 
 the others fled, or concealed themselves in the different chambers. 
 When the five giants saw the streams of blootl which flowed in the 
 cave, they defied the three champions, and grasping their iron poles, 
 attacked them. Hildebrand had advised AYolfort and Wittich to re- 
 main quietly in the cave, as they were unable to view their enemies ; 
 but they could not subdue their courage, when they heard the blows 
 of their companions resounding in the cavern. They laced their 
 helmets, grasped their swords and bucklers, and leaped into the 
 throng. Similt had heard their discourse, and admiring their valour,
 
 166 THE BOOK OF HEROES. 
 
 gave each of them a ring, which instantly restored their sight. Two 
 thousand dwarfs rushed against them, and endeavoured to oppose 
 their junction with their companions ; but their valour was irresis- 
 tible : they hewed their way through the host, and found Dietrich, 
 Dietlieb, and Hildebrand engaged with three of the giants. They 
 engaged the two others, who, with their brothers, endeavoured to es- 
 cape from the hollow hill, but were soon felled by the falchions of the 
 five knights. King Laurin viewing the destruction of all his chivalry, 
 gave himself up to despair, and was forced to surrender as prisoner. 
 No living creature was found in the cavern, with the exception of 
 himself and Lady Similt. Many waggons were laden with the riches of 
 the hollow hill, and King Laurin was brought to Bern, and there 
 obliged to serve in the disgraceful office of juggler to the court. 
 On their return, they found Bitterolf, the father of Dietlieb, under 
 the linden tree where Similt had been borne away. He invited them 
 to the castle of Styria, where they were entertained splendidly, and 
 Similt was married to a worthy knight. After some days, Dietrich, Hil- 
 debrand, Wittich, and Wolfort took leave of Bitterolf and Dietlieb, 
 and returned to Bern, where they celebrated their victory with feast- 
 ing and tournaments. 
 
 " Here ends the adventure of Similt the beauteous queen, of the 
 little Laurin, and of Dietrich and his companions, who lived in mirth 
 and joy ; and God send us his help, that at all hours we may live in 
 joy, and succeed in our undertakings. Henry of Ofterdingen has 
 sung this adventure so masterly, that princes loved him for it, and 
 gave him silver and gold, pennies, and rich garments. Here ends the 
 Book of the chosen Heroes. God give us all his blessing !"
 
 Ber j^ibelungen lielj. 
 
 THE 
 
 SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 Adventure I. — Of the Nibelungen. 
 
 In ancient song and story marvels high are told. 
 Of knights of high emprize, and adventures manifold ; 
 Of joy and merry feasting ; of lamenting, woe, and fear ; 
 Of champions' bloody battles many marvels shall ye hear. 
 
 A noble maid, and fair, grew up in Burgundy ; 
 
 In all the land about fairer none might be : 
 
 She became a queen full high ; Ciirimhild was she hight ; 
 
 But for her matchless beauty fell many a blade of might. 
 
 For love and for delight was framed that lady gay ; 
 Many a champion bold sighed for the gentle may: 
 Full beauteous was her form, beauteous without compare ; 
 The virgin's virtues might adorn many a lady fair. 
 
 Three kings of might and power had the maiden in their care, — 
 King Gunter and King Ghernot, (champions bold they were,) 
 And Ghiseler the young, a chosen, peerless blade : ' 
 The lady was their sister, and much they loved the maid. 
 
 ' Original, degen, a sword. The term is very often used for a knight or hero, and In
 
 168 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 These lords were mild and gentle, born of the noblest blood ; 
 Unmatched for power and strength were the heroes good : 
 Their realm was Burgundy, a realm of mickle might. 
 Since then, in the land of Elzel, dauntless did they fight. 
 
 At Worms, upon the Rhine, dwelt they with their meiny bold ; 
 
 Many champions served them, of countries manifold ; 
 
 With praise and honour nobly, even to their latest day. 
 
 When, by the hate of two noble dames, dead on the ground they lay. 
 
 Bold were the kings, and noble, as I before have said ; 
 
 Of virtues high and matchless, and served by many a blade ; 
 By the best of all the champions whose deeds were ever sung ; 
 Of trust and truth withouten fail ; hardy, bold, and strong. 
 
 There was Haghen of Tronek, and Dankwart, Haghen's brother, 
 (For swiftness was he famed,) with heroes many other ; 
 Ortwin of Metz, with Eckewart and Ghere, two markgraves they 5 
 And Folker of Alsace ; no braver was in his day. 
 
 Rumoid was caterer to the king; a chosen knight was he ; 
 Sir Sindold and Sir Hunold bore them full manfully ; 
 In court and in the presence they served the princes three. 
 With many other knights ; bolder none might be. 
 
 Dankwart was the marshal ; his nephew Ortewin, 
 Was sewer ' to the king ; much honour did he win : 
 Sindold held the cup the royal prince before : 
 Chamberlain was Hunold : braver knights ne'er hauberk bore. 
 
 Of the court's gay splendour ; of all the champions free; 
 Of their high and knightly worth, and of the chivalry, 
 
 one instance is applied even to the Deity. Perjiaps this is tlie original meaning of the word, 
 and the present sense (i. e. sword) derived from it. In that case, degen may be traced 
 from taugcn, tuegen, (Lower German dialect, dcrgoi,) to be useful, or virtuous. In the 
 same way, lugend (virtue) frequently occurs for valour, prowess. 
 
 • Tlio office of a truchsess was to set the meat upon the table of his lord.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 169 
 
 Which still they held in honour to their latest day. 
 No minstrel, in his song, could rightly sing or say. 
 
 One night the queen Chrimhilt dreamt her, as she lay. 
 How she had trained and nourished a falcon wild and gay. 
 When suddenly two eagles fierce the gentle hawk have slain : 
 Never, in this world, felt she such bitter pain. 
 
 To her mother. Dame Uta, she told her dream with fear: 
 Full mournfully she answered to what the maid did speir, — 
 " The falcon whom you nourished, a noble knight is he ; 
 God take him to his ward ! thou must lose him suddenly." — 
 
 " What speak you of the knight? dearest mother, say : 
 
 Without the love of champion, to my dying day. 
 
 Ever thus fair will I remain, nor take a wedded fere. 
 
 To gain such pain and sorrow, though the knight were without peer."— 
 
 " Speak thou not too rashly," her mother spake again ; 
 
 " If ever in this world thou heartfelt joy wilt gain. 
 
 Maiden must thou be no more ; leman must thou have : 
 
 God will grant thee for thy mate some gentle knight, and brave." — 
 
 " Oh, leave thy words, lady mother, nor speak of wedded mate ; 
 Full many a gentle maiden has found the truth too late ; 
 Still has their fondest love ended with woe and pain : 
 Virgin will I ever be, nor the love of leman gain." — 
 
 In virtues high and noble that gentle maiden dwelt 
 
 Full many a night and day, nor love for leman felt; 
 
 To never a knight or champion would she plight her truth. 
 
 Till she was gained for wedded fere by a right noble youth. 
 
 That youth he was the falcon she in her dream beheld. 
 Who by the two fierce eagles dead to the ground was felled ; 
 But since right dreadful vengeance she took upon his foen : 
 For the death of that bold hero died full many a mother's son. 
 
 Y
 
 170 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 Adventure II. Of Siegfried. — Siegmund, king of Netherland, 
 had, by his queen Sieghehnd, a son of Iiigh renown, who, in his earli- 
 est youth, achieved many marvellous deeds of chivalry. He did not 
 remain with his father in the burgh of Santen, • but traversed many a 
 country, ever distinguished for the strength of his arm, and the cour- 
 tesy of his behaviour ; so that he obtained the love of many a fair 
 lady. When he came to a ripe age, he returned to court. Then his 
 father, the king, caused proclamation to be made, and commanded 
 his knights to assemble on the day of the turn of summer, * when 
 his son should be knighted, together with four hundred sons of the 
 noblest of the realm. The ladies were employed in embroidering 
 rich garments with many a precious stone, for the young prince. In 
 honour of his knighthood, mass was sung at the cathedral, and a 
 splendid tournament and jousting was held. 
 
 There they run and saddled many a liking horse ; 
 
 In the court of Siegmund run ihey many a course. 
 
 That far and wide the noise was heardj in palace and in hall : 
 
 Tliere many a high-bred hero's name heralds did loudly call. 
 
 Many a fall to youthful knights, by ancient kemps was given : 
 Lances shiv'ring, clash of swords, resounded to the heaven : 
 Full high the splinters flew about the warlike throng: 
 There was mirth and jollity virgins and dames among. 
 
 Tlie king he bade them stint the strife ; the horse were led away : 
 
 There many a buckler strong to shivers broken lay : 
 
 Many a stone of mound down in the grass was seen. 
 
 Struck from the edge of shields, by the falchions sharp and keen. 
 
 The evening was concluded with a splendid feast ; palmers and pil- 
 
 ' Xanten, in the ci-devant duchy of Juliets, forming now the department of the Boer. 
 
 ^ In the original, sunneivende, the turn of the sun, solstice. That of summer fell upon 
 St John's day, and the winter-solstice on Christmas day. Both periods, particularly the 
 former, were devoted to festivities, as well as Whitsuntide. 
 
 3
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. ITl 
 
 grims fioin distant countries were royally regaled. Siegfried was in- 
 fefted in his father's dominions, and his sword-companions ' presented 
 with rich gifts. In this manner the high feast was celebrated for 
 seven days ; at the end of wliich Siegfried took his leave, to search 
 for deeds of arms ; and refused the request of his father, who wished 
 to resign to him his crown. 
 
 Adventure III. How Siegfried came to Worms. — During his 
 search for adventures, Siegfried heard of the matchless beauty of 
 Chrimhilt, and of her determination to refuse the love of any man. 
 He immediately resolved to obtain her, and no other, for his spouse. 
 This resolution he communicated to his parents, who spared no en- 
 treaties to dissuade him from the enterprise j and warned him to be- 
 ware of the pride of Gunter and Gliernot, and the savage fierceness 
 of Haghen. When they found themselves unable to divert him from 
 his purpose, they advised him to conquer her by force of arms, and 
 invade Burgundy with a large army ; but Siegfried refused the offer, 
 and only demanded twelve knights to accompany him, to the great 
 sorrow of Siegmund and Sieghelind, and of the whole country. Then 
 they provided him and his knights with the richest garments, and tlie 
 most splendid armour. 
 
 Arrayed in this guise, they took leave at the court, and set out for 
 Worms, where they arrived in seven days. The splendour of their 
 apparel drew great crowds about them, who wished to take their 
 horses and shields, and to lead them into the town. But Siegfried 
 refused their offer, demanded where he could find Gunter, the king 
 of Burgundy, and was informed that he was at that time sitting in his 
 hall of state. 
 
 The king had by this time been informed of the arrival of these 
 strangers, and beheld them from a window. Marvelling who they 
 might be, he sent for his uncle Haghen, who had travelled far and 
 
 ' This term {sckioert-genossen, Schwert-degen) was peculiarly applied to squires who 
 were kniglited with a young sovereign, or the son of their suzerain ; and were consequent- 
 ly in a peculiar manner attached to his service.
 
 172 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 wide, and demanded of him who the leader of the champions was. 
 Haghen went to the window, but declared he had never seen him. 
 However, he guessed that no hero could be of such a knightly sta- 
 ture and martial aspect, but Siegfried, the prince of Netherland. 
 He took the occasion to relate the wonderful adventures which had 
 been aclaieved by him. " The arm of that hero struck down the 
 bold Nibelungen, and killed Schilbung and Nibelung, the rich sons 
 of a king. As he travelled alone in their country, he found, before a 
 mountain, many a man of might around the treasure of the Nibelun- 
 gen, which had been brought thither from a cave in the hill, and 
 Avhich they were about to divide among them. When Siegfried ap- 
 proached, he was recognised, and courteously received by Schilbung 
 and Nibelung ; and by them requested to take the partition of the trea- 
 sure upon himself, which was of immense value. There were preci- 
 ous stones in such quantity, that an hundred waggons could not have 
 carried them away ; and gold to a still greater amount, from the mines 
 of Nibelung-land. As a reward for his service, the kings presented 
 him with Balmung, the invaluable sword of their father. Siegfried 
 found himself unable to divide the treasure ; whereat the Nibelungen 
 were so enraged, that they began a furious battle with him. But the 
 hero struck them dead with the sword of their father, and then killed 
 their twelve companions, who were giants of mighty strength. Thus 
 he conquered the treasure, and then subdued the whole country, for- 
 cing seven hundred champions to do him service. But he was sud- 
 denly attacked by the powerful dwarf Alberich, who, not aware of his 
 invincible strength, attacked him with his pigmy amiy, and sought to 
 revenge the death of his sovereigns. ' Siegfried chased them into the 
 cave, took from Alberich the magic tarn-cap,* and forced him to 
 swear fidelity to him. Then he again placed the treasure in the cave. — 
 Another marvellous adventure," continued Haghen, " have I heard 
 
 ' See the preceding abstract of the Book of Heroes, p. 48. 
 
 • The qualities of this singular magic utensil have been already explained, p. 41 — 
 The origin of the fiction may perhaps be traced to the passages in Homer and Virgil, 
 where the heroes are rendered invisible by a fog cast around them by some deity. 
 
 I
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 173 
 
 of him ; how he killed a fire-drake, ' and bathed him in the blood j 
 whereby his skin became of a liorny consistence, which no sword or 
 other weapon can penetrate. Therefore I advise you, sir king, that 
 ye give him good welcome, and not draw the wrath of the hero upon 
 yourself and your subjects." 
 
 Gunter, with his brothers and his knights, went down into the court 
 of the palace, and welcomed Sir Siegfried right courteously. Then 
 he demanded of him what purpose had brought him into Burgundy. 
 Siegfried answered, in his pride, that he had heard how the best 
 knights and the boldest champions served at the court of Burgundy ; 
 but that, in despite of their strength, he would bring them and the 
 whole kingdom under his subjection. Thereat were the kings and 
 champions greatly moved ; and Ortwin and Haghen defied him. But 
 Ghernot and Ghiseler softened their wrath, and conducted the guests 
 into the palace, where they were feasted right royally. There Sieg- 
 fried dwelt many a day ; and in every sport and game, both at joust- 
 ing and throwing the stone, he was ever accounted the best ; win- 
 ning the love of many a fair lady. But he was still intent how he 
 might behold Chrimhilt. That maiden often viewed him from her 
 window, bearing away the prize from her brother's champions ; but 
 she thought not what joy and what sorrow she should have of him. 
 Thus Siegfried dwelt one year at the court of Burgundy, and achieved 
 many knightly deeds. 
 
 Adventure IV. How Siegfried fought with the Saxons. — One 
 day it befel, that messengers came from Ludeger, king of Saxony, 
 and Ludegast, king of Denmark, to defy King Gunter and his bro- 
 thers. They threatened him with war and invasion, unless he woidd 
 pay them tribute. Haghen advised the king to send for Siegfried, 
 and crave his help. But Siegfried had seen the king's sorrow, and 
 the little cheer that was made at his court, and demanded of Gunter 
 what had thus depressed his spirit. When he heard of the defiance 
 
 ' See p. 60.
 
 174 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 of the two kings, he oftered to go against them with a thousand 
 men only, though the enemy had thirty thousand. The messengers 
 were presented with rich gifts, and returned to their homes. But 
 when the kings of Denmark and Saxony heard that the strong hero 
 of Netherland was coming against them, they were greatly dismayed, 
 and levied mighty armies, to the number of forty thousand warriors. 
 
 Siegfried appointed Folker his standard-bearer, and Haghen mas- 
 ter of the camp. Sindold, Hunold, Dankwart, and Ortwin served 
 also in the army, which traversed Hessia, and safely reached the lands 
 of Ludeger, which they wasted with fire and sword. Siegfried left 
 the command of his host to Haghen, and proceeded to view that of 
 the enemy. There he met the strong king of Denmark, who, after 
 defending him nobly, yielded himself prisoner ; nor were thirty of his 
 knights able to rescue him. Now a cruel battle began between the 
 two hosts, and the heroes of Burgundy fought with great valour. But 
 Siegfried, with his twelve champions, outdid them all. Thrice he tra- 
 versed the adverse host, and at last met with the Saxon king, who was 
 full of rage, when he heard that his brother Ludegast hatf yielded 
 himself prisoner. The combat was now geneial, and the blood flow- 
 ed in torrents. But wlien Ludeger beheld the crown on the shield of 
 his opponent, he despaired of success. 
 
 He cried, " Give o'er the fight, champions of my host; 
 I behold the son of Siegmund ; I fear the battle's lost : 
 Tlie mighty hero Siegfried amid the field I see: 
 The evil fiend has sent him to the realm of Saxony." 
 
 Ludeger then ordered his standard to be lowered, and begged for 
 peace, yielding himself as hostage. Five hundred prisoners did Sieg- 
 fried take along with him ; the rest returned sorrowfully to their 
 homes. Ghernot sent the welcome news of the victory to Worms, 
 where Chrimhilt rejoiced in the deeds of the knights, but, above all, 
 in the matchless achievements of Siegfried. When the host returned 
 with the prisoners, they were full royally received by the king, and
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 175 
 
 great care was taken of the wounded. The two captive kings were 
 allowed to return to their countries, leaving hostages, and promising 
 to return to a liigh feast, to be celebrated in six weeks. 
 
 Adventure V. How Siegfried first beheld Chrimhilt. — When 
 the time which was appointed for the high feast came, many knights and 
 other guests thronged to the city of Worms, and, among others, two- 
 and-thirty princes, emulating one another in the richness of their attire. 
 On the morning of Whitsunday, no less than five thousand guests were 
 assembled at the court. The king had long observed the fervent love 
 which Siegfried bore to Chrimhilt, and yielding to the persuasions of 
 Ortwin and Ghernot, he sent to Uta and her daughter to prepare 
 themselves, and grace the feast with their presence. A hundred knights 
 were chosen to attend the two queens, who bore glittering falchions 
 in their hands. 
 
 And now the beauteous lady, like the rosy morn. 
 Dispersed the misty clouds ; and he, who long had borne 
 In his heart the maiden, banistied pain and care. 
 As now before his eyes stood the glorious maiden fair. 
 
 From her broidered garment glittered many a gem. 
 
 And upon her lovely cheek the rosy red did gleam : 
 Whoever in his glowing soul had imaged lady bright. 
 Confessed that fairer maiden never stood before his sight. 
 
 And as the moon, at night, stands high the stars among. 
 And moves the mirky clouds above, with lustre bright and strong ^ 
 So stood before her maidens the maid without compare : 
 Higher swelled the courage of many a champion there. ' 
 
 * That the author of this abstract may not be suspected of embellisliing, the original of 
 these stanzas is subjoined, (v. 1112 — 112i}.) 
 
 Nu gie diu rainnechliche also der morgan rot 
 
 Tuot uz truoben wolchen : do schiet von maniger not
 
 J 76 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 And full of love and beauty stood the child of Sighelind, 
 As if upon the parchment by master's hand design'd : 
 He gained the prize of beauty from all the knightly train; 
 They swore that lady never a lovelier mate could gain. 
 
 Gunter, the more to honour the hero, bade his sister, " who never 
 before had sahited man," to bestow that favour upon Siegfried. 
 
 The feast was held for twelve days, and Siegfried enjoyed the sight, 
 and obtained the thanks of Chrimhilt daily. When the guests pre- 
 pared to leave the court, Gunter demanded of Siegfried how he should 
 deal with the captive kings, who, for their ransom, had offered five 
 hundred sumpter-horses, laden with gold. By his advice, the king 
 refused the treasiu'e, and dismissed them, taking surety for their re- 
 maining at peace with him in future. Siegfried also wished to take 
 his leave of the king ; but at the request of Ghiseler, he was content 
 to remain at the court of Biu-gundy. 
 
 Adventure VI. How Gunter proceeded to Isenland, to obtain 
 THE HAND OF Brunhild. — Tidiugs camc to the court of King Gunter, 
 of a queen of matchless beauty, who dwelt in a land far over the sea. 
 But she was haughty of mind, and so mighty was her strength, that she 
 forced every champion who came to woo her to contend with her at the 
 three masculine games of throwing the spear, of leaping, and of cast- 
 ing the stone. Whoever was unable to match her strength, lost his 
 life for presuming to make the attempt. Many champions had endea- 
 
 Der si da truocli im Iierzen, und lange liete getan : 
 Er sach die minnechlichen nu vil herlichen stan. 
 
 la lulite ir von ir wsete vil manich edel stein ; 
 Ir rosen rotiu varwe vil minnechlichen schein. 
 Ob ieman wunsen soldo der kundc niht geiehen 
 Daz er ce dirre wcrlde liete iht schccners geschen. 
 
 Sam der lielite mane vor don sternen stat, 
 Der scliin so luterliche oh den wolchen gat, 
 Dem stuont sie nu geliche vor andern frouwen guot ; 
 Des wart wol geiiochet vil raaniges lieldes muot.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 177 
 
 voufed to win the maid, but none of them had returned. Gunter 
 determined to undertake the voyage ; nor could Siegfried dissuade 
 him from the resolution. By the advice of Haghen, that hero was 
 requested to give his assistance, and consented, upon the condition, 
 that, on their return with Brunhild, he should obtain the hand of the 
 king's sister. 
 
 Great preparations were made for the voyage. Siegfried carried 
 along with him the miraculous tarn-cap which he had gained from 
 the dwarf Alberich. It had the property to render the person enve- 
 loped in it invisible, and to give him the strength of twelve men. 
 Gunter wished to take thirty thousand kemps with him ; but by the 
 advice of Siegfried, the number was diminished to four — Gunter, Hag- 
 hen, Dankwart, and himself. Chrimhilt undertook to provide for 
 each three suits of the richest apparel ; and, with thirty of her virgins, 
 she was employed for seven weeks in the task. Their mantles were 
 made of white silk, brought from Arabia, and of green silk, from the 
 land of Zazamank, embroidered with many a gem. The covers of 
 the mantles were made of the skins of strange fishes, covered with 
 silk, from Morocco and Lybia. The choicest ermine was procured, 
 and the heroes richly adorned with gems set in Arabian gold. When 
 they were thus apparelled, they parted, with many tears, from Uta and 
 Chrimhilt, and embarked in a strong ship, which Siegfried undertook 
 to steer. They sailed pi-osperously down the Rhine, and on the twelfth 
 morning arrived at the strong castle of Isenstein, in the land of Brun- 
 hild. 
 
 Adventure VII. How Gunter obtained the hand of Brunhild. — 
 When the ship was arrived at the castle, the king beheld many a fair 
 lady at the window, and Sfegfried demanded of him whom he would 
 choose for his spouse. Gunter pointed to one clad in a snow-white 
 robe, and Siegfried informed him that he had chosen the fair Brun- 
 hild. The ladies were ordered by the queen to leave the window, 
 which they were full loth to do. In the mean time the four knights 
 landed, and proceeded to the castle, which they found to contain 
 
 z
 
 178 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 eighty-six towers, three spacious palaces, and one splendid hall, built 
 of marble, " green as grass." Wlien they entered, their horses and 
 swords were demanded of them. Haghen refused to deliver his fal- 
 chion ; but when Siegfried informed him that it was the custom of 
 the court, he reluctantly complied. The guests were splendidly en- 
 ^;ertained, and welcomed by the knights of Brunhild. The queen in- 
 quired of one of her chamberlains, who might be the strangers come 
 to her court. 
 
 Up and spake the chamberlain, — " Lady fair and free. 
 Never to this day those champions did I see : 
 One, if rightly I areed, is Siegfried, of high-born blood : 
 I warn ye, lady queen, that ye give him welcome good. 
 
 " The second of the champions, full richly is he dight ; 
 His form is brave and noble; he seems a king of might 
 O'er many a wide dominion, and many a distant land : 
 Proudly, and full lord-like, by the others does he stand, 
 
 " The third of those bold champions, of sullen mood seems he ; 
 But tall of form, and noble, and of courage brave and free ; 
 Fiercely his looks he throws around ; his eyes full grimly roll ; 
 I ween his mind is cruel, deadly and dark his soul. 
 
 " The youngest kemp among them seems a knight of high emprize. 
 But gentler far his mind ; right courteous is his guise : 
 With countenance full mild, he stands the four among. — 
 Much may we fear the wrath of those champions bold and strong." 
 
 The queen, however, declared, that she would not even dread the 
 combat with Siegfried himself. She welcomed the guests with great 
 courtesy, and being informed of the object of their enterprise, order- 
 ed immediate preparations to be made for the three several games, 
 which were to decide the fate of Gunter and herself. 
 
 Siegfried mean while proceeded secretly to the ship, and returned 
 enveloped in his tarn-cap, so that no one on the field could see where
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 179 
 
 he stood. He found every thing ready, and Brunliild in complete 
 armoiu", with a shield of the thickness of three spans, and of such 
 weight, that four chamberlains could scarcely bear it. Haghcn fierce- 
 ly exclaimed, 
 
 " And how is't now, King Gunter ? Here must you tine your life ! 
 The lady you would gain, well may she be the devil's wife." 
 
 But when the king beheld a mighty spear, carried by three knights, 
 and a stone of such weight, that no less than twelve carried it along, 
 he would fain have been safe in his castle, without the love of Brun- 
 hild. When Haghen loudly complained that their swords had been 
 taken from them, the queen, with a scornftU smile, ordered her knights 
 to restore them. Siegfried, to the great astonishment of Gunter, who 
 could not see him, instructed him to give the shield to him, and to 
 imitate the actions which he was to perform. Brunhild shot the shaft 
 with marvellous force ; Siegfried received it upon the shield ; but both 
 he and Gunter were struck to the ground, that the blood flew out of 
 their mouths. Siegfried returned the spear, and struck her down. 
 Wrathfully she heaved up the weighty stone, threw it to a great dis- 
 tance, and leaped after it, that her armour resounded loudly. Sieg- 
 fried took up the stone, and threw it to a far greater distance, and 
 leaped after it, taking up Gunter in his arms. The maid was enraged, 
 but seeing herself conquered, fell down at the king's feet, and acknow- 
 ledged herself vanquished. Siegfiied having laid aside his tarn-cap, 
 returned, and pretending ignorance, asked when the games were to 
 begin ; and when the queen informed him that they were over, he seem- 
 ed much astonished. 
 
 When Gunter wished to return with his bride to Worms, she refli- 
 sed to go till she had assembled her vassals ; whereat the heroes of Bur- 
 gundy, fearing to be treacherously slain, were greatly dismayed. Sieg- 
 fried, however, comforted them, promising to proceed to his own do- 
 
 Ininions, and to return with a thousand knights to their relief. 
 
 11
 
 180 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 Adventure VIII. How Siegfried went to the Nibelungen.— 
 Siegfried went into the ship in his tarn-cap, and sailed away. The 
 knights of Brunhild seeing no mariners on board, imagined that the 
 wind had drifted the vessel away. Before the next night was ended, 
 he reached a castle upon a mountain, in the land of the Nibelungen, 
 where his treasure was deposited. He went ashore, and in order to 
 try the vigilance of his v^assals, proceeded to the gate, and in manner of 
 a pilgrim, knocked at the gate. The porter, who was a giant of great 
 strength, demanded who asked for admittance. Siegfried, in an al- 
 tered tone of voice, exclaimed, " A champion I am ; and unless you 
 instantly unlock the gate, many a one who wishes to lie at his ease 
 in the chambers shall feel the effects of my anger." The porter ha- 
 ving armed himself, threw the gate open, and attacked the hero with 
 his iron pole. His master was highly delighted with the severe blows 
 he received from his servant, but at length struck him down, and 
 bound him. 
 
 But now the battle fierce did in the cave resound : 
 The wild dwarf Alberich heard the blows rebound ; 
 Quick he put his armour on, and sped him where he found 
 The noble guest of might, where he the giant bound. 
 
 Full fierce was Alberich, and of mickle strength ; 
 Shirt of mail and helmet bore the kemp of little length ; 
 And in his hand he brandished a scourge of the gold so red : 
 Where stood the hero Siegfried, full quickly is he sped. 
 
 And from his scourge adown huug seven knots of weight. 
 With which he struck the champion, and on his buckler beat ; 
 With his blows the splinters far from the shield did fly : 
 Of his life Sir Siegfried was in bitter jeopardy. 
 
 Far the shivered buckler threw the hero strong. 
 
 And he pushed into the sheath his weapon sharp and long :
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 181 
 
 His faithful chamberlain, he would not strike him dead. 
 But saved his trusty vassal ; for in virtues was he bred. 
 
 Suddenly to Alberich, Siegfried, the hero, ran. 
 And by his hoary beard he caught the ancient man ; 
 Down to the earth he threw him : for mercy did he pray. 
 When, by the champion's might, on the ground he la^'. 
 
 The dwarf acknowledged himself vanquished, and said he would 
 have become the knight's vassal, if he had not sworn fidelity to ano- 
 ther. Then he was bound down like the giant. When he asked the vic- 
 tor's name, and heard that he was Siegfried, he rejoiced greatly, and 
 offered him any service. The hero unbound him and the giant, and 
 bade him go to the Nibelung champions, and awake them. In a short 
 time thirty thousand were ready in their armour, out of which number 
 a thousand of the best were chosen. They were clad in splendid ap- 
 parel, and embarked. 
 
 AVhen they arrived at the burgh of Isenstein, Brunhild demanded 
 who the warriors were, and was told by Gunter that they were his 
 men, whorii he had left behind, and who had followed him. Rich gifts 
 were distributed among the heroes, and the remainder of Brunhild's 
 treasure embarked. The government of the country, in Gunter's ab- 
 sence, was intrusted to her uncle. With her she took six-and-eighty 
 dames, a hundred maidens, and two thousand champions. Gunter 
 was refused any familiarity with his bride during the voyage. 
 
 Adventure IX. How Siegfried was sent to AVorms. — Wlien the 
 heroes had sailed nine days, it was resolved that a messenger should 
 be sent to Worms, to Chrimhilt and Uta, to inform them how they 
 had sped in their enterprise, and to bid them prepare for the recep- 
 tion of the bride. Siegfried was chosen to bear the message, and, ac- 
 companied by four-and-twenty knights, speedily arrived at the capital 
 of Burgundy, where he soon quieted the fears of the two queens, and 
 the I'est of the court, and received many thanks. Chrimhilt re- 
 warded him for his message, with twenty-four bracelets, which he dis-
 
 182 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 • 
 
 tributed among her maidens. The preparations made for the recep- 
 tion of Gunter and Brunhild were of the most splendid description ; 
 and when their approach was discerned, Chrimhilt, accompanied by 
 eighty-six dames, and fifty maidens of supreme beauty, and with many 
 champions in her train, proceeded before the town gates, to give them 
 welcome. 
 
 Adventure X. How Gunter held hiS Bridal Feast wrin Brun- 
 hild. — Gunter's arrival with his bride was celebrated on the plain be- 
 fore the city, with tournaments and other games ; nor did they return 
 to the palace till the sun had gone down. As they were washing their 
 hands, previous to supper, Siegfried reminded the king how he had 
 promised him his sister for his spouse, if he should achieve his expedi- 
 tion to obtain the hand of Brunhild. Gunter readily complied, and 
 Chrimhilt was that night given in marriage to Siegfried. But Brun- 
 hild was greatly mortified at what she conceived a match below the 
 dignity of her sister j and roundly informed the king, that he should 
 not obtain any favour of her, unless he declared to her why he had 
 ffiven his assent to a marriage between a vassal of his ann his sister. 
 He informed her that Siegfried was a king in Netherland, not far in- 
 ferior in power to himself; but she was not satisfied with his answer. 
 The supper appeared very long to the two bridegrooms, who soon dis- 
 missed their attendants, and retired to their chambers. The scene 
 which was transacted in that of Siegfried was, however, of a very dif- 
 ferent nature from that which happened in that of Gunter. 
 
 Wlien the king was alone with his bride, indulging in the hope of 
 being supremely happy, he found, to his great sorrow, every favour 
 denied, unless he would acquaint Brunhild with the real reason of his 
 giving Chrimhilt to the hero of Netherland ; and when he endea- 
 voured to use force, he found his strength far unequal. She took her 
 girdle, and, tying his feet and hands together, hung him upon a nail in 
 the wall ; nor could his lamentations and entreaties prevail with her to 
 release him, nor prevent her from enjoying a sound sleep. When the 
 morning came, she unbound him ; and after he had promised not to
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 18a 
 
 touch her body, she allowed him to lie by her side, and thus obviate 
 the shame he would have received, had his chamberlains- found him in 
 that disgraceful situation.' 
 
 It will readily be supposed that the king was not in good humour 
 during the day : Neither the tournament, the dubbing of six hundred 
 new knights, nor the mass in the cathedral, could divert his melan- 
 choly. Siegfried had shrewd suspicions of the cause, and found them 
 verified, when, upon inquiry, the king related the dreadful situation 
 in which he had passed the night. 
 
 To his guest spake Gunter, — " With shame and woe I sped ; 
 I have brought the evil devil, and took her to my bed : 
 When I hop'd her love to gain, she bound me as her thrall; 
 To a nail she bore me, and hung me on the wall. 
 
 " There I hung with fear and anguish till the sun of morning shone. 
 
 While soundly in the bed slept Brunhild all alone. 
 
 Loudly to thee I plain of my shame and sorrow sore." 
 
 Then spake the hero Siegfried, — " Right sorry am I therefore." 
 
 He, however, consoled the poor king, and promised to put Brun- 
 
 ' Josian, in the far-famed history of Sir Bevis, proves herself as great an Amazon as her 
 predecessor Brunhild. Being treacherously decoyed into marriage by Earl Miles, she 
 persuades him to dismiss out of his bed-chamber all attendants : 
 
 Than was before his bed i-tight, 
 
 As fele han of this gentil knight, 
 
 A coverture on raile-tre, 
 
 For no man schold on bed i-se. 
 
 Josian bethoughte on highing ; 
 
 On a towaile she made knotte riding ; 
 
 Aboute his nekke she hit threw, 
 
 And on the raile-tre she drew ; 
 
 Be the nekke she hath him up-tight, 
 
 And let him so ride al the night. 
 
 AucHiNLECK MS. v. 3213 — 3222. 
 
 For the whole of this curious adventure the reader is referred to Mr Ellis's elegant ab- 
 stract of the romance, in his Specimens of Romances, vol. II. p. H*, et seq.
 
 184 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 hild completely in his power the next night ; and for that purpose 
 required to be admitted to their bed-chamber, where he would render 
 himself invisible, by the means of his tarn-cap. Gunter consented, 
 upon his swearing not to take advantage of the opportunity. 
 
 When the night came, and the bridegrooms had retired with their 
 wives, Chrimhilt was astonished at the sudden disappearance of her 
 husband, who had put on his tarn-cap, and joining the chamberlains of 
 Gunter, entered the chamber. When the chamberlains and attend- 
 ant maids retired, and the lights were extinguished, Siegfried entered 
 the bed, and a most violent and singular combat commenced. Brun- 
 hild threw him out of the bed at the very beginning, that his head 
 " loudly resounded on the footstool." He again resumed his task, and 
 was again defeated. She embraced him with great force, and bearing 
 him out of the bed, pressed him between a door and the wall, that he 
 cried aloud with pain. Ashamed of this defeat, he again commenced 
 the attack, and threw her on the bed, where she pressed his hand, 
 that the blood flowed from his nails. He took from her the girdle 
 and ring which he gave in his pride to Chrimhilt some time after j 
 and for this gift he and many other champions lost their lives. At 
 length the knight of Netherland bruised her so violently, and held her 
 so close, that she surrendered at discretion. Siegfiied then retired, as 
 if to take off his dress, and leaving the joyful king to reap the fruits 
 of his hard-gained victory, rejoined his own spouse. 
 
 In the morning the king was in high good humour, and dispensed 
 many rich gifts to the knights and courtiers. The high feast lasted 
 fourteen days, at the end of which the guests parted lor their several 
 homes. 
 
 Adventure XL How Siegfried came home with Chrimhilt to 
 Netherland, — When the other guests had taken their leaves, Sieg- 
 fried also desired to return to his country, and Chrimhilt was content. 
 But she first wished to obtain a part of the dominions of Burgundy 
 for her husband ; \\hich were readily offered to him by the three royal 
 brothers. But Siegfried refused them, saying, tliat he himself would
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 185 
 
 make his queen the richest on the fiice of the earth. At last he was 
 persuaded to take five hundred champions. Chrimhilt desired to 
 take Haghen and Ortwin with her, but the former sternly refused. 
 Duke Eckewai't, however, accompanied her. 
 
 The hero was splendidly received with his spouse at his father's 
 court, who resigned his kingdom in his favour. For ten years he 
 bore the crown with great honour, and also had the land of the Nibel- 
 ungen under his command. Chrimhilt bore him a son, who was named 
 Gunter; and a son of the king of Burgundy was, in return, called af- 
 ter the king of Netherland. 
 
 Adventure XII. How Gunter invited Siegfried and Chrimhilt 
 TO A High Feast. — Brunhild one day was ruminating how Siegfried 
 "was vassal to Gunter, and had not for a long time done any service 
 for his lord. She persuaded the king to invite him and Chrimhilt to 
 a high feast at Worms. Ghere was accordingly chosen messenger, 
 and, with thirty other knights, proceeded to the burgh of the Nibel- 
 ungen, in the marches of Norway, where they arrived in three weeks. 
 Siegfiied, after consulting with his barons, determined to accept the 
 invitation, and to proceed to Worms, accompanied by a thousand of 
 his knights, and by his father Siegmund, with a hundred of his own 
 knights. 
 
 Adventure XIII. How Siegfried and Chrimhilt went to the 
 High Feast. — The guests came safely to Worms, and were welcomed 
 by the king, with his usual magnificence. For eleven days, tourna- 
 ments and other chivalrous games wei'e celebrated, and the most com- 
 plete harmony prevailed ; but at length, in a procession to hear mass 
 celebrated at the cathedral, their concord was fatally interrupted. 
 
 Adventure XIV. Of the Altercation between the Queens. — 
 One day Brunhild and Chrimhilt began to praise the several perfections 
 of their husbands ; and when they grew warm upon the subject, the 
 former asserted that Siegfried was the vassal of Gunter, because he 
 
 2 a
 
 186 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN, 
 
 had declared himself so when he came to Isenland. Chrimhilt de- 
 nied it, and said she would precede her in the procession to the ca- 
 thedral. Accordingly she went, accompanied by forty-three maidens, 
 in far more splendid apparel than those of Brunhild, and by all the 
 knights Siegfried had brought with him, and preceded her sister-in- 
 law. When Brunhild saw this, she exclaimed, that no wife of a vassal 
 should go before a queen. Chrimhilt, enraged at these words, told 
 her that she had been concubine to another than her husband, but 
 that Siegfried had gained her virginity. She then went into the ca- 
 thedral before Brunhild, who was highly afflicted and enraged. W^hen 
 mass was over, she again assailed Chrimhilt, and demanded what 
 proofs she could adduce. The latter immediately shewed the ring 
 and girdle which Siegfried had given her ; upon which the queen de- 
 parted, in great anger, and complained to Gunter of the insidting 
 words which his sister had spoken of her. Siegfried swore an oath that 
 he had not said the words, and the queens were at last parted. 
 
 Haghen of Tronek hearing the lamentations of Brunhild, undertook 
 to revenge her injuries upon- Siegfried, and Ortwin and Ghernot join- 
 ed with him to procure his death. Ghiseler wished to dissuade them 
 from the resolution, and the king himself was at iirst unwilling to give 
 his consent, but at last agreed, when he heard in what manner the 
 treason was to be executed. 
 
 Adventure XV. How Siegfried was betrayed. — The conspirators, 
 with the king's consent, procured thirty messengers, who pretended 
 to have been sent from the kings of Denmark and Saxony, to defy 
 Gunter. Siegfried offered immediately to go against them, and as- 
 sembled his thousand heroes for the purpose. Haghen then proceed- 
 ed to Chrimhilt, and pretending great fiiendshii) for her husband, 
 asked her if there was any part of his body which required peculiar 
 defence in battle. She regretted that she had offended Brunlidd, and 
 told him that her husband " beat her black and blue for it." Then she 
 informed him, that when Siegfried bathed himself in the dragon's 
 blood, a leaf had stuck between his shoulders, and had prevented that
 
 THE SONG or THE NIBELUNGEN. 187 
 
 part from becoming impenetrable, llaghen instructed her to sew 
 a small cross upon his garment, in the place where the spot was, 
 and promised to defend that part with peculiar care. Siegfried now 
 was informed, to his great mortification, that peace had been conclu- 
 ded. The king then proposed a great chace of boars and bears, in the 
 forests of Vasgovia, where the treason was to be executed. 
 
 Adventure XVI. How Siegfried was slain. — Great preparations 
 were made for the chace ; and, by the advice of Brunhild, every kind 
 of meat was carried to a well in the forest, but no wine. Siegfried 
 took his leave of Chrimhilt, who made every exertion to dissuade him 
 from the chace, as she had been warned of his fate in two dreams : But 
 his fate was irrevocable. When the chace began, no one distinguish- 
 ed himself so much as he ; killing every kind of ferocious animals, and 
 among them a demi-wolf, a lion, a buffalo, an elk, a bison, four ure-oxen,' 
 and one fierce bull, besides deer and boars. Gunter then ordered a 
 horn to be blown, to give notice that he would dine at the well. Sieg- 
 fried caught a great bear alive, to make disport for the king, and 
 brought him to the well, where the animal made great havoc among 
 the kitchen utensils, to the exceeding amusement of the company. He 
 was at last killed by his victor, who then rode back to the well. 
 
 In gorgeous guise the hero did to the fountain ride : 
 
 Down unto his spurs, his sword hung by his side ; 
 
 His weighty spear was broad, of mighty length, and strong ; 
 
 A horn, of the gold so red, o'er the champion's shoulder hung. 
 
 Of fairer hunting garments ne'er heard I say before : 
 A coat of the black velvet the noble hero wore ; 
 
 • A demi-wolf (halb-wolf) is probably an animal bred between a wolf and a dog. The 
 Ij/ciscee of Virgil (Eel. iii. v. 18.) are by Servius explained to be canes naii ex lupis et 
 canibus, cum inter se forte miscuntur. The tiri, mentioned by Ca;sar and other writers, 
 seem to have been common in Germany down to the thirteenth or fourteenth century, 
 but are not to be found at present in any part of that country, though they are to be met 
 with in Poland and Prussia. 
 
 6
 
 188 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 His hat was of the sable, full richly was it dight ; 
 
 Ho, with what gorgeous belts was hung his quiver bright ! 
 
 A fleece of the panther wild about the shafts was roH'd ; 
 
 A bow of weight and strength bore the huntsman bold: 
 
 No hero on this middle earth, but Sir Siegfried, I avow. 
 
 Without some engine quaint, could draw the mighty bow. 
 
 His garment fair was made of the savage lynx's hide ; 
 
 With gold the fur was sprinkled richly on every side; 
 
 There many a golden leaf glittered right gorgeously. 
 
 And shone with brightest splendour round the huntsman bold and free. 
 
 And by his side hung Balmung, that sword of mickle might ; 
 When in the field Sir Siegfried struck on the helmets bright. 
 Not the truest metal the noble blade withstood : 
 Thus right gloriously rode the huntsman good. 
 
 If right I shall areed the champion's hunting guise. 
 Well was stored his quiver with shafts of wond'rous size ; 
 More than a span in breadth \vere the heads of might and main : 
 Whom with those arrows sharp he pierced, quickly was he slain. 
 
 The huntsmen commenced their meal ; and Sir Siegfried was full 
 wroth with Haghen, for having forgotten the wine ; but that treacher- 
 ous knight pretended it had been sent to another part of the forest. 
 Siegfried then proposed to him a foot-race to the well, and for that 
 purpose stripped himself to the shirt ; and bearing his garments on 
 his back, far out-ran his rival. Then he laid down his weapons, which 
 Haghen carried secretly to a great distance. Gunter first drank of 
 the well ; Siegfried followed his example, and lying down to drink, 
 was treacherously pierced with a lance in tiie vulnerable spot, by 
 Haghen. He started up, and pursued his murderer ; and though 
 mortally wounded, and weaponless, struck him down, and broke his 
 shield in two. Then he fell down with the loss of blood, and up- 
 braided his murderers with ingratitude and cowardice,, but recom-
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 189 
 
 mended his spouse to the mercy of the king. When he was dead, 
 Gunter wished to give out that he had been slain by robbers ; but the 
 fierce knight of Tronek expressed his pcriect indifference whether the 
 truth was made known or concealed. 
 
 Adventure XVII. How Siegfried was bewailed and interred.— 
 Haghen caused the dead body to be laid before the door of Chrim- 
 hilt's chamber. When she came out in the morning, and discovered 
 that her husband lay there murdered, her lamentations were bound- 
 less. She sent for his father Siegmund, who, as well as his eleven 
 hundred champions, swore immediate revenge. But Chrimhilt per- 
 suaded him to leave the vengeance to her, for which she would find 
 some fitting opportunity. She ordered a splendid coffin of gold and 
 silver to be made, in which the body was carried to the cathedral. 
 Gunter, with Haghen and his attendants, came to bewail the death of 
 Siegfried, and pretended it had been perpetrated by I'obbers ; but 
 Chrimhilt bade those who knew themselves innocent go and touch 
 the dead body. 
 
 A marvel high and strange is seen lull many a time : 
 When to the murdered body niglis the man who did the crime. 
 Afresh the wounds will bleed : the marvel now was found, — 
 That Haghen felled the champion with treason to the ground. ' 
 
 Ghernot and Ghiseler seemed to bewail the hero with unfeigned 
 sorrow ; and the lamentations, whether sincere or feigned, resound- 
 ed through the whole court. Three days and three nights Chrimhilt 
 watched the body, without food or drink ; and when the corpse was 
 about to be sunk into the grave, she caused it to be again opened, 
 and once more took leave of her husband. More than thirty thousand 
 
 * This is perhaps the earliest instance in which this kind of ordeal (the bahr-recht of the 
 Germans) is mentioned. The subject has received full illustration in Mr Scott's notes on 
 the ballad of Earl Richard, (Minstrelsy of the Border, ed. 1810, II. 119.) 
 
 1
 
 190 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 marks of gold were distributed among the poor, for the welfare and 
 repose of his soul. 
 
 Adventure XVIII. How Siegmund departed from Worms. — 
 Siegmund went to Chrimhilt, and used strong persuasions to induce 
 her to return with laim, promising that she should bear the crown in 
 her husband's dominions. But her youngest brother Ghiseler dissua- 
 ded her from leaving Worms, and was seconded in his soHcitations by 
 Queen Uta and Ghernot. Siegmund and the Nibelung heroes left 
 the city of Worms without taking leave of any one. But Ghernot and 
 Ghiseler followed them, and assured Siegmund that they were inno- 
 cent of the murder. The king returned to his country, and the dis- 
 consolate Chrimhilt was left to bear the insolence of her rival Brun- 
 hild, for which she cruelly revenged herself subsequently. 
 
 Adventure XIX. How the Nibelung Treasure came to Worms. 
 — When Chrimhilt had bewailed her husband for three years and a 
 half, without seeing Gunter or Haghen, the latter advised the king 
 to reconcile himself with her, in order to get the invaluable trea- 
 sure of the Nibelungen into his possession ; which she had received 
 from Siegfried as her jointure. She consented, after some difficulty, 
 and Ghernot and Ghiseler were sent to bring it to Worms. They em- 
 barked with eight thousand knights, and the treasure was delivered to 
 them by the dwarf Alberich, who greatly bewailed the loss of Sieg- 
 fried's tarn-cap. The treasure was now embarked, for which purpose 
 twelve waggons were employed for the space of four days and nights. 
 Under the treasure lay a wishing-rod, ' which enabled the possessor to 
 be master over the whole world ; but this quality appears to have been 
 unknown to the kniglits of Burgundy. 
 
 ' The wishing-rod of Fortunatus has given to liiis fiction very extensive popularity. The 
 passage in the text is very remarliable ; but the mention of it in an ancient Teutonic glos- 
 sary, of the ninth or tenth century, discovered by Junius, and published by Nyerup, 
 proves the existence of the superstition among the Germans at a still earlier period. Ca- 
 duceuma is there rendered uunshiligarta.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. li)l 
 
 When the treasure arrived, Chrinihilt so prodigally distributed rich 
 gifts, and obtained such popularity thereby, that Haghen advised Gun- 
 ter to take it from her ; undertaking to obtain the keys, and guard it 
 himself. When Ghernot and Ghiseler saw his intention executed, 
 they were highly enraged ; and the former said, it would be far bet- 
 ter to sink it to the bottom of the Rhine. Accordingly the king and 
 his whole court for some days absented themselves from tlie city ; 
 during which time Haghen, who had remained behind, sunk the whole 
 treasure into the river, and all the conspirators were sworn never to 
 reveal the place. Chrimiiilt, after enduring this additional injury, 
 dwelt thirteen years at court, unable to forget the losses she had 
 sustained. 
 
 Adventure XX. How King Etzel sent to Burgundy to obtain 
 THE HAND OF Chrimhilt. — It happened that »t this time Helka, the 
 wife of Etzel, king of the Huns, died, and his counsellors advised him 
 to send messengers to Worms, and sue for the hand of Chrimhilt. 
 He expressed his fear that she would refuse him, he being a heathen, 
 and she Christian. Markgrave Rudiger, of Bechelaren, however, un- 
 dertook the expedition, and provided himself with apparel and arms 
 at Vienna. Hewas accompanied by five hundred knights, and ta- 
 king leave of his wife Gotiland, set out for Worms. He was well re- 
 ceived upon his arrival, and Gunter, with his brothers, were well con- 
 tent to give their sister in marriage to King Etzel ; but the fierce 
 Haghen strongly opposed the resolution. It was at last determined 
 that Chrimhilt should decide herself. At first she declared her firm 
 resolution to remain a widow, and particularly never to espouse a 
 heathen, though Rudiger told her that twelve kings and thirty princes 
 were vassals to the king of the Huns; and Ghiseler exclaimed. 
 
 From the Rhone unto the Rhine, from the Elbe to the distant sea. 
 No king of greater riches and greater power may be. 
 
 Rudiger at last found the means to conquer her disincHnation, by
 
 192 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEK 
 
 swearing that he and his men would be ever ready to revenge her in- 
 juries, and would never reftise her any request. 
 
 Preparations were made for her departure, but she wished previ- 
 ously to distribute the treasure which was still in her possession. But 
 Haghen seized upon it, and kept it back from her. Ghernot, how- 
 ever, took it from him by force, and returned it to her ; but Rudiger 
 bade her leave it behind, as she would stand in no need of bringing 
 any into the realm of Hungary, where she would command riches of 
 incalculable value. Eckewart, with five hundred men, swore to con- 
 tinvie his fidelity to her, and follow her to Hungary. Gunter accom- 
 panied her only before the gates ; but Ghernot and Ghiseler, and a 
 thousand of their meiny, did not take leave of her till she came to 
 the banks of the Danube. 
 
 Adventure XXI. IJow Chrimhilt came to the Hukts.— Messen- 
 gers were sent to apprise King Etzel that Chrimhilt would speedily 
 arrive. At Passau she was received by her uncle. Bishop Pilgerin, 
 who accompanied her to Bechelaren, where splendid feasts were given 
 to her by the margrave and his wife and daughter. She then pro- 
 ceeded to Medilke and Mautern, and reposed for three days at Trai- 
 semmaur, a strong castle which King Etzel had built upon the river 
 Traisem." 
 
 Adventure XXH. How Etzel and Chrimhilt held their Bri- 
 dal Feast. — Etzel received his new bride at the town of Tuln, ac- 
 companied by a great host of vassals, among whom wei'e Russians, 
 Greeks, Poles, Wallachians, Kyben, the savage Petscheners, and many 
 other nations. He had four-and-twenty princes in his train, among 
 whom were Ramung, sovereign of the Wallachians ; Gibccke, Horn- 
 bog, Hawart, and Iring, from Denmark ; Irnfried, duke of Thurin- 
 o-ia; Blodelin, the king's brother; and, finally, Dietrich of Bern. Chrim- 
 
 » Most of the towns mentioned in this and the following adventure still exist in Aus- 
 tria and Hungary.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 193 
 
 • 
 
 hilt was instructed by Rudiger to kiss twelve of the noblest champions : 
 the others she also received with great courtesy. A tournament was 
 held till the evening broke in, and the whole train then proceeded to 
 Vienna, where the bridal feast was celebrated for seventeen days. « 
 The gifts distributed by Etzel and his subject princes were incalcul- 
 able ; and his two minstrels, ' Werbcl and SwemmeL received no less 
 than a thousand marks. At the end of the feast, the king, with his bride 
 and his attendants, left Vienna, and proceeded by the old fortress of 
 Hunenburg, and by Misenburg, to his own residence, at the castle of 
 Etzelenburg. Chrimhilt was served by seven daughters of kings, and 
 particularly by Herrat, niece to Etzel, and wife of Dietrich of Bern. 
 
 Adventure XXIII. How Chrimhilt invited her Brothers to a 
 High Feast. — Chrimhilt dwelt with King Etzel for thirteen years, 
 during which time she bore him a son, who, by her influence, Avas 
 baptised, and called Ortlieb. Chrimhilt, ever intent on her meditated 
 revenge, persuaded King Etzel to send his two minstrels, Swemmel 
 and AVerbel, to the Rhine, and to invite King Gunter and his brothers, 
 with all their knights, to a high feast in Hungary. She instructed the 
 messengers secretly to give out that she lived in perfect happiness at 
 the court of Etzel, and not to suffer any one of her brothers' princi- 
 pal champions to remain beliind. 
 
 Adventure XXIV. How Werbel and Swembiel did their Mes- 
 sage. — The messengers arrived safely at Worms, and were received 
 with every mark of attention ; but the answer to their message was 
 deferred to the seventh day. Haghen strongly opposed accepting the 
 invitation, from which he presaged utter ruin, and was not won over 
 to give his consent till Ghernot and Ghiseler taunted him, and bade 
 him remain behind, if he feared to go with them. Rumold, the mas- 
 
 ' This passage, and the honourable reception of the minstrels at the court of Burgundy, 
 fully prove the rank held by minstrels in former ages, and their frequent occupation in 
 confidential embassies ; and strongly militate against the general degradation they have 
 suffered from the learned, but capricious and tasteless Ritson> 
 
 2b
 
 194. THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 ter of the kitchen, also made a very characteristic, but ineffectual at- 
 tempt to persuade the kings from the journey, by painting tlieir present 
 felicity, having abundance of meat, drink, and clothes. When Ha- 
 ^ghen found all were fiilly determined on the expedition, he undertook 
 to select a thousand of the best knights, among whom were his bro- 
 ther Dankwart, and the hero Folker of Alsace, who was called the 
 Minstrel, or the Fiddler, on account of the excellence of his playing 
 and singing.' The messengers from the Huns were detained till every 
 thing was ready for the journey, by Haghen, to prevent them from 
 coming too soon back to Chrimhilt, and giving her an opportunity of 
 making great preparations for the destruction of himself and the other 
 knights. 
 
 Adventure XXV. How the Nibelungen went to the Huns. — 
 Queen Uta dreamt that all the birds in the kingdom had dropt down 
 dead ; but Haghen, urged on by the taunts of Ghernot, was now bent 
 on proceeding. The care of the two queens and the kingdom being left 
 to Rumold, the host, consisting of a thousand knights, and nine thou- 
 sand esquires, proceeded on their journey, and traversing Swabia and 
 Franconia, under the conduct of Haghen, who was their guide, and 
 of Dankwart, marshal of the host, airived on the banks of the Da- 
 nube. 
 
 Haghen of Tronek rode before the noble host. 
 Guiding the Nibhing knights, their leader and tlieir boast: 
 Now from his horse the champion leaped upon the grouud ; 
 Full soon unto an oak the courser has he bound. 
 
 The ferryman he sought by the river far and wide : 
 He heard the water bullering closely by his side : 
 In a fountain fair, sage women he espied, 
 Their lovely bodies bathing, all in the cooling tide. 
 
 ' Folker is not a professed minstrel, but, like many of the French, German, and north- 
 ern princes and knights, cultivated music and poetry as an accoiuplishment.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 195 
 
 And when he saw the mermaids,' he sped him silently ; 
 But soon they heard his footsteps, and quickly did they hie. 
 Glad and joyful in their hearts, that they 'scaped the hero's arm : 
 From the ground he took their garments, did them none other harm. 
 
 Up and spake a mermaid, Hildburg was she bight: — 
 
 " Noble hero Haghen, your fate will I reed aright ; 
 
 At King Etzel's court what adventures ye shall have. 
 
 If back thou give our garments, thou champion bold and brave." 
 
 Like birds they flew before him upon the watery flood. 
 
 And as they flew, the mermaid's form thought him so fair and good. 
 
 That he believed full well what of his fate she spoke ; 
 
 But for the hero's boldness she thought to be awroke. 
 
 " Well may ye ride," she said, " to the rich King Etzel's court; 
 I pledge my head in troth, that in more royal sort 
 Heroes never were received in countries far and near, ; 
 Nor with greater honours ; thea hie ye without fear." 
 
 Glad of their speech was Haghen, right joyous in his heart; 
 He gave them back their garments, and sped him to depart: 
 •But when their bodies they had dight in that full wond'rous guise. 
 Rightly the journey to the Huns told the women wise. 
 
 Then spake the other mermaid, Sighlind was her name : — 
 
 " I will warn thee, son of Aldrian, Haghen, thou knight of fame ; 
 
 For the garments fair, my sister loudly did she lie : 
 
 Foully must ye all be shent, if to the Huns ye hie. 
 
 " Turn thee back. Sir Haghen, back unto the Rhine, 
 Nor ride ye to the Huns with those bold feres of thine ; 
 
 • In the same manner the knight Gruelan, (or Graelent,) in the lay so denominated, 
 steals the garments of the beautiful fairy. See the original, in the new edition of Barba- 
 zan, (IV, 57,) and a beautiful translation in Way's Fabliaux, (I, 177-) The reader is 
 referred for much curious information on the subject of mermaids to a note subjoined to 
 the Danish ballad of Lady Griraild's Wrack, (relating the adventures of the present
 
 196 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 Ye are trained unto your death, into King Etzel's land : 
 
 All who ride to Hungary their death may they not withstand." 
 
 Up and spake Sir Haghen, — " Foully dost thou lie : 
 
 How might it come to pass, when to the Huns we hie. 
 
 That I, and all our champions bold, should to the death be dight ?" 
 
 The Niblung knights' adventures they told unto the knight. 
 
 Lady Hildburg spoke : — " Turn ye back to Burgundy : 
 None will return from Etzel, of all your knights so free ; 
 None but the chaplain of the king ; your cruel fate to tell. 
 Back to Lady Brunhild comes he safe and well." 
 
 Fiercely spake Sir Haghen to that prophetic maid, — 
 " Never to King Gunter your tidings shall be said, 
 How he and all his champions must die at Etzel's court. — 
 
 How may we pass the Danube, ladies sage, report." 
 
 " If yet thou wilt not turn back to Burgundy, 
 Speed ye up the river's edge, where thou a house wilt see ; 
 There dwells a ferryman bold ; no other mayst thou find : 
 But speak him fair and courteously, and bear my saw in mind. 
 
 " He will not bring you over, for savage is his mood. 
 
 If angrily ye call him, with wrathful words, and lewd : 
 
 Give him the gold and silver, if he guides you o'er the flood : — 
 
 Ghelfrat of Bavaria serves the champion good. 
 
 " If he will not pass the river, call o'er the flood aloud. 
 That your name is Amelrich : he was a hero proud. 
 Who for wrath and enmity left Bavaria's land : 
 Soon will he ferry over from the further strand." — 
 
 Haghen then dis-sped him from the mermaids wise : 
 
 The champion said no more, but bowed in courteous guise : 
 
 poem, abridged,) translated by Mr Jamieson, wliich will be found in a subsequent part of 
 this volume.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 197 
 
 He hied him clown the river, and on the furtlier side. 
 The house of tliat proud ferryman quickly has he spied. 
 
 Loud and oft Sir Haghen shouted o'er the flood : — 
 
 " Now fetch nie over speedily," so spake the hero good : 
 
 " A bracelet of the ricli red gold will 1 give thee to thy meed : 
 
 To cross the swelling Danube full mickle have I need." 
 
 Rich and right proud of mood was that ferryman bold ; 
 Full seldom would he serve for silver or for gold : 
 His servants and his hinds haughty of mind they were. 
 Alone the knight of Tronek stood in wrath and care. 
 
 'O' 
 
 With wond'rous force he shouted, that with the dreadful sound. 
 Up and down the river did the waves and rocks rebound : — 
 " l''etch ye over Sir Amelrich, soon and speedily. 
 Who left Bavaria's land for wrath and enmity." 
 
 A weighty bracelet on his sword the hero held full soon. 
 That to the sun the gold so red fair and brightly shone : 
 He bade him bring him over to the noble Ghelfrat's land : 
 Speedily the ferryman took the rudder in his hand. 
 
 O'er the swelling Danube rowed he speedily; 
 
 But when his uncle Amelrich in the boat he did not see; 
 
 Fearful grew his wrath , to Haghen loud he spake, — 
 
 " Leave the boat, thou champion, or thy boldness will I wreak." 
 
 Up he heaved the rudder, broad, and of mickle weight. 
 
 And on the hero Haghen he struck with main and might j 
 
 In the ship he felled him down upon his knee : 
 Never such fierce ferryman did the knight of Tronek see. 
 
 He seized a sturdy oar, right wrathful was his mood ; 
 Upon tlie glittering helmet he struck the champion good. 
 That o'er his head he broke the oar with all his might ; 
 But for that blow the ferryman soon to the death was dight.
 
 198 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 Up started hero Haglieu, unsheathed his trusty blade, 
 
 Grasped it strongly in his hand, and off he struck his head : 
 
 Loudly did he shout, as he threw it on the ground : 
 
 Glad were the knights of Burgundy, when they heard his voice resound. 
 
 During their fight, the ship had drifted down the river, and in endea- 
 vouring to row himself ashoi"e, he broke the rudder. He tied it toge- 
 ther with his sword-belt, and at last succeeded to bring it to the land. 
 Haghen himself undertook the office of ferryman, and was employed 
 the whole day in bringing over the host. When he espied the chap- 
 lain, he thought to frustrate the prophecy of the mermaids, and threw 
 him into the river. The friar, however, reached the opposite shore 
 in safety, and returned to Worms. The whole army being ferried 
 over, Haghen destroyed the ship ; and being asked by Dankwart, why 
 he thus prevented tlieir return from the Huns, he answered, tliat it 
 was done to firustrate any opportunity for cowards to fly. 
 
 Adventure XXVI. How Ghelfrat was slain by Dankwart. — 
 Haghen now acquainted the heroes with the prophecy of the mer- 
 maids, and the death of the feiTyman ; and it was resolved to march 
 with the greatest circumspection ; Folker commanding the van, and 
 Haghen, with Dankwart, the rear. Tlie following night, tlie latter 
 was attacked by the Bavarian dukes Ghelfrat and Else, with seven 
 hundred horse, in revenge for the slaughter of their ferryman. Ghel- 
 frat struck Haghen from his horse, but was himself killed by Dank- 
 wart, upon which Else fled, with the loss of a hundred of his men. 
 
 Having marched forwards all the night, they found a knight, wlio 
 lay sleeping by the way. Haghen took away his arms, but returned 
 them when he found him to be Duke Eckewart. The latter told them 
 of the inimical disposition of his mistress ; but Haghen exclaimed, 
 that they stood in need of no information, but where they might rest 
 from the fatigues of the night. Eckewart informed them that they 
 were near Bechelarcn, the burgh of the hospitable Kudiger.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 199 
 
 Adventure XXVIL How the Nibelungen were received by Ru- 
 DiGER. — Rudiger, with Gotelintl and her beautiful daughter, welcomed 
 the guests at the gate ; and the latter was instructed to salute the three 
 kings and the principal heroes ; but when Haghen was presented to 
 her, she was appalled by his fierce countenance ; and it required the 
 interference of her father, to make her shew due respect to tlie hero. 
 During the feast, it was determined to give the beauteous Dictelind 
 in marriage to Ghiseler, the youngest of the kings. When the guests 
 were about to proceed on their journey, many gifts were distributed 
 among them by Rudiger. Among others, he gave to Gunter a coat 
 of mail, and to Ghernot a sword, which was fatally destined to end 
 his own life. Haghen requested of Gotelind the gift of a shield, wliicli 
 had been borne by Nudung, who was slain by Wittich. ' Folker, 
 when he took his leave, played " sweet tones" upon his fiddle, and 
 sung his songs before Gotelind, who rewarded him with six bracelets, 
 which she stuck on his arm. * The news of the arrival of the Nibel- 
 ungen were soon brought to King Etzel ; and Chrimhilt rejoiced in 
 the near prospect of revenge. 
 
 Adventure XXVI H. How the Nibelungen came to the Huns. — 
 Old Master Hildebrand had informed Dietrich of Bern of the approach 
 of the knights of Burgundy, and they proceeded to meet them on the 
 road, where Dietrich gave the Nibelungen a full account of the una- 
 bated sorrow of Chrimliilt, and warned them of its effects. When they 
 arrived at Etzelenburg, the residence of Etzel, the queen received 
 young Ghiseler with great aftability, but took little notice of the 
 others. When Haghen saw that, he tied his helmet faster. She asked 
 what presents they had brought to her from the Rhine ; and Haghen 
 
 ' This is the only mention of Wittich, who is the Achilles of the Wilkina-Saga, in this 
 poem. See page 31 of the Dissertation prefixed to this work. 
 
 * Bracelets, in the times of chivalry, were not confined to the ladies, but frequently worn 
 by knights. According to the learned Suhm, bracelets, twisted in a serpentine manner^ 
 have been found in Scandinavia, of the weight of 159 ducats.
 
 200 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 replied scornfully, that he regretted not having brought her some gift 
 from his own treasure. She asked him why they had not brought the 
 Niblung treasure ? He replied, that it was sufficient for a knight to 
 carry his armour and his sword. She bade them give up their arms be- 
 fore they entered the hall, and when Haghen and Gunter refused, she 
 discovered that some one had warned the heroes, and swore vengeance 
 against him ; but Dietrich took Haghen by the hand, and openly avow- 
 ed that he had done it. Etzel asked who the fierce hero was whom 
 King Dietrich led by the hand ; and when he heard his name, he re- 
 collected that his father Aldrian had been his subject, and that Haghen 
 and Walter of Spain, who since eloped with Hildegund, had been his 
 hostages.' 
 
 Adventure XXIX. How Haghen and Folker sat before the 
 Hall of Chrimhilt. — Haghen took Folker aside, and they went to- 
 gether across the court, and sat them down on a bench before the hall 
 of Chrimhilt. When she beheld them, she w^ept bitterly, and com- 
 plained to her sixty knights of the indignity, and what injuries Haghen 
 had done to her. They offered immediately to avenge her, and to 
 slay the two champions ; but she informed them that they were too 
 few. They inci'eased their number to a lumdred, and went down to 
 the court with Chrimhilt, who had told them they should have a con- 
 firmation of his crimes from the mouth of Haghen himself. When she 
 approached, Folker wished to rise from his seat, but Haghen hinder- 
 ed him, saying, their enemies would take it for a sign of their fear. 
 
 'Twas then the hero Haghen across his lap he laid. 
 
 Glittering to the sun, a broad and weighty blade; 
 
 In the hilt a jasper stone, greener than the grass: 
 
 Well knew the lady Chrimhilt that Siegfried's sword it was. 
 
 When she beheld sword Balmung, woe and sorrow did she feel : 
 The hilt was of the precious gold, the blade of shining steel : 
 
 • The adventures here alluded to are [related in the Latin epic analysed in this work, 
 
 (p. 23,) and in the Wilkina-Saga, (chap. 85, clseq.) 
 
 3
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 201 
 
 It minded her of all her woes : Chrimhilt to weep began : 
 Well I ween Sir Haghen in her scorn the sword had drawn. 
 
 Folker, knight of courage bold, by his side sat he ; 
 
 A sharp and mighty fiddlestick ' held the hero free ; 
 
 Much like a glittering sword it was; sharp, and broad, and long : 
 
 Fierce, without all fear, sat there the champions strong. 
 
 Chrimhilt bitterly upbraided Haghen with the injuries he had done 
 her, which he readily acknowledged. Mean time one of the Huns 
 began to relate the deeds of Haghen (whom he had seen in his youth 
 distinguish himself in two-and-twenty battles) to the others ; in con- 
 sequence of which they resolved not to encounter the two champions, 
 but departed from them in peace. Then Haghen and Folker rejoined 
 the kings, and they all proceeded to the hall of King Etzel, who recei- 
 ved them with every mark of courtesy. 
 
 Adventure XXIX. How Haghen and Folker guarded the Kings. 
 — When night broke in, and the guests were retiring to the large hall, 
 where their beds were prepared, Haghen vuidertook the guard, and 
 Folker readily associated himself with him in the charge. 
 
 Before the palace door Folker sat him on a stone ; 
 
 Bolder and more knight-like fiddler ne'er shone the sua upon : 
 
 Sweetly from his strings resounded many a lay ; 
 
 And many thanks the heroes to the knight of fame did say. 
 
 At first his tones resounded loudly the hall around ; 
 
 The champion's strength and art was heard in every sound : 
 
 But sweeter lays, and softer, the hero now began. 
 
 That gently closed his eyes full many a way-tir'd man. 
 
 Folker having resumed his sword and shield, discovered helmets glit- 
 
 • Continual jokes upon the musical accomplishments of Folker occour in the original, 
 a few of which have been translated. 
 
 2 C
 
 202 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 tering by the light of the moon. They were knights whom Ch rim- 
 hilt had sent to murder Haghen in his sleep. But when they viewed 
 the haU door guarded, they retired, taunted for their cowardice by 
 Folker, who wished to foUow and attack them, but was prevented by 
 Haghen. 
 
 Adventure XXXI. How the Kings went to hear Mass. 
 
 " Cold grows my shirt of mail : I ween the mirky night 
 Will soon be at an end, and the morning sun shine bright ; 
 For I feel the air grows sharper." Thus Sir Folker spake. 
 And soon the sleeping knights did the champions two awake. 
 
 By the advice of Haghen, they prepared themselves to go to the 
 church and hear mass, and for that purpose were about to put on rich 
 dresses. 
 
 But up spake hero Haghen : — " Other garments must ye wear r 
 
 Not dight with flow'rs and roses, glittering falchions must ye bear; 
 
 For your rich-gemm'd chaplets ' put on your helmets good : 
 
 Well know ye, noble gentlemen. Lady Chrimhilt's angry mood. 
 
 " Fiercely must we fight to-day, and try our fortune soon : 
 Doff your silken shirts, and gird your hauberks on ; 
 For your spacious mantles must each one bear his shield : 
 If ye meet your enemies, your w'eapons bravely wield." 
 
 Wlien King Etzel beheld his guests in complete armour, he mar- 
 velled greatly ; but Haghen disdaining to tell the real cause, pretend- 
 ed it was the common custom of Burgundy. After the mass, a tour- 
 nament was held ; but Dietrich and Rudiger, when they saw the 
 angry mind of the Nibehmgen, restrained their knights from enga- 
 ging among the others. Folker seeing a Hun arrayed in splendid ar- 
 
 • In the original, schapel, from the French, chapclet, a kind of diadem of gold, inlaid 
 with pearls and precious stones.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 203 
 
 mour, could not restrain his wrath, but rode into the throng, and 
 pierced him with his lance. A general engagement began, which was 
 interrupted by the interference of Etzel, who threatened to hang any 
 one who did harm to the guests from Burgundy. The knights then 
 proceeded into the palace, and sat down to dinner in complete ar- 
 mour, every one mistrusting the other. Chrimhilt endeavoured in vain 
 to persuade Dietrich and Hildebrand to revenge her upon Haghen. 
 Blodehn, Etzel's brother, at last undertook the deed, after receiving 
 the promise of large possessions, and the wife of Nudung, a king, who 
 had been slain by Wittich. Towards the end of the dinner, Ortlieb, 
 the young son of Chrimhilt and Etzel, was brought in, and the latter 
 expressed his wish that he might accompany the kings to Burgundy, 
 and be educated at their court. But Haghen spoke lightly of him, 
 and declared that he would full seldom go and pay his court to him 
 if he came to Worms ; at which speech King Etzel was wroth, and 
 began to detest the knight of Tronek. 
 
