Page:The lay of the Nibelungs; (IA nibelungslay00hortrich).pdf/25

Da vornen in den kronen Lag ein karfunkelstein, Der in dem pallast schonen Aecht als ein kertz erschein; Auf jrem haupt das hare War lauter und auch fein, Es leuchtet also klare Recht als der sonnen schein. Die magt die stand alleine, Gar trawrig war jr mut; Ihr farb und die war reine, Lieblich we milch und blut; Her durch jr zöpffe reinen Schien jr hals als der schnee: Elberich dem viel kleinen That der maget jammer weh.

There in front of the crown Lay a carbuncle-stone, Which in the palace fair Even as a taper seemed; On her head the hair Was glossy and also fine, It shone as bright Even as the sun’s sheen. The maid she stood alone, Right sad was her mind; Her colour it was pure, Lovely as milk and blood: Out through her pure locks Shone her neck like the snow. Elberich the very small Was touched with the maiden’s sorrow.

Happy man was Kaiser Ottnit, blessed with such a wife, after all his travail;—had not the Turk Machabol cunningly sent him, in revenge, a box of young Dragons, or Dragon-eggs, by the hands of a caitiff Infidel, contriver of the mischief; by whom in due course of time they were hatched and nursed, to the infinite woe of all Lampartei, and ultimately to the death of Kaiser Ottnit himself, whom they swallowed and attempted to digest, once without effect, but the next time too fatally, crown and all!

“Part Second announceth (meldet) of Herr Hugdietrich and his son Wolfdietrich; how they, for justice-sake, oft by their doughty acts succoured distressed persons, with other bold heroes that stood by them in extremity.”

Concerning which Hugdietrich, Emperor of Greece, and his son Wolfdietrich, one day the renowned Dietrich of Bern, we can here say little more than that the former trained himself to sempstress-work; and for many weeks plied his needle, before he could get wedded and produce Wolfdietrich; who coming into the world in this clandestine manner, was let down into the castle-ditch, and like Romulus and Remus nursed by a Wolf, whence his name. However, after never-imagined adventures,