Mar Stig

Mar Stig wakes up at midnight hour,
And tells his wife so dear;
"I've dreamt to night a wondrous dream,
"God knows what danger's near.

"I seemed to see my gallant ship,
"Shrunk to a little boat,
"And wild it drifted, all its oars
"Gone overboard afloat.

"I dreamt we rode across a bridge
"Over the boiling flood,
"And me my horse threw off his back,
"And ran to a forest stud.'

"O list, my lord, calm all your fears,
"And cast your cares away;
"It means, the boors and tenantry
"Their taxes come to pay."

In came Mar Stig's small chamber swain,
And stood before the board;
"There's hither come King Brick's page,
"And waits to see my lord."

Uprose the youthful knight, Mar Stig,
And dress'd before his bed,
And down to the courtyard went to hear
What Brick's envoy said.

"O list to me, young knight, Mar Stig,
"List to the words I bring;
"Mount now, and come at once to Court
"To see the Danish king."

"But hark thee, tiny chamber swain,
"What I will say to thee;
"If thou dost know the king's design,
"Conceal it not from me."

"The king's design I cannot tell,
"But that you'll quickly hear;
"Only that you shall take the field,
"And the king's banner bear."

The young Mar Stig these tidings heard,
In mantle wrapp'd his head,
And, mounting up to the bower aloft,
Approached his lady's bed.

In stepp'd Mar Stig, and closed the door,
And sorrowful he grew;
"So then, fair lady Ingeborg,
"My dream is proving true,

"What of my gallant horse I dreamt,
"That off to the stud he fled,
"Means that on battlefield I'm slain,
"And left there lying dead."

"Be calm, my dear, ray noble lord,
"Be calm, and say not so;
"There dwells our Saviour Christ above,
"Wards off the deadly blow."

The young Mar Stig he mounted horse,
And rode to the royal gate,
And, waiting found the Danish king
Wrapt in a dress of state.

"List now the words, young knight Mar Stig,
"That I would say to thee;
"This season thou shalt take the field,
"The banner bear for me."

"If I this season take the field,
"And march and risk my life,
"Will you, king Erick, guard from harm
"My fair and gentle wife?"

King Erick smiled beneath his cloak,
And spake in crafty tone;
"Safe she shall be, as though she were
"A sister of mine own.

"So well will I thy lady watch,
"And keep her free from harm,
"As though thou wert thyself at home,
"And she were on thine arm.'

The young Mar Stig with all his men
Rode off for war and fame,
And left his lovely Ingeborg
A prey to grief and shame.

The young King Erick call'd his swains.
And bade his horse be drest;
"We'll up the country ride anon,
"And be the lady's guest."

"He rode within the courtyard gate,
His head wrapped in his hood,
And mounting up to the bower aloft
Before the lady stood.

"Greet you, fair lady, Ingeborg!
"This kindness to me show;
"Make me a shirt, and eke the same
"With gold embroidery sew."

"If I should cut a shirt for you,
"Or broider one with gold,
"Mar Stig would wrathful be with me,
"And all his love grow cold."

"O list, sweet lady, Ingeborg,
"Be you but kind and true,
"I'll ever, while I live and breathe,
"Both love and honour you."

"Mar Stig has given me a ring of gold,
"Hung on my neck a chain,
"And true to only him, my king,
"I lifelong will remain.

"You fairly vow'd, when young Mar Stig
"Rode off to take the field,
"Me as your sister you would watch,
"From every danger shield."

They lit the festive tapers all.
And bitter tears she shed.
As with the king they took her off
With him to share her bed.

The lovely Ingeborg she pined
With grief and care and shame,
That day and night to claim her love
This lewd King Erick came.

Mar Stig, his battles bravely fought,
March'd home again from war,
Such baleful tidings met his ear
In foreign lands afar.

Mar Stig he near'd his dwelling place,
Came riding up the street,
But went not out fair Ingeborg
Her gallant lord to meet.

Mar Stig he leaped from off his horse,
And stepped within his door,
But rose the fair dame Ingeborg
To welcome him no more.

Mar Stig awhile in silence stood,
"And why then," reasoned he,
"Will rise the lady Ingeborg
"No more to welcome me?"

"What time you march'd away from home,
"I bare an honoured name,
"But now alas I'm Denmark's queen,
"And lead a life of shame.

"What time you march'd away from home,
"A knight could call me wife,
"But now alas I'm Denmark's queen,
"And care no more for life.

"I'll never sleep another sleep
"Within your arms again,
"Until the king who outraged me,
"King Erick you have slain.

