Herzog Ernst D (1290)
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Oriental Romances
Herzog Ernst D (1290)
Rosenfeld, H.F. (ed.): Herzog Ernst D. (=ATB 104) Tübingen 1991.
HerED-1:
The honorable strives for honor. The evil dislikes honorable deeds. He who appreciates good stories will like this one about the Bavarian Duke Ernst, who suffered when he was expelled from Bavaria. He ruled the lands of the Bavarians, rich and poor gave him high praise. The youth bravely defended the inheritance left him by his father until a monarch with all power of the empire drove him away.
Motif References:
W 33 Heroism
P 527 (Li) Problems of inheritance (legacy)
HerED-85:
Duke Ernst is a dauntless hero. His father dies when he is a small child, leaving him many worthy liegemen, which bring him up. His mother, Adelheid, who has manifold virtues, sends him for further training to Greece and France, where he meets scholars of several branches of knowledge. He masters all sorts of skills and becomes greatly respected and widely known in many kingdoms. He is modest, loyal, and generous. He is considered noble and upright, friendly toward his men and grants them many honors. When the youth reaches the age at which he should bear arms, his mother sends him everything necessary. He receives a battle steed, armor and a sword. With him are Count Wetzel and other vassals who have knightly training from childhood.
Motif References:
P 54 (Bm) Knighting custom
J 146.2 (Li) The educated youth
HerED-167:
Duchess Adelheid is so renowned for good breeding, wisdom, and wealth that many princes want her as a wife. The Holy Roman Empire is governed by a mighty emperor, who has no wife. His counselors agree that they know no one as suitable as the Duchess Adelheid. When the emperor hears their advice, he is pleased. He delays no longer but, with his own hand, writes a letter and sends a prince to Bavaria whom he considers a fitting emissary. The lady receives him cordially.
Motif References:
T 51 Wooing by emissary
H 1381.3.1.1 Quest for bride for king (prince)
HerED-195:
The messenger brings precious gifts, greets her nicely and hands her the letter. The lady reads the letter of proposal and sends for her son. The young man declares the proposal to be suitable and advises to send the courier back with friendly words and a message to the monarch and his vassals that she would do whatever he wishes. The lady’s message pleases both his retinue and the monarch. Many brave warriors and fine ladies gather for the wedding. The emperor’s marriage offers all sorts of amusement: singing and various kinds of stringed music are to be heard. He rewards his guests with silver, gold, fine silk.
Motif References:
T 131.1 Relative’s consent to marriage necessary
T 132 Preparation for wedding
T 136.1 Wedding feast
T 136.4.2 Parting gifts after wedding
T 136.3.2 Marriage odes sung at wedding feast
T 136.3 Amusements at wedding
HerED-435:
The couple lives in harmony. Under them the empire is at peace. The emperor is very favorably disposed toward Duke Ernst because of his mother sending him a messenger to invite him to visit the queen in Oppenheim. The emperor then invests him with many large fiefs, treats him as a son and enfeoffs him with property. He repays the monarch’s good will with many large gifts of silver and gold. This annoys a certain Heinrich, who destroys their friendship through treachery. A relative and counselor of the emperor, he begins his plot. The deceitful man is the count palatine of the Rhine. The traitor goes to the monarch and tells him the lie that the duke was only pretending to be subject to him and wants to be considered the emperor’s peer to gain his inheritance and authority.
Motif References:
P 50.0.1 King and vassals: obligations of vassals to king [Feudality: mutual relationship between king and vassals]
K 2100 False accusation
K 2110 Slanders
K 2126 Knight falsely accused of sedition
K 2298 Treacherous counselor
HerED-565:
The emperor at first does not believe it, but the slanderer insists. At last the monarch is convinced by his relative and decides to destroy Duke Ernst who is abroad on a tournament by seizing the castles of his land with an army. Because the duke’s vassals support him with many troops, they try to prevent the invasion to avoid injury. They gather an army without anyone finding out where until the attack takes place. The emperor gathers a large army and attacks his stepson. Ernst can do nothing but defend his castle. Count Heinrich does a lot of damage to the duke’s strongholds and cities; he captures several and garrisons them with his own troops. After Count Heinrich has caused great havoc in the land, he begins a fierce siege of Nuremberg. Here he finds large numbers of experienced warriors, who defend themselves very well and defeat the host of attackers who storm the moats and slopes before the walls: most of the carnage occurs at the city gate. They barely escape, leaving the city untaken.
