song and legend from the middle ages-第13部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



＇1＇　The　tailor　makes　the　man。


Tr。　by　Thorpe。


VAFTHRUDNISMAL。　THE　SONG　OF　VAFTHRUDNER。

From　the　third　poem　in　the　Elder　Edda　came　the　following　lines；　describing　the　day　and　the　night：

Delling　called　is　he　Who　the　Day's　father　is；　But　Night　was　of　Norve　born；　The　new　and　waning　moons　The　beneficent　powers　created　To　count　years　for　men。

Skinfaxe＇1＇　he　is　named　That　the　bright　day　draws　Forth　over　human　kind；　Of　coursers　he　is　best　accounted　Among　faring　men；　Ever　sheds　light　that　horse's　mane。

Hrimfaxe＇2＇　he　is　called　That　each　night　draws　forth　Over　the　beneficent　powers；　He　from　his　bit　lets　fall　Drops　every　morn　Whence　in　the　dells　comes　dew。　Tr。　by　Thorpe

＇1＇　Skinfaxe　（shining　mane）；　the　horse　of　Day。

＇2＇　Hrimfaxe　（Rime　mane）；　the　horse　of　Night。



CHAPTER　IV。　GERMAN　LITERATURE。

There　are　three　classical　periods　in　German　literature。＇1＇

＇1＇　See　Scherer's　〃History　of　German　Literature。〃　Vol。　I。；　page　16。


1。　The　Old　High　German　Period；　culminating　about　600　A。　D。　The　chief　development　of　this　period　is　the　epic　legend　and　poetry。　As　this　literature　remained　largely　unwritten；　it　is　all　lost　except　one　fragment；　The　Song　of　Hildebrand。

2。　The　Middle　High　German　Period；　culminating　about　1200　A。　D。　This　was　in　Germany；　as　elsewhere　in　Europe；　a　time　of　abundant　literary　activity。　It　is　the　period　of　the　renaissance　of　the　heroic　legends　of　the　first　period；　and　their　remaking　into　developed　epic　poetry；　of　the　writing　of　romances　of　chivalry　and　of　antiquity；　of　the　development　of　the　lyric　poetry　of　the　Minnesingers；　of　the　growth　of　popular　fables　and　tales　and　of　the　drama。　In　short；　all　the　forms　of　literary　production　known　to　the　Middle　Ages　flourished　in　Germany　in　this　period。

3。　The　Modern　Classical　Period；　culminating　about　1800　in　the　work　of　Goethe；　Schiller；　and　the　many　poets　and　scholars　surrounding　them。


THE　NATIONAL　EPIC。

The　fragment　of　the　〃Song　of　Hildebrand〃　is　the　sole　surviving　portion　of　the　heroic　literature　of　the　first　period。　The　story　runs　that　〃Hildebrand　had　fought　in　his　youth　in　Italy；　married　there；　and　left　a　three…year　son；　when　he　was　driven　by　Odoacer　to　Attila；　king　of　the　Huns。　After　years；　in　which　the　son　grew　up　to　manhood；　Hildebrand　re…entered　Italy　as　a　great　chief　in　the　army　of　Theodorle。　His　son；　Hadubrand　was　then　a　chief　combatant　in　Odoacer's　army。〃　They　challenge　each　other　to　combat；　and　though　the　fragment　ends　before　the　fight　is　over；　it　is　thought　from　other　references　that　Hildebrand　is　victor。


THE　SONG　OF　HILDEBRAND。

I　have　heard　tell；　they　called　each　other　forth；　Hildebrand；　Hadubrand；　among　the　hosts。　Son；　father；　made　them　ready　for　the　strife。　Donned　their　war　shirts；　and　girded　on　their　swords　Over　ringed　mail；　rode；　heroes；　to　the　fight。

Hildebrand；　Herbrand's　son；　the　elder　man　And　wiser；　spake；　well　skilled　in　questionings　Asked　in　few　words；　who　among　all　the　folk　His　father　was；　〃or　of　what　stock　thou　be？　Tell；　and　I'll　give　a　mail　of　triple　web：　Child　in　this　realm；　I　knew　its　families。〃　Hadubrand　spoke；　Hildebrand's　son：　〃The　old　And　wise　among　our　folk　tell　me　my　father　Was　Hildebrand；　my　name　is　Hadubrand。　My　father　went　to　the　east　to　fly　the　hate　Of　Otaker；　with　Dietrich　and　his　bands。　A　slender　bride　abiding　in　the　lands　He　left　in　bower；　with　an　ungrown　child；　And　weapons　masterless。　Eastward　he　went　When　sorrow　came　to　Deitrich；　friendless　man；　My　kinsman　Otaker　became　his　foe。　Most　famed　of　warriors；　since　Dietrich　fell；　Foremost　in　every　field；　he　loved　the　fight；　Praised　by　the　bold；　I　doubt　not　he　is　dead。〃

