Summary of the Thidrekssaga

The tiding that Aspilian had been defeated by a monk became widely known. When king Dietrich of Bern heard about it he wondered who that monk was. He considered that all his heroes were dead, and wondered what had become of his good friend Heime. And he felt that this deed could not have been done by anyone but Heime.

Dietrich rode to the monastery that was called WadincusanAssumed to be Wedinghausen and asked if there was a monk called Heime Studa’s son. And the abbot replied he could tell him the names of all monks, but Heime was not among them.

At that moment a monk came from the cloister, short, with broad shoulders and a long beard that was grey like a dove. And this monk was silent and didn’t speak to king Dietrich. But Dietricht thought he recognised Heime, and he said: We’ve seen many snows since we parted as good friends, and thus we meet again. You are Heime, my dear friend. But Heime replied: The one you call Heime I do not know, and I’m not him. Then Dietrich said: Brother, don’t you remember how our horses drank during the campaign in FrisiaVon der Hagen says this refers to 40, but Dietrich or Heime do not appear there, so that the water level dropped? And Heime said: How should I remember that if I never saw you before?

And Dietrich said: But surely you remember the day that you followed me I was driven me from my realm, and returned to Ermenrik but he drove you away like an outlaw288? Heime replied: I cannot remember any of that. I have heard of Dietrich of Bern and Ermenrik of Rome, but know nothing of them. But, Dietrich asked, don’t you remember how we went to Rome for a feast and found jarl Iron with his heavy wounds, guarded by his falcons and dogs273. But Heime said he didn’t remember. But don’t you remember, asked Dietrich, how we came to Ermenrik’s court at Rome275, and how our horses neighed nobly, and how all the beautiful women stood and looked at us, for back then our hair was golden and curly, but now it is grey like a dove. And all your clothes had the same colours as mine. Do you remember that, my friend? And don’t let me stand before you for longer.

Then Heime said: Good king Dietrich, now I remember all that you said, and I want to come with you. And Heime threw off his monk’s cloak, collected his belongings and his horse, and went with Dietrich to Rome. And Dietrich took Heime in and placed him over his knights. There they remained for some time.

One day king Dietrich and Heime discussed tribute they could collect from their lands. And Heime pointed out that the monastery did not pay tribute to anyone, and there was a lot of gold and silver. Dietrich agreed that he had never received tribute from them, and decided that if they were to require it, Heime would be the man to ask for it.

And a few days later Heime rode to the monastery. When he arrived the monks were angry at him because he had left the monastery without the abbot’s permission, but on the other hand they didn’t mind because they were all afraid of him. He spent the night there, and the next morning he called all monks to the chapter and told him king Dietrich sent him, and that the monastery had far more gold and silver than it needed. Thus, Heime said, he wants tribute, like from all other places. Will you give him a tribute fitting for a king?

The abbot replied that the money belonged to Saint Mary and God, and that it was free from the crown and no king would receive tribute from it. Heime said that they would have to face the king’s wrath, and that it was strange they collected so much money that did not do anyone any good. The abbot said: Heime, you’re an evil man. You ran away from here, went to the king’s court, and now you return to rob us. Go back home, where the devil brought you before, and be a devil yourself, like king Dietrich.

Heime became so angry he drew Nagelring and beheaded the abbot, and the next monk, until all monks were dead. Then he took all the gold and silver and loaded many horses with it. And before he left he set the monastery on fire. When he returned to king Dietrich he told him everythingA says Dietrich burned the monastery and took the treasure.

Then Dietrich heard of a giant who had so much gold and silver that no one knew a larger hoard. This giant was very old and so big and strong even an elephant could not carry him. He was lazy and mostly stayed in one place, and therefore few people had heard of him. Heime told Dietrich of this giant and offered to get tribute.

Heime went alone to a mountain with a great forest. There he found a large cave, and he jumped from his horse and went in. Inside he saw a giant with hair white like a dove, and he was so long that it covered his entire face. Heime said: Get up, giant, and defend yourself. I want to fight you.

The giant replied: You are bold, but I don’t want to get up and fight you. But Heime said: If you don’t get up and fight now I’ll draw my sword and kill you. The giant jumped up and shook his head and hair so that it stood out and he was awful to see. He took his staff and gave Heime such a blow that Heime flew away as fast as an arrow from a bow and was dead before he hit the ground.

This is said of Heime’s death. And it became known that such a great hero had lost his life.