 Adventure XXXII. How Blodelin fought with Dankwart. — 
 In the mean time Blodelin had assembled his knights, went to the 
 hall where Dankwart dined with the squires, and immediately defied 
 him. Dankwart denied having had any hand in Siegfried's death, but 
 was notwithstanding assailed. At the very first blow he severed the 
 head of Blodelin from his body ; and though few of the squires were 
 armed, they at last succeeded in driving out the Huns. But they re^ 
 turned, with two thousand others, and slaughtered all the youths. 
 Dankwart, however, fought his way through his foes, and at last reach- 
 ed the hall where the kings and knights were dining, at the very mo- 
 ment when Ortlieb was borne out of the hall-door. 
 
 Adventure XXXIII. How Dankwart brought the News of the 
 Slaughter to his Masters. — When Dankwart was come to the coiut, 
 and had informed his brother aloud what Kad happened to him and 
 his men, Haghen bade him keep the door, and prevent any one from 
 escaping. He then began the slaughter, by striking off the head of
 
 204 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 Ortlieb, which fell into his mother's lap. Folker, as well as he, com- 
 menced a dreadful battle ; but at the request of Haghen, he joined 
 Dankwart, to guard the door. Chrimhilt began to be in fear of her 
 life, when sne saw the battle become general, and requested Dietrich 
 of Bern to bring her out of the hall. That hero immediately leapt on 
 the table, and demanded to be allowed to leave the hall with his 
 knights. His request was granted, and he quitted the hall, bearing 
 Chrimhilt under one arm, and Etzel in the other. Truce was also grant- 
 ed by the interference of Ghiseler, to Rudiger and his champions. But 
 when he was departed, no one was spared, and the Burgundian he- 
 roes soon found no enemy to oppose. No one distinguished himself 
 like Folker. 
 
 King Etzel cried, " Alas and woe, that to this feast they camej 
 For there a fearfnl champion fights, Folker is his ilame. 
 
 Raging like a savage boar; a fiddler mad is he : 
 Praised be my luck, that from the fiend safely I could flee. 
 
 " Foully his lays resound ; his fiddlestick is red ; 
 
 And ah ! the dreadful tones strike many a champion dead !" 
 
 The champions of Burgundy threw the dead bodies, to the number 
 of seven thousand, out of the vkdndows, and with their spears prevent- 
 ed any of the Huns on the outside of the palace from approaching 
 them. Chrimhilt offered great riches to any one who would attack 
 Hashen, but no knight seemed inclined to undertake the entei- 
 prise. 
 
 Adventure XXXIV. How Iring was slain. — At last Iring, mar- 
 grave of Denmark, resolved to encounter Haghen. Irnfried, land- 
 grave of Thuringia, and Hawart, with a thousand men, would fain have 
 accompanied him, but he prevailed upon them to let him proceed 
 alone. Finding himself unal)le to slay Haghen, he successively at- 
 tacked Folker, Gunter, and his two brothers, and then returned to 
 
 a
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 2or, 
 
 Haghen, whom he wounded in the head, and returned to his country- 
 men. But when he had rested a while he renewed the fight, and was 
 killed by Haghen with a spear. Irnfried and Hawart, who went to 
 revenge his death, were also slain by Folker and Haghen, and their 
 knights shared the same fate. 
 
 Adventure XXXV. How the three Kings spoke with Etzel and 
 
 Chrimhilt of a Truce. 
 
 " Be ye proud of mood, my champions," Haghen aloud did say ; 
 " For aye the Huns shall rue that they brouglit us here this day ; 
 
 Ever the feast shall they lament which the queen for us has dight : 
 What boots it now to Chrimhilt that she brought us here to fight? 
 
 " Unlace ye now your helmets," so spake the champion ; 
 " ij and my fellow, Folker, will shield you from the foen ; 
 And if King Etzel's meiny dare try the combat bold, 
 i warn ye, noble gentlemen, your courage to unfold." 
 
 There many goodly kemps unlac'd their helmets good ; 
 Down they sat them on the dead, (amongst the tide of blood,) 
 Whom they had done to death in the sturdy fight : 
 But soon of Etzel's noble guests fell many a hardy knight. 
 
 Before the evening-tide. King Etzel did command. 
 And so did Lady Chrimhilt, that the kemps of Hunnen-Iand 
 Graithe them for the battle : and straight before them stood. 
 Ready for the fight, twenty thousand champions good. 
 
 In the hall, and eke without, a fearfull fight was fought: 
 
 Dankwart, Haghen's brother, noble deeds he wrought; 
 
 To his enemies he leapt rathly tlirough the door : 
 
 When they ween'd he had bled to death, he was hardier than before. 
 
 Ev'n till the night did sever them, they fought the fight of blood : 
 The guests defended them, as noble heroes should.
 
 20(5 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 Against the champions of the Huns a full long summer's day : 
 Ho ! how many a noble blade dead before them lay ! 
 
 At the turn of summer ' was done this murd'rous deed : 
 'Twas for the Lady Chrimhilt the champions bold did bleed: 
 There fell her nearest kindred, and many a man of fame; 
 For which King Etzel never more knew nor joy nor game. 
 
 She never thought such battle fierce among them would be fought; 
 For she had bent her mind all onl}- to have brought 
 To the death the hero Haghen ; but while his blood she sought, 
 All this bloody mischief by the foul fiend was wrought. 
 
 Gunter and his brothers now issued before the hall, and demanded 
 truce, which was refused to them by King Etzel. He was, however, 
 willing to allow them to come out and rest from the fight, but Chrim- 
 hilt ordered her champions to drive them in, and set fire to the hall. 
 The heroes of Burgundy, now reduced to six hundred, were driven to 
 the last extremity. They had no means to quench the raging thirst 
 caused by the fire, till, by the advice of Haghen, they drank the blood 
 of their enemies.* Fortunately the hall-roof was arched, which pre- 
 vented a general conflagration. They remained quiet till the morn- 
 ing, when they were attacked by twelve hundred Huns, allured by 
 the offers of Chrimhilt, who were slain to the last man. 
 
 Adventure XXXVI. How Rudicer was slain. — Rudiger was 
 disconsolate to see such dreadful havoc among his friends. A Him, 
 who saw him standing unarmed, upbraided him with cowardice, but 
 was struck dead to the ground by the hand of the margrave. Both 
 Etzel and Chrimhilt used every prayer, and even fell on their knees, to 
 persuade him to attack the Burgundians. Long did he deny their re- 
 quest, pleading his friendship for them, and the hospitality which they 
 
 ' See the note on p. 170. 
 
 * This circumstance has been transferred, with considerable improvements, into the D.t- 
 nish ballad of Lady Grimild's Wrack, printed in this volume.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 207 
 
 had enjoyed in his house. At length the tears of Chrimhilt prevailed, 
 and he prepared himself and his men, with heavy hearts, for the attack. 
 He told the knights of Burgundy to get ready to withstand him, and 
 informed them that he was only persuaded to it by the commands and 
 entreaties of Etzel and Chrimhilt. Haghen told him that the shield 
 he had presented to him at Bechelaren was hewn to pieces ; and 
 Rudiger insisted that he should accept the one he then bore in re- 
 turn. Touched with the generosity of the gift, Haghen vowed not 
 to attack Rudiger, and Folker followed his example. The battle be- 
 came general, and was very bloody. In the end, Ghernot and Rudi- 
 ger met. The latter wounded his opponent in the head mortally, but 
 was in return struck dead by the very sword he had given to Gher- 
 not. The remainder of Rudiger's knights were slain, one after ano- 
 ther. When Chrimhilt heard that the noise had ceased, she supposed 
 that Rudiger had made his peace with her brothers, and upbraided 
 him aloud for his treachery. But Folker shewed her his dead body, 
 and she began to despair of accomplishing her vengeance. 
 
 Adventure XXXVII. How Dietrich's Champions were slain.— 
 A champion of Dietrich of Bern heard the lamentations of the Huns, 
 and dreading that Etzel himself was slain, communicated his fears to 
 his master. Wolf hart, the nephew of Dietrich, and one of his bravest 
 knights, offered to inquire the truth of the Burgundians ; but the hero 
 of Bern fearing his rashness, sent Helfrich, who returned with the in- 
 telligence that the noble Rudiger had been slain. Dietrich then or- 
 dered old Hildebrand to demand the dead body. Wolf hart and all the 
 others prepared themselves to accompany him, notwithstanding the 
 command of their master to the contrary. When they entered the 
 hall, and found Rudiger lying dead, their lamentations were exces- 
 sive, and Wolf hart could not refrain from insulting the heroes of Bur- 
 gundy, who had refused delivering the body. Folker answering him 
 in the same style, he broke Joose from Hildebrand, and struck the 
 fiddler a mighty blow, but was felled down by him in return. Nothing 
 could now restrain the heroes from the fight. Folker slew Sighestab,
 
 208 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 another nephew of Dietrich, and was himself slain by Hildebrand. 
 Ghiseler and WoWhart gave the death-wound one to the other ; and 
 at length no one remained on either side, excepting Haghen, Gunter, 
 and Hildebrand. The latter endeavouring to carry off' the body of 
 the brave Wolfhart, was put to flight by the knight of Tronek, and 
 communicated the disastrous intelligence to his master, that he alone 
 of all his champions remained alive. 
 
 Adventure XXXVTII. Thk Death of Gunter and Haghen. — 
 Dietrich armed himself, and went to the hall where Gunter and Ha- 
 ghen stood among the dead, and demanded that they should yield 
 themselves prisonei-s to him. They reflised ; upon which he attacked 
 Haghen, and after a fierce combat, wounded him severely, bound him 
 down, and brought him prisoner to Chrimhilt, to whom he gave him 
 in charge, conjuring her not to take his life. Then he returned to 
 Gunter, and commenced another combat with him. At length he 
 also succeeded in binding him, and delivering him to Chrimhilt, who 
 caused him to be taken to a separate prison. Dietrich then departed, 
 loudly lamenting. 
 
 Chrimhilt offered Haghen his life, if he would discover the Niblung 
 treasure ; but he refused, saying, he had taken a strong oath not to re- 
 veal the place, and well knowing that Chrimliilt would never pardon 
 the offences he had committed against her. 
 
 " Then I'll bring it to an end," spake the noble Siegfried's wife. 
 Grimly she bade her meiny take King Gunter's life. 
 Off they struck his head ; she grasped it by the hair: 
 To the woeful kemp of Tronek the bloody head she bare. 
 
 When the sorrowing hero his master's head did see. 
 
 Thus to Lady Chrimhilt spake he vvrathfully : 
 
 " Thou hast brought it to an end, and quenched thy bloody thirst ; 
 
 All thy savage murders 1 prophesied at first. 
 
 " The noble king of Burgundy lies welt'ring in his blood. 
 With Ghiseler and Folker, Dankwart and Ghernot good.
 
 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 209 
 
 Where was sunk the Niblung treasure knows none but God and I : 
 Never, thou fiend-like woman, that treasure shalt thou nigh." 
 
 " Foully hast thou spoken," thus she spake with eager word ; 
 " But still I hold in my right hand Balmung, that noble sword. 
 That bore my Siegfried dear, when by your treacherous deed 
 Basely he was murdered ; nor shall you the better speed." 
 
 From out the sheath she drew that blade so good and true; 
 
 She meant the noble champion with his life the deed should rue: 
 
 Up she heaved the falchion, and off she struck his head. 
 
 Loudly mourned King Etzel, when he saw the hero dead. 
 
 He wept and mourn'd aloud : " Oh woe ! by woman's hand 
 Lies low the boldest champion, the noblest in the land. 
 
 Who ever shield and trusty sword to the bloody combat bore ! 
 Though he was my fiercest foe, I shall mourn him evermore." 
 
 Up and spake old Hildebrand, — " Thus she shall not speed ; 
 
 She has dared to strike the champion dead, and it's I will 'quite the deed. 
 
 Full oft he wrought me wrong, oft I felt his direful wrath ; 
 
 But bloody vengeance will I have for the noble hero's death." 
 
 Wrathfully Sir Hildebrand to Queen Chiimhilt he hied : 
 
 Grimly he struck his falchion all through the lady's side: 
 
 In sooth she stood aghast, when she viewed the hero's blade : 
 
 What might her cries avail her ? On the ground the queen fell dead. 
 
 There bled full many a champion, slaughtered on that day; 
 
 Among them Lady Chrimhilt, cut in pieces, lay. 
 
 Dietrich and King Etzel began to weep and mourn. 
 
 For their kemps, and for their kindred, who there their lives had lorn. 
 
 Men of strength and honour well'ring lay that morrow ; 
 All the knights and vassals had mickle pain and sorrow. 
 King Etzel's merry feast was done, but with mourning did it end : 
 Thus evermore does Love with pain and sorrow send. 
 
 2d
 
 210 THE SONG OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 
 
 What sithence there befel, I cannot sing or say — 
 Heathens bold and Christians full sorely wept that day. 
 With many a swain and lady, and many maidens young. — 
 Here ends the tale adventurous, hight the Niblung song.' 
 
 ' The MS. in the Munich library has been followed in the concluding stanza, out of' 
 which, in the Hohenembs MS., two are formed, containing mere repetitions and needless 
 tautology.
 
 THE LAMENT. 
 
 This is a singular appendix to the Song of the Nibelungen, probably 
 added by a later hand. It is not in the same metre as that poem, but 
 in eight-syUable couplets, and contains 4566 lines. The contents are 
 not such as to require a regular analysis. In the beginning the adven- 
 tures of the Nibelungen are shortly recapitulated ; after which King 
 Etzel is introduced, accompanied by Dietrich of Bern and Hildebrand, 
 searching for the fallen heroes among the ashes of the haU where the 
 combat had taken place, and lamenting over every one of them, as 
 they discover their features. The general dulness of these lamenta- 
 tions is sometimes interrupted by passages of considerable merit j 
 from which the following is selected, to give the reader some idea of 
 the best parts of the poem, and of the versification. It occurs at verse 
 1843, and the translation is nearly literal : 
 
 Sir Dietrich viewed with mourning cheer. 
 Dead on the ground his champions dear : 
 Loud he mourned the heroes true. 
 When their blood-stain'd forms he knew. 
 There his bold nephew Wolfhart lay. 
 Slaughtered on that bloody day ;
 
 212 THE LAMENT. 
 
 Red his beard and fierce his mien, 
 Welt'ring in the gore was seen. 
 Dietrich wept full mournfully 
 
 The fall of all his chivalry. 
 
 Wolf hart clenched his glitt'ring brand 
 
 Firmly in his bloody hand : 
 
 In many a fight that noble blade 
 
 Had struck the fiercest champions dead. 
 
 Not Dietrich nor old Hildebrand 
 
 Could grasp the falchion from his hand. 
 
 Till with iron tools they drew 
 
 From his clench the weapon true. 
 
 "■ Woe and alas !" Sir Dietrich said, 
 
 '•' Who now shall bear thee, noble blade ? 
 
 Never such blows of might and main 
 
 In battle shalt thou strike again. 
 
 As when to kings and heroes brave 
 
 Strokes of death Sir Wolfhart gave." 
 
 Sir Dietrich shed full many a tear 
 
 Where the champion without fear 
 
 In the gory flood lay drenched. 
 
 Firmly his teeth together clenched. 
 
 After the buiial of all the heroes, and of the dead of every descrip- 
 tion. King Etzel, by the advice of Dietrich and Hildebrand, collected 
 all the armour and horses of the slain, and sent them to the countries 
 from whence they had come. When Gunter's arms, and those of liis 
 brothers and champions, were brought to Worms, Brunhild repented 
 her treacliery to Siegfried too late, and Queen Uta died of grief. The 
 son of Brunhild and Gunter was crowned king. In the mean time 
 Dietrich of Bern, to the great sorrow of King Etzel, returned to his 
 dominions. 
 
 The poet expresses his wish to be able to give an account of King 
 
 Etzel further, but, says he, " Some say he was killed in battle, which 
 
 others deny. I have never been able to ascertain whether he suddenly 
 
 disappeared, or was taken up into the air j if he was buried alive, or 
 
 11
 
 THE LAMENT. 213 
 
 was taken up into heaven, or fell out of his skin, or shut himself up in 
 caves among the rocks, or fell into an abyss, or, finally, if he was swal- 
 lowed up by the devil." 
 
 The minstrel proceeds to inform us, that Pilgeiin, the bishop of 
 Passau, in honour of his nephews, the three Burgundian kings, caused 
 their fate to be registered in the Latin tongue by learned clerks, as it 
 was related to them by fiddlers, (i. e. minstrels, heralds ;) and that his 
 clerk Conrad, who has made many poems in the German tongue, also 
 wrote the present romance.
 
 APPENDIX I. 
 
 FRAGMENT OP A PROSE ROMAKCE, IN THE SAXON DIALECT OP THE TEUTONIC, WRITTEN ABOUT 
 THE EIGHTH CENTURY, AND PRINTED FROM A MANUSCRIPT PRESERVED IN CASSEL, IN EC- 
 CARDI COMMENT. DE REBUS FRANCIiE ORIENTALIS, TOM. I. P. 864 — 902, 
 
 See the Dissertation on Ancient Teutonic Poetry and Romance, pp. 6, 24, 26. 
 
 The Original. 
 Ik gihorta that seggen, that sih urhettun 
 aenon muotin Hiltibraht enti Hatubrant 
 untar heriuntuem. Sunu fatarungo iro saro 
 rihtun : garutun se iro guthhamun ; gurtun 
 sih iro suert ana helidos ubarringa. 
 
 Do si to dero hiltu ritun, Hiltibraht gima- 
 halta Heribrantes sunu (her uuas heroro- 
 man ferahes frotoro, her fragen gistount fo- 
 hem uuortum) wer sin fater wari, fireo in 
 folche, eddo vvelihhes cnuosles du sis ; ibu 
 du mi aen ansages, ik mideo dre uuet. 
 
 Chind in Chunineriche, chut ist min ah'r, 
 min deotjHadubrahtgimahalta, Hiltibrantes 
 sunu; dat sagetun mi unsere liuti alte anti 
 rote, dea erhina warun, dat Hiltibrant 
 hastti min fater, ih heittu Hadubrant. Forn 
 
 Eccard's Latin Translation. 
 
 Audivinarrare, quod constituerint pariter 
 Hiltibrahtus et Hatubrandus in expedition- 
 em ire. Patrueles ambo equos sues prepa- 
 rabant : Induebant vestes suas niilitares ; 
 appendebant gladios suos capuli annulis 
 connexis. 
 
 Cum ad coadunationem exercitus perge- 
 rent, Hiltibrahtus, Heribrandl filius, (erat 
 is ex primoribus, et vir animae sapientioris, 
 quaestionesque proponebat brevibus verbis) 
 interrogabat [Hatubrahtum] quis pater il- 
 lius esset. [Die mihi, inquiebat] cujus po- 
 puli aut familiae sis : quod si mihi ilium in- 
 dicaveris, ego dono [tibi] tres vestes. 
 
 Princeps [sura J in Hunorum regno, nota 
 est aetas mea [et] gens mea, inquiebat Ha- 
 dubrahtus, Hikibrandi filius ; id indicarunt 
 mihi homines nostri senes et sapientes, qui 
 ante nos fuerunt, Hiltibrandum appellatum
 
 316 
 
 APPENDIX I. 
 
 her Ostar gih, ueit floh her, Otachres nid, 
 hi na miti Theotrihhe enti sinero degano 
 filu. Her furlaet in lante luttila sitten, prut 
 in bure, barn unvvahsan, arbeo losa. Hera 
 Ostar liina der sid Detrihhe, dar bagi stuon- 
 tura fetereres mines, dat was so friuntlos 
 man, her was Otachre ummettiri, degano 
 dechisto, nnti Deotrichhe dar bagi stontun : 
 her was eo folches at, ente inio was eo fe- 
 hetati ; leow chud was her chonnem man- 
 num ; ni waniu ih, ju lib habbe. 
 
 Wertu Irmin Got, quad Hiltibraht, oba- 
 na ab heuane, dat du neodana halt, mit sus 
 sippan man dine ni gileitos. Want her do 
 ar arrae wuntane bouga, Cheisuringa gitan, 
 so imo seder Chuning gap, huneo truhtin : 
 Dat ill di nit nubi huldi gibu. 
 
 Hadubralit gimalta, Hiltibrantes sunu: 
 Mit geru seal man geba infahan, ort widar 
 orte. D»i bist der alter him ummet, spa- 
 her spenis mih, mit dinem wuortun wilihi 
 ih di nu spera werpan. Pist also gialtet man, 
 so du ewin in wit fortor. Dat sagetun mi 
 seolidante Westar, ubar Wentilseo dat man 
 wic furnam : Tot ist Hiltibrant, Heribrantes 
 suno. 
 
 Hiltibraht gimahalta, Heribrantes suno : 
 Wela gisilm ih in dinem hrustim, dat du 
 habes heine herron goten, dat du noh hi 
 desemo riche recchco ni wurti. Wela ga 
 nu, waltant Got, quad Hiltibrant, we wurt 
 skihit, ih wallota sumaro enti wintro sehstic 
 uriantc, dar man mih eo scerita in folc sceo- 
 
 fuisse meum patrera, ego nominor Hadu- 
 brandus. Antequam in Orientem iret, ini- 
 micitiam is fugiebat, Odoacri iram, ferme 
 cum Theoderico et suorum militum multis. 
 Relinquiebat in patria parvulos, conjugem 
 in thalamo, filium tenellura, hereditate ca- 
 rentem. [Pergebat] versus orientem post 
 hsBC ad Theodericum, ubi contentiones fer- 
 vebant patrui mei, qui amicis carebat, et 
 erat Odoacro viribus impar ; miles [alias] 
 optimus, usque dum Theodericus ibi decer- 
 tabat ; erat idem olim populi pater, et ipsi 
 dim erant divitiae ; amice cognitus erat for- 
 tibus viris ; non puto, quod vos superstitem 
 habeat. 
 
 Bone Deus Irmine, inquiebat Hiltibrali- 
 tus, summo de coelo, quod tu inferius susti- 
 nes, cum tam arete cognate viro contraver- 
 siam non concedes. Devolvebat tunc de 
 brachio suo plexa monilia, annulosque Im- 
 peratorios, quos ipsi antea Rex, dominus 
 ejus, dederat [opto, inquiens] ut niliil tibi 
 nisi grata largiar. 
 
 Hatubrahtus Hildebrandi filius ajebat : 
 gratanter accipienda sunt dona ; acies vero 
 contra aciem vertenda est. Tu aetate illi 
 dispar es, artificiose me seducere tentas, sed 
 tuis verbis ego te convincam. Tu adeo pro- 
 fectae aetatis es, ut aetate prior sis illi. Hoc 
 dixere mihi naufragi, in Occidente in mari 
 Mediterraneo, quod proelium susceptum sit : 
 Mortuus est Hiltibrandus, Heribranti fi- 
 lius. 
 
 Hiltibrahtus, Heribranti filius responde-' 
 bat : Video jam in armis tuis, te habere nul- 
 lum Deum, et sub hoc regno viiidicatorem 
 [patris tui] non futurum. Quod bene nunc 
 yertat, omnipotensDeus, ajebat Hiltebrand- 
 us, cujus jussa fiunt, Dcregrinatus sum a;s- 
 tates et hj-eraes sexaginta extra patriam,
 
 APPENDIX I. 
 
 217 
 
 tantero, so man mir at burc cnigcru banun 
 ni gifasta: nu seal mi suasat chind suertu 
 hauwan breton mit sinu billiu, eddo ih imo 
 ti banin wcrdan ! Doh maht du nu aodlihho, 
 ibu dir din ellenta oc, in sus heremo man 
 hrusti giwinnan rauba bi hrahanen, ibu du 
 dar enic reht habes. 
 
 Der si doh nu argosto, quad Hiltibrant, 
 Ostar-liuto, der dir nu wiges warne, nu dih 
 es so wel lustit. Gudea gimeinunniu, se 
 demotti, wer dar sih, dero hiutu hrelzilo 
 hrumen muotti, erdo desero brunnono be- 
 dero waltan. 
 
 Do lettun se aerist asckim scritan scar- 
 pen scurim, dat in dem sciltim stont. Do 
 stoptun tosamane staimbort cliludun, hcfiun 
 harmlico huitte sciiti, unti im iro lintun lutr 
 tilo wurtun giwigan miti wambnun. 
 
 ubi seligebar inter turmam saglttanorum, 
 nee in uUa civitate pcdibus meis vlncula in- 
 jectasunt: nuncautem consanguincus prin- 
 ceps coUum miiii late fcrict bipennisua, aut 
 ego pedes ipsius vinciani ! Poteris tamcn 
 facilius, si virtus tua tibi augcbitur, in viri 
 adeo venerandi armis acquirere manubias 
 de oeciso, modo justam aliquatenus causam 
 liabeas. 
 
 Ille sit omnium Orientalium ignavissimus, 
 ajcbat [porro] Hiltibrandus, qui tibi nunc 
 pugnam dissuadeat, quando illara tantoperc 
 desideras. Boni coneives, estote judicantes, 
 quisnam sit, qui hodie eampo cedere, aut 
 has duas loricas habere debeat. 
 
 Mox tela tarn valido impetu progredi ia- 
 ciebant, ut in scutis hajrerent. Inde coUi- 
 debant lapideos cuneos sonoros, [et] attol- 
 lebant inimice alba scuta, usque dum ipsis 
 lumbi paulisper commoverentui- una cum 
 ventre. 
 
 The following translation has been made immediately from the German, and has been 
 rendered as literal as language of the present day can be made to approximate to that of 
 the seventh or eighth century. As the fragment is evidently written in the dialect of the 
 northern parts of Germany, now denominated Plat-t, or Low German, which was once 
 nearly identical with the Anglo-Saxon, a great number of the words have been rendered 
 into such as, with little variation, existed in the old English and Scottish. 
 
 I heard it related that Hiltibraht • and Hatubrant with one mind agreed to go on a 
 
 ' Eccard gives the following derivation of this name. Hilda, coadunatio, congregatio, cxercitus, 
 and braht, (in the present German language, pracht,) poinpa, splendor ; hence Hildebraht, socielatis 
 splendor. The name is, however, generally spelt Hildebrand, which signifies, acies exercilus, and 
 this is the more probable etymology 
 
 2e
 
 218 APPENDIX I. 
 
 warlike expedition. The relatives ' made ready their horses, prepared their war-shirts,^ 
 girded on their swords [which were fastened] at the hilt with chains.' 
 
 As they rode to the rendezvous of the host, Hiltibraht, Heribrant's son, inquired (he 
 was a man of hosts of wise mind : he put questions with few words) who was his [Hatu- 
 brand's] father, " and of what people thou art : If thou tellest me, I will give thee three 
 garments." 
 
 " [I am] child (prince)* in the Hunnish realm ;5 known is my age, my people," said 
 Hadubraht, the son of Hiltibraht ; •' that our people aged and wise told me, who were in 
 former times, that my father hight (was called) Hiltibrant, I hight Hadubrant. In for- 
 mer times he proceeded eastwards : enmity fled he, the envy (rage) of Ottochar (Odoa- 
 cer;) it [his flight] being with Theoderic and many of his blades (champions.) He left 
 behind in his land few dwelling ; bride in hour (his wife in child-bed ;) an ungrown bairn 
 (child) without inheritance. He [wandered] eastward after this to Theoderic, where 
 contentions stood (happened) to my father. He was such" a friendless man, was unequal 
 [in power] to Ottochar : [he was] a valiant champion, till Theoderic there got into con- 
 tentions. He was once his people's father, and once he possessed fees (dominions:) 
 dearly was he known to bold men. I do not ween that he have life (that he lives,"*) 
 
 " Worthy (dear, beloved) God Irmin," ' quoth Hiltibraht, " above from Heaven, which 
 thou boldest below, with such related man do thou not concede battle." Then he wound 
 from his arm twisted bracelets, imperial rings made,* which formerly the king, his lord, 
 had given him : " That I give thee not, if not with good will." 
 
 ' Sunu fatarimgo, literally, sons of [the same] fathers. 
 
 ^ That is, shirts of mail. From guth, war, and ham, hemd, shirt. 
 
 ^ The swords of ancient horsemen were generally fastened witli chains. 
 
 * Chind, kind, child, infante, son of noble extraction. Tlie word was used in this sense almost in 
 every language of Europe. 
 
 ' The Hunni are denominated Chunni in many of the ancient authors. 
 
 * In several passages of this literal version I have considerably differed from tlie Lfatin of Eccard. 
 In the present instance I have very little doubt that the interpretation of that learned antiquary, as 
 well as his Teutonic text, is erroneous. Every one in the least acquainted with old manuscripts 
 knows tlial tlie u and the n are generally not to be distinguished, except from the context. He 
 reads: " Ni vvaniu ih, ju lib habbe," wliich he translates, Non pulo, quod vos supcrstitem habeat. 
 We should certainly read, " Ni vvaniu ih,j>i lib habbe," literally. Ego non pulo, ilium vitani habere. 
 
 ' The god Irmin, or Arminius, must not be confounded with the valiant conqueror of Varus. He 
 was the Mars of the Gothic nations, and was also denominated Erich, whence Friday (dies Mortis) 
 was named ErichsJag, the day of Erich. The celebrated Inninsul, (pillar of Irmin,) which was de- 
 stroyed by Charlemagne, was placed at Eresburg, (Eiiclisburg, viz. the burgh of Erich, or Irmin,) now 
 Stiulburg, in the ci-devant bishopric of Paderborn, in Westphalia. Leibnitz identifies the god Ir- 
 min with Arimanius, an evil god of the Persians, and thence derives the national name Herminiones, 
 or Gcrmnni. 
 
 ' That is, made for the emperor. Eccard seems to have conceived these imperial rings to have 
 differed from the bracelets mentioned before ; but the terms are probably synonymous, and the se- 
 cond only introduced to give an account of their origin, having been given by the emperor to Tiico<-
 
 APPENDIX I. 219 
 
 Hadubraht, the son of Hiltibrant, said, " Gladly gifts should be received ; ord (spear's 
 point) against ord.' Thou art unequal to him in age. Craftily thou seekest to deceive 
 me ; with thy own words will I refute thee.^ Thou art a man so aged, that thou far ex- 
 ceedest him [in age.] Sea-suft'erers ' told me, that westwards, beyond the Wendel-sea,* 
 war was undertaken. Dead is Hiltibrant, Ileribrant's son." 
 
 Hiltibrant, the son of Heribrant, said, " Well I see in thy arms that thou hast no Lord 
 God, and that under this reign thou wilt be no avenger [of thy father.] ' Well give now, 
 (Turn thou this to good,) wielding God," quoth Hiltibrant, " whose word is done. I 
 wandered summers and winters sixty out of [my] land ; there they detached me among 
 shooting people (archers ;) never in any burgh (city, castle) fastened they my legs : [but] 
 now my nearest relation will hew my neck with his bill (battle-axe,) or I entangle his legs 
 (tie him as a captive.) Yet may'st thou now easily, if thy valour should encrease, from 
 a man so to be venerated gain prey of the dead, if thou there (in this cause) hast any 
 right." 
 
 " May he now be even the worst," said Hiltibrant, " of the Eastern people, * who would 
 warn (dissuade) thee from the battle, now thou desirest it so greatly. Good fellow-citi- 
 zens, be judges who it be that this day must quit the field of battle,' or who will have 
 both these brunies (hauberks) in his possession." 
 
 Then they first let ashen [spears] fly with rapid force,' that they stuck in the shields. 
 
 deric, and by him to Hildebrand. The Teutonic word bovga still exists in the French hague, and 
 was probably formed from beugen, to bend. 
 
 ' The Anglo-Saxon word horde, or orde, is used for the point of a spear or a sword, in the Romance 
 of Alexander, (Metr. Rom. Edin. 1810, vol. I.) 
 
 They metith heom with speris hordes, (v. 932.) 
 
 The horn is scharp as a sweord, 
 
 Both by the greyn and at ord. (v. 6537.) 
 
 That is, ' both along the edge and at the point.' The meaning of the text is probably, " Gifts should 
 be gratefully received, [but at present] the point of one spear [is to be opposed] against that of an- 
 other." I prefer this interpretation to another whicli has been suggested to me, viz. point for point> 
 another gift is to be returned for the one received. 
 
 ^ The literal meaning of the text is, " with thy words will I now throw spears [againstl thee." 
 
 ^ This is the literal meaning of seolidanle, (seeleidende.) I have again differed in this place from 
 the interpretation of Eccard. The reader is left to the choice of eitlier version. 
 
 ■* This is a frequent appellation given to the Mediterranean by the Goths, which was probably call- 
 ed so from the Wenden, or Vandal nation. 
 
 ' Tliis is the most obscure passage in the whole fragment, and a corruption in the MS. is strongly 
 to be apprehended. 
 
 * Eccard explains the Ostur-lhUo as the Ostfalen, or Saxons, in opposition to the Westphalian 
 tribes. 
 
 ' In the original, hrelzUo, that is, " the aim of lances," the space measured out for the two oppo- 
 nents to gallop against each other, with their lances in rest. 
 
 * Literally, " with sharp schoure." The latter word occurs in a similar vray in Kyng Alisaunder, 
 quoted above :
 
 220 APPENDIX I. 
 
 Then they thrust together resounding stone-axes ; ' they wrathfully heaved white shields, 
 till their loins were slightly moved with [their] bellies.^ 
 
 Hit is beter that we to heom [to the enemies] schoitre, 
 So long so we may dure. (v. 3792.) 
 
 ' Staimbort, in the original, is composed of stein, stone, and barte, securis manualis, (whence the 
 word hellebarte, halbert.) This is a very early allusion to the stone-axes, or celts, still found in vari- 
 ous countries. Eccard has given a long note on the present passage, which he has illustrated with 
 engravings of various stone-axes used by the Goths and other nations, that have been found in 
 Germany. 
 
 ^ Wambun, wombs. The word is used for belly in Kyng Alisaunder, (v. 6622,) and wambe is 
 still employed in the same sense in the Scottish dialect. 
 
 8
 
 o 
 
 APPENDIX II. 
 THE SONG OF OLD HILDEBRAND. 
 
 This poem has not been translated for its intrinsic merit, which is very inconsiderable, 
 but for the reasons specified in the Introduction, (p. 21 and 26,) and also because it seems 
 to have formed a portion of the original Book of Heroes, to vi^hich it forms no unapt sup- 
 plement. In the translation, both the German and Danish copies have been consulted, 
 and though the difference between them is but trifling, any variations in the latter, which 
 were deemed improvements, have been adopted. In the original, the son of the old 
 knight bears his father's name. The Danish ballad, which in this point has been fol- 
 lowed, calls him, in conformity with the Wilkina-Saga, (see the Introd. p. 37,) Alebrand. 
 The German copy occurs in Eschenburg's Denknia^ler, (p. ^SY,) and in the Knaben Wun- 
 derhorn, BerUn, 1806, (p. 128,) but the former copy is far better. The Danish ballad 
 is preserved in the Kaempe Viser, 1695, (p. 67-) 
 
 Ich will zu Land ausreiten 
 
 Sprach sich Meister Hildebrant; 
 Der mir die weg will weisen 
 
 Gen Bern wol in die Land .' &c. 
 
 " It's I will speed me far away," cried Master Hiidfebrand ; 
 " Who will be my trusty guide to Bern, in the Lombard land? 
 I have not passed the weary road since many a day, I ween ; 
 For more than two-and-thirty years Dame Utta have I not seen." 
 
 Up and spake Duke Amelung, — " If thou wilt ride to Bern, 
 
 Who will meet thee on the beath ? A youth right brave and sterni 
 
 Who will meet thee on the march ? ' Alfebrand the young ; 
 
 Though with twelve of the boldest knights thou pass, thou must fight that hero strong.' 
 
 ' March, borders, frontier. At present tlie word is only used in the plural.
 
 222 APPENDIX 11. 
 
 " And if he break a lance with me in his high and fiery mood, 
 I will hew asunder his buckler green, that fast shall stream his blood : 
 Asunder his hauberk will I hew with a slanting blow of might ; 
 ^ 1 ween for a year to his mother he will plain him of the fight." — 
 
 " Nay," cried Dietrich, lord of Bern, " battle shalt thou not wage 
 Against the youthful Alebrand, for in sooth I love the page. 
 I rede thee, knight, to do my will, and ask him courteously 
 To let thee pass along in peace, for the love of me." — 
 
 When he rode through the garden of roses, right on the march of Bern, 
 He came in pain and heavy woe with a hero young and stern : 
 Against him rushed, with couchant lance, a hero brave and bold : 
 " What seek'st thou in my father's land ? say on, thou champion old. 
 
 " A bnmy clear and bright thou beai-'st, like sons of mighty kings ; 
 
 I ween thou deem'st to strike me blind with thy hauberk's glittering rings. 
 
 Bide at home in quiet, I rede thee, man of age; 
 
 Sit thee down by thy good fire-side !" — Loud laughed the hero sage. 
 
 " And why should I in quiet be, and sit by the chimney-side ? 
 
 I have pledged me, night and day, to wander far and wide ; 
 
 To wander o'er the world, and fight until ray latest day : 
 
 I tell thee, young and boasting knight, for that my beard grows grey." 
 
 " It's I will pull thy beard of grey, I tell thse, ancient man, 
 That all adown thy furrowed cheeks the purple blood shall run : 
 Thy hauberk and thy buckler green yield without further strife ; 
 My willing captive must thou be, if thou wilt keep thy life." — 
 
 " My hauberk and my buckler green, renown and bread have gain'd. 
 
 And well I trust in Christ on high, in the stour my life to defend." — 
 
 They left their speech, and rapidly drew out their falchions bright. 
 
 And what the heroes bold desired, they had in the bloody fight. 
 
 I know not how Sir Alfebrand dealt a heavy slanting blow. 
 
 That the ancient knight astounded at his heart with pain and woe. 
 
 And hastily he started back seven fathoms far, I ween, — 
 
 •' Say, did not a woman teach thee, young knight, that dint so keen ?" — ' 
 
 *' Foul shame it were if women taught me to wield the brand : 
 Many a gallant knight and squire dwell in my father's land ; 
 
 ' This lady, as Eschenburg conjectures, is perhaps Chrimhilt. Sec the third book of the Book 
 of Heroes, and the Song of the Nibelungen. 
 
 II
 
 APPENDIX II. 223 
 
 Many carls and knights of high renown in the court of my father dwell, 
 And what I have not learnt as yet, they can teach me right and well."— 
 
 " He who will scour old kettles, black and foid his liands will be : 
 Even so, young kemp, from the champion old, will soon betide to thee; 
 And quickly shalt thou shrive thee upon the blooming heath, 
 Or else, thou youthful hero, thou must graithe thee for thy death."— ' 
 
 He caught him by the middle, where the young man weakest was. 
 And heavily he cast him behind him, on the grass. 
 " Now say to me, thou champion young, thy confessor will I be ; • 
 If thou art of the Wolfing race, thou shalt gain thy life from me."^ 
 
 " Thou speak'st to me of savage wolves, tliat roam the woods about ; 
 Of noble Grecian blood I came, of high-born champions stout : 
 My mother is Lady Utta, a duchess of main and might ; 
 And Hildcbrand, the ancient kemp, my dearest father hight." — 
 
 " If Utta be thy mother, who rules o'er many a land, 
 
 I am thy dearest father, the ancient Hildebrand." 
 
 Soon has he doffed his helmet green ; on his cheek he kissed the swain : 
 
 " Praised be God we are sound and safe, nor ever will battle again." — 
 
 " Father, dearest father mine, the wounds I dealt to thee. 
 Gladly would I bear them thrice on my head, right joyfully." — 
 " Oh, bide in quiet, my gentle son ; my wounds will soon be well ; 
 But thank'd be God in Heaven ! we now together will dwell." — 
 
 The fight began at the hour of none, they fought till the vesper-tide:* 
 
 Up rose the youthful Al^brand, and into Bern they ride : 
 
 What bears lie on helmet ? A little cross of gold ; 
 
 And what on his right hand bears he ? His dearest father old. 
 
 He led him into his mother's hall, set him highest at the board, 
 
 When he gave him meat and drink, his mother cried aloud, with angry word, 
 
 " Oh, son, my son, so dear to me, 'tis too much honour to place 
 
 So high a captive champion, the highest at the deas." — 
 
 ' This and the following stanza are improperly reversed in the German ballad. They are regu- 
 lated as in the text in the Kampe Viser. 
 
 - The hour of none is three o'clock in the afternoon ; vesper-tide at six.
 
 22* 
 
 APPENDIX II. 
 
 " Rest in quiet, my mother dear ; 
 Upon the blooming heath so green 
 Oh, hearken, lady mother mine ! 
 It is my father. Old Hildebrand, 
 
 let him sit at the table head t 
 he had well nigh struck me dead, 
 captive shall he not be ; 
 that kemp so dear to thee."— 
 
 It was the Lady Utta, her heart was biythe and glad ; 
 Out she poured the purple wine, and drank to the ancient blade. 
 What bore in his mouth Sir Hildebrand ? A ring of the gold it was. 
 And for his lady, Dame Utta, he has dropped it in the glass.
 
 APPENDIX III. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF KING TIDRICH AND THE LION 
 WITH THE LINDEN-WORM." 
 
 Translatedfrom the Danish. 
 
 The reasons for inserting a translation of this ballad in this place have been already ex- 
 plained in the Analysis of the third Division of the Book of Heroes, (page 122, note 1.) 
 As has been there remarked, the incidents are closely copied from the adventure of 
 Wolfdietrich with the dragons. The Danish ballad-singer has substituted for the latter 
 hero, his grandson, Dietrich of Bern, and has ignorantly confounded the emperor Ot- 
 nit with the renowned Siegfried, whose fall is very differently related in the German and 
 Scandinavian romances. The value of the ballad is not great, but there is something 
 whimsical and ludicrous in attributing the gift of speech to the lion and the dragon. 
 
 Det Var Mester kong Tidrich, 
 
 Hand skuldefra Bern udride : 
 Derfant hand den Lazce og lede Lind-Orm, 
 
 Saaynckelig monne de stride. 
 
 Den Lindorm hand tog en af, SfC. SfC, 
 
 The royal Master Tidrich 
 Sped him to ride from Bern ; 
 
 A lion he found and a laithly worm, 
 Fighting the battle stern. 
 
 ' That linden-worm is one of the numerous appellations for the ideal monster usually called the 
 dragon, has been already observed, (p, GO. note.) 
 
 2f
 
 226 
 
 APPENDIX in. 
 
 They fought a day, and they foaght two, 
 Till the third at night they fought ; 
 
 But then the laithly linden-worm 
 To the ground the lion brought. 
 
 In his need the lion cried* 
 
 When the yaliant king he viewed, 
 
 " Help me, and shield me from the worm, 
 Tidrich, thou champion good. 
 
 " Free me for thy high renown. 
 
 And for thy royal might ; 
 Free me for the golden hon 
 
 Thou bear's! in thy buckler bright. 
 
 " Come to my aid, thou noble king, 
 I conjiu-e thee by thy name ! 
 
 With gold am I painted in thy shield. 
 Burning like a flame." 
 
 Long stood the royal hero; 
 
 It thought him well and right, 
 « I will help the hon in his need. 
 
 Whatever may betide." 
 
 It was the bold King Tidrich 
 Drew out his falchion good : 
 
 He fought with the laithly Unden-worm; 
 His sword stood deep in blood.' 
 
 The noble lord no longer bode. 
 He hewed with might and main ; 
 
 Deep in he thrust his blade of steel. 
 At the hilt it broke in twain. 
 
 The lind-worm took him on his back. 
 The steed beneath her tongue ; 
 
 Bore them into the hollow hill. 
 To her eleten young. 
 
 She cast the steed before them ; 
 To a cave she bore the knight : — 
 
 Hans svaerd stoed alt i blod. 
 9
 
 APPEXDIX HL £27 
 
 « Eat up die iktle aandl. 
 
 " £at ^ the pnnr, daog^ asB k be, 
 WMie I rst ae fra« tbe sloar, 
 
 AMi vtiea 1 fron ar decpavskey 
 TheMMjeshi 
 
 Tbenijsl 
 
 SiHhtalthelia 
 Tkoe that ■able 
 
 Ik 
 
 Tliere he nsBdtni& fnsly bbde* 
 
 And t«o ksncsweiel 
 « Gtid nst tfay sodl, Eiie ^6cd ! 
 
 Tina here to detfb vert I 
 
 "IharebeeawidiiihBeBi lmdifc ehBts, 
 
 la ai^ m bloodf soife ; 
 Nefcr bne I knovB liac boe 
 
 Una bast loGt d^ niale Sfe." 
 
 And Dov UK ro^id Ikao 
 
 Wooldtzy lis svordof &Bie; 
 
 Hie bewed nto Ibe rockr ades, 
 Tbtt the caie stood aH in ibaK. 
 
 Tbe ftaiB l,1i m fir aod wHe, 
 ' Wbo dares dBtab die hastes 
 Ib ber o«B cb^riier ^ heaiei 
 
 Acfiiy grew the< 
 
 Aad he nBedJ 
 * Who dacs dfeliab the IwM>ns 
 
 In her ova ho^f cxied be. 
 
 He mid it to the odher jvoK «<ofsas. 
 Where m die csve diey iaj : — 
 
 ■ STov Bodier old aa:d£. 
 It's t&oa «J»»iT rat tbe dsr." 
 
 Up and ^adte d>e ixnal knifix^ 
 HJB uiod ia bxasciL deep.
 
 228 APPENDIX III. 
 
 " Thy mother with an uncouth dream 
 Will I wake out of her sleep. 
 
 " Thy mother slew King Sigfred, 
 That high renowned sire; 
 
 Soon, with this hand, upon ye all. 
 Will I wreak my vengeance dire." 
 
 Up awoke the L'nd-worm old. 
 And her heart began to fear : — 
 
 " Who dares so boldly wake me ? 
 What sounds are those I hear?"— 
 
 " 'Tis I, King Tidrich, lord of Bern ; 
 
 Fain would I speak to thee. 
 Yestreen, beneath thy curled tail. 
 
 To thy cave thou carried'st me." — 
 
 " Oh, kill me not, thou noble king ! 
 
 Lo, here the precious gold ; 
 I ween 'twere better we abide 
 
 Thy friends, thou champion bold." — 
 
 " I will not trust thy lying tongue ; 
 
 Thou fain wouldst me beguile ; 
 Full many heroes hast thou done 
 
 To death with thy evil wile." — 
 
 " Hear, thou royal champion, 
 Oh ! strike me not to death ! 
 
 It's I will shew thee thy true love. 
 Who lies in the cave beneath. 
 
 " Search high above my head, 
 Thou wilt find the little key ; 
 
 Search low beneath my feet. 
 And enter the cave with me."— 
 
 " Above thy head will I not search, 
 But there the fight begin ; 
 
 Nor will I search below thy feet. 
 But there the battle win." 
 
 First he killed the laithly linden-worin. 
 And then her eleven young ;
 
 APPENDIX III. 229 
 
 But lie could not leave the hollow hill 
 For the hiithly dragon's tongup. 
 
 Soon he digged a hole so deep. 
 
 His left foot straight before. 
 That he might not lose his life 
 
 In the venomous dragons' gore. 
 
 And now against the lion 
 
 Cursed the hero bold : 
 *' Shame and woe befal him, 
 
 With curses manifold ! 
 
 « Right cunningly the wily beast 
 With wrong has me beguiled ; 
 Safely my steed had borne me hence, 
 ' Were he not on my shield." 
 
 But when the lordly lion heard 
 
 The wailing of the knight, — 
 " Stand thou fast, King Tidrich ; 
 
 I dig with all my might." 
 
 The lion he digged, and the hero struck. 
 
 That the rock stood all in fire ; 
 And had not the Uon digged him out. 
 
 He had died with sorrow and ire. 
 
 'Twas he had slain the laithly worm. 
 
 And her eleven young ; 
 Quickly he left the hollow hill. 
 
 With his shield and hauberk strong. 
 
 And when he had sped him from the cave. 
 
 For his courser 'gan he mourn ; 
 For now he had killed the laithly worms, 
 
 He would fain to Bern return. ' 
 
 " Hearken, thou royal champion, 
 
 And mourn not for thy steed : 
 Leap upon my back so broad ; 
 
 I will bear thee in thy need." 
 
 ' This is not literal. The original is too prosaic, and runs thus : 
 
 Paa hannem torde hand vel hde, 
 De hafde hver andre frist.
 
 230 APPENDIX III. 
 
 The lion bore him o'er the dales. 
 And o'er thg meadows green ; 
 
 Gently through the forests dark 
 He bore the king, I ween. 
 
 The lion and King Tidrich 
 Together did they go, 
 
 For each had saved the other 
 From sorrow and from woe. 
 
 When the king beyond his marches rode. 
 By his side the lion sped; 
 
 But when in royal hall he sat. 
 In his lap he laid his head. 
 
 He was called the knight of the lion ; 
 
 With honour the name did he bear; 
 And ever until their latest day 
 
 They held each other dear.
 
 POPULAR 
 HEROIC AND ROMANTIC 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE NORTHERN LANGUAGES, 
 
 WITH 
 
 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, 
 
 BY 
 
 R. JAMIESON, A.M. and F.A.S. 
 
 BEK EK ODINS MIOD 
 A ENGLA [l]iOD. 
 
 EGIL, SCALL. BOFVDLAUS.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 During the present writer's residence on the continent, there was 
 pubHshed at Edinburgh a Collection of Popular Ballads and Songs, 
 which he had made with a view of doing somewhat towards the illus- 
 tration of the real state of traditionary poetry, as well as of presen ing 
 some pieces of that kind which he had procured, and which appeared 
 to be curious and interesting. Circumstances did not admit of that 
 work being prepared for the press with due care and diUgence ; and 
 to the Editor's omissions and commissions, which were great and ma- 
 nifold, others were added in consequence of his absence, while the 
 work was at the press. However great were his regret and mortifica- 
 tion for having suffered his first publication to come into the world in 
 so undigested a state, after it was once before the public, the evil ad- 
 mitted only of one remedy. In order to apply this, he collected 
 a very large assortment of Popular Poetry in the Danish, Swedish, 
 German, Slavonic, Lettish (Livonian,) and Esthonian languages, from 
 which he began to make translations, with a view of publishing an 
 Appendix to his Miscellany, correcting the errors of the first work, 
 and adding as much as possible to its value. With this he continued 
 from time to time to amuse his leisure, till at last the Appendix swelled 
 
 2 G
 
 234 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 out to the size of a large volume. As the success of the volumes al- 
 ready printed has been at least no greater than their merit ; on re- 
 turning to this country, he readily embraced the opportunity of in- 
 serting his translations in the present work, in which they will appear 
 along with other more important things, with which they are in their 
 nature intimately connected, as they tend mutually to illustrate each 
 other, and are still, in their present form, most likely to fall into the 
 hands of those more especially for whom they were originally in- 
 tended. 
 
 Such is the brief history of the following tales, so far as concerns 
 the Translator. How far they may be found to answer the end pro- 
 posed, wiU best be seen, when they have all been laid before the pub- 
 lic. To most readers in this country, they have at least the merit of 
 novelty ; and it is presumed will, rude as they are, not be found alto- 
 gether uninteresting to those who are fond of tracing human nature 
 through those darker paths of history, where such Hghts, however ob- 
 scure, are desirable, because we have no surer guides to follow. If 
 the department which they fill is an inferior one, still their evidence 
 comes in very opportunely where other evidence fails ; and it is much 
 to be regretted, that the fastidiousness of taste has too often induced 
 historians, in more cultivated ages, to overlook these rude, but strongly, 
 characteristic monuments of the times that are gone by. The legends 
 of a iiide people are, it is true, when first produced, wild and strange, 
 like themselves ; and when preserved only by tradition, soon become 
 extravagant and confused, furnishing but very insufficient data for 
 establishing tlie certainty of political events ; they afford, nev'erthe- 
 less, the only pictures which remain of the ages which gave rise to, 
 and wliich preceded them. If we see how things are at present, and 
 feel a laudable desire to know from what origin they arose, through 
 what gradations they have passed, and how they came to be moulded 
 into the form in which we find them, we must look for the state of 
 our forefathers, " carminibus antiquis, quod unum apud illos memo- 
 Tiae et annalium genus est."' Considered in this light, the very ex- 
 
 ' Taciti Gerraania, cap. 2.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 235 
 
 travagance of the productions of the Scald, Bard, and Seannachy adds 
 not a little to their value ; and the rational inquirer into the History 
 of Man and of Mind, will be much more pleased and instructed by 
 learning what were the habits, ideas, prejudices, and superstitions of 
 the fabulist who composed and recited, and of his audience who heard 
 and were gratified, than he could possibly be with a list, however ac- 
 curate, of a series of Kings and Heroes, whether they lived in caves, 
 in cottages, or in castles. The general outlines of human nature 
 are nearly the same in all ages and countries, in all stages of civiliza- 
 tion, and in all ranks of society : it is the multifarious and ever-vary- 
 ing detail, arising from education, habit, and circumstances, that is 
 interesting. Of this the more that we know, the wiser we have the 
 means of becoming ; and if we do not also become the better, the 
 fault is not in the knowledge, but in our application of it. 
 
 If so high a value is set upon a coin of hardly any intrinsic worth, 
 which exhibits a legend scarcely legible, and figures so disfigured 
 as to be barely recognizable, merely because it assists conjecture, and 
 throws an obscure light upon some unimportant event ; how much 
 more precious must the Saga or Romance be, which exhibits even 
 fictitious characters, if it furnishes a picture either of the manners of 
 the times which produced it, or of the opinions entertained by the 
 men of those times respecting their neighbours, or those who inha- 
 bited distant regions ? 
 
 To those whose lot it has been to live in a cultivated age and coun- 
 try, it becomes of importance to know not only what their foretathers 
 in distant periods did know, but also what they did not know ; and 
 even the errors and credulity of a comparatively barbarous people are 
 no less instructive than amusing. Had Thucydides been a Spartan, 
 a Theban, or a Persian, he would probably have represented many of 
 the events which he has recorded, in a very diiferent manner from 
 what, as an Athenian, he may be supposed to have done ; yet his his- 
 tory is, perhaps, beyond any other merely human production, inte- 
 resting, because he tells what he had the best means of knowing, and 
 the events which he commemorates have affected, at one time or an-
 
 236 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 other, in a greater or less degree, almost all the nations of the eartli. 
 Yet valuable as his memoirs are, and great as is the pleasure resulting 
 from the confidence in his veracity with which we read them, who 
 does not rejoice that the " Muses" of Herodotus also have so long 
 survived the goddesses after whom they were denominated ? This is 
 not written with a view of exalting fable at the expence of truth, but 
 of allotting to each its proper province, use, and application. 
 
 The name of Herodotus naturally suggests a period in the history 
 of all nations, which have risen from a state of unsettled barbarism to 
 civilization and refinement, which is intimately connected with the 
 subject now under consideration. What Herodotus was among the 
 Greeks, SnoiTo Sturleson, Adam of Bremen, Saxo Grammaticus, and 
 the earlier prose annalists of the North were among the Goths. They 
 collected, like him, such materials as genius and superstition furnished, 
 and in such a state as the lapse of time, and the changes of men and 
 manners in their country, had left them ; and, fortunately for succeed- 
 ing ages, the impression of the truth, or at least probability, of the 
 wonders they had to relate, arising from the implicit acquiescence 
 with which they had heard these legends repeated from their earhest 
 infancy, was too strong to give way either to the severity of religion,' 
 
 • 
 
 ' Many of the earlier apostles and ecclesiastical dignitaries of the North were foreigners. 
 They found the half-converted Goths still strongly attached to their ancient superstitions, 
 particularly magic and runic charms. Tablets and books, containing all the supposed 
 mysteries of Black or Magic Runes, were common ; and were held in a reverence which 
 the preachers of Christianity found it very difficult to excite among a rude and unsettled 
 people, for the doctrines which they could but imperfectly illustrate in a language which 
 was but imperfectly understood. Partly from ignorance and want of taste for the contents of 
 the books and monuments which these zealous strangers found in Scandinavia, and partly 
 with a view cftectually to remove one powerful obstacle to that great, and no doubt salu- 
 tary chani^e, which tlioy meditated introducing into the manners and faith of their disci- 
 ples, these good fathers condemned indiscriminately, without trial or examination, every 
 thin" committed to writing in pagan times, whether in parchment, wood, or stone, that 
 they could come at. Not only temples and images, but books of poetry, the monuments 
 of the dead, with their inscriptions, and every relic of past times that was peculiarly re- 
 vered by the people, was represented as monstrous and horrible, the invention of the ene- 
 my of mankind himself, leading to certain damnation, and to be clliiccd without mercy. 
 Thus the poetry and antiquities of Scandinavia sufl'cred more from the ill-managed zeal of 
 these men, than those of Wales are said to have done from the politic fury of an ambitious 
 , conqueror.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 237 
 
 or the pride of learning. This gives an additional charm to their nar- 
 ratives ; for the best historian that can be expected to arise during the 
 first dawn of true learning, in a barbarous age, is he who, 
 
 " Lest they meet his blasted view, 
 
 " Holds each strange tale devoutly true ;" 
 
 and the talents, learning, and industry of Oluf Orm, the two Mag- 
 nuses, Rudbeck, Verelius, Peringskiold, Vedel, Sy\', Pontoppidan, 
 Suhm, Holberg, and the other illustrious worthies of northern litera- 
 ture, have never been employed to better purpose than in examining 
 and illustrating the productions of their predecessors, and the mate- 
 rials which they made use of. Such materials ft:e, to a certain extent, 
 hujus farrago libelli. We come late in time, and are only gleaners in 
 a wide field, the harvest of which has already been gathered into the 
 J^arns of the learned ; yet rude and uncouth as are the productions 
 which we propose to bring forward, they seem to us to have a certain 
 claim to dignity and respect, as being the most genuine examples re- 
 maining of a species of composition which we consider as having been 
 at one time the production of the first efforts of human genius, the 
 vehicles of all knowledge, human and divine, and the foundation and 
 ground- work of all that is now most admired in the most cultivated 
 limes. 
 
 The Narrative Ballad we believe to be the oldest of all composi- 
 tions ; and we are not induced to alter our opinion by all that has 
 been said of love and innocence, and of golden, pastoral, and patri- 
 archal ages.' It is natural to suppose, that the first ebullitions of ge- 
 nius and fancy were prompted by admiration, and shewed themselves 
 in celebrating the praises either of gods or of men. These praises 
 
 ' We fear much that the poetical progression of ages ought to be reversed, and to be- 
 gin with the Iron. At least the case is so in the world at present, in which we find igno- 
 rance of all things the least simple, amiable, safe, and desirable to be connected with. 
 Violence, we apprehend, is as old as selfishness and property ; and the warrior's club an3 
 horn of more venerable antiquity than the shepherd's crook and pipe.
 
 238 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 were founded upon actions such as were then most admired ; for men 
 learnt to act sooner than to think ; and abstract virtues, as well as ab- 
 stract ideas of virtue, are of slow, and therefore of late growth. These 
 actions furnished the story, and the composition was short ; for sa- 
 vages do not delight in unnecessary exertion, where necessity gives 
 them so much to do ; and copious eloquence, whether in poetry or in 
 prose, is always connected with leisure, and a regular state of society. 
 Between sacred and profane poetry, in its fii-st rudiments, there is lit- 
 tle essential difference ; as the characters of divine and human na- 
 tures, according to the crude conceptions of an unenlightened people, 
 are but ill distinguished from each other, and their attributes, and 
 even their essences, are constantly blended, mingled, and confounded 
 together ; in so much,- that a tale of the actions of gods, if the names 
 are but changed, may be equally read as a tale of the actions of men. 
 It is highly probable that the songs of Orpheus and Linus, if any 
 such remained, although the production of an age of comparative re- 
 finement, would tend strongly to illustrate this ; and the hymns as- 
 cribed to Homer are themselves either legendary odes or ballads on 
 actions and adventures of the gods, described as men, or scraps of 
 pieces containing only simple allusions to actions which were gene- 
 rally and popularly known. They seem to be a curious specimen of 
 one species of rhapsodies, such as those of which the Ihad and the 
 Odyssey are a splendid tissue. Such was the poetry of the Greeks be- 
 fore they ceased to be Gothic ; and such certainly was the more anti- 
 ent poetry of the Goths in the West, before they became in their ha- 
 bits and ideas Romano-Grecian, as all the civilized nations of Europe 
 to a certain degree now are. 
 
 If these assumptions are allowed, we naturally conclude that the 
 first poetical productions were short narrative odes, celebrating one 
 principal event. Every event had its own separate ballad or rhap- 
 sody. This rhapsody was always introduced by some general intima- 
 tions respecting the subject, and after being sung, was followed by a 
 detailed prose account of the various circumstances connected with 
 
 8
 
 INTRODUCTION. 289 
 
 it.' This practice seems to be as old as the use of numbers and stu- 
 died composition. It formed a principal part of the entertainment at 
 the beginning or close of an expedition ; celebrated the praises of the 
 dead, and roused the living to emulate their deeds, or revenge their 
 fall ; amused the Sea King and his confederates as they rested upon 
 their oars, waiting for the appearance of the star that was to di- 
 rect their course, or, when they moored their barks in a creek, and 
 kindled their evening fire under a rock, till the moon should rise to 
 light them to their prey ; it often agreeably suspended the boisterous 
 merriment of the hunter or warrior at the long-protracted winter even- 
 ing's carousal ; and, being a favourite amusement and delectarnentum 
 vita.', during the short intervals of rational relaxation, which the lives 
 of a bold, adventurous, and unsettled race of men allowed of, it ever 
 changed its character with the times, and was at all times popular and 
 characteristic. 
 
 While the ruling powers were petty chieftains, each independent of 
 the other, presiding in a single district, tribe, or family, and acting for 
 himself, their actions, like the lays that celebrated them, were abrupt 
 and desultory. Their sphere was too confined, at least in its general 
 influence, and their state too precarious, either to give rise to long and 
 elaborate details, or to produce a relish for them. But after many 
 petty dynasties were subjected to one head, when dukes, kings, and 
 emperors, in the detail of administration, committed the truncheon, 
 the sword, and the balance to delegated hands, the great events of the 
 
 " This is still the practice in the Highlands of Scotland, in Ireland, the Isle of Man, and 
 Wales ; and we believe in every other country where such productions are preserved by oral 
 tradition. " I have prefixed," says Mr Syv, in his Preface to the K. Viser, " short notices 
 to some of the ballads, and annexed such explanatory notes as seemed to be required; 
 thus following in my publication the usage of those by whom these ditties have been 
 handed down to us, who were accustomed first to sing the ballad, and when they had 
 finished, to relate the story, with all the circumstances connected with it, in prose. The 
 explanation was called Urski/ring, a word still in use in the Islandic language. This 
 manner of giving text and commentary tended to impress the tale upon the memory, and 
 facilitated the traditionary preservation of these relics ; and it is to such materials, handed 
 down in this manner from one to another, that we are indebted for the historical labours 
 of Adam of Bremen, Snorro Sturleson, Saxo, and Bishop Absalon."
 
 240 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 time assumed a different aspect, and formed a more connected series- 
 of events. Tlie state and safety of the monarch, with all the circum- 
 stances connected with a more settled, extended, and complicated po- 
 lity, kept constantly about the palaces and castles of the great, a large 
 train of retainers, of knights and dames, who, being now restrained by 
 a stronger hand, were subjected to a more orderly and regular deport- 
 ment, and to that jealous, stately, punctilious, and dignified formality, 
 which characterised the ages of chivalry. But the proud and impatient 
 liegemen, thus brought together, sacrificed much of what was dearest 
 to their habits and their wishes, in attending the court of a sovereign,, 
 where they 
 
 " Were each from home a banished man ; 
 " There thought upon their own grey tower, 
 " Their waving woods, their feudal power, 
 " And deemed themselves a shameful part 
 " Of pageant which they cursed in heart." 
 
 Such fiery and indignant spirits were to be soothed and flattered, and- 
 reconciled to their dependence, by every possible means. Hence, du- 
 ring the intervals of remission from war, huntings, hawkings, tourna- 
 ments, masks, and mummeries, jugglers and players of anticks, and, 
 above all, M'mstrels, were employed to arrest the attention, and beguile 
 the tediousness inseparable from a state of leisure, with a people whose 
 minds were rude and uninformed, and whose sources of more quiet, 
 retired, and rational enjoyment were few. The subjects of history and 
 poetry now became more extended ; and a connected series of events 
 required a connected series of narratives. But the subject bard, who 
 celebrates recent events, must touch the harp in the presence of a des- 
 pot, however liberal, with a trembling hand : entertainment was what 
 was principally aimed at by the minstrels of all ages ; and remote 
 events gave more scope and liberty to the imagination, in adorning the 
 narrative with whatever, of strange and wonderful, was most likely to 
 excite interest and admiration in rude minds. Hence the detached tales
 
 INTRODUCTION. 21 1 
 
 or ballads of the " olden time," with the traditions which accompanied 
 them, were assumed as a ground-work. These were arranged and de- 
 corated according to the taste, fancy, talents, or knowledge of the com- 
 piler, worked into a long " perpetuum cannen," such as the leisure of 
 the hall and bower could now tolerate, and indeed called for 5 and 
 formed a cyclus of events, often extending to a narrative of twenty or 
 thirty thousand verses, thus forming the Longer Romance of the ages 
 of chivalry. This kind of composition being once in vogue, more re- 
 cent subjects were assumed, and treated in the same manner. In times 
 in which the Reverend Bishop, the relative and associate of " knights 
 and barons bold," often exchanged the mitre and crosier for the hel- 
 met and spear, and laid aside the crucifix to grasp the battle-axe, the 
 legends of romantic heroism were no less popular in the monastery 
 than in the palace ; and the leisure of the cloister, co-opei'ating with 
 the taste of the hall, tended to preserve and bring them down to a very 
 late period. But when the learning of the better days of Greece and 
 Rome was once more introduced into Europe, a new light was poured 
 upon the minds of men ; their sources of intellectual enjoyment were 
 extended and multiplied ; their manners and condition, and with them 
 their taste and ideas, were changed ; and the extravagant fictions 
 which had lately been their delight, now became tedious and dis- 
 gusting. 
 
 But although the refinements of the court now rejected the amuse- 
 ments of ruder periods, the peasant still continued to be, as he must 
 be in every country, comparatively simple and rude ; and the min- 
 strel now 
 
 " Tuned to please a peasant's ear, 
 
 " The harp a king had deign'd to hear." 
 
 But the minstrel, however welcome a guest, could not long sojourn in 
 the cabin of the poor rustic, nor would the leisure of the latter admit 
 of his Ustening to long stories ; and the song naturally 
 
 " Was sad hy Jits ; by starts 'twas wild ;" 
 2 H
 
 242 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 And so the long romance, in itself a cyclus of detached adventures, 
 gradually fell to pieces, and relapsed into its original state, giving rise 
 to a number of distinct narrative odes, ballads, or rhapsodies. — Such 
 is our opinion of the origin of that kind of poetry which we have pro- 
 posed to illustrate. Indeed it seems highly probable, that this kind 
 of lesser tale was at all times a favourite with the vulgar, and that many 
 of those which have reached ovu- times have claims (could they now 
 be properly adjusted) to a very high antiquity. 
 
 Having premised thus much concerning the narrative ballad in ge- 
 neial, it may not be improper now, as the book is little, if at all, known 
 in this country, and the pieces it contains have so singular a resem- 
 blance in all respects to the legends of the same class among us, to 
 give a short account of the Danish K^mpe Viser,' or Heroic Songs, 
 from which the greater part of the following translations have been 
 made. The edition which has been used is that of 1695, by the Reve- 
 rend Andrew Syv,* from whose preface the following account of the 
 "work is digested. It contains two hundred pieces, the first centenary 
 of which was published in 1591, at the request of Sophia Queen of 
 Denmark, to whom it was dedicated, l)y the Reverend Andrew Sof- 
 fi'enson \''edel, or Veile, an intimate friend of the celebrated T}-ge 
 Brahe,' and chaplain to the king in Copenhagen, and afterwards his- 
 toriographer for Denmark, and pastor of Ribe Cathedral and Kanick j 
 
 * The full title is, " An Hundred Select Danish Songs, concerning all manner of war- 
 like and other singular Adventures which have happened in this Kingdom with old Cham- 
 pions, illustrious Kings, and other distinguished Persons, from the Time of Arild, down to 
 the present Day; to which are added. Another Hundred Songs, concerning Danish Kings, 
 Champions, and others, with Notes both amusing and instructive annexed. By his Royal 
 Majesty's most gracious Authority. Copenhagen, &c. 1695." 
 
 ^ In " Popular Ballads and Songs, &c. 1S06," he is erroneously called Say, instead of 
 Syv. 
 
 * Sophia Queen of Denmark, having been for several days storm-stayed at Knutstrup, 
 whither she had gone to see Tyge Brahe's observatory and astronomical apparatus, and ex- 
 pressing, in conversation with the astronomer, a desire that the heroic songs, which she was 
 very fond of, might be preserved, Mr Vcdel was recommended by his friend to her ma- 
 jesty as a fit person to undertake that task ; and this was the first origin of the collection 
 entitled " Ka;mpe Viser."
 
 INTRODUCTION. 245 
 
 a very industrious and curious antiquary, who died in the year 1616, 
 aged 74.' In republishing these, Mr Syv made no alterations in the 
 text or notes, farther than correcting errors of the press, and adding 
 in a few of the pieces, some stanzas from MS. collections of ballads. 
 
 The second centenary was collected by Mr Syv, as he informs us, 
 from the dead and the living ; from MSS. and oral tradition. " Some 
 of the ballads," he says, " that have already been printed separate, and 
 are now difficult to be procured, are inseiled, both to preserve them, 
 and make them more easily accessible, and to render the collection 
 more complete. Some of them have been eked out, and others cur- 
 tailed, although not by me. It would have been easy to have improved 
 those of the middle ages, in the measure and rhymes ; but I am of 
 opinion that it is much better to leave them as they are, in the vener- 
 able rudeness of their ancient simplicity, with all their unmeaning 
 burdens and expletives. 
 
 " The first hundred are divided by Mr Veile into three parts ; and 
 I have divided the second hundred into two ; the first half concerning 
 kings, great lords, and personages of the first rank ; and the second, 
 concerning persons of distinction also, althoughof inferior note. They 
 might have been divided into comic, or such as end fortunately, and tra- 
 gic, or such as end unfortunately ; or into sacred and profane. Of the 
 sacred kind we have abundance, such as, " Adam he was so rich a Man," 
 &c. &c. &c. ; but many of them contain miracles and extravagancies 
 which are not to be found in the Bible ; as, in Job's Song, where he 
 gives the minstrel's scabs from his sores, which ai'e converted into 
 gold ; which fabulous circumstance is introduced in a painting in the 
 chapel of Roskild cathedral ; and in the Song on the Nativity, in which 
 
 • Besides these hundred songs, he has published a Chronicle of the Popes in Rhyme ; 
 Saxo in Danish ; Adam of Bremen, with Latin notes ; Funeral Eulogy over King Fridrik 
 the Second, in Danish, with a chronological Table of the Occurrences of his Reign, — \\ itii 
 other Funeral Sermons ; concerning the Seven Sages of Greece, with other small Tracts ; 
 besides several Danish chronological and historical works, which he left behind him ia . 
 MS.
 
 2^4. POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 Herod says, that he would no more beUeve what is told of the won- 
 deroiis birth, than he would belie^'e that the roasted cock that lay be- 
 fore him on a dish would crow ; on which the cock immediately 
 clapped his wings and crew, and Herod, thunderstruck at the pro- 
 digy, tumbled from his stool (throne,) &c. &c. &c. 
 
 " Among the rest are many smaller pieces of little intrinsic merit, 
 but which, being found in better company, it is hoped may be allowed 
 to pass. Although each of these relics, considered separately, may, to 
 many readers, appear hardly worthy of preservation, it must not be for- 
 got, that it is not for such readers alone that this collection is made ; and 
 that, by bringing a number of these pieces together, we consider our- 
 selves as furnishing om- part of evidence, such as it is, for the illustra- 
 tion of our ancient histories and sagas, manners and language. We 
 write neither for the learned, who do not want our information, nor 
 for the ignorant, who cannot profit by it ; but it is hoped that we have, 
 upon the whole, produced a farrago, in which readers of all descrip- 
 tions may find something which may be read with pleasure and 
 profit." 
 