Motif References:
P 550.1.1 (Li) Aggression: rebellion; usurpation; invasion; assault
P 557.0.4 (Li) Siege
HerED-911:
The duke knows that this was done on the authority of the emperor. One of the duke’s vassals advises him to win the emperor’s favor and not do battle. The duke therefore sends a messenger to his mother to tell her his story. She grieves, lamenting the injustice. He does not know how he has lost the emperor’s grace so completely without accusation or trial. He will gladly give the emperor whatever he wants from him. But the emperor insists that the duke has insulted him and that he will be his enemy to the end of his life.
Motif References:
P 14.15.2 Court messenger
HerED-1023:
The queen quickly sends the messenger back to his land with word to her son that the count has so grossly slandered him to the emperor that truly no one can help. The emperor has sent for the princes, with whom he intends to discuss the duke’s case. The duke then dispatches a messenger, who rides hastily to the princes and tells them of the distressing state of affairs. They are very sorry about the great injury and declare that they will gladly intercede for him.
Motif References:
K 2150 Innocent made to appear guilty
HerED-1108:
The princes plead for the duke suggesting that they shall help him make amends for any offense he has committed. They beg the emperor to let Duke Ernst appear before him. Ernst is willing to place his life and possessions at the emperor’s mercy, until they bring him to trial. They will be his security for anything else the emperor may require of him until his innocence is proven. But the emperor has sworn never to be reconciled with him. And any prince who has encouraged him to oppose the emperor will be treated as his enemy. The princes have to swear to make war on the duke, everyone has to renounce him. Even the duke’s relatives have to bear arms against him, according to the emperor’s commands. All Germany is to suffer greatly, because the duke defends himself bravely against the monarch for six years. But then he has to leave his land.
Motif References:
P 310 Friendship
Q 431 Punishment: banishment (exile)
K 2102.1 (Bm) Exile on false account
HerED-1115:
When the duke learns that the emperor has summoned the princes to a council at Speyer, he decides to journey across the Rhine. He picks two of his bravest men and rides off with them. He takes Count Wetzel with him and asks the other man to guard the horses. The emperor is sitting in private council with the count palatine as the knights come in and swiftly draw their swords. The emperor jumps up hastily, leaps over a bench, and barely manages to escape into a chapel. His vassal pays dearly for the advice he has given, when the duke cuts off his head.
Motif References:
Q 261 Treachery punished
Q 263 Lying (perjury) punished
Q 411 Death as punishment
Q 421 Punishment: beheading
HerED-1220:
When the duke has thus avenged himself the emperor learns that his relative is dead and the duke has escaped unharmed. He has the corpse laid out suitably on a bier and a wake held over it (as is still the custom today) and buried with great ceremony. He can never forgive the duke for the death of his kinsman. The emperor and his palatines decide at once to make war on the duke. They divest him of all his possessions, those he has inherited as well as his fiefs. The emperor places Duke Ernst and his followers under the imperial ban and orders a campaign of the princes against the duke’s land. More than 30,000 bold warriors from the German lands are summoned.
Motif References:
V 69 Funeral rites - miscellaneous
Q 431 Punishment: banishment (exile)
P 552.6 (Tu) Conscription of troops: summoning allies as preparation for war
HerED-1305:
The imperial warriors surround the city of Regensburg, storm the walls on all sides in great force, and knights and foot soldiers die in large numbers. The duke’s men charge in squadrons out of the city gate and fall upon the emperor and his troops. A furious battle begins. Attackers and defenders inflict heavy casualties. The emperor loses more than a thousand men in the attack.
Motif References:
F 1084 Furious battle [fight]
HerED-1375:
The besieged in the city also suffer casualties. The emperor begins a massive siege. The order to attack is given to the entire invading army, it presses forward from all sides almost to the wall. The carnage is terrible as sharp missiles and stones are hurled from the battlements. After he has besieged the city in vain for more than six months, the emperor is beside himself with rage. He quickly has roofed battering rams and siege towers built and prepares for a long siege. The emperor orders a general assault, while his catapults demolish all of the parapets within range and the missiles from the siege towers cause great distress. The assault goes on with fury all day.
Motif References:
P 552.4 War-machines
P 557.0.4 (Li) Siege
HerED-1599:
The garrison secretly sends a messenger to Duke Ernst to ask him how to save themselves, because they are convinced that they can no longer defend the city if they remain in it. The duke decides to appease the wrath of the emperor by leaving the city. They surrender. The ruler stations a garrison of his own men in the city, a huge and mighty army. The citizens swear an oath of allegiance and together with the powerful monarch they move through the duke’s lands to Austria and do much harm by looting and burning villages and breaking down his strongholds.
