THE KNIGHT IN THE DEER’S SHAPE or THE DECEIVER DECEIVED
Reading edition
It was the Knight Sir Peter, He dwelleth down by Oe; Nothing, nothing, will he do But sail about and row.
Sail about and row about Is all that he will do, So many a maiden he allures And proves to them untrue.
To servants two addressed him, Sir Peter of the isle: “With wily speeches win me The Damsel Usalile.”
The gallant swains then riding To Usalile’s home, A message sent inquiring If they to her might come.
In then came the gallants, Before the board they stood— O, they were nimble at the tongue, Could speak in wily mode!
“Thy brothers seven from Skaane Thee lovingly do greet, On board this ship to meet them Their sister they entreat.”
“O if with me for parlance My brothers are inclined, Here at her table sitting Their sister they will find.
“No lovely maid on shipboard Is ever wont to go, But sharp reproofs pursue her, And taunting words, I trow.”
Away then ride the gallants And to their lord repair: “We cannot win the damsel By means of speeches fair.”
“O I will have the damsel, And she shall yet be won; I vow me to deceive her By force of magic Rune.”
Then o’er his broider’d trousers, And jacket flower’d fair, The skin of a hart he donneth The maiden to ensnare.
Now sported the wild little hart The damsel’s house before, Glitter’d like the ruddy gold Each hair the creature bore.
Open stood the castle gate, The hart therein has stray’d; And lo with little puppies The merry maiden play’d.
Up and down he sported, To the green wood he sped; Behind the Damsel hasting In a leash the puppies led.
He sported up, he sported down, Towards the mead he hied; The Damsel speeding after With hand to lure him tried.
The Damsel speeding after With hand to lure him strove: “That yonder lovely hart were tame O would to God above!
“O would to God in heaven, That yonder hart were mine! Nothing should he ever drink Except the rosy wine.
“Nothing should he ever drink Except the rosy wine, And nowhere should he slumber Save in these arms of mine.”
The knight he off has shaken The deer shape from his frame; In verity fair damsel, The hart he now is tame!
Long stood she, the Damsel, So deep reflected she: “O for some cunning artifice To rid me quick of thee!”
“Sir Peter, if what now I know I had but known before, The children I shall bear thee They ne’er should have been poor.
“Within my father’s castle A little girl I strayed, When in the earth a treasure Of ruddy gold they laid.
“Down by the strand ’tis buried, Beneath a mighty stone.” Thither to fetch the treasure In haste Sir Peter’s gone.
He has broken up the flinty rock, So deep a hole he’s made— But none shall ever gold dig up Where gold was never laid!
One shall never gold dig up Where gold was never laid; Never came together more The knight and lovely maid.