emp [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 Voelund), 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, another of Dietrich's noted warriors. They
concealed their names, encouraged the stranger to talk, and soon learned
where he was going and on what errand. Master Hildebrand, hearing of the
magic sword, and anxious to preserve his pupil from its blows, allowed
Wittich to fight single-handed against twelve robbers in a mountain pass.
As the youth disposed of them all without receiving a scratch, Hildebrand
substituted his own sword blade for that which Wittich bore, one night
while the latter was peacefully sleeping at an inn. This exchange remained
unnoticed until Wittich arrived in Bern. There, while fighting with
Dietrich, the blade suddenly snapped in two.

Loudly reproaching his father, Wieland, for having provided him with such
an unreliable weapon, Wittich was about to announce himself conquered, when
Hildebrand, realizing that he had not acted honorably, gave him back his
own blade. Dietrich, to his surprise and dismay, found himself conquered in
this second encounter, and was forced to acknowledge that he owed his life
only to Wittich's magnanimity. But the northern hero soon confessed in his
turn that had it not been for his magic sword he would have been obliged to
yield to Dietrich, and voluntarily offered his services to him, thus
becoming one of his train.

"Sae gladly rode they back to Bern;
But Tidrick maist was