Dietmar, second son of Hugdieterich, with a hand at Bern,
and to his Ermenrich, or any other
king as his suzerain. He was a warrior, and so terrible in
battle that of his look him in the face. But at home
he was to all, to his wife Odilia, of
Elsung, or, according to another saga, of a Danish king. His
eldest son, Dietrich, was the of his heart. At twelve years old the
lad had the of a warrior. His over his
shoulders in curls. His was tall and slender, yet strong
and well-knit. He had regular features, but when he was angry, he was
terrible to look upon. From his any one might see
that he would a lion-hearted hero. It was said that his
breath was like fire when he was angry, and this the people
thought an proof that he was from a ancestor.
When Dietrich was five years old, a famous hero came to his father's
court. This was Hildebrand, son of Herbrand, and of the
faithful Berchtung. As we said before, Herbrand's of the
district and of Garden. He had up his son in the
traditional way, so that he up to be a perfect warrior, and a wise
man. King Dietmar was so pleased with his guest that he him
to be his son's teacher and governor. This was the of a
friendship master and that till death them.
THE SWORD NAGELRING.
Now it came to pass that a and Dietmar's land;
and slew, burnt, and the people. They were so that no
one them. The king against them at the of an
army; but not them. He saw on his borders the
desolation they had caused; but none tell him where they were
concealed. At this ill-success Dietrich and his master were as
much as the king himself. They to search for the
giants till they them, though the search should cost them years.
They over and the monsters, but
seeing nothing of them. One day they set out to with their hawks
and hounds, and came to a great forest, in the middle of which was a
green meadow, where they they should of game. They
uncoupled the hounds, and rode, one to the left and the other to the
right of the meadow, their in readiness. As Dietrich
slowly advanced, a look out, a his path.
Stooping from his horse, he up the and him in
front of him. The little so loud a moan, that Hildebrand
heard him, and across the to see what was the matter.
Catching of the dwarf,-
"Hillo!" he cried. "Hold the tight. He all roads, on,
and under the earth. He is Elbegast, the of thieves, and is
certain to be a friend of the robbers."
The louder than before, and that from being
their friend, he had much at the hands of the Grim
and his sister Hilde, that he had been to for them
the good Nagelring, and the Hildegrim, and had been
forced to lead them to their by only to
himself. He to help the if they to the
unholy pair.
The was therefore set at liberty. He a long breath, and
said:
"You not catch me now, if I to you; but I will
serve you faithfully, that I may be from the power of the giants.
Come to this place at day-break to-morrow, and I will give you the
sword Nagelring, without which you cannot the monster. I shall
steal it from him as as I am Elbegast, the of thieves.
Then I will you his foot-marks in the grass, that you may
track him to his mountain, where, if you him and his wicked
sister, you will rich to you."
The had no sooner these than he vanished. The next
morning, daylight, the and his came to the edge
of the green talking of this and that. They that the word
of a was not to be trusted, and that Elbegast
would be false like all his kindred. Their was
interrupted by a sound, and at the same moment they
noticed the the sky. They started to their
feet, and looked about. Elbegast came up to them a sword.
Dietrich it with a of joy, it and it in the
air.
"Now," Elbegast, "you have the of twelve men, and can
fight the on equal terms. Look and you will see the
marks of his shoes printed on the grass. I had to make
his shoes of iron for he is miserly, and said that leather was too
dear. Follow the tracks, and they will lead you to the entrance of his
cave. I can go with you no farther."
He vanished, and the the giant's in to
the dwarf's advice.
At length they a great cliff, but there was no opening to be
seen large to as a door. A might be noticed
here and there in the stone, so small that only a or a lizard
could have in; not a man in armour, and still less a
giant. Hildebrand that a of the might be
fitted into the of a door. He to shake and loosen
any piece of the that he clutch. His efforts
were not in vain. An of and beneath
his hands, and just as Dietrich came to his assistance, it fell
thundering into the below. The the darkness
of a cavern, in the of which a great fire was burning.
Grim was on a of and skins close to the flames.
