Taylor, Edgar [Hrsg.]; Austin, Sarah [Hrsg.]: Lays of the minnesingers or German troubadours of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries: Illustr. by specimens of the contemporary lyric poetry of Provence and other parts of Europe ; With histor. and crit. notes, and engravings from the ms. of the minnesingers in the king's library at Paris, and from other sources (London, 1825)

118 GERMANY.

With ruby red the saddle gleam'd
As he prick'd o'er the plain.....

Around his waist a girdle fair

He wore of magic might,
The power of twelve the stoutest men

It gave him for the fight.

Cunning he was and deep in skill,

And when his wrath arose
The foe must be of mickle power

That could withstand his blows.....

And tall at times his stature grew

With spells of grammarie,
Then to the noblest princes he

A fellow meet might be.....

A crown of purest gold he bore

Upon his helmet bright,
With richer gems or finer gold

No mortal king is dight.

Upon the crown and on the helm

Birds sang their merry lay,
The nightingale and lark did chaunt

Their melodies so gay.

It seem'd as on the greenwood tree

They tun'd their minstrelsy,
By hand of master were they wrought

With spells of grammary.

A savage combat ensues; and when the king is
obliged to yield to the superior force of Dietrich, he
has recourse to the friendly tarn-cap, which removes
him from sight, and enables him to strike with greater
effect. Of this resource, however, accident deprives
him, and at length a reconciliation is effected between
the contending parties. The champions are then hos-