 So far the worthy pastor gives a very just and modest account of 
 his work ; and the last paragraph, digested from the conclusion of his 
 preface, speaks so truly the sentiments of the present writer respecting 
 liis own views and motives in making the following translations, that it 
 leaves him little farther to say upon the subject. The " Ktempe Viser" 
 is indeed a most curious and interesting work, and, for the age and 
 country in which it was produced, deserving of all approbation. The 
 editors had little of profit or of praise to look for ; and the ballads, to 
 save room, much to our convenience and satisfaction, arc printed in 
 stanzas, in the manner of prose, as chvuch hymn books and stall bal- 
 lads are still printed in Germany and in the North. We are the more 
 desirous to do justice to this work and its editors, because it seems to 
 be known in this country only by name, and has been mentioned by 
 some of the northern antiquaries in such a manner as was not likely 
 to excite any very lively interest. A new edition of it, however, was 
 several years ago undertaken by the learned Professor Nyerup of Co- 
 
 o
 
 INTRODUCTION. 24.5 
 
 penhagen ; but whether, in the present calamitous state of that unfor- 
 tunately-situated country, it has been published, we have not been able 
 to ascertain. It is hoped, at least, that the very praise-worthy editor 
 has taken care to obviate the objections made to it, which were prin- 
 cipally levelled at its inaccuracy, as being a work of no historical au. 
 thority. So far as dates, places, and persons, are concerned, tliis ob- 
 jection is certainly just ; but who would look for this kind of accuracy 
 in a popular ballad ? Even in the ages in which bards, scalds, and min- 
 strels, (by whatever name they are called,) were the only preservers of 
 the records of time, truth was constantly blended with the most extra- 
 vagant fictions and exaggerations. Most of these fictions, with the 
 incidents which they embcUished, have perished, or become difficult of 
 access : 
 
 " Yet fragments of the lofty strain 
 
 Float down the tide of years, 
 As buoyant on the stormy main 
 
 A parted wreck appears." 
 
 The songs mentioned by Tacitus, in his account of the Germans, 
 those collected by the order of Charlemagne, and those which the 
 Ooths brought with them out of the East, are now not to be found ; 
 yet it is more than probable, that much more of them is presei-ved, in 
 however altered a form, than we are aware of; in the elder Northern 
 and Teutonic Romances, the Danish and Swedish, Scottish and Eng- 
 lish Popular Ballads, and those which are sung by old women and 
 nurses, and hawked about at fairs, in Germany. To shew the intimate 
 connection which these have with each other, is the principal object 
 in view in this publication ; and the materials brought forward for 
 this purpose have in general one merit at least, that of being altoge- 
 ther new, in any form whatever, to most, if not all, of our readers. 
 
 As to the executio7i of the part of this work assigned to the present 
 writer, he begs leave to observe, that he wishes himself to be consi- 
 dered rather as a commentator and editor, than a poetical translator ;
 
 246 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 for his translations themselves have been done, to the best of his abi- 
 lity, in such a manner as to supersede the necessity of illustration ; 
 and such pieces have been selected as might best illustrate each other, 
 as weU as the general subject of our ballad romance and traditionary 
 poetry. Where there seemed to be occasion for throwing light upon, 
 or preserving the memory of, pecuhar usages, superstitions, &c. notes 
 have been subjoined. 
 
 As to the dialect adopted in these versions, he is under considerable 
 anxiety, being aware that it may be received with diffidence, and its 
 propriety questioned. They were written in Livonia, after a residence 
 of upwards of twelve years in England, and four on the continent ; 
 and it will with justice be concluded, that he must have lost much of 
 the natural facility in the use of his native dialect, which is above all 
 necessary for poetical narrative. Of this he is himself sufficiently sen- 
 sible ; and therefore would never have attempted to adapt it to origi- 
 nal composition ; at the same time that he is far from considering it 
 as a valid objection to his undertaking his present task. Having cul- 
 tivated an intimate acquaintance with the Scottish language in all its 
 stages, so far back as any monuments of it remain, he might be supposed 
 to have some confidence in his use of it. If in his translations he has 
 blended the dialects of diiferent ages, he has at least endeavoured to 
 do judiciously what his subject seemed to require of him, in order to 
 preserve as entire as possible, in every particular, the costume of his 
 originals. This is one of the strongest features of resemblance between 
 the Northern and Scottisli Ballad, in which there is found a phraseo- 
 logy which lias long been obsolete in both countries, and many terms 
 not understood by those who recite them, and for the meaning of 
 which we must refer to the Norse or Islandic of the eighth and ninth 
 centuries. On the otlier points of resemblance, it will not be neces- 
 sary to say any thing, as they must strike every attentive observer j 
 nor can the style which has been adopted be more satisfactorily justi- 
 fied, than by informing the reader, that the general cast of structure, 
 diction, and idiom, has been so sedulously followed, that, for whole 
 stanzas together, hiuxlly any thing has been altered but the orthogra-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 247 
 
 pliy. How easy a task this was, will be seen from the Swedish Popu- 
 lar Ballad which we have given with an intercalated Scotish prose 
 translation, in the introduction to " Fair Midel." 
 
 Of the manner in which a style so singular was formed, and the 
 causes to which it is owing that its identity has been so long preser- 
 ved among nations that have for many ages had no such intercourse 
 ■with each other, as was likely to have, in any degree, affected their 
 popular poetry, this is not the place to speak ; as any thing we may 
 have to advance on that subject must be more satisfactory, after a larger 
 body of evidence has been laid bei^bie the public ; and it will then be 
 the less necessaiy, if we shall be found to have furnished the reader 
 with sufficient data, fi'om which to judge for himself. In the mean 
 time, enough has been done, not only to excite curiosity, but, we 
 hope, in a considerable degree, to gratify it. We have at least the 
 merit of pointing out where proper materials are to be found •, and if 
 the subject should be taken up by some more able hand, we shall be 
 among the first to encourage the undertaking, and to rtjoice at its 
 success. 
 
 We shall now conclude this article with some conjectures wliich 
 have suggested themselves to us in the course of our investigations of 
 the nature of traditionary poetry ; and, giving them with ail deference, 
 as mere harmless conjectures, leave the reader to decide for himself. 
 
 There may be remarked in all the Scottish and Danish traditionary 
 ballads, a frequent and almost unvaried recurrence of certain terms, 
 epithets, metaphors, and phrases, which have obtained general cur- 
 rency, and seem peculiarly dedicated to this kind of composition. The 
 same ideas, actions, and circumstances are almost uniformly expressed 
 in the same forms of words ; and whole lines, and even stanzas, are so 
 hackneyed among the reciters of popular ditties, that it is impossible 
 to give them their due appropriation, and to say to which they origi- 
 nally belonged. Although this feature is also distinguishable in our 
 longer romances, it is but very faintly marked i:i such as have not been 
 in their time treated as traditionary legends. This fact, and the cause 
 of it, are so obvious, that we should not have considered it as deser-
 
 248 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 ving of notice here, were it not for the Hght which it seems to throw on 
 a subject the most interesting of all others to the classical and poetical 
 inquirer. 
 
 It seems to be not merely a cliaracteristic of simple composition, 
 such as may be expected to be produced in a rude age, and among a 
 rude people, but to be decidedly the reigning distinction of tradition- 
 ary poetry, in whatever language, country, or age ; and we consider 
 the want of it in the poems ascribed to Ossian, as one of the strongest 
 evidences of the disingenuousness of Macpherson, and of the care and 
 industry which he has bestowed in working up his slender materials 
 into the form in which they have been given to the world. That an 
 Ossian would, in describing the same scenes and circumstances, have 
 perpetually varied his forms of expression, and added or with-held cer- 
 tain minutice, so as to produce an endless variety, may be possible, but 
 is certainly very improbable ; but that his compositions could have 
 been preserved in that state by tradition, during a period of fifteen 
 centuries, in spite of local, habitual, and political changes, is a suppo- 
 sition too absurd to be contended for. 
 
 But although Macpherson, writing in a cultivated age, when the 
 rules of correct and elegant composition were familiar to every school- 
 boy, has banished these characteristics from the poems which he has 
 ascribed to Ossian, they are every where distinguishable in an emi- 
 nent degree in the Iliad and Odyssey ; while they are found in no 
 other efflisions of the Greek muse, except where they are evident imi- 
 tations, not of the style of the ages in which they were produced, but 
 of the two great models and treasures of heroic and mythological fic- 
 tion above-mentioned. This never appeared to us in so striking a 
 light, till we had perused the traditionary rhapsodies of the Danes and 
 Swedes, after cultivating an intimate acquaintance with those of our 
 own country, and comparing them with the more ancient xiritten re- 
 mains of the Scandinavian' and British Muse. 
 
 ' We do not mean here to insinuate, that all the Norse poetry which has conic down to 
 us, was committed to writing by the scalds who composed it, or that all of them could 
 
 3
 
 INTRODUCTION. 249 
 
 We are disposed to look upon the Iliad and Odyssey, then, as 
 " perpetua carmina," compacted from various materials of different 
 ages, nations, (ftalects, and tongues, and constituting a methodized, 
 corrected, and new-modelled anthology of all the best traditionary, 
 heroic, narrative, and mythological poetry that came within the reach 
 of the compiler. Of the Fable which he has so admirably decorated, 
 it is probable that he had as little certain knowledge, as he had of the 
 history of Bacchus, Hercules, or Jason, or as we have of that of Brute 
 the Trojan, King Arthur, or Fion Mac Comhal ; and the existence 
 of Homer himself appears to us to be even more doubtful than that 
 of Troy. — The Rhaj)sodies of Homer mean neither more nor less than 
 the Blind-man* s Ballads, such as were sung for their daily bread by 
 blind itinerant minstrels, a description of men for which Greece was 
 famous. But 'o^xjof, " a blind man," is a local, and not a general term 
 in the Greek language ; and therefore we are disposed to think that 
 Lycurgus has couched under this equivocal appellation, the real his- 
 tory of the poems which he produced in Greece. Deriving the term 
 in the manner the most natural and the most agreeable to the genius 
 of the Greek language, from o>ou, " together," and s^e/r, " to bind, or 
 connect," the Homeric rhapsodies will literally signify what we have 
 supposed them to be — a splendid tissue of ballad patch-work. 
 
 That seven illustrious cities of Greece contended for the affiliation 
 of Homer is less to be wondered at, than that many more cities of 
 Greece, and even of India, Persia, and Thrace, did not claim the same 
 
 write ; but when we consider the weight of the subjects, the poetical enthusiasm of the 
 distinguished men among the Goths, for whom these pieces were composed ; the peculiar 
 kind of pride and prejudice which led to the preservation of their purity and integrity ; the 
 characters of those who committed them to writing, and who neither were nor could have 
 been vulgar men, because writing was no vulgar accomplishment ; the rank and spirit of 
 those among whom they were most likely to be found, and from whose recitation they were 
 taken down ; and lastly, the manner in which the writer was likely to execute his task ; — 
 when we consider all these circumstances, we cannot reckon the Scaldic remains in the 
 list of traditionary popular poems ; while the rhapsodies imputed to Homer appear to us 
 to be decidedly of that description ; at the same time that they have other characteristics 
 of uniformly regular and correct composition, which remain to be accounted for. 
 
 2l
 
 250 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 honour ; for the two great epics obtained currency among men who 
 were much more sensible of poetical beauty, than curious about the 
 authenticity of what they admired, in an age that proAiced neither a 
 Johnson, a Laing, nor a Ritson, to confute, confound, or carp at the 
 editor ; and it was perfectly natural for those who recognised, in the 
 " Tale of Troy divine," many passages which they had been taught 
 from their infancy to consider as indigenous among themseh'es, and 
 which they now regarded only as parts of a beautiful whole, to claim 
 the wonderflil author as their countryman.' It was also perfectly na- 
 tural that, when those rhapsodies had, like the rod of Aaron, swallow- 
 ed up all the others, appropriated all their energies, and afterward come 
 out in a more dilated, splendid, and engaging form, the beauties of the 
 entire composition should eclipse, and bring into neglect and disre- 
 pute the detached, rude, and imperfect fragments from which it was 
 originally constructed. The men of those rude times were much more 
 likely to admire the beauty and grandeur of a noble fabric, adorned 
 with the statues and busts, and enriched with reliefs of the heroic 
 deeds of their ancestors, than to turn over the rubbish of the quarry, 
 or ruin, (whether of palace, temple, tomb, or pyramid,) from which 
 the materials were dug, in order to discover the original bed of every 
 particular stone of which it was composed. The age assigned to Ho- 
 mer was an age of poetry, in which not only history, but also the 
 maxims of theological, moral, and political wisdom, were all delivered 
 in a poetical form ; but it was an age in which antiquarian curiosity 
 was not yet awaked, and in which truth and fable were received with 
 equal confidence, and without scruple or scepticism. Long before the 
 days of Herodotus, it was already impossible to ascertain with preci- 
 sion any thing respecting either Homer or Troy ; and the traditionary 
 
 • We live in an age much more curious antl inquisitive than that wliich intervened be- 
 tween the production of the poems of Homer and the time of Herodotus ; yet, had the 
 poems ascribed to Ossian been pubhslied 300 years ago, how difficult would it by this 
 time have been to say any thing with certainty on the subject of their authenticity ? And 
 why should we wonder at the obscurity in which the history of the Greek Epos is in- 
 volved ?
 
 INTRODUCTION. fi51 
 
 tales must have been become vulgar and degraded, and likely to be 
 considered rather as defective and detei'iorated scraps of the Iliad and 
 Odyssey, than as the materials from which these poems had been fa- 
 bricated ; and these appear to us to have been the causes why Homer 
 was believed to have invented every thing for himself, and to have had 
 no prototypes ; a supposition as absurd as the thing is impossible. 
 
 Respecting Homer and Troy, Herodotus, twenty centuries and a 
 half ago, had only conjectures and vague and contradictory traditions 
 to offer, and we can promise no more ; but of conjectures, the most 
 probable are the best, and the field is wide, and open to us as to others. 
 If, through necessity, we should be too brief and general to be satisfac- 
 tory, we must beg leave to suggest, that we are writing an introduc- 
 tion to traditionary ballads, and not an " Inquiry into the Life and 
 Writings of Homer," which will require a more favourable season of 
 leisure and conveniency. 
 
 Plutarch, in his admirable " Life of Lycurgus," has informed us, 
 that when that great legislator, sacrificing every private and personal 
 concern to the good of his country, became a voluntary exile, " He 
 passed from Crete into Asia, in order to be an eye-witness of the 
 luxury and refinement of the lonians, to compare their manner ctf liv- 
 ing with the simple and austere discipline and habits of the Cretans, 
 and thereby to be able to judge with more certainty of the political 
 effects produced by the influence of modes of life so opposite to each 
 other. It was in aU probability there that he first became acquainted 
 with the poems of Homer, which were preserved by the descendants 
 of Cleophilus ;" and having found that the moral and political maxims 
 which they contained were no less useful than the tales and fictions 
 were delightful, he was at the pains to collect, arrange, connect, and 
 copy them, in order to carry them into Greece. It is true, that these 
 poems were already not altogether unknown in that country, and de- 
 
 ' Cleophilus is said to have entertained Homer in his house ; but Lycurgus also is said 
 to have seen and conversed with him. The one tradition is just as well supported as 
 the other.
 
 252 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 tached fragments of them were in a few hands ; but Lycurgus was 
 the first who produced them in a perfect form in Greece." * * * 
 
 " Another measure of Lycurgus v/as very beneficial to his country ; 
 for he prevailed upon Thales, who was reckoned one of the wise men 
 of Greece, and a profound politician, to come and settle there. This 
 Thales was a lyric poet, who, although ostensibly only a writer of 
 songs, was capable of producing in a more engaging manner, upon 
 the minds and manners of his hearers, by the irresistible charms of 
 his compositions, the same salutary effects as are aimed at by the grave 
 legislator." 
 
 This is an interesting picture of the Greeks, and more particularly 
 of the Spartans, in the days of Lycurgus, and of his opinion respect- 
 ing the proper apphcation of poetry as a political engine ; and Ly- 
 curgus appears to us to be the person who may with most probability 
 be fixed upon as the fabricator of the Iliad and Odyssey. The for- 
 mer poem he may have compiled during his residence in Asia Minor, 
 to prejudice his countrymen in favour of monarchical government ; to 
 inculcate unanimity, to encourage and strengthen the national pride 
 of the Greeks, as a people who could only hope to flourish while they 
 continued faithfiil to each other ; and, above all, to fortify them against 
 the dangerous influence of Asiatic luxury, vice, ambition, and pei-fidy, 
 the effects of which, upon the liberties of the lonians, he already with 
 a prophetic eye foresaw. Upon a careful comparison of the lUad with 
 the history of Lycurgus, we are convinced that a large body of exi- 
 dence will be found to give probability to this conjecture ; while the 
 incongruities in manners, which seem to belong to different ages and 
 states of society ; the striking marks of the rhapsodies having been, in 
 one form or another, traditionary ; and the middle course which the 
 collector, to keep up the deception, has pursued, seem distinctly to 
 point to the original sources from which a great part of his materials 
 were drawn. Hence we are enabled to account for the general uni- 
 formity which they derived from being new-modelled by one man, and 
 for the particular incongruities arising from the discrepancy of the ma- 
 terials which he had employed ; hence the variety of' dialects with
 
 INTRODUCTION. 25-J 
 
 which the text is infected, in which it resembles the Scottish and Da- 
 nish ballads ; and hence also the prevalence of the Ionic dialect, de- 
 rived from the circumstance of the different ditties having been col- 
 lected and amalgamated in that country, with the view of being im- 
 ported as Ionic productions into Greece. 
 
 As to the " Odyssey," the success of the Iliad may have encouraged 
 him to produce it, as Macpherson produced his Temora ; and we take 
 Lycurgus himself to have been the man, 
 
 oV fia ha. rroKKX 
 JJhdy^^tt 
 
 TloKhuv /' aVSfw^rwV "iftv area, noii voov lyva, 
 
 for he is said to have visited, not only the islands in the east of tiie 
 Mediterranean, and to have travelled into India, Eygpt, and other 
 parts of Africa, but even to have visited Spain. In his old age he 
 ceased from all his wanderings, left the laws he had enacted to be ad- 
 ministered by others, withdrew from Lacedaemon, and settled in Crete,' 
 the land of fable, where Jupiter was educated, and which was peopled 
 by Phrygians, Dorians, Achoeans, &c. And in this island we think it 
 probable, that he produced the " Odyssey," to shew the baneful con- 
 sequences of luxury and of travelling, both which were sedulously pro- 
 vided against by the laws of Lycurgus. That he should have been 
 guilty of such an imposture, is no-wise to be doubted or wondered at ; 
 for among the Spartans, a publicly-useM lie was accounted not only 
 innocent, but virtuous. 
 
 As the productions of an unknown author, also, the poems carried 
 with them a degree of historical dignity, among a people accustomed 
 only to poetical annals, which the acknowledged inventions of a man 
 ■whom they familiarly knew could never have hoped to attain ; and al- 
 though they were admirably calculated to second the views of Lycur- 
 
 ' If, as some say, he retired to Delphi, that place was the greatest emporium in tJie 
 world for topographical, historical, ethical, and mythological information, and therefore 
 the most favourable for the composition of such a poem as the Odj'ssey. 
 
 9
 
 254 POPULAR BALLADS. 
 
 gus, the severe maxims of the grave legislator would have lost not a 
 little of their weight and influence, had their author been confounded 
 with the fabling minstrel, who sung the wars of Troy, and the wander- 
 ings of Ulysses. These appear to us to be inducements sufficiently 
 strong for introducing them to the Greeks in the manner he did ; and 
 his giving up for ever the fame to be derived from being their author, 
 was a very trifling sacrifice when compared with others, which Lycurgu* 
 is said to have made for the welfare of his country.
 
 SIR PETER OF STAUFFENBERGH AND 
 THE MERMAID. 
 
 This is the tale alluded to in the Dissertation on the Antient Teuto- 
 nic Poetry and Romance, in this work, p. 16, and is put at the head 
 of the pieces translated by the present writer for two reasons ; first, 
 because it is an entire and not unfavourable sample of a German Ro- 
 mance, holding a middle place between the longer romance and the 
 common ballad, and exhibiting a specimen of an abridged and balla- 
 dised copy of a longer tale which is still preserved, and may be con- 
 sulted by the curious ; and, secondly, on account of the dialect into 
 which it has been rendered. — As the translator has used with consi- 
 derable latitude the dialect which he has adopted, in turning the Da- 
 nish ballads, he hoped, that his version of " Sir Peter" might at the 
 out-set somewhat conciHate the confidence of the reader, by shewing 
 how far he was master of the style and manner of one particular (era, 
 and might therefore be justified in presuming to use his own discre- 
 tion, in adopting promiscuously antient and modern terms and idioms, 
 as circumstances seemed to require. 
 
 Imagining that the German tale would appear to most advantage, 
 when clothed in the costume of its own age among us, it was at first 
 intended to adopt the language and orthography of Barbour's " Bruce." 
 But, fearing that this would appear stiff and unpleasing to southern 
 readers, he has preferred as a model, the admirable Romance of 
 ♦' Ywain and Gawin," in Ritson's collection. This he has found so
 
 256 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 closely to resemble the dialect of Barbour, that they might both pass 
 for the productions, not only of the same age and country, but of the 
 same authoi'. At the same time, the liberties which he supposes to 
 have been taken by a more southerly transcriber, may render the 
 property of " Ywain and Gawin" disputable ; so, in order to recon- 
 cile all parties, he judged it best to follow, even in its irregularities, 
 the style of a piece which he found every way adapted to his purpose, 
 and of which it was not easy to say whether it was English or Scotish ; 
 and so intimate is the connection which language, ideas, and manners, 
 have with each other, that he found it infinitely more easy to execute 
 his translation in the style which he has used, than in modern Eng- 
 lish. • 
 
 The story of" Sir Peter of Stauffenbergh" is one of the most popu- 
 lar in Germany j and has of late years obtained fresh celebrity from 
 the favourite opera of Das Donawweibchen, " The Nymph of the Da- 
 nube ;" in the Russian imitation of which, acted at Petersburgh, in 
 which many fine old Russian melodies are introduced, the scene has 
 been transferred from the Danube to the Dnieper. The following 
 version has been made from the copy in vol. I. p. 407, of Des Kiia- 
 hen Wunderhom, published at Heidelberg, in 1806, (to which two 
 other volumes have since been added,) which is given from the Stras- 
 burg edition of 1 595 ; but with the same licentiousness, so far as re- 
 gards orthography and obsolete terms, with which the conceited, 
 faithless, and slovenly editors have given every thing else that has 
 passed through their hands. From the general cast of the diction, 
 we take the piece to be of nearly the same age with the fine old bal- 
 lad of Der edele Moringer, The Noble Moeringer, (See Sammlung 
 Deiitscher VolksUeder, he. Berlin, 1807 ; and a still more genuine and 
 antient copy in Bragiir ;J that is, about the middle of the fifteenth 
 century. — An aspirate has been added to the name of Staitffenbei'g, 
 in comphance with the German pronunciation. 
 
 ' It is rendered line for line throughout.
 
 SIR PETER OF STAUFFENBERGH 
 
 AND THE 
 
 MERMAID. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN. 
 
 Fele nobil ernes by has flown : 
 
 A knyght of pryse and grete renown 
 
 Sir Peter was, chast, nobil, clene, 
 
 Slike in his face mot wele be sene ; 
 
 Ay prestly bayn at ilka hour 
 
 For mows or ernyst, gaym or stour. 
 
 In might of youth, in fremmed land, 
 Hys manhede mekyl wirship wand ; 
 And als he hamewart drogh ogayn, 
 Thoght on his luk, and maid him fayn, 
 And sla gan to his kastel ryde, 
 What did his squier se hym bisyde ? 
 
 Thar sagh he sit a ladye bright, 
 In shemrand golde and silver dio-ht, 
 With perry and fele preciows stane. 
 That riche and cler als son sho shane. 
 Tho til that knight the squyer gan say, 
 " Wold I mot ser that kumli may !" 
 2 K
 
 258 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 The knight cuftais and debonayr, 
 
 Hailsed that fre with gretyng fayr. — 
 
 " Thou err. Sir Knight, thou nobil pere, 
 
 Tlie ferly fode that drogh me here ; 
 
 In ilka land wyth the I fard, 
 
 To bete thi blis, and worth thi ward." 
 
 •' Ar sagh I nevjT fayrer fre ; 
 I luf tlie, als thou wele may se. 
 Aft sagh I the in swevenes depe ; 
 Uneth I trow yit bot I slepe. 
 Wold God, thou war my lefe ladye, 
 And I thi walit fere to be !" 
 
 ♦' So far, so gude !" tho spak that hende; 
 
 Slike rede did I fi-o the attende. 
 
 Mi luf to luf the op has broght ; 
 
 Tlii nka kraft by me was wroght ; 
 
 I am thin awin, for evyr thyne, 
 
 And thou men now for aye be myne. 
 
 " Bot wyv bot me mon tliou ha nane ; 
 Mi faire bodje es al thyne ane 
 Everilka night at thi desyre ; 
 And might and store, if thou requyre, 
 And cndles Ij'f, mi power kan give, 
 So thou for luf and me bot hve. 
 
 "Uneth thi fay ontryd will be ; 
 Fele wj'l the seke, at mcll wyth the : 
 Bot, dois thou evj'r woman wed, 
 So in tlire dayes err thou ded. 
 Now fares thou hyn ; bithynk the wel, 
 And wirk als can tlii herte the tel." 
 
 ♦' Now, levc ladye, es it alswa ? 
 So the to nii Icle luf I fa .'
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 259 
 
 Wliat gives thou mc, than, for taken 
 That I sail be nagates forsaken ?" 
 *' So tak this golden ryng fro me ; 
 Fro al onhap it wyl wer the." 
 
 With kyss and mowes leve he nam ; 
 To Nutsbeck till the mess he cam ; 
 Tho, with the Chapellan in fere, 
 Tlie haly reke he neghed nere ; 
 His saw] and body he betaght 
 To God, that solde hym half in aght. 
 
 THE SECOND FIT. 
 
 AIs he till Stauffenbergh now cam, 
 Down lyghted snell that nobil man ; 
 So blyth cam al him thar to kepe. 
 To here, to se, and kyndli klepe ; 
 The knaves al in eger hest. 
 And may and dame to plese him prest. 
 
 And now to bed the knyght wyll gang : 
 Sar for hys ladye dois he lang. 
 The bed with kostU pryde prepard, 
 Riche reke of encens es na spard, 
 Wyth swete odouris redolent 5 
 And may and swayn to slepe es sent. 
 
 He doft his clais, sat on hys bed. 
 And swa gan till hymselven red : 
 •' Wold in myn armes the kumli may 
 War now, that I with spak to day !" 
 And sed mieth that word had he, 
 Bot ryght afore hys ene stod she.
 
 260 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 What luf thar was, ye ghess ful wel, 
 A herte may fcle, na tong dow tel,. 
 And wha swilk luf did ever tast, 
 Wyll sygh to thynk on that es past. — 
 At morn, hot for his ryng, hym semed 
 A sweven al he mot haif demed. 
 
 THE THIRD FIT. 
 
 *' Als at this tyd, M wele yhe wis. 
 Our stamm wel nere hot burgeoun es, 
 So nim a wifF, riche and nobyU ; 
 A princes wel mai fa the tyU: 
 Fele damysels of high degre 
 Right fayne wil be at mell wyth the." 
 
 Sir Peter tho was sar agast, 
 And til hys brodyr sed at last : 
 ♦' I thank the, nobil brodir myne ; 
 Bot yit es for swUk red na tym ; 
 The Kesars crownyng I tU far, 
 Wirship and gre at win me thar." 
 
 The mermay gaf tj'l him this red, 
 And wele tofore him avised ; 
 Sho gaif him golde and riche aray ; 
 Glanst nevir knyght in gere sa gay : 
 Sho kyssid hym, and bad hym thar 
 Of wyving, ovyr all, bewar.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 261 
 
 THE FOURTH FIT. 
 
 Ilkane hys best aray mon haif; 
 The StaufFenbergh oniell the laif. 
 And aJs he raid in rciil stait, 
 Lyk hym mot nane be sene, I wait : 
 The Kyng wenit hys fere to se ; 
 Ladyes demit it wel mot be. 
 
 Now blew the trompes al on bight ; 
 Now stedes pransit in thair might ; 
 And glad at hert was hors and man 
 Whiles the turnament bigan : 
 
 Bot short space diirit flip tiirnay ; 
 
 Sir Peter smate down al that day. ^ 
 
 Now cam the evintyd, and swa 
 
 Of neu the trompes gan at bla ; 
 
 And, don the fest, thai made thaim bane, 
 
 And to the courtli danse err gane : 
 
 The kynges kosyn, fin and far, 
 
 In hand the pryss of bounte bar. 
 
 A gold and perry coronall 
 The knyght sho decorit wythall ; 
 Sho set it on his yellow bar ; 
 Pressyt his fynger kyndli thar ; 
 Wyth blenkes swete hyr luf sho tald, 
 And covert takenes moni fald.
 
 262 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 THE FIFTH FIT. 
 
 The kyng lay mewsand in hys bed : 
 Ser ferly thyiig cam in hys hed, 
 Of hys kosyn, ying fayr and fayne. 
 And how that sho lay burd-aJayne ; 
 And thoght on thoght cam thyk and fast 
 Als beis whan so a skap will cast. 
 
 Air on the morn he sent hys dwergh 
 To Peter lord of Stauffenbergh : 
 *' Mi kosyn, born of nobH ling. 
 The princes lofsum riche and ying, 
 Hir to your wif I wiU geve yhe, 
 Wyth land and slot, thyn awin at be." 
 
 The knyght agast and sar adred 
 Stode in that stownd, but na thyng sed. 
 " Mi rede, par fay, yhe wel may trow ; 
 So God me se, it es na mow : 
 Sho sal be thyn, that prjTices fre, 
 To haif and hald, sa mot I the !" 
 
 Wyth tong fid lele Sir Peter tald, 
 Tliat bone he wyth malese mon hald ; 
 How he the Mermay spousit air j 
 Sith than how, bot tva want and cair, 
 Wyth gold and fe, in joy lie lyvit, 
 Bot now mon dc whan so he wyvit. 
 
 •' O wa, that evyr thou was born ! 
 Thy sawl for evir es forlorn ! 
 Godcs face it nc\'j'r mar can sc, 
 Bot and fro liir thou twiimit be
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 263 
 
 At wyve a gaist war Ink forfarn ; 
 Sho never can bcr tlie a barn. 
 
 " Thy fay es to the devyl plyglit, 
 Thou sary man, thou wordy wyght !" 
 So spak the byschop and tlic kyng : 
 He til the kyng made answeryng : 
 " Intyll min hert it senkes depe ; 
 Of Godes grace I mon ta kepe." 
 
 Sir Peter spousit was onane : 
 With perry golde and real stane 
 Glansed the prynces, that swete wyght, 
 And al was luf and lyst and lyght ; 
 And swa tyl StaufFenbergh thai far. 
 The high-daye to solempne thar. 
 
 Als thurgh the skuggy wod thai went, 
 Blumes fra ilka bogh war sprent ; 
 Abone, obowt, was al olj^fe, 
 Wyth jubel sang and noyis ryfe ; 
 The wassail rowt in girlands gay ; 
 And al was frolyk lyst and play. 
 
 THE SIXTH FIT. 
 
 At StaufFenbergh on the first night 
 Hys herte thoght on the ladye bright i 
 And snell so thoght, the soth to say. 
 Fast lokyd in hir annes he lay. 
 Sho gret, and sed : " O wa es the ! 
 In vane has thou bene avise ! 
 
 *' Syn thou a wyf mon algate wed, 
 So the thrid day mon thou be dead ;
 
 26* ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 I tel the tha!, mon be thi fa ; 
 Als taken I nii fote wyll sha ; 
 And man and wyf sal se it clar, 
 And eke thareat sal wonder sar. 
 
 " So sone als it thyne eighen se, 
 • At dwell na langare tho mon ye,; 
 
 And swith als it fro sight es went, 
 Ye tak the haly sacrament. 
 Yhe wit how trew has bene mi fay : 
 Bot sondred err we now for ay." 
 
 Wyth eighen wate sho sed in stede : 
 " Bithynk the, Sir, upon mi rede ; 
 Mi hert es sar, och ! sar and wa 
 That be wyth the na mar I ma ! 
 Bot ather luf I her forswere ; 
 Nor evyr man sal se me mere." 
 
 Ernyst sho lukit at the Knyght : — 
 " Sal I na mar of the haif syght ? 
 Wold God in pete, than, bot sende 
 Mi sorow sone mai.tak an ende ! 
 Alias ! that til swilk gre I cam, 
 Other to wyv a prynces nam !" 
 
 Sho kissyt his mowth wyth drei-i cher ; 
 Sar gret thai bath that stownd in fer ; 
 In armes aithcr uther fold ; 
 Fast brest to brest in luf thai hald : 
 " A ! sely es thi fa, to de ! — 
 Wyth thena mar now mon I be !"
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 265 
 
 THE SEVENTH FIT. 
 
 Mar reaThigh-dayc ncvyr nane 
 Was ar, til fax- tlie night was gane : 
 Menstralles sang ; the glewmen plaid ; 
 The castel rang ; ilkane was glaid ; 
 The fest was fill ; thai skjaiked fre ; 
 And al was lyst and lyf and gle. 
 
 Thai sat intyl the bygle hal. 
 
 And shortle mot be sene be al, 
 
 And knyght and ladye sagh it thar, 
 
 That al mot vesy it fill clar, 
 
 How sumthjnig thurgh the bordes grew ; 
 
 A humane fote glent doun to vew. 
 
 It kythed out bot till the kne ; 
 Fote fayrer man mot nagate se } 
 Wyde over al the hal it shane, 
 Als white and fin so real bane. 
 Ful styll the knyght hys bryd sat by, 
 That loud for dred and fear gan cry. 
 
 Tlie knyght, whan so the fote gan kyth, 
 
 Wex al agast and sari swyth : 
 
 " O wa es me, unsely man !" 
 
 And worth that stound al pale and wan : 
 
 His krystal glass thai broght hyni hyn : 
 
 He sagh it, and worth paler syn. 
 
 He sagh, that krystal cop thareyn, 
 A barn on slepe, for al thair djai, 
 Unther the wyn sloumand in saght ; 
 A lytel fote it out has straght : 
 2l
 
 266 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Bot als the wyn was dronkyn op, 
 Na lytel bam was yn the cop. 
 
 " Alias, mi werd !" the knyght the sed ; 
 " In thre dayes mon I be ded !" 
 Now hyn the fete gan disapere. 
 And al the bordes neghed nere ; 
 Bot man fand thar na thyrl ne rent, 
 Ne wist whor it by cam, ne went. 
 
 Al myrth and sollas now was don ; 
 The menstralles war styl ilkone ; 
 Na mar thai danse, na mar thai syng j 
 The joust, the melle, and the ryng 
 Deturbed war, and al was lown : 
 The ghestes fled fro out the town. 
 
 The bryd alane bade wyth her man ; 
 Wyth sari cher he sagh hir than : 
 " God sa}Tie the wele, thou nobyl bryd, 
 For that by me thou trew can byd !" — 
 " That thou mon de es long of me ; 
 Now Chryst myn onely spous sal be !" 
 
 Tlie haly oynement'he tais, 
 
 And whan thre dayes er don, he sais : 
 
 •• Loverde and God, intyll thi hend 
 
 Mi synful sawl I her cununend ; 
 
 Mi sawle to the I do beteke ; 
 
 An esy end I the biseke." 
 
 Hys ladye lele, hir luf to kyth, 
 A moniment hym bygged swyth ; 
 And, nere forby, a lytcU cell, 
 Hir bedes thar for hyni at tell. 
 Thar tyll hir aft the mermay cam, 
 And dele in all hir cures nam.
 
 [ 267 ] 
 
 STARK TIDERICH AND OLGER DANSKE. 
 
 TiDERicH of Bern, ( Verona,) or Theoderic, king of the Ostrogoths, 
 died A. D. 527, in the 34th year of his reign ; and the circumstances 
 attending his death were almost as strange and romantic as any that 
 have since been connected with the actions of hisHfe. (Procop. Goth. 
 Hist. B. 1.) Holger, or Olger the Dane, flourished in the days of 
 Charlemagne, nearly three centuries after ; and here we have a very 
 hard battle fought between them ; a thing which is no-wise surprising, 
 as Olger is well known to the readers of romance, to have eaten of the 
 fruit of the ti'ees of the sun and moon : " And men say tho that kepe 
 tho tres, and eten frewght of hem, they leve cccc. or v". yere." See 
 Weber's Metrical Romances, vol. III. p. 331. 
 
 For a more detailed account of what has been said and sung about 
 him, see " BarthoHni Dissertatio de Holgero Dano," in the second vo- 
 lume of Oelrich's " Danije et Sueciaa litteratae opuscula hist. phil. 
 theol. Bremae, 8vo. 1774," where will also be found a copy of this 
 ballad, which, for lively and strong characteristic painting, has cer- 
 tainly very great merit, and may well bear a compaiison with the 
 finest heroic ballad productions of our own country, Chevy Chace it- 
 'self not excepted ; and this is saying much !
 
 [ 268 ] 
 
 STARK TIDERICH 
 
 AND 
 
 OLGER DANSKE. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH ICffiMPE VISER, p. 78, 
 FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1591. 
 
 Sterk Tidrick boer sig udi Bern, 
 
 Med atten Brbdre giefve ; 
 Kver afdem liafde Sonner Tolf, 
 
 Stoer Mandom monne de bedrifve, 
 (Nu stander Striden Norden under Jutland.) 
 
 Stark Tidrick bides him intill Bern, 
 
 Wi' liis bald brithers acht ; 
 Twall stalwart sons had they ilk ane, 
 
 O' manhead and great macht. 
 
 CNow the strife it stands northward under Jutland.) 
 
 And he had fifteen sisters. 
 
 And twall sons ilk ane had ; 
 The youngest she had thirteen ; — 
 
 Their life they downa redd. 
 
 (Now the strife it stands northcard under Danmarck.) 
 11
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 269 
 
 Afore the Berncrs they can stand, 
 
 Fiel stalwart kcmpis Strang : 
 The sooth to say, they kythit o'er 
 
 The beech-tree taps sae lang. 
 CNow the strife, &c.) 
 
 " Now striven hac we for mony a year, 
 
 Wi' kemps and kiiightis stark : 
 Sae mickle we hear o' Olger Danske, 
 
 He bides in Dannemarck. 
 
 " This hae we heard o' Olger Danske, 
 
 He bides in North Jutland ; 
 He's gotten him crown'd wi' red goud, 
 
 And scorns to be our man." 
 
 Up Sverting hent a stang o' steel, 
 
 And shook it scornflillie : 
 " A hunder o' King Olger's men 
 
 I wadna reck a flie !" 
 
 " Hear thou, Sverting, thou laidly page, 
 
 111 sets thee sae to flout ; 
 I tell thee King Olger's merry men 
 
 Are stalwart lads and stout. 
 
 " Nae fear for either glaive or swerd,' 
 
 Or groimden bolt hae they ; 
 The bloody stour's their blythest hour ; 
 
 They count it bairns' play." 
 
 This word heard the high Bermeris, 
 
 And took tent o' the same : 
 " We will ride us till Dannemarck, 
 
 See an Olger be at hame." 
 
 • « De frygte ick^ glafVend eller swerd." 
 
 O
 
 270 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 They drew out o' the Berner's land ; 
 
 Acht thousand Strang they were : 
 " King Olger we will visit now. 
 
 And a' till Danmarck fare." 
 
 King Tidrich sent a messager. 
 
 Bade him tiU Olger say : 
 " Whilk will ye loor now stand the stour. 
 
 Or to us tribute pay ?" 
 
 Sae grim in mood King Olger grew, 
 lU could he thole sic taimts : 
 
 •< Thou bid them bide us on the bent ; — 
 See wha the payment vaunts ! 
 
 " Tribute the Dane to nae man pays, 
 
 But dane-gelt a' gate taks ; 
 And tribute gin ye will hae, ye's hae't 
 
 Laid loundring on your backs !" 
 
 King Olger till his kempis said : 
 " I've selcouth news to teU ; 
 
 Stark Tidrich has sent us a messager 
 That we maim pay black-mail. 
 
 " And he black-mail maun either hae, 
 Or we maun fecht him here ; 
 
 But he is na the first king, 
 
 Will Danmarck wm this year." 
 
 S}Tie tiU King Tidrich's messager 
 Up spak that kemp sae stout : 
 
 " Come the Berners but till Danmarck in, 
 Uncath they'll a' win out." 
 
 Sae glad was he then, Ulf of Airn, 
 Wlian he that tidings fand ;'
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 271 
 
 Sae Icugh he, Hero Hogen ; 
 
 And they green'd the stour to stand. 
 
 It was Vidrich Verlaudson,' 
 
 He grew in mood sae fain ; 
 And up and spak he, young Child Orme, 
 
 " We'll ride the Berners foregain." 
 
 " The foremaist on the bent I'se be !" 
 
 That said Sir Iver Blae ; 
 "■ Forsuith I'se nae the hindmaist be !" 
 
 Answer'd Sir Kulden Gray. 
 
 King Olger and Stark Tiderich, 
 
 They met upon the muir ; 
 They laid on load in furious mood, 
 
 And made a fearfu' stour. 
 
 They fought ae day ; for three they fought ;* 
 
 Neither could win the gree ; 
 The manfu' Danes their chieftain ware, 
 
 Nae ane will flinch or flee. 
 
 The bluid ran buUering in burns 
 
 Bedown baith hill and dale ; 
 Dane-gelt the Berners now maim pay. 
 
 That ween'd to get black-maU. 
 
 The yowther drifted sae high i' the sky ; 
 The sun worth a' sae red : ' 
 
 ' In the Heldenbuch he is called Wittich Weylandson. This Wittich, or Vitig, was 
 uiarried to Mathasventa, grand-daughter of Theodcric, who, after the death of Vitig, be- 
 came the wife of Germanus, cousin to the Emperour Justinian, and who commanded for 
 him against the Goths. 
 
 ' This is a sort of current Danish ballad expression, which commonly occurs in the de- 
 scription of a severe conflict of any kind. 
 
 ^ This sublime picture of the sun looking dark and red over the field of battle, through
 
 272 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Great pity was it there to see 
 Sae mony stalwart dead ! ' 
 
 There lay the steed ; here lay the man ; 
 
 Gude friends that day did twin : 
 Tliey leuch na a' to the feast that cam 
 
 Whan the het bliud-bath was done. * 
 
 High Bermeris' bethought liim than, 
 AH sadly as they lay : 
 ( " There scarce live a hunder o' om' men ; 
 
 How should we win the day ?" 
 
 Then took Tiderich till his legs, 
 
 And sindle luikit back ; 
 Sverting forgat to say gude-night ) 
 
 And the gait tiU Bern they tak. 
 
 Tidrich he turn'd him right about, 
 And high in the lift luik'd he : 
 
 ♦* To Bern I trow is our safest gait ; 
 Here fa we scoug nor lee !" 
 
 the clouds formed by the vapours which arose from the blood and sweat of the combat- 
 ants, will call to the mind the admirable stanza in Campbell's Ode on the Battle of the 
 Linden Hills : 
 
 " 'Tis morn ; but scarce yon level sun 
 Can pierce the war-clouds, rolling dun, 
 Where furious Frank, and fiery Hun, 
 Shout in their sulph'rous canopy." 
 
 ' " And many a gallant gentleman 
 
 Lay gasping on the ground." — Chevy Chace. 
 
 * This is a very affecting picture, as every generous mind will recognise : the author 
 
 was 
 
 710H sordidut nuclor 
 
 Is'atura, Vcriquc. — HoR. 
 
 ' Bermeris is Bermer Ris, i, e. the Giaiit Bermeri
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 273 
 
 Syne stay'd him Vidrich Verlandsdn, 
 
 All under a green know : ' 
 " Ye've little to ruse ye o' your raid 
 ^ The Danish kenips to cow !" 
 
 That tyde they drew frae Bernland out, 
 
 Acht thousand Strang were they : 
 And back to Bern but only five 
 
 And fifty took their way. 
 
 ' In the German translation of this piece by Mr Graeter, in Bragur, he has in this line 
 mistaken lide, a hill, for liride, a (linden) tree. 
 
 2 M
 
 C 274 ] 
 
 NOTE ON STARK TIDERICH, &c. 
 
 P. 271» V. 20. — King Olger and Stark Tiderich, Sfc. 
 If we have succeeded according to our wish in rendering them into the dialect which we 
 have adopted, it will be needless to point out to readers of taste, the singular beauty of 
 this stanza, and the four that follow, which we trust will be found to justify the expec- 
 tations which the Introduction to the piece may have raised. As we have spoken of a 
 higher degree of poetical merit in the original than will perhaps be allowed to our copi/ 
 it is a justice due to all parties, by subjoining the Danish, to enable the reader to de- 
 cide for himself. 
 
 St. 20. — Kong Olger og sterdi Tidrich, 
 De modtis paa den hedfe ; 
 De slogfe af magt foruden skemt, 
 De varfe i hu saa vrcdfe. 
 
 De slogis i dagfe ; de slogis i tre ; 
 
 Ingen vildfe hin anden vigfe ; 
 De Danskfe stridfe saa mandelig, 
 
 Deris herrfe vildfe de ickfe svigfe. 
 
 Blodet rinder saa stride som strom. 
 
 Under birgfe og dybfe dalfe : 
 Den skat som forrfe var lofvet, 
 
 Den maatt^ de Berner betal^. 
 
 Rogen dref saa hiiyt i sky ; 
 
 Og solen giordis saa rod ; 
 Det var stoer ynck at see der paa, 
 • Der blef saa mangen helled^ dod ! 
 
 Der laa hasten ; og hissed laa mandcn ; 
 
 Der skildis godi vcnner at : 
 De loe icki all<l til gilde koinmi, 
 
 Der Gtoed saa liit ct bad.
 
 I 275 3 
 
 LADY GRIMILD'S WRACK. 
 
 This piece, being the first of three on the same subject, in the Kgempe 
 Viser, is given here on account of its relationship to the Teutonic Ro- 
 mances, of which Mr Weber has given a digest in this work. The 
 following account of it is given by the editor of 1695. 
 
 " Hereafter follow three ballads of Hero Hogen and Lady Gri- 
 mild, of whom Saxo Grammaticus writes in his 30th Book, (t/ie pas- 
 sage is found in Lib. aiij. F. 118. b. c. Edit. Basil. 1534.) in the His- 
 tory of the Duke Saint and Martyr Knut ; from which it is obvious 
 to remark, that the piece is very old. Lady Grimild's father was Nog- 
 ling, who is also called Niding, and lived on the island between Co- 
 penhagen and Kroneborg, which is called Hvcen, after Maiden Hve- 
 nild, by whom the Hero Hogen had his son Ranke. On this island 
 are still to be seen the vestiges of strong-holds, graves, and founda- 
 tions of buildings, where stood formerly these four castles, Norborg, 
 Sonderborg, Tarlshoy, and Hammer. Here lived Lady Grimild, 
 whose first husband was Sigfred Home, as is stated in the Heldenbuch. 
 But on the occasion of her second marriage, she invited her two bro- 
 thers. Sir Hogen and Sir Folqvard, and caused them both to be put 
 to death, as is related in the ballad. 
 
 " The Swedish Chronicle, however, tells the story somewhat differ- 
 ently, and says, that, after Folqvard had slain the kemps whom Lady 
 
 Grimild turned out upon him, learning that his brother was slain at 
 
 8
 
 276 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Ndrborg, he was so enraged, that he drank a hornful of the blood of 
 the dead, and so died with the other kemps. Upon which she went to 
 Norborg ; and observing that the Hero Hogen had the better of the 
 combat with the kemps there, she made an agreement with him, that 
 after her kemps had once brought him to the ground, he should make 
 no attempt to get upon his legs again, but should defend himself upon 
 his knees as well as he could. On which this artful woman caused 
 pease to be strewed upon wet hides upon the draw-bridge, where three 
 of her kemps at once attacked the Hero Hogen, who fell upon his 
 knees, and received a wound of which he afterwards died. He, ne- 
 vertheless, slew the three kemps ; and with the consent of Lady Gri- 
 mild, in order that this race of heroes might not utterly fail, he be- 
 came the father of a son by the maiden Hvenild. This son of Hero 
 Hogen's, called Ranke, revenged the death of his father and his uncle 
 upon his aunt Lady Grimild, whom he took with liim to Hammershoy, 
 to shew her Niding's treasures, which his father had left him at Ndge- 
 len. "NVlien she had entered the cavern with him, he leapt out, and 
 locked the door on her ; so she remained sitting there, and died of 
 hunger." 
 
 So far the last editor of the Kaempe Viser, who seems not to have 
 been acquainted with the Wilkina and Niflunga Sagas, afterwards pub- 
 lished, in 1715, at Stockholm by Peringskiold. How popular the 
 story was seven or eight centuries ago, may be learnt from the follow- 
 ing passage in Saxo Grammaticus : " Tunc cantor — sub involucre rem 
 
 prodere conabatur . Igitur speciosissimi carminis contextu no- 
 
 tissimam Grimilda? erga fratres perfidiam de industria memorare ador- 
 sus, famosa? fraudis exemplo similium ei metum ingenerare tentabat." 
 Sax. Gram. Hist. Dan. Lib. xiij. 
 
 With the circumstances of the story, as detailed in the Teutonic Ro- 
 mances, the reader is already acquainted. In the Wilkina Saga, a 
 work which is in few hands, most of them are found, although with 
 considerable variation as to names and places, and minute particular?. 
 As we attach no historical authority to our ballad, we shall select from
 
 KOMANTIC BALLADS. 277 
 
 the antient prose legend only a few passages which are most curious 
 in another point of view. 
 
 The sea-lady, who makes so striking a figure in the ballad, is thus 
 introduced, c. 338, p. 458 : " When the others laid themselves down 
 to sleep, Hogni took all his arms, and went out along tlie banks of the 
 stream, under a clear moonlight, which enabled him to see his way dis- 
 tinctly. Now comes Hogni to a water which is called Mori, and there 
 he sees some human beings on the water, and sees their clothes lying 
 near the water between the two streams. He takes the clothes, and 
 hiiies them ; and these persons were no other than those that are 
 called Mer-women, whose natural element is the sea or water. These 
 Mer-women had gone out into the Rhine to sport. Now called the 
 Mer-women to him, and begged him to give them their clothes ; and 
 came up out of the water. Now answers Hogni, ' First tell me where 
 we may best cross the river ; if you will not tell me what I ask of you, 
 you shall not get your clothes.' Then said she, ' }ou may get safe 
 over this river, but by no means return, however much you may exert 
 yourself.' Now draws Hogni his sword, and kills the Mer-woman, 
 cutting in two both her and her daughter. 
 
 " Hogen, advancing farther along the banks of the river, saw the fer- 
 ryman with his boat in the middle of the stream, called to him, and, in 
 order to make himself the more interesting to him, tells him he comes 
 from Earl Elsung's land. The ferryman tells him that he cared as lit- 
 tle about Earl Elsung as about any body else, and only carried people 
 over for ready payment. Hogen offers him his gold bracelet if he will 
 ferry him over ; which the ferryman accepts with the more readiness, 
 because he knows it will be a very acceptable present to his handsome 
 young wife. Hogen orders him to row more against the stream, 
 which he says was no part of his agreement ; but Hogen compels him. 
 In the mean time, Gunnar was ferrying over his men in small parties, 
 in a skiff he had found, which the strength of the current upset, and 
 the men with difficulty reached the land. Hogen now took Gunnar, 
 with 100 men, on board the ferry-boat, and himself plying the oars 
 somewhat too lustily, they broke in his hands. After bestowing some
 
 278 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 hearty execrations on the carpenter who had made them so weak, he 
 drew his sword, and struck off the head of the ferryman, who sat op- 
 posite to him. The King Gunnar exclaimed against such an act of 
 wanton barbarity ; but Hogen excused it on the score of good policy, 
 to prevent his giving warning of their arrival." 
 
 Of the circumstance of Grimild being starved to death in the trea- 
 sury, the reader has already found a variety in Mr Weber's digest of 
 the Lay of the Nibelungen, to which these ditties are only an appen- 
 dage } but here it may not be improper to remark, that all these trea- 
 suries were either natural caverns in mountains, or earth-houses, (as 
 they were called,) built under ground in hillocks, the entrance to which, 
 being concealed by trees and undei^wood, was known only to those to 
 whom they belonged. Here money, plate, jewels, armour, or what- 
 ever was more precious, was deposited for security against any sudden 
 invasion, such as they were constantly exposed to ; and those who were 
 interested in pi'eventing the place from being explored, industriously 
 propagated reports of its being the retreat of a Drac (diemon) of the 
 most malignant and terrible description. Every chief had his pecu- 
 liar cavern, treasury, or hiding-place, which was known only to those 
 whom it most concerned. Caverns of this kind are every where point- 
 ed out at this day in Norway, Sweden, and the Highlands of Scotland ; 
 and, if they are but sufficiently large and dark, never without some terri- 
 ble stoiy of the dragon or demon, who was encountered by the war- 
 rior, harper, or bag-piper, who, in quest of the treasure, ventured to 
 advance too far. As it not unfrequently happened, that the whole fa- 
 mily to which such a depot belonged was cut off at once, the secret of 
 its existence was lost ; and being afterwards accidentally discovered, 
 the strange treasure, combined with the popularbelief of the place be- 
 ing the den of a dragon or daemon, (for all dragons were daemons,) 
 gave rise to the common superstition of dragons brooding over hid- 
 den treasures ; and, perhaps, was also in some degree connected with 
 the belief of the (kcaijs, who live in holloxv hills, being invariably pos- 
 sessed of immense riches. It is also very credible, that the vanity of 
 him who first explored the cavity often induced him, on coming to
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 279 
 
 the light of day again, to astonish his friends with strange stories of 
 the dangers he had encountered, and the monsters he had subdued ; 
 and it is also worthy of notice, that it was one of the highest pretensions 
 of those who aftected to understand magic nines, that they were able 
 to charm, or put to Hight, l/ic drag(»i who brooded over heaps of gold ; 
 and that dragons uniformly chose for their residence such places as we 
 have been describing. These superstitions, the relics of antient man- 
 ners, are found diffused every where over Europe and Asia, and where- 
 ever else the Asae have settled. 
 
 The oldest and most remarkable Gothic treasury or earth-house 
 now remaining, and which I consider as the greatest architectural cu- 
 riosity in Europe, is what is vulgarly called the Tomb of Agamem- 
 non, at Mycena?, which has lately been cleared out and examined with 
 the most accurate minuteness, by the Earl of Elgin, who is likely soon 
 to favour the public with his delineations and description. 
 
 As one of the heroes drinking human blood has already been men- 
 tioned, we give the following stanzas on that subject, from the second 
 ballad of Lady Grimild's Wrack, in the Kaempe Viser. There is some- 
 thing horrible in the solemnity of the last stanza. 
 
 " It was Hero Hogen, 
 
 He rais'd his helmet syne : 
 'I burn all so sorely 
 
 Under hard brynie mine ! 
 
 " For-foughten all and weary, 
 
 And quail'd this heart of mine : 
 Might God, my heavenly father, grant 
 
 I had a horn of wine ! 
 
 •' Up he struck his helmet ; 
 
 He ckank the himian blood : 
 * In nomine Domini .'' 
 
 Was Hero Hogen's word."
 
 [ 280 3 
 
 LADY GRIMILD'S WRACK. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH K^MPE VISER, p. 55. 
 FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1591. 
 
 Det var stolte Fru Grimild, 
 Huti ladei- mioden hlande .• 
 Hun binder til sig de raske ridder 
 Afallejremmede lande, S^c. 
 
 It was proud Lady Grimild 
 Gar'd mask the mead sae free, 
 
 And she has bidden the hardy knights 
 Frae ilka frem coimtrie. 
 
 She bade them come, and nae deval, 
 
 To bargane and to strife ; 
 And there the Hero Hogen 
 
 Forloot his young life. 
 
 It was the Hero Hogen, 
 He's gane out to the strand, 
 
 And there he fand the Ferryman 
 All upo' the white sai^d, 
 
 " Hear thou now, gude Ferryman, 
 Thou row me o'er the sound,
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 281 
 
 And I'll gie thee my goud ring ; 
 It weighs well fifteen pound." 
 
 " I winna fare thee o'er the sound, 
 
 For a' thy goud sae red ; 
 For and thou come till Hvenild's land, 
 
 Thou wilt be slaen dead." 
 
 'Twas then the Hero Hogen, 
 
 His swerd out he drew, 
 And frae the luckless Ferryman 
 
 The head aff he hew. 
 
 He strak the goud ring frae his arm, 
 Gae it the Ferryman's wife : 
 
 " Hae, tak thpu this, a gudely gift. 
 For the young Ferryman's life." 
 
 It was the Hero Hogen, 
 He danner'd on the strand ; 
 
 And there he fand the Mer-lady 
 Sleeping on the white sand. 
 
 " Heal, heal to thee, dear Mer-lady, 
 
 Thou art a cunning wife ; 
 And I come in till Hvenild's land, 
 
 It's may I brook my life ?" 
 
 '* It's ye hae mony a Strang castell, 
 
 And mickle goud sae red ; 
 And gin ye come till Hvenoe land. 
 
 Ye will be slaen dead." 
 
 'Twas then the Hero Hogen, 
 
 His swerd swj'th he drew, 
 And frae the luckless Mer-lady 
 
 Her head aff he hew. 
 
 2 N
 
 282 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Sae he has taen the bloody head, 
 
 And cast it i' the sound : 
 Tlie body's croppen after, 
 
 And join'd it at the ground. 
 
 Sir Grimmer and Sir Germer 
 
 They launch'd sae bald and free, 
 Sae angry waxt the wild winds, 
 
 And stormy waxt the sea. 
 
 Sae angry waxt the wild winds, 
 
 And fierce the sea did rair ; 
 In twain in Hero Hogen's hand 
 
 Is brast the iron air. 
 
 In twain it brast, the iron air. 
 
 In Hero Hogen's hand ; 
 And wi' twa gilded shields then 
 
 Tlie knights they steer'd to land. 
 
 WHian they were till the land come, 
 
 They ilk' ane scom"'d his brand,' 
 And there sae proud a maiden 
 
 Saw what they had in hand. 
 
 Her stature it was stately, 
 
 Her middle jimp and sma ; 
 Her body short, her presence 
 
 Was maiden-hke witha'. 
 
 They've dol'n them tiU Norborg, 
 
 And to the yctt sae free ; 
 " Oa^'hare is now the porter, 
 
 That here should standing be ?" 
 
 ' This ceremony of iv/ir/ling and wiping their weapons in the Danish Ballad, as here and 
 in Sir Ebbe's Daughters in Buroe, is generally somewhat better timed than in the Scotish 
 ballads, where it commonly takes place when the heroes are likely to have thought of 
 something else.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 283 
 
 " It's here am I, the porter 
 
 That here stand watch and ward ; 
 I'd bear your tidings gladly, 
 
 Wist I but whence ye far'd." 
 
 " Then hither are we come frae 
 
 A' gaits whare we hac gane ; 
 Lady Grimild's our sister — 
 
 It's a the truth I've sayn." 
 
 In syne cam the porter, 
 
 And stood afore the deas ; 
 Fu' canny i' the tongue was he, 
 
 And well his words could place. 
 
 Fu canny i' the tongue was he, 
 
 And well his words could wale :» 
 " There out afore your yett stand 
 
 Twa wordy kemps but fail. 
 
 " It's out there stand afore your yett 
 
 Twa sae well-wordy men ; 
 The tane he bears a jfiddle, 
 
 The tither a gilded helm^. 
 
 " He that bears a fiddle bears 't 
 
 For nae lord's meat or foe ; 
 And wharesoe'er they come frae, 
 
 Duke's sons I wat they be." 
 
 It was proud Lady Grimild 
 
 Put on the pilche sae fine. 
 And she is to the castell yett 
 
 To bid her brithers in». 
 
 " AVill ye gae till the chamber 
 And drink the mead and wine ; 
 
 Tills is a favourite expression, and is found in a number of other Danish ballads.
 
 2S* ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 And sleep upon a silken bed 
 Wi' twa fair ladies mine ?" 
 
 It was proud Lady Grimild 
 Put on the pilche sae braw, 
 
 And she's intill the ha' gane 
 Afore her kempis a'. 
 
 " Here sit ye a', my meny men, 
 And drink baitli mead and wine ; 
 
 But wha will Hero Hogen sla, 
 AUerdearest brither mine ? 
 
 *' It's he that will the guerdon fa, 
 And sla this Hogen dead, 
 
 Sail steward o' my castle be, 
 And win my goud sae red." 
 
 It's up and spak a kemp syne, 
 
 A lording o' that land, 
 " It's I will win your guerdon, 
 ^ Forsooth, wi' this right hand. 
 
 " It's I will fa your guerdon ; 
 
 Sla Hero Hogen dead ; 
 Be steward o' your castell. 
 
 And win your goud sae red." 
 
 And up spake Folqvar Spillemand, 
 
 Wi's burly iron stang : 
 " Come thou within my arms' length, 
 
 I'll mark thee or thou gang !" 
 
 The first straik fifteen kempis 
 Laigh to the eard did strik : 
 
 ** Ha, ha, Fokjvar Spillemand ! 
 Well wags thy fiddlestick !"
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 285 
 
 iSyiic dang he down the kcmpis 
 
 Wi' deadly dints and dour ; 
 And braid and lang the brigg was 
 
 Whare tJiey fell in that stour. 
 
 Aneath were spread wet hides, and 
 
 Aboon were pease sae sma, 
 And Hero Hogen stumbled. 
 
 And was the first to fa'. 
 
 It was the Hero Hogen 
 
 He wad win up again : 
 " Hald, hald, my dearest brither, 
 
 Our paction well ye ken. 
 
 *' Ye keep your troth, my brither i 
 
 Still keepit it maun be ; 
 And ance thou till the card fa, 
 
 Nae rising is for thee." 
 
 Sae moody Hero Hogen is, 
 
 StiU keep his word will he ; • 
 Till he has got his death-straik 
 
 A-fighting on his knee. 
 
 Yet dang he down three kempis ; 
 
 Nane o' the least were they : 
 Wi' hammers syne he brast whare 
 
 His father's treasures lay. 
 
 And him betid a luck sae blyth, 
 
 He gat the lady's fere. 
 And she was the proud Hvenild, that 
 
 A son to him did bear. 
 
 ' The readers of the real histories, as well as of the romances of the middle ages, will 
 find nothing unnatural or incredible in the conditions of this combat, any more than in the 
 agreement entered into between Folqvard and Grimild respecting his marriage, however 
 extraordinary they may appear when judged of by the criterion of modern manners.
 
 286 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Ranke, ' hight that kerap, that 
 
 Revenged his father's dead : 
 Grimild in the treasury, 
 
 She quail'd for want o' bread. 
 
 Sae drew he frae that land out 
 
 Till Bern in Lombardy ; 
 There hv'd amang the Danish men, 
 
 And kyth'd liis valour hy. 
 
 His mither she gaed hame again, 
 
 And Hvenske-land bears her name } 
 'Mang gallant knights and kempis 
 
 Sae wide is spread their fame. 
 
 * In the Wilkina and Niflunga Saga, cap. 367, p. 493, it is stated, that after Hogni had 
 received his death-wound, Theoderic went to him, and inquired how he was i On which 
 Hogni informed him that he might live a few days, but must certainly die of the wounds 
 he had received. " Then King Tidrich caused Hogni to be carried to his inn, and his 
 wounds to be bound up. For this office he sent a female relation of his own, called Her- 
 rad. In the evening, Hogni requested Tidrich to give him this lady as his companion for 
 the night, which was readily granted. In tlie morning, Hogni advised her to call tlie son 
 which she should afterwards bear to him, Alldrian. At the same time he gave her the 
 keys of the vault of Sigisfrod, where the Niebelung treasures were kept, which were to be 
 delivered to her son Alldrian when he came to man's estate. And thereafter died Hogni, 
 &c."
 
 C 287 ] 
 
 NOTES ON LADY GRIMILD'S WRACK. 
 
 " TiKre hefand the Mer-lady 
 
 Sleeping o' the white sand." — P. 281, v, 8. 
 
 The rea^r may compare this situation of the Mermaid with that of Proteus, in tlie 
 fourth rhapsody of the Odyssey, and the imitation of that in the fourth Book of Virgil's 
 Georgica. 
 
 The existence of these sooth-saying syrens of the wave has been generally beh'eved in 
 every part of Asia and Europe, and has been as often defended as questioned, not only by 
 the most learned philosophers, but by the most grave divines in modern as well as in an- 
 cient times. Those who have leisure and curiosity to amuse themselves with the waste of 
 ingenuity and erudition which has been devoted to this subject, may consult Girald. in 
 Nt/mphis, Natal, lib. 8, Eustath. in Horn. II. lib. xiix ; Plat. Atl. ; Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. 9, 
 c. 4. Ed. Bip. ; Alex, ab Alex. Genial. Dier. lib, 12. c.8.; Plutarch's entert&ming treatise 
 wt^i Ton lx^E^o^B■oT«^ p^jjtjtrTDjiun ; the learned Eric Pontoppidan' s Nat. Historu of Norway, 
 S^c. S;C' 
 
 As the anecdotes preserved of these marine people, both male and female, in vaiious 
 countries and ages, are so similar as to leave us no doubt of their being all referable to the 
 same origin, we shall not detain our readers with vain distinctions about Greek, Gothic, 
 and Celtic, such distinctions having in general produced little else but nonsense, when- 
 ever they have been attempted. The following notices ara brought forward rather with 
 a view of shewing the general consent of the various ages and nations on this subject ; and 
 offering a conjecture as to some of the phaenomena by which such delusions were first 
 created, and have been since continued. That the theories by which they were reduced 
 to a system, and became the objects of reasoning speculation, came to the Greeks from
 
 288 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 >*• 
 
 the Goths, and to the Goths from India, ( the great cradle and nursery of Man and of 
 Mind,) was the opinion of the best informed among the antients : " Those," says Plu- 
 tarch {de defect, orac.) " appear to me to have solved many doubts and difficulties, who 
 have assigned to the deemons and genii an intermediate place in the creation between gods 
 and men, and have thus discovered a means of communion between us and the superior 
 natures ; whether this doctrine originated with Zoroaster and the Magi, or was brought 
 among us by Orpheus out of Thrace, Sfc." ' 
 
 For the extraction and relationships of this dubious race, the best authorities are old 
 Hesiod (Theog.) and the Eddas. Of their power, passions, and other peculiarities, we 
 must be contented to form our opinions from their history, and the anecdotes with which 
 credulity has furnished us. Their number is uncertain ; and those who have attempted to 
 fix it, have spoken in very vague terms, and made no allowance for their wide dispersion 
 and generally-allowed fecundity, which we find most frequently exemplified in their in- 
 tercourse with beings of a superior or inferior nature: 
 
 ' AvTXi fih -9-»iTo('i!-( TTU^' «vo^«V(> ivvyiSuirat 
 
 Hes. Theog. 1. 1018. 
 
 Hesiod speats of fifty: 
 
 Ibid. 1. 2G3. 
 
 ' Both these conjectures are probably right ; and we beg to recommend, in a particular manner, 
 £0 the consideration of tlie readers of the Eddas, the history of the Thraciaii Orpheus, and the sin- 
 gular coincidence between some of the most remarkable passages in it and that of the Gothic Odin. 
 — The modern liymns ascribed to Orplieus, arc as little the production of Orpheus, as SEemund's 
 Eddas are tlie production of Odin or of Braga. It seems hardly possible, that tlie songs of the Thra- 
 cian bard and mythologist, had they even been committed to writing, could have been understood 
 in Greece so late as the age of Lycurgus, (the preserver, and most probably the author, of the Iliad 
 and Odyssey;) as, long before then, commerce, and a more settled state of society in Greece, had 
 modelled their once common dialect in such a manner, as to make it quite anew language. At the 
 same time, it is very likely that many of the Gothic {Thraciaii) hymns and legends may have been 
 preserved among the (Jrecks, as oar ballads have been among us, and may even now ren)ain, ha- 
 ving been incorporated with other jiieces of the kind, in the ull-emhracing rliapsodies of " The Tale 
 of Troy divine." — Seethe introduction to these ballads in this work. 
 
 * This is the oriental and gothic doctrine of the origin of giants, heroes, and demi-gods, which we 
 find also in the sixth chapter of Genesis, and fourth verse; — so, at least, the Greek translators have 
 understood that passage. In the Danish Bible, these Giants arc vcjy properly called Kiemps; the 
 cautious Swedish translators have used the equivocal term, ti/runts, wliich is a compound of Tyr, 
 Thyr, or TUor, and means eminently potoerfui men. 
 
 3
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 289 
 
 Homer names thirty-three, ' 
 
 II. B. 18. 
 
 who were in the train of Thetis; and Plato {Atlanl.) mentions one liundred. 
 
 The elder Pliny informs us ( Hist. Nat. lib. 9. c. i. Ed. Bip. ) that an embassy was sent 
 from Olysipo [Lisbon) on purpose to inform the Emperour Tiberius, that in a certain 
 grotto, or cavern, a Triton, of the same shape under which he is usually designated, had 
 been distinctly seen, and heard blowing his conch, or spiral shell. " Nor," says the his- 
 torian, " are we to disbelieve the stories told of Nereides compleatly covered over with 
 rough scales ; as one has actually been seen on the same coast, and the inhabitants heard 
 at a great distance her lamentable whinings and bowlings, when she was dying ; and his 
 lieutenant wrote to Augustus, that a number of Nereides had been found dead on the 
 coast of Gaul. Several distinguished men of equestrian rank, have assured me, that they 
 themselves have seen off the coast of Gades {Cadiz,) a Mer-man, whose whole body was 
 of a human form. He was accustomed to come on lioard ships in the night-time, and the 
 part upon which he stood gradually subsided, as if pressed down by his weight, till, if he 
 staid long, it sunk altogether." 
 
 Here we have a very remarkable story of an apparition on board a ship at sea, esta- 
 blished upon such authority as no reasonable man can question; and the reality of such 
 appearances is still confidently affirmed from their own experience, by mariners in every 
 country ; who, on such occasions, supposing the phantom to be the devil, have recourse 
 to cruciiixes, holy water, ;;«;«• nostcrs, or such other prayers or spells, as religion or su- 
 perstition suggest. As it cannot well be supposed, that all these people are either them- 
 selves deceived, or wish to deceive others, several useful purposes * may be answered, by 
 endeavouring to throw some light upon a subject, which, at first glance, appears not a little 
 mysterious and embarrassing. — In the story just quoted, the subsiding of the vessel under 
 
 ' Of all the specimens of bad taste and faulty coniposition adduced by Pope in the " Bathos," per- 
 haps there is not one more perfect in its kind, than his own translation of this passage of tlie Iliad. 
 It would be difficult to specify such another jumble of contradictions and nonsense. In disposing of 
 such ii string of compound Greek names in English rhyming numbers, we grant that epithets and 
 amplifications were necessary, but tiiese were suggested by the 7iumcs themselves; Eustathius had 
 explained them all ; and if Pope himself neither understood the text nor the commentary, he ought 
 to have had recourse to some of his more learned frientls who tlid. — This censure is not meant to 
 extend farther than to the passage specified, which, as having been written by Pope, in the full ma- 
 turity of his taste and juilgraent, is really a curiosity. 
 
 ^ The story of Maclean of Lochbuy is still fresh in the memory of every one; and tliis is not the 
 only instance in wliidi such delusions have been followed by the most fatal consequences, whicli 
 could have happened only to people who were unable to refer them to any natural cause. 
 
 2 O
 
 290 ROMANTIC BALLADS; 
 
 the weight of the phantom, must be imputed to the fears of the spectators. They felt 
 their hearts sink within them at the sight, and naturally enough imagined that the vessel was 
 sinking under them. Had any vessel ever been sunk under such circumstances, it is 
 hardly probable that any of the crew, ab-eady unnerved and palsied by terror, could have 
 survived to tell the tale. But the existence of the appearance described by the Roman 
 knights being admitted, it remains for us only to say, that there is no necessity for believ- 
 ing that there was any trich in the case ; and that it was not a Mer-man, but a real and 
 virtual Chimcera begotten upon a cloud. — Centaurs of the same description have often been 
 seen by travellers on horseback ; and we have no doubt, but most of our readers will, from 
 their own recollection and experience, be disposed to confirm our opinion, that many of 
 the most imposing deceptions of sight, arise from the power of reflecting objects, which 
 certain dispositions of light and shade give to clouds. Nor is the solution of such pheno- 
 mena either incurious or unimportant ; as it furnishes one reason why, in all hilly and 
 cloudy regions, and in the neighbourhood of rivers, lakes, and morasses, the stories of 
 ghosts, giants, dwarfs, mer-men, mermaids, kelpies, spunkies, &c. &c., are more common 
 than in level and dry countries: 
 
 {" Quia Deus, incertum est) habitat Deus. *" 
 
 Si tibi occurrit vetustis arboribus, et solitam altitudinem egressis frequens lucus, et con- 
 spectum coeli densitate ramoruni aliorum alios protegentium submovens ; ilia proceritas 
 silvae, et secretum loci, et admiratio umbrae, in aperto tam densas atque continuae, fidem 
 tibi numinis facit. Et si quis specus saxis penitus exesis mortem suspenderit, non manu- 
 fectus, sed naturalibus causis in tantam laxitatem exacuatus ; animum tuum quadam reli- 
 gionis suspicione percutiet. Magnorum fluminum capita veneramur ; subita ox abdito 
 vasti amnis eruptio aras habet. Coluntur aquarum calentiura fontes ; et stagna quaedam, 
 vel opacitas, vel imraensa altitude sacravit." ( Senec. Epist. hb. 1. Ep. xlj.) 
 
