FREIDANK, FREIGEDANK, or in Middle High German VninaNc, the name by which a certain German didactic poet allusion to the character of his style, "he always spoke and never sang." Wilhelm Grimm started the hypothesis that Freidank was to be .dentified with Walther von der Vogel. weide ; but it found almost no acceptance from other German scholars, and was formally refuted by Franz Pfeil-cm in his Zar Deutschen, Literatur-Gesehichte, Stuttgart, 1855, and his Germania, 1857, 2d vol.

Freidank's work bears the name of Beseheidenhrit, Discretio, Correct Judgment, and consists of a collection of proverbs, pithy sayings, moat reflections, and stories arranged under general heads. Its popularity till the end of the 16th century is shown by the great mnither of MSS. still extant; and Sebastian P,randt published it again and again in modified forms, Wilhelm Grimm's edition of Vriclanees Bescheirlenheit appeared at Gottingen in 1834, and Bezzinberger's at Halle in 1872; the old Latin translation, Fridangi Ihse7 air), was printed by Lemcke at Stettin, 1868; and there me rwo translations into modern German. A. Bacmcister's, Reutlingen, 1861, and Simmek's, Stuttgart, 1867. Compare also H. Paul, (Aber die l.Urspriingliche AnordatePg roe Freidahk's Bescheidenhett, Leipsie, 1870.