Note 101 — TABLE OF KINGS. (continued 3)

Mr. Herbert has thus versified the expedition of Skirnir:—

“Skirnir, arise! and swiftly run, Where lonely sits our pensive son! Bid him to parley, and enquire, ’Gainst whom he teems with sullen ire.”

Skirnir (sung).—“Ill words, I fear, my lot will prove, If I thy son attempt to move; If I bid parley, and enquire, Why teems his soul with savage ire.”

Skirnir (sung).—“Prince of the gods, and first in fight, Speak, honoured Freyr, and tell me right! Why spends my lord the tedious day In his lone hall to grief a prey?”

Freyr (sung).—“O how shall I, fond youth, disclose To thee my bosom’s heavy woes? The ruddy god shines every day, But dull to me his cheerful ray.”

Skirnir (sung).—“Thy sorrows deem not I so great, That thou the tale shouldst not relate. Together sported we in youth, And well may trust each other’s truth.”

Freyr (sung).—“In Gymer’s court I saw her move, The maid, who fires my breast with love. Her snow-white arms and bosom fair Shone lovely, kindling sea and air. Dear is she to my wishes more, Than ere was maid to youth before: But gods and elfs^[102], I wot it well, Forbid that we together dwell.”

Skirnir (sung).—“Give me that horse of wonderous breed To cross the nightly flame^[103] with speed; And that self-brandish’d sword to smite The giant race with strange affright.”

Freyr (sung).—“To thee I give this wond’rous steed, To pass the watchful fire with speed; And this, which borne by valiant wight, Self-brandished will his foemen smite.”

Skirnir (addressed to his horse).—“Dark night is spread; ’tis time, I trow, To climb the mountains hoar with snow. Both shall return, or both remain In durance by the giant ta’en.”

Skirnir rode into Jotunheim to the court of Gymer; furious dogs were tied there before the door of the wooden enclosure, which surrounded Gerda’s bower. He rode towards a shepherd, who was sitting on a mound, and addressed him:

“Shepherd, who sittest on the mound, And turn’st thy watchful eyes around, How may I lull these bloodhounds, say! How speak unharm’d with Gymer’s may!”^[104]

The Shepherd (sung).—“Whence, and what art thou? doomed to die, Or dead revisitest the sky? For ride by night, or ride by day, Thou ne’er shalt come to Gymer’s may.”

Skirnir (sung).—“I grieve not, I; a better part Fits him, who boasts a ready heart. At hour of birth our lives were shaped; The doom of fate can ne’er be ’scaped.”

Gerda (sung).—“What sounds unknown mine ears invade, Frighting this mansion’s peaceful shade? The earth’s foundation rocks withal, And trembling shakes all Gymer’s hall.”

The Attendant (sung).—“Dismounted stands a warrior sheen; His courser crops the herbage green.”

Gerda (sung).—“Haste, bid him to my bower with speed, To quaff unmix’d the pleasant mead: And good betide us!^[105] for I fear My brother’s murderer is near.— What art thou? Elf, or Asian son? Or from the wiser Vanians sung? Alone to visit our abode O’er bickering flames why hast thou rode?”

Skirnir (sung).—“Nor Elf am I, nor Asian son; Nor from the wiser Vanians sprung: Yet o’er the bickering flames I rode Alone to visit your abode. Eleven apples here I hold, Gerda, for thee, of purest gold; Let this fair gift thy bosom move To grant young Freyr thy precious love.”

Gerda (sung).—“Eleven apples take not I From man, as price of chastity! While life remains, no tongue shall tell, That Freyr and I together dwell.”

Skirnir (sung).—“Gerda, for thee this wonderous ring Burnt on young Balder’s pile I bring; On each ninth night shall other eight Drop from it, all of equal weight.”

Gerda (sung).—“I take not, I, that wonderous ring, Though it from Balder’s pile you bring. Gold lack not I in Gymer’s bower; Enough for me my father’s dower.”

Skirnir (sung).—“Behold this bright and slender brand Unsheath’d and glittering in my hand; Deny not, maiden! lest thine head Be sever’d by the trenchant blade.”

Gerda (sung).—“Gerda will ne’er by force be led To grace a conqueror’s hateful bed: But this, I trow, with main and might Gymer shall meet thy boast in fight.”

Skirnir (sung).—“Behold this bright and slender brand Unsheath’d, and glittering in my hand! Slain by its edge thy sire shall lie; That giant old is doom’d to die. E’en as I list, the magic wand Shall tame thee! Lo, with charmed hand I touch thee, Maid! There shalt thou go, Where never man shall learn thy woe. On some high pointed rock forlorn Like eagle^[106] shalt thou sit at morn; Turn from the world’s all-cheering light, And seek the deep abyss of night: Food shall to thee more loathly show, Than slimy serpent^[107] creeping slow. When forth thou com’st, a hideous sight, Each wondering eye shall stare with fright. By all observ’d, yet sad and lone; ’Mongst shivering^[108] Thursians wider known, Than him, who sits unmoved on high, The Guard of heaven with sleepless eye. ’Mid charms, and chains, and restless woe, Thy tears with double grief shall flow. Now seat thee, Maid, while I declare Thy tide of sorrow and despair. Thy bower shall be some Giant’s cell, Where phantoms pale shall with thee dwell. Each day to the cold Thursian’s hall Comfortless, wretched, shalt thou crawl; Instead of joy and pleasure gay, Sorrow and tears and sad dismay; With some three-headed Thursian wed, Or pine upon a lonely bed. From morn till morn love’s secret fire Shall gnaw thine heart With vain desire; Like barren root of thistle pent, In some high ruin’d battlement. O’er shady hill, through greenwood round, I sought this wand; the wand I found. Odin is wroth, and mighty Thor; E’en Freyr shall now thy name abhor. But ere o’er thine ill-fated head The last dread curse of heaven be spread, Giants and Thursians far and near, Suttungur’s^[109] sons, and Asians, hear, How I forbid with fatal ban This maid the joys, the fruit of man! Cold Grimmer is that giant hight Who thee shall hold in realms of night; Where slaves in cups of twisted roots Shall bring foul beverage from the goats: Nor sweeter draught, nor blither fare, Shalt thou, sad virgin, ever share. ’Tis done! I wind the mystic charm; Thus, thus, I trace the giant form; And three fell characters below, Fury, and Lust, and restless Woe. E’en as I wound, I straight unwind This fatal spell, if thou art kind.”

Gerda (sung).—“Now hail, now hail, thou warrior bold! Take, take this cup of crystal cold, And quaff the pure metheglin old! Yet deem’d I ne’er, that love could bind To Vanian youth my hostile mind.”

Skirnir (sung).—“I turn not home to bower or hall, Till I have learnt mine errand all; Where thou wilt yield the night of joy To brave Niorder’s gallant boy.”

Gerda (sung).—“Barri is hight the seat of love; Nine nights elapsed, in that known grove, Shall brave Niorder’s gallant boy From Gerda take the kiss of joy.”

Then rode Skirnir home. Freyr stood forth and hailed him, and asked what tidings.

“Speak; Skirnir, speak, and tell with speed! Take not the harness from thy steed, Nor stir thy foot, till thou hast said, How fares my love with Gymer’s maid!”

Skirnir (sung).—“Barri is hight the seat of love; Nine nights elapsed, in that known grove, To brave Niorder’s gallant boy Will Gerda yield the kiss of joy.”

Freyr (sung).—“Long is one night, and longer twain; But how for three endure my pain! A month of rapture sooner flies, Than half one night of wishful sighs.”