Motif References:
R 75 Surrendering
R 75.1 Defeated surrender their city
M 100.0.1 (Li) Oath of allegiance
P 550.1.1 (Li) Aggression: rebellion; usurpation; invasion; assault
HerED-1655:
The emperor invades the country and breaks castles and strongholds by burning and pillage. Duke Ernst rides into the emperor’s domain where his men ravage large areas with fire and destroy castles. He mutilates some of the emperor’s vassals and kills others. He raids the emperor’s lands for more than five years and against the will of his enemies. Unable to carry on the struggle against the emperor any longer, Duke Ernst acts wisely. He sends for all of his knights and chooses from the battle-tested warriors fifty of the very best. These he wants to take with him into exile. He offers no further resistance to the emperor.
Motif References:
R 310 Refuges
P 550.1.1 (Li) Aggression: rebellion; usurpation; invasion; assault
HerED-1670:
Duke Ernst decides to journey overseas and take the cross for the sake of God and enter the service of the holy grave. He wants to do penance. He is well equipped with bright hauberks, iron greaves, helmets of hard steel and sharp swords. The queen sends him 500 marks, a great deal of fine cloth, splendid bedding and clothing of silk. He divides these with his companions. His companions swear to support him in everything he undertakes. He receives them as brothers and comrades and promises to treat them as equals during the journey. He has a thousand well-equipped knights in his band, first-rate warriors who leave the land and accept him as their leader and swear to be subject to him.
Motif References:
M 100.0.1 (Li) Oath of allegiance
V 531 Pilgrimage to Holy Land
HerED-1845:
They come into Hungary. When the king learns of it, the duke is welcomed. The king prepares night quarters for them and happily gives the duke presents, then orders that they be conducted with honor through his land. The king helps them through the forested mountains of Bulgaria. Then they reach the Greek Empire. When the army approaches Constantinople, the duke bids his marshal ride ahead with the squires and look for quarters. The empire’s ruler receives the duke and his companions as guests and gives orders that all of his people should take good care of the strangers. They get whatever services they wish. The duke stays for three weeks before the emperor can get a sailing vessel suitable for his guests, to carry food, clothing, and armor, as well as men. They find the right ship for the voyage and carry a six months’ supply of goods.
Motif References:
P 320 Hospitality
P 324 Host greets guest with gifts [Welcome and parting gifts]
P 324.1 Host treats guest with food and everything possible
HerED-1901:
The emperor then orders that Ernst be given much more gold, which is carried to the ship. They have greatly pleased the Greeks, large numbers of whom sail with them and are subject to the duke. 22 sails are hoisted for the Holy Land with plenty of supplies they are in high spirits. But after five days a violent storm comes up, scatters the ships, and sinks twelve of them. The good knights are driven about for more than two months without sighting land and despair of their lives because all of the provisions are gone.
Motif References:
N 399 Additional unlucky accidents
HerED-1993:
Then they catch sight of a beautiful land racing toward them: it is called Grippia. They steer toward it and sail into a harbor. A high wall of precious marble surrounds the city. Inside they see an orderly design like a chessboard and here and there all sorts of pictures of familiar and strange things. Around the wall is a moat through which runs a river that fully encloses the city. The battlements are skillfully adorned inside and out with gold and jewels, large and small, all wrought with great skill. The city is strongly fortified with barbicans, towers and parapets, many-colored and artfully carved. Strange people live in this city. The knights draw near and anchor to buy provisions.
Motif References:
F 730 Extraordinary island
HerED-2057:
The warriors row ashore and camp outside on a plain. The gate is open, and a scout goes inside to inform the men about the inhabitants. He returns reporting the marvels of the city. Unopposed, they go to the middle of the city and find a cool, shady courtyard at the center of which, arranged in a circle, are many chairs and tables. The tables are well supplied: on each is bread, fish, the meat of tame and wild beasts, and wines from mulberry, honey, herbs, and grapes. The cups and goblets are of gold, the dishes of finely wrought silver. They eat but decide to leave at daybreak, thinking that the townsfolk are somewhere close by and will soon return.
Motif References:
P 91 (Li) Heraldic figures and symbols - coat-of-arms
F 760 Extraordinary cities
HerED-2260:
After the meal they get up and walk about the city – staring in wonder at the huge treasures of gold, precious stones and beautiful ornaments. They enter a house where they find meat, wine and bread. They are all very pleased and quickly load a full supply onto the ship. Duke Ernst and Count Wetzel ride back to the city for a closer look. They discover many lovely works of wondrous things made from gold and precious stones. They see stately palaces with arches and lofty doors which are more ornate than any others on earth and sparkle like stars.