〃Lord　God　of　men；〃　spake　Hildebrand；　〃from　heaven　Stay　strife　between　two　men　so　near　in　blood！〃　Then　twisted　from　his　arm　the　bracelet　ring　That　once　the　King　of　Huns　had　given　him；　I　give　it　you　in　token　of　my　love。〃　Spake　Hadubrand；　the　son　of　Hildebrand；　〃At　the　spear's　point　I　take　of　you　such　gifts；　Point　against　point。　No　comrade　thou；　old　Hun；　With　Bly；　enticing　words　wouldst　win　me　near：　My　answer　to　thee　is　with　cast　of　spear。　Thou'rt　old。　This　cunning　out　of　age　is　bred。〃　Over　the　Midland　Sea　came　foes　who　said；　〃Hildebrand；　son　of　Herbrand；　he　is　dead。〃

Hildebrand；　son　of　Herbrand；　spake　again：　〃Thine　arms　show　that　in　this　land　thou　couldst　not　gain　A　liberal　leader　or　a　royal　friend。　Now　well　away。　Great　God；　fate's　evil　end！　For　sixty　years；　exile　in　stranger　lands；　Summer　and　winter　with　spear…darting　bands；　Never　once　leg　bound　within　city　wall；　I　come　back　by　my　own　son's　hand　to　fall；　Hewn　by　his　sword；　or　be　his　murderer；　But　if　thy　strength　hold；　thou　canst　readily　Win　of　the　brave　his　arms；　spoil　of　the　slain；　When　thine　by　right。〃　Said　Hildebrand；　〃Now；　worst　Of　Ostrogoths　be　he　who　holds　me　back！　My　heart　is　for　the　fray。　Judge　comrades　who　look　on；　which　of　us　wins　The　fame；　best　throws　the　dart；　and　earns　the　spoil。〃　The　ashen　spears　then　sped；　stuck　in　the　shields　With　their　keen　points；　and　down　on　the　white　shields　The　heavy　axes　rang　with　sounding　blows；　Shattering　their　rims；　the　flesh　behind　stood　firm。　。　。　。

Tr。　by　Morley。


In　the　second；　or　Middle　High　German　Period；　the　heroic　legends　of　early　times　were　revived　and　formed　the　subject　matter　of　many　epic　and　semi　epic　poems。　These　legends　have　been　classified　into　six　several　cycles　of　romances：＇1＇

＇1＇　Cf。　Morley's　〃English　Writers。〃　Vol。III。；　pp。152…4。


1。　The　Frankish　cycle　contains　the　stories　of　Siegfried；　the　Sigurd　of　the　Scandinavian　tradition。

2。　The　Burgundian　cycle　contains　King　Gunther。

3。　The　Ostrogoth　cycle　contains　Dietrich；　Theodoric；　and　Hildebrand。

4。　The　Hungarian　cycle；　to　which　belongs　Attila　or　Etzel；　and　Rudiger。

5。　The　Lombard　cycle；　to　which　belong　King　Rother；　King　Otnit；　and　Wolfdietrich。

6。　The　North　Saxon　cycle；　to　which　belongs　the　tale　of　Gudrun。　The　two　most　important　of　all　the　epics　based　upon　these　cycles　are　the　Gudrun　and　the　Niebelungenlied。　The　latter　is　the　more　comprehensive；　national；　and　famous。　It　includes　and　unifies　all　the　tales　from　the　first　four　cycles　of　heroic　legends。＇1＇　The　whole　of　German　art；　literature；　and　tradition　is　full　of　reflections　of　this　poem。　The　best　scholarship　has　concluded　that　the　poem　is　not　the　work　of　a　single　author；　but；　like　other　folk　epics；　an　edited　collection　of　songs。　The　work　was　finished　about　1190…12l0。　It　consists　of　two　greater　parts；　（1）　the　〃Death　of　Siegfried〃　and　（2）　the　〃Vengeance　of　Kriemhild〃。

＇1＇　See　Kluge；　〃Geschichte　der　Deutschen　National…Literature；〃　p。　33。


From　the　〃Niebelungenlied〃。　The　first　song　in　the　poem　gives　us　Kriemhild's　foreboding　dream。

KRIEMHILD'S　DREAM。　Stanzas　1…19。

In　stories　of　our　fathers　high　marvels　we　are　told　Of　champions　well　approved　in　perils　manifold。　Of　feasts　and　merry　meetings；　of　weeping　and　of　wail；　And　deeds　of　gallant　daring　I'll　tell　yon　in　my　tale。

