Romantic Ballads Part 11

"So young and little as here I seem, Thou shalt find me prompt in a fray; I'll hew the head from thy shoulders off, And thy much gold bear away."

It was Langben the mighty Jutt, With fury his heart was fir'd; "Ride hence! ride hence! thou warrior youth, If of life thou be not tir'd."

Skimming sprang up, with both his legs, Against the giant's side Asunder went five of his rib-bones then, And the fight began at that tide.

It was Langben the lofty Jutt, He wav'd his steel mace round; He sent a blow after Vidrik; But the mace struck deep in the ground.

It was Langben the lofty Jutt, Who had thought his foeman to slay, But the blow fell short of Vidrik; For the good horse bore him away.

It was Langben the lofty Jutt, That shouted in wild despair: "Now lies my mace in the hillock fast, As though 't were hammer'd in there!"

Vidrik paus'd no moment's s.p.a.ce; So ready was he to a.s.sail: "Upon him, Skimming, upon him once more!

Now, Mimmering, now prevail!"

He seiz'd his sword in both his hands, Unto Langben Giant he flew; He struck him so hard in the hairy breast, That the point his lungs went through.

Now Langben Giant has got a wound, And he's waken'd thoroughly now; So gladly would he have paid it back, But, alas! he knew not how.

"Accursed be thou, young Vidrik!

And accurs'd thy piercing steel!

Thou hast given me, see, a wound in my breast, Whence rise the pains I feel."

"I'll hew thee, Giant, I'll hew thee as small As leaves that are borne on the blast, Except thou showest me all the gear, That hid in the forest thou hast."

"Forbear, O Vidrik Verlandson, Strike me not cruelly dead!

And I will lead thee straight to my house, That's thatch'd with gold so red."

Vidrik rode, and the Giant crept, So far through the forest ways, They found the house with the red gold thatch'd; It glitter'd like straw in a blaze.

"Therein, therein are heaps of gold, No King has a greater store; Do thou remove the big black stone, And lift from the hinges the door."

With both hands Vidrik seiz'd the stone, But to stir it in vain did he try; The Giant took it with finger and thumb, And lifted it up in the sky.

"Now hear, now hear, thou warrior youth, Thou canst wheel thy courser about; But in every feat of manly strength I could beat thee out and out."

Then answer'd Vidrik Verlandson, (He fear'd for himself some ill) "'T is not the custom of any wise man His strength on a stone to spill."

"Therein, therein is much more gold Than fifteen kings can show; Hear me, Vidrik Verlandson, Thou therein first shalt go."

Then answer'd Vidrik Verlandson, (For his cunning intent he saw) "Thou shalt lead the way into thine own house, For that is warrior-law."

It was Langben the Giant then, To the door he stoop'd down low: It was Vidrik Verlandson Cleft off his head at a blow.

Away the quivering body he drew, And propp'd it against an oak; Then back he rode the long, long way, He's thought of a wondrous joke.

With giant's blood he besmear'd himself, And besmear'd his steed all o'er; Then back he rides to King Diderik, Pretends to be wounded sore.

"Here bide ye in peace, my companions good, All under the gra.s.s-green hill; Langben the Giant has smote me to day, I doubt I shall fare but ill."

"If thou from the Giant hast got a blow, Thy life must be nigh its close; We'll ride swift back to the halls of Bern, No man more will we lose."

"Now wend thee, bold King Diderik, Wend into the wood with me; And all the gold that the giant had, That will I show to thee."

"If thou hast slain the giant this day, 'T will far be blaz'd in the land; And the warrior lives not in this world, 'Gainst whom thou may'st fear to stand."

But what befel King Diderik's men?

When the giant they first perceiv'd, They all stopp'd short, in the good green wood, Of courage at once bereav'd.

They thought the giant verily would That moment after them stride: Not one of them all would have battled with him; Back would they all have hied.

It was Vidrik Verlandson, He laugh'd at their craven fear: "How would ye have fac'd him when alive, Ye dare not him, dead, go near?

With his lance's haft the body he push'd, The head came toppling down: That the Giant was a warrior stark, Forsooth, I am forc'd to own.

Out took they then his ruddy gold, And shar'd it amongst the band: To Vidrik came the largest part, For 't was earn'd with his good hand.

Little car'd he for the booty, I ween, But he thought of his meed of fame; When men should say, in the Danish land, That the Giant he overcame.

So gladly rode they to Bern again; King Diderik gladdest of all: There caus'd he Vidrik Verlandson To sit next him in the hall.

ELVIR HILL.

FROM THE OLD DANISH.

Upon this Ballad Oehlenslaeger founded his "Elvir Shades," a translation of which has already been given.

I rested my head upon Elvir Hill's side, and my eyes were beginning to slumber; That moment there rose up before me two maids, whose charms would take ages to number.

One patted my face, and the other exclaim'd, while loading my cheek with her kisses, "Rise, rise, for to dance with you here we have sped from the undermost caves and abysses.

"Rise, fair-headed swain, and refuse not to dance; and I and my sister will sing thee The loveliest ditties that ever were heard, and the prettiest presents will bring thee."

Then both of them sang so delightful a song, that the boisterous river before us Stood suddenly quiet and placid, as though 't were afraid to disturb the sweet chorus.

The boisterous stream stood suddenly still, though accustom'd to foam and to bellow; And, fearless, the trout play'd along with the pike, and the pike play'd with him as his fellow.

The fishes, whose dwelling was deep in the flood, up, up from their caverns did sally; The gay little birds of the forest began to warble, forthwith, in the valley.

"Now, listen thou fair-headed swain, and if thou wilt stand up and dance for a minute, We'll teach thee to open the sorcerer's book, and to read all the Runic that's in it.

"The bear and the wolf thou shalt trammel, unto the thick stem of the oak, at thy pleasure; Before thee the dragon shall fly from his nest, and shall leave thee sole lord of his treasure."

Then about and around on the moonlight hill, in their fairy fashion they sported, While unmov'd sat the gallant and fair young swain, whom they, in their wantonness, courted.

"And wilt thou not grant us our civil request, proud stripling, and wilt thou deny it?

By h.e.l.l's ruddy blazes, our gold-handled knife shall lay thee for ever in quiet."