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Article by DF6PW on 15th April 2009 at 20:35

The Kindelsberg legend

At Kindelsberg, on the castle high, An ancient lime-tree grows, With goodly branches, wide outspread, Which rave as the wild wind blows. There stands a stem, both broad and tall, Quite close this lime-tree, behind, It is grey, and rough all over with moss, And shakes not with the wind. There sleeps a maiden the mournful sleep, Who to her knight was true He was a noble count of the Mark, Her case she well might rue. With her brother to a distant land, To a knight's feud he did repair, He gave to the maiden the iron hand, They parted with many a tear. The time was now long passed and gone, The Count he came not again; By the lime-tree foot she sat her down, To give vent to her sorrow and pain. And there to her another knight came; A coal-black steed he was on, Unto the maiden he kindly spoke, And sought her heart to win. The maiden said "thou shalst, vow, Me for thy wife ne'er have When the lime-tree here shall withered be, My heart to thee will I give." The lime-tree still was high and young. Up hill and down he passed, In search of a lime so large and so high, ill he found it at the last. Then out he went in the moonshine bright, And dug up the lime-tree so green, And set the withered tree in its stead, And the turf laid down again. The maiden up in the morning rose, Her window was so light; The lime-tree shade no more on it played; She was seized with grief and affright. The maiden to the lime-tree ran, Sat down in sorrow and pain, The knight he came in haughty mood, And sought her heart again. The maiden answered in distress, "Thou'lt ne'er be loved by me" The proud knight then he stabbed her dead, The count grieved piteously! For he came home that very day, And saw in sorrowful mood, How by the withered lime-tree lay The maiden in her blood. And then a deep grave did he dig, For a bed of rest for his bride; And he sought for a lime, up hill and down, And he placed it by her side. And a great atone he also placed, Which by the wind cannot shaken be, There sleeps the maiden in peaceful rest, In the' shade of the green lime-tree.