In　Burgundy　there　flourish'd　a　maid　so　fair　to　see；　That　in　all　the　world　together　a　fairer　could　not　be。　This　maiden's　name　was　Kriemhild；　through　her　in　dismal　strife　Full　many　a　proudest　warrior　thereafter　lost　his　life。

Many　a　fearless　champion；　as　such　well　became；　Woo'd　the　lovely　lady；　she　from　none　had　blame。　Matchless　was　her　person；　matchless　was　her　mind。　This　one　maiden's　virtue　grac'd　all　womankind。

Three　puissant　Kings　her　guarded　with　all　the　care　they　might；　Gunther　and　eke　Gernot；　each　a　redoubted　knight；　And　Giselher　the　youthful；　a　chosen　champion　he；　This　lady　was　their　sister；　well　lov'd　of　all　the　three。

They　were　high　of　lineage；　thereto　mild　of　mood；　But　in　field　and　foray　champions　fierce　and　rude。　They　rul'd　a　mighty　kingdom；　Burgundy　by　name；　They　wrought　in　Etzel's　country　deeds　of　deathless　fame。

At　Worms　was　their　proud　dwelling；　the　fair　Rhine　flowing　by；　There　had　they　suit　and　service　from　haughtiest　chivalry　For　broad　lands　and　lordships；　and　glorious　was　their　state；　Till　wretchedly　they　perish'd　by　two　noble　ladies'　hate。

Dame　Uta　was　their　mother；　a　queen　both　rich　and　sage；　Their　father　hight　Dancrat；　who　the　fair　heritage　Left　to　his　noble　children　when　he　his　course　had　run；　He　too　by　deeds　of　knighthood　in　youth　had　worship　won。

Each　of　these　three　princes；　as　you　have　heard　me　say；　Were　men　of　mighty　puissance。　They　had　beneath　their　sway　The　noblest　knights　for　liegemen　that　ever　dwelt　on　ground；　For　hardihood　and　prowess　were　none　so　high　renown'd。

There　was　Hagan　of　Troy　of　a　noble　line；　His　brother　nimble　Dankwart；　and　the　knight　of　Metz；　Ortwine；　Eckewart　and　Gary；　the　margraves　stout　in　fight；　Folker　of　Alzeia；　full　of　manly　might。

Rumolt　the　steward　（a　chosen　knight　was　he）；　Sindolt；　and　Hunolt；　these　serv'd　the　brethren　three；　At　their　court　discharging　their　several　duties　well；　Besides；　knights　had　they　many　whom　now　I　cannot　tell。

Dankwart　was　marshal　to　the　king　his　lord；　Ortwine　of　Metz；　his　nephew；　was　carver　at　the　board；　Sindolt　he　was　butler；　a　champion　choice　and　true；　The　chamberlain　was　Hunolt；　they　well　their　duties　knew。

The　gorgeous　pomp　and　splendour；　wherein　these　brethren　reign'd；　How　well　they　tended　knighthood；　what　worship　they　attain'd；　How　they　thro'　life　were　merry；　and　mock'd　at　woe　and　bale　Who'd　seek　all　this　to　tell　you；　would　never　end　his　tale。

A　dream　was　dreamt　by　Kriemhild　the　virtuous　and　the　gay；　How　a　wild　young　falcon　she　train'd　for　many　a　day；　Till　two　fierce　eagles　tore　it；　to　her　there　could　not　be　In　all　the　world　such　sorrow　at　this　perforce　to　see。　To　her　mother　Uta　at　once　the　dream　she　told；

But　she　the　threatening　future　could　only　thus　unfold；　〃The　falcon　that　thou　trainedst　is　sure　a　noble　mate；　God　shield　him　in　his　mercy；　or　thou　must　lose　him　straight。〃

〃A　mate　for　me？　what　say'st　thou；　dearest　mother　mine？　Ne'er　to　love；　assure　thee；　my　heart　will　I　resign。　I'll　live　and　die　a　maiden；　and　end　as　I　began；　Nor　（let　what　else　befall　me）　will　suffer　woe　for　man。〃

〃Nay〃；　said　her　anxious　mother；　〃renounce　not　marriage　so；　Wouldst　thou　true　heartfelt　pleasure　taste　ever　here　below；　Man's　love　alone　can　give　it。　Thou'rt　fair　as　eye　can　see；　A　fitting　mate　God　send　thee；　and　nought　will　wanting　be。〃

〃No　more；〃　the　maiden　answer'd；　〃no　more；　dear　mother；　say；　From　many　a　woman's　fortune　this　truth　is　clear　as　day；　That　falsely　smiling　Plea