Th is book contains an English translation of German verse-couplet tales ('Maeren') from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries. It forms part of a multi-volume edition in which the 'Maeren' are edited in strict accordance with their principal manuscripts and, where appropriate, different versions of the same text are presented in parallel. The most important aims of the edition as a whole are to provide a philologically sound yet readable text and to make different versions of these tales fully accessible, giving the reader a complete overview of textual variance. A commentary explains the textual basis of each edited 'Maere', contains further notes on themes and literary context as well as comprehension- tips for the non-specialist. By virtue of this edition German verse-couplet tales from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries can now be read and studied more easily than ever before.