Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- List of Abbreviations Used in Endnotes
- Introduction: Historical Background
- 1 Decoding the Codes: Treason in the Late Medieval Karlsepik — Der Stricker's Karl der Grosse and the Karlmeinet
- 2 The Ordeals of Tristan and Isolde
- 3 Saintly Queens under Fire in the Kaiserchronik and in Heinrich und Kunegunde
- Coda: Der Stricker's “Das heisse Eisen” and Conclusion
- Appendices
- I Der Stricker, Karl der Grosse: Plot Summary
- II Karlmeinet: Plot Summary
- III Tristan: Plot Summary
- IV Richardis: Plot Summary
- V Heinrich und Kunegunde: Translation
- VI Comparison of Parallel Texts from the “Additamentum” and Ebernand von Erfurt
- VII Der Stricker, “Das heisse Eisen” (The Hot Iron): Translation
- Bibliography
- Index
VII - Der Stricker, “Das heisse Eisen” (The Hot Iron): Translation
from Appendices
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- List of Abbreviations Used in Endnotes
- Introduction: Historical Background
- 1 Decoding the Codes: Treason in the Late Medieval Karlsepik — Der Stricker's Karl der Grosse and the Karlmeinet
- 2 The Ordeals of Tristan and Isolde
- 3 Saintly Queens under Fire in the Kaiserchronik and in Heinrich und Kunegunde
- Coda: Der Stricker's “Das heisse Eisen” and Conclusion
- Appendices
- I Der Stricker, Karl der Grosse: Plot Summary
- II Karlmeinet: Plot Summary
- III Tristan: Plot Summary
- IV Richardis: Plot Summary
- V Heinrich und Kunegunde: Translation
- VI Comparison of Parallel Texts from the “Additamentum” and Ebernand von Erfurt
- VII Der Stricker, “Das heisse Eisen” (The Hot Iron): Translation
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
A woman said to her husband, “Because I made your acquaintance I shall always be happy. God has endowed you so richly in appearance and character and has so fully given to you whatever is most fitting for a man that there is only one worry that threatens my well-being, and it concerns you and other women. If you were so inclined and could convince me that you had no other women, then I would repay you in such a manner that you would affirm, having seen the proof of it, that no woman ever loved her husband so dearly.”
He said, “My dear love, I desire no woman but you. You mean more to me than anyone. I would be a faithless thief if I had anyone but you. As God is dear to you, don't accuse me of doing such a thing to you. I love you far too much for that. I'm very willing to give you all the assurance you wish and have you put to the test that I love you above all women.”
She said, “If you do that, then no man was ever better treated by his wife than you will be from me. Undergo an ordeal for me, about which I'll instruct you; if you love me, carry the hot iron for me. Then I'll really be able to see what sort of love you have for me, if you actually can survive it without damage I intend to have you go through with it.
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- Chapter
- Information
- Trial by Fire and Battle in Medieval German Literature , pp. 195 - 198Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2004