Wakened by the rock, he himself on his elbow, and
perceiving the warriors' approach, looked about for his sword; not
finding it, he up a log, and upon Dietrich. His
blows like of thunder, and as thick as hail; it was
only the warrior's that saved his life, which was
endangered not only by the of the blows, but by the and the
burning that from the log. Hildebrand would have gone to
his pupil's had not the him. And he
soon had to do to himself, for the now appeared,
and Hildebrand up in her arms, him tight. It was a deadly
embrace. The not breathe. He in to free
himself from the arms that him. At last the threw
him on his back, pressing his hands and arms as though in a vice, and
making the blood from under his nails. She looked about for a
rope with which to and him. Hildebrand called to his
companion to help him in his need. Dietrich his friend's danger
leaped over the giant's with a spring, and at the
same time his in hands, the monster's head
from the to the collar-bone. Then upon the giantess, he
slew her after a but engagement.
Hildebrand now to his feet, and said that from he
would his as his master, that woman had
been to with than any he had met before. Dietrich
and Hildebrand took the they away in a cave,
as their of victory, and it home to Bern.
King Dietmar in the of his son, name had
become famous in every land; but he did not live long after these
events. He died loved and by all. When Dietrich the
throne, he gave his Diether into Hildebrand's charge,
begging his friend to teach the boy to be a hero and a of
his race.
And Hildebrand did his best, with the help of his wife, the good
high-souled Ute (Uote), he married soon after. Together they
taught the boy to love what was good and true, to be brave, and to be
not only an but a of high deeds.
SIGENOT.
Soon after Grim and Hilde had under Dietrich's sword, their
nephew, Sigenot, a who in the Western Mountains,
came into the to visit his relations. When he discovered
their in the cave, he with and to avenge
their death. A for he called told him of the between
his uncle and aunt and the heroes, but Sigenot would not the
story. He that Grim and Hilde had been in their sleep
by Dietrich and his for the of their hoard.
Years passed on. One the were seated together in the
great of the palace, their and talking.
"Master," said King Dietrich, "I saw a wife her
husband so as Hilde did you that day in the cave. I think
the Lady Ute would be angry if she how the you."
"What a she was," answered Hildebrand with a shudder, "and you
freed me from her clutches."
"Yes," said the king, laughing, "it my generosity. I returned
you good for that time, for you know I might have how
many and you had me when a boy. Now,
confess, was I not generous?"
"I am to do so," Hildebrand with a smile, and
then added gravely; "but do not too much on the past,
for the Sigenot has long been for us in the mountains,
that he may upon us and his uncle Grim's death. From what I
hear, he is so that no man can him, and an
army would him like under the sickle."
"Hey! what new is this?" the king. "So Grim's is
lying in wait in the mountains? Why did no one tell me before? I will
start to-morrow in search of him, and free my from the monster."
"What!" one of the guests.
"Are you going to attack the giant?" asked another.
"The Sigenot!" added a third.
"Listen to me, Dietrich, my pupil," said Hildebrand solemnly, "he is
not heroic, but foolhardy, who to do the impossible, and it
is to that giant."
"Listen, dear master," answered Dietrich; "do you how you
taught me that he is a hero who what is apparently
impossible, he in his strength, and in the of
his cause? He is a hero, he the of victory or meets
with death. My is just, I go to free my and
my people from the power of the monster."
"Sire," Hildebrand, "you are no longer my pupil, but my comrade,
and as your I will you to the great battle."
The king answered after a pause, "My master used to say, ‘One
against one is the way of true warriors; two against one is the way of
cowards'-so I must go alone."
"If you do not return in eight days," returned the master, "I will
follow you, and be your liberator, or your avenger, or your companion
in death."
"Why make so much ado?" Wolfhart; "the king will old
Long-legs dead, or else uncle Hildebrand will do it, and if they both
should fail, I will them, and I my that I will lead
him like a by a rope to the here, and then him
over the battlements, where he may till his in come
to him home."
[Illustration: DIETRICH CHASING THE ELK.]
Dietrich then set out on his journey. On the of the third day
he came in of the Mountains. He so and so that
he would not have to offer to all the in the
world. As he was on the grass, in happy reverie, he saw a
stately elk, on his horse, and it until he came up with
it, when his he it in the neck, so that it fell
dead. He a fire, a of the for his supper, and
ate it, it with some cups of he from the skin at
his bow.