 Yet it is not, as is commonly supposed, merely to the solitude, awful vastness, and gloomy 
 wildness of an uncultivated country, and the ignorance and simplicity of its thinly-scat- 
 tered inhabitants, that we are to impute that credulity and superstition, and those strange 
 wanderings of imagination by which they are distinguished. In mental energy, activity, 
 sagacity, and intelligence, a Norwegian, Swedish, Swiss, Tyrolese, or Scoto-Gaelic pea- 
 sant, is in general much superior to a man of the same rank in England, or in the more 
 cultivated parts of Germany; and, among mountaineers, (the goitrous Alpine idiots ex- 
 cepted,) imbecility and derangement of mind are not more common than feebleness and 
 deformity of body. They know those people very ill, who consider them as mere raving 
 extravagant visionaries ; for imagination has much less to do with their belief in appari- 
 tions, and shadowy and supernatural inhabitants of mountains, rocks, woods, and streams, 
 
 ' Virgil. Mn. lib. viij. I. 352.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 09 1 
 
 than is generally supposed. Experience shews, that in proportion as a country is culti- 
 vated, the w jods are cleared, fewer damp, noxious, and fiery vapours, (such as formerly 
 hovered near the earth, and exhibited phenomena altogether inexplicable to the unletter- 
 ed forester) arc produced; clouds, mists, and meteors, become more rare; the air be- 
 comes more pure and dry ; the marshes, even of their own accord, change their nature ; 
 and the boundaries of the lakes and rivers are considerably contracted. The shadowy and 
 fiery forms, which every where hovered around the belated hunter, shepherd, and fisher- 
 man, are no longer to be found; and when evidence ceases, there is no great merit in no 
 longer believing. 
 
 When the Highlander, returning amid the clouds of night, or even in broad day, from 
 the chace, or from tending his flocks, sees delineated in the fogs which cover the precipi- 
 tous sides of the Opposite mountain, the dilated, multiplied, and infinitely diversified re- 
 flections of his own form, robed in mist, and often bordered or broken by bickering flames 
 and meteorous exhalations, those stupendous and colossal forms, 
 
 " Like ghaist of Fian brim, 
 That stride frae craig to cleugh, hung round 
 Wi' gloamin vapours dim—" 
 
 while he is treading on the edge of a precipice, with all his senses awake to his situation, 
 can it be imagined he should either believe he is dreaming, or should disbelieve the evi- 
 dence of his own eyes ? Put the man who despises his credulity in the same situation, how- 
 ever he may affect to reject conviction, he will often find it extremely difficult to remove 
 the impression made upon his senses. 
 
 Of the power which bodies of mist, of certain forms and in certain situations, have of 
 magnifying and removing the objects which they involve, every one who has lived in a 
 mountainous country has had constant experience. This effect is common and generally 
 known ; but their power of 7-eflectiyig objects is less understood, and therefore much more 
 imposing. Now, as to the apparitions which have been seen on board ships, they have 
 generally appeared during those dreadful calms, which in warm latitudes often precede a 
 storm, and they have frequently been accompanied by blue streams of light, which have 
 all the while flitted and played about the ship, and among the shrouds. The air at such 
 a time is in the exact state in which vapours and exhalations are most likely to be col- 
 lected and embodied for a time on board a ship at sea, that being the only solid object to 
 which they can attach themselves. It is also to be observed, that both the distance and 
 the cloud being necessarily small, the figures seldom exceed the stature of the person they 
 represent, and that they have always been the perfect likeness of a man, because no tuo- 
 man has been present. These spectres being single, may be imputed to the columns of 
 mist being smaller, and the distribution of light and shade more uniform at sea, than on a 
 more diversified surface at land. Their locomotion, going round the ship, Sec. before they 
 vanish, must be regulated by the manner in which the vapours are attracted ; and the sul-
 
 292 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 phureous smell which sometuues remains behind on the disappearance of such objects, 
 both at sea and on shore, can only be imputed to the electrical element and c-ther vapours 
 of which the cloud consists. 
 
 As to Mer-maids, they are commonly said to be seen above water as low as the 
 waist, by people when fishing not far from the shore, in creeks, and near the mouths of 
 livers ; on which we shall only observe, that a person in a fishing-boat cannot see either 
 the shadow or reflection of his own form, lower than the part which appears over the gun- 
 wale of the boat ; and thfit in Wales and the Isle of Man, and more particularly in Nor- 
 way and Sweden, (which places are most famous for mermaids,) women are still employed 
 in rowing fishing-boats, while the men fisli ; and very often there are only women in the 
 boats But we desire not to be understood, as meaning to give too extensive an applica- 
 tion to a theory, which is here merely hinted at. It is no wish of oui's to systematize and 
 account for all the deliramenta of imbecility, ignorance, and credulity. 
 
 Nor have clouds only the power of magnifying, but also, according to their form and 
 consistency, (like convex mirrors,) oi diminishing the images which they reflect. Hence 
 the Ettins {^giants) of colossal magnitude, and the Dvergar (rftuar/s) of three span long; 
 
 " Manch Ritter nur einer Ellen lang,"— (Hcltenb. Th. 4.) 
 
 who in Scandinavia are supposed to live in rocks and' hollow mountains. How these came 
 to be all great enchanters, and to be peculiarly endowed with the power of being invisible 
 when they please, is easy to be understood ; as they are most frequently seen among rocks 
 and caverns, and vanish on being approached. The singular noises produced at certain 
 times in the interior of rocky mountains and caverns, by concealed vapours, ivinds, and 
 waters, account for the belief, that the giants labour in the work-shops of the dwarfs, and 
 that the dwarfs are cunning artificers in all kinds of metals. How these dwarfs come to 
 be so often seen and heard in mines, may be understood, by considering the nature of a 
 miner's employment, the situations in which he is continually placed, and the phenomena 
 of which he is a constant witness. 
 
 " The body's croppen after, 
 
 And join' d it at the gronnd." — P. 282, v. 12. 
 Here wc have a very notable trait in the character of a mermaid, who, although suscep- 
 tible of pleasure and pain, and subject to accidents, like all the more-than-human beings 
 in the pagan damonology, was nevertheless exempted from dissolution, till the arrival of 
 the period of existence assigned to her nature. Concerning the duration of this period, 
 the opinions are various and dissonant ; but all agree that it was very long. By Hesiod, » 
 the oldest and best authority on this subject, it is thus shadowed forth : 
 
 ' Sec Plutarch, dc defect, orac.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. £93 
 
 Ayd^irJu yi^uvrav' iXx^Ci os t6 TirfiCtx-apu^Q^' 
 Tg8<5 Ixd^bs i xi^a% yi^ci<rKirctr ivra^ o (pami, 
 Evnci Tov; xo'§«x«;' dixct d Cfiii; rcu; (pal'vixui 
 
 That is, " the clamorous crow lives nine times the flourishing age of man ; the stag four 
 times the age of the crow ; the r;ivcn tiiiice the age of the stag ; the phcenix nine times 
 as long as the raven ; but ye, ye beautiful-haired Nymphs, daughters of Jove, the eternal 
 ruler of the world,* ye live ten times the age of the phoenix." 
 
 Adopting the most general opinion that the Jloicrishing age of Man is thirty years, the 
 life of a Mermaid must extend to no less a period than 291,600 years ! 
 
 The end of so long a life is a very notable event, and excites, as may be expected, in a 
 very extraordinary manner, the sympathy not only of the kindred daemons, (as in the ro- 
 mantic story told by Plutarch (ut siipra) of the miraculous annunciation of the death of 
 the Great Pan,) but also of the elements which they inhabit. 
 
 The far-travelled grammarian, " Demetrius, said, ' that there are a number of unculti- 
 vated islands scattered around the coast of Britain, some of which are said to be inhabited 
 by dasmons and heroes. Visiting these by order of the emperour, to make observations 
 and collect information, he came to one which lay next to those that were uncultivated, 
 containing a few inhabitants who were esteemed sacred and inviolable by the Britons. 
 Shortly after his arrival, the air became troubled ; the most portentous tumult of the ele- 
 ments ensued ; the winds blew a hurricane ; and vertiginous volumes of fire were precipi- 
 tated from the clouds to the earth. When the storm liad subsided, the islanders told him 
 _ that some of the supernatural beings had ceased to exist ; and that such events were often 
 followed, not only by hurricanes and storms, as in the present instance, but by pestilen- 
 tial infections of the air. — In one of these islands, moreover, Kronos ( Saturn ) is said to 
 be confined, in a profound sleep, under the care and custody of Briareos, and has with him 
 
 ' Not much admiring Jupiter's goat-skin buckler, we have ventured to suppose tlie popular epi- 
 thet, used by Hesiod, and in the Homeric rhapsodies, to have had originally a more dignified mean- 
 ing; and have according derived it from a»=i, ay, always, and 7air)o;^o;, terram tencns ; which applies 
 equally to Jupiter Supreme, or to Jupiter the prince of the power of the air. 
 
 ^ See Dr Leyden's Mermaid, Bord. Min. v. iii. p. 297. 
 
 ^ See Plut. de defect, orac. Among other curious tales, the same interlocutor tells one of a singu- 
 lar character, whom he met with near the Red Sea, who was supernaturally beautiful and wise, spoke 
 many languages, and was endowed with the gift of prophecy ; all which accomplisliments were con- 
 ferred upon him by the mermaids and fairies, with whom he spent most of his time, shewing himself 
 among men only twice every year. — The following may be compared with the story on which Mr 
 Scott's Glenfmlas is founded : — " During my long stay in Crete, I observed an absurd sacrifice, in 
 which they exposed a body without the head. This, tlicy told me, was Molos, the father of Mcrion, 
 who, having ravished a mermaid, was found without the head." 
 
 3
 
 294. ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 many daemons, as his companions and servants. The chains which Iiave been devised for 
 securing him are the chains of sleep." 
 
 The foregoing anecdote is deserving of attention on several accounts. It brings the 
 subject home to us at a very early period; it is the oldest exemplification vpith which we 
 are acquainted, of the popular belief of the Britons in these matters ; and it shews in one 
 point of view the identity of the Eastern and Western, Greek, Gothic, and Celtic mytho- 
 logical creeds. We shall not here stop to inquire which of the Eddie gods and demi-gods 
 are designated under the Greek names of Kronos^ and Briareos, nor what kind of society 
 and service the Daemons can furnish to a sleeping deity ; as these notes have already been 
 extended to a much greater length than was at first intended. — But the commentator has 
 been reading Plutarch, and may have caught the infection of his garrulity ; which would 
 be the less to be regretted, had he also learnt from him the art of making garrulity enter- 
 taining. 
 
 " Sae angry •aiaxt the wild winds, 
 
 And stormy waxt the sea." — P. 182, v. I4f. 
 Tliis is to be imputed to the displeasure of the marine lady, at being put to the trouble 
 of groping for and fastening on her o^vn head again ; and if we may trust the tales of our own 
 times, as well as of those who have gone before us, the resentment of these demi-goddesses 
 has often been more fatal when not so justly provoked ; unless it be allowed that the 
 spreta injuriajbrmcc in having her love slighted, is a greater outrage in the eyes of a fe- 
 male, than having her head cut off, 
 
 ' Kronos was probably the same as Krodo, who remained among the Saxons till the days of Char- 
 lemagne, by whom his slirine was destroyed. See Schedius de Dies Germaiiis, Syngr. 4. c. 2. For 
 Briareos, see Sax. Gramm. Hist, Dan. lib. vj. Fol, 52. A.
 
 [ 295 ] 
 
 THE ETTIN LANGSHANKS AND 
 VIDRICH VERLANDSON. 
 
 In the Wilkina Saga, this Langbeen Riser, or Ettin Langshanks, is 
 called the Giant Etgeir, (cap. 174, p. 255,) and the detail of his ad- 
 venture with Vidrich, Vidig, Wittich, or Vidga, the son of the re- 
 nowned smith Velint, Veyland, or Verland, (the fabricator of the ce- 
 lebrated sword Mimmung, or Mimmering,) differs very little from that 
 given in the ballad. In the Preface to the Ksempe Viser, the editor 
 objects to the incongruity of making King Tidrich come into Briting- 
 shaw to seek for the Ettin Langshanks, *' whereas in the MS., it is 
 with more propriety said, that it was the king of Denmark's men that 
 went in quest of him, which is most probable. Vidricli slew him, and 
 says, that it could be said in Denmark, that he overcame the Ettin 
 Langshanks, as that took place in Zealand, the largest island in 
 Denmark, which is otherwise called Birtingsland. As a farther proof, 
 there is found a (Danish) mile from Roskild, Birke, and Birking-shaw; 
 and there also, not only the Ettin Langshanks's grave, both long and 
 large, but also a hollow in the hill, where his house was, and a hole 
 close to it, which is called his oven. In the year 1658, the College 
 Rector, Mr Rasmus Brokmand, caused the barrow to be opened, but 
 found only a pot full of ashes, and a rusty fragment of a sword." — Had 
 the writer of this passage been acquainted with the Wilkina Saga, he 
 would probably have been less confident in the force of his proofs. 
 In the introduction to the piece which follows that with which we
 
 296 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 are now engaged in the Kaempe Viser, Mr Veile makes Bratingsborg 
 to be " a castle near Tranberg church, in Samsoe, whose triple ditch, 
 rampart, wall, &c. could still be traced. Others were of opinion that 
 it lay in Ifvoenis, north from IfVce. — Some think that Vidrich Verland- 
 son (who ought to be called Villandson,) was born in the large dis- 
 trict of Scania, which is now called Villands-herret, and lies buried 
 on the side of Sollesborgs Ore, near Eisbeck Mill, where a large stone 
 is still seen standing. Villands-herret still has a hammer on its seal, 
 in memory of Sir Vidrich Verlandson." 
 
 The following description is given of the giant's person in the Wil- 
 kina Saga : " He was fearfldly large ; his legs were prodigiously thick 
 and long ; he had a strong, thick, and long body ; there was the space 
 of an ell between his eyes ; and his whole stature was in proportion." 
 — He is there represented as being placed to guard one of the passes 
 into his brother's kingdom, for which he seemed, from his natural pro- 
 pensity to sleeping, to be but indifferently qualified. When Vidrich 
 first found him, he snored so tremendously, that the leaves on the trees 
 shook and rustled for a great distance round. It required many liard 
 kicks in the ribs from Vidrich to make him open his eyes at all ; and 
 they were hardly well opened when they closed again, and the process 
 of kicking must be commenced anew. The Highland and Irish He- 
 roes, or, if you please. Giants, are many of them full as prone to som- 
 nolency as the Gothic ones ; and, in the moment of danger, it was 
 sometimes necessary to rouse them by dashing a fi-agment of a rock 
 against their heads with such violence, that it rebounded for miles, &c.
 
 [ 297 ] 
 
 THE 
 
 ETTIN LANGSHANKS. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH K^MPE VISER, p. Si, 
 FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1591. 
 
 Koning Tidrick sidder udi Bern, 
 
 Hand roser of sin Vcelde : 
 Saa mangen hqfuer hand tvungen, 
 Baade Kcemper og raske Helte. 
 
 Der stander en Berg heder Bern, og der 
 boer i Konning Tidrick. 
 
 King Tidrick sits intill Bern, 
 
 He rooses him of his might ; 
 Sae mony has he in battle coVd, 
 Baith kemp and doughty knight. 
 
 There stands a fortress hight Bern, and thereintilt 
 dwelleth Kim Tidrick. 
 
 o 
 
 King Tidrick stands at Bern, 
 And he looks out sae wide : 
 
 " Wold God I wist of a kemp sae bold 
 Durst me in field abide !" 
 2 P
 
 298 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Syne answer'd Master Hildebrand, 
 In war sae ware and wight : 
 
 " Tliere liggs a kemp in Birting's Bierg ;- 
 Dare ye liim rouse and fight ?" 
 
 o 
 " Hear thou, Master Hildebrand, 
 
 Thou art a kemp sae rare : 
 
 Ride thou the first i' the shaw the day, 
 
 Our banner gay to bear." 
 
 Syne answer'd Master Hildebrand ; 
 
 He was a kemp sae wise : 
 •* Nae banner will I bear the day, 
 
 For sae unmeet a prize." 
 
 Syne answer'd Vidrich Verlandson, 
 He spoke in full good mood : 
 
 '• The first i' the press I'se be the day, 
 To march to Birting's Wood." 
 
 Up spak he, Vidrich Verlandson, 
 And an angry man he grew ; 
 
 " Thro' hauberk as thro' hacketon 
 The smith's son's swerd sail hew." 
 
 They were well thi'ee hmider kemps, 
 They drew to Birting's land : 
 
 They sought the Ettin Langshanks, 
 And in the shaw him fand. 
 
 Syne up spak Vidrich Verlandson : 
 •' A selcouth game you's see. 
 
 Gin ye lat me ride first to the wood, 
 And h'ppcn sac far to mc. 
 
 " Here bide ye a', ye kingis men, 
 \Vhare twa green roads are met,
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 299 
 
 Wliile I ride out in the wood alane, 
 To speer for you tlie gate." 
 
 It was Vidrich Vcrlandson, 
 
 Into tlie wood lie rade'; 
 And there lie fiind a httle foot-path, 
 
 To the Ettin's lair that led. 
 
 Syne up spak he, King Tidrick : 
 
 " Hear what I say to tliee ; 
 Find ye the Ettin Langshanks, 
 
 Ye healna it frae me." 
 
 It was Vidrich Verlandson, 
 
 To Birting's hythe he wan ; 
 And there the Ettin Langshanks 
 
 LaidJy and black he fand. 
 
 It was Vidrich Verlandson 
 
 Strak the Ettin wi' his stang : 
 " Wake up, ye Langshanks Ettin } 
 
 Ye sleep baith hard and lang !" 
 
 " On this wild moor I've lien and slept 
 
 For lang and mony a year : 
 Nor ever a kemp has challenged me, 
 
 Or dared my rest to steer." 
 
 " Here am I, Vidrich Verlandson, 
 
 With good swerd by my side, 
 And here I dare thy rest to steer, 
 
 And dare thy wrath abide." 
 
 It was the Ettin Langshanks, 
 
 He wink'd up wi' his ee : 
 " And whence is he, the page sae bald, 
 
 Dares say sic words to me .'
 
 300 ROMANTIC BALLADS- 
 
 " Verland was my father hight, 
 
 A smith of cimning rare ; 
 Bodild was my mother call'd, ' 
 
 A kingis daughter fair. 
 
 ♦' My full good shield that Skrepping hight, 
 
 Has mony a dent and clour ; 
 On Blank my helmet mony a swerd 
 
 Has brast, of temper dour. 
 
 " My noble steed is Skimming hight, 
 
 A wild horse of the wood ; 
 My swerd by men is Minmiering nam'd, 
 
 Temper'd in heroes blood. 
 
 " And I hight Vidrich Verlandson, 
 
 All steel-clad as you see ; 
 And, but thy lang shanks thou bestir, 
 
 Sorely shalt thou able. 
 
 " Hear thou, Ettin Langshanks, 
 
 A word I winna he ; 
 The king is in the wood, and he 
 
 Maun tribute hae frae thee." 
 
 " "What gold I have fuU well I know 
 
 Sae well to guard and ware. 
 Nor saucy page sail win't fi-ae me, 
 
 Nor groom to claim it dare." 
 
 ♦' Thou to thy cost salt find, all young 
 
 And httle as I be. 
 Thy head I'll frae thy shoulders hew, 
 
 And win thy gold frae thee." 
 
 It was the Ettin Langshanks 
 Nae langer lists to sleep : 
 
 " Bodild is, in another ballad, said to be the mother of Ilogen.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 301 
 
 " Young kcmp, away, and to thy speed, 
 If tlioLi thy hfc wilt keep." 
 
 Wi* baith his hooves up Skimming sprang 
 
 On the Ettin's side bclyve ; 
 There seven o' his ribs he brake ; — 
 
 Sae they began to strive. 
 
 It was the Ettin Langshanks 
 
 Grip'd his steel stang in hand ; 
 He strak a stroke at Vidrich, 
 
 That the stang i' the hill cUd stand. 
 
 It was the Ettin Langshanks, 
 
 He ween'd to strike him stythe ; 
 But he his firsten straik has mist, 
 
 The steed sprang afF sae swyth. 
 
 'Twas then the Ettin Langshanks, 
 
 And he took on to yammer : 
 " Now lies my stang i' the hillock fast 
 
 As it were driven wi' hammer." 
 
 It was Vidrich Verlandson, 
 
 And wroth in mood he grew : 
 " Skimming, about ! Good Minmiering, 
 
 Now see what thou canst do !" 
 
 In baith his hands he Mimmering took, 
 
 And strak sae stern and fierce, 
 That through the Langshanks Ettin's breast 
 
 The point his thairms chd pierce. 
 
 Then first the Ettin Langshanks 
 
 Felt of a wound the pain ; 
 And gladly, had his strength remain'd. 
 
 Wad paid it back again.
 
 302 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 •' Accursed, Vidrich, be thy arm, • 
 
 Accursed be thy brand, 
 For the deadly wound that in my breast 
 
 I've taken frae thy hand !" 
 
 " Ettin, I'll hew and scatter thee 
 Like leaves before the \vind, 
 
 But and thou teU me in this wood 
 "Whare I thy gold may find." 
 
 " O spare me, Vidrich Verlandson, 
 And never strike'me dead ; 
 
 Sae wiU I lead thee to the house 
 Roord with the gold sae red." 
 
 Vidrich rode and the Ettin crept ; 
 
 Deep in the wood the/re gone ; 
 They found the house with gold sae red 
 
 Like burning Ught that shone. 
 
 " Away ye heave that massy stane, 
 Lift frae the bands the door ; 
 
 And mair gold nor 's in a' tliis land 
 Within ye'll find in store." 
 
 Syne answer'd Vidrich Verlandson ; 
 
 Some treason he did fear : 
 " The kemp is neither ware nor vnse 
 
 That sic a stane wad steer." 
 
 " Well Vidrich kens to turn a steed ; 
 
 'Tis a' he imderstands : 
 But I'll do mair wi' twa fingers, 
 
 Nor thou wi' baith thy hands." 
 
 Sae he has tacn that massy stane, 
 And lightly o'er did turn :
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 303 
 
 Full grimly \'^ldrich etlled then 
 That he should rue that scorn. 
 
 •' There's mair gold in this treasury 
 
 Nor fifteen kings can shaw : 
 Now hear thou, Vidrich Verlandson, 
 
 The first thou in sail ga." 
 
 83010 up spak Vidrich Verlandson, 
 
 His cunning well he knew : 
 " Be thou the first to venture in. 
 
 As fearless kemp shoidd do." 
 
 It was the Ettin Langshanks, 
 
 In at the door he saw : 
 Stark Vidrich strak wi' baith his hands, 
 
 And hew'd his head him fia. 
 
 And he has taen the Ettin's blood 
 
 And smear'd wi' it his steed : 
 Sae rade he to King Tidrick, 
 
 Said, •' Foul has been my speed !" 
 
 And he has taen the Ettin's corpse, 
 
 Set it against an aik ; 
 And all to tell the wondrous feat 
 
 His way does backward take. 
 
 '• Here bide ye a', my doughty feres, 
 
 Under this green hiU fair : 
 How Langshanks Ettin's handled me, 
 
 To tell you grieves me sair." 
 
 •* And has the Ettin maul'd thee sae^ 
 
 That is foul skaith and scorn ; 
 Then never anither sail be foil'd ;— 
 
 We'll back to Bern return." 
 
 ®
 
 304 ROMANTIC BALLADS, 
 
 " Thou turn thee, now, Kmg Tidrich, 
 Thou turn thee swathe wi' me ; 
 
 And a' the gold the Ettin had 
 I'll shew belyve to thee." 
 
 " And hast thou slain the Ettm the day ? 
 
 That mony a man saU weet ; 
 And the baldest kemp i' the warld wide 
 
 Thou never need fear to meet." 
 
 It was then King Tidrich's men, 
 They green'd the Ettin to see : 
 
 And loud they leuch at his laidly bouk, 
 As it stood by the tree. 
 
 They ween'd that he his lang shanks 
 Yet after them might streek ; 
 
 And nae ane dared to nigh liim near, 
 Or wake him frae his sleep. 
 
 It was Vidrich Verlandson, 
 
 Wi' mickle glee he said : 
 " How would ye bide his living look 
 
 That fleys ye sae whan dead ?" 
 
 He strak the body wi' his staff; 
 
 The head fell to the eard : 
 " In sooth that Ettin was a kemp 
 
 That ance might well be fear'd." 
 
 And they hae taen the red gold, 
 What booty there did stand ; 
 
 And Vidricli got the better part, 
 Well won with liis right hand. 
 
 But little he reck'd a spoil sae rich ; 
 'Twas a' to win the gree ;
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. SOS 
 
 And as the Ettin-queller wide 
 O'er Danmark fam'd to be. 
 
 Sae gladly I'ode they back to Bern ; 
 
 But Tidrick maist was glad ; 
 And Vidrich o' his menyie a' 
 
 The foremost place ay had. 
 
 2q
 
 L 306 ] 
 
 HERO HOGEN 
 
 AND THE 
 
 QUEEN OF DANMARCK. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH K^MPE VISEK, p. 5i3. 
 
 It may be observed that this piece is a sort of counterpart to " The Wassel Dance." 
 All the irregularities of the measure in the original have not been preserved ; but it is 
 probable that the reader would have thought a greater licence in this respest a very 
 venial fault. This little ditty is of a very different cast from those connected with the 
 history of the Niebelungen ; but we have given it here on account of its characteristic 
 peculiarities, and to shew what use ballad-reciters make of the names of popular heroes, 
 in appropriating to them parts which do not belong to them. 
 
 Kongen hand sidder i Rihe ; 
 
 Hand drikker vin ; 
 Saa byder hand de Danske riddere 
 
 Hiem til sin. 
 
 (^Saa herlig dandser hand Hogeii ! <^c.) 
 
 The king he's sitting in Ribe ; 
 
 He's drinking wine"*, 
 Sae he has bidden the Danish knights 
 
 To propine. 
 
 (^Sae nobly dances he, Hogen !)
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. S07 
 
 *• Ye stand up a' my merry men 
 
 And kniglitis bold, 
 And gaily tread tlic dance wi' me 
 
 O'er the green wold." 
 {Sae nobly, &c.) 
 
 Now lists the king o' Danmarck 
 
 To dance in the ring ; 
 And neist cam Hero Hogen 
 
 Afore them to sing. • 
 
 Up wak'd the queen o' Danmarck ; 
 
 In her bower she lay : 
 '• O wliilken o' my ladies 
 
 Strikes the harp sae ?" 
 
 " It is nane o' your ladies 
 
 Whase harp ye hear ; 
 It is Hero Hogen 
 
 Singing sae clear." 
 
 " Ye a' get up, my maidens, 
 
 Rose chaplets on your hair ; 
 Forth we will us a' ride, 
 
 Wassel to share." 
 
 First rade the queen o' Danmarck, 
 
 In red scarlet tho ; 
 Syne ladies rade, and maidens. 
 
 And maries a-row. 
 
 Fu' lightly rade the Queen round 
 
 And round the dance sae free ; 
 'Twas a' on noble Hogen ay 
 
 Turned her ee. 
 
 'Twas then Hero Hogen, 
 His hand raught he :
 
 508 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 " O, list ye, gracious lady, 
 To dance wi' me ?" 
 
 Now dances Hero Hogen ; 
 
 He dances wi' the queen ; 
 And mickle glee, the sooth to say, 
 
 There passes them atween. 
 
 Up there stood a little may 
 • In kirtle blue : 
 
 " O 'ware ye 'fore the fause claverers ; 
 They lyth to you." 
 
 It was the king o' Danmarck, 
 
 And he can there speer, 
 " Wliat does the queen o' Danmarck 
 
 A-dancing here ? 
 
 " Far better in her bower 'twere 
 
 On her goud harp to play, 
 Nor dancing here sae lightly 
 
 Wi' Hogen thus to gae." 
 
 Up there stood a httle may 
 
 In kirtle red : 
 " 'Ware now, my gracious lady -, 
 
 My lord's grim, I rede." 
 
 " I've just but i' the dance come in ; 
 
 It's nae near till an en' ; 
 And sae my lord the king may 
 
 Mak liimsell blyth agam." ' 
 
 • From the peculiar turn of this stanza, the fidelity of the translation may be suspected. 
 Here is the original : 
 
 •* Jeg er saa nylig i dandsen kommen, 
 
 Hun haver ikk^ faact end6 ; 
 Saa vel maa min Herri! eg Konning 
 Bliv6 blid igen."
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. S09 
 
 Up there stood a little page 
 
 Intill a kirtle green : 
 " 'Ware ye, my gracious lady ; — 
 
 My lord is riding hame." 
 
 Shame fa' Hero Hogcn, 
 
 That e'er he sang sae clear ; 
 The queen sits in her bower up, 
 
 And dowy is her chear. 
 
 {Sae nobly dances he, Hogen !)
 
 C 310 3 
 
 SIR GUNCELIN. 
 
 J HE following rude, uncouth, and ridiculous piece, seems to be an 
 imitation of the balladized copy of the Eddie Tale of Thor's Ham- 
 mer, (which has been admirably translated by the Hon. W. Herbert,) 
 inserted in the Ka;mpe Viser, in which the characters are all giants 
 merely, and not gods. — It shews in what manner the heroes and he- 
 roines of Gothic Romance have been treated by the vulgar in later 
 times ; and gives a rude and barbarous, but just and characteristic, 
 picture of an ancient Scandinavian wedding. Capricious and extra- 
 vagant as the painting may seem, it is nevertheless, in all essential 
 points, true to Nature, and the manners and usages of the times. 
 
 AVho is meant by Mother Skrat, we do not pretend to say, as we 
 have never had the pleasure of meeting with her elsewhere, and do 
 not find her in any of our repositories of Gothic divinities. But this 
 is, probably, because we have so few ludicrous compositions of the el- 
 der Scandinavians remaining. We take her to be the goddess who 
 presided over obstreperous mirth and horse-play of every kind, and to 
 be here invoked by the spectators, to save them from bursting their 
 sides with laughter. " Skratte" in Danish, signifies generally " to 
 split or crack ;" and particularly to " split the sides with laughing."
 
 C 311 ] 
 
 SIR GUNCELIN. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH K^MPE VISEK, p. 50. 
 FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1591. 
 
 Dei var Grefve Herr Guncelin, 
 
 Hand faler til moder sin : 
 
 Jeg vil ride mig op paa Land, 
 
 Ogjriste Manddom min. 
 
 ( Vel opjorre Dag, vi komme 
 vel qfver deti Hede.) 
 
 It was the Earl Sir GunceKn 
 
 To his mother he can say, 
 ** It's I will ride me up-o-land, 
 
 My manhood to essay." 
 {Up, up afore day, sue come we well over the heath-0.) 
 
 " And wilt thou ride thee up-o-land, 
 
 And dost thou teU me sae ? 
 Then I'U gie thee a steed sae good, 
 
 Men call him Karl the gray. 
 {Up, up afore, Sjc.) 
 
 " Then I'll gie thee a steed sae good, 
 Men call him Karl the gray ;
 
 312 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Ye ne'er need buckle on a spur 
 Or helm, whan him ye hae. 
 
 " At never a kemp maun ye career, 
 
 Frae never ane rin awa', 
 Untill ye meet with him, the kemp 
 
 That men call IfVer Blaa." 
 
 It was the Earl Sir Guncehn 
 
 Can by a green hill ride, 
 Tliere met he him, little TUventin, 
 
 And bade him halt and bide. 
 
 " Well met, well met, yoxmg THventin, 
 Whare did ye he last night ?" 
 
 '• I lay at Bratensborg, whare they 
 Strike fire frae helmets bright." 
 
 It was the Earl Sir Guncehn 
 Look'd under his helmet red : 
 
 " Sae be't wi' httle Tilventin ! — 
 Thou's spoken thy ain dead." 
 
 It was the Earl Sir Gimcelin, 
 
 He his swerd out drew ; 
 It was little Tilventin 
 
 He in pieces hew. 
 
 Sae rade he till Bratensborg, 
 
 He rapped at the yate : 
 " Is there here ony kemp within 
 
 That dares wi' me debate ?" 
 
 It was Sir IfVcr Blaa, 
 
 To the east he turn'd about : 
 
 " Help now Ulf and Ismer Gribj * 
 I hear a kemp thereout."
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 31: 
 
 It was Sir IfVvr Blaa, 
 
 And he look'd to the West : 
 " Thereout I hear Sir Guncelin : 
 
 Help, Otthin ! as thou can best." 
 
 It was the Earl Sir Guncelin, 
 
 And helm o'er neck he flang ; 
 Sae heard, though mony a mile away, 
 
 fiis mother dear the clang. 
 
 That lady she waken'd at still midnight, 
 
 And till her lord she said : 
 " May God Almighty rightly rede 
 
 That our son may well be sped !" 
 
 The firsten tilt they thegither rode. 
 
 Those kemps sae stark and bold. 
 Wide on the field Sir IlVer Blaa 
 
 Was cast upon the mold. 
 
 " Hear thou, Earl Guncelin, 
 
 An thou will lat me Hve, 
 I ha'e me a betrothed bride. 
 
 And her to thee I'll give." 
 
 " m none of thy betrothed bride ; 
 
 Yet wedded would I be : 
 Give me Salenta, sister thine, 
 
 As better liketh me." 
 
 Sae rode they to the bride-ale j 
 
 They roundly rode in fere ; 
 And they hae bidden the kempery men 
 
 To come fi-ae far and near. 
 
 They bade him, Vidrich Verlandson, 
 Stai'k Tidrich out of Bern, 
 R
 
 314 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 And Holger Danske, that ay for feats 
 Of chivalry did yearn. 
 
 Child Sivard Snaren they hae bidden, 
 
 Afore the bride to ride ; 
 And Ettin Langshanks he maun be 
 
 AH by the bridegroom's side. 
 
 They've bidden Master Hildebrand, 
 And he the torch maun bear ; 
 
 Him followed twice sax kemps, and they 
 Drank and made lusty cheer. 
 
 And hither came Folquard Spillemand ; 
 
 For that the kemps sail pay ; 
 And hither came King Sigfrid Home, 
 
 As he shall rue the day. 
 
 It was pi'oud Lady Grimild, 
 Was bidden to busk the bride ; 
 
 But hard and fast her feet and hands 
 Wi' fetters they hae tied. 
 
 Theretill came Lady Gunde Hette, 
 
 In Norden Field that bade ; 
 She drank and she danced. 
 
 And luckily was sped. 
 
 There in came Lady Brynial, 
 And she carved for the bride ; 
 
 Her follow'd seven sma damsels, 
 And sat the kemps beside. 
 
 They follow'd the bride to the cliamber in, 
 
 Tlieir breakfast there to cat -, 
 Of groats four barrels she ate up. 
 
 Sac well she lik'd that nieat.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 31 - 
 
 Sax oxen she ate up, theretill 
 
 Eight flitclics of the brawn ; 
 Seven hogsheads of the ale ishe drank, 
 
 Or she to yex began. 
 
 They follow'd the bride uitill the ha' ^ 
 
 Sae bowden was her skin, 
 They dang down five ells o' the wa' 
 
 Ere they could get her in. 
 
 They led tlie bride to the bride-bench. 
 
 And gently set her down : 
 Her weight it brake the marble bench, 
 
 And she came to the ground. 
 
 They serv'd her wi' the best o' fare ; 
 
 She made na brocks o' meat ; 
 Five oxen, and ten gude fat swine 
 
 Clean up the witch did eat. 
 
 That mark'd the bridegroom (well he might !) 
 
 'Twas httle to his wish : 
 " I never yet saw sae young a bride 
 
 Lay her lugs sae in a dish !" 
 
 Up syne sprang the kempery men j 
 
 Thegither they advise : 
 " Wliilk will ye rather pitch the bar. 
 
 Or kemp in knightly guise ?" 
 
 The kempery men a ring they drew 
 
 AH on the sward sae green ; 
 And there, in honour o' the bride. 
 
 The courtly game begin. 
 
 The young bride wi' the mickle neives 
 Up fi-ae the bride-bench sprang :
 
 316 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 And up to tulzie wi' her there lap 
 The Ettin wi' shanks sae lang. 
 
 There danced and dinnled bench and board, 
 And sparks frae hehnets fly ; 
 
 Out then leapt the kemps sae bold : 
 " Help, Mother Skratt !" they cry. 
 
 And there a sturdy dance began, 
 Frae Ribe, and in till Slie : 
 
 The least kemp in the dance that was 
 Was five ell imder the knee. 
 
 The least kemp in the dance that was 
 Was little Mmmiering Tand ; 
 
 He was amang that heathen folk 
 The only Christian Man.
 
 C 317 3 
 
 RIBOLT AND GULDBORG. 
 
 The following belongs to a numerous class of Danish Ballads, and has 
 been here selected on account of its near resemblance to some of the 
 most noticed of our own. Of these, one of the most distinguished is 
 the " Child of EUe," which seems (as well as " Erlington,") from the 
 name, to be of Scandinavian origin. As the value of the original 
 fragment of that piece is much cnlianccd by the publication of several 
 similar tales which have lately appeared, it is hoped that, in whatever 
 state it may be, it will no longer be with-held from the pubHc. 
 
 " Erhnton," in the Bord. Min. (vol. iii. p. 235,) has, as much as any 
 of our antient ditties, the appearance of being Scandinavian. The 
 complete locality ascribed to the fine ballad of " The Douglas Tra- 
 gedy," (Bord. Min. vol. iii. p. 243,) in Selkirkshire, aftbrds no pre- 
 sumption of the event having happened in that coimtry ; as the scene 
 of action cannot be more distinctly pointed out, tlian it is in Ribolt 
 and Guldborg. Popular tales and anecdotes of every kind soon ob- 
 tain locality wherever they are told ; and the intelligent and attentive 
 traveller will not be surprised to find the same story which he had 
 learnt when a child, with every appropriate circumstance of names, 
 time, and place, in a glen of Morven, Lochaber, or Rannoch, equally 
 domesticated amid the mountains of Norway, Caucasus, or Thibet. 
 
 Of Ribolt and Guldborg it may be observed, that it seems to con-
 
 318 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 tain almost all the materials of Erlinton, the Douglas Tragedy, and 
 the Child of EUe, especially if the latter piece originally ended tragi- 
 cally for the hero and heroine. 
 
 Those who wish to see from what kind of materials these tales have 
 been fabricated, may compare this piece with the romantic story of 
 Sir Sampson and Hildesvida, the daughter of Jarl Rudgeir, with which 
 the Wilkina Saga commences. In the Saga, as in the Swedish and 
 Danish ballads of Fair Midel, &c., the knight causes the lady to pack 
 up all the plate and treasures she can get her hands on, to carry away 
 with her. 
 
 As we have pointed out the particular resemblance which Ribolt 
 bears to the Child of Elle, &c., it may be proper to observe, that we 
 have selected the five which inmiediately follow it, as having, in their 
 subjects and narrative, a more intimate relationship to ballads of our own 
 country. Two of this class have already been given to the public in 
 " Popular Ballads and Songs, &c." Of these, " Fair Annie," on the 
 same subject with " Wha will bake my bridal bread, &c." is one of 
 the most interesting of the Danish Ballads ; and the " Merman Ros- 
 mer," which we intend still farther to illustrate, is a veiy curious relic 
 of antiquity. In the Notes to " the Lady of the Lake" v/ill be found two 
 more, " The Elfin Gray" and the " Ghaist's Warning." The first of 
 these is a favourable specimen of a large class of Danish Ballads, which, 
 like many of our most wild and antient Scotish ditties, are founded on 
 stories of disenchantment. The last I have not met with in the form 
 of a ballad in Scotland ; but on the translation from the Danish being 
 read to a very antient gentleman in Dumfrieshire, he said the story of 
 the mother coming back to her children was quite familiar to him in 
 his youth, as an occurrence of his own immediate neighbourhood, with 
 all the circumstances of name and place. The father, like Child Dy- 
 ring, had married a second wife ; and his daughter by the first, a child 
 of three or four years old, was once amissing for three days. She was 
 sought for every where with the utmost diligence, but was not found. 
 At last she was obsei-ved, coming from the barn, which, during her 
 absence, had been repeatedly searched. She looked remarkably clean
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 319 
 
 and fresh ; her clothes were in the neatest possible order ; and h^r 
 hair, in particular, had been anointed, combed, curled, and plaited, 
 with the greatest care. On being asked where she had been, slie said 
 she had been with lier manmiie, wlio had been so kind to her, and given 
 her so many good things, and dressed her hair so prettily.' 
 
 As I have lately heard it insinuated, upon authority tliat ought to 
 have had some weight, that nothing was known of the tragical frag- 
 ment beginning, " O whare ha'e ye been. Lord Ronald, my Son ?" 
 (Bord. Min. vol. ii. p. 263. ed. 1810,) till the publication of Johnson's 
 Scots Musical Musaeum, I am happy to be able to furnish the reader 
 (along with the assurance, that there are many persons in Scotland 
 who learnt it long before it was printed) with two curious scraps, the 
 genuineness of which is unquestionable. An English gentleman, 
 who had never paid any attention to ballads, nor ever read a collec- 
 tion of such things, told me, that when a child, he learnt from a 
 playmate of his own age, the daughter of a clergyman in Suffolk, the 
 following imperfect ditty : * 
 
 " Wliere have you been to-day, Billy, my son ? 
 Where have you been to-day, my otily man ?" 
 " I've been a w^ooing, mother, make my bed soon, 
 For I'm sick at heart, and fain would lay down." 
 
 " What have you ate to-day, Billy, my son ? 
 Wliat have you ate to-day, my only man ?" 
 
 • The fairy Melusina had enjoined her husband not to see or enquire after her on a Sa- 
 turday. The husband, however, having bored a hole with his sword in the door, beheld 
 her in the bath, half woman, half fish, lamenting her fate. Having some years after, in 
 an altercation, hinted at her deformity, she flew out of the window with loud lamentations, 
 and being metamorphosed into her Saturday's shape, flew thrice about the castle, and then 
 departed. She had shortly before born two infants, and the nurses frequently observed 
 her entering the room " in the shape of a ghost," caressing the children, warming them 
 at the fire, and giving them suck. By order of the count, no one disturbed her ; and, in 
 consequence, the children throve with amazing rapidity. This is the account in the Ger- 
 man popular story-book, which is somewhat diflerent from the French original. 
 
 * Every child knows the nursery tale of the " Crowdin' Dow."
 
 320 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Q " I've ate eel-pie, mother, make my bed soon ; 
 
 For I'm sick at heart, and shall die before noon." 
 
 In the 'above fragment I have put the word o»/y in italics, not so 
 much on account of the singularity of the expression, as of its resem- 
 blance to the following German popular ditty, inserted in the Knaben 
 Wunderhom, of which, as it is too humble to be attempted in verse, 
 we have given a verbatim English prose translation. 
 
 GROSSMUTTER SCHLANGENKCECHIN. 
 
 " Maria, wo hist du zur Stube gewesen ? 
 Maria, mein einziges kind?" 
 
 " Ich bin bey meiner Grossmutter gewesen ; — 
 Ach weh ! Frau Mutter, wie weh !" 
 
 " Was hat sie dir dann zu essen gegeben, 
 Maria, mein einziges kind?" 
 
 " Sie hat mir gebackne Fishlein gegeben ;— 
 Ach weh! Frau Mutter! wie weh ! Sfc." 
 
 GRANDMOTHER ADDER-COOK. 
 
 " Maria, what room have you been in, 
 Maria, my otily cliild ?" 
 
 " I have been with my grandmother ;— 
 Alas ! lady mother, what pain !" 
 
 " What then has she given tliec to eat, 
 Maaia, my only cliild ?"
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 321 
 
 " She has given me fried fishes ; — 
 Alas ! lady mother, what pain !" 
 
 " Where tlid she catch the little fishes, 
 Maria, my only child ?" 
 
 " She caught them in the kitchen-garden ; — 
 Alas ! lady mother, what pain !" 
 
 " With what did she catch the little fishes, 
 Maria, my only cliild ?" 
 
 " She caught them with rods and little sticks ; 
 Alas ! lady mother, what pain !'* 
 
 " What did she do with the rest of the fishes ; 
 Maria, my only child ?" 
 
 " She gave it to her httle dark-brown dog : 
 Alas ! lady mother, what pain !" 
 
 " And what became of the dark-brown dog, 
 Maria, my only child ?" 
 
 •' It burst into a thousand pieces : 
 Alas ! lady mother, what pain !" 
 
 " Maria, where shall I make thy bed, 
 
 Maria, my only chOd ?" 
 
 " In the church-yard shalt thou make my bed, 
 Alas ! lady mother, what pain !" 
 
 That any one of these Scotish, English, and German copies of the 
 same tale has been borrowed or translated from another, seems very 
 improbable ; and it would now be in vain to attempt to ascertain what 
 
 2 s
 
 322 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 it originally was, or in what age it was produced. It has had the great 
 good fortune in every country to get possession of the nursery, a 
 circumstance which, from the enthusiasm and curiosity of young ima- 
 ginations, and the communicative volubility of little tongues, has in- 
 sured its preservation. Indeed, many curious relics of past times are 
 preserved in the games and rhymes found among children, which are 
 on that account by no means beneath the notice of the curious travel- 
 ler, who wiU be surprised to find, after the lapse of so many ages, and 
 so many changes of place, language, and manners, how little these 
 differ among different nations of the same original stock, who have 
 been so long divided and estranged from each other. As an illustra- 
 tion of this, which we happen to have most conveniently at hand, we 
 give the following child's song to the Lady-bird, which is commonly 
 sung while this pretty insect is perched on the tip of the fore-fingei", 
 and danced up and down. Every child knows the English rhyme, 
 
 " Lady-bird, lady-bird, fly and begone. 
 
 Your house is a-fire, and your children at home, &c." 
 
 The German children have it much more perfect, as well as much 
 prettier, the EngUsh having preserved only the second stanza in their 
 address. 
 
 Marienwurmchen, setze dicli 
 Auf meine hand, auf meinc hand ; 
 
 Ich tliu dir nichts zu leide. 
 Es soil dir nichts zu leide geschehn, 
 Will nur deine bunte FlUffel sehn, 
 
 & 
 
 Bunte Fliigel, meine Freudc. 
 
 Marienwurmchen, fliege weg, 
 
 Dein Hieuschen brennt, die kinder schrein, 
 
 So sehre, wie so sclire. 
 Die biise Spinnc spinnt sie ein,
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 323 
 
 Marienwllrmchcn ; flieg hinein, 
 Deinc kinder schrcion sehre. 
 
 Marienwiiimchen, fliege hin 
 
 Zu nachbars kind, zu nachbars kind. 
 
 Sic thun dir nichts zu leidc ; 
 Es soil dir da kcin Icid geschehn, 
 Sie wollen deine bunte FlUgcl sehn, 
 
 Und griiss sie allc beyde.
 
 [ 324 ] 
 
 RIBOLT AND GULDBORG. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH ICaEMPE VISER, p. 750. 
 
 Ribolt er en Greve-son, 
 
 {Om det er eders villie ;) 
 Hand giUed Guldhorg, det var i Ion. 
 
 ( Der huen legtesjbr dem. ) 
 
 Hand gilled hendejra hun var barn, 
 ( Om det er, S^x. ) 
 
 Ribolt was the son of an Earl gude •, 
 
 {Sae he that ye are willing ;) 
 Guldborg he lang in secret lo'ed. 
 
 {There's a hue and cry for them.) 
 
 Whan she was a baii-n he lo'ed her sair, 
 
 (Sae be, l^c.) 
 And ay as she grew he lo'ed her the mair. 
 
 {There's a, &ic.) 
 
 «' Guldborg, will ye plight your troth to me, 
 And I'll till a better land bring thee. 
 
 «' Till a better land I will thee bear, 
 Whare there never comes or dulc or care.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 825 
 
 " I will bring thcc iintill an oc 
 Wliarc thou sail live and nagatc die." 
 
 "■a" 
 
 " It's till nae land can ye me bear 
 Whare there never comes or dulc or care ; 
 
 " Nor me can ye bring to sic an oe ; 
 For to God I owe that I should die." 
 
 " There leeks are tlie only grass that springs, 
 And the gowk is the only bird that sings ; 
 
 " Tliere a' the water that rins is wine : 
 Ye well may trow this tale o' mine." 
 
 " O how sail I frae the castell win, 
 Sae fiel they watch me out and in ? 
 
 " I'm watch'd by my father, I'm watch'd by my mither, 
 I'm watch'd by my sister, I'm watch'd by my brither ; 
 
 " My bridegroom watches wharever I ga. 
 And that watch fears me maist ava !" 
 
 " And gin a' your kin were watching ye. 
 Ye maun bide by what ye hecht to me. 
 
 " And ye maun put on my brynie blae ; 
 My gilded hehnet ye sail hae ; 
 
 " My gude brand belted by your side ; 
 Sae unlike a lady ye will ride : 
 
 " Wi' gouden spur at j'our heel sae braw, 
 
 Ye may ride thro' the mids o' your kindred a'." 
 
 His mantel blue he has o'er her thrown. 
 And his ambler grey he has set her upon.
 
 326 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 As o'er the muir in fere they rade, 
 They met a rich Eai'l that tUl them said : 
 
 " O hear ye, Ribolt, dear compere mine, 
 Whare gat ye that page sae fair and fine ?" 
 
 " O it is nane but my yovmgest brither. 
 And I gat him frae nane but my mither." 
 
 " In vain ye frae me the truth wad heal : 
 Guldborg, Guldborg, I ken ye well. 
 
 " Your red scarlet ye well may len ; 
 But your rosy cheeks fu' well I ken. 
 
 " I' your father's castell I did sair. 
 And I ken you well by your yellow hair. 
 
 " By your claiths and your shoon I ken ye ill, 
 But I ken the knight ye your troth gae till ; 
 
 " And the Brok I ken, that has gotten your han' 
 Afore baith priest and laic man." 
 
 He's taen the goud bracelet frae his hand, 
 And on the Earlis arm it band : 
 
 " Wliaever ye meet, or wharever ye gae. 
 Ye naething o' me maim to nae man say." 
 
 Tlie earl he has ridden to Kallii-house, 
 Whare, merrily-drinking, tlie kemps carouse. 
 
 \\Tian Sir Triiid's castell within cam he. 
 Sir Truid at the deas he was birling free : 
 
 " Here sit ye, Sir Truid, drinking mead and wine, 
 Wi' your bride rides Ribolt roundly hync."
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. $2t 
 
 Sync Truid o'er the castell loud can ca' : 
 
 " Swyth on wi' your brynies, my merry men a' !" 
 
 They scantly had ridden a mile but four, 
 Giddborg she luikit her shoulder o'er : 
 
 " O yonder see I my father's steed, 
 And I see the knight tliat I hae wed." 
 
 " Light down, Guldborg, my lady dear. 
 And hald our steeds by the renyies here. 
 
 " And e'en sae be that ye see me fa', 
 Be sure that ye never upon me ca' ; 
 
 " And e'en sac be that ye see me bleed, 
 Be sure that ye namena me till dead." 
 
 Ribolt did on his brynie blae ; 
 Guldborg she clasp'd it, the sooth ^to say. 
 
 In the firsten shock o' that bargain 
 Sir Truid and her father dear he's slain. 
 
 I' the nexten shock, he hew'd down there 
 Her twa brethren wi' their gouden hair. 
 
 " Hald, hald, my Ribolt, dearest mine, 
 Now belt thy brand, for it's mair nor time. 
 
 « My youngest brither ye spare, O spare 
 To my mither the dowy news to bear ; 
 
 " To tell o' the dead in this sad stour 
 
 O wae, that ever she dochter burc !'" 
 
 ' " O vae, hun nogentid dotter fodd^ !"
 
 328 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Whan Ribolt's name she nam'd that stound, 
 'Twas then that he gat his deadly wound. 
 
 Eibolt he has belted his brand by his side : 
 " Ye come now, Guldborg, and we will ride." 
 
 As on to the Rosen-wood they rade. 
 The never a word till ither they said. 
 
 " O hear ye now, Ribolt, my love, tell me 
 Why are ye nae blyth as ye wont to be ?" 
 
 " O my hfe-blood it rins fast and free, 
 And wae is my heart, as it well may be ! 
 
 " And soon, fu' soon I'll be cald in the clay. 
 And my Guldborg I maim a maiden lea'." 
 
 *' It's I'll tak my sUken lace e'en now. 
 And bind up your wound the best I dow." 
 
 " God help thee, Guldborg, and rue on thee ; 
 Sma boot can thy silken lace do me !" 
 
 Whan they cam till the rastell yett. 
 His niither she stood and leant thereat. 
 
 " Ye're welcome, Ribolt, dear son mine. 
 And sae I wat is she, young bride thine. 
 
 •' Sae pale a bride saw I never air. 
 
 That had ridden sae far but goud on her hair." 
 
 " Nae wonder, nae wonder, tho' pale she be, 
 Sae hard a fecht as she's seen wi' me ! 
 
 " Wold God I had but an hour to live ! — 
 But my last bequests awa' I'll give.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 329 
 
 " To my father my steed sae tall I gie ; — 
 Dear mither, ye fetch a priest to me ! 
 
 " To my dear brither that stands me near, 
 I lea' Guklborg that I hald sae dear." 
 
 " How glad thy bequest were I to fang, 
 But haly kirke wad ca' it wrang." 
 
 " Sae help me God at my utmost need, 
 As GiUdborg for me is a may indeed. 
 
 " Ance, only ance, with a lover's lyst, 
 And but only ance, her mouth I kist." 
 
 ** It ne'er sal be said, till my dying day, 
 That till twa brithers I plight my fay." 
 
 Ribolt was dead or the cock did craw ; 
 Guldborg she died or the day did daw. 
 
 Three likes frae that bower were carried in fere, 
 And comely were they withouten peer ; 
 
 Sir Ribolt the leal and his bride sae fair, 
 
 {Sae be that ye ar€ willing,) 
 And his mither that died wi' sorrow and care. * 
 
 {Therms a hue and cry for them,) 
 
 ' See « Popular Ballads and Songs, &c. 1806," vol. I. p. 222.
 
 I 3,30 3 
 
 NOTES ON RIBOLT AND GULDBORG. 
 
 There leeks are the only grass that springs. 
 
 And the gotok is the only bird that sings — P. Sli, v. 8. 
 
 In this couplet, Ribolt intimates, by two very characteristic metaphors, that tlie land to 
 which he proposes to carry his mistress is a perfect paradise, enjoying a perpetual spring. 
 " The leek," says the Danish editor, " was formerly, as among the Israelites, esteemed a 
 very valuable herb, and the cuckoo a fine singing bird ; who, nevertheless, only utters a 
 cry which, in the learned language, is called " coccysmiis." His song is agreeable, be- 
 cause it is seldom heard, and then only in the most delightful season of spring, and the 
 early part of summer." 
 
 It is not without good reason that the Welch, as well as most other mountaineers, arc 
 partial to leeks, which were formerly believed to be possessed of great medicinal virtues ; 
 and certainly, as kitchen jihysic, their nutritive qualities, their lightness, and their kindly 
 exhilarating warmth, as well as the facility with which they are cultivated, render them 
 peculiarly salutary and acceptable to the poor and frugal peasant, who breathes the sharp 
 keen air of a mountainous country. In the East they are still a favourite vegetable ; and 
 the modern Egyptians eat them with as much cordiality, and with more than as much 
 good reason, as the antient Egyptians ivorshipped them. 
 
 In the days of old, they were food for heroes, and supposed to contribute not a little to 
 military ardour, as well as to manly vigour ; as we learn from a poem on the actions of King 
 Svein, quoted by Snorro, in " Heims Kringla," p. S28. 
 
 Var a sunniidag svanni, 
 Seggur hnic margiir iind eggiar, 
 Morgin than sera inanne 
 Mser lauk cthur iil baere :
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 331 
 
 That is, " On the Sunday morning early, many fell by the edge of the sword, before the 
 maidens liad brought any one leeks or ale for liis breakfast." In such high esteem, in- 
 deed, was this herb among the Scandinavians, that they did not call a man who was the 
 ornament of his name, as we would do, the^ouw of his family, but ^ttar lauku, the 
 leek of his family ! — We shall not stop here to inquire what connection the ^coUsh porridge 
 and purry have with the 'Lutm porrns (a leek ;) but the learned editors of" Orkneyinga 
 Saga," not without an appearance of probability, suppose (in which they are supported 
 by Schilter and Junius) that the original meaning of leek is found in the Greek >.»^tcKit, 
 which signifies pot-herbs in general ; and that the porrus, on account of its superior quali- 
 ties, was, by way of distinction, called leek, i. e. the herb. 
 
 Our Scotish kail, meaning originally pot-herbs in general, is in much the same predica- 
 ment with the leek, and derives its denomination from a similar association of ideas. In 
 Greek, x,''^'^ means pot-herbs. The Germans, who prefer putting the aspirate after the 
 vowel, instead of khol, write kohl, from whence our specific name cole-iuort, in Latin caulis. 
 Now in German, kohle, which was formerly written without the final vowel, has also the 
 same signification as the English coal, fire, and the Latin calor. Sec. &c. And here we 
 have to observe, that, so far as our knowledge of languages extends, we have found all 
 the generic names, which imply ^jorf, to be composed of roots, which signify heat and vi- 
 gour ; and we are disposed to think, that the leek, on account of its heating, nourishing, 
 and invigorating qualities, was by the antient Egyptians chosen from the vegetable king- 
 dom, as the fittest emblem of the all-inspiring and animating power of heat, or fire ; as 
 tlie ox was chosen from the animal kingdom by them and other agricultural nations, and 
 tjie quiet, useful, and milk-giving cow, by herdsmen, to be dedicated to Mother Earth, 
 the prolific wife of Mithra, the power of meethness, or heat. 
 
 • " And the gotuk is the only bird that sings." — P. 324', v. 8. 
 Mr Syv is certainly right as to the charm found in the note of the cuckoo ; and, under 
 certain circumstances, the croaking of a frog might be no less acceptable to the ear. — 
 " You have nothing like that in your country ! Is it not delightful ?" said an Englishman 
 to his Scotish guest, whom he had taken out for the first time, in a fine summer's even- 
 ing, to hear the song of the nightingale. " Ha' 'wa' !" said Saunders ; " I wadna gi'e 
 ae wheeple o' a whaiip for a' the nichtingales in England !" — a sentiment which was per- 
 fectly natural, although perhaps more honourable to the animal than to the musical sym- 
 pathies of my honest countrymen ; for Saunders had lived all his days in a parish in the 
 west of Scotland, which was so bleak and bare, that not even the rural lark ever conde- 
 scended to visit it ; and the only bird of song they had was the whaup, or curle^v, that 
 frequented their moors upon the approach of Spring.
 
 332 ROMANTIC BALLADS- 
 
 I'm tmatch'd hy my father, S<;c.—^, 2fi\, v. 1 1. 
 So in « Erlinton :" 
 
 " And he has warn'd her sisters six, 
 And sae has he her brethren se'en, 
 
 Outher to watch her a' the night, 
 Or else to seek her mom and e'en." 
 
 « And the Brok I ken, cS-c."— P. 325, v. 25. 
 Guldborg's bridegroom was Sir Truid the Brok. " The Broks," (Brook ?) says the Danish 
 editor, " as well as the Brysks ' and Sinklars, came from Scotland ; and Eske Brok of Estrup 
 was the sixth in descent of that family. One of his daughters was the Dame Elizabeth 
 Brok, who gave her name to Broksbe in Portmosen. There is a long story about the hat 
 which Esk^ Brok took in an encounter he had with a Dverg, who, in order to get it again, 
 gave him very advantageous terms, but with this deduction, that he should leave only female 
 issue behind him. In hke manner Ransov's lady received a gift from these subterraneous 
 people, as Dame Sophia Ransov of Soeholm related to me, and as may be found elsewhere 
 recorded." 
 
 " They scantly had ridden a mile but Jour, 
 Gtddborg she lookit her shoulder o'er." — P. 326, v. 32. 
 The original term Stund, which signifies an hour, signifies also an hour's ivalk, or a Ger- 
 man mile, or league ; so, in the " Child of Elle :" 
 
 " Fair Emmehne scant had ridden a mile, &c." 
 And in " Erlinton :" 
 
 " They hadna ridden in the bonnie green wood 
 A mile but barely ane, &c." 
 
 As the German mile, or league, is the more probable distance, I have translated accord- 
 ingly. The Scotish ballad phrase, " luikit her shoulder o'er," is perfectly Danish ; thus, 
 
 " Det var hoyfc Berraerijs, 
 
 Hand sig ofver Axel saafe, &c." 
 
 ' Qu. Braces ? Bruce is a common name in Normandy at this day, and was originally Danish.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 333 
 
 II was high Bermcriis, 
 
 He him o'er his shoulder look'd. 
 
 " Light down, Guldborg, mi/ lady dear, 
 And /laid my steed by the renyies herc."-~V. 326, v. S*. 
 It seems deserving of remark, that although the circumstance of knights in armour 
 (who never quitted the saddle while they could keep their seat in it) alighting from tlieir 
 horses in order to fight, is very unusual, and hardly ever to be met with either in tlic real 
 or fabulous histories of the preux Chevaliers, more especially where one had to fight, pcle 
 mele, with many ; yet this smgularity occurs in all the Scotish versions of this tale : 
 
 " But light nowe downe, ray ladye faire, 
 
 Light downe, and hold my steed, &c." — C. OF ELLE. 
 
 " He lighted off his milk-white steed, 
 And gae his lady him by the head, &c."— Erlinton. 
 
 " Light down, light down. Lady Marg'ret," he said, 
 " And hold my steed in your hand," — Doug. Trag. 
 
 If tills is really an anachronism, it is not a little surprising, that the reciters of all the four 
 pieces, in Denmark, England, and Scotland, should agree in the same mistake ; as there 
 is hardly a probability that it came to Scotland later than the middle of the fifteenth cen- 
 tury, at which period, an armed knight and his charger were almost, like a Centaur, one 
 animal. 
 
 " And e'en sae he that ye see me bleed. 
 Be sure that ye namena me till dead." — P. 326, v. 36. 
 There is in the Koempe Viser no note upon this passage, which wants illustration. It 
 seems to have a reference to some prediction, wierd, fatality, or enchantment. In " Er- 
 linton," the original idea appears to be still more obscured and deteriorated : 
 
 " Say'n ' See ye dinna change your cheer, 
 Untill ye see my body bleed." 
 
 This " untill," if there was nothing supernatural in the case, seems very much out of place 
 in the mouth of such a man as Ribolt.
 
 334. ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 " My youngest hrither ye spare, O spare. 
 
 To my mither the doivy iiews to bear." — P. 326, v. 41. 
 
 So also in " Erlinton :" 
 
 " An' he has— 
 
 killed them a' but barely ane; 
 
 For he has left that aged knight. 
 
 And a' to carry the tidings hame" 
 
 " It's ni tak my silken lace e'en now. 
 
 And bind up your ■wound the best J dolo." — P. §27, v. iQ. 
 
 This is the strongest proof that Guldborg could possibly give her lover of virtuous af- 
 fection and unbounded confidence. So indecorous was it accounted for a lady to appear 
 unlaced before any man, to whom she was not married, that many a prude dame of Guld- 
 borg's days would have esteemed it hardly pardonable in her to use such means, although 
 the only means she had, of saving her lover from bleeding to death; and so much is the 
 case now altered, that we doubt not but many of our readers will wonder what we could 
 find in a couplet apparently so insignificant to call for a commentary ! 
 
 It is from the manner and motive, rather than from the action itself, that the character 
 of the actor is to be estimated. For a gentle lady to ride over hill and dale, through wood 
 and wild, by night or by day, with a gentle knight, was held to be no disparagement to 
 her chastity and delicacy; and such elopements as that of Guldborg with Ribolt were very 
 common, and perfectly consistent with the adventurous spirit of the times. The fre- 
 quency of such occurrences, as well as the dignity and interest with which they appear in 
 our ancient ballads, is to be referred to the pride, jealousy, and stern, unbending severity 
 of parents among the nobles ; their quarrels and feuds with their neighbours ; the unli- 
 mited power which they had over their children, the little social and endearing familiar in- 
 tercourse, which the stately formalities then kept up, admitted of their having with them ; 
 and the pecuhar manners and habits of the age, which gave the young, the brave, and 
 the fair, opportunities of observing each other under circumstances which were calculated 
 to make the most lively impressions, and to give rise to the most romantic and enthusiastic 
 attachments. 
 
 " Ribolt ivas dead or the cock did craw ; 
 
 Guldborg she died or the day did daw, cSc."— P. 328, v. 62. 
 
 So in the Douglas Tragedy : 
 
 " Lord William was dead lang ere midnight, • 
 
 Lady Margaret lang ere day."
 
 C 33;: J 
 
 YOUNG CHILD DYRING. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH KiEMPE VISEK, p. 718. 
 
 The reader may compare this piece with the ballad of" Catharine Janfarie," in the Min- 
 strelsy of the Scotish Border, and " The Young Lochinvar," in Mannion, Each of 
 these belongs to a numerous class of Danish and Scotish Ballads. 
 
 Det var ungen Her Sveiid Di/ring, 
 
 Hand raade vied Moder sin, 
 Jeg vil mig udride. 
 
 Her Magnuses brud igen. 
 
 (/ dag tager svenden sig orlov iidafherren.) 
 
 It was the Young Child Dyring, 
 
 Wi' his niither rede did he : 
 " I will me out ride 
 
 Sir Magnus's bride to see." 
 
 {^His leave the page takes to-day frae his master.) 
 
 '* Will thou thee out ride, 
 
 Sir Magnus's bride to see ? 
 Sae beg I thee by Almighty God 
 
 Thou speed thee home to me." 
 {His leave, (5fc.)
 
 336; ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Syne answer'd Young Child Dyre — 
 He rode the bride to meet ; 
 
 The silk but and the black sendell 
 Hang down to his horse' feet. 
 
 All rode they there, the bride-folk, 
 
 On row sae fair to see ; 
 Excepting Sir Svend Dyre, 
 
 And far about rode he. 
 
 It was the Young Child Dyre rode 
 
 Alone along the strand ; 
 The bridle was of the red "old 
 
 o 
 
 That glitter'd in his hand. 
 
 'Twas then proud Lady Ellensborg, 
 
 And under weed smil'd she : 
 " And who is he, that noble child 
 That rides sae bold and free ?" 
 
 Syne up and spak the'maiden fair 
 Was next unto the bride : 
 
 " It is the Young Child Dyre 
 That stately steed does ride." 
 
 " And is't the Young Child Dyre 
 That rides sae bold and free ? 
 
 God wot, he's dearer that rides that steed. 
 Nor a' the lave to me !" 
 
 All rode they there, the bridal train. 
 Each rode his steed to stall, 
 
 All but Child Dyre, that look'd whare he 
 Should find his seat in the hall. 
 
 '• Sit whare ye list, my lordings j 
 For me, whate'er betide,
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. S3l 
 
 Here I shall sickerly sit the day, 
 To haJd the sun frae the bride." 
 
 Then up spak the bride's father, 
 
 And an angry man was he : 
 " Whaever sits by my dochter the day, 
 
 Ye better awa' wad be." 
 
 " It's I have intiU Paris been, 
 
 And well my drift can spell ; 
 And ay whatever I have to say, 
 
 I tell it best my sell." 
 
 " Sooth thou hast intill Paris lear'd, 
 
 A worthless di'ift to spell : 
 And ay whatever thou hast to say, 
 
 A rogue's tale thou must tell." 
 
 Ben stept he. Young Child Dyre, 
 
 Nor reck'd he wha might chide ; 
 And he has ta'en a chair in hand. 
 
 And set him by the bride. 
 
 'Twas feng i' the night ; the bride-folk 
 
 Ilk ane look'd for his bed ; 
 And Young Child Dyre araang the lave 
 
 Speer'd whare he should be laid. 
 
 " Without, afore the stair steps, 
 
 Or laigh on the cawsway stane. 
 And there may lye Sir Dyre ; 
 
 For ither bed we've nane." 
 
 'Twas late intill the evening, 
 
 Tlie bride to bed maim ga ; 
 And out went he, Child Dyring, 
 
 To rouse his menyie a'. 
 2 U
 
 338 ROMANTIC BALLADS- 
 
 " Now busk and d'on your hai'nass, 
 But and your brynies blae ; 
 
 And boldly to the bride-bower 
 Full merrily we'll gae." 
 
 Sae follow'd they to the bride bower 
 That bride sae young and bright : 
 
 And forward stept Child Dyre, 
 And quenched the marriage light. 
 
 The cresset they've lit up again, 
 But and the taper clear. 
 
 And followed to the bride-bower, 
 That bride without a peer. 
 
 And up Child Dyre snatch'd the bride. 
 
 All in his mantle blae ; 
 And swung her all so lightly 
 
 Upon his ambler gray. 
 
 They lock'd the bower, they lit the torch ; 
 
 'Twas hurry-scurry a' ; 
 While merrily ay the lovers gay 
 
 Rode roundly to the shaw. 
 
 In Rosen-wood they turn'd about 
 
 To pray their bridal prayer : 
 " Good night and joy, Sir Magnus ! 
 
 For us yc'll see nae mair." 
 
 Sac rode he to the green wood. 
 
 And o'er the meadow green, 
 Till he came to liis mither's bower, 
 
 Ere folks to bed were gaue.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 339 
 
 Out came proud Lady Mctelild, 
 
 In mcnevair sae free : 
 She's welcom'd him, Child Dyring, 
 
 And his young bride him wi'. 
 
 Now joys attend Child Dyring, 
 
 Sae leal but and sae bold ; 
 He's ta'en her to his ain castell, 
 
 His bride-ale there to hold. 
 
 {His leave the page takes to-day f roe his master.)
 
 [ 340 ] 
 
 INGEFRED AND GUDRUNE. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH K^MPE VISER, p. 662. 
 
 The reader may compare this piece with " Cospatrick," (sometimes Gil Brenton) in the 
 Border Minstrelsy, vol. iii. p. 52, ed. 4- 
 
 Ingefred og Gudrune, 
 
 De sade udi deres bure, SjC. 
 
 {Det er saafworet om sommeren.) 
 
 Ingefred and Gudrune 
 
 Intill their bower sat ; 
 Proud Ingefred sew'd her goud girdle ; 
 
 Sae sair Gudrune grat. 
 
 {^nd it's me fair i' the summertide.) 
 
 " Hear ye, dear sister Gudrune, 
 Whareto greet ye sae sair .'"' 
 
 " Fu' well may I now sair greet, 
 My heart's sae fu' o' care. 
 {And it's, Sfc.) 
 
 '< And hear ye, dear sister Ingefred ; 
 Be bride the night for me ;
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 341 
 
 It's a' my bonny bride-claes 
 
 Sae freely I'll gie thee ; 
 And mair atour, the bridal gifts, 
 
 Whatso that they may he" 
 
 " Gin I be bride the night for ye. 
 
 Your bridegroom maun be rmne." 
 " And come o' me whatso God will, 
 
 My bridegroom's ne'er be thine." 
 
 Intill the kirke they led her, 
 
 Buskit in silk sae fine 5 '^ 
 The priest stood in his gilt shoon, 
 
 Samsing and her to join. 
 
 As they fure o'er the meadow, 
 
 A herd gaed wi' his fee : 
 " Ware Samsing's house, fair lady, 
 
 And near it comena ye ! 
 
 " Twa nightingales Sir Samsing has, 
 
 They ladies ken sae well ; 
 And fas he a may, or fas he nane, 
 
 Sae soothly they can tell." 
 
