Grimild's Revenge (C)

It was the stately dame Grimild,
The mead she bade to brew,
And gallant knights to share the feast
From every country drew.

She bade them come, and tarry not,
To battle-field and strife:
And there it was, so young and brave,
That Hogen lost his life.

The Hero Hogen, he it was,
He walked along the strand,
And there he found a Merwoman
Asleep upon the sand.

"Good luck to thee, clear Merwoman,
"Thou fair and cunning wife;
"Shall I on Whenild's land be safe?
"Or shall I lose my life?"

"Here thou hast forts and massive towers,
"With gold thy coffers fill'd;
"But if to When -isle thou shalt go,
"As surely wilt be kill'd."

The Hero Hogen, he it was,
His sword so hasty drew,
And struck the wretched Merwoman,
And cat her neck in two.

The dripping gory head he seiz'd,
And slung' into the Sound,
And after it the body toss'd,
To join upon the ground.

The Hero Hogen turn'd about
And walk'd along the strand,
And there he found a ferry man,
Was waiting on the sand.

"Hark thee, good honest ferryman,
"Row me across the strait,
"I'll give thee then my golden ring,
"Full fifteen pounds in weight."

"I will not row thee o'er the sound
For all thy gold so red,
"For if thou tread est Whenild's land,
"Thou fallest on it dead."

The Hero Hogen, he it was,
His sword so hasty drew,
And struck the wretched ferryman,
And cut his neck in two.

The golden bracelet off his arm
He gave the boatman's wife,
"See, take thou this as friendship's gift
"To pay thy husband's life."

Gunter and Gemot, gallant knights
From land the vessel drave,
But straight in fury rose the storm,
And boil'd the briny wave.

In fury rose the stormy sea,
And dash'd upon the shore;
Asunder brake in Hogen's hand
The massive iron oar.

ThaE iron oar in sunder brake
In Hero Hogen's hand,
But those two lords with gilded shields
Steer M on their boat to land.

As on the shore their troop debark'd,
They scour'd each man his blade,
And watching, what the strangers did,
There stood a gentle maid.

Her banded waist it was so small,
Her person tall and straight,
And yet her body duly short,
And maidenly her gait.

To Norborg then they march'd away,,
And towards the gate drew near;
"But where can now the Porter be, -
"Should aye be standing here?"

"Here 'tis the trusty Porter stands
"Hourly to watch and wake;
"If I but knew, whence ye are come,
"Your message I would take."

"Hither from kingdoms three we come,
"Both we and all our craw;.,
"For sister lady Grimild claim;
"The tale we tell is true."

In to the hall the Porter came,
And stood before the board;
A cunning man of speech was he
To choose the fittest word.

"There stand without before the gate
"Two men of noble mould
"The one of them a fiddle bears
"The one a helm of gold.

"The one a bow and fiddle bears,
"But not for master's fee;
"Come whence they may, these noble youths,
"Two duke's sons they must be."

It was the stately dame Grimild,
Her head wrapp'd in her cloak,
And went into the castleyard,
And thus to her brothers spoke:

"Now will you to the chamber go,
"And drink of mead and wine,
"Or rest your limbs on bed of silk
"With two fair ladies mine?"

Thus spake the stately dame Grimild,
In mantle wrapp'd her head,
And into the marble banquet room
To find her warriors sped.

"Here sit ye all, my men, at board,
"Sit sbiftking day by day;
"Now who will Hero Hogen face?
"My brother who will slay?

"If any here to earn a prize
"Can slaughter one so bold,
"Lord of my castles he shall be,
"And all my treasur'd gold."

Then up and spake a champion,
A chieftain o'er a land;
"It's I that will thy guerdon win
"With this my proper hand.

"'Tis I that will the guerdon win,
"And strike that hero dead;
"The lord of all thy castles be,
"And all thy gold so red."

Him answer'd Folker Spill em an
With massive iron bar;
"I'll surely leave my mark on thee,
"Before thou goest far."

A first and heavy stroke, he struck,
Laid fifteen champions low,
"Ha, Ha, so Folker Spilleman
"Can play his fiddlebow?

So many were the men he slew,
A bridge of them he built,
And broad and long I ween it was,
And much the blood he spilt.

Above were spread the wetted hides,
O'er rolling peas so small,
And forward Hero Hogen stepp'd,
And first was he to fall.

"The Hero Hogen turn'd about,
Would up again with speed;
"Stay, stay, my brother," cried Grim old,
"''Twas otherwise agreed.

"Stay there, my brother, keep thy word,
"As doth become a knight,
"If on the ground thou shouldest fall,
"No more to stand upright/'

The Hero Hogen kept his word,
As by his honour bound,
He fought awhile upon his knees,
And got his mortal wound.

Yet other champions three he slew,
None of the least were they,
And then to find his father's hoard
To Hammer took his way.

Still on the hero fortune smiled,
A lovely maid he won,
And with fair Whenild, so she hight,
Begat a worthy son.

Ranke that champion's name, and well
He venged a sire so brave;
For proud Grimild he starved to death
In Niding's treasure-cave.

And then away through Lombardy
He made his march to Bern,
And with his kindred Danish men,
Great glory did he earn.

His mother Whenild stay'd at home,
From her took When it's name;
To knights and gallant champions
Is known that island's fame.