A closer connection with the current region of the Netherlands can be found within the second of the ‘Deutsche Epen.” For the larger part it again is made up with Old Norse saga material. Apparently it has been brought to Germany by Saxon bards and compiled there.

In the Kudrun we find many Anglo-Saxon hero that also makes an appearance in the Anglo-Saxon ‘Wîdhsiîdh’ (1). But also we find numerous reference to the Frisians and even Frisian kings are mentioned.

Hetele is called ‘ze Friesen herre’ (the Frisian lord)(2) ‘Isolt und sine liute sollen komen von Friesen.’(3) as well as ‘Môronc der snelle dâ her von Friesen reit’ (4)  and also is reffered to as ‘Môrunc von Friesenlant’(5)

This compares to Wate, ‘der helt zu Stürmen’ (here he has become an Ostfries ), who speaks with certain disdain of ‘einem wilden Sahsen oder Franken’(6) .
In the Kudrun the whole North Sea coastal area is inhabited by Frisians at that time and it is the stage for daring womanisers.  

It is often thought that the stage was centered on a Danish isle, but when the Kudrun refers to ‘Sêlant’, with it’s lord Herwîg(7) , who is called ‘von Sêwen’  (8) several times, it is hard not to think about the Zeeuwen, from the current Dutch province of Zeeland.

Even the sign on his banner, the ‘sêbleter’  (sea leave) makes us think of the ‘pompeblad’ of current day Frieslands flag: the eleven red, heart-shaped leaves (9)

(to be continued)
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(1) ‘Wîdhsîidh’ verse 21 af.;  Hagena, weold Holmrygum, Heoden Glommum, Vada Haelsingur.
Also another Anglo-Saxon poem ‘Déors Lied’ (in Grein’s ‘Bibl der Angels. Poesie I’ page 278-280 shows familiarity with the contents by speaking of ‘Heodinga scôp’
(2) Kudrun, 208 vs. 1.
(3) Kudrun, 231 vs. 4. Zie ook 1374 vs. 2.
(4) Kudrun, 271 vs. 1.
(5) Kudrun, 480 vs. 1.
(6) Kudrun, 360 vs. 4, 1503 vs. 4.
(7) Kudrun, 1373 vs. 3.
(8)  Kudrun, 706 vs. 1, 867 vs. 1, 1214 vs. 1, 1257 vs. 1, 1674 vs. 1.
(9) G. Acker Stratingh in ‘Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis en oudheidkunde van de prov. Groningen’, VII (Gron. 1870), bl. 200-216.