Ez verlôs ein Ritter sîne Scheide - When a Knight lost his Sheath

Lyrics by Neidhart von Reuental, ca. 1200-1250 AD [Verse 1] Ez verlôs ein ritter sîne scheide. dar umb wart einer frouwen alsô leide. sî sprach: "herre, ich will iu eine lîhen, der will sich mîn leider man verzîhen. des ist niht lanc daz ers verwarf. und kumt er mir der ir bedarf, wie wol ich in dran handel! dem gibe ich sî gar âne wandel." [Verse 2] „Frouwe, lât mich eine rede wizzen, ob sî zuo dem orte iht sî verslizzen.“ nein sî, ûf mîn sêle und ûf mîn triuwe! ich gap sî mînem leiden man für niuwe. sî ist dicke als ein bret, niuwan an der einen stet, dâ ze dem hengelriemen. daz enschadet iu noch ander niemen. [Verse 3] Er wolt sîn mezzer in die scheide schieben. dô begunde sich diu klinge biegen her wider rehte gegen deme hefte; doch brâht er sî drin mit sîner krefte. schiere het er wider gezogen. „ez habe ein swarziu krâ gelogen, wer solte des getrûwen?“ zieht wider: diu würze ist noch niht gebrûwen!’ Translation: [Verse 1] A knight had lost his sheath. Because of this, a lady was sorely troubled. She said: “Sir, I will lend you one, though my poor husband will begrudge it. It will not be long before he casts it aside. And when someone comes to me that requires it, how well I shall deal with him! To him I shall give it wholly, without reserve.” [Verse 2] “Lady, let me know one thing: does it still fit or is it worn?” “No, by my soul and by my troth! I gave it to my dear husband brand-new. It is thick as a plank, save only at one place, there by the hanging strap; that will harm neither you nor anyone else.” [Verse 3] He wished to slide his knife into the sheath. Then the blade began to bend back, straight against the hilt; yet with his strength he forced it in. Soon he drew it out again. “Some black crow must have lied — who could trust such a thing?” "Pull it out again, the spice is not there yet!”