Tyge Hermandsson

All on a Saturday morning it rained both far and wide,
And it was Tyge Hermandsson that should fetch home his bride.
—I will ride forth to seek for a fair one.

The knight looked forth from the window, the burn it ran so high:
“My bride is not so dear to me that I for her should die!

“Now harken, Nilaus Bendiktsson, long-leggèd is thy steed!
Fetch home my bride for love of God, and help me in my need!”

Up spake Nilaus Bendiktsson, he spake a word so free:
“And if I fetch thee home thy bride, be sure I’ll cozen thee!”

It was Nilaus Bendiktsson that rode the bride to meet,
Silk and samite floated about his horse’s feet.

His swains were clothed in samite, with owches of gold beside;
Unto the kirk they’ve ridden, all with the fair young bride.

The bride she stood at kirkyard gate, red as a rose in bloom;
She looked out over the water: “And where is the bonny groom?”

Up spake Nilaus Bendiktsson, he spake right joyfully:
“He dared not cross the burn to-day, for the water ran so high!”

All on the bridal-bench the bride right modestly she sate,
They looked out over the water: “The bridegroom tarries late!”

They poured in cups of silver the mead and wine so red;
All in the evening early the bride must seek her bed.

They led her in, the fair young bride, all to her chamber door,
Forth went knights and pages to bear the torch before.

Oh, they laid her in the bridal-bed, and she was a dainty dame.
She tarried there three hours and more, and ne’er a bridegroom came.

The priests they stood by the bridal-bed, and sang as best they mote;
“Now who shall sleep beside our bride, since the bridegroom cometh not?”

Up stood Nilaus Bendiktsson, cast off his silver shoon:
“Now I will plight her faith and troth and sleep by her eftsoon!”

I wot their heart were merry as they pledged the bonny bride,
All save Tyge Hermandsson, dared not the water ride.

Now on the Wednesday after the flood began to fall;
Over came Tyge Hermandsson, but and his followers all.

It was Tyge Hermandsson did to the castle fare,
She stood without, the bonny bride, wrapped all in cloak of vair.

Oh, high she held her head, I wis, and spake with haughty cheer:
“Away with thee, Tyge Hermandsson, no welcome hast thou here!”

“Now lithe and listen, proud Liselil, this blame I have for thee,
Hast plighted troth with another man, so hast thou cozened me!”

“Harken, Tyge Hermandsson, this word I tell thee plain,
Never, ah, never I’ll wed the man dares not ride out in the rain!

“Now hadst thou been a gallant knight, and pledged a lady word,
Thou wouldst have braved the billows blue all with thy naked sword!”

“Oh, I will enter a cloister, and learn the monkish lore!
But know, thou haughty Liselil, thou’lt see my face no more!”

“Oh, go thy ways where’er thou wilt, let all thy prating be!
For had I bread and cheese for two, there should be none for thee!”
—I will ride forth to seek for a fair one.