Romantic Ballads [17]
this day, My sister thou shalt caress."
"If yonder mountains all were gold, And yonder streams were wine; The whole for Skimming I would not take; I bless God he is mine.
"Sivard is a purblind swain; Sees not to his faulchion's end: If Skimming were hurt thou couldst not pay me With the help of thy every friend.
"The sword it whirls in Sivard's hand, As whirl the sails of the mill; If thou take Skimming 'gainst that wild fool, 'T is sorely against my will."
Humble, he sat him on Skimming's back, So gallantly can he ride; But Skimming thought it passing strange That a spur was clapt to his side.
The first course that together they rode, So strong were the knightly two, Asunder went Humble's saddle-ring, And a furlong his good shield flew.
"Methinks thou art a fair young swain, And well thy horse canst ride; Dismount thee, straight, and gird up thy steed; I am willing for thee to bide."
The second course that together they rode Was worthy of knights renown'd; Then both their saddles burst in two, And Humble was sent to the ground.
"Now have I cast thee from thy steed, Thy courser by right is mine; But, tell me, youthful and gallant swain, Who art thou, and of what line?
"Now have I won from thee the prize, And Skimming belongs to me; But, tell me, youthful and gallant swain, What parents gave birth to thee?"
"Abelon is my father's name; He sits upon Birting's throne: Queen Ellina my mother is, And that for truth is known.
"Queen Ellina my mother is - A Queen whom all admire; Good King Abelon Haardestaal, So call they my hoary sire.
"And who am I, but Humble, the young, A knight of Birting's land; Of hero race, whose fame extends To the wide earth's farthest strand."
"If Abelon be thy father's name, The courser I straight restore; Thou art, I find, my very good friend; I knew thee not, youth, before.
"If Queen Ellina thy mother is, Then Skimming thou hast rewon; Thou art, indeed, my very good friend; Thou art my sister's son.
"Take both the shield ropes, take them straight, And bind me to yon oak tree; Then hie thee back to King Diderik, And say thou hast conquer'd me."
In came Humble, the youthful knight, Was clad in a kirtle, green; "O! I have got my courser again, And have bound the warrior keen."
In came Humble, with boot and spur, He cast on the table his sword: "Sivard stands in the green wood bound, He speaks not a single word.
"O, I have been to the wild forest, And have seiz'd the warrior stark; Sivard there was taken by me, And tied to the oak's rough bark."
"Now hear me, young Sir Humble, the knight, 'T is plain a jest is meant, Whenever Sivard was bound by thee, 'T was done with his own consent."
It was Vidrik Verlandson, And he would fain know all. "O, I will ride to the wood, and see How Sivard endures his thrall."
Vidrik spoke to his burly groom: "Go, saddle me Skimming gray, For I will ride to the wood, and hear What Sivard himself will say."
Sivard stands in the good green wood, There sees he Vidrik ride: "If Vidrik finds me bounden here, He'll hew my rib-bones from my side."
Then loud laugh'd Vidrik Verlandson, And Skimming began to neigh, For Sivard rooted the oak tree up; He dar'd no longer stay.
The queen she sat in the high, high, loft, And thence look'd far and wide: "O there comes Sivard Snaresvend, With a stately oak at his side."
Then loud laugh'd fair Queen Gloriant, As she look'd on Sivard full: "Thou wert, no doubt, in great, great need, When thou such flowers didst pull."
The King he stood at the castle gate, In his robes and kingly crown: "O there comes Sivard Snaresvend, And he brings us Summer to town."{22}
Now dance the heroes by Brattingsborg; They dance in their coats of felt; There dances Sivard, the purblind swain, With an oak tree under his belt.
VIDRIK VERLANDSON. FROM THE OLD DANISH.
King Diderik sits in the halls of Bern, And he boasts of his deeds of might; So many a swain in battle he's fell'd, And taken so many a knight.