Motif References:
F 761.1.1 City with hundred palaces and gardens
HerED-2358:
They discover a palace which has a gold roof and skillfully fashioned emerald walls that gleam. Duke Ernst finds a room which is decorated with jewels set in shining gold. He sees a golden bed decorated with pearls arranged in squares and other precious stones in strange patterns. Lions, dragons, and snakes, all skillfully wrought of gleaming gold, adorn the bedstead, and at the tops of the posts four large jewels shine like the sun. In front of it they see a large, heavy chair of white ivory which is covered with fine carvings and skillfully embossed with gold. Four huge blood-red amethysts rest on the knobs of the back, and a costly silk fabric covers the seat. A square shaped carpet, of blue velvet and adorned with a costly border, two golden goblets of the best wine are close to the bed.
Motif References:
F 771 Extraordinary castle (house, palace)
F 771.1.1.1 Castle paved with gold and gems
F 787 Extraordinary bed
F 787.2 Golden bed
F 786 Extraordinary chair
HerED-2425:
By the palace is a large and beautiful courtyard with many green cedars. Two streams flow out of the courtyard side by side: one with warm, the other with cold water. There is a bathhouse with a roof of green marble. Inside are two red gold vats with skillfully wrought silver pipes to supply warm or cold water. It drains off through a bronze pipe on side of the vats and is conducted through the entire city. The streets are of marble, green as grass. The water is made to flow over them to sweep every bit of dirt away. Duke Ernst wants to take a bath although the count advises against it, but then he agrees to bathe too. They take off their clothes and sit down in the vats. Then they lie down on the ornamented bed and rest after their bath.
Motif References:
F 771.7.1 (Tu) Palace surrounded by rivers of warm and cold water
HerED-2550:
They suddenly hear a strange cry that sounds like the screeching of a huge flock of wild cranes. They catch sight of a strange throng of men and women in front of the city gate. Both young and old have well-formed hands and feet and are in every respect handsome people, except that their necks and heads are like those of cranes. They see a large army of them walking and riding toward the city, with shields, bows, and skillfully wrought quivers of deadly arrows. It is their city. Their king had sent many galleys to India and killed its monarch. He captured the Indian princess, whose life was saved because of her beauty. The mighty ruler of Grippia wants her as his wife. The great banquet in the park was prepared in her honor this morning. Those courtiers ranking below the king are allowed to walk in front of him. They carry a golden shield and have bows and quivers of great value.
Motif References:
B 20 Beast-man
F 511.0.9 Person with animal’s head
HerED-2685:
The king and his nobles lead between them the most beautiful girl ever born. Her skin is whiter than snow; her hair reaches to the ground, her beautiful features are completely human. They observe the sorrow of the Indian princess because she can not comprehend either their speech or their behavior, but only hear cries like those of cranes.
Motif References:
B 29 Other combinations of beast and man
P 50.2 Marshall [Court officials: marshall, steward, etc.]
B 50 Birdman
B 55 Man with bird’s head
F 510.1 Monstrous races
HerED-2707:
The king of Grippia walks in state to his table, where the princess is waiting. She and the king wash their hands in heavy gold basins. The highborn chamberlains in splendid attire kneel and offer them towels. Mead and wine are poured in many gold goblets. They do not ask what happened to the food, thinking their own people have eaten it. The nobles go respectfully before the king and bow to him politely before sitting down. Servants come and bring meat, both wild and tame. All eat and drink except the girl. When the king kisses her, he thrusts his beak into her mouth. In India she has never known such an expression of love.
Motif References:
P 110 Royal ministers
HerED-2745:
Duke Ernst and the count hear her crying and are moved with pity that the beautiful lady has no friend in all the throng. They decide to come to her aid. Count Wetzel advises that they can help her better after the crane people have left the tables. The warriors will leave the park when the king goes into the hall to his guests. Later they can easily slip into the bedroom and kill the king there. If those with him resist, they will cut them down, seize the lady, and take her away. They will protect the lady with their shields. While they watch, there is music and singing, courtly dancing and folk dancing, and cries like those of cranes and hawks: thus they honor the bride.
Motif References:
R 10.1 Princess (maiden) abducted
R 11.1.1 Abduction of girl by half bestial man
R 11.1 Princess (maiden) abducted by monster (ogre) [monstrous race]
HerED-2863:
The Grippian people perform all sorts of wondrous games and feats in front of the couple. But as the princess is sad, the monarch becomes displeased and bids the people leave, so he can go to his bedroom. After the people are sent away, only twelve of the king’s vassals remain. When they notice the two armed knights, they scream and seize the lady and stab her in many places with their beaks. This angers and grieves the knights. They cut down the king and his men, killing all of them except one. The duke speaks to the fatally injured princess promising to take revenge. She tells them of her father whose misfortune came when the king of Grippia attacked him at sea with his army and killed him, her mother and all the retinue.
