Poems By the Way Part 27

Lord Hafbur mid his longing sore Down on the bed he sat: I tell you of my soothfastness, His byrny clashed thereat.

Then spake the darling Signy, Out of her heart she said, "Never saw I so rough a shirt Upon so fair a maid."

She laid her hand on Hafbur's breast With the red gold all a-blaze: "Why wax thy b.r.e.a.s.t.s in no such wise As they wax in other mays?"

"The wont it is in my father's land For maids to ride to the Thing, Therefore my b.r.e.a.s.t.s are little of growth Beneath the byrny-ring."

And there they lay through the night so long, The King's son and the may, In talk full sweet, but little of sleep, So much on their minds there lay.

"Hearken, sweet maiden Signy, As here alone we lie, Who is thy dearest in the world, And lieth thine heart most nigh?"

"O there is none in all the world Who lieth so near to my heart As doth the bold King Hafbur: Ne'er in him shall I have a part.

"As doth the bold King Hafbur That mine eyes shall never know: Nought but the sound of his gold-wrought horn As he rides to the Thing and fro."

"O, is it Hafbur the King's son That thy loved heart holdeth dear?

Turn hither, O my well-beloved, To thy side I lie so near."

"If thou art the King's son Hafbur, Why wilt thou shame me love, Why ridest thou not to my father's garth With hound, and with hawk upon glove?"

"Once was I in thy father's garth, With hound and hawk and all; And with many mocks he said me nay, In such wise did our meeting fall."

All the while they talked together They deemed alone they were, But the false nurse ever stood close without, And nought thereof she failed to hear.

O shame befall that evil nurse, Ill tidings down she drew, She stole away his goodly sword, But and his byrny new.

She took to her his goodly sword, His byrny blue she had away, And she went her ways to the high bower Whereas King Siward lay.

"Wake up, wake up, King Siward!

Over long thou sleepest there, The while the King's son Hafbur Lies abed by Signy the fair."

"No Hafbur is here, and no King's son.

That thou shouldst speak this word; He is far away in the east-countries, Warring with knight and lord.

"Hold thou thy peace, thou evil nurse, And lay on her no lie, Or else tomorn ere the sun is up In the bale-fire shall ye die."

"O hearken to this, my lord and king, And trow me nought but true; Look here upon his bright white sword, But and his byrny blue!"

Then mad of mind waxed Siward, Over all the house 'gan he cry, "Rise up, O mighty men of mine, For a hardy knight is anigh:

"Take ye sword and shield in hand, And look that they be true; For Hafbur the King hath guested with us; Stiffnecked he is, great deeds to do."

So there anigh the high-bower door They stood with spear and glaive; "Rise up, rise up, Young Hafbur, Out here we would thee have!"

That heard the goodly Signy And she wrang her hands full sore: "Hearken and heed, O Hafbur, Who stand without by the door!"

Thank and praise to the King's son Hafbur, Manly he played and stout!

None might lay hand upon him While the bed-post yet held out.

But they took him, the King's son Hafbur, And set him in bolts new wrought; Then lightly he rent them asunder, As though they were leaden and nought.

Out and spake the ancient nurse, And she gave a rede of ill: "Bind ye him but in Signy's hair, So shall hand and foot lie still.

"Take ye but one of Signy's hairs Hafbur's hands to bind, Ne'er shall he rend them asunder His heart to her is so kind."

Then took they two of Signy's hairs Bonds for his hands to be, Nor might he rive them asunder So dear to his heart was she.

Then spake the sweetling Signy As the tears fast down her cheek did fall: "O rend it asunder, Hafbur, That gift to thee I give withal."

Now sat the King's son Hafbur Amidst the castle-hall, And thronged to behold him man and maid, But the damsels chiefest of all.

They took him, the King's son Hafbur, Laid bolts upon him in that place, And ever went Signy to and fro, The weary tears fell down apace.

She speaketh to him in sorrowful mood: "This will I, Hafbur, for thee, Piteous prayer for thee shall make My mother's sisters three.

"For my father's mind stands fast in this, To do thee to hang upon the bough On the topmost oak in the morning-tide While the sun is yet but low."

But answered thereto young Hafbur Out of a wrathful mind: "Of all heeds I heeded, this was the last, To be prayed for by womankind.

"But hearken, true-love Signy, Good heart to my asking turn, When thou seest me swing on oaken-bough Then let thy high-bower burn."

Then answered the n.o.ble Signy, So sore as she must moan, "G.o.d to aid, King's son Hafbur, Well will I grant thy boon."

They followed him, King Hafbur, Thick thronging from the castle-bent: And all who saw him needs must greet And in full piteous wise they went.

But when they came to the fair green mead Where Hafbur was to die, He prayed them hold a little while: For his true-love would he try.

"O hang me up my cloak of red, That sight or my ending let me see.

Perchance yet may King Siward rue My hanging on the gallows tree."

Now of the cloak was Signy ware And sorely sorrow her heart did rive, She thought: "The ill tale all is told, No longer is there need to live."

Straightway her damsels did she call As weary as she was of mind: "Come, let us go to the bower aloft Game and glee for a while to find."

Yea and withal spake Signy, She spake a word of price: "To-day shall I do myself to death And meet Hafbur in Paradise.

"And whoso there be in this our house Lord Hafbur's death that wrought, Good reward I give them now To red embers to be brought.

"So many there are in the King's garth Of Hafbur's death shall be glad; Good reward for them to lose The trothplight mays they had."

She set alight to the bower-aloft And it burned up speedily, And her good love and her great heart Might all with eyen see.