name she bore; A castle new that lady built, It shone all Denmark o’er. Her daughter dear was stolen away, She sought for her far and near; The more she sought the less she found, To her great distress and care. She bid a noble ship be built, Therein gilt masts did stand; With valiant knights and courtmen bold She caused it to be manned. p. 17Her sons she followed to the strand, With many a fond caress; For eight long years they sailed away, Enduring much distress. p. 17 For eight years had they sailed away, So long they thought the tide, When they sailed before a lofty hill, And straight to land they hied. Then peeped the Damsel Swanelil Forth from the mountain brow: “O whence can be these stranger swains, As guests that seek us now?” The youngest brother then replied, So ready of speech was he: “A widow’s three poor sons we are, So long we’ve sailed the sea. “Dame Hellelil our mother is, We were born on Denmark’s ground; From us our sister stolen was, And her we have yet not found.” p. 18“If thou wert born on Danish ground, And Dame Hellelil be thy mother Then I thy beloved sister am And thou art my youngest brother. p. 18 “Now do thou hear, my youngest brother, Why didst not at home remain? If thou hadst a thousand thousand lives Thou none of them couldst retain.” She placed him in the smallest nook She could in the house espy: She bade him for sake of the highest God, Neither to laugh nor cry. Rosmer came from the ocean home, And straight he fell to bann: “O I can smell by my right hand That here is a Christian man.” “A Bird with a dead man’s shank in its mouth, Chanced over our house to fly; He cast it in, I cast it out, And that full speedily.” p. 19A noble meal she then prepared, And she gave him many a kiss: “O here is come my sister’s son, It would grieve me him to miss. p. 19 “My sister’s son is here arrived From the land where I first drew breath; Now give him, my lord, thy firm, firm oath, Thou’lt do unto him no scathe.”
Prev.
Back
Top