"I'll never sleep another sleep
"Pressed to your fair white side,
"Till Erick, he who wrought my fall,
"That villain King has died."

Mar Stig he clad himself and men
In mail of steely ring,
And off to a general council rode,
And there defied the King.

Forth came the knight, the brave Mar Stig,
Before King Erick stood,
And greeted all his Aldermen
And thanes of noble blood.

And thus Mar Stig in open court
Spake out devoid of fear;
"My wife by force has been abused,
"For that I'm standing here.

"While in my country's cause I fought,
"And daily risk'd my life,
"You, you, King Erick, stay'd at home,
"And forced my gentle wife."

King Erick smiled beneath his cloak
His crafty part to play;
"Her will was quite as good as mine,
"She never said me nay."

"There's an old saw/' Mar Stig replied,
And sorrowful he spake,
"That Injury goes on before
"And Insult in it's wake.

"You've done me great and grievous wrong,
"Have foully used my wife;
"This deed, King Erick, hear my words,
"Shall surely cost your life."

So left the court the knight Mar Stig,
And raised his hat on high;
"Aldermen, hear me witness all,
"That I the King defy."

"Hark thee a word, young knight Mar Stig,
"Cease from thy tone of pride;
"I'll give thee town and moated fort
"And grassy land beside."

"I care not, I, for tower or fort,
"Not such the amend I claim;
"Would that the deed were yet undone
"That brought my wife to shame!"

"Mar Stig, my man, ride not so fast,
"I cannot hold thee pace;
"If thou wilt be my friend no more,
"So let our friendship cease."

"It is not I who ride so hard
"To make you feel my might;
"There's an old saw, you've heard the same,
"That might, my lord, makes right

"It is not I who fide so bard,
"Or play the tyrant's part,
"But many a hound can hold at bay
"The fleeting hind and hart.

"Mark well, I've here disclaimed the faith
"That once to you I owed,
"And that at times a little tump
"Upsets a mighty load."

Dame Ingeborg for Ranild sent,
A youth, her sister's son.
Him made the king his table swain,
And so was he undone.

These two, dame Ingeborg and he.
Their plans began to lay,
How the king Erick they might snare.
And how might seize and slay.

This page, as sat the king at meat.
Before his table stood,
And told the king of hart and hind.
That played in the green wood.

"I know where play the hart and hind,
"And thicket where they hide;
"If seems you good, my noble lord,
"We'll thither take a ride."

King Erick rose and call'd his swains
To saddle his good gray steed;
"We'll to the council ride across,
"And see how matters speed.

"Ride ye, my men, and find a place
"Where we may lodge tonight,
"While I with Ranild ride to see
"If what he says is right."

So off to Wyborg rode his men
To find him lodging there,
For least of all things did he dream
Of Ranild's crafty snare.

Ranild he took a lonely road
That Erick little knew,
And truly all the plans he laid
With craft he carried through.

They hunted stag, they hunted hind
They, chased the fleeting roe,
They stay'd so long, that at the last
They saw the daylight go.

In gloomy mood King Erick spake,
As sank its parting ray,
"Thou, heavenly father, be our guide,
"For here I'm all astray."

The King into the thicket peer'd.
As closed the darkling night,
And soon was ware of a small house,
Where burnt a fire and light.

He stepped within the woodland but,
And sad at heart was he.
But found a lovely maiden there
As eye could wish to see.

Her he clasped fondly round her waist,
And straight began to woo:
"Hear me, fair maid, nor say me nay,
"To night I sleep with you."

"Answer me first" the maid replied
In laughing merry tone,
"Answer me first, King Erick, you,
"What deed you last have done?"

"Sweet lovely maid, if that you know,
"More tidings you can give;
"So tell me, lovely maid, but this,
"How long I've yet to live?"

With hearty glee laugh'd the fair maid,
And this her dubious word;
"That question ask the little hook
"Whereon is hung your sword."

King Erick fain had held the maid.
But this he tried in vain,
She slipped away between his hands.
He saw her not again.

So long as with the King she stood,
Blazed there a cheerful fire.
But soon as she had fled away.
Was naught but tangled briar.

"My lord," said Ranild, so began
That crafty traitor's say;
"My lord, while still there shines the moon,
"'Twere best to haste away.

"There lies hard by a little town
"Outside this tangled wood,
"And thither we may ride, my lord,
"If seems your lordship good.

"So far at least we well may ride,
"While still the moon is clear;
"And hereabouts, trust me, my lord,
"From foes we've naught to fear."

They rode and came to Finderup,
And sought to lodge the night,
Bat at that late untimely hour
Was out both fire and light.

