Habor and Signild (B)

Habor and Siward, princely chiefs,
A deadly feud had they,
All for the gentle Signild's sake,
So fair that lovely may!

Habor at silent midnight hour
With vivid dream awoke,
And sleepless lay his mother dear,
And listen'd, while he spoke.

"I dream'd that, as in Danish land
"On Ossey bridge I came,
"There blazed a taper in my hand,
"And then — went out the flame."

"The dream, my son, that thou hast dreamt,
"Implies some lady fair:
"I'll send a message after one,
"Its meaning will declare."

Beside his mother Habor sat,
And hasty message sent
To fetch a wife well skill'd in dreams
To tell him what it meant.

And it was she, the cunning wife,
Into the chamber came,
And up stood Habor, royal prince,
And told her all his dream.

"Doubtless 'tis in your fate, young Prince,
"To win that lovely maid,
"But heed you well, lest with your life
"The gaining her be paid."

Prince Habor got a lady's dress,
" And left his hair to grow,
To Denmark then a journey rode
To many charged with woe.

Prince Habor o'er his shoulders threw
A lady's scarlet cloak,
And straight to the upper chamber went
To Sinnelille, and spoke.

"My greeting, gentle Sinnelille,
"And every dame and maid!
"Prince Habor bade me come to you
"To learn the art to braid."

"That art, so much as I have learnt,
"To you I shall disclose,
"And at my table you shall dine,
"And with my maid repose."

"With Princesses I am used to eat,
"And at their side to lie;
"If with a servant I must sleep,
"For shame and pain I die."

"Nay, lovely maiden, hear me now,
"And fear no lack of care;
"At table you shall sit with me,
"May bed too you shall share."

There sat those graceful maidens all,
And each her needle plied;
His laid Prince Habor on his lip,
And silent sat aside.

There work'd those maids, and pass'd the hours
With many a merry word,
But still and silent Habor sat,
And sketch'd upon the board.

He sketched the nimble hart and roe
Bounding on wooded hill;
And then, with all the art he could,
The lady Sinnelille.

But up and spake the waiting maid,
Spake like a spiteful shrew;
"So fair a maid I never saw,
"Who less of broidery knew.

"No seam she sews, but idly keeps
"Her needle 'tween her teeth;
"Yet be it ne'er so large and full,
"She drains the cup of meath."

"Cease thou thy gibes, base serving maid,
"And jeer no more at me,
"For whether I go in or out,
"I little think of thee."

The day had now begun to wane,
And yield its place to night,
And Sinnelille her orders gave,
That tapers they should light.

Her maidens two wax-tapers lit
So neatly shaped and dress'd,
And Habor towards his chamber led
With Sinnelille to rest

"Now tell me, gentle Sinnelille,
"While no one else is here,
"If there is any, who to you
"Is more than other dear?"

"Knight, that I love, in all the world
"None other do I know,
"Except Prince Habor, him alone,
"And him I must forego."

"And is Prince Habor then the knight
"Who is to you so dear?
"Oh! turn, my gentle Sinnelille,
"He's resting with you here."

"But why then, Habor, royal prince,
"Why put me thus to shame?
"And not ride up in knightly guise
"At court my hand to claim?"

"That could I not," with courteous tone
Prince Habor answer'd so,
"Your father is so hasty a man,
"With him 'tis word and blow."

"Believe me, Habor, royal Prince,
"These hours with woe are rife,
"For when my father hears of it,
"This visit costs your life."

"Oh! calm your fears; behind my head
"There lies my trusty blade;
"And tho' there came here thirty men,
"Should I not be afraid.

"And at my feet there lies below
"A new-made coat of mail;
"Though come here thirty armed men,
"I neither fly nor quail."

Ah! little did Prince Habor think
But that they lay alone:
Outside there lurk'd the waiting maid,
And heard his every tone.

She came and stole the Prince's arms,
" Both sword and mail away,
And hasten'd off to th' upper room,
To where King Siward lay.

"Wake up, my King, wake, Siward, wake!
"Your slumber is all to deep;
"Your daughter lies this very night
"In Habor's arms asleep."

Up from his bed King Siward rose,
And loud was heard to call;
"Wake up, my faithful troopers, wake;
"And d'on your armour all.

"Wake up, wake up, my gallant men,
"Arm ye with sword and shield,
"For here is come Prince Habor's self,
"And will not feebly yield."

They pounded hard his chamber door
With sword and eke with spear,
"Up Habor, hie thee to the yard,
"And lie no longer here."

But when he grasp'd behind his head,
Gone was his trusty brand;
"Up now, my gentle Sinnelille,
"Stern business is on hand.

"But let me, gentle Sinnelille,
"One proof of friendship claim;
"As soon as you shall see me dead,
"Your chamber set on flame."

And out stepp'd Habor, royal prince,
And manfully he fought,
Nor while a bedpost yet was left,
To yield could he be brought.

In vain with slender cords of flax
They tightly bound his hands;
At once, with ease, the royal prince,
Asunder snapp'd their bands.

Then spake that old and crafty maid,
"rede so prompt to find;
"Take but one hair from Sinnelille
"His hands therewith to bind:

"Take from her head to bind his hands
"Only a single hair,
"And Habor, for his tender love,
"That band will never tear."

From Sinnelille his hands to bind
But one bair did they take,
And captive he must yield himself,
The band be could not break.

They carried Habor, royal prince,
Outside the castle pale,
And hang'd him on the gallows tree,
The theme of many a tale.

There Habor spake, the royal prince,
With sad and sullen look;
"Hang up my scarlet mantle first,
"And let me on it look.

"My mantle on the gallows hang,
"And let me only see,
"Whether my gentle Sinnelille
"Will glad or sorry be."

Then spake the lady Sinnelille
With firm and haughty mind;
"This day I'll die, and Habor yet
"In Paradise shall find.

"There's many a trooper here at court
"Of Habor's death is glad;
"III on their brides my vengeance take
"And make them all as sad."

With that at once in every nook
The fiery brands she threw,
And kill'd herself, the haughty maid,
Among the bolsters blue.

There came and spake the little page,
Clad in his red attire;
"Fair Sinnelille with all her maids
"Is in her bower on fire."

"Then take my scarlet mantle down,
"On th' earth it well may lie;
"Had I a hundred thousand lives,
"Not one redeem would I."

King Siward out of his window look'd,
Sad sight there met his gaze!
Blue flames burst from his daughter's bower,
And she was in the blaze.

"My Sinnelille haste ye to save,
"Off, off to the smoking pile!
"And ye to the Prince, and him too save
"From dying death so vile."

But when they to the gallows came,
Hung Habor on the tree;
And when they reach'd the ladies' bower,
To cinders burnt was she.

"O had I e'er before this day
"The strength of loveties known,
"For all my goodly Danish realm
"This deed had I not done."

Him they had hung, and she was dead,
Fate sad as e'er was told;
That traitress maid, they buried her
Alive beneath the mould.