Rheinischer Merlin (Merlin und Lüthild)

inde sô wîslich was sîne tât

and so wise were his deeds

iz wolte berihten al den rât

it wanted to direct all the counsel

ob iz wære zuo vollentagen

as if it were of full age

iz enhôrte nieman daz gesagen

No one heard it say

daz einige lügene wære

anything that was a lie

iedoch pînte manes dicke sêre

yet people often tormented it sorely

daz si iz lügene tæten sagen

to make it tell lies.

hê verschiet alsô von den tagen

He passed from those days in such a way

daz hê Merlîn en louc noch en missetete·

that he, Merlin, neither lied nor did wrong

an engeiner hande stete

in any kind of place.

âne was hê kint hê was von listen

Save that he was a child, he was [full] of skill.

hê was lange unkristen

He was long unchristened;

dô wolte hê gerne kristen sîn

then he wished gladly to be a Christian.

daz tete man ime inde nante in Merlîn

That was done for him, and he was named Merlin.

dô hê quam zuo sînen tagen

When he came of age,

bîwîlen hiez in solich sagen

at times this one or that bade him tell

waz ime solte geschien

what was to happen to him;

hê en woltees sich niet entsien

he would not shrink from it out of fear;

hê en sahte ie die wârheit

he always told them the truth.

geschach in danne einic leit

If any sorrow then befell them,

daz en was niet sîn schult

that was not his fault,

wande ih̄s xp̄s dê wolteez

for Jesus Christ willed it.

iedoch weiz manez ime genuoc

Yet people blamed him for it often enough

inde sprach ime manic ungevuoc

and said many a rude thing to him.

in guoter gedult hê ime allez nam

He took it all in good patience.

als iet sahte daz iz rehte quam

Whenever he said anything, it came out exactly right.

daz hôrten si danne vile gerne

They were then very glad to hear that,

inde hielteniz doch zuo scherne

and yet held it in mockery.

sôwaz hê sprach daz geschach

Whatever he said came to pass.

die liute hê mâze gerne sach

He cared little to see people;

der werelte hê sich ie vort entzôh

he withdrew himself ever further from the world.

zuo lezzeste verdrôz ir inen sô

At last he grew so weary of them

die nie mannes en wart gemeine

who never had to do with a man.”

der truhtsæze dare quam

The steward came there

dâ hê Merlîne vernam

where he found Merlin.

hê sprach sage guote Merlîn

He said, “Tell me, good Merlin,

wie solich sal mîn ende sîn

what kind of end shall mine be?

sage mir ouch dû sâs in allen

Tell me too; you told it to all of them.”

Merlîn sprach ir sulet ervallen

Merlin said, “You will fall to your death.”

deme truhtsæzen leidete die zale

The steward did not like the speech;

iz behâte ime mâze wole

it pleased him none too well.

iedoch hê zuo spotte sahte

Yet he spoke of it in mockery,

noch mê hê iz versuochen dâhte

and thought to test it further.

hê wolte iz mit listen ane vâhen

He meant to go about it with cunning:

hê liez sînen bart stân

he let his beard grow

inde wandelte sîn oberkleit

and changed his outer clothing;

ein ander pfert hê dare reit

he rode there on another horse;

hê suochte in biz hê in vant

he sought him until he found him.

dô vrâgete hê in zuohant

Then he asked him at once

waz künne sîn tôt solte sîn

what kind of death his would be.

dô sâte ime ein anderz Merlîn

Then Merlin told him another:

ir sulet aue..er...ich hangen

“You shall [...] hang

êr ich werde gevangen

before I am captured.”

deme truhtsæzen daz behâte

The steward was pleased

daz hê ime zwêne tôde sâte

that he had told him two deaths.

hê reit heim daz künden

He rode home to tell it

vüre lügene sînen vriunden

to his friends as a lie,

als iz niemer en mohte geschien

as a thing that could never happen.

hê sprach ich sal morgene besien

He said, “I shall look into it tomorrow.”

aber daz hê sich întete

Again he disguised himself;

hê gienc zuo Merlîne umbe die rede

he went to Merlin about the matter

als hê in nie enhette gesien

as though he had never seen him.

hê sprach waz sal mir geschien

He said, “What will happen to me?”

ir sulet ertrinken sprach Merlîn

“You will drown,” said Merlin.

hê sâte wie mohte daz sîn

He said, “How could that be?

Merlîn dû spræches wâr ie

Merlin, you always spoke the truth;

dû en geluoges noch nie

you have never yet lied;

nû hâs dû mir dise dritte stunt

now you have this third time

drîer hande tôt gekunt

foretold me three kinds of death.

dû lüges die zwêne Merlîn

You are lying about two of them, Merlin.”

hê sprach iz mac iuch liep sîn

He said, “That may well please you.”

der truhtsæze was vile gemeit

The steward was very cheerful;

hê gienc heim dâ bevore hê reit

he walked home, where before he had ridden,

inde sâte zuohant allez daz

and at once told all of it

deme küninge vüre ein pârât

to the king as a piece of trickery,

indedeme gesinde alsamen

and to the whole household;

dô hatten si es iren gamen·

then they made sport of it.

dâr nâh in kurzen zîten

After that, within a short time,

solte der truhtsæze rîten

the steward was to ride

zuo walde jagen mit den hunden

to the forest to hunt with the hounds.

dô si lûtes loufen begunden

When they began to run in full cry,

hê îlete nâh dô sturzte sîn pfert

he hurried after; then his horse stumbled;

der hêre viel zuo tale wert

the lord fell downward;

eine hôh leie viel hê nider

down a high rock he fell;

daz pfert quam kûme wider

the horse barely got back up.

eine vurke in mit den vüezen vienc

A forked branch caught him by the feet;

daz houbet ime indaz wazzer hienc

his head hung into the water;

dô viel hê hine inde vertranc

then he fell in and drowned.

dê tôt was drîvalt gemanc

The death was threefold, mixed together.

daz deme truhtsæzen alsus komen was

Because this had happened so to the steward,

der küninc getrûwete des debaz

the king trusted all the more

der worte die Merlîn redete

the words that Merlin spoke.

der küninc in dô suochen tete

The king then had him sought;

waz half daz man in vant

what use was it that he was found?