DIETRICH GOES TO BERN.
"Going to Bern! Dietrich is going to Bern! We are to have a
campaign in Lombardy," was the which through the land of the
Huns.
Yes; Dietrich was going back, by many comrades
new and old, and at the of a large army. Even Etzel's two sons,
mere boys as they were, on going too. The line of lay
through the great and of Lombardy. Amelolt
(Amelung) and Hildebrand, at the of the Wölfings, Garden,
and took the fortress. But the old master had not time to and
embrace the Lady Ute and his son Hadubrand, for they were not in the
castle at the time, and he had to the army without delay. He
came up with the at Padauwe (Padua), which Dietrich failed to
subdue. The army, Padauwe it, moved on to Bern, from
which Dietrich that Ermenrich's men had been by the
citizens.
At length the hero was at home in his Bern, where he was
received with great rejoicings. He had not long to rest; for a days
after his arrival, Alpher came, a message from Duke Friedrich
of Raben (Ravenna), that the Emperor Ermenrich was his town,
therefore he the hero's assistance. The Bernese a
rapid march, and in the of the
imperial army.
It was of no use to send out scouts. The in every
thicket. Dietrich asked his which of them would to
gain the enemy's outpost, and Alphart, the Lady Ute's
foster-son, himself ready. Others to have the duty; but
he had spoken first, and it was to him.
ALPHART'S DEATH.
The hero on the outposts. Suddenly,
spears and him, and from and
shield. But they did no harm, for his had been by dwarfs.
The enemy's leader up to him, and him to yield, saying
that he might give him his without shame, for he was Duke
Wölfing, and would return the to Alphart when he was ransomed.
"What?" the hero, "are you Duke Wölfing, the only of our
race? You shall have your here to-day, and from my hands."
The the two men was short. Alphart his opponent.
Upon this, the duke's up to him, but the
young hero killed of them, and put the to flight.
"A from the has come to for Dietrich,"
cried the men-at-arms. "It more than fifty of us single-handed,
and we ourselves with our lives."
"Do you not know that the hero of Bern is a son of the devil?" was the
answer; "and what is more natural than that a father should come to his
child's assistance? No man can be to with such a
foe."
"I will go out and see if it be not of and blood," cried
stout Wittich. "Even though it had all at its back, I not; I
must have a turn with it."
He himself quickly, and up a without noticing that
it was not Mimung. Heime, life he had saved a time before,
offered to go with him, and him should he fall.
Alphart the men from a distance.
"Ye are two comrades," he cried, "and have come to meet your
doom."
The him and Wittich forthwith, and the soon
perceived that he had not Mimung. He was twice to the ground. In
his distress, he called on his to help him; but Heime
hesitated, it was for two to
fight against one. When Alphart, however, called upon Wittich to yield,
if he would not be on the spot, Heime forward, and covered
his with his shield, thus him to to his feet
again. After which the hero.
Alphart was as active on as he was of hand. He felled
Heime, but Wittich came to his help, and so the on. The
three from many wounds; but it was Heime's hand that
finally the death-blow.
"Faithless that ye are," the Alphart, "the curse
of your will you to the grave."
The left the place of in silence. They did not noise
abroad the of their deed. Yet their was bloody, and they
were wounded. The men-at-arms in tones:
"They have been with that from hell, have it, but
have some terrible sight."
The news of Alphart's death was with in the
Bernese camp. Dietrich prepared to offer to the on the
following day, and all necessary in case he in
the fight.
THE BATTLE.
Master Hildebrand watch. Not with a distant
look-out on the enemy's movements, he to see with his own eyes
what was their lines. A thick the earth,
and every object from view. Suddenly the old master and his
companion, Eckehart, the of a horse. They their
swords, and waited. At the same moment the moon through the mist,
and they by its light Rinold of Milan, who, although one of
Ermenrich's men, was at the same time a friend of theirs. They greeted
each other heartily, and Rinold said that if he might Dietrich,
he would him to return to the land of the Huns, where he had
made himself a home; for the was too powerful to be overthrown.
After taking of their friend, Hildebrand looked about carefully,
and a path leading through a by which he outflank
the unperceived. On his return to the camp, he arranged
with Dietrich that he should take three by this path, and
fall upon the enemy at daybreak. Meantime, the king was to be to
attack in front, the moment he Hildebrand's to the
rear of the enemy.
No sooner had the sun than the began. Great of
valour were done on either side. It were an to tell of
each hero's achievements. Among those who were the two sons
of Etzel, who themselves of their name.
During the of that day, Dietrich and Wittich met at last, and it
was in this wise. Twilight was on apace, when Wittich, by
his star, or by his companion, Rinold of Milan, to visit
the outpost. Dietrich saw them go, and, remounting, across the
valley the height, and the other two to meet him. When
Wittich saw the king him, his by the
angry that him, and his from his mouth
like of fire, a terror he had overmastered
him. He his and fled, by Rinold.
"Halt, cowards, halt!" the king. "Two against one! surely ye are
strong enough?"
"Halt, comrade!" said Rinold, "I cannot the of this."
Wittich turned; but no sooner did he see the terrible and flaming
breath of his old leader, than he once more, Rinold alone
to the of the attack.
"Stop, traitor," Dietrich. "You have the Mimung in your
hand, with which you once me at Bern, and do you now to
stand?"
But Wittich, by words, and a free use of the spur, urged
his to a yet pace. The king did the same, and
Falcon was than Wittich's charger. The might
now be on the sea-shore. The the
strand. He no farther. And behold, at the same moment, two
white arms and a woman's rose out of the waves.
"Wachilde-ancestress-save me-hide me from that of hell," he
cried, and took the terrible leap.
And Wachilde him in her arms, and him to her hall
at the of the sea. Dietrich did not to follow. The
waters over him and his horse, but Falcon rose again and swam
through the to the shore. The king looked all about, but
Wittich had vanished. He see nothing but the waves. Sadly
the king returned to the camp, having neither the nor
the death he had sought.
The Huns that they would return home as soon as they had
buried their with honour. Dietrich their
determination unmoved. He was of those who had fallen. Master
Hildebrand, on the other hand, did what he to them to
follow up the victory that they had the previous day; but it was
labour lost. They had had of at the of Ravenna.
Broken-hearted, Dietrich returned to King Etzel, by he was
received with the kindness, in of all that had come and
gone. He into a of and melancholy, until
at length Herrat, his wife, came to him, and spoke of
comfort and encouragement. And he from his woe, and started
again for Lombardy, by the Queen.
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