Fac-simile of the Ambrasian manuscript of Gudrun, reproduced from Koenig’s Deutsche Literatur Geschichte.
GUDRUN
A Mediaeval Epic
TRANSLATED FROM THE
Middle High German
by
MARY PICKERING NICHOLS
BOSTON AND NEW YORK
Houghton, Mifflin and Company
The Riverside Press, Cambridge
M DCCC LXXXIX
Copyright, 1889,
By MARY PICKERING NICHOLS.
All rights reserved.
The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A.
Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghton & Co.
Preface.
The epic poem of Gu-drun is one of the most important early literary works of the German race. It is attributed to the latter part of the twelfth or the beginning of the thirteenth century, and to a date a little subsequent to that of the Nibelungen Lied. It was first brought to the notice of the modern world in the year 1817, the only original manuscript now known to exist having been discovered about that time in the castle Ambras in the Tyrol, among other manuscripts which had been collected by the Emperor Maximilian I. (1493-1519). The manuscript is now in the Imperial Library at Vienna. It has been several times edited and printed in the original Middle High German, with critical annotations; various translations into modern German have also been published: but so far as I can learn, no complete metrical version in the English language has been made public.
The name of the author is unknown; it is generally thought to have been constructed, in great measure, from earlier legends which had been repeated by wandering singers. According to the late Karl Bartsch, the distinguished critic and editor of Mediæval German literature, the tale shows affinity to legends of the Scalds of Norway and Denmark, and to those of the Shetland Isles. Traces of resemblance are said to be found among the relics of Anglo-Saxon literature. The supposition that the poem was constructed from various early legends explains some of the marvellous incidents of the tale, and those chronological inconsistencies where the rude habits and ideas of earlier times are combined with the later knightly usages of the Middle Ages and with Christian belief.
The scene of the poem is laid principally on the shores of the North Sea, and includes Ireland and Normandy, as well as Holland, Denmark, and Friesland. Very vague ideas of geography were, however, entertained by the poet. Some names of places are thought to be fabulous, and critics disagree with regard to the modern countries designated by other names used.
The poem is founded upon the themes of love and war, and properly consists of three parts. The first portion, embracing four tales, relates the adventures of Hagen, the grandfather of Gu-drun; the second part gives the story of the wooing and abduction of Hilda, his daughter, the mother of Gu-drun. The proper story of Gu-drun begins only with the ninth tale.
The narrative gives a vivid picture of the ideas, manners, and customs of the age of the author; of the dwellings, dress, and ornaments in use; of the weapons and warfare; of the ships and sea-life; and of the tournaments and court festivities. From it we see the nature of the intellectual amusement enjoyed by the northern nations, at that period of their mental development when literary entertainment in the modern sense was yet unknown, and its place was supplied by listening to the recitals of wandering bards.
Modern German critics agree in assigning a high literary value to the poem of Gu-drun, and compare it not unfavorably with the Nibelungen Lied. Bartsch, the critic above named, says: “The general impression which the poem gives is one of greater beauty, though not always of equal grandeur with that of the Nibelungen; it is a worthy companion-piece. The two are justly compared, as are the Iliad and the Odyssey. In the Nibelungen as in the Iliad the fate of a whole people is decided by the sword, and the ruling house, consisting of noble heroes, meets destruction before our eyes; but the conquerors do not fully rejoice in their success. The whole breathes a tragic spirit, even more than the Greek epic. ‘Nach Freude Leid’—‘after joy comes sorrow’—is the earnest tone throughout. Gu-drun, like the Odyssey, closes more tenderly and in a spirit of reconciliation. Although pitiless fate has destroyed the happiness of those for whom the poet has awakened our sympathy, and we see a noble being suffer in the most shameful manner, yet we are sustained by hope, and a happy end compensates for woes endured. ‘Aus Leid Freude’—‘sorrows end in joy’—is the final conclusion.... All the characters are worked out in the most minute and careful manner, and are developed consistently.... The best traits of the German nature, fearless bravery, unfaltering fidelity, and unswerving integrity, are presented. The nobility of a feminine soul which, inspired by pure love, in the distress of a hard captivity, preserves its fidelity to its beloved, perhaps in no poem of the German middle ages is so strikingly shown as in the character of Gu-drun.... The descriptions both of battle and scenery are masterly, and are painted with a few decisive strokes.”