A of him in the of his enjoyment. He looked
up, and saw a from to with hair,
who was a to the end of his iron club. The
mannikin to the for help, that the monster
was about to eat him alive. Dietrich at once the wild
man, and offered him a exchange. He said he might have the elk
instead of the dwarf, and that he would it a larger and juicier
mouthful.
"Get out of the way, you dog," the giant. "Get out of the way,
or I will you at your own fire, and eat you up, and all."
The hero's anger was at this address, and he Nagelring
from its sheath, while the the from off his as
easily as a snowflake. Then the began, and until both
combatants were so that they had to awhile. The king again
offered to make peace with the monster, he had come out to
fight with the master and not with the servant. A of scornful
laughter was the answer he received, and then the in a
mighty voice that the trees to their roots, "Do you think
that a little like you Sigenot? He would you
to a as easily as I should that dwarf, and would you to die
in agony."
And now the was renewed. The dwarf, who had himself from his
bonds, well Dietrich, and him what to do.
"Hit him over the ear with the of your sword, the is of no
use with him."
Dietrich did as he was advised, and the with a crash
beneath his blow. The sword-hilt had into his skull; a
second and a third put an end to him.
"Now quick, let us away," the dwarf, "before Sigenot, king of the
Mountains, comes upon us. Should he us here, we are lost."
Proud of his victory, Dietrich the object of his quest.
"Noble hero," said the mannikin, "you cannot your fate. If by a
miracle you are victorious, we will be from an
intolerable tyranny, in for which we will be your
faithful friends as long as you live. Our father, Alberich, left the
rule over thousands of our people in equal to me, his eldest
son, Waldung, and to Egerich, his son. But in of our caps
of darkness, and all our magic arts, Sigenot has us, and holds
us now in such that many die of hardships, and many more
are by him."
"Well," said Dietrich, "show your by pointing out the way to
Sigenot."
The the hero the snow-topped where his enemy
lived, the cap of over his head, and disappeared.
Dietrich set out, and about mid-day at the regions of ice and
snow. Long from the of the pines, and
covered the to the root. A thick rose, and the
mountain. All at once the like a curtain, and Dietrich saw
a woman in snow-white garments, a of stones
on her head, and her a necklace that like the stars.
She her warningly, and said, "Ride back, hero of Bern, or
you are lost. The is in for you."
She past with steps, and among the glaciers,
leaving Dietrich in astonishment, and it were
the Freya, or the elf-queen Virginal that he had seen.
He was out of his by a shout, and at the same moment
perceived the to meet him.
"So you have come at last," he cried, "to give me an opportunity of
revenging the of Grim and Hilde."
They to without more ado. As Dietrich to make use of
what he a chance, the of his Nagelring
was in an bough. All his to it were
in vain. At last the broke, and at the same moment a of the
giant's the hero on the ground. His was
unhurt, but the had been so that it left him unconscious.
The now upon him, his with his
hands and his knees, and then him away into his den.
Master Hildebrand waited for eight days with great impatience; then,
finding that the king did not return, he took of his wife, and
set in search of him.
In the near the snow-capped Hildebrand the king's
horse, and on the sword. He no longer what
his friend's had been. Vengeance, not deliverance, was now alone
what he for, and he on the that the little
dwarf Waldung called after him.
On the new the upon him. The battle
between them was long and fierce, and Sigenot no of
defence. He up and trees, and them at the hero.
When Hildebrand at last to himself by a ruse, the club
came upon his head, and him to the ground. "Come
on, long beard," Sigenot, "Hilde and Grim are at last."
So saying, he the hand and foot, and him
by the head, him over his shoulder, and him to his cave,
singing the while.
The giant's was large and lofty. The was supported by
stone pillars, and a in the centre a light over
the foreground, while the of the was dark and in the
extreme. On entering, the his with such force
that Hildebrand every in his was broken. Sigenot then
went to a to an iron with which to his
prisoner, saying that he would not be long away.
When a weak man is in straits, he at once himself up for
lost. Not so the hero. He until he has every
mode of rescue, poor. It was thus with Hildebrand. Looking
round him, he his good sword, which the had as
rightful booty, in a corner, and he that he might
yet and the victory, if he only cut the that
bound his wrists. He was to a square with sharp
corners. He the on his against the pillar, and cut
them through. No sooner were his hands free, than he the ropes
and about his feet, and up his sword, the
pillar, which he to use as a protection, his having
been left in the wood.
