The Songs of Ranild

And into the Castle they dance their way,
The Castle’s won, the Castle’s won!
With drawn swords ’neath their scarlet array.
For young King Erik Erikson.

Never, I ween, was a braver dance,
The Castle’s won, the Castle’s won!
It wins the Castle of Rosenkrands,
For young King Erik Erikson.

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.