Motif References:
M 161.2 Vow to revenge (king, friends, father, [husband, queen]) (or die)
P 550.1.1 (Li) Aggression: rebellion; usurpation; invasion; assault
HerED-2941:
The princess is lethally wounded; the knights are infuriated and miserable. Before she dies, she tells the compassionate knights about the invasion of the cranes in India. The crane people had killed her parents and her brother. Soon she dies and they place a cover of gold cloth over her. They kill many cranes and run for the gate. By then the gates on both sides of the city are blocked and the knights surrounded. The only way to get out is to cut a path through it. The two bravely jump into the crowd and behead a great number. The knights cut off the arrows with their swords and trample them under foot. Hearing the sounds of battle, their men come to their aid carrying heavy swords to the city gate to help them. They do not wait here long, but hack their way in with swords and move towards Ernst through the city.. The knights break off the fight and leave.
Motif References:
F 628.2 Strong man kills men
HerED-3075:
They depart and hurry toward the sea. Then they see a mighty army of the landed crane nobility who are coming to see the bride. They have a thousand or more powerful and highborn warriors in their host who come to see the king’s bride. They are armed with horn bows, strangely wrought quivers and shields and are riding the best steeds in the world. The duke demands that his men gather around for defense.
Motif References:
P 552.1 Battle-pen. Warriors fight in circle around leader
HerED-3145:
The duke and the count reach the ships. They bury 500 dead and and depart.
Motif References:
F 1084 Furious battle [fight]
HerED-3180:
On the 12th day they reach a mighty mountain with many wrecked ships. In their despair they all start to pray. They put themselves fully in God’s hands and repent their sins. The magnet’s power drives the ship with such force that it dashes toward the rock. All the ships crash against each other and their masts collide again and again. Yet they reach the rock alive. They all jump from the ship without delay and marvel at the curious things in the large fleet which crowds around the mountain as thickly as trees in forest. The knights find immense riches and a fortune of silver, gold, jewels and manifold fine silks. The men leave the ships and climb the mountain to find out if they can see land anywhere. Their supplies run out: Finally, almost everyone in the ship has starved to death, and only the duke and six men are still alive. The others are borne away by a griffin, one by one, after they die. It is their custom, and they have carried away corpses many times in the past. The men decide to use the griffins to escape to the mainland and survive.
Motif References:
B 42 Griffin
F 711.2 Sea of unusual substance
F 711.2.6 (Tu) Congealed Sea
F 754 Magnetic mountain
F 806.1 Lodestone draws ship to it
F 806 Magnetic stone
HerED-3347:
The remaining six and Duke Ernst debate how to escape their fate. They decide to sew themselves into animal’s hides and lay each man up forward on the deck. They decide that the duke and the count should be the first. Then each is sewn up into a skin. After sunrise, the knights carry the men, who are well hidden by the tough skins, to the deck and lay them down there. Two griffins fly over the wide sea to the ships. Each quickly seizes one of the men in its claws with great force and drops him in front of their young. They can’t even tear open the hides. Meanwhile the old griffins return to the nest with two more men.
Motif References:
K 521.1.1 Men sewed in animal’s hide carried off by birds
B 542.2.1 Transportation to fairyland on griffin’s back
B 552 Man carried by bird
K 1861.1 Hero sewed up in animal hide so as to be carried to height by bird
HerED-3435:
They too save themselves from the young birds by getting out of the hides and climbing down the rock. The griffins fly a third time to the ship, where two men have already sewn themselves up. Duke Ernst is heartily pleased to see his men alive. They eat plants and walk on until they come to a river, full of fish. They catch enough fish with their hands to drive away their hunger. After collecting wood for a fire, they broil the fish. The route is blocked upstream by mountains so high that their peaks reach the clouds.
Motif References:
F 55 Mountain reaches to sky [moon]
HerED-3575:
They decide to build a raft and set to work at once. They quickly make a large, sturdy raft of mighty trees which they fell with their swords, and carry it to the bank. Then they float down the river through the tunnel in the mountain. They fear for their lives, crashing in the darkness; they see jewels gleam in all colors, even below it glistens. Duke Ernst sees one very bright gem, breaks it free from the rock and takes it with him.