The metrical form of Gu-drun is similar to that of the Nibelungen. In both, the accentuation is determined by the logical sense, as in prose, and not always by the number of syllables, as in most modern verse. In both, the lines are metrically divided, giving three accents to each half-line of the stanza, except in the fourth line, in which Gu-drun differs from the Nibelungen in having five accents instead of four on the concluding half-line.
The translator has adhered to the original rhythm, and has endeavored in each stanza to convey strictly the ideas of the author, being careful not to introduce anything, in thought or simile, foreign to the poem, and, as far as the verse would permit, to give a verbal rendering.
The translation has been made from Bartsch’s edition of the original Middle High German (Brockhaus, Leipzig, 1874). He, like the other editors, has supplied some omissions in the manuscript, an instance of which may be seen in the sixth line of the fac-simile given. The drawings introduced are copied from mediæval German printed books.
I wish to acknowledge my obligation to my brother for careful revision and for many important improvements throughout the translation.
M. P. N.
Boston, 1889.
Names of Persons.
Ger,—an early king of Ireland, grandfather of Hagen. U-te,—wife of Ger. Sigeband,—son of Ger and U-te. U-te,—a Norwegian princess, wife of Sigeband. Hagen,—son of Sigeband and the second U-te, and grandfather of Gu-drun. Hilda,—a princess of India, wife of Hagen. Hilda,—daughter of Hagen, wife of Hettel. Hettel,—king of the Hegelings, husband of Hilda, and father ofNames of Places.
Abakie,—an imaginary Eastern land, subject to Siegfried. Abalie,—an Eastern land, noted for gems and cloths. Alzabie,—a fabulous Moorland city, the residence of Siegfried. Amile,—an imaginary Eastern land, the home of mermaids. Araby,—a land whence came fine clothes and treasures. Ballian,—Ballyghan, Hagen’s chief city in Ireland. Daneland,—not the present Denmark, but, in the ninth century, the seat of the Danes in Friesland, near the mouth of the Scheldt. Dietmarsch,—a province subject to Hettel. Friesland,—subject to Hettel, and held in fief by Morunc and Irold. Galeis,—a land whose people are friendly to Herwic. Galicia,—Portugal, the home of Hildeburg. Garadie,—an indeterminate country, near Ireland. Givers,—a fabulous land, subject to Horant. Gulstred,—a place in the West. Hegeling,—the name of a people on the North Sea, in Holland, governed by Hettel. Holstein,—variously mentioned as subject to Fru-te, to Irolt, and to Ortwin. Icaria,—a fabulous land whose people are allies of Siegfried of Moorland. Ireland,—The situation seems sometimes to correspond with the modern Ireland, and sometimes to a part of Holland. There is a place in Texel, at the present day, named Eijerland. Iserland,—the home of one of Gu-drun’s maiden companions. Kampalia,—a fabulous land noted for rich clothing. Kampatille,—Hettel’s castle, also called Matelan. Karadie,—a land belonging to Siegfried of Moorland. Kassian,—the chief city and castle of Normandy. Matelan,—see Kampatille. Moorland,—the kingdom of Siegfried; owing to the love of the marvelous in antiquity, regarded by the poet as the land of the Moors, but probably a low country near the North Sea. Nifland,—“the land of fogs,” on the lower Rhine, the home of the Nibelungen, Normandy or Ormanie,—may be the country now known as Normandy, or is perhaps a region near the mouth of the Scheldt, where the name Ormans-kapelle occurs in an ancient map. Ortland,—probably Jutland, under the rule of Ortwin. Salme,—a fabulous country. Sealand,—Herwic’s kingdom, not the Danish Zealand, but probably the sea-lands of Friesland. Scotland,—spoken of as belonging to Norway. Sturmland,—subject to Wâ-te, adjoining Herwic’s kingdom. Waleis,—the western limit of Hettel’s kingdom, by some supposed to be Wales, but generally thought to be the country near the mouth of the river Waal in Holland. Wulpensand,—an island at the mouth of the Scheldt.Tale the First.
