Rodengard and the Eagle

It was the rich Sir Rodengard
In green-wood went to ride,
And met the eagle of Beedelund
At early morning tide.

"Now list, thou rich Sir Rodengard,
"Why ridest thou alone?
"Where is thy hawk, and where thy hound,
"And where thy followers gone?"

"Some are on land, and some at sea
"Are ploughing through the foam,
"And I myself to shoot the deer
"In green-wood forest roam."

"If these wild deer, that are my meat,
"Thou darest thus to slay,
"Right dearly, rich Sir Rodengard,
"Thy shooting thou shalt pay."

"I've beasts at home, both ox and cow,
"And foal, and fatted steed;
"Tis little, eagle of Beedelund,
"That I thy visit heed."

'Tis not for ox, 'tis not for cow,
"Or foal or steed I come;
"But trust me, rich Sir Rodengard,
"I'll visit thee at home.

"I'll on thy castle yard descend,
"I'll choose me out the best,
"And both thy handsome sisters too
"Shall have me there for guest."

"Those maids I've loved and cherish'd both,
"E'er since their father died;
"Forbid it heaven, that aught of ill
"Those blossoms should betide!"

"If with thy right good hearty will
"I cannot feed on these,
"Then on that mirror of womanhood,
"Thy trulove, I will seize."

So stoop'd the rich Sir Rodengard,
And on a linden rind
He wrote with skill the potent runes,
He long had borne in mind.

He bound the eagle of Beedelund
High on the linden bough;
"And so, fierce eagle, think no more
"To get my trulove now."

There sits the eagle of Beedelund,
And starving droops his wing,
And on rides rich Sir Rodengard,
And makes his charger spring.

There starves the eagle of Beedelund,
All sitting on the spray,
And glad is rich Sir Rodengard,
And holds his wedding day.