 They tum'd their carrs in greenwood, 
 
 And chang'd their claes sae fi-ee ; 
 They changed a' but their rosy cheeks, 
 
 That changed cou'dna be. 
 
 They've taen her till the castell, 
 
 Whare nane the red goud spare ; 
 And the knights afore the bride-bink 
 
 Their bridal gifts they bare. 
 
 It's up and spak a leach syne. 
 As in his place stood he :
 
 342 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 " Methinks ye are proud Ingefred, 
 That mickle marvels me." 
 
 She took the goud ring frae hei* arm, 
 And to the minstrel gae — 
 
 *' I'm but a drucken havrel; nane 
 Needs reck what I may say." 
 
 • 
 
 She trampit on the leaches ' foot ; 
 Frae's nail-root sprang the blude : 
 
 •' It's nane needs reck a word I say- 
 But it be Sir Samsing gude." 
 
 'Twas late, and down the dew fell. 
 
 And the bride to bed can gae ; 
 Sir Samsing says till his nightingales, 
 
 " Now sing what luck I hae. 
 
 " Hae I a may, or hae I nane 
 
 I' the bride-bed now wi' me ?" 
 " Gudrune stands i' the floor alane, 
 
 And ye've a may you wi'." 
 
 " Rise up, rise up, proud Ingefred, — 
 
 Gudrune, here come ye ; 
 What ails Gudrune, dearest mine, 
 
 To quat her bed and me ?" 
 
 " On the sea-strand my father liVd ; 
 
 Ae night the rievers came j 
 Achtsome intill my bower brak ; 
 
 A knight did work me shame. 
 
 " His man he held my hands there ; 
 The knight he did that sin"— 
 
 • The minstrel and physician here seem to be the same person ; a very antient union 
 of professions.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 343 
 
 *' Chear up thy heart, my dearest !" 
 And kist her cheek and chin. 
 
 " 'Twas my men that your bower brak : 
 
 Mysel that did that sin ; 
 My man did hald your hands there ; 
 
 Mysell the flower did win." 
 
 Proud Ingefred, for she bride was, 
 
 Sae biyth a luck had she. 
 She married sae rich a courtier, 
 
 A knight in his degree.' 
 
 {^nd it's sae fair i' the summertide.) 
 
 » In a publication (of no credit) which has just reached us, entitled " Remains of Niths- 
 dale and Galloway Song," by R. H. Cromek, (which is executed in such a manner as, 
 were it of sufficient importance, to bring the authenticity of all popular poetry in ques- 
 tion,) there is a very poor and mutilated copy of " Gil Brenton," in a note upon which 
 is the following passage : " There are many incongruities in Mr Scott's copy, which it is 
 strange that so able an antiquary could have let pass. For example, we never hear of 
 mass being said in the evening, but vespers, as in the original here given. Mr Scott also 
 omits that interesting personage, the " Billie Blin," and atvkuiardli/ supplies the loss by 
 making the bed, blankets, and sheets, speak, which is an outrage on the consistency even of 
 a fairy tale." 
 
 Now, in Mr Scott's copies, and the present writer's, where the hero is called Gil Bren- 
 ton, the blankets and sheets are just as in the Minstrelsy ; there is no word of " Billie 
 Blin," and we doubt if ever any reciter of the ballad mentioned him ; and as to vespers, 
 neither the thing itself, nor the name, is known among the peasantry of Scotland ; whereas 
 the mass, having been the war-cry of the Reformers, and afterwards of the Covenanters, 
 during the struggles between presbytery and episcopacy, is still familiar to every one. 
 
 8
 
 C 344 3 
 
 SIR STIG AND LADY TORELILD. 
 
 TRANSLATED FEOM THE DANISH K^MPE VISER, p. 757. 
 
 This piece bears a very striking resemblance to " Willie's Lady," in the Border Min- 
 strelsy, vol. ii. p. SQ*, ed. 4., and " Sweet Willie of Liddisdale," in Popular Ballads 
 and Songs, 1806, vol. ii. p. 179. 
 
 Her Ove har ej daatter uden een, 
 {Op under saa gron en lind) 
 
 Hand giver hende til Elling hen. 
 {De ride saa vnrlig gennem lunden.) 
 
 Sir Ove has never a dochter but ane ; 
 
 ( Up under sue green a lime) 
 He's parted wi' her, and till Elling she's gane. 
 
 (Thej/ ride to the greenwood sae warily.) 
 
 To a knight he has gi'en her, his bride to be ; 
 
 {Up under, ^c.) 
 To Sir Stig Kop, for sae hight he. 
 
 {They ride, ^c.) 
 
 Sith then was a towmon well near fulfill'd ; 
 Sae heavy wi' twins gaed Torclild.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 345 
 
 She gacd out and gaed in, kent na what to do, 
 And ay the langer the warr she grew. 
 
 Sir Stig he in hy did on his claes, 
 
 And in to the bower till his mither he gaes ; 
 
 *' O hear ye, dear mither, ye tell now me 
 How lang wi' bairn maun Torelild be ?" 
 
 " It's forty ouks and a towmon mair 
 Maim Torelild gang, or a bairn she bear." 
 
 " O na, dear mither, it canna be sae ; 
 But forty ouks Mary wi' Christ did gae." 
 
 " Sin lax nor lee I hear can fa, 
 
 Then carry me back whare I cam fra." 
 
 " My horses are a' i' the meadow down, 
 My men in bed are sleeping soun'." 
 
 ♦* Gin car nor driver I can fa, 
 It's then on my bare foot I sail ga." 
 
 But that word scarcely out had she, 
 Whan horse and car at the yett they see. 
 
 Sir Stig took her kindly up in his arm ; 
 In the gilded car lifted her but harm ; 
 
 On a bowster blue set her saftly syne. 
 
 And himself he drave to the greenwood hyne. 
 
 Whan they thro' Rosen-wood can fomid^ 
 The car it brak in that same stound. 
 
 " A selcouth woman I sure maun be. 
 When my ain car canna carry me." 
 
 2 X
 
 346 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 " O grieve ye for this, sweet love, nae mae ; 
 For ye sail ride, and I sail gae." 
 
 Whan they cam till the castell yett. 
 His sister she stood and leant thereat. 
 
 " O rede me, dear sister, thou rede now me 
 How my dear lady may lighter be." 
 
 Proud Metelild's till the wild-wood ' gane ; 
 Twa dowies o' wax she's wrought her lane ; 
 
 She's wrapt her head in her pilche sae fine, 
 And gane to the bower till her mither hyne. 
 
 " O mither, forleet now a' your harms, 
 And tak your knave-baim oys i' your arms." 
 
 " My cantiip circles I coost a' round ; 
 A' tiling and place I ween'd was bound ; 
 
 " A' butt and ben well charm'd I trow'd, 
 A' but whare Torehld's bride-kist stood." 
 
 The kist swyth fi-ae that stede they fet, 
 And Torelild on it they have set ; 
 
 And she was scarce well set down there, 
 Whan twa knave-bairns sae blyth she bare. 
 
 " O God, gin my life sae lang mat be ! — 
 But my last bequests awa' I'll gi'e. 
 
 Wildwood," in the original, " dike," i. c. desert, henth, xviidenwss.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. SiY 
 
 " I'll gie Stig's mither my silken sark ; — 
 God gif she may brook it wi' care and cark ! 
 
 •• To his sister mybrowder'd shoe I lea' ; — 
 God grant she may brook it ay free frae wae ! 
 
 " Last, like to like, to Sir Stig I gie 
 A rose-bloom sweet and fair as he !"
 
 C 348 ] 
 
 ULRICH AND ANNIE. 
 
 J HE following ballad is popular, in the nurseries particularly, where- 
 ever the German language is spoken. As a ballad, (at least, in any 
 thing like a perfect state,) I have never met with it in Scotland ; but 
 as a tale, intermixed with scraps of verse, it was quite familiar to me 
 when a boy ; and I have since found it in much the same state, in the 
 Higlilands, in Lochaber and Ardnamurchan. According to our tra- 
 dition, Ulrich had seduced the younger sister of his wife, (as indeed 
 may be gathered from the German ballad,) and committed the mur- 
 der to prevent discovery. — I do not remember that any names were 
 specified either in the Scotish or Gaelic manner of telling the stoiy : 
 in every other particular, the British tradition differed nothing from 
 the German.
 
 [ 349 ] 
 
 ULRICH AND' ANNIE. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN IN HERDER's VOLKSLIEDER, VOl. I. p. 79, 
 AND DES K.NABEN WUNDERHORN, p. 274. 
 
 Es ritt einst Vlrich spazieren aus ; 
 Er ritt voohl vor lieb Annchens Haus : 
 " Lieb Annchen, xvillt mit in griinen Wald? 
 Ich xuill dir lernen den Vogelsang" S)X. 
 
 It's out i-ade Ulrich to tak the air, 
 And he to dear Annie's bower can fare : 
 " Dear Annie, wi' me to the greenwood gang, 
 And I'll lear you the sma birds' sang." 
 
 The tane wi' the tither they out are gane. 
 The copse o' hazel they've reekit alane ; 
 And bit and bit they gaed farther on. 
 Till they a green meadow cam upon. 
 
 On the green grass syne down sat he : 
 
 •' Dear Annie, come set you down by me." 
 
 His head on her lap he saftly laid. 
 
 And het gush'd the tears she o'er him shed. 
 
 " O Annie, dear Annie, why greet ye sae ? 
 What cause to greet can Annie bae ?
 
 350 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Greet ye, belike, for your father's gude ? 
 Or is't that ye greet for your young blude ? 
 
 " Or am I nae fair eneugh for thee ?" 
 " It's gudes or gear they reckna me ; 
 Fu' little thro' my young blude I dree. 
 And Ulrich is fair eneugh for me. 
 
 " Up on that fir sae fair and lang 
 Eleven young ladies I saw hang — " 
 " O Annie, dear Annie, that did ye see f 
 How soon sail ye the twelfthen be !" 
 
 " And sail I then the twelfthen be ? 
 To cry three cries then grant ye me !" 
 The firsthen cry that she cried there, 
 She cried upon her father dear ; 
 
 The nexten cry that she did cry, 
 She cried to her dear Lord on high j 
 And the thirden cry she cried sae shill, 
 Her youngest brither she cried untiU. 
 
 Her brither sat at the cule red wine ; 
 The cry it cam thro' his window hyne ; 
 '• O hear ye, hear ye, my brethren a'. 
 How my sister cries thereout i' the shaw ! 
 
 " O Ulrich, Ulrich, gude-brither mine, 
 "WTiare hast thou youngest sister mine ?" 
 " Up there upon that linden gi-een, 
 The dark-brown silk ye may see her spin." 
 
 " Whareto are thy shoon wi' blade sae red ?" 
 
 " Well may the red blood be on my shoe. 
 For I hac shot a young turtle dow."
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 351 
 
 " The turtle dow that ye shot there, 
 That turtle dow did my mither bear." 
 
 It's deep in the grcaf dear Annie was laid ; 
 Pause Uhich was high on the wheel display'd. 
 O'er Annie the cherubim sweetly sung ; 
 O'er Uhich croak'd the ravens young.
 
 C 352 3 
 
 THE MAIDEN 
 
 THE HASEL. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN IN HERDEr's VOLKSLIEDER, Vol. I. p. 109, 
 AND DBS KNABEN WUNDERHORN, p. 192. 
 
 It will be amusing to compare this traditionary fragment with " A merry ballet of the 
 Hawthorn Tree," in Ritson's Antient Songs, p. 46, and in the new Edition of Evans's 
 Ballads, vol. I. p. 342. 
 
 Es ittollt ein mcedchen rosenbrechen geJm 
 
 Wohl in die griine heide- 
 Wasjand sie da am tvege stehn? 
 
 Ein hassl, die viar griine, Sfc- 
 
 A LASSIE gaed out a rose-gathering 
 
 I' the greenwood a' her lane ; 
 And she fand by the gaite a hasel tree 
 
 Was growing fiesh and green. 
 
 " Gude morrow, gudc morrow, my hazel dear, 
 How comes that yc're sae green ?" 
 
 " O thank ye, thank ye, maiden gay, 
 How comes tliat ye're sae sheen ?"
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 353 
 
 " I'll naething heal, but truly tell 
 
 How comes that I'm sae sheen ; 
 I eat white bi'cad, and I drink red wine, 
 
 And that maks me sae sheen." 
 
 •• Ye eat white bread, and ye drink red wine. 
 
 And that maks ye sae sheen ; 
 And the cauler dew fa's ilka morn on me, 
 
 And that maks me sae green." 
 
 •* The cauler dew fa's ilka morn on ye. 
 
 And that maks ye sae green ; 
 But ance that a lassie her garland tines, 
 
 It's never found again," 
 
 " But the lassie that wishes her garland 
 
 To keep, maun bide at hame ; 
 Nor dance o'er late in the gloamin, 
 
 Nor gang to the greenwood her lane." 
 
 " O thank ye, thank ye, my hasel dear. 
 
 For the counsel ye hae gi'en ; 
 I mith danced o'er late i' the gloamin. 
 
 But now I'll bide at hame." 
 
 > 
 
 2 y
 
 r 354 ] 
 
 CHILD AXELVOLD. 
 
 We consider this piece as a very favourable specimen of the old nar- 
 rative ballad, equally simple, perspicuous, and satisfactory ; where no- 
 thing seems to be wanting, and nothing redundant. The natural pas- 
 sions are sketched with a masterly and chaste hand, and the more in- 
 teresting features are marked with such happy dexterity, that, in the 
 successive scenes, as they pass in review before us, every thing seems 
 to be alive, exactly in its place, and acting its proper part ; and there 
 is in the whole a propriety, neatness, and elegance, which is deserving 
 of all approbation. 
 
 As one of the most affecting passages (where Child Axelvold's mo- 
 ther takes off her coronet) derives its beauty entirely from fashions 
 and usages now little thought of in this country, it may not be impro- 
 per here to subjoin some such account of them, as may tend to illus- 
 trate the text. 
 
 The Maiden Coronet, or tire for the head, althougli of various 
 forms and qualities, according to the taste or condition of the wearer, 
 was uniformly open at the top ; and no one covered lier head, till 
 she had forfeited her right to wear the coronet, chaplet, garland, or
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 3,55 
 
 bandeau. ' This was the case in many parts of Scotland, till within the 
 last twenty or thirty years. Tlic ballads and songs of the northern 
 nations, as v.'ill be seen by the specimens we have produced, abound 
 witii allusions to this very antient usage ; and every body in Scotland 
 knows 
 
 *' The lassie lost her silken snood, 
 A-puing o' the bracken."* 
 
 Of the coronets Avorn by the peasant girls in Livonia, Courland, Es- 
 thonia, Lithuania, &c., a curious assortment has been sent me by my 
 learned and zealous friend, the Reverend Gustav von Bergraann, pas- 
 tor of Ruien, in Livonia ; and some of them are very picturesque and 
 elegant. The older ones, worn by brides on their wedding-day, are 
 simple bandeaus of dyed horse-hair, curiously plaited, diversified, and 
 figured, which will be referred to elsewhere.' The others are of cloth, 
 silk, velvet, &c., tastefully ornamented with beads, spangles, gold and 
 silver embroidery, precious stones, artificial emblematic flowers, &c. ; 
 and some raised before in form of a retroverted crescent, and tyed 
 with a ribbon behind. One, which seemed of very antique workman- 
 ship, I have seen upon a Lithuanian damsel, which was a solid, radiated, 
 open crown of gilt brass, lined with royal purple velvet, perfectly or- 
 bicular, resting upon the top of the head, (where the Scotish maidens 
 used to wear the cockernonie,) and held on by a fillet tyed under the 
 hair, which was plaited down the back, and adorned with a bunch of 
 different-coloured ribbons at the end, as is the fashion all over that 
 country, as well as in a great part of Russia. No entreaty could in- 
 
 ' To this purpose is tlie Lettish [Livonian) metrical adage : 
 
 Vii^eeni schihdeem mellas galvas 
 ViMeem gnihdu pilnas ; 
 Kwrai nieitai mitschka galv^, 
 Ta irr veena mauka. 
 
 " Every Jew has black hair full of nits ; the girl that wears a close cap is a w ." 
 
 * See, in the subsequent part of this volume, the notes on " Sir Lave and Sir John." 
 ' The ends of the hairs are turned inward, which muki.s it very uneasy, as no lining was 
 originally allowed. The moral intended to be conveyed by this is simple and obvious.
 
 ■356 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 duce her to part with it, although as much money was offered as might 
 have been a temptation. But whatever were her reasons for piizing 
 it so highly, they must have been good ; and to give her coronet, for 
 love or money, to a young man and a stranger, would have been a 
 transaction of most inauspicious omen ; so I left her, much more 
 pleased with her scruples and her delicacy, than I could have been 
 with the possession of the relic which I was so desirous to obtain. 
 
 This metal crown seems to be an humble relative of the golden one 
 worn by the mother of Child Axel void, which was probably substi- 
 tuted, in a more ostentatious age, by the richer Asiatics and their 
 descendants, for the more simple, significant, and elegant garland of 
 flowers, which the Greeks borrowed from them, or retained after their 
 separation from them. This ornament the Greeks called M/r^w, with 
 an allusion, we suppose, to the radiated crown or circlet which sur- 
 rounded the head of Mithra, the God of Fire, and to the ApolUnis in- 
 fiila, and 5-e^/<;6 buio, worn by his priests, and those who officiated in 
 his sacrifices. — As Venus, as well as Freija, was originally the same as 
 Mithra, that is, the power ofvivifying and fecundifying heat /.this crown 
 was, at the first entrance upon her mysteries, dedicated by the bride 
 to that soddess : 
 
 t>^ 
 
 %u(f^ota,f Kxi TiKiat a.f)(7iv tTiKn ytrtii;. 
 
 /Igalh. apud Sched. sy)igr. 1. c. t. 
 
 *' Callirhoe dedicated her coronet to Venus, her hair to Minerva, and 
 her girdle to Diana ; for she had found the suitor whom slic loved ; 
 she had obtained the prudent youth ; and becoming pregnant, she 
 had brought forth a man-child." 
 
 In this statement we have been the more particular, because the 
 translators of the Greek poets, who abound with elegant allusions to 
 the nuptial ceremony of taking off the bride's coronet, generally inter-
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 357 
 
 pret /xi'r^n by the zone or girdle ' (of plaited rushes,) which, among the 
 Greeks and Romans, was not properly a virgin zone, because it was to 
 be worn by the 'wife, till it became too short. 
 
 In later times, the unbinding the coronet, and unbuckling the gir- 
 dle, in putting the bride to bed, were so nearly connected with each 
 other, that the zone and coronet were sometimes put for each other, 
 and lAiTfti applied to the former, as in the Argon, ot Apoll. Rhod* B. 1, 
 1. 287 : — 
 
 a ITTI fAMYU 
 
 MirpnV TTjiUTOr IM^a. KOCi VSCHTOV, 
 
 This may be partly accounted for from the circumstance of the zo^ie 
 being otherwise related to the coronet, as an astronomical and mythi- 
 cal emblem. 
 
 The Jews still retain the usage of the nuptial coronet : " A muli- 
 eribus quoque et virginibus in peculiare cubiculum [sponsa] non ve- 
 LATo cAPiTE, passis capillis deducitur ; festivse cantilenae nuptiales co- 
 ram ilia canuntur; illam in pulchro sedili collocant ; crinem illi 
 pectunt ; capillosque in elegantes cirros et cincinnos distribuunt ; mag- 
 nificam vittam imponunt, &c. — Singularis est mulierum in hoc capil- 
 lorum comtu lietitia, quam elegantibus cantilenis, saltatione, ludisque 
 omne genus testantur, ut sponsam exhilarent : magno id enim habent 
 
 loco, Deoque gratissimum et acceptissimum opus esse censent." 
 
 See Buxtorji Synagoga Judaica, a B.jilio aiwta, ^r. \2mo. Basil. 1680, 
 p. 629. 
 
 Writing " De honestate copulse conjugaUs," among the Sveo-Goths 
 of his time, Olaus Magnus, (Lib# xiiij. c. x.) says: " Est et alia ratio 
 continentiaj, quod die desponsationis sua>, coronata diademate imagi- 
 nis Divae Virginis (quod dono parochianorum pro tali efFectu rema- 
 
 ' Of (*£> OTi^ot tfAiyO^m lit avSicri ^v^ijit lalveiv. 
 Quo u^cc Trap^iifiKrii/ Mitpjiv a.^poLyTov spva^acu 
 
 MoSCH. EUROP. 1. 73. 
 
 This is only one of many examples. 
 
 12
 
 353 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 net,) incedere valeat [sponsa] inviolato pudore. Praeterea spe bona 
 ducuntur, ut qusecunque sponsa tali diademate amicta fuerit, nunquam 
 a fide marati faecundidate prolis, ct morum honestate confirmata dis- 
 cedet : imo ut ha>c a Deo novi conjuges consequantur, doctrina pa- 
 rentum admoniti, per aliquot noctes et dies a cainalibus lasciviis sese 
 
 refrenant. ' 
 
 " Praeterea mos est, ut aliquot delicatiora fercula in lecto se- 
 
 dentibus nuptis exhibeantur, ut iis cum astantibus brevi mora vescan- 
 tur : tandemque, valediccntibus amicis, sua pace fruuntur. Sequenti 
 tamen die, nova nupta, crinibus absconsis, afFabili incessu convivis ar- 
 genteos scyphos electiore liquore repletos, in signum quod materfami- 
 lias effecta sit, liberaliter propinat." 
 
 Among Christians, Our Lady, the Queen of Heaven, was the suc- 
 cessor of the Syrian Astarte, (who held in her hand a crucifix,) the 
 Greek and Roman Venus, &c., and the Gothic Freija ; and to Our 
 Lady the maidens continued to dedicate their virgin garlands, as they 
 had formerly done to her predecessor. This has been in a great mea- 
 sure done away by the zeal (whether discreet or otherwise) of the 
 clergy ; but a usage of so long standing had too fast a hold on the 
 prejudices of the people to be easily abolished; and the walls of the 
 country churches in Livonia and Courland still display multitudes of 
 garlands and votive chaplets of flowers, ever-greens, and aromatic 
 herbs, which, after having been carried to the grave on the coffins of 
 the deceased, have been nailed up there by the parents, relatives, or 
 lovers of maidens who have died in the parish. This pious offering, 
 not being suspected of a heathen origin, has been indulged. 
 
 The Abbe Fortis informs us, that a Morlach girl, who has been con- 
 victed of having " lost her garland,"* has her mitre, or head tyre, torn 
 from her head in the church by the clergyman, in the presence of the 
 whole congregation ; and her hair is cut, in token of ignominy, by 
 some relation ; — a barbarous and indecent brutality, which, like our 
 
 ' The learned archbishop informs us, that the ncwly-maiTicd wives were accustomed 
 to sleep for several nights with a naked sword between them and their husbands.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. M& 
 
 cutty-stool, is much more likely to make the unfortunate object cease 
 to be ashamed of vice, than to recall her to the ways of virtue. 
 
 In the island of Zlarine, near Sebenico, according to the same au- 
 thor, one of the bride-men (who by that time is generally intoxicated) 
 must, at one blow, with his broad sword, strike the bride's cliaplet of 
 flowers off her head, before she is put to bed. This is to indicate the 
 violence which is necessary before the lady will resign her virgin ho- 
 nours. The same farce' of violence, and a sham-fight between the 
 friends of the parties in carrying off the bride, (as is the custom among 
 the New Hollanders,) has long been in use, and is still kept up among 
 many of the Vandal nations : " Moschovitae autem, Rutheni, Lithu- 
 ani, Livonienses, praesertim Curetes, ^ quos ritus maxime plebeian con- 
 ditionis, in nuptiis celebrandis observent, matrimonia absque sponsali- 
 bus per raptum virginum saltem contrahunt. — Quicunquc cnim pa- 
 ganorum sive rusticorum, filius suus uxorem in animo habct, agnatos, 
 coguatos, cceterosque vicinos in unum convocat, illisque talera isto in 
 pago puellam nubilem versari, quam rapi, et suo filio in conjugem ad- 
 duci proponit : hi commodum ad hoc tempus expectantes, ac tunc 
 armati equites suo more unius ad edes conveniunt, posteaque ad earn 
 rapiendam proficiscuntur. Puella autem, quoad matrimonii contrac- 
 tionem libera, ex insidiis opera exploratorum ubi moretur per eos di- 
 repta, plurimum ejulando, opem consanguiiieorum amicorumque ad se 
 liberandam implorat : quod si consanguinei vicinique clamorem istum 
 exaudierint, ipso momcnto armati adcurrunt, atque pro ea liberanda 
 proelium committunt, ut qui victores ista pugna extiterint, his puella 
 cadat." (Ol. Mag. Lib. xiiij. c. ix.) 
 
 The same writer informs us, that among the Swedes, at the marri- 
 ages of the nobles, the spear, (an appendage also of the Roman Juno,) 
 which was a necessary implement in the furniture of a marriage cham- 
 
 ' This, 300 years ago, was no farce, and tlie contest was often a bloody one. 
 
 ' The Curish and Livonian songs still retain the memory of this violent carr3'hig off of 
 the bride, which was fhen done without the consent of the party or her friends. It is now 
 not permitted, because the poor slave, in marrying, must noiv not consult his own liking, 
 but the will and convenience of his master. The dead letter of the Law says, " the slave 
 is free to choose ;" but who is to inforce the execution of such a law ?
 
 360 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 ber, was next morning thrown out of the window, in the sight of all 
 the guests, to indicate that the arduous deed was now atchieved, and 
 all violence between the parties at an end ; at the same time that the 
 bridegroom, to shew how well he was pleased with his choice, speci- 
 fied the morning gift, or jointure which he settled on his wife. This 
 is the morning gift alluded to in " Skion Anna," ' and which we fre- 
 quently meet with, under the same name, in our antient laws and 
 records. 
 
 At how early a period these indelicate indications of delicacy be- 
 gan, we will not pretend to say ; but we consider their being found 
 among the inhabitants of New Holland as at least a presumptive evi- 
 dence, that they are among the oldest usages of which any traces are 
 preserved ; perhaps as old even as the fashion of uniibrmly walking on 
 the hind legs. 
 
 • " See vol. ii. p. 103, of Popular Ballads and Songs, from Tradition, Manuscripts, and 
 scarce Editions, with Translations of similar Pieces from the ancient Danish Language, 
 &c. Edinb. 1806," in 2 vols. Svo., printed by Ballantyne.
 
 C 361 ] 
 
 CHILD AXELVOLD. 
 
 TEANSLATED FROM THE DANISH K^MPE VISEB, p. 176, 
 FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1591. 
 
 De Kongens mosnd ride paa volde, 
 De bede baade hiorie og hind ; 
 
 Deyunde uiider den lind saa gron 
 Et saa lidet kind. 
 
 ( Vdi loftet der sqfver stolten Eline.) 
 
 The Kingis men they ride till the wold, 
 
 There they hunt baith the hart and the hind ; 
 
 And they under a linden sae green 
 Sae wee a bairn find. 
 
 (/' the loft whare sleeps she, the proua Eline.) 
 
 That little dowie up they took, 
 
 Swyl'd him in a mantle blae ; 
 They took liim tOl the kingis court, 
 
 Tin him a nourice gae. 
 (/' the loft, S;c.) 
 
 And they hae carried hun till the kirk, 
 And christen'd him by night ; 
 2 z
 
 362 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 And they've ca'd him Young Axelvold, 
 And hidden him as they might. 
 
 They foster'd him for ae winter, 
 And sae for winters three ; 
 
 And he has grown the bonniest bairn 
 That man on mold mat see. 
 
 And they hae foster'd him sae lang, 
 
 TQl he was now eighteen, 
 And he has grown the wordiest child 
 
 Was in the palace seen. 
 
 The kingis men till the coiut are gane, 
 To just, and put the stane ; 
 
 And out stept he, Child Axelvold, 
 And waur'd them ilka ane. 
 
 " 'Twere better ye till the house gang in, 
 And for your mither speer. 
 
 Nor thus -nd' courtly knights to mell, 
 And dare and scorn them here." 
 
 L"p syne spak Young Axelvold, 
 And his cheek it grew wan : 
 
 '< I's weet whaso my mither is, 
 Or ever we kemp again." 
 
 It was the Young Axelwold 
 
 Thought mickle, but said na mair ; 
 
 And he is tiU the bower gaue 
 To speer for his mither there. 
 
 " Hear ye this, dear foster-mither, 
 WTiat I now speer at thee, 
 
 Gin aught yc o' my mither weet. 
 Ye quickly tell it me."
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. :',«^ 
 
 " Hear ye this, dear Axelvold, 
 
 Why will yc talc on sae ? 
 Nor living nor dead ken I thy mithcr, 
 
 I tell thee on my fay." 
 
 It was then Young Axelvold, 
 And he drew out his knife : 
 
 " Ye's tell me wha my mither is, 
 Or it sail cost thy hfe." 
 
 " Then gae thou till the ladies' bower. 
 
 Ye hendly greet them a' ; ' 
 Her a goud coronet that wears. 
 
 Dear mither ye may ca'." 
 
 It was then Young Axelvold 
 Put on his pilche sac braw, 
 
 And he's up till the ladies' bower, 
 'Fore dames and maidens a'. 
 
 " Hear sit ye, ladies and maries, 
 
 Maiden and courtly fi'e ; 
 But and allerdearest mither mine 
 
 I' the mids o' you should be." 
 
 AU sat they there, the proud maidens, 
 Nae ane durst say a word ; 
 
 But it was proud Lady Ehne, — 
 She set her crown o' the board. 
 
 " Here sit ye, my right mither, 
 Wi' hand sae saft and fair : 
 
 Whare is the bairn ye bure in dern, 
 Albe goud crown ye wear ?" 
 
 Lang stuid she, the proud Eline, 
 Nor answer'd ever a word ;
 
 364 ROMANTIC BALLADS- 
 
 Her cheeks, sae richly-red afore, 
 Grew haw as ony eard. 
 
 She dofF'd her studded stemmiger, 
 
 And will of rede she stuid : 
 " I bure nae bairn, sae help me God 
 
 But and our Lady gude !" 
 
 " Hear ye this, dear mither mine ; 
 
 Forsooth it is great shame 
 For you sae lang to heal that ye 
 
 Was mither to sic a man. 
 
 " And hear ye this, allerdearest mither, 
 
 What now I say to thee. 
 Gin aught ye o' my father weet, 
 
 Ye heal't nae mair frae me." 
 
 " To the king's palace then ye maun pass ; 
 
 And, trow ye well my word. 
 Your dear father ye may ca' him there 
 
 That has knights to serve at his board. 
 
 " And do ye till the kingis ha', 
 'Fore knights and liegemen a', 
 
 And see ye Erland the kingis son, 
 Ye may him your father ca'." 
 
 It was then Young Axelvold 
 
 Put on the scarlet red. 
 And in afore the Danish Jcing 
 
 I' the kingis ha' he gaed. 
 
 " Here sit ye, knight and child, and drink 
 Tlie mead and wine sae free, 
 
 But and allerdearest father mine 
 P the mids o' you should be.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 3^.5 
 
 " Here sit ye, dearest father mine: 
 
 Men me a foundling name ; 
 And a man like me sae scorn'd to be, 
 
 Forsooth it is great shame !" 
 
 All sat they then, the kingis men. 
 
 As haw as ony card, 
 But it was Erland the kingis son. 
 
 And he spak the first word. 
 
 Up spak he, Erland, the kingis son. 
 
 Right unassur'd spak he : ~" 
 
 " I'm nae thy father, Axelvold, 
 
 Sic like thou say'st I be.!' 
 
 It was then Yoimg Axelvold, 
 
 And he drew out his knife : 
 " My mither ye sail either wed, 
 
 Or it sail cost thy life." 
 
 " Wi' knight and squire it were foul scorn, 
 
 And deadly shame for me. 
 That I should father a bastard bairn, 
 
 A kingis son that be. 
 
 " But liear thou this, Young Axelvold, 
 
 Thou art a prince sae fine. 
 Then gie thou me, my wife to be, 
 
 Eline, mither thine." 
 
 And glad were they in the kingis court, 
 
 Wi' lyst and mickle game ; 
 Axelvold's gi'en his mither awa ; 
 
 His father her has taen. 
 
 It was the Young Axelvold 
 
 Gae a dunt the board upon : 
 " I' the court I was but a foundling brat ; 
 
 The day I'm a kingis son !" 
 
 (i* the loft whare sleeps she, the proud Eline.)
 
 C 366 3 
 
 NOTES ON CHILD AXELVOLD. 
 
 " That little douiie up they took," — P. 361, v. 2. 
 In the Danish : 
 
 « Togfe de op dennfe lille Hard, &c." 
 
 Mard, the Danish editor says, means a pretty girl, a doll, and the editors of" Fair Mi- 
 del," say, it means either a male or njcmale. We liave resolved to err upon the safe side, 
 in rendering it a dowie (little doll;) as that is the name commonly given, in Scotland, to 
 a child before it has got any other ; and, indeed, till it is of an age to be put into short pet- 
 ticoats. The truth is, that mam-, mard, or maard, has these significations only in a me- 
 taphorical sense ; and in its direct import, is neither more nor less than a martin ; an ap- 
 pellation which, if directly rendered, would have little beauty or meaning for such of our 
 countrymen as have not, like us, experienced the severity of a northern winter, and can 
 have little conception of the association of ideas by which a martin, from the recollection 
 of the comfort derived from its skin, naturally suggests an object of favour and endear- 
 ment. 
 
 Thirty degrees of cold (by Reaumur's thermometer,) and a cloak lined with vair, or 
 martin's fur, has given us a light upon this subject which we had in vain sought for in 
 glossaries and commentaries. 
 
 It is amusing to observe how the same circumstances suggest the same associations of 
 ideas to different nations, who can for several thousand years back have had no connec- 
 tion or intercourse with each other. Thus Mr Hearne observes, that among the North- 
 American savages about Hudson's Bay, the names qfgirk are chiefly taken from some 
 part or property of a Martin ; as the White Martin, the Black Martin, the Martin's head, 
 the Martin's tail, Sjc.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 367 
 
 " All sat they there, the proud maidens, 
 
 Nae anc dzirst say a luord ; 
 But it luas proud Lady Kline, — 
 
 She set her crown o' the board." — P. 363, v. 16. 
 There is something peculiarly characteristic and affecting in this conduct of " Burd 
 (gentle) Ellen." Surprised, confounded, and abashed, and unable to utter a word, she 
 mechanically, and almost unconsciously, divests herself of her maiden coronet and stomach- 
 er, ' which she feels that she must now no longer hope to wear ; and then, in her confu- 
 sion and embarrassment, stammers out a disavowal, which we presume those only will blame 
 who are sure that, in the same situation, they would not have done as much. — The differ- 
 ent deportment of Child Axelvold, in the presence of his nurse, his mother, and his fa- 
 ther, is finely marked. 
 
 " It was the Young Axelvold 
 
 Put on the scarlet red, S^c." — P. 364', v. 24. ■ 
 The term red, as applied to scarlet, in the Scotish, Danish, Swedish, and Teutonic Ro- 
 mances, is not, as has been supposed, a pleonasm ; for scarlet had formerly the same 
 meaning as purple, and included all the different shades and gradations of colour, formed 
 by a mixture of blue and red, from indigo to crimson. Cloths, silks, and samites (velvets) 
 of this description the Scandinavians had from the Mediterranean, either directly through 
 piracy, in plundering the Dromounds of the Moors, * or through their intercourse with 
 Italy and Spain. They were worn only by people of condition ; and the quality of the 
 colour designated the rank of the wearer. Thus we find in the fdregoing ballad, " the 
 kingis men" dressed in blue mantles, which were also of scarlet, in which blue was predo- 
 minant ; whereas Child Axelvold no sooner learns that he is of royal extraction, than he 
 dresses himself in red scarlet, or royal purple, before he goes into the presence of his fa- 
 ther to challenge his birth-right. Such a challenge was warranted by the manners of the 
 age, in which the claims of royal blood, when justified by royal virtues and accomplish- 
 ments, were often allowed, without illegitimacy being objected to them. 
 
 ' See tiie notes on " Sir Lavfe and Sir John," in the subsequent part of this volume. 
 
 * Sec " Orkneyinga Saga," p. 298, and " Forsog til en Afhandling cm de Danskes og Norskes 
 Handel og Seilads i den bedenske Tid," in Suhm's " Samlede Skrifter," vol. viii. — The ostentatious 
 manner in which the northern sea-rovers were accustomed to display the fruits of their adventurous 
 valour, on tlieir return from a successful expedition, on a matrimonial visit, or on any otiier occa- 
 sion of pomp and pageantry, gave rise to the " silken sails," " gilded anchors," " gilded masts," 
 " gilded sail-yards," &c. &c., which one meets with in the Scotish and Danish Ballads; the barbar- 
 ous pomp of which is perfectly Gothic, and has no connection with purely oriental manners, or ori- 
 ental fictions.
 
 [ 368 ] 
 
 FAIR MIDEL AND KIRSTEN LYLE. 
 
 The following affecting ballad is translated from the Danish original 
 in Bra"ur, vol. iii. p. 292, which was first printed in the Danish Spec- 
 tator, No. 14, for Feb. 1793. It was sent to the learned and ingeni- 
 ous editor of that work, Professor Rahbeck, by a gentleman who de- 
 signs himself H. J. ; and says that he had it some years ago from a 
 female friend, whose mother had learnt it in her youth in Jutland. 
 For the verbal exactness of the couplets included within brackets, the 
 correspondent does not pretend to answer ; having been obliged to 
 rely upon his memory, as it was not committed to writing upon the 
 spot, when he learnt it from the lady whom he had heard sing it to a 
 sweet, simple, and characteristic tune. 
 
 In the Spectator for October of the same year, is a letter signed L., 
 from Faroe, from which it appears that this old ditty is still popular, 
 and, as in all other popular tales, the story is told in several ways. 
 One copy begins thus : 
 
 Fair Sidselil yerked the loom sae Strang, 
 Tliat the milk out o' Iut breastis sprang. 
 
 " Hear tlioii, Sidselil, dear docliter mine, 
 ^^'lly rins the milk out o' breastis thine r"
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 369 
 
 " It is nae milk, tho' sae ye think; 
 It's the mead I yesterday did drink." 
 
 " The things are twa, and they are unlike ; 
 The mead is brown, but the milk is white." 
 
 After this she says, 
 
 "It boots na now to heal frae thee, 
 Fair Mcdevold has lured me." 
 
 Then follow the stanzas printed in Italics, from the copy given in our 
 notes, from the Kaempe Viser. In the above-quoted copy, Alcckvold, 
 (of which Midel is a colloquial abbreviation) says to his servants, 
 
 " Ye howk a greaf baith lang and braid, 
 Lat my dearest there wi' her babes be laid." 
 
 The conclusion is also less tragic, as Medevold says, 
 
 " Whan ither knights are drinking wine. 
 Then sorrow I for allerdearest mine- 
 
 " Whan ither knights are glad in bower. 
 Then sorrow I for my lily flower." 
 
 It is sung with various burdens, one of which is found in Dalin's Swe- 
 dish Songs, where he has preserved the airs of several old ballads. — 
 But on this subject we hope at some future period to say something 
 ijiore satisfactory. 
 
 The following air, communicated by Mr Abrahamson, was taken 
 down from his singing, by the celebrated musical composer, IMr 
 Zinck. 
 
 3 a
 
 370 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Sfcioii Mi-delHan tie-uer i Koij -^eus ("laard. HaulolckedKonyensDatterden va'-neMa^r. 
 
 This he gives as the first Danish national melody that has been pre- 
 served through the medium of the press, and asks whether it must be 
 the last ? — a pathetic appeal, which it is to be hoped his countrymen 
 have not disregarded. 
 
 According to the best information received in Copenhagen, from 
 men equally distinguished for their extensive learning and deep re- 
 search in northern antiquities, there now exist no antient popular 
 ballads or national airs among the people, either in Denmark or in 
 Norway. If this is true, it is a melancholy truth, because it implies 
 other considerations of still greater importance, and much more to be 
 lamented ; for ill fares the land, when the people cease to cherish the 
 poetry, the music, and the memory of their fathers ! That such is the 
 case, however, notwithstanding the weight of the authority upon 
 which it is affirmed, I find it extremely difficult to admit ; not merely 
 because I am very unwilling to do so, but because it seems to be al- 
 together incredible. In Zealand, and the other Danish islands in the 
 Belts, and in a few of the sea-ports, it is true, the manners and habits 
 of the lower classes have, through the influence of commerce, during 
 the last sixty years, been very much changed, without being much 
 ameliorated ; but that in the less frequented parts of Jutland and 
 Norway, among farmers, fishers, and foresters, the tale and the song,
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 371 
 
 (to which they were but lately so passionately attached, that it formed a 
 distinguishing feature in their character as a people, and which have 
 descended from one generation to another, in a language which has 
 assumed its present form by very slow, and almost imperceptible de- 
 grees,) should, without any adequate assignable cause, have altogether 
 ceased, seems quite inconceivable, and indeed almost impossible. That 
 the conclusion drawn from Zealand is not generally applicable to all 
 the Danish dominions, is shewn by the ballad of" Fair Midel," of which 
 the reader is here presented with so many different copies, that it can- 
 not be imagined that this is the only tale of the kind preserved in the 
 same manner. 
 
 In the province of Ditmarsk, (which, notwithstanding what it has 
 suffered through its odious subjection to Denmark, still retains more 
 of its antient manners and usages than any other part of the Cimbric 
 Chersonesus,) it is but a few years ago, that there was in the posses- 
 sion of a peasant, a large MS. collection of antient popular Anglo- 
 Saxon heroic and romantic ballads, in the dialect of the country. 
 This curious treasure, the Honourable the Privy Counsellor Niebuhr, 
 (the every-way worthy son of the learned oriental traveller of that 
 name) bestowed much pains, but in vain, to recover. He, neverthe- 
 less, took down, from oral recitation, two very fine Anglo-Saxon bal- 
 lads, one of the heroic, and the other of the wild romantic kind, which 
 he had very kindly destined to make their first appearance in this col- 
 lection ; but the misfortunes of a neighbouring kingdom,' to which the 
 present writer is indebted for the honour of Mr Niebuhr's acquaint- 
 ance, have put it out of his power to make good his promise ; and it 
 is possible that even these relics are lost, and have served a French 
 soldier to light his pipe, or to wrap up cartridges. 
 
 In Holstein tliere is to be found, although rare, a collection of 
 " Godly Songs," in the modern A. S. dialect, printed with the music, 
 about the time of the Reformation, and set to popular airs. I have 
 been promised a copy, which is in the possession of a clergyman in 
 Ditmarsk ; but the present calamitous state of Europe does not admit 
 of its being transmitted. 
 
 ' Prussia, in whose service Mr Niebuhr still is. This was written in Livonia."
 
 372 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 If in these remarks I have been more circumstantial than the text 
 may seem to require, I beg leave to observe, that I consider the sub- 
 ject as particularly iiiteresting to my countrymen, on account of its 
 intimate connection with the Music of our northern forefathers and 
 kinsmen ; which will probably be found to be as nearly related to our 
 own, as we trust the I'eader is by this time disposed to think their bal- 
 lads are. — For the illustration of this subject, equally curious and ob- 
 scure, our chief hope must rest on Sweden, where measures have al- 
 ready been taken for procuring ample materials. 
 
 The Swedish peasantry are great singers, and, if possible, more at- 
 tached to old ballads and the airs to which they are sung, than even 
 the lowland Scots, to whom, in their language, habits, characters, and 
 appearance, they bear a most striking resemblance. 
 
 Just before the commencement of the present war,' I procured from 
 a common sailor on board a Swedish ship in tlie Diina, a parcel of these 
 ballads, printed for the stalls, and to be sold at a half-penny a sheet. 
 They are exactly of the same kind with those which I have given from 
 the Kagmpe Viser ; and several of them have the identical burdens which 
 were printed with other pieces in that work above two hmidred years 
 ago ; which induces me to hope that I may still be able to procure 
 many of the melodies to which these pieces were formerly sung. 
 
 Till I can obtain a larger and better assortment for selection, I have 
 contented myself for the present, with inserting as a specimen, only 
 one ditty on the subject of Fair Midel. As it contains some idioms 
 and expressions peculiar to the Danish, Swedish, and Scotish ballad, 
 and which are found in no other compositions whatsoever, I have given the 
 original, rude as it is, with a verbatim intercalated prose translation. — 
 It is given from a stall copy, because I had no other ; and I am bound 
 to be faithful. 
 
 ' This was written just after the irruption of tiie Russians into Finland, which cut off 
 all communication with that country. I have since visited Sweden, but at a time when it 
 was not deemed advisable for an Englishman to remain longer thai'c than was absolutely 
 necessary.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 373 
 
 SIR WAL AND LISA LYLE. 
 
 To be sur g to its oxmi pleasant Tune, 
 
 Det war lilla Lisa och hennes kjaera raor, : , ; 
 Och besee sa sutio de uti en bur. 
 
 CO 
 
 Hd, ha, nd rid, det md nu sd ga ; 
 Och begge, &c. 
 It was ]i/le Lisa and her dear mother, 
 And baith sue sat they in ae bower. 
 
 Ho ho, no no, that may now so go ; 
 And baith, Sfc. 
 
 Och modren hon talte til kjaere dottren sin: : ,: 
 " Hwad ser det for mjolk du bar i brcistena din ?" 
 H'd ha, &c. 
 And the mother she tald till dear dother hers, 
 " What is that for milk thou hast in breastis thine ?" 
 Ho ho, &c. 
 
 " Det JEr wsel ingen mjolk, fast eder tyckes sa; 
 
 Det £er af det mjbd som jag drak uti gar." 
 " It is well nae milk, though ye think sae ; 
 It is of the mead that I drank yesterday." 
 
 Och modren slog dottren pa blekroda kind : 
 
 " Skal du sa swara kjter modren din ? 
 And the mother strack the dother %tpo' the blaiken'd-red cheek . 
 " Shalt thou sae answer dear mother thine ? 
 
 Och dig sa skal jag nu basa med et ris ; 
 
 Riddar Wal, den skal jag hfenga pa qwist." 
 " And thee sae shall I now baste (beat) zeith a ryse (rod ;} 
 Sir Wal, him shall I hang upo' a twist (branch.")
 
 374 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Lilla Lisa sadlar up sin gangare gra ; 
 
 Sa rider hon sig til Riddar Wals gard. 
 Ijyle Lisa saddles up her ganger (anibler) gray; 
 Sae rides she her till Sir Wal's [castle-] yard. 
 
 Och naer hon kom fram til Riddar Wals gard, 
 Skjon Riddar Wal ute Tor henne daer star. 
 And whan she cam on (ill Sir Wal's [castle-] yard, 
 Sheen (fair) Sir Wal out afore her there stands. 
 
 " Min moder hon aer mig sa grymmellg wred, 
 Hon hwarken hiirer, ej heller hon scr. 
 
 "■ My mother she is with me sae grimly wroth. 
 
 She neither hears, nor yet sees, 
 
 *' Och mig sa wil hon nu basa med ris : 
 Skjone Riddar Wal wil hon haenga pa qwist." 
 " And me sae will she baste with a ryse ; 
 ' Sheen Sir Wal will she hang upo' a twist." 
 
 " Ao horor och skjokor skal hon basa med ris 
 Tufwar och skjaelmar skal hon haenga pa qwist." 
 
 " O' whores and scouts shall she beat with a ryse ; 
 
 Thieves and skellums [rogues] shall she hang upo a twist.' 
 
 Riddar Wal sadlar sa up sin gangare gra ; 
 
 Sa lyfter han lilla Lisa deruppa. 
 Sir Wal saddles sae up his ganger (ambler) gray ; 
 Sae lifts he lyle Lisa thereupo'. 
 
 Sa rida de baegga bort til en grcin lund ; 
 
 Eiaer lyster ILUa Lisa hwila en stund. 
 Sae ride they baith forth till a green lind (wood j) 
 There lists lyle Lisa to rest a stoun^. 
 
 Sa rida de baegga, alt til en griin asng ; 
 Daer lyster hlla Lisa at biedda en saang. 
 Sae ride they baith, all till a green mead; 
 There lists lyle Lisa ^p make a bed.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 375 
 
 Riddar Wal han bredor ut sin kappe bl'a ; 
 
 S'ii fodde lilla Lisa siinneme tw'a. 
 Sir IVal he spreads out his mantle blue ; 
 Sue bare lyle Lisa sonnis twae, 
 
 " Och nog wet jag en rinnende brunn ; — 
 
 Ack ! om jag hade wattn i samma stund !" 
 " Jnd [sure] eneitgh weet I [o'] a rinning burn ; — 
 Och ! gin I had water i' [this] samen stound !" 
 
 Riddar Wal sadlar up sin gangare gra; 
 
 S'a rider han sig bfwer bbijorna bla.. 
 Sir Wal saddles up his ganger gray ; 
 Sae rides he him over the billows (?) blae.' 
 
 Och naer som han kom til en rinnande strbm, 
 
 Daer satt en naelttergal i et traed, som sjbng. 
 And whan that he cam till a rinning stream. 
 There sat a nightingale in a tree, that sang. 
 
 Han sjbng sa mycket om baede fruar och mbr, 
 
 Men aldramaest om lilla Lisa som war dbd. 
 He sang sae mickle about baith fres and mays ; 
 But allermaist about lyle Lisa that was dead. 
 
 Riddar Wal han tjente den jungfru i tro ; 
 
 Och hfemtade wattn i baegga sina skor. 
 Sir Wal he served the maiden in truth ,• 
 jlnd home took water i' baith his shoon. 
 
 Riddar Wal sadlar up sin gangare gra ; 
 
 S'a rider han sig bfwer bbijorna bl'a. 
 Sir Wal saddles up his ganger gray ; • 
 
 Sae rides he kirn over the billows (?) blae. 
 
 Han rider ju fortare aen fogel han flog, 
 
 Til dess han kommer der lilla Lisa war dbd. 
 He rides, ay faster an {than) fowl he flies, 
 Till there he comes where lyle Lisa was dead. 
 
 ' Perhaps green slopes or rising grounds.
 
 376 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Riddar Wal drager ut sit fiirgyllande swaerd ; 
 
 Da satte han faestet alt emot en sten. 
 Sir Wal draws out his glittering swerd ; 
 Tho (then) set he the hill all against a statu. 
 
 S'a at udden i hans broste-ben nu der stod, 
 Och der utrann bara idel kaerleks-blod." 
 Ha ha, n'a na, det md nu s'a ga, 
 Och der utrann bara idel kasrleks-blod. 
 Sae at (that) the point iii his breast-bane now it stood. 
 And there out ran barely (but) his pure lover's blood." 
 Ho ho, &c. 
 
 Having thus exhibited the Danish, Swedish, and Scotish ballad, as 
 nearly as possible, in one point of" view, we leave the reader to make 
 comparisons, and draw conclusions for himself.
 
 C 377 3 
 
 FAIR MIDEL 
 
 AND 
 
 KIRSTEN LYLE. 
 
 TBANSLATBD FROM THE DANISH. 
 
 Skion Midel han tiener i Kongens guard ; 
 Han lohked Kongens datter den vcene maar, 8fC, 
 
 Fair Midel he serves in the king's palajr,* 
 
 He has lur'd the king's daughter, that bonny may. 
 
 The queen ca'd her daughter, and thus said she, 
 " And is it true they say about thee ? 
 
 " Sae first in a widdie he's hing, and then 
 The neist in a bale-fire thou sail breru" 
 
 ' " Palay," i. e. palace. We fear this Frenchified form of the word is hardly warranted; 
 and we only used it, because we knew not well how to do better, without deviating more 
 than we wished to do from our original. What we have translated may, is literally a mar- 
 tin J which will be found explained in a note on " Child Axelvold." 
 
 3 B
 
 378 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Her mantle blue Kirsten lyle has taen, 
 And she to fair Midel's bower is gane : 
 
 [And sair was her heart as she chapp'd at the gin : 
 " Won up, fair Midel, and lat me in."] 
 
 " A tryst wi' nae man I hae set, 
 And in I nae man the night will let." 
 
 " Won up, fair Midel, and lat me in. 
 For I hae spoken wi' mither mine. 
 
 " Thee first in a widdie she'll hang, and then 
 Me neist in a bale-fire she will brenn." 
 
 " O na, I'se never be hung for thee, 
 Nor ever sail thou be bi'ent for me. 
 
 " Then swyth thy goud in a coffer lay. 
 While I am saddling ray ambler gray." 
 
 A mantle blue he has o'er her thrown, 
 And liis ambler gray lifted her upon. 
 
 Whan out fifae the castell they can win. 
 
 The saut tears happ'd o'er her cheek and chin. 
 
 " O greet ye, love, that the gait's sae dreigh. 
 Or is't that your saddle's o'er narrow and high ?" 
 
 " It's nae that I greet for the dreary gait. 
 But it's that my saddle's o'er high and strait." 
 
 His mantle blue he has spread o' the ground : 
 " List ye, Kirsten lyle, to rest a stound .'"'
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. sTn 
 
 " O had I but ae bower-woman wi' mc ; — 
 Now I for the f'aut o' helj) maun die !" 
 
 [" Och ! far thy bower-women are, far frae thee ;- 
 Thou has nane ither now left but me !"] 
 
 " Far loor on the eard I'll lye and die. 
 Nor dree my pain for a man to see." 
 
 " Then tye o'er my een this scarf wi' your han', 
 And I'U be your nourice the best I can.'" 
 
 " O Christ ! for ae drink o' the water sae clear, 
 My wae and my dowy heart to cheer !" 
 
 Fair Midel was ay sae kind and true, 
 
 The water he'll bring in his browder'd shoe. 
 
 Out thro' the thick hythe fair Midel can gang ; 
 
 The gait to the burn it was dreich and lang. 
 
 And whan to the burn fair Midel he wan, 
 A nightingale sat on a twist and sang : 
 
 " Little Kirsten she lyes i' the greenwood dead ; 
 Twa bairnies are in her oxter laid." 
 
 O' the nightingale's sang sma reck he's taen. 
 And back the lang gait thro' the wood he's gane. 
 
 And whan he the hythe sae thick wan to, 
 Sae fand he the nightingale's sang was true. 
 
 ' See the abstract of the " Book of Heroes," in this volume, p. 120. 
 
 6
 
 380 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 He's howkit a greaf baith deep and braid. 
 And he the three lykes therein has laid. 
 
 O' the greaf as he stuid, aneath his feet 
 He thought that he heard the bairnies greet. 
 
 The hilt he has set till a eard-fast stane. 
 And swyth thro' his heart the swerd is gane. 
 
 [Kirsten lyle ay leal and kind did keep, 
 And now in the mools in sacht they sleep.]
 
 C 381 3 
 
 NOTES ON FAIR MIDEL. 
 
 " Then tye o'er my een this scarf Viith your hari'. 
 And I'll be your nourice the best I can." — P. 379, v. 19. 
 The term nourice (in the or'ig. fostermoder) has probably been substituted by tlie fe- 
 male reciters out of delicacy, for Midwife, which in the Danish language is called Jorde- 
 moder ; a curious vestige of the more simple and natural antient religion of the Goths ; 
 among whom, as well as among the Vandals, Mother Earth ( Terra Mater) the prolific and 
 bountiful goddess of fecundity, growing, and nourishing, was universally considered as the 
 guardian of bearing, nursing, education, virtue, wealth, and happiness ; and, next to the 
 vivifying principle of heat, as the " giver of all good things." This belief must be refer- 
 red for its origin, to a period long anterior to the iron age of Gothic and Vendish celebrity. 
 — See our notes on " Libussa." 
 
 " A nightingale sat on a ttvist," SfC. — P. 379, v. 23. 
 This nightingale could have been spared ; but he forms a link in the chain that connects 
 the Scotish and Scandinavian tales ; and in the company of our bonny birdies, pretty par- 
 rots, wily pyots, and gay goss-kawks, may hope, " for the fashion of the thing," to be al- 
 lowed to pass. 
 
 " O" tkegreqfas he stuid, aneath his feet 
 
 He thought that he heard the bairnies greet." — P. 380, v. 28. 
 
 In the Danish, 
 
 Og da ban over graven stod; 
 
 Han syntes, de born grat unter bans fbd. 
 
 In the whole compass of tragic and descriptive poetry, it would be difficult to find a finer 
 passage than this, where so simple and unambitious, and at the same time so strong, na- 
 tural, and impressive a picture is given of the workings of a disturbed and distracted ima- 
 gination. Never, certainly, was suicide more appropriately introduced !
 
 382 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Having thus performed with due zeal the last offices for " Fair Midel and Kirsten lyle," 
 it now only remains for us to lay before our readers another piece (K. Viser, p. S61,) in 
 which the poet has devised for the loyal pair " a consummation more devoutly to be wished 
 for," but by which others are less likely to be powerfully affected. — Its best recommenda- 
 tion is its shortness ; although there is something pleasing in the passage where the harp 
 is introduced. The lines printed in italics are often recited as part of " Fair Medevold." 
 
 " Little Kirsten and her mitlier, 
 They sew'd a silken hood tliegither. 
 
 " Her niither sew'd sae fine a seam ; 
 The dochter's tears ran like a stream. 
 
 *' Hear ye, little Kirsten, my dochter dear, 
 Why blaikens your cheek and your bonny hair i" 
 
 " Nae ferly I'm dowy and wan o' hue, 
 Sae mickle as I've to shape and sew." 
 
 " Here's maidens eneugli, I wat, but you, 
 That better can shape, and better can sew. 
 
 « But it boots nae langer to heal frae thee. 
 
 That our young king has lured me." 
 
 " And has our young king lured thee ? 
 What for thy honour did he gie ?" 
 
 " He gae to me a silken sark : 
 
 I wore it with mickle care and cark. 
 
 " Thoa brotcdet'd shoon to me he gae : 
 I've brookit them m' mickle zeae. 
 
 " And he gae me a harp o' gowd. 
 To play whan in my dowy mood."— 
 
 She strak upon the firsten string : 
 
 That heard, as he lay in his bed, the king. 
 
 She strak upon the nexten string : 
 Short while deval'd then the young king, ' 
 
 ' In the German translation of this piece by Wilhelm Grimm, in the Heidelberg" Zeitung fiir Einseid- 
 Icr, 1 Mai, 1808," the translator, by mistaking tlie Danisli negative ei, for tbe German intcijection, has 
 complettly reversed tlie meaiuDg of this line.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 383 
 
 Our young king caM liis pages twac: 
 " Ye bid Kiistcii lyle afore mc gae." 
 
 Kirsten lyle cam in, stood afore the board : 
 
 " What will the young king, that he's sent me word .'" 
 
 He clappit her cheek sae wan wi' a smile : 
 " Sit down, Kirsten lyle, and rest a while." 
 
 " I'm nae sae tir'd, I well can stand ; 
 
 Sae tell me your errand, and iat me gang." 
 
 Kirsten lyle he in his arms has ta'en ; 
 
 Gae her a goud crown, and made her his queen. 
 
 " Kirsten lyle has cour'd now a' lier harms. 
 She sleeps ilka night i' the kingis arms." 
 
 This little Kirsten, or Kirsten lyle, is as great a favourite with the northern minstrels 
 as is " proud Eline" who is the identical " burd Ellen" of the Scots ; la prude dame Eliue, 
 or in English, the gentle lady Eline. Prud, which we have corrupted into burd, is apphed 
 in old Danish and Swedish, as in French, to knights as well as to ladies ; and the Rittef 
 hin prud of the Danish ballads, is the preux Chevalier of the French, and the geiitle knight 
 of the English, romances.
 
 [ 384 3 
 
 THE 
 
 KING'S DAUGHTER 
 
 OF 
 
 ENGELLAND. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DAKISH KJEMPE VISER, p. 482. 
 
 Kongens dotfer of EngeUand, 
 
 Hun lever Jbruden aid kvide ; 
 Hende er gangen sorg til haand; 
 
 Hun haver trolovet' kin unge Her Styge. 
 
 Hun er til tukt og cere vant ; 
 Hun vil ej have anden mand. 
 
 Kongens son ofDanmarch, 
 
 Hand beder omjomfmen of aid magt, SfC. 
 
 The Kingis dochter of EpgeUand 
 
 She liveth withouten all sorrow ; 
 But she has sorrow eneugh at hand ; 
 
 She has taen the young Sir Stige till her marrow. 
 
 * " Trolovet," from " tro," troth ovjaith, and " lov^," to promise. This seems to be 
 the origin of the term " true'-love" in many of ouroltl ditties, which has, I behove, never 
 been jiropeily understood by modern editors and readers. Thus, in the beautiful song, 
 beginning " O walrt, wala up the bank," &'C. 
 
 " I leant my baciv unto an aik ; 
 1 thought it was a trusty tree ;
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 385 
 
 Ay wont sae gnile and leal to be, 
 Nae ither man now hae will she. 
 
 The King's son of Danmark 
 
 He Courtis that maiden wi' a his macht. ' 
 
 Forty owks hae mony a dowy day, 
 
 And lang thought she, and was weary and wae. 
 
 Her mantel blue that maiden * has taen, 
 And down to her bower is heavily gane. 
 
 She's doen her till her bower sae fair. 
 
 And there a knave bairn sae bonny she bare. 
 
 The bairnie she swyl'd in Hnnen sae fine, 
 In a gilded casket laid it syne ; 
 
 But first it bow'd, and syne it brak, 
 And sae did my true-love to me. 
 
 " O whareto should I busk my head ? 
 
 Or whareto should I kemb my hair ? 
 For my true-love's forsaken me, 
 
 And says he'll never lo'e me mair !" 
 
 Here the lady's true-love is really her fause love, and some of the editors have altered it 
 accordingly. But tlie expression, meaning betrothed, seems to be perfectly correct, and 
 tends much to heighten the interest of the piece. It is true, true-love may mean truely- 
 loved ; but probability and propriety seem to be in favour of the other interpretation. 
 
 These verses are abominable as verses ; but what better can be made out of such ma- 
 terials ? He who has carved men only out of " cheese-parings" and " forked radishes af- 
 ter supper" must not expect to be admired as a statuary : but those wlio see his produc- 
 tions will be satisfied at least, that in the age in which he lived, cheese was made, and 
 radishes known ; and there are circumstances which sometimes render even the knowledge 
 of such trifles not uninteresting. — There is no note in the Koempe Viser to inform us whe- 
 ther the second and fourth lines of the first stanza were to be sung throughout as a burden, 
 or whether they made a part only of this stanza. 
 * Sic ill orig. 
 
 3 C
 
 386 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Mickle saut and light ' she's laid therein, 
 Cause yet in God's house it hadna been. 
 
 Her mantel blue that maiden has taen, 
 And down to the strand wi' it she's gane. 
 
 She's doen her out till the strand, 
 And shot the casket far frae the land. 
 
 She shot it far out in the sea : 
 
 " To Christ, my babe, beteech I thee ! 
 
 " To Christis grace beteech I thee ; 
 Thou has nae mair now mither in me." 
 
 The King is a hunting by the strand ; 
 He fand the casket was driven till land. 
 
 The casket he open'd, and saw therein 
 The bonny knave bairnie that smil'd on him. 
 
 The King took money frae his spung. 
 And gar'd be christen'd that bairnie yoimg. 
 
 Syne he has taen that little knave, 
 And tiU a foster-mither him gave. 
 
 *' And hear ye, well foster'd lat him be ; 
 For he's surely come o' high degree." 
 
 She has foster'd him till five years' age ; 
 He's now the King's ain Uttle page. 
 
 He grew till he was eighteen year, 
 
 And the King's ain banner now can bear. 
 
 ' i. e. Salt and consecrated tapers, such as ought to have been used at his baptism.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. S8Y 
 
 The King has gi'en liim tower and fee, 
 But and his dochter, that comely fre. ' 
 
 The King untill his dochter said, 
 
 " And whan, my dochter, will ye wed ?" 
 
 " It's I will wed whan my father will ; 
 And I'll wed him that his heart lies tiU." 
 
 " Sir Karl is the first inan in my ha'" — 
 
 " Och ! but fain were my heai-t Sir Stige to fa !" 
 
 Now a' for the bridal blyth is prest ; 
 
 But sair was the heart in that lady's breast. 
 
 The bride-ale they've drucken for five days lang, 
 But the bride for naething to bed will gang. 
 
 The sLxthen day the bride they've taen, 
 And, nill she or will she, to bed she's gane. 
 
 The bride in her bed they down hae laid ; 
 Sir Karl but short while after staid. 
 
 On her cheek sae white he clappit her syne : 
 " Ye turn to me, allerdearest mine !" 
 
 " Prythee, Karl, be still now, dear son mine, 
 For I am dearest mither thine ; 
 
 " And a scorn it were in my father's Ian', 
 That a mither should hae her son for a man." 
 
 " And it is a scorn intill this 6e 
 
 To wear a goud crownet whan ye're nae may." 
 
 ' In the orig. " hans dotter hin veinie ;" i. e. his daughter who [was] bonny. See 
 Glossi art. bonny.
 
 388 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 The morn the King speer'd at them right 
 " How rested ye this lasten night ?" 
 
 " I thank the King for his bounty free ; 
 But my mither to wed's great scorn to me. 
 
 " The King has to me all in kindness made ; 
 But sooth 'tis my mither that I ha'e wed !" 
 
 *' My dochter we will stick and brend, 
 Or to the Heathen King her send." 
 
 " Och, na ! wi' my mither ye dealna sae ; 
 Gie her to Sir Styge, as I now say."
 
 C 389 ] 
 
 THE 
 
 WASSEL DANCE. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH KiEMPE VISER, p. 558. 
 
 Det er i nat vaage-nat, 
 
 {Der vaager hvo som vil) 
 Der komme saa mange til dandscn brat, 
 
 [Der vaager hun stolt Signelild under 
 saagronnen Oe.) 
 
 The night is the night o' the wank ; 
 
 {There wank may he that will;) 
 There's fiel come to dance and wassel mak, 
 
 ( Whare wauks she, the proud Signelild, 
 under sue green an oe.) 
 
 Proud SignUd speer'd at her mither right, 
 
 [There wank, S^x.) 
 " May I gae tUl the wauk the night ?" 
 
 (Whare wauks, <?fc.) 
 
 " O what will ye at the wauk-house do, 
 But sister or brither to gang wi' you ? 
 
 ' This is the counterpart of" Hero Hogen and the Queen of Denmark" in this work.
 
 390 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 " Brither or gude-brither hae ye nane, 
 
 Nor gang ye to wauk ouse the night alane." 
 
 That maiden fine has prigget sae lang. 
 Her mither at last gae her leave to gang. 
 
 " Thou gang, thou gang now, dochter mine, 
 But to nae wauk-house gangs mither thine. 
 
 " The King he is coming wi' a' his men ; 
 Sae lyth my rede, and bide at hame." 
 
 " There comes the Queen wi' her maries a' -, 
 To talk wi' them, mither, lat me fa." 
 
 Slie to the green wood her way has tane, 
 And she is till the wauk-house gane. 
 
 Afore she wan the green strath o'er. 
 The Queen was gane to bed in her bower. 
 
 Ere she to the castell yett can win, 
 The wassel dance it was begun. 
 
 There danced all the Kingis men, 
 
 And the king himsel he danced wi' them. 
 
 The King raught out his hand sae free : 
 " Fair maiden, will ye dance wi' me ?" 
 
 " I'm only come o'er the dale, to see 
 An the Danish queen can speak to me." 
 
 " Ye dance wi' us a wee but fear, 
 
 And the Queen hersell will soon be here." 
 
 Out stept Signild, jimp and sma j 
 
 The King gae'r his hand, and they danced awa'. 
 
 11
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. :i9l 
 
 " Hear ye what, Signild, I say to thee ; 
 A lay o' love yc maun sing to me." 
 
 *' In lays o' love nae skiD I hae, 
 But I'll sing anither the best I may." 
 
 Proud Signild can sing a sang wi' that ; 
 This heard the Queen in her bower that sat. 
 
 This heard the Queen in her bower that lay : 
 " WhiUc ane o' my ladies is singing sae ? 
 
 " Whilk ladies o' mine dance at this late hour ? 
 Why didna they follow me up to my bower ?" 
 
 Syne up spak a page in kirtle red : 
 
 " It's nane o' your ladies, I well ye rede ; 
 
 " Nae ane o' your ladies I reckon it be, 
 But it is proud Signild imder be." 
 
 " Ye bring my scarlet sae fine to me. 
 And I will forth this lady to see." 
 
 Whan she came till the castell yett. 
 The dance gaed sae merrily and sae feat. 
 
 Around and around they dancing gae ; 
 The Queen she stood and saw the deraj' ; 
 
 And bitter the pangs her heart did wring. 
 Whan she saw Signild dance wi' the King. 
 
 Its Sophi says till lier bower-woman ; 
 
 " Bring a horn o' wine sae swyth ye can ; 
 
 " A horn o' goud come hand to me. 
 And lat it wi' wine well filled be."
 
 392 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 The King rauglit out his hand sae free : 
 " Will ye, Sopliia, dance wi' me ?" 
 
 " To dance wi' thee nor can I nor will, 
 'Less first proud Signild drink me tiU." 
 
 She hent the hora, and she drank sae free :- 
 Her heart it brast, and dead fell she. 
 
 Lang luikit the King in speechless wae. 
 As dead at liis feet the maiden lay : 
 
 " Sae young and sae fair ! wae, wae is me, 
 Tliy dowie sakeless wierd to see !" 
 
 Sair grat the women and maries there 
 As intill the kirk her like they bare 
 
 Had she but lythit her mither's rede, 
 {There wauk may he that will,) 
 
 That maiden she never sae iU had sped, 
 {Whare wauks she, the proud Signelild, 
 under sae green an be.) 
 
 *^it* The name of Sophia, Queen of Denmark, is rather an evidence of the antiquity of 
 this piece than otherwise. In a modern production, the subject of which is fresh in the 
 memory of every one, the author is likely to be faithful, at least, to the names and design 
 nations of the actors ; but in very old popular tales, the reciters are apt to appropriate 
 the most distinguished parts to characters which have made a figure in their neighbour- 
 hood a century or two ago, and whose names are still in the mouths of the people.
 
 [ 393 ] 
 
 OLUF PANT. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH KiEMPE VISER, p. 745. 
 
 Oluf Pant hand sidder paa Korsber-huus, 
 
 Og drikker med sine svenne ; 
 
 At dejaa dent etjkld godt rwu, 
 
 Saa de sig ei kunde temme. 
 
 {Oluf Pant hin venne, 
 
 Med sine svenne, 
 
 De monne saa sorgelig kvide.) 
 
 OiUF Pant he sits in Korsber-house, 
 
 A-drinking wi' his men ; 
 And merrily drink they and carouse, 
 Till themselves they downa tame. 
 {Oluf Pant the bonny, 
 Wi' a' his menyie, 
 They maun a' sae sorry and wae be .') 
 
 " My service now will ye forleet, 
 And lose baitb meat and fee j 
 Or follow me swyth to Gerlev, 
 For a lemman there to see ?" 
 [Oluf Pant the bonny, Sfc.) 
 3 D
 
 39i ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 His service nane wad there forleet, 
 
 Aniang his merry-men a', 
 Nor langer while deval, but till 
 
 They took their steeds frae the sta'. 
 
 He's bidden them sadtUe the bonniest steed 
 
 They in the sta' can find : 
 " Mat Burmand's be our host the night, 
 
 As he this while sail mind !" 
 
 Sae on they've ridden to Studeby, 
 Thro' wood and shaw in haste ; 
 
 Tyge Olesen stood i' the cauler air, 
 And bade them in to guest. 
 
 It was then Rich Oluf Pant 
 
 Rade up till Gerlev yett ; 
 His steed that day, the sooth to say. 
 
 Full proudly did curvett. ' 
 
 He rade intiU Mat Burmand's yard, 
 Well wrapt in vair sae gay ; 
 
 And out the husbande he could come, 
 All in his kirtle gray. 
 
 " Thou shalt lend us thy house the night, 
 And mak us bierdly cheer ; 
 
 But and gie us thy huswife swyth, 
 Or I sail fell thee here." 
 
 " Gin I lend you my house the night. 
 And mak ye bierdly cheer ; 
 
 But and gie you my huswife swyth, 
 'TwiU gang my heart right near." 
 
 • In the Danish it is, " his steed sprang like a magpie, (skade,") or a skate, foi- the 
 word signifies both. 
 
 3
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 39.'; 
 
 Their steeds he's till the stable led ; 
 
 Gien them baith corn and hay ; 
 And merrily they to the chalnicr gang. 
 
 To talk wi' huswife and may. 
 
