Ordeal by Fire

Sorrow lies wait at all men's door,
Grant God it come not in!
And so may little Kirstin say
Anent her kith and kin;
This sorrow, friends, I owe to you,
To whom I've ever been so true,

Sir Peter home from council came,
Was riding up the street;
And out she stepp'd, his daughter dear.
With greetings him to meet.

"Welcome, Sir Peter, home again,
"Welcome, my father dear;
"Now what was at the council said?
"What tidings met your ear?"

"This is the news I learned today,
"And little else beside;
"Thy trothplight man has thee forsworn,
"And chosen another bride.

"Thy trothplight man has thee forsworn,
"And says, report is rife,
"That thou hast led these eight years past
"A wicked wanton life."

"Believe not thou, my father dear,
"That I have wrought that sin;
"These falsehoods told some other maid,
"Would fain my trulove win."

"Ah! list to me, my daughter dear,
"And what thy sentence, learn;
"E'en now the peasants cart the logs,
"And thee tomorrow bum."

Kirstin with calm and cheerful breast
Drew on her purple pall:
But they, who raised her on her horse
Wept, maids and matrons all.

Forward they rode across the mead,
And through the flowery ling;
And all who pass'd her, far or near.
Might hear the maiden sing.

So cheerful little Kirstin rode.
As she to town drew nigh,
And saw from far the mighty pile,
And flames sport in the sky.

When on the grassy mead she came,
Fair Kirstin smiled and said;
"And here then has my trulove knight
"Prepared my bridal bed!

"And all so scarlet are my sheets,
"My bolsters are so blue;
"Knights, who shall so their daughters wed,
"Grant God there be but few!"

The little Kirstin then they seiz'd,
Her golden locks untied,
And all that stood around the pile,
In bitterest sorrow cried.

"Sir Olave, forward! you're the knight,
"Betroth'd with me to wed;
"Yourself lift up and lay your bride
"Upon her bridal bed."

And up that knight Sir Olave rose,
So ruthless he of mood,
And lifted little Kirstin up,
Upon the blazing wood.

His trulove rais'd that cruel knight.
And on the faggots laid;
The flame shrunk back, and left unscathed
The good and gentle maid.

There, as amid the fire she stood.
Aloud fair Kirstin cried;
"Believe you now, my father dear,
"How much on me they lied?

"All praise and thanks to God in heaven,
"Who heard my anxious cry!
"I'll now within the cloister's pale
"A virgin live and die."

Then came in tears her trothplight man,
And fell down on his knee;
"I pray you now in God's great name
"Forego your wrath with me."

"Henceforth to Mary, holy maid,
"My life I vow to give,
"And pledge me never, while on earth,
"With any man to live."

Into the cloister Kirstin went
With all her gold so red;
Sir Olave rode in shame away,
And soon with grief was dead.