Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/454

 Readings in European History 170. Farmer Helmbrecht : a picture of German life in the thirteenth century. boon to-day, all my fellows will tell afterward of the great honor that was done me." The margrave answered: "What ye ask I grant right gladly. I will requite ye as I can. And now lead on ; I follow you." The merchant then said courteously : "You should ride, and I must walk ; else will I stand here the week through." The margrave replied : " I know friendship's tie but ill if I suffer ye to be my servant. Let me show courtesy like your own. I will follow you on foot; for I would be your good comrade." Wimar led his guest to his house. There the knight suffered them to disarm him, for he had no fear. And now the host bade his servants lay mattress and pillow and rich coverlid on the carpet. Then Wimar ordered that many viands, dainty and fresh, be brought to be cooked and roasted, meat of all sorts and fish besides. All was daintily prepared. They set a little table for the margrave alone ; and when he had washed his hands, his host served him right deftly. There were dishes manifold, and an emperor would not have dis- dained the liquors. The roast peacock was served with the best sauce the host knew ; and there were capon, pheasant, partridge, and lamprey served in jelly. The knight rested at the merchant's house until the next day and then went to seek the king. The following story was written, about the middle of the thirteenth century, by one who calls himself Wernher the Gardener. The scene is laid in southern Germany. The version here given is an abridgment of the more lengthy original, which is in verse. 1 Old farmer Helmbrecht had a son. Young Helmbrecht's yellow locks hung down to his shoulders. He tucked them into a handsome silken cap, embroidered with doves and par- rots and many a picture. This cap had been embroidered by a nun who had run away from her convent through a love 1 I owe this tale in its present form to Professor George I,. Burr, who bases his translation upon the prose version given by Freytag in his Bilder aus der deutschen Vergangenheit.