King Diderik sits in the halls of Bern, And he strikes his moony
"If yonder mountains all were gold, And yonder streams were wine; The whole for Skimming I would not take; I bless God he is mine.
"Sivard is a purblind swain; Sees not to his faulchion's end: If Skimming were hurt thou couldst not pay me With the help of thy every friend.
"The sword it whirls in Sivard's hand, As whirl the sails of the mill; If thou take Skimming 'gainst that wild fool, 'T is sorely against my will."
Humble, he sat him on Skimming's back, So gallantly can he ride; But Skimming thought it passing strange That a spur was clapt to his side.
The first course that together they rode, So strong were the knightly two, Asunder went Humble's saddle-ring, And a furlong his good shield flew.
"Methinks thou art a fair young swain, And well thy horse canst ride; Dismount thee, straight, and gird up thy steed; I am willing for thee to bide."
The second course that together they rode Was worthy of knights renown'd; Then both their saddles burst in two, And Humble was sent to the ground.
"Now have I cast thee from thy steed, Thy courser by right is mine; But, tell me, youthful and gallant swain, Who art thou, and of what line?
"Now have I won from thee the prize, And Skimming belongs to me; But, tell me, youthful and gallant swain, What parents gave birth to thee?"
"Abelon is my father's name; He sits upon Birting's throne: Queen Ellina my mother is, And that for truth is known.
"Queen Ellina my mother is - A Queen whom all admire; Good King Abelon Haardestaal, So call they my hoary sire.
"And who am I, but Humble, the young, A knight of Birting's land; Of hero race, whose fame extends To the wide earth's farthest strand."
"If Abelon be thy father's name, The courser I straight restore; Thou art, I find, my very good friend; I knew thee not, youth, before.
"If Queen Ellina thy mother is, Then Skimming thou hast rewon; Thou art, indeed, my very good friend; Thou art my sister's son.
"Take both the shield ropes, take them straight, And bind me to yon oak tree; Then hie thee back to King Diderik, And say thou hast conquer'd me."
In came Humble, the youthful knight, Was clad in a kirtle, green; "O! I have got my courser again, And have bound the warrior keen."
In came Humble, with boot and spur, He cast on the table his sword: "Sivard stands in the green wood bound, He speaks not a single word.
"O, I have been to the wild forest, And have seiz'd the warrior stark; Sivard there was taken by me, And tied to the oak's rough bark."
"Now hear me, young Sir Humble, the knight, 'T is plain a jest is meant, Whenever Sivard was bound by thee, 'T was done with his own consent."
It was Vidrik Verlandson, And he would fain know all. "O, I will ride to the wood, and see How Sivard endures his thrall."
Vidrik spoke to his burly groom: "Go, saddle me Skimming gray, For I will ride to the wood, and hear What Sivard himself will say."
Sivard stands in the good green wood, There sees he Vidrik ride: "If Vidrik finds me bounden here, He'll hew my rib-bones from my side."
Then loud laugh'd Vidrik Verlandson, And Skimming began to neigh, For Sivard rooted the oak tree up; He dar'd no longer stay.
The queen she sat in the high, high, loft, And thence look'd far and wide: "O there comes Sivard Snaresvend, With a stately oak at his side."
Then loud laugh'd fair Queen Gloriant, As she look'd on Sivard full: "Thou wert, no doubt, in great, great need, When thou such flowers didst pull."
The King he stood at the castle gate, In his robes and kingly crown: "O there comes Sivard Snaresvend, And he brings us Summer to town."{22}
Now dance the heroes by Brattingsborg; They dance in their coats of felt; There dances Sivard, the purblind swain, With an oak tree under his belt.
VIDRIK VERLANDSON. FROM THE OLD DANISH.
King Diderik sits in the halls of Bern, And he boasts of his deeds of might; So many a swain in battle he's fell'd, And taken so many a knight.
King Diderik sits in the halls of Bern, And he strikes his moony