This book is the product of a translation project of Middle High German literature at the Department of German Language and Culture of Leiden University. The aims of the project were both linguistic and literary. Linguistic in terms of acquiring knowledge of and improving skills in translating Middle High German; literary in terms of acquiring knowledge of an important Middle High German text genre, the Christian legend. Analogous to that dual purpose, this book is also divided into two parts. First there is an introduction to the origin and development of legend in the German language area, supplemented by discussions of the translated legend texts and a treatise on the literary-historical concept of legend. The second part presents the texts of the legends in the original Middle High German verse with a parallel Modern English prose translation. In this way, beginners as well as advanced students of Germanic medieval studies should be able to gain knowledge in various fields: linguistic in mastering Middle High German and translation skills, literary-historical in acquiring and broadening knowledge of a literary genre that is typical for the Middle Ages and medieval literature. The book is also aimed at students and scholars who are not proficient in Middle High German. The English translation will give them access to this important field.

It is the authors’ express aim that this book will not only provide an opportunity for a first acquaintance with these two fields, but that it will generate more profound discussions in study groups and further research in both disciplines of German Studies. It is our experience and firm belief that both perspectives, the literary-historical – which of course also implies a cultural-historical – and the linguistic necessarily go hand in hand and fertilize each other. We are convinced that the use of this book need not be limited to academic Germanic circles, but that medievalists of all kinds may benefit from it.

Special thanks are offered to professor dr. Jonathan Silk of Leiden University who put a finishing touch to the English of part I of this book.