 The husbande turn'd him snell about, 
 
 All in his kirtle gray, 
 And he has sought the gainest gate 
 
 To Andershaw that lay. 
 
 Oluf Mortensen, that gude prior, 
 
 Speer'd at the husbande right, 
 " Wliat has befa'n that thee has drawn 
 
 Up here sae late the night .'"' 
 
 " O sad's my teen and unforeseen ; 
 
 Oluf Pant is in my hame ; 
 But him and his rout I may di'ive out, 
 
 My wife is brought to shame." 
 
 'Twas then the gude Prior Oluf Mortensen 
 
 O'er a' the house can ca', 
 " Up, up in haste, and swythe do on 
 
 Your brynies, my merry-men a' ! 
 
 '♦ Swyth busk ye weel frae crown to heel 
 
 r your gear, as best ye may ; 
 Oluf Pant to cow will be nae mow ; 
 
 We'll find nae bairns play. 
 
 " And hye, thou luckless husbande, hame. 
 
 And lock thy dogs up weel ; 
 And keep a' quiet as ye may ; — 
 
 We'll tread close at your heel." 
 
 Buskit and boun the stout Prior 
 Till Burmand's yard he rade :
 
 396 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Now God in Heaven his help mat be ; — 
 Oluf Pant he draws his blade ! 
 
 Oluf Mortensen at the door gaed in. 
 
 In a grim and angry mood ; 
 Oluf Pant lap Ughtly tiU his legs, 
 
 And up afore him stood. 
 
 " Wha bade thee here till Gerlev-town, 
 
 Wi' my husbande leal to guest ? 
 Up, up, to horse, and s\vyth be gone. 
 
 Or thou's find a bitter feast." 
 
 Oluf Pant wi' that gan smile aneath 
 
 His cleading o' towsy vair, 
 And, " They are mine as well as thine," 
 
 He saitly whisper'd there. 
 
 Swyth out the Prior drew his swerd ; 
 
 He scorn'd to flinch or flee ; 
 The light in the chandler Oluf Pant put out, 
 
 And wi' Helene fight maun he. 
 
 I' the hen-bauks up Oluf Pant he crap ; 
 
 There he was nagate fain : 
 The Prior took tent whareas he sat, 
 
 And in blood-bath laid him then. ' 
 
 Sae they the rich Oluf Pant hae slain, 
 
 And his men a', three times three, 
 A' but the silly little foot-page, 
 
 And to him his life they gie. 
 
 ' Oluf Pant was slain in the year 1397. The Pants were a noble family in Denmark; 
 and I find (says the Danish editor) from the book of genealogy, that the Prior of Ander- 
 sliaw was called Jcp Mortensen, and was an Jernskegg^. Michel Petersen Jernskeg was 
 from Erling, which is now called Birkholm.
 
 C 397 ] 
 
 ROSMER HAF-MAND, OR THE 
 MER-MAN ROSMER. 
 
 When on a former occasion, " in Popular Ballads and Songs," vol. ii. 
 p. 282, the present writer laid before the public a translation of the 
 first ballad of " Rosmer," he expressed an opinion that this was the 
 identical romance quoted by Edgar in " King Lear," which in Shake- 
 speare's time was well-known in England, and is still preserved, in 
 however mutilated a state, in Scotland. Having the outline of the 
 stoiy so happily sketched to his hand, it would have required no veiy 
 great exertion of talents or industry for one exercised in these stu- 
 dies, to have presented this Romance in a poetical dress, far more 
 correct and generally engaging, than that in which it can be expected 
 to be found ; but, as he accounts an original, however imperfect, which 
 bears the genuine marks of the age which produced it, and of the taste 
 of those who have preserved it, much more interesting to the historian 
 or antiquary, than any mere modern tale of the same kind, however 
 artfully constructed, he has preferred subjoining the Scotish legend 
 in piiris naturalihiis, in the hope that the publication of it may be 
 the means of exciting curiosity, and procuring a more perfect copy 
 of this singular relic.
 
 398 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 [" King Arthur's sons o' merry Carlisle] 
 
 Were playing at the ba' ; 
 And there was their sister Burd Ellen, 
 
 I' the niids amang them a'. 
 
 "o 
 
 " Child Rowland kick'd it wi' his foot. 
 And keppit it wi' his knee ; 
 
 And ay, as he play'd out o'er them a', 
 O'er the kirk he gar'd it flee. 
 
 o" 
 
 ** Burd Ellen round about the isle , 
 
 To seek the ba' is gane ; 
 But they bade lang and ay langer. 
 
 And she camena back again. 
 
 *' They sought her east, they sought her west, 
 
 They sought her up and down ; 
 And wae were the hearts [in merry Carlisle] 
 
 For she was nae gait found !" 
 
 At last her eldest brother went to the Warluck Merlin, {Myrddm 
 Wyldt,') and asked if he knew where his sister, the fair burd Ellen, 
 was ? " The fair burd Ellen," said the Warluck Merlin, " is carried 
 away by the fairies, and is now in the castle of the king of Elfland ; 
 and it were too bold an undertaking for the stoutest knight in Chris- 
 tendome to bring her back." " Is it possible to bring her back," 
 said her brother, " and I will do it, or perish in the attempt." " Pos- 
 sible indeed it is," said the Warluck Merlin 5 " but woe to the man 
 or mother's son who attempts it, if he is not well instructed befbre- 
 liand of what he is to do." 
 
 Inflamed no less by the glory of such an enterpiasc, than by the de- 
 sire of rescuing his sister, the brother of the fair burd Ellen resolved
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 399 
 
 to undertake the adventure ; and after proper instructions from Mer- 
 lin (which he failed in observing,) he set out on his perilous expe- 
 dition. 
 
 " But they bade lang and ay langor, 
 
 Wi' dout and mickle maen ; 
 And wac were the hearts [in merry Carlisle,] 
 
 For he camena back again." 
 
 The second brother in like manner set out ; but failed in observina' 
 the instructions of the Warluck Merlin ; and 
 
 " They bade lang and ay langer, 
 
 Wi' inickle dout and maen ; 
 And wae were the hearts [in merry Carlisle,] 
 
 For he camena back again." 
 
 Child Rowland, the youngest brother of the fair burd Ellen, then re- 
 solved to go ; but was strenuously opposed by the good queen [[Gwe- 
 nevra,] who was afraid of losing all her children. 
 
 At last the good queen [Gwenevra] gave him her consent and her 
 blessing ; he girt on (in great form, and with all due solemnity of sa- 
 cerdotal consecration) his father's good claymore [Excalibar,] that 
 never struck in vain, and repaired to the cave of the Warluck Mer- 
 lin. The Warluck Merlin gave him all necessary instructions lor his 
 journey and conduct, the most important of which were, that he should 
 kill every person he met with after entering the land of Fairy, and 
 should neither eat nor drink of what was offered him in that country, 
 whatever his hunger or thirst might be ; for if he tasted or touched in 
 Elfland, he must remain in the power of the Elves, and never see mid- 
 dle eard again. 
 
 So Child Rowland set out on his journey, and travelled " on and ay 
 farther on," till he came to where (as he had been forewarned by the War-
 
 400 ROMANTIC BALLADb. 
 
 luck Merlin) he found the king of Elfland's horse-herd feeding his hwses. 
 " Canst thou tell me," said Child Rowland to the horse-herd, " where the 
 king of Elfland's castle is ?'' — " I cannot tell thee," said the horse-herd ; 
 " but go on a little farther, and thou wilt come to the cow-herd, and he 
 perhaps may tell thee." So Child Rowland drew the good claymore 
 [P^xcalibar,] that never struck in vain, and hewed off the head of the 
 horse-herd. Child Rowland then went on a little farther, till he came 
 to the king of Elfland's cow-herd, who was feeding his cows. " Canst 
 thou tell me," said Child Rowland to the cow-herd, " where the king 
 of Elfland's castle is ?" — " I cannot tell thee," said the cow-herd j 
 " but go on a little farther, and thou wilt come to the sheep-herd, and 
 he perhaps may tell thee." So Child Rowland drew the good clay- 
 more [Excalibar,3 that never struck in vain, and hewed off the head of 
 the cow-herd. He then went on a little farther, till he came to the 
 sheep-herd. * * * * 
 
 [^The sheep-herd, goat-herd, and swine-herd are all, each in his 
 
 turn, served rii the same manner ; and lastly he is referred to 
 
 the hen-'wrfe.'] 
 " Go on yet a little farther," said the hen-wife, till thou come to a 
 round green hill surrounded with rings {terraces) from the bottom to 
 the top ; go round it three times nidershins, and eveiy time say, " Open, 
 door ! open, door ! and let me come in ; and the third time the door 
 will open, and you may go in." So Child Rowland drew the good 
 claymore [Excalibar,] that never struck in vain, and hewed off the head 
 of the hen-wife. Then went he three times widershins round the green 
 hill, crying, " Open door ! open, door ! and let me come in ;" and the 
 third time the door opened, and he went in. It immediately closed 
 behind him ; and he proceeded through a long passage, where the air 
 was soft and agreeably warm like a May evening, as is all the air of 
 Elfland. The light was a sort of twilight or gloaming ; but there were 
 neither windows nor candles, and he knew not whence it came, if it 
 was not from the v/alls and roof, which were rough and arched like a
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 401 
 
 grotto, and composed of a clear and transparent rock, incrustcd with 
 sheeps-silver and spar, and various bright stones. At last he came lo 
 two wide and lofty folding-doors, which stood a-jar. He opened them, 
 and entered a large and spacious liall, whose richness and brilliance no 
 tongue can tell. It seemed to extend the wliole length and heiglit of 
 the hill. Tlie superb Gothic pillars by which the roof was supported 
 were so large and so lofty (said my seannachy,) that the pillars of 
 the Chaniy Kirk, or of Pluscardin Abbey, are no more to be compa- 
 red to them, than the Knock of Alves is to be compared to Balrinnes 
 or Ben-a-chi. They were of gold and silver, and were fretted like the 
 west Avindow of the Chanry Kirk,' with wreaths of flowers composed 
 of diamonds and precious stones of all manner of beautiful colours. 
 The key-stones of the arches above, instead of coats of arms and other 
 devices, were ornamented with clusters of diamonds in the same man- 
 ner. And from the middle of the roof, where the principal arches 
 met, was hung by a gold chain, an immense lamp of one hollowed 
 pearl, perfectly transparent, in the midst of which was suspended a 
 large carbuncle, that by the power of magic continually turned round, 
 and shed over all the hall a clear and mild light like the setting sun ; 
 but the hall was so large, and these dazzling objects so far removed, 
 that their blended radiance cast no more than a pleasing lustre, and 
 excited no other than agreeable sensations in the eyes of Child Row- 
 land. 
 
 The furniture of the haU was suitable to its architecture ; and at the 
 farther end, under a splendid canopy, seated on a gorgeous sopha of 
 velvet, silk, and gold, and " Kembing her yellow hair wi' a silver 
 kemb," 
 
 " Tliere was his sister burd Ellen } 
 She stood up him before." 
 
 ' The cathedral of Elgin naturally enough furnished similes to a man who had never in 
 Ws life been twenty miles distant from it. 
 
 3 B
 
 402 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Says, 
 
 " God rue on thee, poor luckless fode !' 
 What hast thou to do here ? 
 
 " And hear ye this, my youngest brither, 
 
 Why badena ye at hame ? 
 Had ye a hunder and thousand lives, 
 
 Ye canna brook ane o' them. 
 
 " And sit thou dowTi ; and wae, O wae 
 
 That ever thou was horn ; 
 For come the king o' Elfland in. 
 
 Thy leccam'' is forlorn !" 
 
 A long conversation then takes place ; Child Rowland tells her the 
 news [of merry Carlisle,] and of his own expedition ; and concludes 
 with the observation, that, after his long and fatiguing journey to the 
 castle of the king of Elfland, he is very hungry. 
 
 Burd Ellen looked wistfully and mournftdly at him, and shook her 
 head, but said nothing. Acting under the influence of a magic which 
 she could not resist, she arose, and brought him a golden bowl full of 
 bread and milk, which she presented to him with the same timid, ten- 
 der, and anxious expression of solicitude. 
 
 Remembering the instructions of the Warluck Merlin, " Burd El- 
 len," said Child Rowland, " I will neither taste nor touch till I have 
 set thee free !" Immediately the folding-doors burst open with tre- 
 mendous violence, and in came the king of Elfland, 
 
 " With ♦' fi, fi, fo, and fum ! 
 
 I smell the blood of a Christian man ! 
 Be he dead, be he living, wi' my brand 
 
 I'll clash his liarns frac his harn-pan !" 
 
 " Strike, then, Bogle of Hell, if thou darest !" exclaimed the undaunt- 
 
 ' Fode — }wi)i. ' Leccam — 6o(li/.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 40S 
 
 ed Child Rowland, starting up, and drawing the good claymore [Ex- 
 calibar,] that never struck in vain. 
 
 A furious combat ensued, and the king of Elfland was felled to the 
 ground ; but Child Rowland spared him on condition that he should 
 restore to him his two brothers, who lay in a trance in a corner of the 
 hall, and his sister, the fair burd Ellen. The king of Elfland then pro- 
 duced a small crystal phial, containing a blight red liquor, with which 
 he anointed the lips, nostrils, eye-lids, ears, and finger-ends' of the two 
 young men, who immediately awoke as from a profound sleep, during 
 which their souls had quitted their bodies, and they had seen &c. &c. 
 &c. — So they all four returned in triumph to [[merry Carlisle.] 
 
 Such was the rude outline of the Romance of Child Rowland, as it 
 was told to me when I was about seven or eight years old, by a coun- 
 try tailor then at work in my father's house. He was an ignorant and 
 dull good sort of honest man, who seemed never to have questioned 
 the truth of what he related. Where the et ctvteras are put down, 
 many curious particulars have been omitted, because I was afraid of 
 being deceived by my memory, and substituting one thing for an- 
 other. It is right also to admonish the reader, that " The Warluck 
 Merlin — Child Rowland — and Burd Ellen," were the only nanu's in- 
 troduced in his recitation ; and that the others inclosed within brackets 
 are assumed upon the authority of the locality given to the story by 
 the mention of Merlin. In every other respect I have been as fiiithfiil 
 as possible. 
 
 It was recited in a sort of formal, drowsy, measured, monotonous 
 recitative, mixing prose and verse, in the manner of the Islandic 
 Sagas ; and as is still the manner of reciting tales and Jabulas aniles in 
 the winter evenings, not only among the Islanders, Norwegians, and 
 
 ' This anointing the seats of the five senses seems borrowed from the sacrament of ex- 
 treme unction in the Catliolic church ; but extreme unction (with blood,) lustration by water, 
 the sign of the cross, breaking of bread and drinking of wine, &c. were in use among tlie 
 Goths long before the introduction of Christianity ; and the Mitres of our bishops are 
 lineally descended from the radiated turbans of the priests of Mithra, the Persian God of 
 the Sun.—1\\e Rosary is used by the followers of Lama, among the Kalmucks, &c.
 
 404 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Swedes, but also among the Lowlanders in the North of Scotland, and 
 among the Highlanders and Irish. This peculiarity, so far as my me- 
 mory could serve me, I have endeavoured to preserve ; but of the 
 verses which have been introduced, I cannot answer for the exactness 
 of any, except the stanza put into the mouth of the king of Elfland, 
 which was indelibly impressed upon my memory, long before I knew 
 any thing of Shakespeare, by the odd and whimsical manner in which 
 the tailor curled up his nose, and sniffed all about, to imitate the ac- 
 tion which " fi, fi, fo, and fum !" ' is intended to represent. 
 
 Pleased with the fire which his tales struck from me, as well as teazed 
 by my indefatigable importunity and endless questions, as I sat on a 
 creepy* by his knee, my good Seannachy let me into the following 
 secrets in the natural history of Elfland, which I can still find as inte- 
 resting as I did thirty years ago, although for somewhat different 
 reasons. 
 
 " You have seen," said he, « on a fine day in the go-harst^ (post- 
 autumnal season) when the fields are cleared, a number of cattle from 
 different farms collected together, running about in a sort of phrensy, 
 like pigs boding windy weather ; capering, leaping, bellowing, and 
 goring one another, as if they were possessed, although there is no 
 visible cause for such disorder. 
 
 " If, at such a time, you were to look through an elf-bore in wood, 
 where a thorter knot (the knarry end of a branch) has been taken out, 
 or through the hole made by an elf-arrow, {jwJiich has probably been 
 made by a warble) in the skin of a beast that has been elf-shot, * you 
 may see the elf-bull haighig (butting) with the strongest bull or ox in 
 
 ' I question whether any of our actors on tlie stage now understand this ejaculation, if 
 it may be so called, so well as my Seannachy did. * 
 
 * " Creepy," short-legged stool. 
 
 5 It is pity that this word is not English, as we hare none to supply its place. 
 
 * In his notes upon the ballad of Sir Oluf and the Elf King's Daughter, (of which a 
 translation will be found in" Popular Ballads and Songs," vol, i. p. 219,) the Editor of the 
 K. Viser says, that Sir Oluf was " Elf-shot."
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 405 
 
 the herd ; but you will never see with that eye again. — Many a man 
 has lost his sight in this manner ! ' 
 
 " The elf-bull is small, compared with earthly bulls, of a mouse-co- 
 lour ; masted (crop-eared,) with short corlnj horns ; short in the legs ; 
 long, round, and slamp (supple) in the body, like a wild animal ; with 
 short, sleek, and glittering hair, like an otter ; and supcrnaturally ac- 
 tive and strong. They most frequently appear near the banks of 
 rivers ; eat much green corn in the night time ; and are only to be 
 got rid of by, &c. &c. (certain spells which I have forgot.) 
 
 " A certain farmer, who lived near the banks of a river, had a cow 
 that never was known to admit an earthly bull ; but every year, in a 
 certain day in the month of May, she regularly quitted her pasture, 
 walked slowly along the banks of the river, till she came opposite to 
 a small holm covered with bushes ; then entered the river, * and waded 
 or swam to the holm, where she continued for a certain time, after which 
 she again returned to her pasture. This went on for several years, 
 and every year, after the usual time of gestation, she had a calf They 
 were all alike, mouse-coloured, niosted, with corky horns, round and 
 long bodied, grew to a good size, and were remarkably docile, strong, 
 and useful, and all ridgels.^ At last, one forenoon about Martinmas, 
 when the corn was all " under thack and raip," as the farmer sat with 
 his family by the ingle-side, they began to talk about killing their Yule 
 Mart. " Hawkie," said the gude-man, " is fat and sleek ; she has 
 had an easy life, and a good goe of it all her days, and has been a good 
 
 ' Here, among many others of the same kind, he specified one instance of a man of his 
 own acquaintance who lost the sight of an eye in consequence of looking through an elf- 
 bore. " It is tiue," said he, " the man himself always denied it, from the fear of the ven- 
 geance of the fairies, but every body knew that he lost it in that way." — Such is the power 
 of credulity in forcing evidence for its own delusion ! — -There was no danger of my Sean- 
 nachy putting his eye-sight in jeopardy by such a rash indulgence of curiosity. 
 
 * In the southern counties of Scotland, this story, or one very similar, has been peculi- 
 liarly appropriated to Saint Mary's Loch, in Selkirkshire. 
 
 ^ This is a fortunate circumstance for the fabulist, as otherwise the ceremony of castra- 
 tion, by obliging the steers to declare themselves too soon, would have quite spoiled the 
 story.
 
 406 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 cow to us ; for she has filled the plough and all the stalls in the byre 
 with the finest steers in this country side ; and now I think we may 
 afford to pick her old bones, and so she shall be the Mart/" — 
 
 The words were hardly uttered, when Hawkie, who was in the byre 
 beyond the Iiallan, with her whole bairn-time, tyed by their thrammels 
 to their stalls, walked out through the side of the byre with as much 
 ease as if it had been made of brown paper ; turned round on the 
 midding-head ; lowed once upon each of her calves ; then set out, 
 they following her in order, each according to his age, along the banks 
 of the river ; entered it ; reached the holm ; disappeared among the 
 bushes ; and neither she nor they were ever after seen or heard of. 
 The farmer and his sons, who had with wonder and terror viewed this 
 phenomenon from a distance, returned with heavy hearts to their 
 house, and had little thought of Marts or merriment for tliat year." 
 
 The foregoing tale will be found in the unpublished MS. of the late 
 Mr Boucher of Epsom's Glossary, as it was furnished by the present 
 writer, who was then altogether unacquainted with the following tra- 
 gical and curious history of an elf-bull, in " Eyrbyggiasaga," published 
 in 4to., in Copenhagen, by the learned Professor G. J. Thorkelin, in 
 1787, p. 317, who with much probability supposes it to be of a date 
 anterior to 1264- 
 
 " It was milking-time, about nine in the evening, when Thoroddr 
 returned ; and as he rode towards the stable, a cow, running before 
 him, broke her foot. The cow, which was ijeld, was taken ; and, be- 
 ing too lean to be slaughtered, Thoroddr caused her foot to be bound 
 up ; and, as soon as it was strong enough, she was sent to Ulfarsfell to 
 be fattened, as the pasture there was as good as on the holms. Tliere 
 arc some who say that the islanders, when carrying their dried fish to 
 the inner part of the creek, saw with the cow, as she was feeding upon 
 the side of the fell, a strange bull of a mouse-colour, that nobody knew. 
 Next autumn Thoroddr thought of killing the cow ; but those who 
 were sent to fetch her could no wliere find her. After much search
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. iOt 
 
 to no purpose, they at last gave her up for lost, supposing slic must 
 have been either dead or stolen. A little befbic the V"///t'-timc, one 
 morning as the neat-herd at K(erstead was going as usual to the cow- 
 house, he saw the broken-footed cow, that had been so industriously 
 sought for, standing before the door. Turning her nito the cow-house, 
 and tying her up, he carried the news to Thoroddr, who, entering the 
 cow-house, and viewing and handling the cow, discovered that she was 
 with calf, and therefore not fit for a mart, especially as he had Hesh 
 enoxigh besides for his family. About the end of the following spring, 
 she had a qiieT/'Caif, and shortly after a bull- calf, which was so large 
 that she died soon after calving. This large bull-calf was brought into 
 the house, and was of a mouse-colour, and seemed well worth preser- 
 ving. When the calves were carried into the room, there happened 
 to be present an old Kerling (sic. in orig.) who had been foster-mother 
 to Thoroddr, and was now become blind. In her younger days she 
 had been reputed to have the second sight ; but as she grew old, her 
 predictions were regarded as the ravings of dotage, although many of 
 them were verified by the events. The calf, with his legs bound, being 
 laid on the floor, bellowed aloud, on which the Kerling, in the great- 
 est terror, cried out, " That is the low of an ElPs imp, and of no 
 earthly creature ; and you will do well to destroy it immediately !" 
 Thoroddr said it would be a pity to kill such a fine calf, which, if pro- 
 perly taken care of, must turn out an excellent steer. The calf then 
 lowed a second time ; on which the Kerling threw away what she had 
 in her hand, and said, " My bairn ! let the calf be killed ; for if he is 
 brought up, we shall all one day have great cause to rue it." " Well, 
 nurse, since you will have it so," said Thoroddr, " he shall be killed." 
 Both calves were then taken out of the room, and Thoroddr gave or- 
 ders to kill the qtiey, and carry the bull into the barn, to be brought 
 up, with strict injunctions that nobody should undeceive the old 
 nurse. This calf grew so^fast, that before spring he was full as large 
 as those that had been calved several months before him. When let 
 out, he ran veiy much about the meadow, and roared like a full-grown 
 bull, so loud that it was heard in the house. Then the Kerling said,
 
 408 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 *' As this monster is not killed, he will assuredly do us more mischief 
 than words can express !" — The calf grew a-pace, and that summer 
 was turned into a field of saved grass ; and by autumn, he was so large 
 that few year-olds could match him. He was well-horned, and of all 
 the cattle the most sleek and beautiful to see, and was thence called 
 Gla'sir. Before he was two years old he was as large as a five-year- 
 old ox ; fed mostly among the cows, not far from the house ; and as 
 often as Thoroddr went into the fold, Glaesir went up and smelled him, 
 and licked his cloaths, and Thoroddr patted him. He was gentle as 
 a lamb both to men and cattle ; but when he roared, it was tremen- 
 dous, and the old woman never heard it without expressing the great- 
 est consternation and horror. When Glaesir was four years old, if 
 women, or children, or striplings, went near him, he took no notice 
 of them ; but if men passed, he chafed and threatened, and was so 
 surly and unruly that he would hardly suffer himself to be driven out 
 of the way." 
 
 [^Glaesir continuing to be unmanageable, and to roar as terribly as 
 ever, Thoroddr, moved by the continual warnings and apprehensions 
 of his nurse, promises in good earnest to slaughter him next autumn, 
 as soon as he should be fat enough. But the old spae-wije tells him 
 that it will be too late ; and breaks forth into a vehement, prophetic, 
 and poetical rapture, in strains which, far from resembling those of 
 Cassandra, except in their incfficacy, were perfectly perspicuous and 
 to the point.] 
 
 « So it fell out, that same summer, that one day after Tlioroddr had 
 got the hay in a hay- field raked together, and made up into cocks, 
 there fell a great deal of rain. Next morning the servants going out, 
 observed Glaesir in the hay-field, disencumbered from the board which, 
 since he became vicious, had been fastened upon his liorns, running 
 about, overturning the cocks, and scattering the hay all over the field, 
 which he had never been accustomed to do ; at the same time that his 
 roarings and bellowings so terrified the servants, that no one durst ven- 
 ture to go and drive him away. On their telling Thoroddr wliat Gla?- 
 siv was at, he ran out, and snatching up a large birchen stake by the
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 409 
 
 two forks, hastened into the field, with it over his shoulder, to attack 
 the bull. Glassir, seeing this, desisted from the havoc which he was 
 making, and advanced to meet him, i-cgardless of his threats, and the 
 noise he made to intimidate him. On this Thoroddr struck him so 
 hard between the horns, that the stake broke short close by the forks. 
 Glaasir then rushed upon Thoroddr, who, seizing him by the horns, 
 turned his head aside ; and in this manner they struggled for some 
 time ; Glassir always striking, and Thoroddr avoiding, till the latter 
 began to be fatigued. Then Thoroddr leaped upon his neck, and 
 leaning over between his horns, clasped his hands under his throat, 
 which he griped with all his might, in hopes of stifling him, or ti- 
 ring him out ; and in this manner the bull ran about the field, carry- 
 ing him upon his neck. 
 
 " The servants seeing their master in such danger, and, being wea- 
 ponless, not daring to interfere, ran home to arm themselves, and re- 
 turned with spears and other weapons. When the bull saw tliat, he 
 stooped his head between his legs, and shook it till he got one of his 
 horns under Thoroddr, then raised it with a jerk so suddenly, tliat he 
 threw up Thoroddr's legs, so that he stood almost upon his head upon 
 the bull's neck. When his legs fell down again, Glaisir stooped his 
 head once more, and struck him with his other horn in the belly, 
 goring him so that he let go his hold, and the bull, roaring tre- 
 mendously, ran along the meadow towards the river. The servants 
 pursued him through a ravine of the mountain called Geirvaur, till he 
 reached a fen below the farm-stead of Hello, where he ran into a 
 pool, dived, and never after came up again ; and ever since, the fen 
 has been called Glaisiskellda. — Returning to the house, they found 
 Thoroddr dead of his wound." 
 
 This idea of peopling the subterraneous and submarine regions, not 
 only with supernatural men and women, but with beasts also, which in- 
 dulge in firequent intercourse with those of our element, is found in 
 Arabia, Persia, India, Thibet, among the Kalmuck and Mongol Tar- 
 
 3 F
 
 410 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 tars, Swedes, Norwegians, Scotish Lowlanders, Highlanders, and He- 
 bridians ; and it may, perliaps with more propriety than any other super- 
 stition,be denominated Gothic, (if the term is used in contradistinction to 
 Greek and iiowrtH,) because no distinct traces of it, it is presumed, are 
 to be found among the latter, who seem to have lost sight of it. And 
 here, as a justification of this gossiping, the present writer begs leave to 
 remark, that almost all the superstitions and antient popular usages 
 which are accounted national among us, particularly in the Highlands 
 and Hebrides, are still found in various parts of Sweden and Norway. 
 How far these, as well as the language and poetry of the Highlanders, 
 have been affected by the residence of the Nor-men among them, may 
 on some future occasion be the subject of inquiry, to which end mea- 
 sures have been taken for procuring ample materials from curious and 
 learned friends in the university of Lund, with whom the writer's cor- 
 respondence has at present been broken off, by the disastrous war in 
 which these countries are unhappily involved. • 
 
 ' This was written two years and a half ago.
 
 r 41] J 
 
 THE 
 
 SECOND BALLAD 
 
 OS 
 
 ROSMER HAFMAND, 
 
 OR THE 
 
 MER-MAN ROSMER. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH ICEMPE VISER, p. 1G5, 
 FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1591. 
 
 Buche Been og Elfver Steen, 
 Ogjleer kandjeg icke nejiie, 
 
 De lode sig hygge saa haard en Knar ; 
 Til Island monne de stefne, 
 [Jeg hri/der aldrig min tro.) 
 
 Bow-HOUGHS and Elfin-stane, 
 And fiel mair I canna name, 
 
 They loot them bigg sae stark a ship •, 
 Till Island mami they stem. 
 (J never will break my troth.) 
 
 They shot the ship out in the brim 
 That bremm'd like an angry bear : 
 
 8
 
 412 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 The White Goose' sank ; the laidly elves 
 Loot her rise up nae mair. 
 (/ never , Sfc.) 
 
 'Twas then the young Child Roland, 
 
 He sought on the sea ground, 
 And leading untill Eline's bower, 
 
 A little green sty he found. 
 
 Roland gaed to the castell ; — 
 
 He saw the red fire flee : 
 " Now come o' me whatso God will, 
 
 It's here that I maun be." 
 
 And it was the Child Roland, 
 
 IntiU the court rade* he. 
 And there stood his sister proud Eline, 
 
 In menevair sae free. 
 
 And Roland into the castel came : 
 
 His hands he downa steer : 
 " God rue on thee, poor luckless fode, 
 
 What hast thou to do here ?" 
 
 This Eline was to him unkent : 
 
 " Wliat for soe'er thou came. 
 What so thy letter or errand be, 
 
 Would thou had bidden at hame ! 
 
 " And gae thou till that chalmer in, 
 
 Sae frozen wat and haw ; 
 But come the lang-shanks Ettin in, 
 
 He'll rive thee in dugits sma. 
 
 " And sit thou down, thou luckless fode. 
 And warm thou thy shin-bane ; 
 
 ' The name of the ship. * Orig. " Hand kom der ridendis i gaard."
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 413 
 
 But come the lang-shanks Ettin in, 
 He'll stick thee on this stane." 
 
 Hame cam Rosmer Lang-shanks, 
 
 And he was wroth and grim ; 
 *' Sae well I wiss there's come in here 
 
 A christian woman or man !" 
 
 Proud Eline lyle is gane to him, 
 
 To win him as she dow : 
 '• There flew a craw out o'er the house, 
 
 Wi' a man's bane in his mou." 
 
 Rosmer screeched and sprang about : 
 
 " Here's a christian man I ken ; 
 But and thou tell me truth, but lies, 
 
 I will thee stick and bren !" 
 
 Eline lyle took o'er her her blue mantel. 
 
 And afore Rosmer can stand : 
 " Here is a Child frae Island come, 
 
 O' my near kin and land." 
 
 " And is a Child frae Island come, 
 
 Sae near a-kin to thee ? 
 His ward and warrant I swear to be j 
 
 He's never be drownd by me." 
 
 Sae here in love and lyst fii' deme 
 
 Scarce twa years o'er them flew, 
 Wlian the proud lady Eline's cheek 
 
 Grew a' sae wan o* hue. 
 
 About twa years he there had been ; 
 
 But there maun be nae mair ; 
 Proud Eline lyle's wi' bairn by him : 
 
 That wirks them mickle care.
 
 414 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Proud Eline lyle's now ta'en on her 
 
 Afore Rosmer to stand : 
 " Will ye gie till this fremmit page 
 
 Forlof hame till his land ?" 
 
 " And will he gae hame till his land ? 
 
 And say'st thou that for true ? 
 Then o' the goud and white money 
 
 A kist I'U gie him fu'." 
 
 Sae took he mickle red goud, 
 
 And laid it in a kist ; 
 And proud Eline lyle laid hersell wi' it ; — 
 
 That Rosmer little wist. 
 
 He took the man under his arm ; 
 
 The kist on his back took he ; 
 Sae he can under the saut-sea gang, 
 
 Sae canny and sae free. 
 
 " Now I hae borne thee till the land ; 
 
 Thou seest baith sun and moon : 
 And I gie thee this kist o' goud, 
 
 That is nae churlis boon." 
 
 " I thank thee, Rosmer, thou gude fellow ; 
 
 Thou'st landed me but harm ; 
 I tell thee now for tidings new. 
 
 Proud Elme lyle's wi' bairn." 
 
 Then ran the tears down Rosmer's cheeks, 
 As the burn rins down the brae : 
 
 " But I hae sworn thee ward and warrant. 
 Here drowning thou should hae." 
 
 Hame to the knock syne Rosmer ran, 
 As the hart rins to the hind ;
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 4.15 
 
 But whan to the knock that he cam hame, 
 Nae Eluie lyle could he find. 
 
 But proud Eline and Child Roland, 
 
 Wi' gaming lyst and joy, 
 Gaed hand in hand, wi' kindly talk, 
 
 And mony an amorous toy. 
 
 Rosmer waxt sae wroth and grim. 
 
 Whan he nae Eline fand. 
 He turn'd intill a whinstane gray, 
 
 Siclike he there does stand.
 
 C 416 3 
 
 THE , 
 
 THIRD BALLAD 
 
 ROSMER HAFMAND. 
 
 Island Konning lader bygge et skib, 
 
 Saa neer ved Islands side ; 
 Og der det gamle raad var d'od, 
 Det gik de svenrie til gvide, SfC. 
 {Der defingefred udi hqfuet ud, 
 da seylede de Normcend.) 
 
 Island's King gar'd bigg a ship, 
 
 Sae near to Island's side ; 
 That sail- did young Cliild [Aller] rue, 
 Wlian the gude aid rede-man died. 
 
 ( There mak theij peace i' the saut sea out, 
 whare sailed the Normen.) 
 
 Rosmcr lap out i' the brim : 
 
 ♦' And wha my cann sail scorn ?"
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 417 
 
 Seven score ships to the ground he sank, 
 Loot never nane return. 
 
 Tliere male thcxjy i^c. 
 
 Down sank the noble kingis men ; 
 
 Down sank they every man, 
 But him, Child AUer, the kingis son, 
 
 A little green sty that fand. 
 
 And there he fand sae wee a house, 
 
 The roof was gilded fair : 
 " God's will be done ! However it gang 
 
 Wi' me, I'se gang in there !" 
 
 It was Aller the kingis son. 
 
 He braids in at the door ; 
 It was proud Lady Eline lyle. 
 
 She stood up him before. 
 
 " Sit thou down, thou luckless page, 
 
 And warm thy limbs sae froren ; 
 But come the lang-shanks Ettin in. 
 
 Thy leccam is forloren. 
 
 And sit thou down, thou luckless page, 
 
 And beek thy limbs ere lang, 
 
 The Ettin Rosmer will be in. 
 
 And spit thee on a stang." 
 
 Late at e'en came Rosmer hame. 
 
 About the gloaming hour : 
 " What ha'e ye done wi' the Christian man 
 
 That ye had in your bower ?" 
 
 " There flew a bird out o'er the house, 
 Wi' a man's leg in his mouth ; 
 3 G
 
 flS ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 I turn'd me about, and I coost it out, 
 As fast as e'er I couth." 
 
 It was proud Lady Eline lyle 
 Afore Rosmer can stand : 
 
 " It's here is come a little page. 
 Was born in my father's land." 
 
 " And is there come a Uttle page 
 Was in thy kingdom born ? 
 
 Then true I swear, he well sail fare. 
 Nor dree or skaith or scorn." 
 
 For eight years now he there had been, 
 A tryal hard and sair !— 
 
 Now Eline lyle's wi' bairn by him, 
 Tho' they were ever sae ware. 
 
 It was proud Lady Eline lyle, 
 Afore Rosmer she gaed : 
 
 " Sae lang the Childe has now been here, 
 For langer he'll be dead. 
 
 " Ye lat him gang, he's o' my kin, 
 And gi'e him goud sae red ; 
 
 For gin he bide i* the castle lock'dj 
 For langer he'U be dead." 
 
 " Then, gin he here sae lang has bidden. 
 And greens for hame and land j 
 
 Then I'U gi'e him a kist o' goud 
 Sae fitting tUl his hand." 
 
 «* Though ye gi'e him a kist o' gOud 
 Sae fitting till his hand,
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. lis 
 
 Sae little will the gift bestead, 
 But ye set him on the strand." 
 
 It was proud Lady Eline lyle, 
 
 Sae well her part she wist ; 
 She's gane intill her still chamber, 
 
 And laid hersel i' the kist. 
 
 He took the kist upon his back, 
 
 The man intill his hand. 
 And thro' the saut sea he is gane, 
 
 The lang gaite to the strand. 
 
 « Now I ha'e borne thee till the land, 
 
 Thou seest the sun ance mair ; 
 Till father and mither, till sister and brither^ 
 
 Sae gladly may'st thou fare." 
 
 " Thou hast gi'en me a goodly gift. 
 
 And landed me, but harm ; 
 Rosmer, I canna heal frae thee, 
 
 Lady Eline is wi' bairn." 
 
 Astonish'd Rosmer stood thereat, 
 
 And fast his tears ran down : 
 " But I ha'e pledged my oath to thee, 
 
 I'd sink thee to the ground." 
 
 Rosmer lap i' the saut sea out. 
 
 And he can rope and rair ; 
 Aback he sterte, whan he cam hamc ;— 
 
 Nae Eline lyle was there. 
 
 *^« The last stanza has been omitted, because it appeared to be nonsense, something 
 like the penult stanza of the first ballad on the same subject. From the three pieces on 
 this adventure, all translated as literally as possible, which are now before the public, it 
 will be seen what confidence we can have in the authenticity and identity of traditionary 
 poetry.
 
 [ 420 ] 
 
 SIR LAVA AND SIR JOHN. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH ICEMPE VISER, p. 669. 
 
 [This piece, and that which follows it, have been inserted here as specimens of the old 
 Danish humorous popular ballad ; the only specimens I have ever met with, if " Sir 
 Guncelin," in this volume, does not come under that description. " Sir Lave" 
 seems to have been originally a very serious composition, and has a good many stan- 
 zas in common with other serious pieces in the Danish Collection ; but is rendered 
 perfectly ludicrous by the quaint impertinence of Sir John's strange rejoinders, most 
 of which, from the former popularity of the piece, are become in Denmark, at this 
 day, proverbial expressions applied to an unwelcome guest of any kind, whom one 
 does not know well how to get rid of.] 
 
 Her Lave hand reed sig under ae 
 
 {J ere vtlbaarn) ' 
 
 Derjeste hand sig saa ven en nioe. 
 
 J eg rider med, sagde Jon. 
 (J binder op hielm afgidd, ogjolger Her Jon, Sfc.) 
 
 Sir Lave he raid him under oe, 
 
 ( Ye are well born) 
 
 And he has wedded sae fair a may. 
 
 " I ride wi'm !" quo' John. 
 
 {Ye bind vp your helm 0/ gold, and follow Sir John.) 
 
 7
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 421 
 
 He's married a bride, and he's brought her hame, 
 And Knight and Child gacd to wcl(-ome them. 
 " Here ride I !" quo' John. 
 
 They set the bride on the bridal bink ; 
 Sir John he challenged them round to drink : 
 «' Swyth ! waucht it out !" quo' John. 
 
 They've taen the bride to the bridal bed ; 
 To loose her snood nae mind they had. 
 " I'll loose it !" quo' John. 
 
 In lap Sir John, and the door lock'd he : 
 " Ye bid Sir Lave gude night frae me : 
 Here lye I !" quo' John. 
 
 Wi' that word's gane to Sir Lave syne : 
 " Sir John is sleeping wi' young bride thine !" 
 " That I'm doing !" quo' John. 
 
 Sir Lave he rapp'd at the door wi' din : 
 " Get up, Sir John, and lat us in !" 
 
 " See an I do that !" quo' John. 
 
 " Gin ye winna lat my bride alane, 
 I'U gae to the king, and I'll complain." 
 " In a gude hour !" quo' John. 
 
 Ear on the morn, whan day did sprino-, 
 Sir Lave is gane to complain to the kino-. 
 " I wiU wi'm !" quo' John. 
 
 " I wedded yestreen sae fair a bride ; 
 Sir John has hen a' night by her side." 
 " That I did !" quo' John.
 
 422 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 '< Gin baith o' you hald the lady sae dear, 
 
 -Then ye for her sake should break a spear." 
 
 " Content !" quo' John. 
 
 The morn, the sun he shone sae bright ; 
 The knights they met to see the sight. 
 " Here am I !" quo' John. 
 
 The first ae tilt that they raid sae free, 
 Sir John's horse he fell down on his knee. 
 " Help now, God !" quo' John. 
 
 The neisten tilt they thegither raid, 
 O' the card Sir Lave was sprawling laid, 
 " There lies he !" quo' John. 
 
 Sir John he has gane to the castell in : 
 Up stood the lady there afore him. 
 
 " Thou art mine !" quo' John. 
 
 Sir John's made amends for a' his harms, 
 
 {Ye are well born,) 
 And now he sleeps in the lady's anns. 
 
 " I have her bodily," quo' John. 
 
 {Ye bind up your helm of gold and follow Sir John.)
 
 i: 423 ] 
 
 NOTE ON SIR LAVE AND SIR JOHN. 
 
 The notes on the foregoing piece, and on Libussa, which are referred to in another part 
 of this work, having been by some accident mislaid while at the press, and it being im- 
 possible to replace them at present, as no copy or reference is preserved ; I shall only 
 briefly observe here, that the ceremonies of " setting the bride on the bridal bench," 
 loosing her snood, &c., are still preserved in Jutland, Ditmarsh, and Sleswig, and probably 
 in Holstein, and other parts of the antient Angle-land. Immediately on her return from 
 the church, after being married, the bride is set in great state, on the sopha or bench near 
 the stove or fire-place, in the best room in the house, to receive the compliments, and wed- 
 ding gifts, of the guests. The presents are laid beside her on the bench, while the bride- 
 men hand round drink, bride-cake, &c. In Scotland, the presents were formerly laid on 
 the marriage bed ; and in some parts of the country this usage is still kept up, although 
 with little of its .original benevolence and patriarchal dignity. I remember several instances 
 of it in Morayshire when I was a boy ; in one of which a droll old fellow (still alive) threw 
 a flail on the bed, for the young goodman's use, should his wife prove disobedient ; on 
 which his wife, in order to preserve the balance of power in their new state, presented the 
 young goodwife with a large new kitchen tongs, with suitable instructions bow and when 
 it was to be used. The flail, however, soon found its way to its proper place, the barn ; 
 and the tongs probably still serves the goodwife to stir up the ingle against John's coming 
 in cold and weary from his labour. 
 
 The ceremony of putting on the curtsh, or close cap, on the morning after the marriage, 
 when the young wife is no longer entitled to wear the s)iood, or maiden tyre, is stiU obser- 
 ved in the north of Scotland, and gives the matrons in the neighbourhood an opportunity 
 of enjoying a scene of jollity and gossiping, from which those whojnay still wear s?wods are 
 very properly excluded.
 
 [ 424 J 
 
 WIT AT NEED. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH KMMFB VISER, p. 709, 
 
 [Compare this ballad with the Scotish one in Ritson, beginning, " Our gudeman cam 
 hame at e'en, &c.," a translation of which is so popular in Germany, that I have fomid 
 many well-informed Germans, who were very unwilling to admit that it was not origi- 
 nal, and peculiar to their country.] 
 
 Broder spurde s'dster ad, 
 
 Tidt og mange sinde, 
 Viltu dig ej mand give i stad. 
 
 Aldt sorger hunfor hiertehiere sin, Sfc, 
 
 The brither did at the sister speer, 
 
 (Oft and many times,) 
 " Win ye na tak a man to your fere ?" 
 
 {Ifs (C for her dearie she sorrows sae.) 
 
 " O na, O na, dear brither !" «he said, 
 
 {Oft and many, S)C.) 
 For I am o'er young yet to wed. 
 
 {lfsa',S!c.)
 
 ROMANTIC BALLAD«. 125 
 
 Gin they say true in tliis gate en', 
 Ye've nae been ay sae fleyt for men." 
 
 " They say was ay for a lyar kent ; 
 O' they says nane but fools tak tent." 
 
 " But wha was that for a Knight sae braw, 
 That rade frae your castle this morning awa ?" 
 
 " A Knight !" quo' she ; « braw knighfs indeed ! — 
 'Twas my little foot page upon his steed !" 
 
 " But what were they for twa p^ir o' sheen, 
 That lay afore your bed yestreen ?" 
 
 " Twa pair o' sheen !" quo' she ; « o' sheen !" 
 'Tis surely my slippers, Billy, you mean." 
 
 " And what wee bairnies, the tither day, 
 "Was it i' the bed wi' you that lay ?" 
 
 " Wee bairnies ! — O aye !— the tither day, 
 Wi' my dowie, I mind now, I did play !" 
 
 " But what for a bairnie was it that cried 
 Sae loud i' your bower this morrow tide ?" 
 
 " Could ever sic greeting a bairnie's be ? 
 
 'Twas my lassie that grat^ she had tint her key." 
 
 " And what bonny cradle was it sae braw. 
 That I i' the neuk sae cannily saw ?" 
 
 « Bonny cradle !" quo' she; " gude sain your een ! 
 It's my silk loom wi' the wab you've seen. 
 3 H
 
 426 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 " Now, brither, what mair ha'e ye to speer ? 
 I've answers eneiicli, ye necdna fear !" 
 
 # * * * 
 
 Whan women for answers are at a stand, 
 
 [Oft and many times,) 
 The North Sea bottom will be dry land 
 
 {It's a' for her dearie she sorrows sae.)
 
 r. 427 ] 
 
 ANKE VAN THAR AW 
 
 This very amiable little piece owed its origin to ratlier an unami- 
 able cause, having been an ebullition (not of tenderness and love, but) 
 of spite. The following translation of it is done from the original 
 Prussian Low Dutch, in " Sammlaug Deutscher Volkslicder, mit eincm 
 Anhange Flammaendischcr und Franzoesischer, nebst melodien. He- 
 rausgegeben durch Buesching und von der Hagen. Berlin, 1807." 
 It appeared in a large collection of songs from various poets, with mu- 
 sic, by Alberti, printed at Koenigsberg in 1638 and l650, and has 
 often been reprinted. A High German translation of it will be found 
 in Herder's " Volkslieder," vol, i. p. 92 ; the first nine couplets of 
 which are reprinted in " Des Knaben Wunderhorn." 
 
 The author was Simon Dach, who was born at Memel (a somewhat 
 singular place to give birth to a poet !) in 1 605, and died in 1 659, of 
 consumption and hypochondria. " Anke van Tharaw" was produced 
 as a poetical revenge on the occasion of his first love having jilted 
 him. But however subject^fr^^ love may be to those spurts of spleen 
 and passion by which our fates in life are so often decided, its impres- 
 sions are seldom entirely effaced from the mind j and poor Simon 
 Dach never forgave himself for having written a song which has been 
 admired by every body that understood it, for nearly two centuries. 
 During his last illness he suffered much ; and after a dreadful access 
 of pain, «' Ha !" said he, ♦* that was for the song of Anke van Tha 
 raw."
 
 [ 428 3 
 
 ANKE VAN THARAW ; 
 ANNIE O' THARAW. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE PRUSSIAN LOW DUTCH. 
 
 Anhe van Tharaiv bss, de mi gefollt, 
 
 Se bss mihn Lewen, mihn Goet on mihn G'olt. 
 
 Anke van Tharavi heft tuedder eer Hart 
 Op migeroektet on Low' on on Schmart, SfC. 
 
 Annie o' Tharaw, I've waled for my fere, 
 
 My life and my treasure, my gudes and my gear. 
 
 Annie o' Tharaw, come weal or come wae, 
 Has set her leal heart on me ever and ay. 
 
 Annie o' Tharaw, my riches, my gude, 
 
 Ye're the saul o' my saul, ye're my flesh and my blude. 
 
 Come wind or come weather, how snell 6ae or cald, 
 "We'll stand by ilk ither, and closer ay hald.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 429 
 
 Pain, sickness, oppression, and Fortune unkind. 
 Our true-love knot ay but the faster sail bind. 
 
 As the aik, by the stormy winds toss'd till and fra, 
 Ay roots him the faster, the starker they blaw ; 
 
 Sae love in our hearts will wax stranger and mair. 
 Thro' crosses and down-drug, and poortilh and care. 
 
 Should ever my fate be frae thee to be twinn'd, 
 
 And wert thou whare man scarce the sun ever kenn'd, 
 
 I'll follow thro' deserts, thro' forests and seas, 
 Thro' ice and thro' iron, thro' armies o' faes. 
 
 Annie o' Tharaw, my light and my sun, 
 
 Sae twined our life-threads are, in ane they are spun. 
 
 Whatever I bid you's ay sure to be dane. 
 And what I forbid, that ye'U ay lat alane. 
 
 The love may be warm, but how lang can it stand 
 Whare there's no ae heart, and ae tongue, and ac hand ? 
 
 Wi' cangling, and wrangling, and worrying, and strife, 
 Just like dog and cat, live sic man and sic wife. 
 
 ' This, and the following stanza, stand tlius in the original : 
 
 " War 6m sock hartaget, kabbelt on schleilit, 
 On glihk den hungen on kattcn begeiht. 
 
 " Anke van Tharaw, dat war wi nich dohn, 
 
 Du boat mihn Diihfken, mihn Schahpken, mihn Hohn."
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Annie o' Tharaw, that we'll never do. 
 
 For thou ait my lammiej my chuckle,- my dow. 
 
 My wish is to you ay as gude's a comman', 
 I lat you be gudewife, ye lat me be gudanan ; 
 
 And O how sweet, Annie, our love and our lee, 
 Whan thou and I ae soul and body sail be ! 
 
 'Twill beet our bit ingle wi' heavenly flame; 
 But wrangling and strife mak a hell of a hame. 
 
 - So Macbeth; Act iii. Scene ii. — " Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, 
 
 Till thou applaud the deed." 
 
 It is still in use in Scotland as a term of endearment : In England, an uxorious old fool calls 
 his young wife, " my chicken."
 
 [ 4'i\ 
 
 B A L A D E, 
 
 TRANSLATED PROM THE OLD FRENCH OF THE ENGLISH POIiT OOWEK. 
 
 As Mr Weber has given in this vokime (p. 8,) two translations from 
 the German Minnesinger, or Love-poets, I have ventured, as a com- 
 panion to Simon Dach's ditty, to attempt putting into an EngHsh 
 dress, a very pretty trouveur " Balade" of the EngUsh poet Gower. 
 It is the thirty-sixth in order, of the " Cinquante Balades" in the Mar- 
 quis of Stafford's MS. of that poet ; which it is hoped that nobleman, 
 so distinguished for his good taste and liberality, will give to the 
 world ; as I believe no other copy of these very curious pieces exists. 
 This, I doubt not, will be the wish of all men of taste, who have read 
 the following account of them by the Historian of English Poetry : 
 •' They are tender, pathetic, and poetical ; and place our old poet 
 Gower in a more advantageous point of view than that in which he has 
 hitherto been usually seen. I know not if even any among the French 
 poets themselves, of this period, have left a set of moie finished son- 
 nets. — Nor had yet any English poet treated the passion of love with 
 equal delicacy of sentiment, and elegance of composition — although 
 I must confess, there are some lines which I do not exactly compre- 
 hend." 
 
 The original will be found in Warton's History of English Poetry, 
 among the " Addenda," and in the Life of Gower, in the second vo- 
 lume of Alexander Chalmers's edition of the English Poets.
 
 [ 432 ] 
 
 BALADE, 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE OLD FRENCH OF GOWER. 
 
 Now in this jolly time of May, 
 
 To Eden I compare the ground ; 
 
 While sings the Merle and Popingay,* 
 
 Green herb and tree bloometh around, 
 
 And all for Nature's feast are crown'd ; 
 Venus is Queen, all hearts obey, 
 And none to Love may now say Nay. 
 
 "When this I see, and how her sway 
 
 Dame Nature over all extends ; 
 
 And all that lives, so warm, so gay. 
 
 Each after kind to other tends. 
 
 Till liking life and being blends ; — 
 
 What marvel, if my sighs bewray 
 That none to Love may now say Nay ! 
 
 To nettles must the rose give way. 
 And Care and Grief my garland weave ; 
 Nor ever Joy dispense one ray 
 To chear me, if my Lady leave 
 My love unblest, and me bereave 
 
 • In tliis country the " popinjay" certainly adds very little to the melody of the groves ; 
 but when the beautiful golden jay, which is common on the continent, condescends to sing, 
 his notes, five or six in number, arc remarkably sweet, full, and mellow ; and are the more 
 to be prized, because he screams horribly at least ten times for once that he sings.
 
 ftOMANTlC BALLADS. 43$ 
 
 Of every hope to smile, and say, 
 That none to Love may now say Nay. 
 
 Then go, and try her ruth to move, 
 If aught thy skill, my simple lay ; 
 For thou and I too well approve, 
 
 That none to Love may now say Nay. 
 
 S I
 
 C 434 ] 
 
 (Bxottdi g)abngr, 
 
 AN EDDIC LAY OF PAGAN TIMES. 
 
 This wild and extraordinary romance of early Pagan times in the 
 North has hitherto been little, if at all, known in this country. In 
 1794, it was printed at Copenhagen, with translations in Latin and Da- 
 nish ; but it was never published, and is in few hands. Two copies 
 of it in Icelandic were brought to Edinburgh, in MS., last year, by Mr 
 F. Magnusen, from Island, and are now here, along with all the other 
 unpublished Eddie remains ; of which advantage should have been 
 taken in the course of this work, had not my part of it been nearly 
 printed off two years ago, before I had access to them. 
 
 It is not very easy to conjecture why this very curious piece should 
 have been rejected, or rather so long neglected, by Sandvig, and the 
 Arna-Magnean editors of the Edda of S^mund. It is found in all the 
 MS. copies of that collection, except the parchment one in the king's 
 library at Copenhagen; and has this peculiarity in its favour, that 
 it is the only one of all the Sasmund lays which is found entire in 
 the Edda of Snorro ; • a proof, if not of its superior antiquity, at least ox 
 the esteem in which it was held by Snorro. Had it no other merit, 
 however, its having survived so many changes of religion, manners, 
 language, and government, during eleven centuries, surely entitles it 
 to some notice. The prose translation here given, is intended merely 
 to make the original more intelligible. The tale is thus introduced in 
 the Edda : 
 
 ' Not that published by Resenius, but Oluf Orm's copy, a transcript of wliich is now in 
 this country.
 
 [ 435 ] 
 
 jFormalt til (S'rotta ^abng^, 
 
 PREFACE TO THE QUERN-SONG. 
 
 " Gold is called (by the poets) the meal of Frothi ; the origin of 
 which is found in this story. Odin had a son called Skifiklr, (from 
 whom the Skioldvngar are descended) who settled and reigned in the 
 land which is now called Danmaurk, but was then called Gotland. 
 Skioldr had a son named Frithleif, who reigned after him. Frithlcif's 
 son was called Frothi, and succeeded him on the throne. At the time 
 that the Emperor Augustus made peace over the whole world, Christ 
 was born. But as Frothi was the most powerful of all the monarclis 
 of the North, that peace, wherever the Danish language was spoken, 
 was imputed to him ; and the North-men called it Fi'othi's peace. 
 
 " At this time no man hurt another, even if he found the murderer 
 of his father or brother, loose or bound.' Theft and robbery were then 
 unknown, insomuch that a gold ring {armlet^ * lay for a long time un- 
 touched in Jalangursheath. 
 
 " Frothi chanced to go on a friendly visit to a certain king in Sweden, 
 named Fiolnir ; and thei"e purchased two female slaves, called Fenia 
 and Menia, equally distinguished for their stature and strength. In 
 those days there were found in Danmaurk two Quernstones of such a 
 size, that no one was able to move them ; and these mill- stones were 
 endued with such virtue, that the Quern in grinding produced what- 
 
 ' The point of honour, which obliged every North-man in those days, as an indispensa- 
 ble duty of piety, to revenge the death of a relative, makes a striking feature in the Da- 
 nish ballads, as it does in the manners of many nations at this day. 
 
 * These rings were often of great weight and value. See Note on Rigs-mal. 
 
 6
 
 436 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 ever the grinder wished for. The quern was called Grotti ;' he who 
 presented this quern to Frothi was called Hengikioptr Qmngbig 
 chops.) The king caused these slaves to be brought to the quern, and 
 ordered tliem to grind gold, peace, and prosperity for Frothi, allowing 
 them no longer rest or sleep than while the cuckow was silent,* or a 
 verse could be recited. Then they are said to have sung the lay 
 which is called Grotta-Savngr ; and before they ended their song, 
 to have ground a hostile army against Frothi, insomuch, that a cer- 
 tain sea-king, (^pirate') called Mysingr, arriving the same night, slew 
 Frothi, taking great spoil, and so ended Frothi's Peace. Mysingr 
 took with him the Quern Grotti, with Fenia and Menia, and ordered 
 them to grind salt. About midnight they asked Mysingr whether he 
 had salt enough ? On his ordering them to go on grinding, they went 
 on a little longer, till the ship sunk under the weight of the salt. A 
 whirlpool was produced where the waves are sucked up by the miU- 
 eye, and the waters of the sea have been salt ever since 1" 
 
 Such is the Eddie prose account of this extraordinary adventure. 
 Had the learned Bishop of Drontheim, Eric Pontoppidan, been ac- 
 quainted with it, it might have helped him wonderfully in accounting 
 for the MoL-sTROM off" the coast of Norway, which has puzzled and 
 terrified so many men as well as monsters.' 
 
 " I take this to be an old Gotliic name for a mill of any kind, perhaps from the grei/ 
 stone used for ruill-stones ; hence the GaC-lic grattaii, meal ground on a miilUii-graltan, or 
 hand-mill; the Scotish, groats ; Eng, grits; Germ, grout; Dan. grytte, to grind; and 
 the Swedish, grot, in Scotish, crowdy. 
 
 ' Even in the north of Scotland, about Midsummer, when the weather is fine, as it ge- 
 nerally is at that time, there is so little darkness during the night, that the morning and 
 evening twilights almost melt into each other : the cuckow calls through the whole night, 
 and the lark and thrush are silent but a very short space. 
 
 5 This is not meant as a sneer at that venerable prelate, whose life, as well as his learn- 
 ing, were an ornament to his country, and to the age in which he lived.
 
 [ 437 ] 
 
 GROTTA.SAVNGRj 
 
 THE 
 
 QUERN SONG. 
 
 Nv erom komnar 
 til konvngs hvsa 
 framvisar tvaer 
 fenia oc menia. 
 thaer ro at frotha 
 frithleifs sonar 
 matkar meyiar 
 at mani hafthar. 
 
 jFenia anD e^mia. 
 
 " Now are we come 
 
 to the king's house, 
 
 two fore-seers, 
 
 Fenia and Menia." 
 
 These were at Frotha's [house,^ 
 
 Frithleifs son, 
 
 (mighty maidens) 
 
 held as thralls. 
 
 Thaer at Ivthri 
 leiddar varo 
 oc griotz gria 
 gangs of beiddo. 
 het hann hvarigri 
 hvild ne yndi 
 athr ban heyrthi 
 hliom ambatta. 
 
 They to the Quern [eye] 
 were led, 
 
 and the grey millstone 
 were bid set a-going. 
 He promised to neither 
 rest nor relief, 
 ere he heard 
 the maidens' Jay. 
 
 Thaer thyt thvlo 
 thavgn horvinnar, 
 
 They made to rumble, 
 ceasing silence,
 
 438 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 leggiom Ivthvr 
 lettom steinom. 
 bath liann enn meyiar 
 at thaer mala sklydo 
 
 Svngo oc slvngo 
 snvthga steini 
 sva at frotha man 
 flest sofnathi. 
 tha qvath that menia 
 var til meldz komin. 
 
 with their arms, the Quern's 
 light stones. 
 
 He bade again the maidens, 
 that they should grind. 
 
 They sang, and whirled 
 
 the grumbling stone, 
 
 so that Frothi's folk 
 
 mostly slept. 
 
 Then thus sang Menia, 
 
 who had come to the grinding ; 
 
 Avth mblom frotha 
 molom alsffilann 
 fiold fiar 
 a fegins Ivthri 
 
 Siti hann a avthi 
 sofi hann a dvni 
 vaki hann at vilia 
 tha er vel malit. 
 her skyli engi 
 avthrom granda 
 til bavls bva 
 ne til bana orka 
 ne hbggva thvi 
 hvavsso sverthi 
 tho at bana brothvr 
 bvndinn finni. 
 
 " Let us grind riches to Frothi ! 
 Let us grind him happy 
 in plenty of substance, 
 on our gladdening Quern. 
 
 " Let him brood over treasures ! 
 
 Let him sleep on down ! 
 
 Let him wake to his will ! 
 
 There is well groiuid ! 
 
 Here shall no one 
 
 hurt another, 
 
 to plot mischief, 
 
 or to work bane (death,) 
 
 nor strike therefore 
 
 with sharp sword, 
 
 though his brother's murderer 
 
 bound he found.' 
 
 En han qvath ecki 
 orth it fyrra. 
 sofit ei thit 
 ne of sal gavkar 
 
 " But he spake no 
 
 word before this : 
 
 ' Sleep not ye, 
 
 nor the cuckows without,
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 439 
 
 etha lengvr enn sva 
 Jioth citt qvethac. 
 
 Varrattv frothi 
 fvllspakr of thic 
 malvinr manna 
 er thu man keyptir. 
 kavss thu at afli 
 oc at alitom 
 en at jeterni 
 ecki spvrthir. 
 
 longer than while 
 I sing one strain." 
 
 jFenia. 
 
 " Tliou wast not, Frothi, 
 sufficiently provident, 
 [tho'] persuasively eloquent, 
 when thou boughtest slaves. 
 Thou boughtest for strength, 
 and for outward looks ; 
 but of their ancestry 
 didst nothing ask." 
 
 Harthr var harvngnir 
 oc hans fathir. 
 tho var thiassi 
 theim avflgari. 
 ithi oc avrnir 
 okrir nithiar 
 brffithvr bergrisa 
 theim erom bornar. 
 
 amenta. 
 
 " Hardy was Hrungnir 
 
 and his father ; 
 
 yet was Thiassi 
 
 stouter than they. 
 
 Ithi and Arnir 
 
 our relations, 
 
 mountain ettin's brethren,- 
 
 of them are we born." 
 
 Komia grotti 
 or gria fialli 
 ne sa hinn harthi 
 hallr or iortho. 
 ne moli sva 
 mser bergrisa 
 ef vissi 6tt 
 vaetvr til hennar. 
 
 jrenla. 
 
 " The Quern had not come 
 from the grey fell, 
 nor thus the hard 
 stone from the earth, 
 nor thus had ground 
 the mountain-ettin maiden, 
 if her race known 
 had not been to her." 
 
 Vjer vetor nio 
 vorom leikor 
 
 ^enia. 
 
 " We nine winters, 
 playful wierd-women.
 
 440 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 avflgar alnar 
 for iorth nethan. 
 stotho meyiar 
 at meginverkom 
 faerthom sialfar 
 setberg or stath. 
 
 were reared to strength, 
 
 under the earth. 
 
 We maidens stood 
 
 to our great work ; 
 
 we ourselves moved 
 
 the set mountain from its place. 
 
 Velltom griott 
 of garth risa 
 sva at fold fyrir 
 for skialfandi. 
 sva slaviigdom vith 
 snvthga steini 
 hafga halli 
 at halir toco. 
 
 We whirled the Quern 
 
 at the giant's house, 
 
 so that the earth 
 
 therewith quaked. 
 
 So swung we 
 
 the whirling stone, 
 
 the heavy rock, 
 
 that the subterraneans heard it." 
 
 En vith sithan 
 a svithiotho 
 framvisar tvaer 
 i folk stigom 
 brseddom bibrno 
 en brvtom skibltho 
 gengom i gegnom 
 graserkiat lith. 
 
 Steyptom stilli 
 stvddom annann 
 veittom gothom 
 gvttormi lith. 
 vara kyri'seta 
 athvr knvi fclli. 
 
 " But we since then, 
 
 in Sweden, 
 
 two fore- seers, 
 
 have fought. 
 
 We have fed bears, 
 
 and cleft shields ; 
 
 encountered 
 
 grey-sliirted (mailed) men. 
 
 We've cast down one prince ; 
 
 stayed up another. 
 
 We gave the good {brave) 
 
 Guttormi help. 
 
 Unstably we sat 
 
 Till the heroes fell. 
 
 Fi-am heldora thvi 
 
 thav misseri 
 
 at vith at kavppom 
 
 Forward held we 
 these six months [so] 
 that we in conflicts
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 4,4.1 
 
 kendar voro. 
 tluir skortho vith 
 skavrponi geironi 
 bloth or beniom 
 oc brand rvthom. 
 
 were known. 
 There scored we 
 with sharp spears 
 blood from wounds, 
 and reddened brands. 
 
 Nv erom komnar 
 til konvngs hvsa 
 miskvnnlavsar 
 oc at mani haflhar. 
 
 Now are we come 
 
 to the King's house, 
 
 unpitied, 
 
 and held as thralls. 
 
 avrr etr iliar 
 en ofan kvldi 
 drbgum dolgs siiJtvi 
 dapvrt er at frotha. 
 
 Hendor skvlo hvilaz 
 hallr standa mvn 
 malit hefi ec fyri mik, 
 mit ofleiti. 
 
 nv mvna havndom 
 hvild vel gefa 
 ithvr fvllmalit 
 frotha thycki. 
 
 Hendor skvlo havlda 
 harthra trionor 
 vapn valdreyrvg. 
 
 vaki thv frothi. 
 vaki thv frothi 
 (Cf thv lilytha viU 
 
 The earth bites our feet beneath, 
 and tJie cold above ; 
 we drive an enemy's Quern ; 
 sad is it at Frothi's [house] ! 
 
 Hands shall rest ; 
 the stone must stand ; 
 I've ground for my part 
 with diligence." 
 
 " Now must not to bandit 
 rest well be given, 
 till enough ground 
 Frothi thinks. 
 
 Hands of men shall 
 harden (temper) swords, 
 blood-dropping weapons." 
 
 JFenia. 
 
 " Awake thou, Frothi ! 
 Awake thou, Frothi ! 
 If thou wilt listen to 
 3 K
 
 442 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 savngom ockrom 
 oc savgom fornom. 
 
 Eld se ec brenna 
 fyrir avstan borg. 
 vigspiavU vaka 
 that mvn viti kallathr. 
 mvn herr koma 
 hinnig at bragthi 
 oc brenna bae 
 fyri bvthlvngi. 
 
 Mvnnatv halda 
 hieithrar stoli 
 ravthom hringom 
 ne regingri&ti. 
 tavkom a mavndli 
 niEEr skarpara. 
 eroma vafhar 
 i valdreyra. 
 
 M61 mins favthvr 
 maer ramliga 
 thviat hon feigth fira 
 fiolmargra sa. 
 stvkko storar 
 stethor fra Ivthri 
 jarnar fiarthar. 
 molom enn framai-r. 
 
 Molom enn framarr 
 mon yrsv sonr 
 nilh halfdana 
 hefna frotha. 
 
 our song, 
 
 and prophetic sayings. 
 
 I see fire burn 
 
 east of the town ; 
 
 the war heralds wake; 
 
 it must be called the beacon. 
 
 An army must come 
 
 hither forthwith^ 
 
 and burn the town 
 
 for the prince. 
 
 Thou must no more hold 
 the throne of state, 
 nor red rings, 
 nor stone {loyal) edifice. 
 Let us drive the Quern, 
 maiden, more sharply ! 
 We shall not be armed 
 in the bloody fray." 
 
 90enia« 
 
 *« My father's daughter 
 ground more furiously, 
 because the near deaths she 
 of many men saw. 
 Wide sprung the large 
 prop (from the quern-eye) 
 of iron to a distance. — 
 Yet let us grind on !" 
 
 iFenia. 
 
 " Yet let us grind on ! 
 Yrsu's son must 
 with the Kalfdani 
 revenge Forthi.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 US 
 
 sa mvn hennar 
 heitinn vertlia 
 bvrr oc brothir. 
 vitom bathar that. 
 
 So must he of his [mother ] 
 
 be called 
 
 son and lirother ; — 
 
 we both know that." 
 
 M6I0 meyiai- 
 megins kostotho 
 voro vngar i 
 iotvnmothi. 
 skvlfo skaptre 
 skavtz Ivthi- ofan 
 hravt hinn havfgi 
 hallr svndvr i tvav. 
 
 The maidens ground, 
 
 and bestowed their strength. 
 
 The young women were in 
 
 ettin mood. 
 
 The spindle flew wide ; 
 
 the hopper fell off; 
 
 burst the heavy 
 
 nether millstone in two ! 
 
 En bergrisa 
 brvthvr orth vm qvath. 
 malit havfom frothi 
 senn mvnom haetta. 
 hafa fvllstathit 
 fiioth at meldri. 
 
 But the mountain giantess 
 
 woman these words said : 
 
 " We have ground, Fortiii ! 
 
 Now must we finish. 
 
 Full long stood 
 
 we maidens at the grinding."
 
 £ 444 3 
 
 THE SONG OF KING ERIC. 
 
 Rig, (Rich) or Eric, the second, who ruled in Scandia about the 
 end of the second century, is the hero of the following piece, which 
 is supposed to be a production of the seventh or eighth century. Tliis 
 Rig, or Eric, is said to have been the first of the Goths in Scandia who 
 assumed the denomination of Kong (king,) his predecessors having 
 been styled Diar, or Drottnar, that is, chiefs, or lords. He was like- 
 wise the first who divided his subjects into the three distinct classes of" 
 Nobles, Husbandmen, and Slaves, distinguishing precisely the rights 
 and privileges of each ; and upon this foundation, the following allegori- 
 cal poem was constructed. The fiction is exceedingly simple, being 
 no more than a personification of the different orders of society, and 
 making them the children of King Rig ; but this simplicity in the de- 
 sign, and the plain and unambitious manner in which the story is told, 
 constitute the principal excellence of the piece, which is certainly, so 
 far as it goes, one of the most curious and interesting " manners-paint- 
 ing strains" that have been preserved, not even excepting the Odyssey 
 of Homer. On this account, it is deserving of much more attention, 
 in a historical point of view, than it has hitherto met with, as it gives 
 us, in a few short lines, a complete picture of the manners, dress, edu- 
 cation, pursuits, and habits of life, of our Northern forefathers, up- 
 wards of a thousand years ago. Of the fidelity of the outline there 
 can be no doubt, as the Scald (if he deserves that name) has painted 
 
 8
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 445 
 
 from nature, and given us the manners of his own time j and the bald- 
 ness of the execution is the best warrant for the accuracy of his deli- 
 neations. Those who are acquainted with the present state of the 
 lower class of Scotish Highlanders, will be surprised to find their 
 out-of-doors and fire-side scenes so minutely described by a Scandina- 
 vian poet of the seventh or eighth century. 
 
 The following copy is no more than a reprint of that which was edi- 
 ted at the university of Lund, in Sweden, in 1801, by Emanuel Wen- 
 ster. It was only a College Exercise ; but the imprimatur of the learn- 
 ed President, Professor Sjoborg, (to whom I am indebted for my copy) 
 is sufficient security for its accuracy.
 
 [ 446 ] 
 
 3Rig0^i^al 
 
 CARMEN DE ERICO. 
 
 Svo segia men i fornuin siigum ad Narratur in antiquis fabulis unus fi- 
 einhver af Asum, saer Heimdallrhiet, liorum Odini, qui Heimdallr dictus est, 
 for ferdar sinai' oc fram med siafar constitutum iter ingressus, ad littus quod- 
 strondu nockri oc nefhedist Rigr. Ef- dam pervenisse, et appellatus fiiisse Rigr. 
 tir saugu theirri er kvaedi thetta : Ex hac narratione hoc compositum est 
 
 carmen : 
 
 Ar quadu ganga 
 grsenar brautir 
 aflgann oc alsaeminn 
 As' kunnigann 
 romann oc roskvan 
 Rig stiganda. 
 