Motif References:
F 757.1.1 Cave of gold, silver and crystal
HerED-3621:
Nowadays this gem is called “the orphan”. It adorns the imperial crown. The tale of the jewel has been written down in Latin and is therefore a true story with no lies. Then the cave widens and they joyfully float out into a broad land. They find a large forest with clearings tilled by people whose language they do not understand. The peasants soon find enough bread to satisfy their hunger, and they proceed into a beautiful land called Arimaspi with many lovely cities. The people of the country are strange and frightening for they have only a single eye in the middle of their forehead. They are called the One-Stars - in Latin, Cyclopes.
Motif References:
F 826 Extraordinary jewels
F 721.1 Underground passages
F 512.1 Person with one eye
F 512.1.1 Person with one eye in center of forehead
HerED-3685:
The strange people greet them in a most respectful and friendly manner. They lead the duke and his companions to a splendid palace, where they are well cared for and dressed in fine silks. They are offered all kinds of food and clothing. The king of the land sends out word for all of his vassals and kin to come to his court.
Motif References:
P 320 Hospitality
HerED-3715:
The duke and his companions are well received by the king, who has a strong and beautiful Castilian horse led into the courtyard before them, since he hopes to find out by this means which of the knights is the leader. The valiant Ernst reaches for the bridle, jumps on its back without using a stirrup, and rides it with skill. At this, the king gives orders that the duke and his companions are to be given such service as he himself requires. When the festival ends, the knights remain there with the king, who looks after them well for a long time. It is more than a year before they learn the language. The knight explains that he is a duke at home and was driven away without cause by the emperor. He also tells him about the manners and habits of his own country and how he came to this one. The generous king orders his people to make every effort to take care of the knight, giving him silver, gold, and whatever else he wants.
Motif References:
H 41 Recognition of royalty [nobility] by personal characteristics or traits
H 1154.3.1 Task: bridling a wild horse
H 1567 Test of leadership
HerED-3825:
One of the neighbors of the king of Arimaspi is a strange race of people, called the Flat Hoofs, who often cause him trouble. Their feet are very broad and shaped like a swan’s. They wear no shoes; when a storm comes up, they lie down and raise one foot over themselves. If the storm lasts for some time, they lift the other foot to rest the first and thus are always protected from bad weather. The Flat Hoofs are arrogant people with frightful devices for hurling missiles and summon an army against the king of Arimaspi. They invade and devastate the kingdom with fire and pillage. However, the king soon raises a strong army and moves it onto a broad meadow where the enemy is encamped. A battle takes place, the duke enters the conflict by taking over the king’s banner and leading the foremost troops, while the adversary brings forth platoon after platoon. The king of Arimaspi stands by the duke fearlessly with his army, and together they so crush the invaders that few escape.
Motif References:
F 551.5 Single [Broad] footed people lie on their backs and shade themselves from sun with their soles
F 1084 Furious battle [fight]
HerED-3906:
The battle is won, and those who get away flee to their strongholds or into the forest. The king wants to reward the duke by offering him to rule over whatever part of his land he wishes. Out of gratitude he enfeoffs him with so much that he may enjoy both fame and esteem. The king invests Duke Ernst with a duchy, people, and land. In taking over his land, the duke wins the support of the people with gifts of silver, gold, and fiefs: everyone accepts gladly, and no one is left out.
Motif References:
Q 112.0.1 Kingdom as reward
HerED-3973:
Duke Ernst hears of an unusual race of people who live by the sea in a land next to his own. Their ears are so long that they come down to their feet. They have no other clothing. They are big and strong, built like noble knights, and carry sharp, shining and skillfully made javelins, which kill whatever is struck. They have sworn enmity to the king and plague him with warfare. Ernst at once sends for his fighting men and, collecting a fine army, travels down to the sea. The long ears have gathered a host of warriors who are eager to fight the duke.
Motif References:
F 511 Person unusual as to his head
F 511.2.5 (Bm) People with large ears used as clothing
F 542.1 Long ears
F 542.2 Big ears
HerED-4013:
Soon the duke and his troops defeat the ears and his men cut them up with their swords, until most of the enemy’s army lies wounded or slain on the field. They camp. They suffered severe losses on both sides. Now Ernst is told of another land close by, called Prechami, where the smallest people in the world dwell. It is a kingdom in which the people live in constant fear because the country is always full of cranes, which live in thick forests terrorizing even the birds there. The eggs they steal from the cranes are their only food. They are quite defenseless against the cranes, except when they gather an army to do battle with them. As soon as the duke hears their story, he summons a hundred knights and journeys there by ship.
Motif References:
F 535 Remarkably small man (Pygmie)
F 535.5.1 War of pygmies and cranes
P 555 Defeat in battle [single combat]
F 1084 Furious battle [fight]
HerED-4050:
Duke Ernst asks the little people who their king is, and they take him to their ruler, who kisses each one of the knights. The cranes, a battle-hardened race are attacked fiercely by the king’s forces; they kill many. The little people are partly avenged. Duke Ernst remains there six weeks and helps the people drive the cranes from the realm. They beg him to stay there always. But he wants to return home. He asks for a few of the king’s men.
