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him to retreat, as his venture was perilous in the extreme. Equally undeterred by this second warning, Dietrich
pressed on; but when he came at last to the giant's abode he was so exhausted by the ascent that, in spite of all
his courage, he was defeated, put in chains, and dragged into the giant's den.
[Illustration: FALKE KILLS THE GIANT.--Keller.]
Hildebrand, in the mean while, following his pupil, awaited his return at the foot of the mountains for eight
days, and then, seeing that he did not appear, he strode up the mountain side. The giant encountered him,
stunned him with a great blow, and dragged him into the den, where, thinking him senseless, he leisurely
began to select chains with which to bind him fast. Hildebrand, however, sprang noiselessly to his feet, seized
a weapon lying near, and stealing behind a pillar, which served him as a shield, he attacked Sigenot, and
stretched him lifeless at his feet.
[Sidenote: Dietrich rescued by Hildebrand.] A moment later he heard Dietrich calling him from the depths of
the cave. To spring forward and free his pupil from his chains was the work of a moment, and then, following
the dwarf, who openly rejoiced at the death of his foe, the two heroes visited the underground kingdom. There
they were hospitably entertained, their wounds were healed, and the king of the dwarfs gave them the finest
weapons that they had ever seen.
While hunting in the Tyrolean mountains shortly after this encounter, Dietrich confided to Hildebrand that he
had fallen in love with the ice fairy, Virginal, and longed to see her again. This confidence was suddenly
interrupted by the appearance of a dwarf, who presented himself as Bibung, the unconquerable protector of
Queen Virginal, but who in the same breath confessed that she had fallen into the hands of the magician
Ortgis. The latter kept her imprisoned in one of her own castles, and at every new moon he forced her to
surrender one of the snow maidens, her lovely attendants, whom he intended, to devour as soon as they were
properly fattened.
Dietrich's eyes flashed with anger when he heard of his lady-love's distress, and bidding the dwarf show him
the way, he forthwith set out to rescue her. They had not gone very far before they beheld the ice queen's
palace glittering far above their heads; and as they eagerly climbed upward to reach it, they heard cries of
terror, and saw a beautiful girl rush down the pathway, closely pursued by the magician and his mounted train.
[Sidenote: Magician Ortgis slain.] Dietrich allowed the maiden to pass him, and then stepped boldly into the
middle of the path, where he and Hildebrand soon succeeded in slaying the magician and all his men. Jambas,
the son of Ortgis, alone effected his escape; but Dietrich and his master closely pursued him, took forcible
possession of his castle, set the captive snow maidens free, and fearlessly slew all the monsters which Jambas
conjured up to destroy them. Then, resuming their interrupted journey, Dietrich and Hildebrand soon came
face to face with the self-styled unconquerable guardian of the ice queen. He had been hiding during the fray,
and now implored them to hasten forward, as his mistress was besieged by Jambas. The magician's son was
CHAPTER VII. 55
anxious to secure Virginal and all her maidens, but his principal aim was to appropriate the great carbuncle
shining in the queen's crown, as it gave the possessor full power over the elements, the mountains, and all who
ventured within reach of them.
Thus urged to greater speed, the heroes toiled upward faster and faster, and soon came near the glittering
castle of Jeraspunt, and the besiegers. The latter were on the point of overpowering the garrison and gaining
possession of the queen. When Dietrich saw her on the battlement, wringing her hands in despair, he rushed
impetuously forward, crying that he had come to save her. He struck right and left, and did such good
execution with his sword that the mountains shook, the icebergs cracked, and great avalanches, rolling down
into the abysses, carried with them the bodies of the slain which he hurled down from the drawbridge.
[Sidenote: Rescue of the ice queen.] In a very short time the enemy was completely routed, and Dietrich was
joyfully welcomed by Virginal, who, touched by his devotion, consented to forsake her glittering castle,
relinquish her sway over the mountains, and to follow him down into the green valley. Their wedding was
celebrated in Jeraspunt, which was all hung in bridal white; and the ice queen and her maidens wore misty
veils and crowns of glittering diamonds, which sparkled and flashed and lit up the whole scene with fairylike
splendor. Some versions of the story tell, however, that the queen soon grew homesick down in the green
valley, and, deserting her hero husband, returned to her palace on the mountain top, where she still rules
supreme.
Dietrich's numerous adventures soon became the theme of the wandering bards and minstrels, and thus the
rumor of his courage came to the ears of Heime, the son of the northern stud keeper Studas. After
distinguishing himself at home by slaying a dragon, this youth obtained from his father the steed Rispa and
the sword Blutgang, with which he set out to test Dietrich's courage, vowing that he would serve him forever
if conquered by him.
"King Tidrick sits intill Bern; He rooses [boasts] him of his might; Sae mony has he in battle cow'd, Baith
kemp [rough] and doughty knight." The Ettin Langshanks (Jamieson's tr.).
Heime soon reached Bern, boldly challenged Dietrich, and when defeated entered his service, after procuring
for his master's exclusive use the matchless steed Falke, which could carry even such a gigantic man as
Dietrich without showing any signs of fatigue, and which served him faithfully for many a year.
[Sidenote: Wittich.] The rumor of Dietrich's courage also came to Heligoland, where Wieland (Wayland, or
Völund), the smith, dwelt with his son Wittich (Witig). The latter, determined to cross swords with the hero of
Bern, persuaded his father to give him the celebrated sword Mimung, by the help of which he hoped to
overcome every foe. Wieland also fashioned a complete suit of armor for his son, gave him much good
advice, and parted from him, bidding him to prove himself worthy of his ancestors, and to call upon his
grandmother, the mermaid Wachilde, if he were ever in great distress.
Thus instructed Wittich departed, and on the way to Bern fell in with Hildebrand, Heime, and Hornbogi,
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