Osantrix and Oda
- There are considerable differences between Haymes/Jónsson and Von der Hagen here, especially in
35 . None of them change the story, but it’s really remarkable. I assume Haymens/Jónsson use the Mb3 redaction, but what does Von der Hagen use? A+B? Mb2?
29
A king was named Melias and he ruled over Hunnenland and he was the richest, most powerful, and most proud man. He had a daughter named Oda, and she was the most beautiful of women. The greatest kings and dukes had already asked for her hand, but her father the king loved her so much he didn’t want to give her to any man.
King Osantrix was now a widower, and he heard about king Melias and Oda. He sent twelve knights with a letter that asked for the hand of his daughter, and rich estates, gold and silver with her, or he would invade Hunnenland.
30
King Melias had the letter read out to him and then said: Now king Osantrix wants me to give up my daughter, who grew up here for fifteen years and whom I denied marriage with kings and dukes. But he expects me to give her up or face his army. And he called his shepherd
31
In this time two young men came to king Osantrix, they were the sons of jarl Ilias von Greken, and thus Osantrix' brother-sons. They were Hertnit and Osid. Hertnit was eleven winters old and Osid ten
32
When king Osantrix found out Melias had had his messengers thrown in the dungeon he called together his chiefs and knights and complained about it, and wanted to wage war against him and take his daughter.
A wise man advised him to try messengers of a much higher station, and Osantrix accepted this advice. Thus he told his nephew Hertnit to go to Hunnenland and ask for king Melias' daughter, first with words and gifts, and if those fail with a threat of war. And Osantrix gave him a letter that told Melias that Hertnit had come to take the knights in the dungeon as well as his daughter. And if Melias didn’t cooperate he could lose his life as well as his lands.
33
Jarl Hertnit, and his brother Osid with him, rode south to Hunnenland, and when he was admitted to king Melias he gave a speech about his mission, but the king listened gloomily. Jarl Hertnit gave him a purple cloth, and two golden drinking cups, and a silken tent bordered with gold as gifts, but king Melias replied he would not sell his daughter for these gifts, only a concubine.
Now jarl Hertnit showed Osantrix' letter — and Melias read the letter himself
34
When king Osantrix heard about this he gathered his army
35
- Von der Hagen's version is about twice as long as Haymes/Jónsson's. It adds a lot of stuff about the citizens of Melias' capital, who are more willing to welcome Thidrek than Melias himself. My summary follows Haymes/Jónsson.
- I would ignore most of this if it didn’t concern the citizens (chieftains?) getting a role in the story, which reminds one of
6-9 .
Now king Osantrix came into Hunnenland with his army, but he told his men to call him Thidrek
Brought before Melias Thidrek tells him he was a duke in Wilkinenland but incurred the displeasure of Osantrix, and that he now wants to offer himself and all his men to king Melias. And Thidrek fell to his knees. Melias asked why Thidrek hadn't made peace with his king, since Thidrek was a powerful man in his realm. And, Melias added, you're supposed to serve him. Return to your realm and reconcile yourself with your king. The king said this because he wasn’t sure who this man was.
Thidrek fell down on the floor before Melias' feet and put himself into his power and begged him to accept him. But Melias said
Then princess Oda spoke: Why don’t you want to give me to the king who is so powerful that he can exile this chieftain from his lands? This man could win all of your country with his sword if you were to battle.
But still the king refused to accept Thidrek, who lay before his feet.
36
When Widolf with the Staff heard this he became so angry he wanted to kill the king, but the other giants held him. He stomped on the ground so that both feet disappeared up to the ankles and said: Lord, why are you at king Melias’ feet? You are much nobler than he, let’s destroy his castle and plunder his country, and take his daughter as your servant.
When Thidrek heard this he had Aspilian told to bind Widolf to the city wall, and they did so with strong iron fetters. Then Thidrek fell to his knees for a third time and again asked to be taken in as Melias’ follower, since Osantrix, when he caught him, would surely hang him.
Melias said he should get up and leave in peace, because they did not want a foreign army in their town. And if they didn’t leave Melias would call up his men and fight. King Aspilian heard these words and became angry that his lord wad threated thus, and went into the hall and hit Melias’ ear so that he fell unconscious. Now king Osantrix
And when Widolf noticed his brother Aspilian had become angry he broke apart all fetters and took his iron staff. He went into the hall and killed men and women, people and cattle, and called out: Where are you, jarl Hertnit? Be happy because I’m here to free you. Jarl Hertnit and the other prisoners started to stir in their dungeon, and one knight, Hermann, was so strong that he managed to to break open the door, and they joined the other Wilkinenmen, who killed a great number of men, but king Melias escaped.
37
The men took Oda and all portable wealth to their chieftain
Then the chieftain took a shoe made of polished
Then the princess stroked her leg and said, looking upward to the sky: God in Heaven, give me the day that I may stroke my leg
38
King Osantrix went home and took the princess with her. Soon after he sent messengers to king Melias to arrange a reconciliation. King Melias had given his daughter half his kingdom and the men within
Now king Osantrix had a wonderful wedding prepared, and ruled his realm peacefully, like king Melias did in Hunnenland. King Osantrix and his wife had a daughter Erka, and she was the most beuatiful and courteous of all girls.
Status: summary of 10 chapters complete.
Other parts
- Dietrich's family (1-14)
- Hildebrand (15-17)
- Heime (18-20)
- Osantrix and Oda (21-38)
- Attila and Erka (39-56)
- Wieland the Smith (57-79)
- Witig (80-95)
- Journey to Osning (96-107)
- Witig and Heime (108-110,134-137,146-151)
- Detlef the Dane (111-129)
- Amelung, Wildeber, and Herbrand (130-133)
- Wildeber and Isung (138-145)
- Sigmund and Sisibe (152-161)
- Sigfrid's youth (162-168)
- Origins of the Niflungen (169-170)
- Dietrich's feast (171-191)
- The road to Bertangaland (192-199)
- The tournament (200-222)
- Dietrich's fellowship falls apart (223-226,240)
- Gunther and Brunhild (227-230)
- Walther and Hildegund (241-244)
- Ake and Iron (269-275)
- Dietrich's flight (276-290)
- The Wilkinen wars (291-315)
- The battle of Gransport (316-341)
- Sigfrid's death (342-348)
- Hertnit and Isung (349-355)
- Grimhild's revenge (356-394)
- Dietrich's return (395-415)
- Attila's death (423-428)
- Heime's death (429-437)
- Dietrich's death (438-442)