HOW HAGEN WAS CARRIED OFF BY THE GRIFFIN.
[1]
In olden days in Ireland a king to greatness came
Who bore the name of Sigeband; Ger was his father’s name.
Queen U-te was his mother; she of a king was daughter;
High was her worth and goodness, and well her love beseemed the lord who sought her.
[2]
The sway of Ger was mighty, as unto all is known;
He many lands and castles and lordships seven did own:
Four thousand knights or over he thence was often leading,
And wealth, and name yet greater, he daily won, with those who did his bidding.
[3]
Now the youthful Sigeband to his father’s court must go,
That he might there be learning all he had need to know,—
To bear the spear in riding, to thrust it, and to shield him,
That when he met the foeman, the better fame thereby the fight would yield him.
[4]
That age he now was reaching when he the sword might bear;
Of all that a knight befitteth he learned a goodly share.
This from kin and vassals praise unmeasured brought him;
For this he still was striving, and of the toil it cost he ne’er bethought him.
[5]
A few short days thereafter death came among them all,
As even to men the greatest sadly doth befall.
In every land and kingdom the truth of this we’re meeting,
And we, with heavy sorrow, such news ourselves must every day be waiting.
[6]
Sigeband’s mother, U-te, the widow’s seat must take;
Her son, so high and worthy, left all things for her sake.
No whit he cared for wedlock, and had no heart for wooing;
Many a queenly lady at this was sad, young Sigeband’s sorrow ruing.
[7]
A worthy wife to find him his mother him besought;
So might he and his kingdom to
And he with all his kindred, after their bitter sorrow
For the death of the king, his father, might for themselves no little gladness borrow.
[8]
The teaching of his mother he heard in kindly mood,
And began at once to follow, as that of a friend one should.
The best of high-born maidens, ’mong those in Norway dwelling,
He bade his men to sue for: to help in this he found his kinsmen willing.
[9]
She soon to him was wedded, as hath of old been said.
With her, among her followers, came many a lovely maid,
And, from over Scotland’s border, seven hundred warriors fully;
They came with her right gladly, when the worth of the king was known to them more truly.
[10]
Proudly their way they wended, as beseemed the maiden’s birth;
With all the care they led her befitting his kingly worth;
Hidden were the roadways by gazers without number,
Who hasted to behold her; for three miles and a half the throngs the ways did cumber.
[11]
Where’er along the roadside the path with green was spread,
Flowers and grass were trampled, by crowds, with heavy tread.
It fell upon that season when the leaves are springing,
And in every copse and thicket all the birds their best of songs are singing.
[12]
Of simple folk and merry there rode with her enough;
While many loaded horses bore much costly stuff,
Brought there from her birthland by followers of the maiden;
They came with her by thousands, with gold as well as clothing heavy-laden.
[13]
On the shore of two wide marches, the dwellers by the sea,
As they saw the west wind waft her, gave her welcome free;
They found a seemly lodging for the lovely, well-born lady,
And brought her all things needful, by the youthful king, before, for her made ready.
[14]
The fair young maid they welcomed with knightly tournament;
Not soon their games they ended, when on the spear-fight bent.
To the land of Ger his father they bore her to be wedded;
She there was loved and mighty, and men to sound her name she never needed.
[15]
All, as they were able, waited on the maid;
The gaudy cloth for her saddle down to the grass was spread;
The horses’ hoofs were hidden by the housing, heavy drooping.
Aha! In mood how gleeful was Ireland’s lord, once more a blessing hoping!
[16]
When now the time was fitting that he the maid should kiss,
All crowded thick about him, in haste to see their bliss.
