Читать книгу: «The Songs of Ranild», страница 2

SONG THE SECOND

 
To saddle his courser Ranild cried:
   For thus the tale was told to me—
“To visit the rich Greve I will ride,
   Though banish’d from the land we be.”
 
 
To the house came Ranild spurring hard,
   For thus the tale was told to me—
There stood the Greve arrayed in mard,
   Though banish’d from the land we be.
 
 
“Hail, hail, Sir Greve, arrayed so fine!
   For thus the tale was told to me—
I want my bride, the little Kirstine,
   Though banish’d from the land I be.”
 
 
Then up and spoke her mother dear:
   For thus the tale was told to me—
“Thou hast no bride, Sir Ranild, here,
   For banish’d from the land ye be.”
 
 
“O if I can’t my little bride get,
   For thus the tale was told to me—
On fire your house and your gear I’ll set,
   Though banish’d from the land I be.”
 
 
“O rather than ruin us in thy wrath,
   For thus the tale was told to me—
Receive thy bride and ride thy path,
   Though banish’d from the land ye be.”
 
 
They o’er her threw the blue cloak with speed,
   For thus the tale was told to me—
And placed her upon Sir Ranild’s steed,
   Though banish’d from the land he be.
 
 
They had for their bridal bed alone,
   For thus the tale was told to ne—
The holt, the field, and the mead new mown,
   For banish’d from the land they be.
 
 
“The forest can hear, and the mead can view,
   For thus the tale was told to me—
We here must live as outlaws do,
   For banish’d from the land we be.”
 
 
“Hadst thou not helped the King to slay,
   For thus the tale was told to me—
In peace at home we now might stay,
   But banish’d from the land we be.”
 
 
He struck her a blow the table o’er,
   For thus the tale was told to me—
“Should’st guard thy tongue, child, guests before,
   Though banish’d from the land we be.”
 
 
He struck her on her face so fair:
   For thus the tale was told to me—
“In Erik’s death I had no share,
   Though banished from the land I be.”
 

SONG THE THIRD

 
So wide around the tidings bound
   That Ranild’s prisoner taken;
Had he been aware how it would fare
   He had not Hielm forsaken.
The death of woe, spaed long ago,
   They’ll wreak on him now, I reckon.
 
 
Into the hall steps Ranild tall,
   And withouten trepidation;
Bids his Lord good bye, and the chivalry
   Who have at court their station.
O, Lord Christ! be each man kept free
   From misfortune and tribulation.
 
 
“In mind dost bear, King Erik dear,
   On whom may blessings pour,
That service I wrought in your father’s court,
   Of all his swains the flower?
Both in and out I’ve borne you about
   In sunshine and in shower.”
 
 
“Yes, service you wrought in my father’s court,
   For money and clothes imparted,
And betrayed his life to the foeman’s knife,
   Like a monster treacherous hearted.
And as sure as now the crown’s on my brow,
   To the wheel thou shalt be carted.”
 
 
“Hew off, I intreat, my hands and feet,
   Most willingly them I proffer;
My eyes blood red tear out of my head,
   And the worst death let me suffer;
But all the pains that Ranild gains
   For his treason scarce enough are.”
 
 
“Thine eyeballs twain thou may’st retain,
   And thy hands and feet unriven;
But thou thy breath shalt yield to a death
   The cruellest under heaven;
And be it known, for my father alone
   This punishment is given.”
 
 
Ranild they brought from Roskild out,
   He wrung his hands with sorrow;
And the women all salt tears let fall,
   Who lived in that ancient borough.
The wretched wight wished all good night,
   And a light heart on the morrow.
 
 
Ranild they bore the town before,
   The wheel his sight saluted:
“Christ guard each noble from such like trouble,”