the brothers,
once the best of friends, became the bitterest enemies.

In 806 Charlemagne held an Imperial Diet at Thionville, and thither
he summoned his three sons, Karloman, Pepin, and Ludwig, intending to
divide the Empire, by testament, among them. Karloman was at that time
in Germany, and Pepin in Italy, where, with the aid of his sword, he
had won for himself broad lands. In order to reach Thionville both were
obliged to take the same path--that is, the Rhine, the broad waterway of
their father's dominions. Pepin was the first to come, and as he sailed
up the river with his train he caught sight of the shrine of St. Goar,
and bethought him that there he and his brother had last met as friends.
As he pondered on the strange fate that had made enemies of them, once
so full of kindness toward each other, he felt curiously moved, and
decided to put ashore and kneel by the shrine of the saint.

Ere long Karloman and his train moved up the Rhine, and this prince
also, when he beheld the shrine of St. Goar, was touched with a feeling
of tenderness for his absent brother. Recollections of the time when
Pepin and he had been inseparable surged over him, and he too stepped
ashore and made his way through the wood to the sacred spot.

Meanwhile Pepin still knelt before the shrine, and great indeed was
Karloman's astonishment when he beheld his brother. But when he heard
Pepin pray aloud that they might be reconciled his joy and surprise knew
no bounds. All armed as he was, he strode up to his kneeling brother
and embraced him with tears, entreating his forgiveness for past
harshnesses. When Pepin raised the prince's visor and beheld the beloved
features of Karloman, his happiness was complete. Together the brothers
made for their ships; not, however, till they had left valuable gifts
at the shrine of the saint whose good offices had brought about their
reconciliation. Together they proceeded to the court of Charlemagne, who
partitioned his Empire between his three sons, making each a regent of
his portion during his father's lifetime.

From that time onward the brothers were fast friends. Karloman and
Pepin, however, had not long to live, for the former died in 810 and the
latter in the following year.

Gutenfels, a Romance

A very charming story, and one entirely lacking in the element of gloom
and tragedy which is so marked a feature of most Rhenish tales, is that
which tradition assigns to the castle of Gutenfels.