THE SCENE: Take a moment to pity the poor judgement of young Detsleff, the stable boy who gets so carried away when he first reaches a big city that he parties away all of his own money, and then pawns off all of his lord’s legendary weapons and armor in order to keep the party going.
THE TEXT: Detsleff stayed in the village with their horses and weapons. Detsleff refused to ask for food at the castle. He would rather spend his own money. He went to the marketplace and bought all kinds of food, and the best wine that he could fine. He took it into his lodgings and had it prepared as grandly as he could, that even the king didn’t have more dishes on his table. He also invited in all the stable boys who were in the town, and he kept them there for three days. Then the 30 marks of gold that he owned himself were used up. He went into the village and pawned Heym’s horse, armor, and sword, Nagelring, for 10 marks of gold. He drank and was drunk all the time it went on. Then he pawned Wideke’s horse, Skimling, his armour, and his sword, Mymming, for 20 marks of gold. He made his feast bigger, and covered his house with pieces of gold and expensive cloth. He invited ladies and maidens, and lived as grandly as he could until the 20 marks of gold were used up.
Still he wanted to make his feast bigger. It had then gone on for 7 days. He sat on Falke, Sir Didrik’s horse, with all his weapons, and rode to the marketplace and pawned it all for 20 marks of gold. If there was anything for saw at the market for 12 coins, he gave 20 for it. He also pawned Sir Didrik’s sword, Eckiasax, and his helmet, Hillegrim. He bought wine and all kinds of food. He invited pipers and bassoon players and whoever wanted to eat and drink, so that they were 3000 people. He gave the best piper, who was called Ysung, the gold ring that his mother had given him. The second he gave Sir Didrik’s purple tunic. And to others he gave money and clothes so that they thanked him.
– The Saga of Didrik of Bern, 15th Century AD
