Summary of the Thidrekssaga

Then they went into the forest and quickly found Sintram's shield, but for two days they searched for his horse and could not find it. They exited the forest and came to a castle called Aldinfils owned by a count called Ludwig, and here heDietrich is alone now saw the horse, which the count's men had found and brought to their lord. Dietrich asked for the horse and told Ludwig whom it belonged to, but the count was unwilling to give it.

Dietrich said that it could be that, if he didn't give the horse now, he might lose ten horses instead, as well as his life and realm. Ludwig took a good look at this man, and relented, offering the horse and a golden ring besides. And then he asked if this was Dietrich von Bern. Dietrich confirmed this, and thanked him for his gifts.

Then he took the horse, found his companions and gave the horse back to Sintram. Then they rode back to Bern.

Dietrich told Hildebrand they would travel over the Mundia mountains397, and before them was a forest. Dietrich and Herrat remained in the forest, but Hildebrand rode on to a castle belonging to old earl Ludwig and his son Konrad. Then Hildebrand spotted a man that lived in the castle, and he asked him who ruled there, and the man told him it was earl Ludwig and his son Konrad. Then Hildebrand asked who ruled Bern. The man told him it was lord Alebrand, son of old Hildebrand.

Hildebrand laughed and asked: How good of a warrior is Alebrand? And what kind of man is he? The man replied that Alebrand was the best of all warriors, and he exceeds all in courtesy and generosity, but he is grim towards his enemies.

Hildebrand said: You're a good man. What more can you tell me? And the man replied that there was important and likely true news: Ermenrik was dead.

And Hildebrand and the man went to the castle, and Hildebrand asked the man to get jarl Konrad. Konrad wanted to know what a foreign man with a broad white beard wanted from him, and came out of the castle alone. Hildebrand asked him who he was, and he replied he was Konrad son of Ludwig, and Konrad asked who Hildebrand was. Hildebrand answered he was Hildebrand master of the WölfingenThis family name is new, it does not occur in 15. And Konrad told him he, too, was a Wölfing, and invited his kinsman into the castle to meet his father.

But Hildebrand said he couldn't come this time, but was there any news? Big news! Konrad replied, king Ermenrik of Rome is dead. And who now wears his crown, Hildebrand asked. Evil news, Konrad replied, it’s that traitor Sibich. But what news do you have? And Hildebrand told him jarl Elsung had been killed and king Dietrich was back in Amelungenland.

God be praised, Konrad replied. Alebrand has already sent messengers north into Hunnenland to tell Dietrich to come back to his realm. And Alebrand does not want to give up his castle to Sibich, nor any other place. The Amelungs prefer to die before allowing Sibich to rule Bern.

And Hildebrand said he had to return to the forest where Dietrich waited. But Konrad asked him to wait, because he wanted to tell his father what had happened.

Konrad went into the castle and told his father what had happened. And jarl Ludwig rose and went to Hildebrand with many men, and kissed him, and welcomed him as a kinsman. But where, he then asked, is king Dietrich? Hildebrand told him he was in the forest, and jarl Ludwig called for horses, and at that moment some men arrived with a cart full of honey and wine. Ludwig took the cart, added some of the best provisions, and went into the forest, where Dietrich had meanwhile made a fire.

Ludwig and Konrad fell on their knees before Dietrich, kissed his hands, hailed him as their lord, and told him they would help him in whatever he wanted to do. Then Dietrich took them by the hand and set them next to him, and they exchanged tidings. Ludwig invited Dietrich to his castle, but Dietrich told him he'd stay in the forest for a while, while Hildebrand rode to meet his son Alebrand. And while Hildebrand made himself ready they had a great feast, but Dietrich refused to go into the castle because he had sworn not to enter any house before his good castle at Bern.

The next morning Alebrand and his knights departed, and master Hildebrand with them, for the forest where king Dietrich and jarl Ludwig waited. They all dismounted and bowed before him, and Dietrich kissed Alebrand. Then they all mounted and went to Bern. When the people of the town saw them coming they rejoiced. And Hildebrand bore his banner and Alebrand rode on his other side. Then Alebrand placed a small golden finger-ring in Dietrich’s hand and said: Lord, since your kinsman Ermenrik, who appointed me lord of this town and directed me to guard all of Amelungenland, died, Sibich has never ruled this kingdom. I give you this small finger-ring, and with it Bern and Amelungenland, and myself with all my men in your following.

