Then he quoth, 'Is this truth, and thy greeting be not falsehood in friendly guise, Then _thyself_ dost thou honour, Lady! For in this shall I be so wise That I know a knight's shield claimeth honour, and thou didst against knighthood sin, 445 For so high doth it stand that from no man methinks doth he mocking win, Who as true knight hath ever borne him--This, Lady, I needs must say, Whoever had looked upon me had known me for knight alway, Yet knighthood thou wouldst deny me when first thou my face didst see, But henceforth that may rest--Take this garland I won at thy will for thee, 450 But I bid thee henceforth beware thee that never thy beauty bright Shall again in such wise mislead thee to dishonour a gallant knight, For I wot, ere such scorn and mocking again at thine hand I bore, Thy love thou shouldst give to another, I would ask for it nevermore!' Then she spake as she wept full sorely, that lady so sweet and fair, 455 'Sir Knight, did I tell unto thee the woe that my heart doth bear, Thou wouldst own that full sore my sorrow--If I shall discourteous be, Then he whom I wrong may forgive me of true heart with forgiveness free. For of such joy no man can rob me as the joy that I lost awhile In that knight of all knights the bravest, Eidegast, who knew naught of guile! 460 So brave and so fair my true love, his fame was as sunlight's ray, And for honour he strove so truly that all others, in this his day, Both here and afar, born of woman, they owned that his praise stood high O'er that of all men, and no glory might e'er with his glory vie. A fountain, for aye upspringing, of virtue, his gallant youth, 465 And falsehood ne'er shamed his honour nor darkened the light of truth. Into light came he forth from the darkness, and his honour aloft he bore, That none who spake word of treason might reach to it evermore. From the root in a true heart planted it waxed and it spread amain, Till he rose o'er all men as Saturn doth high o'er the planets reign. 470 And true as the one-horned marvel, since the truth I am fain to tell, The knight of my love and desiring,--for whose fate maids may weep full well, Thro' its virtue I ween it dieth--And I, I was as his heart, And my body was he! Ah! woe is me, that I must from such true love part! And King Gramoflanz, _he_ slew him, the knight thou but now