The cloister-pupil, who was fast forgetting his cla.s.sics and liberal arts, had begged leave to carry the d.u.c.h.ess's train, and it was in her honour that he had donned a pair of very queer-looking, pointed shoes, adorned on both sides with ears. He certainly felt a good deal elated at the happiness of being allowed to act as page to such a mistress.

Praxedis and Master Spazzo came in after her. The d.u.c.h.ess, casting her eyes hastily about, now said: "Has Master Ekkehard, for whose especial benefit we have appointed this evening,--become invisible?"

"My uncle must be ill," said Burkhard. "He paced up and down in his room with hasty steps yesterday evening, and when I wanted to show him the different constellations, such as the bear, and Orion and the faintly glittering Pleads, he gave me no answer whatever. At last, he threw himself on his couch with all his clothes on, and talked a good deal in his sleep.

"What did he say?" asked the d.u.c.h.ess.

"He said, 'oh my dove that art in the clefts of the rock, and in the secret places of the stones; let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice. For sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is lovely.' And another time he said: 'Why do you kiss the boy before my eyes? what do I hope still, and why do I tarry yet in the Lybian lands?'"

"That is a nice state of things, I declare," whispered Master Spazzo into the Greek maid's ear. "Does that rest on _your_ conscience?"

The d.u.c.h.ess, however, said to Burkhard: "I suppose that thou hast been dreaming thyself. Run up to thy uncle and make him come down as we are waiting for him."

She sat down gracefully on her throne-like seat. The cloister-pupil soon came back with Ekkehard, who was looking very pale, whilst his eyes had something wild and sad about them. He silently bowed his head, and then sat down at the opposite end of the table. Burkhard wanted to place his stool again at the d.u.c.h.ess's feet, as he had done the day before, when they had read Virgil;--but Ekkehard rose and pulled him over by the hand. "Come hither!" said he. The d.u.c.h.ess let him do as he wished.

Casting first a look around her, she began thus: "We pretended yesterday, that in our German legends and tales, there was as much, and as good matter for entertainment, as in the Roman epic of aeneas; and I doubt not that each person amongst us, knows something of heroic battles, and besieged fortresses; of the separation of faithful lovers, and the dissensions of mighty kings. The human heart is differently disposed, so that that, which does not interest the one, may please the other. Therefore we have made the arrangement, that each of our faithful subjects, as the lot will decide, shall relate some graceful tale; and it will be our task then, to allot a prize for the best story. If one of you men should be the conqueror, he shall have the ancient drinking-horn, which, from the time of King Dagobert, has been hanging in the great hall; and if my faithful Praxedis should be the victorious one, some pretty trinket is to be her reward. The pulling of straws shall decide who is to begin."

Praxedis had prepared four bits of straw of different lengths, which she handed to the d.u.c.h.ess.

"Shall I add another for the young verse-maker?" asked she.

But Burkhard said in a doleful voice: "I beseech you to spare me; for, if my teacher at St. Gall were to hear, that I had again diverted myself with idle tales, I should certainly be punished as I was when we acted the story of the old Hildebrand and his son Hadubrand, in Romeias' room. The gate-keeper, always delighted in it, and it was he who made our wooden horses and shields, with his own hands. I was the son Hadubrand, and my fellow-pupil Notker acted old Hildebrand; his underlip being as big as that of an old man. Ho, didn't we fly at each other, so that a cloud of dust flew out of Romeias's windows! Notker had already unfastened his arm-ring, holding it out to me, as the old song describes it, and I was just saying: 'Hoho thou old blade! Thou art really too cunning by half. Dost thou think to beguile we with thy words, and then, to throw thy spear at me? Has thy head become h.o.a.ry, with treachery and lies? Seafaring men in the west, on the Wendel lake told me: he was killed in the wars, was Hildebrand the son of Heribrand!' when Master Ratolt, our teacher of rhetoric, came upstairs on tip-toe, and belaboured us so fiercely with his large rod, that sword and shield fell from our hands.

"Romeias, was called a stupid old blockhead, for decoying us from useful studies, and my friend Notker and myself were locked up for three days, fed on bread and water, and had to make a hundred and fifty Latin hexametres in honour of St. Othmar, as a punishment."

The d.u.c.h.ess smiled. "G.o.d forbid, that we should tempt thee again to such a sin," said she.

She put the four straws into her right hand, and smilingly held them out, for them to draw. Ekkehard's eyes were fixed immovably on the rose under her head-band, as he stepped up to her. She had to speak to him twice, before he pulled out a straw.

"Death and d.a.m.nation!" Master Spazzo almost e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, for he had got hold of the shortest straw. But he well knew that no excuse would be available, and dolefully looked down into the valley, as if he expected help to come from thence. Praxedis had tuned her lute and was playing a prelude, that blended sweetly with the rustling of the branches in the old maple-tree.

