Daily Stories

“To live to the Fall if the luck I enjoy Fair lady, thy beautiful voice I’ll destroy.”

Proud Lyborg’s fair maidens upon the floor sprang, And all through the evening she unto them sang.

p. 19But alack two short summer days scarcely had pass’d, When in desperate sickness proud Lyborg lay fast.

p. 19

Proud Lyborg fell sick, and lay stretched on her bed, Then backwards and forwards Dame Ingeborg sped.

“Now hear me, Dame Ingeborg, dear mother mine, Do bring me, I pray, either water or wine.”

“The water is frozen, and frozen the wine, And frozen the tap in each barrel of mine.

“The door it is locked, and the keys are away, But where, daughter dear, by the Saints I can’t say.”

“If I can nor water nor wine from thee win, Then open the door that the dew may rush in.

p. 20“Cause the door to the North to be wide open set, Then my feverish frame cool refreshment shall get.”

p. 20

“The door to the South I’ll have straightway undone, That the hot sun may flash in thy visage upon.”

“O would there were one that for sweet pity’s sake, To my mother a message in secret would take.”

Then answer’d proud Lyborg’s own little foot-boy: “Your message in secret I’ll carry with joy.”

That they were alone they with confidence thought; Dame Ingeborg stood nigh, and every word caught.

The lad he upsprang on his courser so high, He galloped as fast as the wingèd birds fly.

p. 21In, in came the lad, in a kirtle red drest: “Your daughter, Dame Lyborg, in death will soon rest.

p. 21

“She bids you to come with all possible quickness, To live through this night she can’t hope from her sickness.”

Straight unto her servants proud Mettelil says: “My horses go fetch from the meads where they graze.”