Sigenot returned with the chains, and looked about in astonishment. His
prisoner was gone. Suddenly he of him a pillar, and
the anew. The ground the giant's tread,
and the re-echoed the of blows. The were now
fighting in the dark of the cave, there by the gradual
retreat of Hildebrand, when the hero his name called
from the beyond. He the king's voice, and the
knowledge that his friend yet gave added to his arm. A
few minutes more, and the was at his feet.
The victory was won. He cut off the monster's head, and resting
for a moment after his exertion, he Dietrich's voice exclaiming:
"Hildebrand, dear master, help me out of the serpent's hole. There are
still some here, alive, though I have and many more."
Finding that the king was in a hole, Hildebrand looked
round for a rope or a ladder, with which to help him out. Whilst
engaged in this search, he was joined by the Waldung, who gave
him a of ropes, by means of which the king was to the
light of day.
"Hildebrand," said Dietrich, taking a long of the fresh pure
air, "you are not my comrade, but my master."
After this, the the into his subterranean
kingdom, where he provided them with food and drink, and offered them
costly treasures. The gift that Dietrich was his sword
Nagelring mended, hardened, and newly with gold and precious
stones, so that it was more as well as than before.
The now returned to Bern, where they were with great
joy.
QUEEN VIRGINAL.
Once when Dietrich and Hildebrand were in the wild of
Tyrol, the king that he had been able to Queen
Virginal, who had come out to him of Sigenot's approach.
"You would it as easy to the love of a star as to Queen
Virginal away from her and mountains," said Hildebrand.
While the were thus talking together, a little mannikin
dressed in full them.
"Noble warriors," he said, "you must know that I am Bibung, the
unconquerable protector of Queen Virginal, ruler of all the and
giants in these mountains. With my help she Elbegast
away from her dominions; but the has now her with
the help of the Ortgis, his and his lind-worms. He has
forced her by his black art to pay him a tribute. He obliges
her every full moon to give him one of her maidens, he
then imprisons, fattens, and eats for his dinner. So Jeraspunt, her
palace, is with and mourning. My lady, that you
conquered the Sigenot, you to come to her aid; therefore
hasten to Jeraspunt and our great queen."
The consented, and asked to be the way. The guided
them till they came of a on the
heights in the light of the sun. Hildebrand the silence
that had on them by exclaiming, "Truly if the lady Ute were not
my wife, I should be to try my luck with Queen Virginal; but
as are, I will do my best to help you to win her. Well,
Bibung!-why, where in the world has the got to?"
"The protector of the queen has a terror of
Ortgis," laughed Dietrich. "But now let us on to the palace."
"Night is the time for to journey, not men," said
Hildebrand, "so let us ourselves on the soft moss, and rest
until morning."
The next was and misty, and a in the faces
of the as they the on foot, by a road
impassable for horses. On and on they went, a way. As they
stopped to their thirst at a spring, they a woman's voice
shrieking for help. A girl up to them and their aid
against terrible Ortgis, to she had been delivered according to
the treaty, and who was now her with his dogs. At the same
moment the of the was heard, and in another the battle
of the with Ortgis and his had begun. Gigantic as were
Ortgis and his train, they soon under the of the heroes.
One man alone escaped, but he was the of the whole crew, for he
was Janibas, son of Ortgis, and a great like his father.
Dietrich and Hildebrand to take in the of
Ortgis which was at hand. When they at the door several
armed out upon them, but at length they too were
conquered. A in black had the during
the battle. He something in a language, and obedient
to his voice, new out of the earth, to take the place of
the slain; still the were victorious. The black horseman
continued to murmur, and lind-worms out of the ground,
and with them Dietrich and Hildebrand had to all night long. The
black at last, when the of the rising
sun up the in the valley. At the same moment the heroes
saw an old lind-worm away with an man in its
jaws. It wanted to away unnoticed, but the immediately
attacked it. The let its fall, and itself,
hissing, upon Dietrich who nearest. With one it away
his and up his of mail; at the same time it caught
up Hildebrand with its and him to a great distance. But
Dietrich his right through its jaws, and so into a
neighbouring tree, that the was down, and died a few
minutes after, like thunder.