"Our chamberlain has to fear no punishment, if he will relate us some pretty story," said the d.u.c.h.ess. "Please to begin."

Then, Master Spazzo bent his head forwards, put his sword with its broad hilt before him, so that he could lean on it, gave a preliminary stroke to his beard, and thus began:

"Although I never took much delight in old stories, preferring to hear the clashing of two good swords, or the tapping of a tun of good wine, I yet once chanced to come across a fine legend. In my younger days I had to make a journey to Italy, and my road then took me through the Tyrol and over the Brenner mountain; and it was a rough and stony path, leading me over many a rock, and through many a wild glen, so that my horse lost one of its shoes. When the evening set in, I had reached a little village, called Gothensa.s.s, or Gloggensachsen, which from the times of Sir Dietrich of Bern, has lain there, hidden amongst the larch-woods. At the outskirts of this village, and built against the mountain, there was a house, much resembling a stronghold, before which, there lay heaps of iron dross, whilst inside there was a big fire, and someone who was l.u.s.tily pounding the anvil.

"So, I called to the blacksmith to come forth and shoe my horse, and when n.o.body came, I gave a knock at the door with the b.u.t.t-end of my lance, so that it flew open as wide as it could, whilst I gave vent to some tremendous curse, of death and murder and all possible evils.

Suddenly, a man stood before me, with s.h.a.ggy hair and a leathern ap.r.o.n, and scarcely had I set eyes on him, when my lance was already beaten down, so that it broke to pieces as if it had been mere gla.s.s, whilst an iron bar, was swung threateningly over my head. On the man's naked arms, there were to be seen sinews, which looked as if he could strike an anvil ten fathom deep into the ground. Then, I bethought myself, that under such circ.u.mstances a polite speech might not come amiss, and therefore I said: I merely wanted to beseech you, to shoe my horse.

Then the blacksmith drove the iron bar into the ground and said: 'That sounds somewhat different and will help you. Rudeness, however, will attain nothing at Weland's forge. That's what you may tell the people where you come from.'

"After this speech he shod my horse, and I saw that he was a skilful and honourable blacksmith, and so we became very good friends, and I let my horse be put into his stables, and remained his guest for the night. And we caroused together till late and the wine was called Terlaner, and he poured it out of a leathern bottle.

"Whilst we were thus drinking, I questioned my sooty host about the name of his forge, and how it had got that name; upon which he struck up a loud laugh, and then told me the story of 'Smith Weland.' And if it was not exactly what you might call very refined, it was for all that a very pretty tale."

Master Spazzo stopped a while, throwing a look at the table, like one who looks about for a draught of wine, to moisten his dry lips with.

But wine there was none, and the look was not understood. So he continued.

"Whence smith Weland had come, said the man of Gothensa.s.s to me, had never been quite ascertained. It was said, that in the northern seas, in the land of Schonen, the giant Vade was his father, and that his grandmother was a mermaid, who, when he was born, came up from the depth of the sea, and sat a whole night on a rock and harped: 'young Weland, must become a blacksmith.' So, in the course of time, Vade brought the boy to Mimer, the famous armourer, who lived in a dark fir-wood, twenty miles behind Toledo, and who instructed him in all the branches of his art.

"As soon, however, as he had made his first sword, Mimer advised him to go away, and to acquire the last finishing touch in his craft, amongst the dwarfs. So, Weland went to the dwarfs and became much renowned.

"One day, however, the giants invaded dwarf-land, so that Weland had to fly, and he could take nothing away with him, except his broad sword Mimung. This, he buckled across his back; and chance then brought him to the Tirol. Between the Eisach, Etsch and Inn, there reigned in those days King Elberich, who kindly received Weland and gave him the forge in the wood on the Brenner-mountain, and all the iron and ore which was hidden in the mountain's veins, was put at his disposal. And Weland's heart became light and happy, in the Tyrolese Alps. The mountain-torrents rushed past him, setting his wheels a going; the winds fanned his fire into brighter flames, and the stars said to each other: 'we must do our best, or the sparks which Weland produces will outshine us.' Thus Weland's work prospered. Shield and swords, knives and drinking-cups, as well as all the ornaments which adorn a king's palace, were made by his dexterous hands, and there was no smith, as far as the sun shone on Alpine snow, who could compare with him. King Elberich, however, had many bitter enemies, who one day formed an alliance, with the one-eyed Aemilius for their leader, and invaded the land. And Elberich's heart was filled with dismay, and he said: 'He, who will bring me Aemilius's head, shall marry my only daughter.' Then, Weland extinguished the fire in his forge, buckled on his broad sword Mimung, and went out to fight King Elberich's enemies. And his good sword cut off Aemilius's head, so that the whole body of enemies turned round and fled homewards, as fast as ever they could. Weland, however, presented the head to the King. But he said angrily: 'what I have said about my daughter, the winds have scattered; a smith can never become my son-in-law, for he would blacken my hands, when I extended them for a friendly greeting. But thou shalt have three golden coins as a reward. With these, a man can tilt and joust, dance and make merry, and buy himself a wench in the market.' Weland, however, threw the three golden coins at his feet, so that they rolled under the throne, and said: 'May G.o.d bless you; you will never see me more!' and with this he turned round, to leave the land. But the king, not wanting to lose the smith, had him thrown to the ground, and his tendons cut, so that he became lame, and had to give up all thoughts of flight.