 Olim profectus est 
 virentibus viis 
 fortis et grand«vus 
 multiscius As, 
 robustus iUe et alacer 
 progrediens Rig. 
 
 Geek hann meir at that 
 midrar brautar 
 kom hann at husi 
 hurd var k gaetti 
 inn vann ad ganga 
 eUdr (i g6Ifi^ 
 
 Ultra procedens 
 media via, 
 adiit domum ; 
 subpatente janua, 
 statim ingressus est.- 
 In paviniento ignis. 
 
 ' Odinus divus et Asiaticus, omnesque ab eo oriundi As dicti sunt. 
 ^ Focus enim (sicttl et nunc etiam apud Scotomuntanos plerumque maris est,) in medio 
 pavimenti erat, et fumus per foramen, quod in culmine tecti t'uit, transiit.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 4.4.7 
 
 Hion sfitu tliar 
 haurd af earne 
 Ai oc Edda" 
 alldin fallda. 
 
 Sederunt hie conjugcs, 
 diirati laboribus, 
 Ai et Edda, 
 veteri vestitu. 
 
 Rigr kunni theim 
 rad at segia' 
 meir settizt hann 
 midra fletia 
 enn a hlid hvara 
 hion salkynna. 
 
 Tha tok Edda 
 okunn leif ^ 
 
 thungann oc thyckvann 
 thrunginn sadiim. 
 
 Bar hon meir at that 
 midra skutia 
 sod var i bolla 
 sette a biod 
 war kalfr sodimi 
 kr^sa beztr. 
 
 Reis han upp thadan 
 reidzt at sofna 
 Rigr kunni theim 
 rad at segia 
 meir lagdizt hann 
 midrar reckiu 
 enn a hlid hvara 
 hion salkynna. 
 
 His potuit Rigr 
 dare consilia; 
 ipse insedit 
 medio scamno : 
 ad utrumque latus 
 familia domus. 
 
 Protulit turn Edda 
 conspersuni cinere paneni 
 ponderosum et crassum, 
 plenum furfuribus. 
 
 Plura quoque apposuit 
 media mensa ; 
 vas jure repletum 
 admotum fuit, 
 elixus vitulus, 
 deliciae epularum. 
 
 Hinc surrexit, 
 dormire cupiens. 
 Rigr lis potuit 
 dare consilia ; 
 procubuit autem 
 medio lecto : 
 ad utrumque latus 
 familia domus. 
 
 * Proavus et Proavia. 
 
 * Id enim temporis nobilissimi, omnium sapientissimi et insimul litteratissimi fuerunt. 
 
 * Nam in cinere et prunis coctus fuit. Describitur scilicet conditio et fortuna horainur 
 infimi generis.
 
 U8 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Thar var hann at that 
 thriar naettr sanian 
 geek hann meii' at that 
 midrar brautar 
 lidu meir at that 
 manudir nio. 
 
 Ibi moratus est 
 
 tres noctes continuas; 
 
 Inde profectus est 
 
 media via. 
 
 Post haec absoluti 
 
 menses novem. 
 
 J6d 61 Edda 
 j6su vatni ' 
 horvi svartann 
 hietu Thrffil* 
 ban nam at vaxa 
 oc vel at dafha. 
 
 Fiiium Edda peperit, 
 quem baptizarunt : 
 cute nigra fuit; 
 Rictus est Threel ; 
 cito crevit, 
 optime valens. 
 
 War thar a hondum 
 hi'ockinskinni 
 kropner kniiar 
 fingur digrir 
 fulh'gt andlit. 
 lotr hrygr 
 langir hselar. 
 
 Manuum fuit 
 rugosa cutis, 
 lapsae genae, 
 digiti crassi, 
 vultus torvus, 
 dorsum curvum, 
 calces longse. 
 
 Nam hann meir at that 
 raagns urn kosta 
 bast ad binda 
 byrdar giorva 
 bar ban heim ad that 
 hris giorstann dag. 
 
 Tempore didicit 
 robore niti, 
 philyras nectere, 
 et fasces componere, 
 deinde virgas domum 
 tulit quotidie. 
 
 Thar kom ad gardi 
 
 gengilbeina 
 
 or var a ilium 
 
 Ad villam venit 
 ambulando ilia, 
 quae in manibus cicatrices, 
 
 ' Multo ante acceptam Religionera Christianam, moris majorum fuit, ut aquam infantt- 
 bus die lustrico superfundcrent, nominaque dicerent. V. Ragnar Lodbroks Saga, p. 15, 
 Suhm, 1. c p. 243, 279. Lagerbring, 1, c. p. 446. 
 
 ' Servus; Ang. thrall.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 4:4:9 
 
 armr solbruiininn 
 nidrbiugt var nef 
 oc nefhidzt Thye. ' 
 
 Midra fletia 
 meir settizt hon 
 sat Ilia hcnni 
 sonr huss 
 rasddu oc ryndu 
 reckiu giijrdu 
 Thraell oc Thye 
 thrungin da^gr. 
 
 fuscatum bracliium, 
 nasuuique coUisum habens, 
 appellata fuit Thye. 
 
 Medio scamno 
 
 se locavit, 
 
 ct juxta assedit 
 
 filius domus. 
 
 Loquebantur et confabulabantur, 
 
 lectum parantes, 
 
 Thrajl et Thye, 
 
 diebus profestis. 
 
 Baurn 61u thau 
 biuggu oc undu 
 hygg ec heti 
 Hrcimr oc Fiosnir 
 Klur oc Kloggr 
 Kefser Fulner 
 Drottr oc Digralldi 
 Drumbr oc Hosnir 
 Lutr Leggialdi.* 
 
 Suis rebus content! 
 
 domos edificariuit et liberos genuerunt, 
 
 quos credo vocatos 
 
 Hreimarus et Fiosnir 
 
 Klur et Kloggr 
 
 Kefser, Fulner, 
 
 Drottr et DigraOdi, 
 
 Drumbr et Hosnir, 
 
 Lutr, Leggialdi. 
 
 Logdu garda 
 akra toddu 
 unnu at svinum 
 geita gaettu 
 oc grofu torf. 
 
 Saepibus segetes cingebant, 
 agros obliniabant, 
 sues nutriebant, 
 capras custodiebant, 
 et cespites effodiebant. 
 
 Daetur voro thaer 
 Dumba oc Kumba 
 Oekkvinkalfa 
 
 Filife fuerunt 
 Dumba et Kumba, 
 Oekkvinkalfa 
 
 ' Serva ; A7ig. a female doer, worker, or labourer, 
 
 ' Qua; omnia nomina varia servorum negotia et proprietates indicabuot, q. d. gelu pei- 
 ferens; stabulaiius, bubulcus; servus ; oppletus; onustus; corpulentus; tardeprogrediens; 
 dorsi inilexi ; ad iuipositiouem aptissimus. 
 
 3 L
 
 450 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 oc Arinn-nefia 
 Ysia oc Ambatt 
 Eikin-tiasna 
 Tortrug Hypia 
 oc Tronubenia' 
 tbadan eiu koninar 
 thraela settir. 
 
 et Arinn-nefia, 
 Ysia et Ambatt, 
 Eikin-tiasna, 
 Tortrug, Hypia, 
 et Tronubcnia : 
 hinc origo 
 prosapiee servorura. 
 
 Geek Rigr at that 
 midrar brautir 
 kom ban at husi 
 burd var a gaetti 
 inn nam ad ganga 
 elldr var a golfi 
 bion sato tbar 
 belldii a syslu. 
 
 Rigr procedebat 
 media via, 
 domum adiit, 
 subpatuit janua, 
 hie statim ingressus est. 
 Ignis erat in pavimento : 
 sederunt hie conjuges, 
 negotiis district!. 
 
 Madr telgdi tliar 
 meid til rifiar 
 var skegg skapat 
 skaur var fyri enni 
 skyrtu throngva 
 smockr a halsi. 
 
 Maritus hie lignum 
 machine textoriae paravit, 
 barba ei pexa fuit, 
 et a fronte capilli, 
 arctumque indusium, 
 ad collum patens. 
 
 Sat thar kona 
 oc sveigdi rock 
 breide fadm 
 bio til vadar 
 sveiar var a hofdi 
 smockr var a bringu 
 duckr var a halsi 
 dvergar k oxlum 
 
 Uxor hie sedebat 
 et colo nevit, 
 extenso brachio, 
 fila ad vestes paravit, 
 cacumen pilorum caput tegebat, 
 sub colobio pectora subpatebant^ 
 focalc collum circumdabat, 
 ad humeros fibulae. 
 
 • Muta ; mcmbro laesa ; irrisa ; nasum aduncum habens ; immodesta ; domestica ; cir- 
 cumvincta; ponderosa et molesta trua, lasciva; cicatricosa.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 45J 
 
 Afi oc Amma • 
 attu hus. 
 
 Rigi- kunnl iheim 
 rad ad seggia 
 reis fra bordi 
 red at sofna 
 meir lagdist liann 
 midrar reckiu 
 en a hlid hvara 
 hi6n salkynna. 
 
 Thar var hann at that 
 thriar naetur saman 
 lidu meir at that 
 manudir nio 
 j6d 61 Amma 
 j6su vatni 
 koUuduKarP 
 kona sveip ripti 
 raudann oc riodann 
 ridudu raudu.' 
 
 Han nam at vaxa 
 oc vel at dafna 
 bxn nam at temia 
 ardr at giorva 
 h<is at timbra 
 hladur at smida 
 kai'ta at giorfa 
 oc keyra plug. 
 
 Afi et Emma 
 domum possidebant. 
 
 His Rigr potuit 
 optima suaderc ; 
 mensa surrexit, 
 cupiens dormire : 
 ilie ciibuit 
 in medio lecto : 
 et ad utrumque latus 
 familia domus, 
 
 Ibi cunctatus est 
 
 tres noctes continuas, 
 
 post haec completis 
 
 mensibus novem 
 
 fihum Amma peperit, 
 
 quem baptizatum 
 
 Karl vocarunt, 
 
 materque linteo involvil : 
 
 crines erant rubri, rubicunda; genas, 
 
 et arguti oculi. 
 
 Cito crevit, 
 
 optime vigens ; 
 
 boves didicit mansuefacere, 
 
 aratra fabricare, 
 
 domos edificare, 
 
 horrea struere, 
 
 currus parare, 
 
 et aratro terram vertere. 
 
 • Avus et Avia. 
 
 * Homo plebeius, rusticus, fundi possessor. 
 » Eximise pulchritudinis insignia.
 
 452 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Heim 6ku tha 
 hangin-luklu 
 geita-kyrtlu 
 oc giptu karli 
 Snor' heitir su 
 settizt undir ripti 
 
 Domum duxerunt 
 
 claves sonantes portanteni, 
 
 pellibus caprinis indutam, virginem, 
 
 eamque Karl nuptam dederunt : 
 
 appellata fuit Snbr, 
 
 et sedebat sub linteo. 
 
 Biuggu hlon 
 oc bauga deildu 
 breiddu blaeiur 
 oc bii gitirdu 
 baurn olu thau 
 binggu oc vndu. 
 
 Connubio jungebantur, 
 annulos permutabant, 
 lodices sternebant, 
 et domum adornabant, 
 liberos gignebant, 
 et laeti oedificabant. 
 
 Heit Hair oc Dreingr 
 Haulldr Thean Smidr 
 Breidr Bondi 
 Bundin-skeggi 
 Bui oc Boddi 
 Brattskeggr oc Seggr.* 
 
 Dicti fuerunt liberi Hair et Dreingr, 
 
 Haulldr, Thegn, Smidr, 
 
 Breidr, Bondi, 
 
 Bundinskeggi, 
 
 Bui et Boddi, 
 
 Brattskeggr et Seggr, 
 
 Enn hetu svo 
 Audrum nijfnum 
 Snot Brudr Svanni 
 Svarri oc Sprakki 
 Fliodj Sprund oc Vif 
 Feima, Ristill 
 thadan cru komnar 
 karla ^ttir. 
 
 Aliis quoque 
 
 appellati fuerunt nominibus. 
 
 Snot, Brudr, Svanni 
 
 Svarri et Sprakki, 
 
 Fiiod, Sprund et Vif, 
 
 Feima, Ristill : 
 
 hinc ori"o 
 
 prosapia? rusticorum.' 
 
 ' Snort pro sneri, neo, plecto. 
 
 * Vir; subditus; miles; dominus ; faber; liumerosus; lierus ; vinctnm culfamqiic bar- 
 bam habens; colonus ; incola, vel fundi possessor; cui barba proniinet; qui gladin aima- 
 tus est. 
 
 5 Sagax; sponsa ; Candida (cygni instar ;) magnifica; loquax ; blandiens ; saliens ; pu- 
 ella; hilaris; incavata vel sculpta.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 453 
 
 Geek Rjgr thadan 
 rettar brautir 
 kom lian at sal 
 sudr horfdu dyr ' 
 var hiird hnigin 
 hringr var i gaetti. 
 
 Hlnc Rigr abiit 
 
 recta via, 
 
 ad atrium venit, 
 
 versus austrum 
 
 subpatuit janua, 
 
 habens annuiuin [ansam.) 
 
 Geek hann in at that 
 g61f var str6,ad 
 s&tu hion 
 ski i augu 
 Fadir oc Modir 
 fingrum at leika. 
 
 Mox irrupit; 
 
 pavimentum erat stramine velatum, 
 
 conjuges sedebant 
 
 seque invicem intuebantur. 
 
 Pater et Mater, 
 
 digitis ludentes. 
 
 Sat bus gumi 
 oc snerrc streing 
 aim of bendi 
 brvar skepti 
 enn buss kona 
 hugdi at ormum 
 strauk of ripti 
 strekti ermar. 
 
 Paterfamilias sedens 
 funes torquebat, 
 arcum ulmeum tendebat, 
 et manubria telis parabat, 
 sed Materfamilias 
 brachia inspiciebat, 
 linteum levigabat, 
 et amylo manicas polibat. 
 
 Keiste falld 
 ringa var a bringu' 
 sidar slaedur 
 ser bliifaan 
 brun biertare 
 briost liosare 
 hals hvitari 
 hreinni miollu. 
 
 Electa sedebat, 
 in pectore annuli, 
 syrma erat promissum, 
 indusium coeruleum, 
 crines fuerunt pulchriores, 
 pectu3 candidius, 
 et colium magis album 
 purissima nive. 
 
 ' Et domicilia majorum et sepulcra, immo tempia, ostia habuerunt vel orientem spectan- 
 tia, vel saltern soletn versus, dum cursum flectit ad meridiem. 
 
 * Rijig hoc loco ornamentum quoddam lunatum indicat, simile forsan fibulis pectoralibus 
 puellarum nostrarum Scanensium.
 
 454 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Rigr kunni theim 
 rad at seggia 
 meir settizt hann 
 midra fleita 
 en a hlid hvara 
 hion salkynna. 
 
 His Rigr potuit 
 
 dare consilia, 
 
 se locavit 
 
 medio scamno, 
 
 et ad utrumque latus 
 
 familia domus. 
 
 Tha tok Modir 
 inerktann duk 
 hvitann af hiirvi 
 oc huldi biud 
 hon tok at that 
 hleifa thunna 
 hvita af hveiti 
 oc huldi duk 
 
 Proferens turn Mater, 
 
 majDpam pictura textili ornatam^ 
 
 candidam et hnteam, ' 
 
 mensamque stravit 
 
 deinde sumpsit 
 
 tenues placentas, 
 
 tritico albentes, 
 
 quibus mappam velabat. 
 
 Framsetti hon 
 fiiUa skutla 
 silfri varda ti bi&d 
 fan oc fleski 
 fugla skeita 
 vin var i konnu 
 vardir kalkar 
 drucku oc daemdu 
 dagr var a sinnum 
 Rigr kunni theim 
 rad at segia. 
 
 Apposuit mensa 
 
 rcpletas patinas, 
 
 argenteis laminis obductas, 
 
 fruges et lardum, 
 
 aves assas, 
 
 in cantharo vinum, 
 
 laminis obducta erant pocula, 
 
 potabant et fabulabantur 
 
 ad scram vesperam ; 
 
 Hos Rigr novit 
 
 optima monere. 
 
 Reis Rigr at that 
 
 reckiu mordi 
 
 thar var hann at that 
 
 Turn Rigr surrexit, 
 sternebatur autem lectus, 
 liic ille cunctatus est 
 
 ■ The Swedes of the present day excel perhaps all other nations in the art of bleaching 
 and washing their linen, which is beautiful. This love of white linen is a very old CJothic 
 virtue, which I fear makes a striking feature of distinction between the Goths and Celts. 
 Of all the Greeks, the Thessalians retained most traces of their Gothic origin; and the 
 love of fine linen among the rest. 
 
 6
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 4-.5S 
 
 tbrlar naetr saman 
 geek hann mcir at that 
 midrar brautar 
 lidu meir at that 
 manudir nio 
 
 tres noctes continuas, 
 deinde abiit 
 media via : 
 transact! fuerunt 
 menses novem. 
 
 Svein 61 Modir 
 silki vafdi 
 j&su vatni 
 Jarl letu heita.« 
 bleilit var har 
 enn biartai- vangar 
 otul voru augu 
 sem iyrmlingi. 
 
 Filium nobilem Modir pcpcrit, 
 quem serico involvit, 
 quemque baptizatum 
 Jarl vocarunt, 
 crines candicantes, 
 genae albae, 
 oculi ardentes, 
 quales serpentum. 
 
 Upp 6x thar 
 Jarl k fletium 
 lind nam at skelfa 
 leggia k streingi 
 dim at beygra 
 orvar at skepta 
 fleini att fleygia 
 frockur at dyia 
 hestum rida 
 hundum verpa 
 sverdum bregda^ 
 sund at fremia. 
 
 Accrevit 
 
 Jarl domi, 
 
 tilias quatere discens, 
 
 aptare sagittas nervo, 
 
 ulmos flectere, 
 
 manubria telis parare, 
 
 hastas jacere, 
 
 lanceas trajicere, 
 
 equo vehi 
 
 canes ad venandum instituere, 
 
 gladium vibrare, 
 
 natationibus uti. 
 
 Kom thar at ranni 
 Rigr gangandi 
 Rigr gangandi 
 runar kenndi 
 sitt gaf heiti 
 son kvedzt eiga. 
 
 Venit ad domum 
 Rigr pedibus, 
 Rigr pedibus, 
 runas eum docuit, 
 promissaque fecit, 
 eumque suscepit. 
 
 ' Jarl, equestris dignitas, comes, vir apud plebera honoratior, praetor.
 
 456 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Thann bad hann eignatzt 
 
 odal villi 11 
 
 odal vollu 
 
 oc alldnar bygdir. 
 
 Reid ban meir tliadan 
 niyrkvann veg 
 heilug fiijll 
 vnz at hollo kom 
 skapt nam at dyia 
 skelfdi lind 
 hesti hleypti 
 oc hiovi bra. 
 
 Vig nam at vekia 
 voU nam at rioda 
 val nam at fella 
 va til landa. 
 
 Eum possidere jussit 
 avitos agros, 
 avitos agros 
 et antiqua rura. 
 
 Hinc equo vectus [Jarl) 
 tenebrosa via 
 ad pruinosa juga, 
 suumque venit ad atrium, 
 hastam protendere discens, 
 tilias concussit, 
 equos domuit, 
 gladiumque gessit. 
 
 Aggressus est caedem quaerere, 
 campos sanguine iiificere, 
 strages facei'e, 
 et in terras invadere. 
 
 Red hann einn at that 
 4tian buvm 
 aud nam skipta 
 (Ilium veita 
 meidma oc mosma ■ 
 mara svangi-ifia 
 hringum hreytti 
 hio sundr bang. 
 
 Postea solus tuitus est 
 decern et octo praedia, 
 divitias suas divisit, 
 omnibus largiendo 
 cimelia et munera, 
 equos pingues, 
 annulos nitidos, 
 aureosque circulos secuit. 
 
 Oku maerir 
 vrgar brautir 
 komu at hoUu 
 thar ed Hersir * bio 
 
 Illustres viri curru vecti 
 
 sordidis viis 
 
 ad atrium venerunt, 
 
 in quo Hersir habitabat. 
 
 ' Many of these massy rings of gold are preserved in the North, some of them having 
 smaller rings hanging on tliem. Tlicse were used as money, and given, cither whole or 
 in parts, as presents, or for other purposes. See the Ballad of " Lady Grimiid's Wrack'' 
 in this collection. 
 
 * Hersir, liber bare, provinciae praefectus.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 457 
 
 nisetti han 
 miofiu garde 
 hvitri oc hoskvi 
 hetu Erna.* 
 
 cui se obtulit 
 teiiui corpore 
 Candida, pulchra virgo 
 appcllata Erna. 
 
 Badu hennar 
 ok heim 6ku 
 giptu Jarli 
 gek hun vnd line ' 
 soman biuggu than 
 oc ser undii 
 aettir joku 
 oc alldrs nutu. 
 
 lilam exorarunt, 
 domuniquc revertentes, 
 Jarl nuptum dederunt, 
 ilia vero sub linteo incessit, 
 sic cohabitarunt 
 mutuo se amantes, 
 et stirpem propagarunt, 
 vita fruentes. 
 
 Bur' var hinn ellzti 
 enn barn annat 
 J6d oc Adal 
 Arfi, Mogr 
 Nidr oc Nidiungr 
 namu leika 
 Sonr oc Sveinn 
 sund oc tafl 
 Kundr bet einn 
 Konr var hinn yngsti.* 
 
 Bur natu fuit maximus^ 
 
 et liberi huic proximi 
 
 Jod et Adal 
 
 Arfi, Mogr, 
 
 Nidr et Nidiungr 
 
 Sonr et Svein 
 
 natare didicerunt 
 
 et latrunculis ludere, 
 
 Unus ex filiis Kundr dictus est, 
 
 Konr erat natu minimus. 
 
 Upp 6xu thar 
 Jarli bomir 
 hesta tbmdu 
 hlifar bendu 
 
 Educatl domi sunt 
 Jarli filii, 
 equos domuerunt, 
 clypeos fabricarunt, 
 
 ■ Aquila. 
 
 * Umbraculis linteis vel sericis, pell dictis, nostro quoque tempore, dum perageretur 
 consecratio nuptialis, vsi sunt, antiquum obtinentes, rustici. 
 
 5 Bur, partus, foetus, filius, puer. Proprie nomen Patris Odini. 
 
 ♦ Infans ; nobilis ; heres ; robustus juvenis ; filius ; nepos ; adolescens ; cognatus ; coq- 
 sanguineus. 
 
 3 M
 
 458 
 
 skeyti skofa 
 skelfdu aska. 
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 vaginas formarunt, 
 arbores dejecerunt. 
 
 Enn Konr vngr 
 kunni runar 
 aefinn runar 
 oc alldr runar* 
 meir kunni hann 
 mijnnum biarga 
 eggiar deyfa 
 elldi at laegia. 
 
 Et Konr natu minimus 
 novit runas 
 antiquas runas, 
 €t sui temporis runas, 
 ilie quoque potuit 
 herolbus opem ferre, 
 acies liebetare, 
 incendia extinguere. 
 
 Kliik nam fugla' 
 kyrra elda 
 saeva oc svefia 
 sorgir Isegia 
 afl hafdi oc eliun 
 atta mana.^ 
 
 Intellexit quid garriant aves, 
 potuit ignem restinguere, 
 fluctus compescere, 
 dolores lenire: 
 robur et vires habuit 
 octo virorum. 
 
 Hann vid Rig Jarl 
 runar deildi 
 brogdum beitti 
 oc betr kunni 
 tha odladist oc 
 tha eiga gat 
 Rigr* at heita 
 runar kunna. 
 
 Rigr cum Jarl 
 
 runas divisit, 
 
 et doctrina certavit ; 
 
 sed plurcs artes edoctus, vicit 
 
 divitiis quoque abundavit> 
 
 ex quo factum est 
 
 ut appellaretur Rigr, 
 
 et runarum peritus. 
 
 Reid konr vngr 
 kiorr oc skoga 
 kolfi fleigdi 
 kyrdi fiigla 
 
 Konr junior equo vectus 
 ad paludes sylvasque 
 tela emittebat, 
 avesque domitabat, 
 
 ' Itaque vel id temporis plura runarum genera fuerunt. 
 
 * Non do auspicialibus solum, sed de nuntiis etiam et premonentibus avibus loquitur. 
 
 3 Eadem miracula Yngliaga Saga cnumerat, C. 7, de artibus Odini magicis. 
 
 « That is, Rich.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 459 
 
 tha quad that kraka ein 
 sat quisti a : 
 
 Hvat skalltu Konr vngr 
 kyrra fugla 
 helldr maettu thier 
 hestum rida 
 oc her fella. 
 
 As Danr oc Danpr 
 dyrar hallir 
 aedri odul 
 en thier hafit 
 their kunno vel 
 kiol at rida 
 egg at kienna 
 vndir ri6fa. 
 
 turn cecinit comix, 
 ramo supersedens : 
 
 " Cur cupis, Konr juvenis, 
 
 aves domare? 
 
 te magis deceret 
 
 equis vehi 
 
 et exercitus prostcrnere. 
 
 Danr et Danpr 
 pretiosa atria, 
 et tuis meliores 
 haereditates possident, 
 et bene norunt 
 navibus vehi, 
 acies tentarc, 
 vulneraque faccrc."
 
 [ 460 ] 
 
 L I B U S S A, 
 
 THE PRINCE'S TABLE; 
 
 A BOHEMIAN TALE. 
 
 Those who wish to know more of this beautifully romantic and poe- 
 tical, historical, and moral tale of Pagan times, may consult Herder's 
 " Volkslieder," vol. iii. ; the third volume of " Die Deutchen Volks- 
 m^rchen," by Mus^eus, where it is very agreeably amplified ; Ha- 
 geck's " Boehmische Chronik," near the beginning, referred to by 
 Herder, but which I have not seen ; " Jo. Dubravii Olmutzensis 
 Episcopi Historia Bohemica, ab origin e gen tis, &c. Hanoviae, 1602," 
 and " ^nea2 Sylvii Historia Bohemica," in the works of that learned 
 prelate, (afterwards Pope Pius the Second) printed at Basil, in 1551 ; 
 and " Stranskii Respublica Bohemia;, Elzev. 1634." 
 
 The narrative of the good Bishop of Olmutz is given in the true 
 spirit of faitliful and ingenuous credulity, and is extremely curious and 
 interesting. It differs from the poetical legend only in entering more 
 fully into detail. In the liands of the more judicious ^neas Sylvius, 
 it assumes a more dignified and classical, but perhaps to readers of 
 such a work as this, a less engaging form. Both, however, have made 
 3
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 461 
 
 use of the same materials, although the latter has been more fastidi- 
 ously scrupulous. 
 
 As to the translation, strict fidelity, and a plain, unambitious, and 
 characteristic simplicity, is all that has been aimed at : 
 
 " Descriptas servare vices, operumque labores." 
 
 HoR. de A. P. L 86.
 
 [ 462 ) 
 
 LIBUSSA, OR THE PRINCE'S TABLE: 
 
 BOHEMIAN TALE. 
 
 Who is that Lady on the green wold sitting 
 Amid twelve noble Chieftains ? 'Tis Libussa, 
 'Tis the wise daughter of the prudent Kroko, 
 Boehmia's Princess, sits, and thinks and judges. 
 
 Even now sharp sentence on the wealthy Rotzan 
 Has she awarded. Fierce in wrath he rises, 
 And thrice the'ground strikes with his spear, exclaiming 
 
 " Woe to us Boehmians ! Woe to us bold warriours ! 
 Thus by a woman to be rul'd and cozen'd; 
 A long-hair'd woman, with short understanding ! 
 Death — Death were better than a female ruler !" 
 This heard Libussa : deep in her still bosom 
 Sank the harsh words ; fof an indulgent mother 
 To all the land, and friend to justice ever 
 Was she; yet kindly thus she answer'd, smiling :
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. idS 
 
 " Woe to you then, yc Ba-hmians, ye bold warriours, 
 Thus rul'd and cherish'd by a gentle Woman ; 
 A Man henceforth shall ye have for a Ruler, 
 The Dove shall to the Eagle yield the sceptre !" 
 
 Serene and beautiful in anger rose she : 
 
 " To-morrow, when again we meet, — to-morrow 
 
 Your wish shall be accomplish' d." 
 
 All in silence, 
 Awe-struck, and sore abash'd remain'd before her, 
 And felt how ill-requited were her wisdom. 
 Her truth, and mother's love. — But she had spoken. 
 And all new-fangled parted, every fancy 
 But on the morro^M; and their Prince now dwelling. 
 
 Long, to Libussa's hand and throne aspiring. 
 With gay attire and courtly adulation, 
 And proud parade of herds and rich possessions, 
 Had many a Magnate woo'd her. 3ut Libussa 
 For wealth or splendour, hand nor throne will barter. 
 Whom will she choose ? In anxious care the nobles 
 All pass'd the sleepless night, hoping the morrow. 
 
 The morrow comes. The prescient Libussa, 
 Reckless of sleep or slumber, takes her journey 
 All lonely to the high and holy moimtain ; 
 There to the Goddess Klimba prays : The Goddess 
 Hears, and discloses thus the rich futurity. 
 
 " Up, up, Libussa ! quick from hence descending, 
 Behind the mountain, on the banks of Bila, 
 Thy snow-white steed shall find the Prince, thy Husband, 
 Where now, with two white steers industrious ploughing.
 
 464. ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 The goad, the emblem of his stem, he holdeth, 
 And eats his viands from an Iron Table. 
 Haste, daughter, haste ! The hour of Fate is hasting ! 
 The Goddess ended ; and Libussa hasted, 
 Conveen'd her Bcchmians, on the earth low laying 
 Her crown, and thus address'd them : 
 
 " Up, ye Boehmians ! 
 Up, ye bold warriours ! Tliere, behind the mountain^ 
 On Bila's banks, my snow-white steed shall find him ; 
 The Prince, my Husband, and my Offspring's Father, 
 Where now with two white steers he ploughs industrious. 
 The goad, the emblem of his stem, he holdeth, 
 And eats his viands from an Iron Table : 
 Haste, children, haste ! The hour of Fate is hasting !" 
 
 And they did haste, and took the Crown and Mantle, 
 The steed, swift as the wind, before them running. 
 And the white eagle hovering stately o'er them. 
 Till on the Bila's banks, beyond the mountain, 
 Still stood the steed, upon a peasant neighing 
 That in his field was ploughing. Struck with wonder 
 Stood all ; while he strode onward, inly musing, 
 Eager and anxious, with his white steers ploughing. 
 In his right hand a wither'd goad-staff holding. 
 
 With friendly salutation loud they greet him : 
 He, his white steers more keenly urging, hears not. 
 " Hail, stranger, darling of the Gods ! our Ruler!" 
 And they approach him, round his shoulders throwing 
 The Mantle, and the Crown on his head setting. 
 ■■' O had ye, sapient, let me end my labour. 
 And p ough my field out, nothing it had injur'd 
 Your kingdom I — But the hour of Fate is flying !
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 465 
 
 The goad-staff in the earth anon he planted ; 
 The snow-white steers he fi'om the yolce unloosed : 
 
 " Go where ye came from !" Through the air ascending 
 
 Soar'd the white steers, and in the neighbouring mountain 
 
 Entering, vanish'd, and the mountain closed ; 
 
 And where it clos'd, a muddy torrent issued 
 
 Of water, and still issues ; and the goad-staff 
 
 Green from the earth, in three fair branches parting, 
 
 Luxuriant rose, and beautiful ! Amazement 
 
 Chain'd every tongue ; when Przemysl the Thoughtful 
 
 (Such was his name) anon the plough up-turning. 
 
 And from his scrip his homely dinner drawing 
 
 Of bread and cheese, upon the plough-share laid it. 
 
 Low on the sward with courteous cheer he set them : 
 
 " Approach, and share the cates your prince provides ye !" 
 
 And they, astonish'd at the true fulfilment 
 
 Of Fate's prediction, saw the Iron Table, 
 
 And goad green-flourishing ; when lo ! a wonder ! 
 
 Two of the stately branches straight were blasted. 
 
 And the third blossomed. They with amazement 
 
 Broke silence, and the plougher thus address'd them : 
 
 " Cease, cease, my friends, your wonder ! There before ye 
 
 Is of my royal house the stem that blossoms. 
 
 Many shall seek to wear the crown, and wither. 
 
 And one alone with royal honours flourish." 
 
 " But wherefore is that Table strange of Iron ?" 
 " And wot ye not what table 'tis a monarch 
 Must ever cat from ? Iron is it; iron ; 
 And ye the steers that plough to earn him viands !" 
 " But why so eager was our prince in ploughing ? 
 
 Why griev'd he that the field had not been ended i" 
 
 3 N
 
 466 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 " O had it ended been ! Had wise Libussa 
 
 But later sent ye to me ! So 'twas destin'd, 
 
 Rich fruit and plenty never in your kingdom 
 
 Had fail'd. — But now my steers are in the mountain !" 
 
 Then graceful rising, on the white steed mounted. 
 That paws, curvetts, and prances in proud triumph. 
 His sandals of the linden bark were plaited, 
 And his own hand with simple bast had sew'd them. 
 And on his feet they put the royal buskin : 
 " O leave me," said the prince on the white charger, 
 " My sandals of the linden bark, O leave me, 
 That my own hand with simple bast has sewed ; 
 'Twill to my sons and grandsons be a token 
 How once their royal ancestor was sandal'd;" 
 Then kiss'd, and in his bosom hid the sandals. 
 And they rode on ; and still so kindly spoke he, 
 Still with such wisdom, that they ween'd they saw him 
 A Deity in his long garments riding. 
 
 And they approach'd the palace of Libussa. 
 With joy she greets him there with all her maidens; 
 The people hail'd him for their Prince and Ruler; 
 And wise Libussa chose him for her Husband. 
 And long they reign'd ; were good and happy even 
 And Faith and Right and Justice ever triumph'd ; 
 And they built cities ; and the goad still flourished ; 
 And still remain'd the sandals for a token ; 
 And ever clear with labour was the plough-share, 
 While Pkemislaus liv'd with Wise Libussa-
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 467. 
 
 4( * * * 
 
 * * • * 
 
 O woe ! O woe ! The goad-staff now is wither'd ; 
 The sandals of the linden bark arc stolen ; 
 And th' iron board's become a gilded table !
 
 C 468 ] 
 
 NOTES ON LIBUSSA. 
 
 Amid twelve noble Chieftains. — P. 462. v. 1. 
 
 This Royal Folksmote, or Court of Twelve Judges, where the prince presides, is the 
 prototype of our Parliament, which was at first only a Supreme Court of Judicature ; and 
 of our trial by a Jury of Twelve ; and marks the antiquity of the legend, and simplicity of 
 manners which it commemorates. 
 
 The antient and widely-extended partiality to the number Twelve, in all things divine 
 and human, where power and civil rule were concerned, was probably first connected with 
 religious observance, relating to the passing of the Sun through the Signs of the Zodiaclc ; 
 and as we have the highest of all authorities for it, the generally received impressions 
 among mankind may in this, as in many other cases, have been consulted and conformed 
 to, in the adoption of human means for the effecting of divine purposes. Hence the 
 Twelve Patriarchs sitting upon Twelve Thrones, judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel; the 
 Twelve Apostles, under their divine Head; Jupiter and the Twelve Dii Majores Gen- 
 Hum ; Odin and his Twelve Gods, in the Gothic Mythology ; and their secularised repre- 
 sentatives, under the second Odin, in Scandinavia ; Arthur, and his Knights of the Round 
 Table, in Britain ; Charlemagne, and his Dussiperes, in France, <S:c. litc. 
 
 Having examined many of those antient Circles of Stones which are commonly called 
 Druidical, and finding them in places where it seemed very improbable, making all due 
 allowance for the altered face of the country, that there ever could have grown groves of 
 oak, such as the Druids are said to liave cliosen for celebrating their mysteries ; I have 
 been inclined to suspect that they were Celtic Mote Hills, and dedicated to juridical ra- 
 ther than sacrificial purposes. May not the Judge have sat, sub dio, on the large flat stone 
 facing the soutli or east side, dispensing, like the sun, (whom, as the arbiter and dispen- 
 sator of Nature, he represented) the blessings of Order, Justice, and Prosperity? And 
 may not each of the Patres and Notables who had a seat in the court, have sat by one of 
 the perpendicular stones, with those who were to be judged, and their advocates and evi-
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 4O9 
 
 dences, in tlie middle, and the attending multitude on the outside of the circle ? And were 
 not these circles of stones erected, as God was worsliipiied, in the liigh places, to be at 
 all times seen by the people of the surrounding district or circle, to remind them of their 
 duty, when the court was not sitting ? 
 
 '2'is Libussa ; 
 
 'Tis thclvise daughter of ihe prudent Krolco. — P. 4'62. v. 1. 
 " Crocus tunc erat [qui] ante alios boni justique viri speciera prae se ferebat, sermoneque 
 comis et afFabilis habebatur, ac multitudini niaximc gratus ex opinione divinitatis, quam ex 
 divinatione augurioque collegerat. — Caeterum valde superstitiosus crat, ut qui fontcs et 
 lucos pro diis coleret." Dubrav, p. 5. — " Moriens autem tres filias reliquit, Brelam, her- 
 barum et medicinae peritam ; Therbam sive Therbizam, augurem et sortilegam ; tertiam 
 Libussam, quae ut natu minor fuit, ita divinarum humanarumque rerum scientia major." 
 ^n. Sylv. p. 85. — " Vetus autem mos etiam Germanis fuit, ut muheribus fatidicis sum- 
 mes haberent honores." Dubrav. 
 
 the high and holy mountain ; 
 
 There to the goddess Klimba prai/s. — P. 463. v. 7. 
 The seat of the guardian goddess of these herdsmen and agriculturists was supposed to 
 be on the top of a mountain, (every nation had its own Olympus,) from whence she looked 
 abroad upon the ways of men, distributing rewards and punishments according to their 
 deserts. At this day, this circumstance is often alluded to in the popular ditties of the 
 aboriginal inhabitants of these countries ; a fine example of which occurs in the following 
 fragment of a Lettish orphan's Ode to Hope : 
 
 Noiwihduii laime brauze. Eager, hasting, sweat-becover'd, 
 
 Noiwihduichi kummelin'. Laima drove her foaming steeds,' 
 
 Man nabbagam bahri^cham Me poor orphan, left forlorn, 
 
 Ruhmes weetu mekledam'. Me a little place to find. 
 
 Zitti Zaudis ta «azzii', Other folks then of me said : 
 
 Tew laimite Thy good Fortune 
 
 Noilihkuii' : Drown'd [in tears] is. 
 
 * » * » * » * [Noll * * 
 
 Man' laimite kalnind My Laima sits on a hill, 
 
 Sehsch sudrab' ^ohlina, On [a] silver pedestal, 
 
 Man weetiw dohmadam'. Musing of [aj spot for me ! 
 
 ' See in next note, tlie account of the " Horse" Svantovit.
 
 470 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 Were such a device of Greek or Roman origin, its appropriate beauty would often have 
 been adverted to. 
 
 KliiMba was the Goddess of Fate, answering to the Fortuna of the Romans. By the 
 Estlionians, Livunians, Curlanders, ancient Prussians, &c., she was worshipped under the 
 name of Lauia,' the prefix K being omitted. Of this worship, many traces still remain 
 in the tales, superstitions, and popular usages of these people. But the gods, as well as 
 the men of early ages have been so mixed and jumbled together, that it is now extremely 
 difficult to distinguish them. Klimba or Laima was accounted the general patroness of 
 the countrj', and seems to have been originally the same as O^is, Terra Mater, the Hertha, 
 (Tacit. Germ. c. 40.) of the Germans, and the Triglas of the Vandals, (Sched. de Diis 
 Germanis, Syngr. 3, c, 10, &C.&C.) 
 
 This supposition is justified by the attributes of the goddess, as well as by the consider- 
 ation that the Goddess of the Earth was worshipped by the same people under the name 
 of Lauma. This latter had the distribution of rain and hail particularly in her disposal, 
 and every Friday-eve was dedicated to her, on which it was unlawful for any woman to 
 spin, &c. This vigil, {Peeks u-akkars, i. e. the fifth-day wake, or vigil) is still religiously 
 kept in Livonia and Curland, by every woman who has it in her power, and whose piety 
 is not interfered with by the whip of a taskmaster or mistress. 
 
 When the Teutonic knights, and the ecclesiastical ruffians who accompanied them, in- 
 troduced the Christian religion into this unhappy land with fire and sword, and not only 
 rivalled, but if possible exceeded, the horrors to which their own forefathers had not long 
 before been subjected by Charlemagne under a similar pretence, the monks persuaded 
 the poor Neophytes that Lauma, instead of being, as they believed, a beneficent power, 
 the protectress of women in childbed, and of Infants and sucklings, was no other than the 
 Roman Lamin, a she-devil, or sorceress, famous, like Mr Lewis's Grim White Woman, 
 for devouring babes alive. In this the good fathers so far succeeded, that in the dialect 
 of Livonia and Curland, Lauma bears the same import as Lamia, the Night-hag, or Night- 
 Marc. 
 
 But it is much easier to give up names than prejudices. The Lauma or Lamia of the 
 monks, was resigned to the fury of their ghostly tyrants wrth the more readiness, because 
 they still had remaining their old and amiable divinity, Thekla, Tekla, or Tikla,^ the god- 
 dess ofbenison, growing and thriving, who among the good old Letts had long presided 
 over the tender bodies and minds of children, to guard them from accident, disease, and 
 
 ' Lettiib, leiat, to ordain, and ma', mother. In the Lithuanian dialect laimus signifies gain. 
 
 ^ Tikis in the Lettish dialect signifies discreet and virtuous. Tikla is invoked in Livonia, to still 
 
 ehildren when naughty, not as Tlie Saxons are ; or as the wolf was (and the Cossacks probably will 
 
 be) in France, and Brownie in Scotland ; but as the rewarder of infant virtue, as well as the punisher 
 
 of inlant vice. 
 
 I
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 17 1 
 
 vice, and to form tliem to vigour, beauty, and virtue. And what slave is there, however 
 subdued, degraded, and oppressed, who can so far resign every hope and prospect of fu- 
 turity, as no more to offer incense at the altar of Fate and Fortune ? Klimha or Laima, 
 and Ti/cla, are still resorted to by young and old. To Ti/da tlie midwife and patient still 
 address their secret vows ; her invisible hand is still believed to receive the little stranger 
 on his first visit to the light; she spreads his first flannel under. him; blesses the child- 
 bed; and then and there bestows the gifts and graces by which the colour of his future 
 destiny is to be decided. It was very natural that quiet and unambitious husbandmen, 
 as were these antient tribes when their merciless German invaders first came among them, 
 should make Mother Earth the source of fortune and prosperity ; and accordingly Laima 
 in the Lettish dialect now signifies Fortune or Fate ; and fragments of antient hymns are 
 sung by the peasants at their popular festivals, in which the beneficent goddess is celebra- 
 ted under the endearing name of Laima Maumina, or Mother GoodlucL 
 
 The beautiful execution of the mythical emblems upon marbles and coins, often dis- 
 poses us to find an elegance and propriety in their allusions, to which they are not always 
 entitled. Designing the Goddess oi Fortune as she was designed by the Greeks and Ro- 
 mans, conveys a very bad moral. The people ought to be taught, that Fortuyie is the least 
 blind of all Goddesses; and lliat she is, like the Slavonic i.«2)««, the wide-surveying 
 and never-slumbering rewarder of Perseverance, Industry, Economy, Integrit)', and Do- 
 mestic Virtue. 
 
 As the eagle was the bird of Jupiter, the woodpecker of Mars, the peacock of Juno, 
 the owl of Minerva, and the dove of Venus, so the lesser titmouse' is the favourite bird 
 of " Mother Goodluck," and consequently a bird of omen, as in the following Lettish 
 fragment, of which I shall give a verbatim prose translation. 
 
 Sihle «^aisti padseedaj 
 Brah/is istabs galli?!a. 
 Eij mahiit klausitees, 
 Kahdu dsepimu sihle dseed. 
 &c. &c. &c. 
 
 The Titmouse sang very sweetly. 
 My brother is in the chamber : 
 ' Go, my little sister, and hear 
 What song the Titmouse sings.' 
 
 ' This hardy and lively little bird remains in Russia during all the severity of the liardest 
 winters.
 
 472 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 The Titmouse sings this song : 
 
 " Brother must to the wars." 
 
 " Go, my little sister, into the garden. 
 
 Adorn thy brother's cap {with roses.")—' 
 
 She sang, and adorned his cap, 
 
 And accompanied him with tears. 
 
 <« Weep not, 
 
 My little sister ! 
 
 If I return not myself. 
 
 Yet if my charger, perchance, return. 
 
 Ask of my charger, 
 
 " Where fell thy rider i" — 
 
 ***** 
 
 The rider fell there, 
 Where blood ran in streams ; 
 Where men made a bridge of bones ; * 
 Where hedges were plaited of swords 
 Nine rows thick. 
 
 * m * * * 
 
 I saw my brother 
 Shouting in the battle ; — 
 Five rose-sprigs in his cap, — 
 The sixth at his sword's point. 
 
 ***** 
 
 There lie the heroes like oaks. 
 By the heaps of piled-up swords. 
 
 Thy snotu-ivhite steed shalljind the prince, thy husband, 
 Where now, with two white steers, industrious ploughing. — P. 463. v. S. 
 It is to be observed, that all these animals, sacred to the guardian goddess of a virtuous 
 people, are white ; the white Eagle, the emblem of empire founded on Wisdom and Jus- 
 tice ; the •uihite Horse, of honourable defensive War ; and the white Steers, of honest agri- 
 
 ' Walked on the bodies of the dead. 
 
 ' i. e. Earning 6y his valour a sixth rose to compleat his chaplet.
 
 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 47.«! 
 
 cultural Industry. — There is something finely poetical in the idea of the goddess of In- 
 dustry lending her own sacred steers to the husbandman the most distinguished among 
 her worshippers for wisdom, integrity, and industry. Worshipping the Ox, as the Egyp- 
 tians did, was a much less simple and rational manner oi dedicating him to the same deity. 
 
 Respecting the sacred Horse, a good illustration is found in Saxo Grammaticus, lib. xiiij. 
 F. 158, d. " Prseterea peculiarem albi coloris equum titulo possidebat ; cujus juboe aut 
 caudae pilos convellere nefarium ducebatur. llunc soli sacerdoti pascendi insidendique jus 
 erat, ne divini animahs usus, quo frequentior, hoc utilior haberetur. In hoc equo, opinione 
 RugiiE, SvANTOviTUs (id simulacro vocabulum erat) adversum saC4"orum suorum hostcs 
 bella gerere credebatur. Cujus rei pra;cipuum argunientum extabat, quod is nocturno 
 tempore stabulo insistens, adeo plerumque mane sudore ac luto respersus videbatur, tan- 
 quam, ab exercitatione' veniendo, magnorum itinerum spacia percurrisset. Auspicia quo- 
 que per eundem equum hujusmodi sumebantur, &c. &c." 
 
 " Effigies [Svantoviti] erat quadrifrons, qualis olim Jani apud nonnullos, ut circum- 
 stantes ab omni fani parte, conspectu siraulachri perfruerentur. Dextra cornu, leva, ar- 
 cum gestabat, proxirae suspensa erant, ensis, frenum, sella, juxtaque candidus cquus sta- 
 bulabatur simulachro consecratus. • * * Vinum pridie solenniter in cornu quod dextra 
 gerebat, infusum, si postridie integrum sine ulla diminutione manebat, bonum increraenti 
 liquidarum fluentiuraque rerura illius anni eventum significari dicebat [sacerdos :] malum 
 vero, si quid de vino fuerat sua sponte dirainutum. Habuit et placenta, a sacerdote et po- 
 pulo comesa, sua praesagia, futuram ejus anni copiam aut inopiam proesagiens. * * * Diu 
 haec superslitio, et cultus ejusdem simulachrl etiam inter Boiemos viguit, donee Divus Vin- 
 ceslaus, Principem Boiemias agens, impetratis ab Othone Cassare Divi Viti reliquils, sanc- 
 tum virum idolo profano abolito, venerandum Boiemis exhibuit." — Dubrav. p. 6. 
 
 Dubravius calls this idol Svatovit ; and it is called Suiantovit by Stranskius (Respub. 
 Boiem. p. 248,) who enters more into detail on the subject of Libussa and her religion. 
 Whatever may have been the origin of the name, the attributes of Svantovit had certainly 
 nothing to do with Saint Vitus, whose image was full as useless, and much more expensive, 
 to his worshippers, than that of his predecessor. 
 
 The goad-staff" in the earth anon he planted. — P. 4G5- v. 11. 
 " Stimulum vero, quo boves urgebantur, terrae defixum, mox fronduisse, ac tres corili 
 ramos eniisisse : ex quibus duo statim exaruerunf , tertium in arborem ejusdem generis 
 proceram excrevisse. * * * Vidi inter privilegia regni, litteras Caroli Quarfj' Romano- 
 rum Imperatorjs, Divi Sigismuudi Patris, in quibus haec tanquam vera continentur, villas- 
 
 'For the nature of his supposed exercise, see the preceding note. 
 
 ^ Charles the Fourth was set up by tiie Pope, in 1347, and crowned at Rome. 
 
 3 o
 
 474 ROMANTIC BALLADS. 
 
 que illius incolae in qua liaec gesta creduntur, libertate donantur, nee plus tributi pendere 
 jubentur, quam nucum illius arboris exiguam niensuram." — JEn. Sylv. p. 86. 
 
 Through the air ascending. 
 
 Soar'd the white steers. — P. 465. v. 11 • 
 " Solutos boves elevafros in aera ferunt, et in altissiraam praescbsae rupis speiuncam de- 
 lituisse, nunquam postea visos." — iEn. Sylv. 86. 
 
 Ml/ sandals of the linden bark leave me, Sfc. — P. 465. v. 12. 
 " Servati calcei diu apud Bohemos religiose habiti, ac per sacerdotes templi Vissegra- 
 ftensis ante Reges delati, dura porapa coronationis educitur." — iEn. Sylv. p. 86. 
 
 1
 
 ABSTRACT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA.
 
 [ 477 ] 
 
 ABSTRACT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA, 
 
 BEING THE EARLY ANNALS OF THAT DISTRICT OF ICELAND LYING AROUND 
 THE PROMONTORY CALLED SNiEFELLS. 
 
 Of the various records of Icelandic history and hterature, there is 
 none more interesting than the Eyrbiggia-Saga, composed (as has 
 been conjectured by the learned Thorkelin) before the year 1264, 
 when Iceland was still subject to the dominion of Norway. The 
 name of the author is unknown, but the simplicity of his annals seems 
 a sufficient warrant for their fidelity. They contain the history of a 
 particular territory of the Island of Iceland, lying around the pro- 
 montory called Snaefells, from its first settlement by emigrants from 
 Norway : and the chronicle details, at great length, the feuds which 
 took place among the families by whom the land was occupied, 
 the advances which they made towards a more regular state of soci- 
 ety, their habits, their superstitions, and their domestic laws and 
 customs. If the events which are commemorated in these provincial 
 annals are not in themselves of great importance, the reader may, in 
 recompense, derive, from the minuteness with \vhich they are detail- 
 ed, an acquaintance with the manners of the northern nations, not 
 to be acquired from the perusal of more general history. It is,
 
 478 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 therefore, presumed, that an abstract of the more interesting parts of 
 the Eyrbiggia-Saga may be acceptable to the readers of the North- 
 ern Antiquities. The learned Thorkelin published a correct edition 
 of this history in 1 787, executed at the expence of Suhm, the illus- 
 trious and munificent patron of northern literature. A Latin ver- 
 sion, supplied by the well-known accuracy of the editor, assists the 
 difficulties of those who are imperfectly acquainted with the original 
 Icelandic. 
 
 In the year of God 883, a Norwegian nobleman, named Biorn, ha- 
 ving been declared an exile by Harold, King of Norway, had recourse 
 to the protection of Rolf, or Rollo, who united the qualities of a priest 
 and a warrior, and kept the temple of Thor in the Island of Mestur. 
 Biorn was kindly received, and furnished with a vessel to pursue his for- 
 tune in the spring. But finding that by this proceeding he had incurred 
 the resentment of Harold, Rolf, or, as he was called from his sacred 
 office, Thorolf, (quasi Thor's-Rolf,) resolved to abandon his habitation 
 and to set sail for Iceland, where, ten years before, a colony had been 
 settled by Ingolf, the son of Arne. Thorolf made an immense sacri- 
 fice to Thor preparatory to his departure ; and having received, or fa- 
 bricated, an oracle authorizing his change of residence, lie set sail, car- 
 rying with him the earth upon which the throne of Tlior had been 
 placed, the image of the Mace-Bearer itself, and the wooden work of 
 his temple. When the vessel of the adventurer approached Iceland, 
 Thorolf cast the columns of the idol's sanctuary into the sea, and de- 
 clared his purpose of establishing his new residence wherever they 
 should be thrown on shore. Chance, and the current of the tides, di- 
 rected the pillars to a promontory or peninsula, called from that cir- 
 cumstance Thorsness.' Here, therefore, Thorolf established himself 
 
 • Thorsness seems to have been that small peninsula, mentioned by Sir George Mac- 
 kenzie in his Survey of the Gokl-bringe Sj'sscll of Iceland, which is itself a huge indented 
 promontory on the south-western coast of that island. Near the peninsula the travellers saw 
 the Helgalels, on which ihere is still a small hamlet, which, they observe, derives its name 
 from the superstitious usages with which it was anciently connected. — Travels in Iceland, 
 p. 1 86, 7.
 
 EYRBICGIA-SAGA. 4l'j 
 
 and his followers, and, mindful ol' his tutelar deity, erected a temple 
 for Tlior, the ample scale of which testified the zeal of his devotion. 
 An inner sanctuary contained the altar of the deity, on which was 
 placed a silver ring, weighing two ounces, wliicli was used in the mi- 
 nistration of every solemn oath, and which decorated the person of the 
 priest of Thor upon all occasions of public meeting. Here also was 
 deposited the vessel which contained the blood of the sacrifices, and 
 the sacred implement for sprinkling it upon the altar and tlie worship- 
 pers. Idols, representing the various deities of Scandinavian mytho- 
 logy, were placed around the altar, and a tax was imposed u[>on all the 
 settlers for the maintenance of the solemn rites and sacrifices by which 
 they were to be propitiated ; Thorolf reserving to himself the office of 
 high-priest, with the duty of maintaining the temple and superintend- 
 ing the ritual. A series of curious ordinances marked the foundation 
 and extent of his authority. The whole promontory of Thorsness was 
 under the protection of the deity, but a small eminence entitled Hel- 
 gafels, (i, e. the Holy Mount,) was so peculiarly sacred, that none of 
 the settlers were to look upon it until they had performed their morn- 
 ing ablutions, and each living creature which should trespass upon its 
 precincts was liable to be punished with death. To the terrors of re- 
 ligion were added the solemnities of legal authority. Near the Holy 
 Mount was established the place of justice, where the popular assem- 
 blies were held.' This spot was also sacred, neither to be defiled by 
 blood, nor polluted by any of the baser necessities of nature, for satis- 
 tying which a neighbouring rock was appointed. In these institutions 
 we recognize the rude commencement of social order and public law. 
 The infant settlement of Thorolf was strengthened by the arrival of Bi- 
 orn, the ftigitive upon whose account he had incurred the indignation of 
 King Harold, and by that of other northern chiefs, whom the fate of 
 
 ' Each little district of settlers had its provincial assembly, for the purpose of making 
 laws, imposing punishments, and accommodating differences. At a later period, general 
 assemblies of the whole Icelandic people, called Althing, were held at a place called 
 Thingvalla, on the shores of a salt-water lake — See Mackenzk's Travels,
 
 480 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 war, or the love of adventure, had banished from their respective 
 homes. Each chose his habitation according to his pleasure, and the 
 settlement began to be divided into three districts, called Eyrarvert, 
 Alpta-fiord, and Breida-wick, all of which acknowledged the authority 
 of the Pontiff Thorolf, and the sanctity of his institutions. 
 
 The death of Thorolf, however, led the way to internal dissension. 
 A patriarch, called, from the number of his family, Barna-Kiallak (rich 
 in children,) was tempted to dispute the sanctity of the territory of 
 Thorsness, which had been sedulously stipulated. His tribe, confident 
 in their numbers, openly disputed the power of Thorstein, who had 
 succeeded his father Thorolf as pontiff, and announced that when oc- 
 casion pressed they would pay no more respect to the soil of the sacred 
 territory than to unconsecrated ground, nor would they take the trou- 
 ble to secede to the rock appointed for such purposes. With this foul 
 intent they marched towards Thorsness, and were met by Thorstein 
 at the head of his tribe, servants, and allies, who, after a sharp skirmish, 
 was fortunately able to prevent the intended profanation of the sacred 
 soil. But as neither party could boast decisive success, an armistice 
 was agreed upon, and a congress opened under the mediation of an 
 aged settler called Thordus. This ingenious referee at once removed 
 the ostensible cause of dispute, by declaring that the territory having 
 been polluted by human blood shed in the conflict, had lost its sanc- 
 tity in future, and, to take away the secret cause of contention, he de- 
 clared that Thorgrim, one of the sons of Kiallak, should be conjoined 
 with Thorstein in the charge of the temple of Thor, with an equal 
 share in the duties and revenues of the office of pontiff^ and in the 
 charge of protecting from sacrilege a new place of justice, which was 
 now to be established. It is described as a circular range of upright 
 stones, within which one more eminent marked the Stone of Thor, 
 where human victims were immolated to the Thunderer, by breaking 
 or crushing the spine. And this description may confute those anti- 
 quaries who are disposed to refer such circles exclusively to the Celtic 
 tribes, and their priests the Druids.
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA;. 48) 
 
 Thorstein, son of Tliorolf) perished by shipwreck. His grandson 
 iSnorro became the most distinguished support of his family, and the 
 following commencement of his history marks the singular system of 
 laws which already prevailed in Iceland, as well as the high honours 
 in which the female sex was held in that early period of society. The 
 tutelage of Snorro, whose father died young, had devolved upon Borko 
 the Fat, his father's brother, who had married Thordisa, his mother, 
 and was thus at once his uncle and father-in-law. At the age of four- 
 teen, Snorro, with two companions, went abroad to visit his relations 
 in Norway, and returned to Iceland after the lapse of a year. His 
 companion Thorlef was splendid in dress, arms, and equipment, being 
 girded with a sword of exquisite workmanship, and bearing a shield 
 painted blue, and exquisitely gilded, and a spear, tlie handle of which 
 was plated with gold. But Snorro was dressed in a dark garment, 
 mounted upon a black mare, and his whole appearance intimated want 
 and dejection. This assumed poverty rendered Snorro more accept- 
 able at Helgafels, the abode of his uncle Borko. For, by the law of 
 descent, Snorro was entitled to one half of the possessions of liis grand- 
 father, now administered by Borko ; and his appearance gave the lat- 
 ter ground to think that he would sell them in his necessity for an in- 
 considerable price. He was, therefore, not displeased to see his ne- 
 phew return in a condition which did not seem to supply to him the 
 means of escaping from his tutelage. A singular incident, however, 
 interrupted their family concord. Shortly after Snorro had taken up 
 his abode with his uncle, a party of twelve armed men, headed by 
 Eyolf Gray, suddenly appeared at Helgafels, and their leader announ-» 
 ced that he had slain a relative of Thordisa, the mother of Snorro; 
 Borko, to whom the slaughter was indifferent, and who was connected 
 with Eyolf, received him joyfully, and commanded his wife to make 
 him good cheer. While she obeyed his commands with undisguised 
 reluctance, Eyulf chanced to drop the spoon with which he was eat. 
 ing ; as he stooped to recover it, the vindictive matron, unable to sup- 
 press her indignation, snatched his sword, and severely wounded hini 
 
 3 p
 
 482 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 ere he could recover his erect posture. Borko, incensed at this at- 
 tack upon his guest, struck his wife, and was about to repeat the blow, 
 when Snorro, throwing himself between them, repelled his attack, and 
 placing his mother by his side, announced haughtily his intention to 
 protect her. Eyulf escaped with difficulty, and afterwards recovered 
 from Borko a line for the wound which he had sustained, and the un- 
 cle and nephew were obliged to have recourse to justice, to arrange 
 their mutual claims, which were rendered yet more inextricable by 
 this brawl. When they appeared before the assembled patriarchs of 
 the settlement, Borko admitted that his nephew, in right of his fa- 
 ther deceased, was entitled to one half of the territory of Helgafels, 
 and he also agreed that they could not conveniently possess it in com- 
 munity. Wherefore he offered to purchase that property from Snorro, 
 and to make payment of an adequate price. To this proposal Snorro 
 replied, that his uncle ought first to fix the price to be given, and that 
 he, as descended of the elder brother, should then have it in his op- 
 tion either to sell his own share in the property, or to purchase Bor- 
 ko's moiety at the price to be so named. Borko, confident in the 
 supposed poverty of his nephew, estimated the half of the joint pro- 
 perty at sixty ounces of silver, a sum far beneath the real value ; when, 
 to his astonishment, Snorro at once made payment of the stipulated 
 sum, and obtained full possession of his paternal mansion and estate. 
 Nor did the vexations of Borko end here. For when he was about to 
 depart from Helgafels, his wife Thordisa invoked witnesses to bear 
 testimony that she solemnly divorced her husband Borko, alleging, as 
 a sufficient reason, that he had I'aised his hand against her person. And 
 such were the rights of an Icelandic Mater-familias, that the divorce 
 and division of goods immediately took place between her and her hus- 
 band, although one would have presumed that the attempt to murder 
 a guest in his own presence, might have been admitted as a satisfactory 
 apology for the violence of the husband. Snorro liaving thus at an 
 easy rate obtained possession of his whole paternal inheritance of Hel- 
 gafels, lost no time in assuming the sacred character of priest of Tlior,
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 483 
 
 and continued, from his boldness, craft, and dexterity, to act a conspi- 
 cuous part in the various feuds which agitated the settlers in this sterile 
 and dreary country, as fiercely as if they had been contending for the 
 mines of Peru, or the vineyards of Italy ; so that the subsequent part 
 of this history may be considered as the annals of Snorro's pontificate. 
 
 Our annalist has not left the scene altogether unvaried. Wars and 
 prosecutions before the assembly of the people are indeed the ground- 
 work ; but such spells and supernatural incidents, as the superstition 
 of the age believed in, are introduced like the omens and miracles of 
 classic history. Such incidents, indeed, make an invariable part of 
 the history of a rude age, and the chronicles which do not afford these 
 marks of human credulity, may be grievously suspected as deficient 
 in authenticity. The following account of a trial of skill between two 
 celebrated sorceresses, occupies several pages of the Eyrbiggia-Saga. 
 
 " Tell me," said Katla, a handsome and lively widow, to Gunlau- 
 gar, an accomplished and gallant young warrior, " tell me why thou 
 goest so oft to Mahfahlida ? — Is it to caress an old woman ?" " Thine 
 own age, Katla," answered the youth inconsiderately, '« might pre- 
 vent thy making that of Geirrida a subject of reproach." " I lit- 
 tle deemed," replied the offended matron, " that we were on an equa- 
 lity in that particular — but thou, who supposest that Geirrida is the 
 sole source of knowledge, mayst find that there are others who equal 
 her in science." It happened in the course of the following winter 
 that Gunlaugar, in company with Oddo, the son of Katla, had renew- 
 ed one of those visits to Geirrida, with which Katla had upbraided 
 him. " Thou shalt not depart to-night," said the sage matron, " evil 
 
 spirits are abroad, and thy bad destiny predominates." " We are 
 
 two in company," answered Gunlaugar, " and have therefore nothing 
 to fear." — " Oddo," replied Geirrida, " will be of no aid to thee, but 
 go, since thou wilt go, and pay the penalty of thy own rashness." — 
 In their way they visited the rival matron, and Gunlaugar was invited 
 to remain in her house that night. This he declined, and passing for- 
 ward alone, was next morning found lying before the gate of his father
 
 484 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 Tliorbiorn, severely wounded and deprived of his judgment. Various 
 causes were assigned for this disaster, but Oddo, asserting that they 
 had parted in anger that evening from Geirrida, insisted that his com- 
 panion must have sustained tlie injury through her sorcery. Geirrida 
 was accordingly cited to the popular assembly, and accused of witch- 
 craft. But twelve witnesses, or compurgators, having asserted upon 
 their oath the innocence of the accused party, Geirrida was honour- 
 ably freed from the accusation brought against her.' Her acquittal 
 did not terminate the rivalry between the two sorceresses, for Geirri- 
 da belonging to the family of Kiliakan, and Katla to that of the pon- 
 tiff Snorro, the animosity which still subsisted between these septs be- 
 came awakened by the quarrel. 
 
 It chanced that Thorbiorn, called Digri (or the corpulent,) one of 
 the family of Snorro, had some horses which fed in the mountain pas- 
 tures, near to those of Thorarin, called the Black, the son of the en- 
 chantress Geirrida. But when autumn arrived, and the horses were 
 to be withdrawn from the mountains, and housed for the winter, those 
 of Thorbiorn could nowhere be found, and Oddo, the son of Katla, 
 being sent to consult a wizard, brought back a dubious answer, which 
 seemed to indicate that they had been stolen by Thorarin. Thorbiorn, 
 with Oddo, and a party of armed followers, immediately set forth for 
 Mahfahlida, the dwelling of Geirrida and her son Thorarin. Arrived 
 before the gate, they demanded permission to search for the horses 
 which were amissing. This Thorarin refused, alleging, that neither 
 was the search demanded duly authorized by law, nor were the pro- 
 per witnesses cited to be present, nor did Thorbiorn offer any suffici- 
 ent pledge of security when claiming the exercise of so hazardous a 
 privilege. Thorbiorn replied, that as Thorarin declined to permit a 
 search, he must be held as admitting his guilt ; and constituting for 
 
 ' This ceremony of compurgation formed, as is well known, the remote origin of the 
 trial by jury. The compurgators were at first a kind of witnesses, who, upon their ge- 
 neral knowledge of the character of the accused, gave evidence of his being incapable of 
 committing the crime imputed, but gradually obtained the character of judges, who formed 
 their opinion upon the evidence of others adduced in their presence.
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 435 
 
 that purpose a temporary court of justice, by chusing out six judges, 
 he formally accused Thorarin of theft before the gate of his own house. 
 At this the patience of Geirrida forsook her. " Well," said she to her 
 son Thorarin, " is it said of thee, that thou art more a woman than a 
 man, or thou wouldst not bear these intolerable affronts." Thorarin, 
 fired at the reproach, rushed forth with his servants and guests ; a 
 skirmish soon disturbed the legal process which had been instituted, 
 and one or two of both parties were wounded and slain, before the 
 wife of Thorarin, and the female attendants, could separate the fray 
 by flinging their mantles over the weapons of the combatants. Thor- 
 biorn and his party retreating, Thorarin proceeded to examine the 
 field of battle. Alas ! among the reliques of the fight was a bloody 
 hand, too slight and fair to belong to any of the combatants. It was 
 that of his wife Ada, who had met this misfortune in her attempts to 
 separate the skirmish. Incensed to the uttermost, Thorarin threw 
 aside his constitutional moderation, and mounting on horseback, with 
 his allies and followers pursued the hostile party, and overtook them 
 in a hay-field, where they had halted to repose their horses, and to ex- 
 ult over the damage they had done to Thorarin. At this moment he 
 assailed them with such fury, that he slew Thorbiorn upon the spot, 
 and killed several of his attendants ; although Oddo, the son of Katla, 
 escaped free from wounds, having been dressed by his mother in an 
 invulnerable garment. After this action, more bloody than usually 
 happened in an Icelandic engagement, Thorarin returned to Mahfah- 
 lida, and being questioned by his mother concerning the events of the 
 skirmish, he answered in the improvisatory and enigmatical poetry of 
 his age and country, — 
 
 From me the foul reproach be far. 
 With which a female waked tlie war. 
 From me, who shunned not in the fray 
 Through foemen fierce to hew my way ; 
 (Since meet it is tlie eagle's brood 
 On tlie fresh corpse should find their food, )
 
 486 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 Then spared I not in fighting field, 
 With stalwart hand my sword to wield ; 
 And well may claim at Odin's shrine, 
 The praise that waits this deed of mine- 
 
 To which effusion Geirrida answered, " Do these verses imply the 
 death of Thorbiorn ?" — And Thorarin, alluding to the legal process 
 which Thorbiorn had instituted against him, resumed his song. 
 
 Sharp bit the sword beneath the hood 
 Of him whose zeal the cause pursued, 
 And ruddy flowed the stream of death, 
 Ere the grim brand resumed the sheath ; 
 "Sow, on the buckler of the slain 
 The raven sits, his draught to drain. 
 For gore-drenched is his visage bold. 
 That hither came his courts to hold. 
 
 As the consequence of this slaughter was likely to be a prosecution 
 at the instance of the pontiff Snorro, Thorarin had now recourse to his 
 aUies and kindred, of whom the most powerful were Arnkill, his ma- 
 ternal uncle, and Verimond, who readily promised their aid both in 
 the field and in the Comitia, or popular meeting, in spring, before 
 which it was to be presumed Snorro would indict Thorarin for the 
 slaughter of his kinsman. Arnkill could not, however, forbear asking 
 his nephew how he had so far lost his usual command of temper. He 
 replied in verse. 
 
 Till then, the master of my mood, 
 
 Men called me gentle, mild, and good ; 
 
 But yon fierce dame's sharp tongue might wake 
 
 In wintry den the frozen snake. 
 
 While Thorarin spent the winter with his uncle Arnkill, he received 
 information from his mother Geirrida, that Oddo, son of her old rival
 
 EYEBIGGIA-SAGA; 487 
 
 Katla, was the person who had cut off the hand of his wife Ada, and 
 that he gloried in the fact. Thorarin and Arnkill determined on in- 
 stant vengeance, and travelHng rapidly, surprised the house of Katla. 
 The undismayed sorceress, on hearing them approach, commanded 
 her son to sit close beside her, and when the assailants entered they 
 only beheld Katla, spinning coarse yarn from what seemed a large dis- 
 taff, with her female domestics seated around her. — " Her son," she 
 said, " was absent on a journey ;" and Thorarin and Arnkill having 
 searched the house in vain, were obliged to depart with this answer. 
 They had not, however, gone far, before the well-known skill of Katla 
 in optical delusion occurred to them, and they resolved on a second 
 and stricter search. Upon their return they found Katla in the outer 
 apartment, who seemed to be shearing the hair of a tame kid, but was 
 in reahty cutting the locks of her son Oddo. Entering the inner room 
 they found the large distaff flung carelessly upon a bench. They re- 
 turned yet a third time, and a third delusion was prepared for them ; 
 for Katla had given her son the appearance of a hog, which seemed to 
 grovel upon the heap of ashes. Arnkill now seized and split the dis- 
 taff which he had at first suspected, upon which Katla tauntingly ob- 
 served, that if their visits had been frequent that evening, they could 
 not be said to be altogether ineffectual, since they had destroyed a 
 distaff. They were accordingly returning completely baffled, when 
 Geirrida met them, and upbraided them with carelessness in searchino- 
 for their enemy. " Return yet again," she said, *' and I will accom- 
 pany you." — Katla's maidens, still upon the watch, announced to her 
 the return of the hostile party, their number augmented by one who 
 wore a blue mantle. " Alas !" cried Katla, <' it is the sorceress Geir- 
 rida, against whom spells will be of no avail." Immediately rising 
 from the raised and boarded seat which she occupied, she concealed 
 Oddo beneath it, and covei'ed it with cushions as before, on which she 
 stretched herself, complaining of indisposition. Upon the entrance of 
 the hostile party, Geirrida, without speaking a word, flung aside her 
 mantle, took out a piece of seal's-skin, in which she wrapped up Kat-
 
 488 ABSTRACT Ot THE 
 
 la's head, and commanded that she should be held by some of the 
 attendants, while the others broke open the boarded space beneath 
 which Oddo lay concealed, seized upon him, bound him, and led him 
 away captive with his mother. Next morning Oddo was hanged, ami 
 Katla stoned to death ; but not until she had confessed that through 
 her sorcery she had occasioned the disaster of Gunlaugar, which first 
 led the way to these feuds. This execution is remarkable, because it 
 seems to have taken place without any previous ceremony of judicial 
 procedure, which, in general, we find the Icelanders considered as ne- 
 cessary preliminaries to the condemnation and execution of criminals. 
 Spring now approached, and it became necessary for Tliorarin to take 
 some resolution; for, although it seemed possible that the slaughter 
 might be atoned by a pecuniary imposition, yet so many persons had 
 been slain, that the usual fines corresponding to their rank was more 
 than sufficient to exhaust his fortune : And, to hasten his determina- 
 tion, Snorro, accompanied by a band of eighty horsemen, appeared 
 before the house of Arnkill, for the purpose of citing Thorarin to an- 
 swer for the slaughter of Thorbiorn. This citation was performed in 
 obedience to the Icelandic law, which permitted no accusation to be 
 brought against any party, who had not been previously apprized of 
 the charge by a summons delivered to him personally, or at his dwel-- 
 ling place.' The ceremony being peaceably performed, Thorarin, ob- 
 serving the strong party in attendance upon Snorro, broke forth into 
 a poetical rhapsody : 
 
 No feeble force, no female hand, 
 Compels me from my native land ; 
 O'er-match'd in numbers and in might, 
 By banded hosts in armour bright, 
 In vain attesting laws and gods, 
 A guiltless man, I yield to odds. 
 
