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Read Ebook: The Norse King's Bridal Translations from the Danish and old Norse with original ballads by Smith Dampier E M
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Ebook has 407 lines and 18732 words, and 9 pages
"'Tis ill with the Aesir, ill with the Elves! Say, hast thou hidden the hammer of Thor?"
"Yea, I have hidden the hammer of thunder Eight full fathoms the earth down under; No man shall win it in all his life Until he shall bring me Freyja to wife."
Loki he flew in the rustling fell Out of the halls where the Giants dwell, Until he came to Asgard's bound, And Thor in the midmost garth he found. And this is the word that first he said: "What tidings, toiling, hast thou won? For a man that sits tells a stumbling tale, And a man that lies, a lying one."
"News for my toiling do I bring; Thrym has thine hammer, the Giant's king, No man may win it in all his life Until he take him Freyja to wife."
To Freyja the fair their way they take, And this is the word that first he spake: "Bind on thy bridal-veil amain, For to J?tunheim we must fare, we twain."
Wroth was Freyja! she caught her breath-- The hall of the Aesir shook beneath, The Brising necklace snapped in three. "Marriage-mad is the name for me If to J?tunheim I fare with thee!"
All the Aesir to council went, The mighty ones to parliament, Gods and goddesses, all in wonder How to win back the hammer of thunder.
It was Heimdall spake amain, Whitest of gods, the wily Wane: "Now bind on Thor the veil so fair, The Brising necklace let him wear; Hang round him many a clinking key, Let woman's weeds fall to his knee; Jewels broad on his breast shall shine, And neatly shall ye the topknot twine!"
Up spake he, mightiest at need: "Call me a coward's name indeed If ever I wear a woman's weed!"
Up spake Loki, Laufey's son: "Thor, with thy witless words have done! Soon shall the Giants in Asgard reign Unless thou win thine hammer again."
On Thor they bound the veil so fair, The Brising necklace did he wear; They hung him with many a clinking key, Let women's weeds fall to his knee; Jewels broad on his breast did shine, And neatly did they the topknot twine. Then Loki, son of Laufey, said: "I will go with thee as waiting-maid!"
The goats they harness by two and by one-- To the shafts they are shackled, well can they run! Valley and hill burst into flame When Odin's son to the Giants came.
The King o' the Giants did loudly call: "Up now, Giants! strew the benches all! See where the bride they bring adown, Daughter of Niord, from Noa-town!
"Kine go here with gilded horn, Oxen black my garth adorn; Gold have I and goods galore-- For Freyja alone I long so sore."
Evening fell on the blithe brid?le; The Giants sat a-drinking ale. The greedy spouse of Sif, he ate Seven salmon, every cate For the ladies spread, and a goodly steer-- And he drank three tuns, his heart to cheer.
The King o' the Giants, he up and cried: "Never was known such a hungry bride! Ne'er saw I lady so full of greed, Nor maiden drink so deep of mead!"
Sitting apart, the wily maid Answered what the Giant said: "This se'nnight past no meat had she, So fain she was to come to thee!"
He lifted the veil to kiss the bride, And the hall's full length he sprang aside: "Why are her eyes so full of ire? Methinks they are darting sparks of fire!"
Sitting apart, the wily maid Answered what the Giant said: "This se'nnight past no sleep had she, So fain she was to come to thee!"
The Giant's sister entered in, Greedy a bridal-gift to win: "Give me thy ring of red, red gold, If thou my love wouldst have and hold!"
The King o' the Giants, he up and cried: "Bear in the hammer to hallow the bride! To the maiden's knees now Mi?llni bring, And Var shall hallow our hand-fasting."
Deep in his breast laughed the heart of Thor, When his hammer he held once more! He slew the King o' Giants, Thrym, And all his race smote after him. He smote the Giant's sister old, She who begged a gift of gold-- For pence, a pound was what she won, And a hammer-blow for a gay guerd?n!
Thus back to his hammer came Odin's son!
FROM THE DANISH
THE NORSE KING'S BRIDAL
Glad was Sir Kaall in the winter, All up in the northern land; Unto the King of Norroway He's given his daughter's hand.
All for the King of Norroway They spread the bridal-feast-- But it was young Sir Bi?rn The maiden loved the best.
Up spake the King of Norroway Before the blithe brid?le-- "Why weeps she, haughty Hyldelil? Why is her cheek so pale?"
He spake, the King of Norroway, Unto his pages three-- "Now bid him come, the young Sir Bi?rn, And speak a word to me."
In came he, young Sir Bi?rn, And stood before the board: "What wilt thou, King of Norroway, That thou hast sent me word?"
"Now hearken, young Sir Bi?rn, Thou knight so fair and fine! Say, wilt thou be my seneschal, And pour my bridal wine?"
"Yea, fain will I be seneschal All at thy bridal fair, If I may pour the red, red wine, Before the bride to bear."
Sir Bi?rn poured the mead so brown, And poured the red, red wine; The bride she sat full sorrowful, And wept for dule and pine.
It was the young Sir Bi?rn That leaned across the board, And whispered to that weeping bride Full many a wooing word:
"Dost mind now, haughty Hyldelil, What passed between us both, When, sitting in thy maiden's bower, Thou plightedst me thy troth?"
The bride she sat so sorrowful, And ne'er a word she said-- But her fair face grew white and wan, That as a rose was red.
Up spake the King of Norroway In purple wrapped and vair; "What sayest thou, oh young Sir Bi?rn, Unto my bride so fair?
"Away, thou young Sir Bi?rn! Let be thy cozening tale! Her face that as a rose was red Is now grown wan and pale."
"There sitt'st thou, King of Norroway, A-drinking red, red wine! The lady that thou lovest Was first true love o' mine!"
"And if the lady that I love Has plighted troth to thee, Then never will I bear her home To Norroway with me.
"Now tell me on thy faith and troth, What I shall ask, my bride! Wilt reign a queen in Norroway, Or a dame in Denmark bide?"
"Liefer I'd bide a simple dame A good knight's name to bear, Than go with thee to Norroway, A queenly crown to wear!"
It was the King of Norroway Smote hand upon the board-- "Ne'er have I known a knight's daughter That e'er spake such a word!"
It was the King of Norroway That laughed, and made right merry-- "And dost thou love him more than me, With him I trow shalt tarry!"
They rode away, the King his men, So sadly over the land, All but the young Sir Bi?rn That won the maiden's hand.
They rode away, the King his men, So sadly over the ice-- All but the young Sir Bi?rn, For he has won the prize!
THE GIPSY'S BRIDE
There lived a gentle maiden all by the water wan; She was the fairest maiden that e'er the sun shone on.
To her there came a-wooing five princes fair and tall; Yet they were not so beauteous but she denied 'em all.
To her there came a-wooing five counts so fair and tall; Yet they were not so beauteous but she denied 'em all.
To her there came a-wooing five franklins fair and tall; Yet they were not so beauteous but she denied 'em all.
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