Motif References:
P 555 Defeat in battle [single combat]
HerED-4100:
Not far from Arimaspi lives a savage race called the Canaanites. They are giants and fierce warriors who have conquered many lands and forced them to pay tribute, for they kill everyone who refuses payment. His men counsel the king of Canaan to send a messenger to the ruler of Arimaspi to tell him that, if he values his life and wants to remain in his land, he has to send tribute and come at once himself to receive his land as a fief and become a vassal of the Canaanite king. A mighty giant is therefore sent to Arimaspi. In dismay the king sends for the best of his nobles, among them Duke Ernst, to come to a council and tells them of the giant’s message.
Motif References:
F 531.6.9 Giants as warriors (in army)
P 531 Taxation and payment of fines and tribute
HerED-4120:
The king’s vassals can think of nothing better than to advise him to send the tribute which would allow them to remain at peace with the giants. But the duke disagrees, telling the king that in his own country a nobleman would rather die with honor than become the vassal of one of his peers. He advises that he send back word to the monarch that he is much too lowly to be the king’s liege. If he should attack Arimaspi, he will defend his land.
Motif References:
P 532 Payment of tax (tribute) [toll]
HerED-4161:
The king sends for the messenger and gives him costly presents. The giant king swears fiercely to delay no longer, but to expel, capture, kill or hang Duke Ernst, who has given this advice. The monarch then calls up a thousand of his giants and leaves for Arimaspi. They gather and prepare to fight against the mighty army in the manner which the duke has advised. He has ordered swords and spears to be made for them. Weapons in hand, they go into the forest through which the giants must pass, where the giants can’t use their staffs. When the giants enter the forest, they try to swing away with their dreadful staffs. The duke moves his troops back under the trees to safety. His men strike at the lower legs of their enemies with swords and spears and fell many of them. They crash down like trees.
Motif References:
P 14.15.1 (Old, wise) Counsellors of court [King’s council]
M 500 (Bm) Threats
F 531.4.5.1 Giant with iron club [pole] as weapon
K 1080 Persons duped [into injury] into injuring each other
K 2369 Military strategy - miscellaneous
HerED-4221:
The giants strike their comrades while vainly trying to hit their foes and suffer great harm from each other as well as from the duke’s men. When at last 300 mighty giants lie dead, the others flee, and the struggle is over. They run back to Canaan. The duke takes one wounded giant as prisoner, lets him live and turns him over to his men, who lead him back to their country. The king reigns in his land as no one’s vassal and is never again attacked by the giants. Old and young thank Duke Ernst, whose cunning has given them victory. The king has a banquet for him after they return and rewards him with gold and precious stones. He is very pleased at having the injured giant and takes good care of him, often treating and binding up his wounds, until he fully recovers.
Motif References:
F 531.6.12.6 Giant slain by man
F 531.6.12.7 Giants driven away by men
HerED-4262:
When the duke gains the giant’s good will, he gives him good clothes and as soon as he is well allows him to go about freely wherever he wishes. The giant is only fifteen years old and by no means fully grown, and yet no pine in the forest would reach to his knee. Now the duke has two men of Prechami, many Ears and Flat Hoofs, and the young giant. Duke Ernst rules his duchy with honor for six years until one morning, as he is taking a stroll in front of his castle; he sees a merchant ship enter the harbor. After their humble inquiry Ernst grants them accomodation and is told that they sail to Jerusalem.
Motif References:
W 11.5 Generosity toward enemy
P 310.5 Defeated enemy turns true friend
HerED-4337:
The duke admits that he has long wanted to go to Jerusalem. The guests tell him about the Christian king of Ubian’s conflict with Babylon’s heathen sovereign. If they help him to get there, he would feel inclined to stay a while with the Ubian king before going on to Jerusalem. So late one evening Duke Ernst secretly has many things brought to the ship: the best of his gold, silver, and other costly treasures, the finest silk cloth and clothing he can find, pearls and precious stones. He stealthily hurries into the ship together with his Flat Hoofs, Prechamis, and Ears. Two men of Arimaspi of whom he is fond are with him.