King Dietrich thanked him, and promised to reward him well. Now each of the knights gave something to king DietrichVery weird. One would expect Dietrich to give gifts to his new followers, but the Old Norse really says Nú gefa Þiðreki konungi allir riddarar; now to king Dietrich all knights gave. some large estates, others good horses, yet others good swords, armour, and shields, or gold and silver, and the powerful gave him treasures.

And with all of them king Dietrich rode to his hall, and Alebrand and Hildebrand brought him to his throne, and that day he had no fewer than ten hundreds at his dish. Then the king sent word to all who ruled over castles and towns and districts, and every day many arrived to give their holdings into Dietrich’s lordship.

Heime Studa’s son had lived in the forest for a long time and had done damage to Sibich’s lands, burning farms and killing people. In this fashion he lived for thirtyA: twenty years, the time that Dietrich was gone from his realm. And when Heime heard Sibich had been killed he realised how much evil he had done and wanted to repent. Therefore he rode to a monastery with all his weapons on his horse Rispa.

When he arrived Heime told the abbot: I am Ludwig, and I come from Amelungenland. And he took his shield from his shoulders, and took off his sword Nagelring, and his armour, and laid them all at the feet of the abbot. Then he abased himself and said: These weapons and this horse, all my belongings, worth no less than ten gold marks, I wish to give to the monastery, and myself with them.

The abbot felt that this man might be someone else than he said he wasVon der Hagen. Haymes has: "that this man would not be obedient if he were in the monastery", but the money was good, so he took Ludwig by the hand, and brought his to a small room next to the church choir. Here Heime took off his rich clothes and took the black cloak like the other monks. The same day he was consecrated as a monk.

The abbot took all the goods and and made it his own, and Ludwig followed the monastic rule. But if the monks had known he was Heime Studa’s son they would not have taken him in, no matter how many goods he brought. Thus Heime served in the monastery for a while.

The giant Aspilian owned many estates in this Langobardenland. He was as big and strong as beforeThis giant has never been mentioned before and unpleasant to deal with. He had a large treasure because people didn’t dare to refuse him anything he wanted.

The monks owned a rich estate, but Aspilian took possession. The abbot sent monks to the giant, and he said he had more rights to the estate than the monks. The monks replied that the estate had been given to them for God’s sake.

Then Aspilian said: Appoint a man to fight me. When I lose the estate is yours, when I win it’s mine. This is the law of the land: where two men have a conflict over something, they shall fight a duelholmgang. The monks could do nothing because the giant followed the law, but they didn’t know which man would fight such a strong giant.

They informed the abbot, who told all monks and said that they would have to let the estate go if they did not find a suitable man. The monks were displeased and sent men far and wide to find someone who would fight the giant, but found no one.

One day they discussed the matter again, and Ludwig said: Why do you monks complain? What has Aspilian done? And the abbot explained the matter. Then Ludwig said: I gave my treasure and weapons to this monastery for God's sake, and now I will fight this giant. Where are my sword and my armour? The abbot suspected he was some sort of warrior, and said his sword had been made into doorhinges for the monastery, and his armour sold at the market.

And Ludwig said: You monks understand books, but not weapons. If you’d known how good these weapons were you would never have parted with them. Then he jumped up and took the abbot’s hood in both hands and said: You are a fool if you didn’t have other iron but my good sword Nagelring that beheaded many a giant to make your hinges. He shook the hood so hard that the abbot lost four teeth. When the monks heard the name Nagelring they understood that it was Heime Studa’s son and became frightened. They took some keys and opened a chest that contained Nagelring and his armour, and they were well kept.

Heime took Nagelring and saw how beautiful its cutting edge was, and how the gold shone. And he remembered the days that he rode with his companions, and became first red, then pale. Then he asked for his horse Rispa. The abbot said it had pulled stone for the church and was dead for many years.