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her away.
CHAPTER VI. 51
Wolfdietrich, finding his wife gone, resolved to go in search of her, and not to rest until he had found her.
Then, knowing that nothing but cunning could prevail against the magician's art, he donned a magic silken
vest which his wife had woven for him, which could not be penetrated by weapon or dragon, and covering it
with a pilgrim's garb, he traveled on until he came within sight of the castle of Drusian.
Worn out by his long journey, he sat down for a moment to rest ere he began the ascent of the steep mountain
upon which the castle stood; and having fallen asleep, he was roughly awakened by a giant, who bore him off
prisoner to the fortress, where he saw Sigeminne.
"He led the weary pilgrim into the castle hall, Where brightly burned the fire, and many a taper tall. On a seat
he sat him down, and made him right good cheer. His eyes around the hall cast the hero without fear."
Heldenbuch (Weber's tr.).
[Sidenote: Death of Sigeminne.] Wolfdietrich concealed his face in the depths of his cowl, and remained
quietly seated by the fire until evening came. Then the giant turned to the mourning queen, declaring that he
had been patient long enough, and that she must now consent to marry him and forget her husband. Hardly
had these words been spoken when Wolfdietrich, the pretended pilgrim, fell upon him, and refused to let him
go until he had accepted his challenge for a fair fight and had produced suitable arms. The young hero
selected an iron armor, in preference to the gold and silver mail offered him, and boldly attacked the giant,
who finally succumbed beneath his mighty blows. Sigeminne, thus restored to her husband's arms, then
returned with him to Old Troy, where they ruled happily together until she died of a mortal illness.
When she breathed her last, Wolfdietrich, delivered from the spell she had cast upon him by making him
partake of the magic root, suddenly remembered his mother, Berchther, and his faithful companions, and,
filled with compunction, hastened off to help them. On his way he passed through many lands, and finally
came to a fortified town, whose walls were adorned with human heads set up on spikes. He asked a passer-by
what this singular decoration might mean, and learned that the city belonged to a heathen king, Belligan, who
made it a practice to slay every Christian who entered his precincts.
[Sidenote: Belligan slain by Wolfdietrich.] Wolfdietrich immediately resolved to rid the earth of this monster,
and riding boldly into the city, he cried that he was ready to meet the king in his favorite game of dagger
throwing. This challenge was promptly accepted, the preparations all made, and although the heathen king
was protected by his daughter's magic spells, he could not withstand the Christian knight, who pierced him
through and through, and left him dead.
"Speedily Wolfdietrich the third knife heaved on high. Trembling stood Sir Belligan, 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."
Heldenbuch (Weber's tr.).
But as Wolfdietrich attempted to leave the castle, waves suddenly surrounded him on all sides, threatening to
drown him, until, suspecting that this phenomenon was produced by the princess's magic arts, he seized her
and held her head under water until she died. Then the waves immediately subsided and permitted him to
escape unharmed.
Wolfdietrich next came to some mountains, where he encountered a giantess, who told him the story of
Ortnit's death, and so roused his compassion for the unfortunate Liebgart that he vowed to slay the dragon and
avenge all her wrongs. To enable him to reach his destination sooner the giantess bore him and his horse over
the mountains, fifty miles in one day, and set him down near Garden (Guarda), where he saw Liebgart and her
sole remaining attendant sadly walking up and down.
Struck by Liebgart's resemblance to the dead Sigeminne, Wolfdietrich stood quietly in the shade long enough
to overhear her sigh and say that she wished the brave Wolfdietrich would come along that way and avenge
CHAPTER VII. 52
her husband's death.
[Sidenote: Wolfdietrich and Liebgart.] In answer to these words the hero presented himself impetuously
before her, swore he would do all in his power to fulfill her wishes, and having received from her fair hand a
ring, which she declared would bring the wearer good luck, he hastened off to the mountain gorge to
encounter the dragons. On the way thither, Wolfdietrich met Alberich, who cautioned him not to yield to the
desire for slumber if he would overcome the foe; so pressing on in spite of almost overpowering lassitude, he
met the dragon.
Notwithstanding all his efforts Wolfdietrich soon found himself carried off to the monster's cave, where he
was flung down to serve as pasture for the young lind-worms. They would surely have devoured him had he
not been protected by Sigeminne's magic shirt, which they could not pierce.
[Sidenote: Ortnit's sword and ring.] Looking about him for some weapon to defend himself with, Wolfdietrich
suddenly saw Ortnit's ring and his sword Rosen, which he seized, and wielded the latter to such good purpose
that he soon slew all the dragons. He then cut out their tongues, which he packed in a bag the dwarfs brought
him, and triumphantly rode off to find Liebgart and tell her of his success. But, as he lost his way in the forest,
it was several days before he reached the town where she dwelt, and as he rode through the gates he was
indignant to hear that Liebgart was about to marry a knight by the name of Gerhart, who had slain the dragon,
brought home its head, and claimed the fulfillment of an old promise she had made to marry her husband's
avenger. Wolfdietrich spurred onward, entered the castle, denounced the impostor Gerhart, and proved the
truth of his assertions by producing the dragons' tongues. Then, turning to the queen, Wolfdietrich stretched
out his hand to her, humbly asking whether she would marry him. At that moment Liebgart saw Ortnit's ring
glittering on his finger, and, remembering her husband's last words, immediately signified her consent.
The happy couple spent a whole year together in restoring order, peace, and prosperity to the Lombards,
before Wolfdietrich left his wife to go and succor the companions whom he had neglected so long. Landing
with his army near Constantinople, Wolfdietrich, disguised as a peasant, made his way into the city, and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]