"Then, Weland, dragged himself in sadness home to his forge, and relighted his fire; but he whistled and sang no more, when he wielded the heavy hammer and his mind was embittered. One day, the king's son, a red-cheeked boy, who had run out alone into the wood, came in and said: 'Weland, I want to look at thy work.' Then the smith artfully replied: 'Place thyself close to the anvil; there thou wilt see everything best,'--and he took the red-hot iron bar out of the flames, and stabbed the king's son, right into the heart with it. The bones he afterwards bleached, and covered with ore and silver, so that they became pillars for candlesticks, and the skull he encircled with gold, making it into a drinking cup. All this, Weland sent to Elberich, and when the messengers came to inquire for the boy, he said: 'I have not seen him; he must have run out into the woods.'

"Some time afterwards, the King's daughter was walking in her garden.

She was so beautiful that the lilies bowed their heads before her. On her forefinger she wore a ring of gold, shaped like a serpent, in the head of which there glistened a carbuncle, which Elberich had set there himself; and he held this ring far dearer than a kingdom, and had given it to his daughter only, because he loved her above everything. As she was culling a rose, the ring fell from the maiden's finger, and rolling over the stones it got broken, and the carbuncle fell out of its golden setting, so that the maid lamented bitterly, wringing her hands, and would not go home for fear of her father's anger.

"Then, one of her waiting-women said to her: 'You must go secretly to smith Weland, and he will mend it for you.' So the king's daughter entered Weland's forge, and told him her grief. He took the ring out of her hand, and set about repairing it, so that the carbuncle soon shone out again from the serpent's head. But all this while, Weland's forehead had been wearing a dark frown, and when the maiden kindly smiled at him, and turned to go, he said: 'Oho, you shall not go away yet!' And he locked the strong door, and seizing the king's daughter with strong arms, he carried her into his chamber, where moss and fern-leaves lay heaped up. And when she went away she wept aloud, and tore her soft, silken hair ..."

Here, Master Spazzo was interrupted by a slight noise. Praxedis, with a deep blush overspreading her features, had cast an inquiring look at the d.u.c.h.ess, to see whether she should not jump up, to close Master Spazzo's mouth, but as nothing of the kind was to be read in her calm, set features, she impatiently drummed with her fingers on the back of her lute.

"... and a deed of violence had been done," Master Spazzo continued, quite unabashed. "Then, Weland began singing and shouting, in such a manner as had never been heard in the forge before, ever since his tendons had been cut. Leaving his shields and swords unfinished, he now worked day and night, and forged for himself a pair of large metal wings, and he had hardly finished them, when King Elberich came down the Brenner mountain, with a strong body of armed men. Then, Weland quickly fastened the wings to his shoulders, and hung his sword Mimung, over his back, and thus equipped he mounted the roof of his house, so that the men exclaimed: 'Behold, smith Weland has become a bird!' With a powerful voice he then called out: 'May G.o.d bless you, King Elberich!

You will not forget the smith so easily, I trow! Your son I have slain, and your daughter is with child, by me. Farewell, and give her my greetings!' After this, he spread out his huge wings, making a noise like a hurricane, and flew through the air. The King seized his bow, and all the knights hastily followed his example. Like an army of flying dragons, the arrows whizzed round his head; but not one of them hit him, and he flew home to his father's castle in Schonen, and never was seen again. And Elberich never gave Weland's message to his daughter, who in that same year gave birth to a son, who was called Wittich, and became a strong hero like his father.

"That is the story of smith Weland!"

Master Spazzo leaned back, heaving a deep sigh of relief. "They will not trouble me a second time for a story, I warrant," thought he. The impression which the story had made on the hearers was very different.

The d.u.c.h.ess, expressed herself well satisfied with it. She had some sympathy with the smith's revenge, whilst Praxedis angrily said that it was truly a sooty smith's story, and that the chamberlain ought to be ashamed to show himself before women! Ekkehard said: "I don't know, but it seems to me as if I had once heard something like it, but then, the king's name was Nidung, and the forge was at the foot of the Caucasus."