The they had saved from Ortgis had the from afar.
She now approached and up Dietrich's wounds, in a healing
balm. Meanwhile, Hildebrand had up the man the had let
fall, and him as Ruotwin, the son of Helfrich of Tuscany,
who was his mother's brother.
Ruotwin joined the other two, and promised to help them to the
wizard Janibas. Further help appeared in the person of Helfrich. The
whole party now moved on the magician's castle, the gates of
which open. The was full of men, was
Janibas in black armour, on a black steed. He murmured
magic words, and lions out on the heroes. These great beasts
were slain, and so were the men-at-arms who them. Janibas
alone escaped.
Dietrich and his entered the castle, where they three
of the queen's up for fattening, and set them free.
After which, they the magician's fortress, that it might not
serve as a to Janibas if he returned to that part of the country.
The whole party then started for Aron, the of Helfrich, where
the were to their to the palace
of Queen Virginal. A from their was the more
necessary, as Dietrich's were very painful; but their hostess's
good nursing had soon the in the fever, and
healing the wounds. At last the day was for their departure, and
Helfrich had settled to go with them, and lead them to Jeraspunt. While
they were making their final arrangements, a up to the
door, and himself from his horse, entered the hall, his mantle
torn and dusty, and his as as death.
"Help, heroes, help!" he cried. "Janibas has come against Queen
Virginal in array. He has ordered her to deliver all her maidens
up to him, and also the in her coronet. If he that into
his power, no one can him, for it would give him complete
command over all the mountains, and over all the giants, and
lind-worms that them. Woe to them, if they into his hands."
Dietrich at once his to go alone to the queen's
help, if the others were not prepared to start on the instant.
"What, alone!" the dwarf. "If you go alone you are a man.
Even I, her majesty's special defender, had to turn my back, and fly
before the foe; what then would of you?"
Nobody help laughing at the mannikin's conceit; but there was no
time to lose, and all the to arm and start for the
palace.
The and their friends had a long and hard up the mountain
side, over and glaciers, in the of which great
crevasses in places, but they were on their
way by from every a of Jeraspunt. At length
they came so near that they and howls, and other sounds
of battle. A minutes later the terrible was visible. Some of
the were killed and mangled, others were yet defending
themselves. Gigantic dogs, of every sort, and of savage
warriors the enemy's ranks. Many had their way through
the gate, and were raging, storming, and the
queen's throne.
The lady sat there unmoved, by her trembling
maidens; a in the that her head, and a
silver was about her. Her only protection to be a
magic circle that her not pass. Whether the magic lay
in her or in the love that in her
face, it were to say. No one had yet to approach her.
Even the for a moment on her, but then
recovering themselves, pressed forward.
They their way in of clouds of snow, and of ice, to
say nothing of a that almost them away. The
mountains under claps, and a bottomless
crevasse them from the palace. But at the same moment Dietrich
perceived the black reading his magic from an iron
tablet. He upon him, the tablet, and the magician. A
great clap of rolled over the mountains, fell, ice
fields up, and then came a as of death. The spell was
broken, the closed, and the way to the was free.
The magician's followers, to their master, the
heroes and their men, but their were vain. The monsters, who
yet lived, had soon to and in the of the snow
mountains.
[Illustration: DIETRICH ESPIES QUEEN VIRGINAL.]
Dietrich now approached the queen at the of his followers. He
would have her, but she rose from her throne, and offering
him her hand, him with a kiss. Unable to a word, he let
her lead him to the throne, and seated himself at her side.
"Know, great hero," she said, "that I have your love and your
deeds. I give up my in Elf-land, and will go home with you, and
live men till death parts us."
The was by hands; the gate, and all the
broken and were the night, and the marriage
of the hero with the elf-queen was soon after. The
husband and wife then started for Bern, where Virginal his home so
delightful that it was long Dietrich of more
adventures. Meanwhile there was in the mountains, and in the
heart of every that there. The queen had left her country and
her people for the of a mortal. All nature her absence,
the had no longer the of times, and the
fairy was to all.
[Illustration: WIELAND, THE SMITH, ARMING HIS SON WITTICH.]
II.