Motif References:
M 290 Bargains and promises - miscellaneous
HerED-4521:
They have a pleasant journey and soon arrive in a harbor in Ubian. Then the duke takes his wondrous men and goes before the king. The king and all his men are greatly astonished at these creatures and have to admit that they have never seen anything so strange or heard the like in the whole world. From that time on the king cares for him as if he were his own son. The monarch tells him about the battles around the holy grave. The king of Babylon, the sovereign of Damascus and the prince of Halap threaten to conquer and destroy the Christian lands. The king raises an army from among the Christians of the land. Duke Ernst is eager to fight and promises that the giant will do great harm to the Saracens. The duke enters the struggle early as a part of the king’s army, while the giant has his legs armoured. The ruler of Babylon appears in costly attire in red gold on the battlefield. Their god Mohammaed on a banner is carried by a coach. The princes of Damascus and Halap carry their gods Tervignad and Apollo under music. The giant carries the banner and performs great deeds of valor.
Motif References:
P 320 Hospitality
P 550.1.1 (Li) Aggression: rebellion; usurpation; invasion; assault
HerED-4755:
The armies engage in a furious battle. The battle lasts all day until dusk. The opposing parties utter their different warcries. The heathen’s com-panies are completely destroyed by the Christians. Duke Ernst valiantly captures the king of Babylon and forces him to hand him his sword. The prince of Halap has to surrender his sword to Count Wetzel. The lines of the heathens have been broken in so many places that at last they have to turn and flee. The heathen king’s injuries are treated and, when they have healed, he is sent back to his land with orders to urge his nobles to help him work out a friendly pact with the Christian king. The ruler of Babylon gives hostages which are to be held until he arranges to make peace as long as the two kings live.
Motif References:
R 5 Capture on field of battle
R 51.6 (Bm) Captive as hostage
V 301 (Li) Heathens and Christians
P 555 Defeat in battle [single combat]
P 559 (Li) Peace: making and conditions of peace (ransom, reparations, submission)
F 1084 Furious battle [fight]
HerED-4995:
Duke Ernst then speaks to the king of Babylon about his journey to Jerusalem and the many hindrances in the way. Nevertheless the Babylonian king gladly agrees to bring him safely to Jerusalem. Ernst prays at the holy grave and gives many costly offerings. The Babylonian monarch takes leave of the duke and travels to his home country. The duke spends the year in constant conflict with the heathens. Eventually he pacifies the templars’ terrain. Meanwhile, pilgrims from Germany come across the sea and tell him the news at the emperor’s court. Back in Germany, Ernst’s mother learns about her son’s valiant deeds in Jerusalem.
Motif References:
V 301 (Li) Heathens and Christians
V 350 Conflicts between religions
HerED-5137:
Adelheid prays to the Virgin Mary to grant her to see her beloved son before she dies. She sends for the princes who promise to intercede on her and Duke Ernst’s behalf. They approach the emperor praising Duke Ernst’s virtues and bravery. The queen dispatches letters to her son calling him home. The messenger finds him in Jerusalem. With joy the duke learns that all of the princes support his cause. Then he boards a ship in the harbor of Acre and sails for more than six weeks. To the duke’s deep regret, his Flat Hoofs die. At last the ship enters the harbor at Bari, where he is greeted warmly. He gives an offering on the grave of Saint Nicholas and soon approaches Babenberg.
Motif References:
V 19 Religious sacrifices - miscellaneous
W 33 Heroism
W 34 Loyalty
HerED-5265:
On Christmas Eve they arrive in Babenberg. Duke Ernst sends a messenger to his mother to secretly inform her about his arrival. The overjoyed queen advises to take accommodation and come to the cathedral, where they find the queen at prayer. They fall to her feet and she embraces her son. She asks them in God’s name to hear her plea and entreat the emperor who possibly will show him mercy, grant him his favor or at least an ill-humored pardon. According to her advice Ernst falls to the emperor’s feet begging for a pardon. The emperor, who does not recognize Duke Ernst, grants it.
Motif References:
L 111.1 Exile returns and succeeds
N 735 Accidental meeting of mother and son
HerED-5469:
When the Emperor recognizes Ernst, he regrets his pardon. But then all his nobles approach him, reminding him of his given pardon that can not be withdrawn. He is persuaded. At court everyone is amazed about Ernst’s marvelous creatures. He gives the emperor the ears and the Picmei and keeps the giant. He teaches him Christian life and has him baptized. The emperor then gives the duke back his lands to rule the country he has inherited. He and Count Wetzel reward their faithful men. The “orphan” is given to the empire and from this time on adorns the crown with its brightness. Duke Ernst leads a pious life. He humbly enacts that he’ll be buried in Roßfeld. There is his and lady Irmegart’s grave who led a saintly life.
Motif References:
M 223 Blind promise (rash boon)
L 350 Mildness triumphs over violence
V 331 Conversion to Christianity
V 81 Baptism
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