Note 753 — Chapter V · THE DIFFERENCING ELEMENTS OF COMMUNAL POETRY (continued 3)
Reading edition
Reuzelied, pp. 139 ff.:—
Als de groote Klokke luyd
De Reuze komt uyt.
Keere u e’s om, de Reuze, de Reuze,
Keere u e’s om,
Reuzekom.
That is, “When the big bell sounds, Reuze (giant?) comes out. Turn back, Reuze, Reuze, turn back, good Reuze.” The text is corrupt, and Reuze is not easy to explain; but one need not appeal with Coussemaker to the Scandinavians to establish the antiquity of this procession and this refrain.