The bosses of their bucklers were now heard loudly clashing,
Struck with blows together; each strove to shun the throngs, in uproar crashing.
[17]
Now with the dawn of morning, they sent out, far and wide,
To give to all the tidings of the coming of the bride,
And that, with their master, they erelong would crown her.
His queen she was thereafter, and well she earned from him the honor shown her.
[18]
It was not deemed becoming that he his love should plight,
Since she by birth was queenly, and he not yet a knight:
He first, before his lieges, must the crown be wearing;
To this his kinsmen helped him, and later of his worth were all men hearing.
[19]
He, with knights five hundred, then was dubbed with the sword;
Whatever they could wish for was given them at his word,—
Both shields, and, for their wearing, every kind of clothing.
The youthful king so dauntless, thro’ life, of fame and honor wanted nothing.
[20]
For many a day thereafter his sway did Ireland bless,
And never did his greatness at any time grow less.
To all he freely listened; the poor man’s wrongs he righted;
Widely known was his goodness; no truer knight than he his word e’er plighted.
[21]
His boundless acres yielded a full and ready gain;
His wife was known for wisdom, and worthy to be his queen.
To hold her as their mistress full thirty lords it booted;
As long as the sway she wielded, her hand to each his lands and home allotted.
[22]
She bore unto her husband, within the next three years,
A child to see most comely; (such is the tale one hears.)
When later he was christened, and they were told to name him,
They gave the name of Hagen; and never since, the tale of his life doth shame him.
[23]
He had most careful breeding, and kindly was he nursed;
Should he be like his fathers, he would of knights be first.
Watched over by wise women, and by maidens of early age,
His father and fond mother found in
[24]
When now the boy, well fostered, to his seventh year was bred,
’Twas seen that he by warriors by the hand was often led.
He was happy in men’s teaching, but was with women wearied;
All this he knew no longer; for, torn from them, he far away was carried.
[25]
Whene’er to him it happened weapons at court to see,
He understood them readily, and their wearer longed to be;
The helmet and ringed armor would he have put on gladly:
Alas! not long he saw them, and all his hopes of fighting ended sadly.
[26]
While the kingly Sigeband, beneath a cedar-tree,
One day on the turf was seated, the queen said earnestly:
“Although good name and riches we share with one another,
At one thing yet I wonder, and this from you I dare to hide no further.”
[27]
He asked of her: “What is it?” Then said his helpmeet kind:
“It me doth sorely worry in body and in mind,
And my heart, alas! is heavy; to my wish you give no heeding,
To see you ’midst your vassals, my beaming eyes with pride upon you feeding.”
[28]
The king to her thus answered: “How should it ever be
That you have had such longing me with my knights to see?
I will strive thy will to follow, of this think not so sadly;
Ever to meet thy wishes, both care and toil will I give myself most gladly.”
[29]
She said: “No man is living who owns such wealth, I trow,
Who has so many castles or lands so wide as thou,
With silver and gems so costly, and gold so heavy weighing;
For this are our ways too lowly, and nought there is in life to me worth saying.
[30]
“When erst I was a maiden, and on Scotland’s soil drew breath,
(Chide not, my lord, thy helpmeet, but list to what she saith,)
I there was daily seeing the liegemen of my father
For highest prizes striving; but here such games we never see together.
[31]
“A king so rich and mighty, as you in name have been,
Before his followers often should let himself be seen;
He oft should ride in tilting with other champions knightly,
That both himself and his kingdom should seem more fair, and hold their rank more fitly.
[32]
“It shows, in a lord so noble, a most unworthy mind,
When he has heaped together riches of every kind,
If he with his faithful warriors to share them is unwilling:
When men in the storm of warfare deep wounds have had, how else can they find healing?”
[33]
Then said to her King Sigeband: “Lady, you mock at me;
In all these warlike pastimes I will most earnest be;
And for the strife so worthy my wish shall never waver:
No man shall find it easy the ways of well-born kings to teach me ever.”