 ' This law of summons is often mentioned, and seems to have been regularly insisted, 
 upon. It was attended with some risk to the party who ventured to make the citation, 
 and often ended in a skirmish.
 
 KYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 489 
 
 Accordingly, ere the popular assembly met, Tliorarin, witii his relative 
 Verimond, embarked in a vessel for Scandinavia. Of" the former thr 
 history tells us no more; but Verimond, who separated fiom him, 
 and spent the subsequent winter at the court of Count Haco, son of 
 Sigurd, then regent of Norway, continues to make a figure in the Eyr- 
 biggia-Saga. 
 
 It seems that Haco had at his court two of those remarkable cham- 
 pions, called Berserkir, men, who, by moral or physical excitation of 
 some kind or other, were wont to work themselves into a state of 
 frenzy, during which they achieved deeds passing human strength, 
 and rushed, without sense of danger, or feeling of pain, upon every 
 species of danger that could be opposed to them. Verimond con- 
 tracted a sort of friendship with these champions, who, unless when 
 seized with their fits of fury, were not altogether discourteous or evil- 
 disposed. But as any contradiction was apt to excite their stormy 
 passions, their company could not be called very safe or commodious. 
 Verimond, however, who now desired to return to Iceland, conceived 
 that in the feuds to which he might be there exposed, the support of 
 the two Berserkir would be of the greatest advantage to him. Act- 
 ing upon this idea, When Haco at his departure offered him any rea- 
 sonable boon which he might require, he prayed that he would permit 
 these two champions to accompany him to his native country. The 
 count assented, but not without showing him the danger of his re- 
 quest. They are only accustomed, said Haco, to submit to men of 
 great power and high rank, and will be reluctant and disobedient sti- 
 pendiaries to a person of a meaner station. Verimond, however, 
 grasped at the permission of the count, though reluctantly granted, 
 and was profuse in promises to Halli and Leikner, providing they 
 would accompany him to Iceland. They frankly objected the poverty 
 of the country, yet agreed to go thither, apprizing their conductor at 
 the same time, that their friendship would not endure long if he refu- 
 sed them any boon which was in his power to grant, and which they 
 
 3 Q
 
 490 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 might chuse to demand. Verimond again assured them of his anxious 
 wish to gratify them in every particular, and transported them to Ice- 
 land, where he was not long of discovering that he had burthened 
 himself with a very difficult task. Halli's first request was, that he 
 should be provided with a spouse, rich, nobly-born, and beautifiil. 
 But, as it was not easy to find a maiden so gifted, wlio would unite 
 her fate with a foreigner of mean birth, who was besides a Berserkar, 
 Verimond was compelled to elude the request of his champion. This 
 was likely to occasion such enmity, that Verimond began to think of 
 transferring his troublesome and ungovernable satelUtes to his brother 
 Arngrim, a man of a stern, fierce, and active disposition, who had car- 
 ried on numerous feuds, and in every case refused to make pecuniary 
 compensation for the slaughters which he had committed. Thus he 
 was usually called Styr, (/. e. the Stirring or Tumultuous ;) as Veri- 
 mond was termed Miofii, or the DeHcate. Styr, nevertheless, tumul- 
 tuous as he was, could not be prevailed upon to accept of the patron- 
 age of the Berserkir. It was in vain that Verimond protested that he 
 gifted hinj with two such champions as would enable him to become 
 an easy victor in every quarrel he might engage in, and that he de- 
 signed this present as a gage of their fraternal union. Styr, professing 
 a sincere confidence in his brotherly affection, intimated, that he had 
 heard enough of the disposition of tliese foreign warriors, to satisfy 
 him that they would be rather embarrassing than useful dependants, 
 and was fully determined never to admit them within his family. 
 Verimond was therefore obliged to change his tone, to acknowledge 
 the dread in which he stood of the Berserkir, and request his brother's 
 advice and assistance to rid him of them ; " That," answered Styr, 
 " is a different proposal. I could never have accepted them as a pledge 
 of favour or friendship ; but to relieve thee from danger and difficulty, 
 I am content to encumber myself with the charge of thy associates." 
 The next point was to reconcile the Berserkir, (who might resent be- 
 ing transferred like bondsmen from the one brother to the other,) to
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 491 
 
 this change of masters. The warUke and fierce disposition of Styr 
 seemed, however, so much more suitable to their own, than that of 
 Verimond, that they speedily acquiesced, and accompanying their new 
 patron upon a nocturnal excursion, evinced their strength in breaking 
 to pieces a strong wooden frame, or bed, in which his enemy had ta- 
 ken refuge, so that Styr had an opportunity of slaying him. The pre- 
 sumption of Halli, however, soon discomposed their union. The 
 champion cast the eyes of affection on Asdisa, the daughter of his pa- 
 tron, a haughty, fiery, and robust damsel, well qualified to captivate 
 the heart of a Berserkar. He formally announced to Styr that he de- 
 manded her hand in marriage, that a refusal would be a breach of 
 their friendship, but that if he would accept of his alliance, he and his 
 brother would render him the most powerful man in Iceland. At this 
 unexpected proposal Styr for a time remained silent, considering how 
 best he might evade the presumptuous demand of this frantic cham- 
 pion, and at length observed, that the friends of his family must be 
 consulted upon his daughter's establishment. " Three days' space," an- 
 swered Halli, " will suffice for that purpose, and be mindful that our 
 friendship depends on thine answer." Styr in great doubt and trou- 
 ble journeyed to Helgafels, to consult the experience of the pontiff 
 Snorro. When Snorro learned that he came to ask advice, " Let us 
 ascend," he said, " the sacred mount, for such councils as are taken 
 on that holy spot rarely prove unpropitious." They remained in deep 
 conference on the mount of Thor vxntil evening, nor did any one know 
 the purpose which they agitated, but what followed sufficiently shows 
 the nature of the councils suggested upon the holy ground. Styr, so 
 soon as he returned home, announced to Halli his expectation, that 
 since he could not redeem his bride by payment of a sum of money 
 as was usual, he should substitute in lieu thereof, according to ancient 
 right and custom, the performance of some unusual and difficult task, 
 " And what shall that task be ?" demanded the suitor. " Thou shalt 
 form," said Styr, " a path through the rocks at Biamarhaf, and a fence 
 betwixt my property and that of my neighbours, also thou shalt con-
 
 492 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 struct a house for the reception of my flocks, and these tasks accom- 
 plished thou shalt have Asdisa to wife." — " Though unaccustomed to 
 such servile toil," replied the Berserkar, " I accept of the terms thou 
 hast offered." And by the assistance of his brother he accomplished 
 the path required, a work of the greatest labour, and erected the 
 bound-fence, of which vestiges remained in the days of our historian. 
 The Berserkir were now labouring at the stable for the flocks, while 
 the servants of Styr were employed in the construction of a subterra- 
 nean bath, so contrived that it could on a sudden be deluged with 
 boiling water, or heated to a suffocating degree. On the last day, 
 when the brethren were labouring at the conclusion of their task, As- 
 disa, the daughter of Styr, passed by them splendidly arrayed. Th^n 
 sung Halli, 
 
 Oh whither dost thou bend thy way. 
 Fair maiden, in such rich array, 
 For never have I seen thee roam 
 So gaily dressed, so far from home ? — 
 
 Then Lcikner also sung, — ■ ' 
 
 Till now that stole of purple rare ' ' ' 
 
 Full seldom did the maiden wear, \: 
 
 Why is she now attired so fair i 
 
 The cause, O maid, benign display, 
 
 Of that unwonted raiment gay, 
 
 Nor thus disdainful pass us by 
 
 With silent lip and scornful eye. 
 
 But Asdisa, disliking either the bard or the poetry, or both, passed 
 on without making any answer. Evening now approached, and, the 
 stipulated task being ended, the champions returned to the dwelhng 
 of Styr. They were extremely exhausted, as was common with per- 
 sons of their condition, whose profuse expenditure of strength and spi- 
 rits induced a proportional degree of relaxation after severe labour.
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. ^y., 
 
 oc- 
 
 Sl 
 
 rhey therefore, gladly a.^p^.j j,,^,,.,^ j^..^^^^^,^ ^,^^^ ^,^^^, ^^^^^^^^ ^^^ 
 
 cupy the newly-constructea^,t,,. ^^.,,^^ ^,^^^ ,^^^j ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^.^ .^^ 
 
 dious patron caused the trai..i,,_,,. -^ , i i , , , 
 , . ,,,,,,,., , [ '''°' *" ^'^ blockaded, and a newly- 
 stripped bullock s skni to be streti-_ i i „p ,, ■' 
 
 ' ^ , , , . , ,. '^'^ before the entrance, and then 
 
 proceeded to pour m scaldui"; water t„ , ,, 
 
 f, , w r . .u 1 .1, . ='' *"^ aperture contrived for 
 
 that purpose, and to heat the bath to ai- . , , , . , 
 , : j! \. , , . , , l^olerable pitch. The unfor. 
 
 tunate Kerserkir endeavoured to break out, , ^t n- 
 
 . ,, , 1 . 1 • X- . , • . 1 , "^^ ^^'" succeeded in fbr- 
 
 cinar tlie door, but his reet beinc: entangled in ,. , . . 
 
 .line/ 1 .11 1 f '^ sl'ppery hide, he was 
 
 stabbed by otyr ere he could make any deience ... 
 
 • .1 . f 1 I 11 1 1 • /^ brother attemjit- 
 
 ing the entrance, was forced headlong back into >^ , , 
 
 both perished. Styr caused their bodies to be intet.^ .' 
 
 glen, of such depth that nothing but the sky was visibiv, 
 
 cesses. Then Styr composed this song concerning his expi- 
 
 These champions from beyond the main 
 
 Of Iceland's sons I deem'd the bane, \ 
 
 Nor fear'd I to endure the harm 
 
 And frantic fury of their arm, 
 
 But, conqueror, gave this valley's gloom 
 
 To be the grim Berserkir's tomb^ 
 
 When the pontiff Snorro heard that the stratagem of Styr had pro- 
 ved successful, he paid him a visit, in which, after a day's consulta- 
 tion, Asdisa, the daughter of Styr, was betrothed to Snorro. The mar- 
 riage was solemnised shortly afterwards, and the activity and intrepi- 
 dity of Styr being aided by, and aiding in turn, the wisdom and expe- 
 rience of Snorro, the power of both was greatly extended and fortified 
 by this alliance. 
 
 Passing some feuds of less interest, we come to the history of Tho- 
 rolf Baegifot. This chief had in his youth defied to combat an aged 
 champion called Ulfar, for the sake of acquiring his territory. Ulfar, 
 though old and dim of sight, preferred death to dishonour, and met 
 Thorolf in single combat. Ulfar fell, but Thorolf received a wound 
 in the leg, on which he ever after halted, and thus acquired the name
 
 j,j^ ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 , r^ ^ jy 4.^A q^^-^vnlfwd one son, the same Arn- 
 ofBiEgifot,ortheCrook.footed. Ihoiolt ^, , * ^ , , 
 
 ^ V, Vi' t „f 'pj^Qi--. in the Black, and two daiigh- 
 
 ^ ^^ ^ , ,1 11 „„4.^ enchantress Geh-rida. As Tho- 
 
 ters, one of whom was the celebrate ,• v- ^ 
 
 ' , , r. ^nkered and savage disposition, and 
 
 rolfwaxedaged,he became Ota ° ^ 
 
 , . . 1 . xs limbs. Many causes or discord oc- 
 as crooked in his mmd as m -^ 
 
 J , - ,on ArnkiU, until at length they were in 
 curred betwixt him and nv -r- 
 
 The nearest neighbour of Thorolf Bsegifot 
 a state of utter enmity a f e- , u 
 
 of Thorbrand, possessed oi a lau- property. It 
 was Ulfar, a freed m ^f . . .u . i i- u 
 
 „ivator, that he understood the art or making hay 
 
 was said of this r . _ , , , ,i . ,• -a 
 
 iian in Iceland, and that his crop was never injured 
 
 . his cattle by the storms. Thorolf went to consult this 
 
 ^ Jie management of the hay-crop on a field which they pos- 
 
 sage "Pcommon. " This week," said Ulfar, « will be rainy ; let us 
 . in cutting the hay ; it will be followed by a fortnight of dry 
 
 "ather, which we will employ in drying it." Thorolf, however, be- 
 came impatient, and dubious of a change of weather, ordered his hay 
 to be carried to his yard, and ricked \ip, while that of Ulfar was yet 
 lying in the swathe, and then, whether impelled by cupidity, caprice, 
 or jealousy, does not appear, he carried home also that part of the crop 
 which belonged to the weather-wise Ulfar. The latter reclaimed his 
 property ; but, after some altercation, saw no means of redress so ef- 
 fectual as to appeal to the justice of Arnkill, the son of Thorolf. Am- 
 kill, afler vain applications for justice to his father, was at length con- 
 tented to indemnify Ulfar by making payment to him of the value of 
 the hay, a proposal to which his father had refused to accede, saying, 
 in the plenitude of oppressive power, " That the churl was already too 
 wealthy." Arnkill, however, indemnified himself of the price of the 
 hay by driving off twelve fat oxen belonging to his father, which he 
 alleged were compensated by the money thus advanced to Ulfar. It 
 was now the feast of .Jol, and Thorolf, who had drank freely, and cir- 
 culated much liquor among his bondsmen, was so incensed against 
 Ulfar, that he oftered liberty to any of his serfs who would burn his 
 house, and consume him among the flames. Six of his bondsmen set
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. . 495 
 
 out upon this neighbourly exploit j but the flames, as they began to 
 rise, became visible to Arnkill, who hastened to the house of Ulfar, 
 extinguished the fire, and made prisoners the incendiaries. These he 
 transported to his own house, and hanged them next morning without 
 ceremony, to the great increase of his father's discontent. Ulfar, on 
 the other hand, rejoiced at having acquired so active and powerful a 
 protector, chose Arnkill lor his immediate patron, to the displeasure 
 of the family of his original master Thorbrand, who viewed, with re- 
 sentment, the chance of losing the inheritance of their father's freed 
 man. Meanwhile the wrath of Thorolf grew so high against his son, 
 that he went to the pontiff Snorro, to prevail on him to prosecute 
 Arnkill to the uttermost for the slaughter of his six bondsmen. Snorro, 
 at first, declined to have any interference with the matter, alleging the 
 good character of Arnkill, and the foul treason in which the serfs of 
 Thorolf had been engaged when seized and executed. " I wot well 
 the cause of thy regard for Arnkill," answered Thorolf; " thou think- 
 est he will pay for thy support in the assembly more freely than I. 
 But hearken : I know thy desire to possess the fair woods of Kraka- 
 ness, which pertain to me. I will bestow them on thee, if thou wilt 
 prosecute the cause arising from the slaughter of my bondsmen with 
 the utmost severity, without sparing, on account of Arnkill's relation 
 to me, or his friendship to thyself." Snorro could not resist the pro- 
 spect of gain thus artfully held out to him, and agreed to prosecute 
 the cause to the uttermost. The pleadings were ingenious on both 
 sides, and show some progress in the intricate punctilios of municipal 
 jurisprudence. The death of the bondsmen was urged by Snorro. 
 The accused defended himself upon the fact of their being apprehend- 
 ed in the act of burning Ulfar's habitation. It was rephed, that 
 though this might have justified their being slain on the spot, yet it 
 gave those who seized them no right to execute them elsewhere after 
 a day's interval. At length the matter was referred to the award of 
 the two brethren, Styr and Verimond, who appointed Ainkill to pay 
 a fine of twelve, ounces of silver for the death of each domestic. Tho-
 
 Vjti ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 rolf, incensed to the highest pitch at this lenient imposition, broive 
 forth into complaints against Snorro, whom he considered as having 
 betrayed his cause, and retired from tlie convention to meditate a 
 bloody revenge against all his enemies. Ulfar, the most helpless and 
 inoffensive, was the first to experience his resentment. He had been 
 feasting with his patron Arnkill, and had departed loaded with pre- 
 sents, when he was waylaid and assassinated by Spagil, a villain whom 
 Thorolf had hired to the deed by an ample bribe. Arnkill, who 
 chanced to be abroad that evening, observed a man at a distance bear- 
 ing the shield which he had so lately bestowed on Ulfar. " That 
 buckler," said he, " Ulfar Iiath not parted from willingly ; pursue the 
 bearer of it, and if, as I dread, he has slain my client through my fa- 
 ther's instigation, bring him not before my sight, but slay him instant- 
 ly." A part of his followers instantly pursued Spagil, and having 
 seized and compelled him to avow his crime, and confess by whom it 
 was prompted, they killed him on the spot, and brought back to Tho- 
 rolf the spoils of the unhappy Ulfar. The disputes concerning the 
 inheritance of Ulfar now augmented the dissensions of the settlement. 
 It was claimed by the family of Thorbrand, as Ulfar had been his freed 
 man, and by Arnkill as his immediate patron and protector. The for- 
 mer, however, proved the weaker party j and on having recourse to 
 Snorro, received little encouragement to cope with Arnkill : " You 
 share only," said the pontifii " the general lot of the tribe, which, 
 while Arnkill lives, must put up with such aggressions unavenged." 
 " Most truly spoken," repHed the sons of Thorbrand, " nor can we 
 complain of thee, Snorro, for refusing to advocate our cause, who art 
 so tame and cold in asserting thine own." With these words of re- 
 proach, they left the assembly in great discontent. 
 
 Thorolf Baegifot began now to repent having bestowed upon Snorro 
 the woods of Krakaness without obtaining the stipulated gratification 
 of his resentment. He went to the pontiff and demanded restitution, 
 alleging, that he had transferred the woods in loan, not as a gift. But 
 
 Snorro refused to listen to his request, and appealed to the testimony 
 
 3
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 4^ 
 
 of those who witnessed the transaction, that he had received the 
 woods in full property. In the warmth of passion, Thorolf now had 
 recourse to his son, and proposed to him to renew their natural alh- 
 ance, and that the pledge of their friendship sliould be the union of 
 their forces, to recover from Snorro the woods of Krakaness. " It 
 was not for love of me," said Arnkill, •' that thou gavest Snorro pos- 
 session of these woods ; and although I know he has no just title to 
 them, I will not enter into feud with the pontiff to gratify thy resent- 
 ment by our quarrels." " Thy cowardice," said Thorolf, " rather 
 than any other motive, causes thy affected moderation." " Think on 
 the matter what thou wilt," said Arnkill, " but I will not enter into 
 feud with Snorro on that subject." Thus repulsed at every hand, and 
 in all the agony of impotent fury, Thorolf Baegifot returned to his own 
 house. He spoke to no one, partook not of the evening meal, but, 
 sitting in silence at the highest part of the table, suffered his domes- 
 tics to retire to rest without quitting his seat. In the morning he was 
 found dead in the same place and posture. A message instantly con- 
 veyed to ArnkiU the news of his father's death. When he came, the 
 corpse remained seated in the posture in which Tliorolf had expired, 
 and the terrified family hinted that he had fallen by the mode of death 
 of all others most dreaded by the Icelanders." Arnkill entered the 
 apartment, but in such a manner as to approach the body from be- 
 hind, and he cautioned the attendants that no one should look upon 
 the face of the corpse until the due propitiatory rites were performed. 
 It was not without application of force that the corpse could be re- 
 moved from the seat which it occupied ; the face was then veiled, and 
 the customary ceremonies paid to the dead body. This done, Arn- 
 kill commanded the wall of the apartment to be broken down behind 
 the spot where Thorolf had died, and the corpse being raised up with 
 difficiUty, and transported through the breach,'' was deposited in a 
 
 ' Suicide seems to be indicated. 
 
 * It is still an article of popular superstition in Scotland, that the corpse of a suicide 
 ought not to be carried out of the apartment by the door, but lowered through a window, 
 
 3 R
 
 498 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 grave strongly built. But these ineet honours, and this grave, how- 
 ever fortified, could not appease the restless spirit of Thorolf Basgifot. 
 He appeared in the district by night and day, slew men and cattle, 
 and harrowed the country so much by his frequent apparition and mis- 
 chievous exploits, that his son Arnkill, on the repeated complaints of 
 the inhabitants, resolved to change his place of sepulture. Some op- 
 position was threatened by the sons of Thorbrand, who refused to 
 permit the corpse to be carried through their domains, until reminded 
 by their father, that it was illegal to refuse passage to those who were 
 travelling in discharge of a duty imposed by law, and such was the 
 burial of the dead. The body of Thorolf was found on opening the 
 tomb, but his aspect was fearful and grisly to a preternatural degree. 
 He was placed on a bier between two strong oxen, which, neverthe- 
 less, were worn out by fatigue ere they had transported him many 
 miles. Others were substituted in their room, but when they attained 
 the summit of a hill, at some distance from the destined place of sepul- 
 ture, they became frantic, and, breaking their yokes, rushed down the 
 precipice and perished. The corpse, too, became of such ponderous 
 weight, that it could by no means be transported any farther, so that 
 Arnkill was fain to consign it to the earth on the ridge of the hill, 
 where it lay, and which took its name henceforward from that of Bae- 
 gifot. Arnkill caused a mound of immense height to be piled above 
 the grave, and Thorolf, during the lifetime of his son, remained quiet 
 in his new abode.' 
 
 or conveyed through a breach in the wall. Neglect of tliis observance is supposed to ex- 
 pose the house to be haunted. 
 
 ' After the death of Arnkill, Baegifot becarne again troublesome, and walked forth from 
 his tomb to the great terror and damage of the neighbourhood, slaying both herds and 
 domestics, and driving the inhabitants from the canton. It was, therefore, resolved to con- 
 sume his carcase with fire ; for, like the Hungarian Vampire, he, or some evil demon in 
 his stead, made use of his mortal reliques as a vehicle during commission of these enormi- 
 ties. The body was found swoln to a huge size, and equalling in size the corpulence of an 
 ox. It was transported to the sea-shore with difficulty, and there burned to ashes. A cow, 
 licking some part of these ashes, brought forth the bull Gla?ser, by whom Thorodd, his 
 inaster, was slain, as is mentioned in a legend quoted elsewhere in this volume. See p. 406.
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 499 
 
 After the death of Thorolf, Arnkill engaged in various disputes with 
 the pontiff" Snorro for tiic recovery of the woods of Krakaness, and 
 with the sons of Thorbrand, on account of their old feud. He had 
 the better in many skirmishes, and in many debates before the na- 
 tional convention. Nor was Snorro for a length of time more suc- 
 cessful in his various efforts to remove this powerful rival. For, al- 
 though a priest, he was not in any respect nice in his choice of means 
 on such occasions, and practised repeatedly against Arnkill's life by 
 various attempts at assassination. At length, however, irritated to the 
 highest pitch, by a conversation in which he heard strangers extol the 
 power and courage of Arnkill above his own, he resolved to employ 
 in his revenge the sons of Thorbrand. To Thorlef Kimbi, the strong- 
 est of these champions, he gave a choice war-axe, and, bidding him 
 observe the length of the handle, added, " Yet it will not reach the 
 head of Arnkill while making hay at the farm of Ulfar." It must be 
 observed, that Arnkill durst not occupy the farm of Ulfar, which had 
 been so fiercely disputed between him and the sons of Thorbrand, other- 
 wise than by sending labourers there in the day, and withdrawing them 
 before night-fall. In the hay-season, however, he also employed his 
 wains by moon-light to transport the hay from these possessions to his 
 own domain. The sons of Thorbrand, embracing the hint of the pon- 
 tiff, now watched his motions ; and learning that one moon-light night 
 Arnkill had himself accompanied three of his bondsmen for the above 
 purpose, they dispatched a messenger to inform Snorro, that " the old 
 eagle had taken his flight towards Orhgstad." The pontiff instantly 
 rose, and, accompanied by nine armed followers, traversed the ice to 
 Altifiord, where he joined the party of the sons of Thorbrand, six in 
 number. Arnkill, who descried his enemies advancing towards him, 
 dispatched his unarmed attendants to his dwelling, to summon his 
 servants to his assistance. " I meantime," said he, " will defend my- 
 self on the heap of hay, nor will I afford an easy victory to my foe- 
 men." But of these messengers one perished in crossing a torrent, 
 the other loitered by the way. Meantime Arnkill, after defending
 
 500 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 himself valiantly, was finally ovei"powered and slain. Of M'hich sings 
 the Scald Thormoda Ulfilson :— 
 
 A noble meal the pontiff strewed 
 For the wild eagle's hungry brood, 
 A noble corpse hath filled the tomb. 
 When valiant Arnkill met his doom. 
 
 Arnkill is regretted by the annalist as a model of the qualities most 
 valued in an Icelandic chief. He excelled all in accurate observance 
 of ancient rites and customs, was stout-hearted and brave in enter- 
 prize, and so prudent and eloquent, that he was always successful in 
 the causes which he prosecuted in the popular assemblies — qualities 
 which drew upon him the envy that occasioned his death. His se- 
 pulchral mound, raised upon the sea^shore, was visible in the time of 
 the historian. Tlie property of Arnkill, and the charge of exacting- 
 vengeance for his blood, passed to females, and hence the duty was 
 but indiflferently discharged. Thorolf Kimbi, who had struck the 
 deadly blow, was banished for three years from Iceland, a poor atone- 
 ment for the slaughter of such a champion. And hence, says the an- 
 nalist, it was enacted that neither a woman, nor a youth under sixteen 
 years, should prosecute in a cause for avenging of blood. Arnkill was 
 slain in the year 993. 
 
 Omitting a desperate feud between the sons of Thorbrand and those 
 of Thorlak, we shall only notice the accuracy with which the compen- 
 satio itjjuriarum was weighed in the Comitia of Helgafels, when the 
 quarrel was accommodated. Every disaster which had been sustained 
 by the one party was weighed against one of a similar nature inflicted 
 upon the other. Life for life, wound for wound, eye for eye, and tooth 
 for tooth, M'ere adjusted with the utmost precision, and the balance 
 arising in favour of one of the contending septs was valued and atoned 
 for by a pecuniary mulct. This compact, which was followed by an 
 internal peace of unusual duration, took place in the year 999,
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 501 
 
 In the year 1000, the Christian reHgion was introduced into Iceland 
 by her apostles Gizur the Wliite, and Hialto.' Snorro became a con- 
 vert, and lent the greatest assistance in extending the new faith.* It is 
 not easy to see what motive the priest of Thor could have for exchan- 
 ging a worship, over which he himself presided, for a new religion, 
 since the unprincipled cunning and selfish character of Snorro seem to 
 deprive him of the credit of having acted upon conviction. He pro- 
 cured the erection, nevertheless, of a Christian church at Helgafels, 
 upon the scite of the temple dedicated to Thor, and acted in every 
 other respect as a sincere convert. As this was the third attempt to 
 preach Christianity in the island, it seems pi'obable that the good sense 
 of the Icelanders had already rejected in secret the superstitions of 
 paganism, and that the worship of Thor had declined in the estima- 
 tion of the people. 
 
 The same year is assigned as the date of a very curious legend. A 
 ship from Iceland chanced to winter in a haven near Helgafels. 
 Among the passengers was a woman named Thorgunna, a native of 
 the Hebrides, who was reported by the sailors to possess garments and 
 household furniture of a fashion far surpassing those used in Iceland. 
 
 " Hialto was an Icelander by birth, but Tiad been banished for composing a song in dis- 
 paragement of the heathen deities, of which the following is a literal version :— 
 
 I will not serve an idol log 
 
 For one, I care not which, 
 But either Odin is a dog, 
 
 Or Freya is a bitch. 
 
 Historia Ecclesiastica Ishndice, vol. I. p. 57. 
 
 * We learn from another authority that the heathen priests and nobles held a public 
 conference with the Christian missionaries in the general assembly of the tribes of Iceland. 
 While the argument was yet in discussion, news arrived that an eruption of lava was lay- 
 ing waste a neighbouring district. " It is the effect of the wrath of our oftended deities," 
 exclaimed the worshippers of Odin and Thor. " And what excited their wrath," answered 
 Snorro, the hero of the Eyrbiggia-Saga, though still himself a heathen, " wliat excited 
 their wrath when these rocks of Java, which we ourselves tread, were themselves a glow- 
 ing torrent ?" This ready answer silenced the advocates of heathenism. — Historia Eccle- 
 siastica IslandicB, vol. I, p. 62.
 
 502 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 Thurida, sister of the pontiff Snorro, and wife of Thorodd, a woman 
 of a vain and covetous disposition, attracted by these reports, made a 
 visit to the stranger, but could not prevail upon her to display her 
 treasures. Persisting, however, in her enquiries, she pressed Thor- 
 gunna to take up her abode at the house of Thorodd. The Hebrideau 
 reluctantly assented, but added, that as she coidd labour at every usual 
 kind of domestic industry, she trusted in that manner to discharge 
 the obligation she might lie under to the family, without giving any 
 part of her property, in recompense of her lodging. As Thurida con- 
 tinued to urge her request, Thorgunna accompanied her to Froda, the 
 house of Thorodd, where the seamen deposited a huge chest and ca- 
 binet, containing the property of her new guest, which Thuiida view- 
 ed with curious and covetous eyes. So soon as they had pointed out 
 to Thorgunna the place assigned for her bed, she opened the chest, 
 and took forth such an embroidered bed coverlid, and such a splendid 
 and complete set of tapestry hangings, and bed furniture of Enghsh 
 linen, interwoven with silk, as had never been seen in Iceland. " Sell 
 to me," said the covetous matron, " this fair bed furniture." — " Be- 
 lieve me," answered Thorgunna, " I will not lie upon straw in order to 
 feed thy pomp and vanity j" an answer which so greatly displeased Thu- 
 rida, that she never again repeated her request. Thorgunna, to whose 
 character subsequent events added something of a mystical solemnity, 
 is described as being a woman of a tall and stately appearance, of a 
 dark complexion, and having a profusion of black hair. She was ad- 
 vanced in age ; assiduous in the labours of the field and of the loom ; 
 a faithful attendant upon divine worship ; grave, silent, and solemn 
 in domestic society. She had little intercourse witli the household of 
 Thorodd, and shewed particvdar dislike to two of its inmates. These 
 were Thorer, who, having lost a leg in the skirmish between Thorbiorn 
 and Thorarin the Black, was called Thorer- Widlegr (wooden-leg,) from 
 the substitute he had adopted ; and his wife, Thorgrima, called Galldra- 
 Kinna (wicked sorceress,) from her supposed skill in enchantments;
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. .503 
 
 Kiartan, the son of Thurida," a boy of excellent promise, was the only 
 person of the household to whom Thorgunna shewed much attec- 
 tion : and she was much vexed at times when the cliildish petulance ol 
 the boy made an indifferent return to her kindness. 
 
 After this mysterious stranger had dwelt at Froda for some time, 
 and while she was labouring in the hay-field with other members of 
 the family, a sudden cloud from the northern mountain led Thorodd 
 to anticipate a heavy shower. He instantly commanded the hay- 
 workers to pile up in ricks the quantity which each had been engaged 
 
 • He also passed for the son of Thorodd, but this was not so certain. Biorn, a stran- 
 ger, who had acquired the name of the Hero of Bradwick, was assiduous in his visits to 
 Tliurida in the year preceding the birth of Kiartan. The jealousy of the liusband was 
 awakened, and he employed a sorceress to raise a nocturnal tempest to destroy Biorn on 
 his way to his mistress. This attempt proved in vain as well as several others to take his 
 life by violence. At length, while Snorro was about to surround Biorn with a body of 
 horse, conceiving his own honour interested in that of his sister Thurida, the champion 
 perceiving their purpose, suddenly seized on the pontiff, and, holding a dagger to his 
 throat, compelled him to a treaty, by which Snorro agreed to withdraw his followers ; 
 and Biorn, on his part, consented to remove all further stain upon Thurida's reputation 
 by departing from Iceland. Biorn kept his word, and for a long time was not heard of. 
 Many years afterwards, houever, an Icelandic vessel, while on the western coast of Ice- 
 land, was surprized by a storm, which drove her far into the Atlantic ocean. After sail- 
 ing far to the west they reached an unknown land, occupied by a savage people, who im- 
 mediately seized on the merchants and Grew of the vessel, and began to dispute whether 
 they should reduce them to a state of slavery, or kill them on the spot. At this moment 
 there came up a body of horsemen, headed by a leader of eminent stature and distin- 
 guished appearance, whom the assembled natives regarded as their chief. He addressed 
 the merchants in the Norse language, and learning that they came from Iceland, made 
 many enquiries concerning the pontiff Snorro and his sister Thurida, but especially concern- 
 ing her son Kiartan. Being satisfied on these points, he intimated his intention to set them 
 at liberty, cautioning them never to return to that country, as the inhabitants were hostile 
 to strangers. The merchants ventured to enquire the name of their benefactor. This he re- 
 fused to communicate, lest his Icelandic friends coming to seek him, should encounter the 
 danger from which his present guests had been delivered, without his having the same 
 power to protect them ; for in this region there were chiefs, he said, more powerful than he 
 himself. When they were about to depart, he requested them to present, on his behalf, a 
 sword to Kiartan, and a ring to Thurida, as coming from one who loved the sister of Snorro 
 better than the pontiff himself. These words were supposed to indicate Biorn, the Hero of 
 Bradwick ; and the whole story serves to show that the Icelanders had some obscure tra- 
 dition, either founded on conjecture, or accidental intercourse, concerning the existence 
 of a continent to the westward of the Atlantic.
 
 50* ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 in turning to the wind. It was afterwards remembered that Thor- 
 gunna did not pile up her portion, but left it spread on the field. The 
 cloud approached with great celerity, and sunk so heavily around the 
 farm, that it was scarce possible to see beyond the limits of the field. 
 A heavy shower next descended, and so soon as the clouds broke 
 away, and the sun shone forth, it was observed that it had rained 
 blood. That which fell upon the ricks of the other labourers soon dried 
 up, but what Thorgunna had wrought upon remained wet with gore. 
 The vmfortunate Hebridean, appalled at the omen, betook herself to 
 her bed, and was seized with a mortal illness. On the approach of 
 death she summoned Thorodd, her landlord, and entrusted to him the 
 disposition of her property and effects. " Let my body," said she, 
 " be transported to Skalholt, for my mind presages that in that place 
 shall be founded the most distinguished church in this island. Let my 
 golden ring be given to the priests who shall celebrate my obsequies, 
 and do thou indemnify thyself for the funeral charges out of my re- 
 maining effects. To thy wife I bequeath my purple mantle, in order 
 that, by this sacrifice to her avarice, I may secure the right of dispo- 
 sing of the rest of my effects at my o^vn pleasure. But for my bed, 
 with its coverings, hangings, and furniture, I entreat they may be all 
 consigned to the flames. I do not desire this, because I envy any one 
 the possession of these things after my death, but because I wish those 
 evils to be avoided which I plainly foresee will happen if my will be 
 altered in the slightest particular." Thorodd promised faithfully to 
 execute this extraordinary testament in the most pointed manner. 
 Accordingly, so soon as Thorgunna was dead, her faithful executor 
 prepared a pile for burning her splendid bed. Thurida entered, and 
 learned with anger and astonishment the pui-pose of these preparations. 
 To the remonstrances of her husband she answered, that the menaces 
 of future danger were only caused by Thorgunna's selfish envy, who 
 did not wish any one should enjoy her treasures after her decease. 
 Then, finding Thorodd inaccessible to argument, she had recourse to 
 caresses and blandishments, and at length extorted permission to se-
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 505 
 
 parate, from the rest of the bed-furniture, the tapestried curtains and 
 coverHd ; the rest was consigned to the flames, in obedience to the 
 will of the testator. The body of Thorgunna being wrapt in new linen, 
 and placed in a coffin, was next to be transported tlirough the preci- 
 pices and morasses of Iceland to the distant district she had assigned 
 for her place of sepulture. A remarkable incident occurred on the 
 way. The transporters of the body arrived at evening late, weary, 
 and drenched with rain, in a house called Nether-Ness, where the nig- 
 gard hospitality of the proprietor only aflbrded them house-room, with- 
 out any supply of food or fuel. But so soon as they entered, an un- 
 wonted noise was heard in the kitchen of the mansion, and the figure 
 of a woman, soon recognized to be the deceased Thorgunna, was seen 
 busily employed in preparing victuals. Their inhospitable landlord 
 being made acquainted with this frightful circumstance, readily agreed 
 to supply every refreshment which was necessary, on which the vision 
 instantly disappeared. The apparition having become public, they had 
 no reason to ask twice for hospitality, as they proceeded on their jour- 
 ney, and arrived safely at Skalholt, where Thorgunna, with all due ce- 
 remonies of religion, was deposited quietly in the grave. But the con- 
 sequences of the breach of her testament were felt severely at Froda. 
 The author, for the better understanding of the prodigies whicli 
 happened, describes the manner of living at Froda ; a simple and pa- 
 triarchal structure, built according to tlie fashion used by the wealthy 
 among the Icelanders. The apartment was very large, and a part board- 
 ed off contained the beds of the family. On either side was a sort of 
 store-room, one of which contained meal, the other dried fish. Every 
 evening large fires were lighted in this apartment, for dressing the vic- 
 tuals ; and the domestics of the family usually sat around them for a 
 considerable time, until supper was prepared. On the night when the 
 conductors of Thorgunna's funeral returned to Froda, there appeared, 
 visible to all who were present, a meteor, or spectral appearance, re- 
 sembling a half-moon, which glided around the boarded walls of the 
 
 S s
 
 506 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 mansion in an opposite direction to the course of the sun,' and con- 
 tinued to perform its revohitions until the domestics retired to rest. 
 This a^jparition was renewed every night during a whole week, and 
 was pronounced by Thorer with the wooden leg, to presage pestilence 
 or mortality. Shortly after a herdsman shewed signs of mental alien- 
 ation, and gave various indications of having sustained the perse- 
 cution of evil demons. This man was found dead in his bed one morn- 
 ing, and then commenced a scene of ghost-seeing unheard of in the 
 annals of superstition. The first victim was Thorer, who had presaged 
 the calamity. Going out of doors one evening, he was grappled by 
 the spectre of the deceased shepherd as he attempted to re-enter the 
 house. His wooden leg stood him in poor stead in such an encoun- 
 ter ; he was hurled to the earth, and so fearfully beaten, that he died 
 in consequence of the bruises. Thorer was no sooner dead, than his 
 ghost associated itself to that of the herdsman, and joined him in pur- 
 suing and assaulting the inhabitants of Froda. Meantime an infec- 
 tious disorder spread fast among them, and several of the bondsmen 
 died one after the other. Strange portents were seen witliin doors, 
 the meal was displaced and mingled, and the dried fish flung about in 
 a most alarming manner, without any visible agent. At length, while 
 the servants were forming their evening circle round the fire, a spec- 
 tre, resembling the head of a seal-fish, was seen to emerge out of the 
 pavement of the room, bending its round black eyes full on the tapes- 
 tried bed-curtains of Thorgunna. Some of the domestics ventured to 
 strike at this figure, but, far from giving way, it rather erected itself 
 
 • This is an important circumstance. Whatever revolved witli the sun was reckoned 
 a. fortunate movement. Thus, the highlanders in making the deasil, a sort of benediction 
 vvliich they bestow in walking round the party to be propitiated, always observe the course 
 of the sun. And witches, on the other hand, made their circles, inddershiiis, as Scottish 
 dialect expresses it, (xvidder-sins Germ.) or in opposition to the course of the orb of 
 light. See p. 400. The apparition of the lialf-moon reminds us of Hecate, of the my- 
 steries of Isis in Apulcius, and of a passage in Lucian's " Lears," where the moon is for- 
 ced down by magical invocation.
 
 EYRBIGGIA-.SAGA. 507 
 
 further from the floor, until Kiartan, who seemed to have a natural 
 predominance over these supernatural prodigies, seizing a huge forge- 
 hammer, struck the seal re])eatedly on the head, and compelled it to 
 disappear, forcing it down into the floor, as if he had driven a stake 
 into the eartii. This prodigy was found to intimate a new calamity. 
 Thorodd, the master of tlic family, had some time before set forth on 
 a voyage to bring home a cargo of dried fish ; but, in crossing the ri- 
 ver Enna, the skiff was lost, and lie perished with the servants who 
 attended him. A solemn funeral feast was held at Froda, in memory 
 of the deceased, when, to the astonishment of the guests, the appari- 
 tion of Thorodd and his followers seemed to enter the apartment 
 dropping with water. Yet this vision excited less horror than might 
 have been expected ; for the Icelanders, though nominally Christians, 
 retained, among other pagan superstitions, a belief that the spectres 
 of such drowned persons as had been favourably received by the god- 
 dess Rana, were wont to shew themselves at their funeral feast. They 
 saw, therefore, with some composure, Thorodd, and his dripping atten- 
 dants, plant themselves by the fire, from which all mortal guests re- 
 treated to make room for them. It was supposed this apparition would 
 not be renewed after conclusion of the festival. But so far were their 
 hopes disappointed, that, so soon as tlic mourning guests had depart- 
 ed, the fires being lighted, Thorodd and his comrades marched in on 
 one side, drenched as before with water ; on the other entered Thorer, 
 heading all those who had died in the pestilence, and who appeared 
 covered with dust. Both parties seized the seats by the fire, wliile the 
 half-frozen and terrified domestics spent the night without either light 
 or warmth. The same phaenomenon took place the next night, though 
 tlie fires had been lighted in a separate house, and at length Kiartan 
 was obliged to compound matters with the spectres by kindling a large 
 fire for them in the principal apartment, and one for the family and 
 domestics in a separate hut. This prodigy continued during the whole 
 feast of Jol ; other portents also happened to appal this devoted family, 
 the contagious disease again broke forth, and when any one fell a sa- 
 
 1
 
 508 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 crifice to it, his spectre was sure to join the troop of persecutors, who 
 had now almost full possession of the mansion of Froda. Thorgrima 
 Galldrakinna, wife of Thorer, was one of these victims, and, in short, 
 of thirty servants belonging to the household, eighteen died, and five 
 fled for fear of the apparitions, so that only seven remained in the ser- 
 vice of Kiartan. 
 
 Kiartan had now recourse to the advice of his maternal uncle Snorro, 
 in consequence of whose counsel, what will perhaps appear surprising 
 to the reader, judicial measures were instituted against the spectres. 
 A Christian priest was, howevei% associated with Thordo Kausa, son of 
 Snorro, and with Kiartan, to superintend and sanctify the proceedings. 
 The inhabitants were regularly summoned to attend upon the inquest, 
 as in a cause between man and man, and the assembly was constituted 
 before the gate of the mansion, just as the spectres had assumed their 
 wonted station by the fire. Kiartan boldly ventured to approach them, 
 and snatching a brand from the fire, he commanded the tapestry be- 
 longing to Thorgunna to be carried out of doors, set fire to it, and re- 
 duced it to ashes with all the other ornaments of her bed, which had 
 been so inconsiderately preserved at the request of Thurida. A tribu- 
 nal being then constituted with the usual legal solemnities,' a charge 
 was preferred by Kiartan against Thorer with the wooden leg, by 
 Thordo Kausa against Thorodd, and by others chosen as accusers 
 against the individual spectres present, accusing them of molesting the 
 mansion, and introducing death and disease among its inhabitants. All 
 the solemn rites of judicial procedure were observed on this singular 
 occasion ; evidence was adduced, charges given, and the cause for- 
 mally decided. It does not appear that the ghosts put themselves on 
 their defence, so that sentence of ejectment was pronounced against 
 them individually in due and legal form. When Thorer heard the 
 
 ' It does not appear that the judges in Iceland were a separate order. On the con- 
 trary, every tribunal appears to have been constituted by a selection, ex astantibus, and so 
 far every court of justice resembled a jury chosen to decide a special cause, and dissolved 
 when that task was performed.
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 509 
 
 judgment, he arose, and saying, " I have sate while it was lawful for me 
 to do so," left the apartment by the door opposite to that at which the 
 judicial assembly was constituted. Each of the spectres, as they heard 
 their individual sentence, left the place, saying something which indi- 
 cated their unwillingness to depart, until Thorodd himself was solemnly 
 appointed to depart. " We have here no longer," said he, " a peace- 
 ful dwelling, therefore will we remove." Kiartan then entered the 
 hall with his followers, and the pricat with holy water, and celebration 
 of a solemn mass, completed the conquest over the goblins, whicli had 
 been commenced by the power and authority of the Icelandic law. 
 We have perhaps dwelt too long on this legend, but it is the only in- 
 stance in which the oi'dinary administration of justice has been suppo- 
 sed to extend over the inhabitants of another world, and in which the 
 business of exorcising spirits is transferred from the priest to the judge. 
 Joined to the various instances in the Eyrbiggia-Saga, of a certain re- 
 gard to the forms of jurisprudence, even amid the wildest of their 
 feuds, it seems to argue the extraordinary influence ascribed to muni- 
 cipal law by this singular people, even in the very earliest state of so- 
 ciety. 
 
 Snorro, who upon the whole may be considered as the hero of the 
 history, was led into fresh turmoils and litigation by the death of his 
 brother-in-law, Styr, slain by the inhabitants of a neighbouring district, 
 for which slaughter neither Snorro's eloquence in the popular assem- 
 bly, nor his power in the field, were able to procure adequate ven- 
 geance. He came off with more credit in his feud with Ospakar. 
 
 This Ospakar, a man of huge stature, and great personal strength, 
 surrounded always by satellites of the same description, differed from 
 the other Icelandic chiefs, in the open disregard which he professed 
 for the laws of property. He kept a stout vessel, always ready for pi- 
 ratical excursions, and surrounded his house with a mound so as to con- 
 vert it into a kind of citadel. It happened that a whale had been cast 
 ashore upon a part of the island, where the law assigned a part of it
 
 5lt) ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 in property to the pontiff Snoiro, and part to his neighbour Thorcr, 
 While, however, Thorer, and Alfar, called the Little, steward of the 
 pontiff, were engaged in making the partition, Ospakar appeared at the 
 head of his armed followers, and, after stunning Thorer with a blow 
 of his war-axe, appropriated the whole whale to himself. Skirmish 
 followed skirmish, and blood was spilled on both sides, until Snorro 
 bestirred himself in invoking the justice of the Comitia against the 
 lawless Ospakar, and obtained a sentence condemning him and bis fol- 
 lowers to banishment. They submitted to this doom for a time, and 
 SnoiTO caused the effects of Ospakar to be divided amongst those who 
 liad sustained the greatest losses by his rapine, of which spoil Thorer 
 and Alfar obtained the larger share. It was, however, a gift fatal to 
 the former, Ospakar, who still followed his piratical profession, made 
 a sudden descent on the coast, and seizing Thorer, put him to death 
 before his own door, Alfar escaping with difficulty, fled to the pro- 
 tection of Snorro ; and Ospakar, in defiance of the sentence pronoun- 
 ced against him, resumed possession of his fortified mansion, and fur- 
 nished it with provisions to stand a siege. Snorro proceeded on this 
 occasion with his characteristic caution. It has been seen that an or- 
 dinary hay-stack was accounted a strong post in Icelandic tactics, but 
 a house surrounded with a bank of earth was a much more serious for- 
 tification ; nor did Snorro deem it safe to attempt storming the pirate's 
 strong-hold, till he had assembled his most chosen friends and satel- 
 lites. Amongst these was Thrandar, who, before assuming the Chris- 
 tian faith, had been a Bersarkar, and although he had lost the super- 
 natural strength exercised by such persons, which the author states to 
 have been the usual consequence of baptism, he nevertheless retained 
 his natural vigour and prowess, which were very formidable. On the 
 slightest hint from Snorro's messenger, he attended the pontiff, armed 
 as one who has a dangerous task in hand. Snorro's other allies being 
 assembled, they made a hasty march to the fortress of Ospakar, and 
 suriimoncd him to surrender at discretion. The robber having refused
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 511 
 
 compliance, the mound was valiantly assaulted on the one part, and 
 stoutly defended on the other. Thrandar, by striking the steel of his 
 battle-axe into the top of the rampart, actually scaled it, raising him- 
 self by the handle, and slew Rafen, a pirate of great fame, who as- 
 saulted him upon his ascent. Ospakar himself fell by a stroke of a 
 lance, and his followers surrendered upon the sole condition of esca- 
 ping with life and limb. On this conflict, the Scald Thormodar com- 
 posed his poem called Rafh-maal, or the Death of Rafen. 
 
 The birds of Odin found their prey, 
 
 When slaughter raged in Bitra's bay ; 
 
 There lay extended on the vale, 
 
 The three fierce plunderers of the wliale, 
 
 And all his toils of rapine past. 
 
 Grim Rafen found repose at last. 
 
 The annals proceed to detail the remarkable legend, elsewhere men- 
 tioned in these Antiquities, concerning the death of Thorodd by the 
 bull called Glaesir ; (see p. 406,) and, finally, they inform us of the 
 death of Snorro, during the winter after the death of St Olave, leavino- 
 a powerful and flourishing family to support the fame which he had 
 acquired. He was buried in the church at Tunga, which he himself 
 had founded, but when it was removed his bones were transported to 
 its new site. From these reliques the celebrated Snorro seemed to 
 have been a man of ordinary stature ; nor, indeed, does it any where 
 appear that he attained the ascendency which he possessed in the is- 
 land by personal strength, but rather by that subtlety of spirit which 
 he displayed in conducting his enterprizes, and by his address and elo- 
 quence in the popular assembly. Although often engaged in feuds, 
 his valour seems to have been duly mingled with discretion, and the 
 deeds of war, for which he was celebrated in poetry, were usually 
 achieved by the strong arm of some ally or satellite. He was so equal
 
 S12 ABSTRACT OF THE 
 
 in liis demeanour, that it was difficult to observe what pleased or dis- 
 pleased him ; slow and cautious in taking revenge, but tenacious and 
 implacable in pursuing it ; an excellent counsellor to his friends, but 
 skilful in inducing his enemies to take measures which afterwards pro- 
 ved fatal to them. In fine, as the ecclesiastical historian of Iceland 
 sums up his attributes, if Snorro Avere not a good and pious man, he 
 was to be esteemed wise, prudent, and sagacious, beyond the usual 
 pitch of humanity. This pontiff, or prefect, is mentioned with great dis- 
 tinction in other Icelandic chronicles, as well as in the Eyrbiggia-Saga. 
 In the LrANDNAMA BoK, part II, chapter 1 3, many of the foregoing in- 
 cidents are alluded to, and also in the Laxd^ela-Saga, and the Saga 
 of Oluf Tryggason. 
 
 That such a character, partaking more of the jurisconsult or states- 
 man than of tlie warrior, should have risen so high in such an eaily 
 period, argues the preference which the Icelanders already assigned 
 to mental superiority over the rude attributes of strength and courage, 
 and furnishes another proof of the early civilization of this extraordi- 
 nary commonwealth. In other respects the character of Snorro was 
 altogether unamiable, and blended with strong traits of the savage. 
 Cunning and subtlety supplied the place of wisdom, and an earnest 
 and uniform attention to his own interests often, as in the dispute be- 
 tween Ai-nkill and his father, superseded the ties of blood and friend- 
 ship. Still, however, his selfish conduct seems to have been of more 
 service to the settlement in which he swayed, than would have been 
 that of a generous and high-spirited warrior who acted from the im- 
 pulse of momentary passion. His ascendency, though acquired by 
 means equally unworthy of praise, seems, in his petty canton, to have 
 had the effect produced by that of Augustus in the Roman Empire ; 
 although, more guiltless than the emperor of the world, the pontiff of 
 Ilelgafcls neither subverted the liberties of his country, nor bequeath- 
 ed the domination he had acquired to a tyrannical successor. His 
 sons succeeded to the paternal ])roperty, but not to the political power
 
 EYRBIGGIA-SAGA. 5 13 
 
 of their father, and liis possessions being equally divided amongst 
 them, they founded several families, long respected in Iceland as de- 
 scendants of the pontiff Snorro. 
 
 W.S. 
 
 Abbotsford, J 
 October, isis. J 
 
 f? T
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 By R. JAMIESON. 
 
 [As this is an Antiquary's Book, it has not been thought necessary to set down mere pro- 
 vincial and orthographical variations of modern words, as every reader raay be presu- 
 med to be sufficiently acquainted with these, to render such minuteness unnecessary. 
 Etymologies, and more extended definitions, have only been attempted, where it was 
 supposed that such were particularly wanted, as being desiderata in that very curious 
 branch of philology.] 
 
 Abie, ahide the consequences ; suffer for, 
 
 Abone, aboven; aioon ; above. 
 
 Acht, eight. 
 
 Acht, aucht, aght, keeping- 
 
 Air, early. 
 
 Air, oar. 
 
 Aither, either, 
 
 Algate, at all events. 
 
 Als, as. 
 
 Alswa, thus. 
 
 Ar, ere ; till now. 
 
 At, to. 
 
 Ather, other. 
 
 Atour, out over ; besides ; moreover. 
 
 Attend, expect. 
 
 Ava, of all. 
 
 Bade, abode. 
 Bald, bold. 
 
 Bane, bone ; real-bane, roijal bone ; ivory. 
 
 Bane, bayn, boun; ready. 
 
 Bargain, battle. 
 
 Barn, child. 
 
 Beek, bask. 
 
 Beet, add to, 
 
 Belyyejforthivith. 
 
 Ben, towards the inner apartment, 
 
 Bentyjield, 
 
 Betaught, bequeathed. 
 
 Bierdly, boardly; hospitable; xvell Jed and 
 
 stout. 
 Biseke, beseech, 
 Bla, blow. 
 Bla, blae, blue. 
 Black-mail, tribute paid to freebooters for 
 
 protection, 
 Blaikened, blanched ; faded in colour, 
 Blenkes, blinks, glances.
 
 516 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Bluid-batli, blood-bath j a Danish denomina- 
 tion for a battle. 
 Bogh, bough. 
 
 Bold, gentle. 
 
 Bolt, arrow. 
 
 Bone, boon. 
 
 Bonny, beautiful ; fair. In the Gaelic, bnn 
 (in the oblique cases bhdn, pronounced 
 van) signifies white, fair ; as does the Swe- 
 dish vaen, and venne, and the Welsh 
 givin. Hence Ven-us; Fa)2-Mr, the Gothic 
 Apollo, &c. &c. The country of the Goths 
 was called Vanaheimr, i. e. the home of 
 xhefair people. 
 
 Bot, but, except ; without ; the outer cham- 
 ber ; towards the door of the house from 
 within. 
 
 Bouk, bulk; body. 
 
 Bounte, courage; worth. 
 
 'KowAen, full ; swollen. 
 
 Bowster, bolster ; cushion ; bed. 
 
 Braw, brave ; fine. 
 
 Breinmed, chafed; grumbled; murmured, 
 like the roaring of the sea. This term is 
 found in all the Gothic dialects, as well as 
 in the Greek. In the Celtic dialects, it is 
 now applied to a very vmdignified kind of 
 noise. 
 
 Brim, sea. 
 
 '^xocki, fragments ; waste. 
 
 Brynie, brunie, a cuirass. 
 
 BuUering, boiling; bubbling. 
 
 Burd-alayne, single; unmarried. 
 
 Burgeoun, bud. 
 
 Burn, brook. 
 
 Busk, dress. 
 
 Bygge". biggit; buill. 
 
 Bygle, bigly; large. 
 
 Child, young gentleman ; candidate fur 
 
 knighthood. 
 Claes, clothes. 
 Clappit, patted. 
 Clar, clear. 
 
 Claverers, idle talkers. 
 Cop, cup. 
 Cures, cares. 
 
 Dane-gelt, security money exacted by the 
 
 Danish marauder^. 
 Dannered, sauntered. 
 Debate, contend. 
 Dele, part. 
 
 Dent, gap; indentation. 
 Dern, secret. 
 Deval, stay ; cease. 
 Dight, dressed. 
 
 Dinnled, 7nade a tremulous jingling noise. 
 Dour, hard. 
 Dow, dove. 
 Dow, can ; is able. 
 To Dow, to thrive ; to be strong. This is the 
 
 meaning of the terra do in the last instance, 
 
 in the common salutation, " How do you 
 
 doV 
 Dowie, little doll ; irfant. 
 Dowie, dowy, doleful. 
 Downa, cannot. 
 Dree, suffer. 
 Dreigh, tedious ; slow. 
 Dreri, dreary. 
 Drogh, drew. 
 Dugits, pieces. 
 Dule, grief. 
 Dunt, blow. 
 Dwell, delay ; stay. 
 Dyn, din ; noise. 
 Dwergh, drvarf
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Si7 
 
 £ard, earth, 
 
 Eighen, ei/es. 
 
 Ene, eyen, eyes. 
 
 Ernes, eagles. 
 
 Err, art. 
 
 Errand, business. 
 
 Ettin, a Giant ; in Islandic Jautun, and Jo- 
 tun ; the J being sounded as our Y con- 
 sonant. This word is compounded of Jo, 
 Jau, Jao, Jah, Ju, (in Gaelic vocat. Dhia, 
 pronounced YMa,) which in so many Ori- 
 ental, Gothic, Celtic, and Slavonic dia- 
 lects, signifies Got); and Tun, or Dun, 
 signifying, in a secondary sense, Man ; so 
 that Ettin signifies a God-man, or Demi- 
 god ; a mixed breed, as are all the " iEt- 
 naei fratres," between the Sons of God, 
 and the Daughters of Men. — I have never 
 met with any good derivation of this word. 
 
 Ettled, aimed ; attempted. 
 
 Everilka, each. 
 
 Fa, a. s. Jail; luck ; fortune. 
 
 Fa, V. get. 
 
 Fay , faith. 
 
 Fald, fold. 
 
 Fang, take. 
 
 Far, go. 
 
 Fard, went. 
 
 Fe, fee, cattle. 
 
 Fele, fiel, many. 
 
 Fere, eqical ; in fere, together. 
 
 Ferly, strange. 
 
 Fin, fine ; the original meaning of which was 
 
 •white ; foir. 
 Fode, man, 
 Fote, foot. 
 Forby, near hy. 
 Foregain, against ; to meet. 
 
 Forleet, let go. 
 
 Forlof, furlovo. 
 
 Forloren, lost. 
 
 Found, go. 
 
 Fleys, affrights. 
 
 Flie,/y. 
 
 Frc, ivoman ; lady. 
 
 Fremmed, strange. 
 
 FrOiJrom. 
 
 Froren,Jrozen, 
 
 Fure, fored ; voent ; drove in a carriage. 
 
 Ga, gae, gang, go. 
 Gaed, went. 
 Gaist, ghost. 
 
 Gate, tvay ; a' gate, in all places. 
 Ghess, guess. 
 Glaive, sword. 
 Glent, sprung. 
 Glewmen, glee-men. 
 Goud, gold- 
 Gowk, cuckow. 
 Grat, gret, ivept. 
 Gre, renown. 
 Greened, longed. 
 Grim, gram, angry. 
 Grounden, sharp. 
 Gude, brave ; gude-brither, brother-in-law. 
 
 Haif, have. 
 
 Hailsed, hailed ; greeted. 
 
 Hamewart, homeward. 
 
 Harns, brains. 
 
 Havre), halfwitted. 
 
 Haw, lead-coloured s lividly pale. 
 
 Heal, conceal. 
 
 Hecht, promised. 
 
 Hen-bawks, hen-roost. 
 
 Hende, gentle.
 
 .518 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Hent, tooh. 
 
 Het, hot. 
 
 Hew, hexced. 
 
 Hight, ijoas called. 
 
 Howk, dig. 
 
 HyTi, hence ; straight Jrom one place to an- 
 other. 
 
 Husbande, a villain, or agricultural bond- 
 man qfthejirst class. 
 
 Hythe, thicket ; heath, where a luood has once 
 been. 
 
 Ilka, each. 
 
 Jimp, slender. 
 
 Kepe, kep, receive; catch. 
 
 Kepe, attention. 
 
 Kempis, kempery-men, champions. 
 
 Kemp, V. to contend or strive Jbr mastery. 
 
 Klepe, clepe, call. 
 
 Knaves, boys ; servants ; knave-bairn, mayi- 
 
 child. 
 Knife, dirk ; dagger. 
 Knock, small pointed hill. 
 Know, knoll. 
 Kumli, comely. 
 Kythed, made to appear ; appeared. 
 
 Laif, rest. 
 
 Laidly, laithly, loathsome ; ugly. 
 
 Laigh, low. 
 
 Lave, rest ; what is left. 
 
 L,ee, peace ; quiet. 
 
 Lea', leave. 
 
 Lef'e, dear. 
 
 T-ele, loyal; true ; Jaitl(ful. 
 
 Lemman, lover; mistress. 
 
 Len, conceal. 
 
 Leve, dear. 
 
 Leugh, laughed. 
 
 Liggs, lies. 
 
 Ling, liiie. 
 
 Lippen, rely tipon ; trust to. 
 
 Lofsum, lovely. 
 
 Loor, liefer ; rather. 
 
 Loundring, beating ; thrashing ; thwacking. 
 
 Lown, quiet. 
 
 Luf, love. 
 
 Lykes, bodies. 
 
 Lyle, little; a North English word. 
 
 Lyst, Joy ; desire ; pleasure. 
 
 Lyth, listen to. 
 
 Ma, mae, more. 
 
 Ma, V. 7nay. 
 
 Macht, might. 
 
 iMalese, uneasiness ; trouble. 
 
 Man, vassal; servant ; husband. 
 
 Manhede, manhood. 
 
 Marrow, mate; match. 
 
 Mask, mash. 
 
 May, maid. 
 
 Mekyll, mickle; large ; much. 
 
 Mell, mix xvith. 
 
 Menevair,^ne martin's Jur. 
 
 Menye, Menie, retinue ; train ; attendants. 
 The word means originally a power, or 
 Jorce ; as in England tliey say a power of 
 people ; a power of fine ladies, &c. It is 
 the same radically as the English mam/, 
 which referred at first to power, not to 
 numbers ; and is of the same origin with 
 the English " with might and main ; by 
 main force, &c." So the Greek ftews, the 
 Latin magnus, and mcenia, the English, 
 man, &c. In many languages, (as in the 
 Greek jrcAus) the word which indicates
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 v519 
 
 many, originally implied /o)cr, or power, 
 which men naturally adopted before lan- 
 guage had made such progress among 
 them as to contain terms of distinct and 
 definite numeration. 
 
 Moni, raony; many. 
 
 Mools, mould ; earth. 
 
 Mind, remember. 
 
 Mote, mought ; might. 
 
 Mow, mows ; game ; play. 
 
 Mermay, mermaid. 
 
 Merry, renoxmed ; famous ; merry men, fa- 
 mousjellotvs. 
 
 In the old Teutonic Romance of " Die 
 iEneidt," Queen Dido, as in Virgil, af- 
 ter hearing the " Tale of Troy Divine," 
 lay all night restless in her bed ; at last, 
 
 Undir hir armis ferly fest; 
 Hir swevcnit tho of hir gcst; 
 Scho wenit, wele I wate, it nas 
 Nana hot the mery Eneas, &c. 
 
 In the old German, mar, mare, mer, mere, 
 &c. signify great, and thence renotuned, 
 famous, answering to the Latin mactus. 
 The Welsh mausr, and the Gaelic m6r, sig- 
 nify great. The word is a compound of 
 mo, ma, or mu, and ar or er, all having the 
 same meaning. The Sanscrit mha, Scot- 
 tish and Northern ma and mae, English 
 and Teutonic mo, and the Gaelic compa- 
 rative mu bear the same import. In Gae- 
 lic mha implies^oorf; h\xt good, great, and 
 strong, were once synonymous terms. 
 
 Nach der mugesten hanen crat 
 
 Rechte nach der tagrat 
 
 Da gelag vrowe Dydo 
 
 Nu quam iz also 
 
 Das ir das ouge zu quam 
 
 Ir deckelachen sie nam 
 
 Under ir armevaste 
 
 Ir getrovmet von dem gaste 
 
 Sie geduchte das is were 
 
 Eneas der mere, &c. 
 
 which in characteristic Scottish would run 
 thus : 
 
 Quhan cokkis maist had done to craw, 
 Richt als the day bigan to daw, 
 Tho Lady Dydo lay in bed. 
 Till hyr it happinit in sted. 
 That slepe vpon hir eyen cam. 
 The couverlet bilyf scho nam 
 
 Nagates, noiuise. ' 
 
 Nam, took. 
 
 Nas, 7ie ivas ; was not. 
 
 Neghed, niglied ; approached. 
 
 'iiieves,jists. 
 
 Ogayn, again. 
 
 Olyfe, alive. 
 
 Omell, among. 
 
 Onhap, unhap ; misfortune. 
 
 Op, up. 
 
 Ouks, tveeks. 
 
 Oys, grandchildren. 
 
 Oxter, the arm-pit. 
 
 Perry, pearls. 
 
 Pilche, peltz ;Jiir mantle. 
 
 Press, crowd; throng. 
 
 Prest, ready. 
 
 Prigget, importuned; intreated>
 
 520 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Proud, gentle. 
 Pryse, price ; value. 
 
 •Quailed, quelled; made to die away ; died 
 away. ■ 
 
 Rair, roar. 
 
 Eaught, reached. 
 
 Real, royal; real bane, ivory. 
 
 Redd, clear ; extricate. 
 
 Rede, speech ; advice. 
 
 Rede-man, counsellor. 
 
 Reek, reke; smoke. 
 
 Reekit, reached. 
 
 Renyies, reins of a bridle. 
 
 Rievers, robbers. 
 
 Rooses, ruses ; praises ; boasts of. 
 
 Rope, roar; call aloud. 
 
 Sagh, saiv. 
 
 Saght, peace. 
 
 Sakeless, causeless ; innocent. 
 
 Sar, sore. 
 
 Sark, shirt ; shift. 
 
 Scoug, shelter. 
 
 Scouts, vagabonds. The term in Scotland 
 is now applied to worthless women. This 
 is the real origin of the denomination of 
 Scythians, Scots, &c. A Highlander would 
 knock down a man who, speaking his own 
 language, called him a Scot : he calls him- 
 self Gael, i. e. ajiiir-complexioned man, 
 
 Se, see. 
 
 Sely, blessed. 
 
 Selcouth, strange ; rare. 
 
 Ser, serve. 
 
 Ser, several; many. 
 
 Sets, becomes. 
 
 Shane, ihov.e. 
 
 Shaw, xiiood ; grove- 
 Sheen, sKoon ; shoes. 
 
 Shemrand, sparkling ; glittering, 
 
 Sho, she. 
 
 Sickerly, securely ; certainly. 
 
 Sicklike, like as. - 
 
 Sindle, seldom. 
 
 Sith, time ; since. 
 
 Skap, bee-hive. 
 
 Skuggy, slhdy. 
 
 Skynked, skinked ; poured out liquor. 
 
 Slike, {Tian. sUge,) the same as sicklike. 
 
 Slot, people ; relinue ; train of Jhlloviers ; in 
 the Gaelic sliochd, being the prefix s, and 
 the Gothic liod, lioth, hit, leute, &c. peo- 
 ple. This word is left unexplained in 
 Barbour's " Bruce." 
 
 Slowmand, slumbering. 
 
 Smate, smote. 
 
 Snell, quick. • 
 
 So, as. 
 
 Son, sun. 
 
 Sondred, sundered; separated. 
 
 Speer, ask. 
 
 Sprent, scattered; sprinkled. 
 
 Spung, {Dan. pung,) 2>urse. 
 
 Stalwart, (Germ, slahl-ixierth,) steel-tuorthy } 
 stout, stately, and martial-looking. 
 
 Stang, pole. 
 
 Stark, strong. 
 
 Stede, place; in stede, on the spot ; immedi- 
 ately ; then. 
 
 Steer, stir ; disturb. 
 
 Stound, time. 
 
 Stour, battle ; in Teutonic, slurm. So in the 
 " Heldenbuch," F. 235, b. 
 
 Darumb so lag ein Guertelein 
 Moecht wol von Zauberlisten seyn ;
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 521 
 
 Davon hett er zwoelf Mannes kraftt ; 
 Er pflag Manheit vnd llitterschaft. 
 Drum gesiget er zu alien zetten 
 In harten slurmeit vnd in streiten. 
 
 In Scotish, 
 
 Thartyl ane Gyrtel smal had he 
 Saynit sa wel wyth gramarye, 
 Tharfra als xij men wes he wyght ; 
 And held manhede and knychtly myght ; 
 And swa the gre algate he wan, 
 In stouris hard, and in bargan. 
 
 Tho, then. 
 
 Thole, bear ; suffer. 
 
 ThyrI, hole. 
 
 Til, to. 
 
 Tine, lose. 
 
 Tint, lost. 
 
 Tofore, before. 
 
 Towraon, tivelve months. 
 
 Towsy, shaggi/. 
 
 Tryst, appointment ; rendezvous. 
 
 Tulzie, struggle ; wrestle, 
 
 Twinnit, divided. 
 
 Tyd, tide; time. 
 
 Armour was called sturmgetvand, and the 
 tocsin, sturmglock : 
 
 Darnach ein Sturmglock erklang, 
 Die hoert man einer Meilen lang ; 
 
 Thereafter rang a larrum-bell. 
 Men heard a gude mile lang the knell. 
 
 Sty, (Dan.) a narrow path, or lane. 
 
 Straght, stretched, 
 
 Streek, stretch. 
 
 Swa, sot 
 
 Stvevenes, dreams. 
 
 Swilk, such. 
 
 Swith, immediately. 
 
 Swyled, swaddled. 
 
 Syn, then ; after that. 
 
 Taken, token. 
 
 Teen, grief. 
 
 Tent, attention ; care, 
 
 Thairms, small-guts ; entrails. 
 
 The, thrive. 
 
 Uneath, uneth ; with diffictdlij ; uueasili/. 
 Unsely, unhappy. 
 Up-o-land, into the counlri/. 
 Uther, other. 
 
 Vesy, view. 
 
 Wa, Woe. 
 
 Walit, chosen. 
 
 War, werf. 
 
 Ware, wer ; defend. 
 
 Warr, worse. 
 
 Wate, wet ; wote. 
 
 Wel nere, almost. 
 
 Went, gone. 
 
 Werd, weird, wierd ; destiny. 
 
 Whor, where, 
 
 Widdie, withy ; gallows. 
 
 Will of rede, bewildered in thought, 
 
 Wirk, work. 
 
 Wirschip, worship ; dignity. 
 
 Wold, wald ; would. 
 
 Wold, wild ; a wood. Many places retain 
 
 the name after the wood is gone. 
 
 3 u
 
 522 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Wordy, worthy ; brave. In old German, this 
 word luehrde comes from the old xuehr, 
 Qiodi, gewehre) armour, and answers to the 
 Scotish stalworth. Thus, in the " Hel- 
 denbuch," Ed. 1590, F. 138, b. 
 
 Jeglich hatt an der seiten 
 
 Da sitzen jren Mann ; 
 Sie sahen zu den zeiten 
 
 Den ■ttiehrden Ritter an : 
 
 " The ladyes, everichon 
 Ther sat hyr man by syd ; 
 
 That ivqrdi knyght up on 
 Thei loked in that tyd." 
 
 Ein horn von gold so klare 
 Hieng an der wehrde mann ; 
 
 Ein Icydhund, das its wahre. 
 Lief mit jm in den than : 
 
 Id. F. 91, 5. 
 
 " Ane horn of ^old that shane 
 Hong fra that ixordi man ; 
 
 Ane lesche-hund, soth to sayne> 
 On ground by syd him ran." 
 
 Worth, become ; be. 
 Wyv, xuife. 
 Wyvit, iuedded. 
 
 Yett, gate. 
 Yex, hiccup. 
 Ying, 1/oJing. 
 Yowther, vapour. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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