In Finderup barn they stall'd their steeds,
And there, they made their bed:
How little had ever thought the King
To lodge in such a shed!

"Ranild," the young King Erick spake,
An anxious man was he,
"Ranild, my page, lock thou the door,
"I trust my life to thee.

"Make fast this barn's poor crazy door,
"In thee must I confide;
"Think on that bold young knight, Mar Stig,
"And how he me defied."

"Mar Stig my kinsman will at times
"Blurt out an angry word,
"But none the greater harm from that
"Threatens my noble lord.

"The lapwing guards the smallest spot
"She rests upon afield,
"The one she builds her dwelling on
Trom danger cannot shield."

No other sword or spear was that
He placed beside the door,
Than, truth to say, two barley straws
That lay upon the floor.

No sooner in the barn were they.
And the frail door had barr'd,
Than those came, Ingeborg had sent,
Into the farmer's yard.

With sword and spear they beat the door
And rais'd a fearful shout
"'Up, up. King Erick! up, my lord!
"And leave your lair and out!"

"Hark ye," young Ranild call'd aloud.
And made them quick reply;
"There's no King Erick lodges here,
"On this ye may rely."

He threw upon him heaps of straw,
He threw upon him hay;
To say the truth, he did it all
To show them where he lay.

He then with well-feign'd zeal began
The beams to hack and hew,
A traitor scoundrel proved himself,
His lord the King he slew.

"Now who to Wyborg town will ride
"Behind the murder'd king?
"And who to the queen at Scanderborg
"The dismal news will bring?"

Not one will ride to Wyborg town
Behind the murdered king;
The news to the queen at Scanderborg
They sent a boy to bring.

In came the little messenger,
And stood before the board;
A cunning child of speech was he
To find the fittest word.

"Hail, Queen of Denmark, hail, my queen
"Array'd in scarlet red!
"Erick is slain, our youthful king,
"And lies in Finderup dead.'

"This for thy tidings thou shalt have,
"As sad as is thy tale
"Long as I live thy place at board,
"Thy meat and cup of ale."

"From his right side they drove a sword
"Through to his other arm;
"O guard the child whom Denmark loves,
"And shield him well from harm.

"From left arm too they drove the sword
"Through to the other side;
"O guard from harm that little child,
"Our Denmark's hope and pride."

At Findenip kill'd Mar Stig his king,
And little rued his deed,
But rode across to Skanderborg,
And urged his horse to speed.

From window peer'd the Danish queen
In chamber, where she sate;
"And hither comes the selfroade King,
"Is riding through the gate."

"No self-made king at all am I,
"Whatever thou may'st say:
"The sheriff Lowman, was it not,
"Last in thy bosom lay?

"What carest thou for Erick's death,
"What needest thou to wail,
"With sheriff Lowman near thy side
"And all alive and hale?'

Up then and spake Duke Christopher
Array'd in scarlet red;
"Sad news it is that dead he lies,
"My dearest father dead."

And further said Duke Christopher,
And spake the words with grace;
"I'll thee, sure as I bear the crown,
"From home and country chase."

"And if from home I must away
"Out on the chilly flood,
"I'll many a wife a widow make
"Of best and noblest blood.

"If I from Denmark must away
"Trom wife and infants small,
"I'll out of Denmark fetch my food
"In winter spring and fall."

He spake and off from Skanderborg,
At fullest speed he rode,
And took his course to Molderup,
His Ingeborg's abode.

Back to his own dear home and wife
Mar Stig rode up the street,
And she, the fair dame, Ingeborg,
Went out her lord to meet.

His news he told, the young Mar Stig,
And clasped her round the waist;
"I've slain the King, left dead the wretch
"Who thee has so disgraced.

"Wilt thou go penniless with me?
"An exile's lot to share,
"Or live some rich man's concubine,
"And the foul title bear?"

"Far rather will I forth with thee
"To share an exile's lot,
"Than, as a rich man's concubine,
"My fame so foully blot"

Mar Stig withdrew his men to Helm,
And there he made abode,
And pale grew many a manly cheek
That pass'd along the road.

This house and all its battlements
So quickly did he raise,
He took to finish all this work
Only two nights and days.

So strong he built his house at Helm,
Its walls he made so fast,
He little cared for shot or stone,
Or what thereat were cast.

The peasant drives his team afield,
And tearful sows his corn;
"Help us, thou gracious God in heaven,
"The Helm has got a horn."

And there Mar Stig builds up his Helm
With battlement and wall.
And vain the might of king and men
To make that fortress fall.