Grimhild's Vengeance: Three Ballads
He lifted up his vizor, Of human blood a draught He took—“In nomine Domini”  The Hero Hogen quaffed.

See, there the knights of Grimhild Lie slaughtered every one; And that has Hero Hogen, And valiant Folker done.

“God bless thee, Folker Spillemand, Who here a corse dost lie, Full well and without treachery Thy faulchion thou didst ply.

p. 31“Full four and twenty fell for one, Their death from him they found; He slew them like a warrior, Ere sank he on the ground.

p. 31

“Ah, brother, by my heart beloved, Thy coming cost me dear; How woeful is my destiny That I should lose thee here.

“And if to me is granted To live another day, My sister this shall expiate, I her will burn or slay.”

The evil fate’s o’ertaken her. She’s paid for all her ill; King Hogen’s son caused Grimhild To starve within the hill.

p. 32GRIMHILD’S VENGEANCE Song the Third

p. 32

O, where will ye find kempions So bold and strong of hand, As Hogen and his brother dear, Sir Folker Spillemand?

Forward stepped she, Bodild, Hero Hogen’s mother, crying: “Methought the gallant coursers all Were either dead or dying.

“And I possess full wit enow That vision to explain; If to the Hvenish land ye go There’ll many a man be slain.”

p. 33Out rode the valiant brothers where The river rolled its tide, There they the Mermaid found asleep Beneath a green hill’s side.

p. 33

“Awake, awake, thou Mermaiden, Thou creature wondrous fair; Say, will my life in danger be If I to Hven repair?”

“O turn thee, Hero Hogen, back, Thou art a knight so bold, Thou dost in thy own land possess Full many a tower and hold.

“Return, return to thine own land, Seek not the warrior joust, If thou dost to thy sister go Thy young life it will cost.”

It was the Hero Hogen then His sword he straight drew out; It was the wretched Mermaiden From whom the head he smote.

p. 34“By thee I now am 
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