The Songs of Ranild

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,”
In agony he shouted,
“If at Hielm I’d staid it had better sped,
Nor to that had I been devoted.

“Would God would send a trusty friend,
Who would my message carry,
To Kirstine fair, who sits in care,
To Ranild true to tarry.
O Christ help all my babies small,
And bless my bosom’s dearie!

“Ye Christian folk, whom, with dying look,
On the mead I am discerning,
A pater pray for my soul, to stay
Of God the anger burning;
That me He receive this very eve
To the joys for which I’m yearning.”

CHILD STIG AND CHILD FINDAL

Child Stig and Child Findal two brothers were they,
There ne’er were two brothers more gallant and gay.

Child Stig serves the Dane King in bower and hall,
High dames brushed his hair, and fair maidens withal.

Child Stig by the board of the Monarch he stood,
To him little Kirstin was cruel of mood.

“Full seven years I have been Lord of the Rune,
Of its power I’ll make trial this same afternoon.”

With his right hand he skinked the wine and the mead
And cast with his left the Rune characters dread.

To cast them on Kirstin the gallant Stig meant,
But under the dress of Rigissa they went.

O pallid as ashes the gallant Stig grew,
And red as the blood was Rigissa to view.

The gallant Child Stig placed his cap on his head,
And unto his foster dame’s chamber he sped.

“Dear Foster dame, give me some counsel, I pray,
How I may escape from this palace away.

“To cast the Rune letters at Kirstin I meant,
But under the dress of Rigissa they went.

“I will mount my good courser so true and so tried,
And away to the ends of the earth I will ride.”

Said she: “Shouldst thou travel all Finland around,
This night at thy couch will Rigissa be found.

“And e’en shouldst thou ride to the earth’s farthest land,
This night by thy couch she will certainly stand.

“But, Child Stig, I advise thee, call up a good heart,
And home to thy bed and thy slumbers depart.

“She’ll tap on the door of thy chamber, I ween,
But still do thou keep, let her in by no mean.

“But ten fingers has she, so tiny and small,
And with them from the door she will pick the nails all.

“She will set herself down on the side of thy bed,
And play with the long yellow locks of thy head.

“So fondly she’ll stroke thy fair cheek in the dark,
But do thou remain as thou wert stiff and stark.