When Dietrich heard this he decided to avenge him or lose his life. And he prepared his horse Blanka and his weapons, rode to where the giant lived, and asked him: Do you admit having killed my good friend Heime? And the giant said that he didn't know Heime was his friend, but he had killed him because otherwise he himself would have been killed. Dietrich challenged him, the giant took his staff, and Dietrich drew Eckisax. The giant raised his staff in both hands and Dietrich, who didn’t want to flee, moved forward. The giant hit the ground behind king Dietrich, and Dietrich cut off his hands, together with the staff. Thus the giant was without victory and also without hands. And Dietrich did not leave until the giant was dead. The king jumped back on to his horse, and had thus won the final duel that this saga tells about, and it became known how he had avenged his friend.

After that it is not told that king Dietrich heard of a hero or giant famous enough for him to fight, because he was such a great hero that no one dared. The only thing he did was hunt great animals that even other heroes didn’t dare to hunt. Often he rode with a few companions and accomplished many hunting feats, but we cannot write about those because we have not heard about them.

When king Dietrich was advanced in age but still good with weapons he took a bath at what’s called Dietrichsbadwhich he founded in 415. A servant called out: My lord, there runs a deer, and I’ve never seen an animal this big or fast! When he heard that the king got up, wrapped himself in his bathing cape, and called as he saw the animal: Quick, get my horse and my dogs! His servants ran to fetch his horse, but the king became impatient while the animal ran away, and saw a great horse with a saddle standing, and it was black like a raven. He ran to the horse and jumped on its back. At that moment the servants let loose the dogs, but they did not want to follow this horse.

The horse ran faster than any bird can fly, and Dietrich’s best squire rode after him on his horse Blanka, and all the dogs behind it. Then king Dietrich realised he was not really on a horse, and wanted to jump off, but he was held so tight he was unable to lift his thighs from the horse’s sides. Then the squire called after him: Lord, will you come back? Why are you riding so fast? And king Dietrich replied: I am riding badly, because what I’m sitting on must be a fiend. But I will return if God and Saint Mary will it. Then the horses were too far apart and the squire could not see the king any more. And since then no one has heard anything from him.

No one can say what has become of king Dietrich. But German men say that it has been revealed in dreams that king Dietrich was helped by God and Saint Mary because he cried out their names at his death.

Here we end the telling of this saga.

As was said before336 at Gransport Witig Wieland’s son fled into the lake. And he came to a mermaid, his grandfather’s motherSee 23 who took him to Seelandin Denmark. There he staid for a long time, until he heard that Dietrich von Bern had become emperor at Rome. Then he went to an island called Fimber, and built himself a farm, and a little tower at the crossing to the mainland. And in that tower he put a ferryman and a statueSee also 66 of Dietrich von Bern, and forbade the ferryman to ever bring across someone who looked like the statue.

Dietrich von Bern secretly traveled to find Witig in order to avenge his brotherDiether, killed by Witig in 333, and he had no one with him but two squires. When he came to the crossing to the island he was ferried over. But when the ferryman saw that he resembled the statue he told Dietrich: I’ll have to take you back again, you are forbidden from entering the island. Therefore Dietrich was brought back.

Dietrich understood what this all meant, and preferred to die rather than leave his brother unavenged. Therefore he went to a town and had a doctor take out one of his eyes. When he had recovered he went back to the crossing and was taken to the island, and the ferryman let him go wherever he wanted.

Dietrich entered Witig’s farm and went to his house. There Witig stand next to his bed and was dressing, and there was no one else inside. When Dietrich appeared in the door he saw Mimung laying in a chest. He took it from the sheath and tossed it on to the roof so that it got stuck there. When Witig saw Dietrich he welcomed him, fell on his knees, and put himself and all his goods in his power.

And Dietrich replied: Since we separated at Gransport, where you killed my brother and king Attila’s sons, you never had truce in my heart. So arm yourself and defend yourself. And Witig said: Give me my sword Mimung. And Dietrich said: Take another good sword. And Witig armed himself and the fought long until Witig fell dead before his own bed.

King Dietrich had many heavy wounds, and he took the sword Mimung and went through Holstein to Sachsen. When he came to Schwaben his wounds had swelled and developed gangrene, and he understood he would not live long. Then he went to a river or lake, drew Mimung, and threw it in the water as far as he could, so that it would never come into anyone’s hands again.

Then he went to a castle called Hoffert and stayed for the night. When he recognised he was going to die he forbade his two squires to tell anyone who he was. Shortly after he died from the wounds that Witig Wieland’s son had given him, and was buried in that town as a merchant.

His two squires went home to Rome and did not tell much about their trip. But everyone in Denmark knew that Witig had been slain in his own house, but no one knew who had killed him.

And German men knew too that king Dietrich never returned to his realm, since he rode from the baths called Dietrichsbad. Therefore all Romans held it for true that Dietrich died as described beforeIn 438.