Then the chamberlain called out angrily: "If you prefer the Caucasus to Gloggensachsen, very well, then you may lay the scene there, but I well recollect how my Tyrolese friend showed me the very spot itself. Over the chamber door, there was a broken rose of metal, and an iron eagle's wing, and below it the words, 'here the smith flew away,' were engraved. Now and then, people come there to pray, as they believe Weland to have been a great saint."

"Let us see who will be the first to try and outrival Master Spazzo,"

said the d.u.c.h.ess, once more mixing the straws. They drew accordingly, and the shortest, this time, remained with Praxedis. She neither appeared embarra.s.sed, nor did she appeal to the indulgence of her listeners. Pa.s.sing her white little hand over her dark tresses she began thus:

"It is true, that my nurses never sang me any lullabies of valiant knights, and thank G.o.d, I have never been in a lonely forge in a wood; but even in Constantinople you may hear such tales recited. At the time when I was instructed at the Emperor's court, in all the arts well becoming a serving maiden, there was also an old woman who kept the keys, by name Glycerium, who often said to us: 'Listen ye maidens all, if you should ever serve a princess whose heart is consumed by a secret pa.s.sion, and who cannot see him whom she loves, then, you must be sly and thoughtful like the waiting-woman Herlindis, when King Rother wooed the daughter of the Emperor Constantine.' And when we were sitting together of an evening in the women's apartment, then, they whispered and chattered, until old Glycerium, related the story of _King Rother_.

"In the olden times there was an Emperor, also called Constantine, living in his castle on the Bosporus, who had a wondrously beautiful daughter; and people said of her that she was radiant like the evening-star and outshone all other maids like a golden thread amongst silken ones. One fine day there arrived a great ship, out of which landed twelve counts and twelve knights, and they all rode into Constantine's courtyard; one of them, whose name was Lupolt, riding at their head. And all the people of the city marvelled at them, for their garments and mantles were heavy with gold and precious stones, and the horses' saddles rang with little golden bells. These were the messengers of King Rother of Vikingland, and Lupolt jumped down from his saddle, and spoke thus to the Emperor:

"'We are sent out by our king, called Rother, who is the handsomest man, ever born of woman. He is served by the best of heroes, and his court is the constant scene of b.a.l.l.s and tournaments and all that heart can desire. But as yet he is unmarried, and his heart feels lonely.

"'You should give him your daughter!'

"Now, Constantine was a hot-tempered man, and throwing the imperial globe fiercely to the ground, he cried: 'n.o.body has as yet wooed my daughter, who has not lost his head in the endeavour. How do you dare to insult me in that way? You are all my prisoners.'

"And he had them thrown into a dungeon, into which neither sun nor moon could shine; and they had nothing but bread and water to live on; and there they shed many bitter tears of sorrow.

"When the tidings reached King Rother, his heart was filled with sadness, and he sat on a rock all alone, and would speak to n.o.body.

Then, he formed the resolution of crossing the seas, like a true knight, to succour his faithful messengers; and as he had been warned against the Greeks, and had been told that if a man wanted to attain anything there, he must needs paint and gild truth, he made his knights take an oath, that they would all pretend, that his name was not Rother but Dietrich, and that he had been banished by King Rother, and had come to crave the Greek Emperor's a.s.sistance. Thus, they set out in a ship, and Rother took his harp on board with him, for before his twelve amba.s.sadors had weighed anchor, he came to the sh.o.r.e with his harp and played three airs, which they were to remember, saying: 'If ever you should be in distress, and hear these airs, you will know that Rother is near and will help you.'

"It was on Easter-day and the Emperor Constantine had gone on horseback to Hippodrom, when Rother made his entrance. And all the citizens of Constantinople ran out of their houses, for such a sight they had never seen before. Rother had brought his giants along with him. The first was called Asprian, and carried an iron bar which measured six yards in length; the second was called Widolt and was so fierce that they had loaded him with chains, and the third was called Eveningred.

"Besides these, a large member of valiant knights followed him, and twelve carriages loaded with jewels came in the rear, and the whole was such a splendid spectacle, that the Empress said: 'Alas, how stupid we have been, in refusing our daughter to King Rother! What a man he must be, to send such an army of heroes over the seas!'

"King Rother himself, wore a gold breast-plate, and a purple coat, and two rows of beautiful rings on his wrists. And he bent his knee before the Greek Emperor and said: 'I, the Prince Dietrich have been outlawed by a king whose name is Rother, so that all I have ever done in his service, now tells against me. I have come to offer my services to you.'

"Then, Constantine invited all the heroes to his court at Hippodrom, and treating them with all honour, he made them sit down at his own table. Now, in the hall there was a tame lion, which used to take away the serving-men's food. It also came to Asprian's plate, to lick it up, upon which the giant seized it by the mane, and threw it against the wall, that it was killed on the spot. Then the chamberlains said to each other: 'He who has no desire to be thrown against the wall, had best leave that man's plate alone.'