Childe Norman's Riddle Rimes

Childe Norman sat in ladies' bower,
With golden harp beguil'd the hour.
Look round about, Childe Norman.

He harp'd beneath his mantle skin,
Till came his mother stalking in.

'"Twere nobler game, methinks, to ride,
"And brunt of mounted champion bide;

"To venge a father foully slain,
"Than trill on lady's harp a strain."

Childe Norman belted sword to side,
And would in search of battle ride.

"When may I mix the wine for thee,
"And when expect thee back to me?"

"Soon as the stone shall take to flight,
"And grows the raven's feathers white."

"Never did stone take wing and fly,
"Or raven change his sooty die.

"True! stones were never wont to soar,
"And, mother, you see me no more."

"Here then with me I'll thee detain,
"Go thou shalt not, or go in vain.

"Ill luck thy every step betide!
"Ill luck thy sword in combat guide!"

He tapp'd his mother's lily cheek;
"In kinder tone, dear mother, speak."

"I'll blessings on thy journey call,.
"And thee shall naught of ill befall;

"But victory to thy sword be bound,
"Thy horse with victory tread the ground."

He rode along, the mountain side,"
And there he saw a champion ride;

A lynx upon his shoulder hung,
A bear beside him stalk'd along.

"Hear, champion, what I say to thee,
"These creatures thou shalt change with me."

"No knight has dared my blow abide;
"Since at my hands King Carel died."

A bitter joy Childe Norman fill'd;
"Thou then it was; my father kill'd."

They fought that day, they fought for twain, "
And all the third they fought again;

As near its close the fourth day drew,
That doughty chief he fell'd and slew.

His sword to his side Childe Norman bound,
And journey'd forth to foreign ground.

Where first he reach'd a farmer's stead,
His flocks afield a shepherd led.

"Now hark thee, shepherd, what I say,
"The flocks thou drivest, — whose are they?

"Say what is rounder than a wheel,
"And where is spread the daintiest meal?"

"The sun's more round than any wheel,
"In Heaven is spread the daintiest meal."

"What is it fills these vallies all?
"And what sits robed in richest pall?"

"'Tis snow fills all the vales so white,
"And robed most richly sits the knight."

"What than a sloe can blacker stain?
"What louder sounds than voice of crane?"

"Blacker than any sloe is sin,
"Louder than crane the thunder's din."

"What bridge is't hath the broadest span?
"Whom thinkest thou the ugliest man?"

"Ice is the bridge with broadest span,
"The Dwarfking, he is the ugliest man.".

"Where doth the loftiest highway go?
"Where doth the foullest liquor flow?"

"To Heaven" the loftiest highway goes,
"In Hell the foullest liquor flows."

"Where is the fort with moated wall,
"Where champions drink in festive hall?"

"Here lies a fort with moated wall,
"Where champions drink in festive hall."

Childe Norman took a golden band,
And laid it on the shepherd's hand.

"Thine is the prize, and other none
"Aught from Childe Norman ever won."

Childe Norman belted sword to side,
Back to his mother's house to ride:

But when he reached it, near the gate
Fifteen the foullest witchwives sate.

His trusty sword Childe Norman drew,
And all those lothely witchwives slew.

But worst his mother fared of all,
Chopp'd to a thousand pieces small.