King Diderik sits in the halls of Bern, And he boasts of his deeds of might;
So many a swain in battle he's fell'd, And taken so many a knight.
King Diderik sits in the halls of Bern, And he strikes his moony shield;
"O, would that I knew of a hero now, 'Gainst whom I could take the field."
Then answer'd Master Hildebrand, (For he knew all things best,)
"There sleeps a Giant at Birtingsberg;
Dar'st thou disturb his rest?"
"Now, hear me, Master Hildebrand;
Thou art huge in body and limb;
Thou foremost shall ride, in the wood, this day, And bear our challenge to him."
Then answer'd Master Hildebrand, So careful a knight was he;
"Not so, my Lord, will I do, this day, For the wages delight not me."
Then out spoke Vidrik Verlandson, And he spoke in wrathful mood;
"O, I'll be first of the band, this day, All through the Birting wood."
Then out spoke Vidrik Verlandson, And he spoke with lofty pride;
"The smith he forg'd me a faulchion good, That can steel, like cloth, divide."
They were three hundred valorous knights, Unto Birting's land that rode;
They go in quest of Langben the Jutt, To the gloomy wood, his abode.
Then out spoke Vidrik Verlandson;
"A wondrous game we'll play;
For I will ride in the green wood first, If ye'll but trust me away."
Then answer'd bold King Diderik, He answer'd hastily then;
"When thou therein shalt have found the Jutt Come back for me and my men."
It was Vidrik Verlandson, In the forest alone he sped;
And there he found so little a way, Which up to the Giant led.
It was Vidrik Verlandson, He came unto Birting's hill;
There black and dread lay Langben the Jutt, He lay stretch'd out, and still.
It was Vidrik Verlandson, With his lance touch'd him on the knee;
"Wake up! wake up! now Langben the Jutt, Thou sleepest full sound, I see."
"Here have I lain, for many a year, 'Mid the leaf and the dew-wet herb;
But never, till now, came a warrior by, That has dar'd my sleep to disturb."
"Here stand I, Vidrik Verlandson, With a sword, so good, at my side;
I came to wake thee up from thy sleep, Betide whatever betide."
It was Langben the Giant, then, Turn'd up the white of his eye;
"O, whence can come this warrior youth, Who such bold words lets fly?
"But hear, but hear, thou warrior youth;
I will not do battle with thee, Except thou prove of a knightly race;
So thy lineage tell to me."
"A handsome smith my father was, And Verland hight was he:
Bodild they call'd my mother fair;
Queen over countries three:
"Skimming I call my noble steed, Begot from the wild sea-mare:
Blank do I call my haughty helm, Because it glitters so fair:
"Skrepping I call my good thick shield;
Steel shafts have furrow'd it o'er:
Mimmering have I nam'd my sword;
'T is harden'd in heroes' gore:
"And I am Vidrik Verlandson;
For clothes bright iron I wear:
Stand'st thou not up on thy long, long legs, I'll pin thee down to thy lair:
"Do thou stand up on thy long, long legs, Nor look so dogged and grim;
The King holds out before the wood;
Thou shalt yield thy treasure to him."
"All, all the gold that I possess, I will keep with great renown;
I'll yield it at no little horse-boy's word, To the best king wearing a crown."
"So young and little as here I seem, Thou shalt find me prompt in a fray;
I'll hew the head from thy shoulders off, And thy much gold bear away."
It was Langben the mighty Jutt, With fury his heart was fir'd;
"Ride hence! ride hence! thou warrior youth, If of life thou be not tir'd."
Skimming sprang up, with both his legs, Against the giant's side Asunder went five of his rib-bones then, And the fight began at that tide.
It was Langben the lofty Jutt, He wav'd his steel mace round;
He sent a blow after Vidrik;
But the mace struck deep in the ground.
It was Langben the lofty Jutt, Who had thought his foeman to slay, But the blow fell short of Vidrik;
For the good horse bore him away.
