Scene 3: In the Realm of the North Wind
The boatmen's song summons the North Wind's Daughter
Long parted from the quay,
Thus sang the sailor folk,
Upon the Northern Sea,
Good fortune to invoke:
"Oh father, build a ship,
Oh mother, weave the sail,
We seek straight from the slip,
The North Wind's Daughter pale."-
"We travel night and day,
No North Wind's Daughter find,
And reach a northern bay,
Where snow three giants grind."
"'Our greetings, grinders three,
Comes North Wind's Daughter forth?'-
'Thanks travellers on the sea,
No, sail on further north!'"
"We travel night and day,
The Daughter seeking twice-
And reach a northern bay,
Where giants forge pure ice."
"'Our greeting icesmiths three,
Comes North Wind's Daughter forth?'-
'Thanks travellers on the sea.
No, sail on further north!'"
Thus sang the sailor folk
Upon the Northern Sea,
Until the helmsman spoke:
Their way no more was free!
Bearslayer in this boat,
Sailed on the Northern Sea,
To Germany afloat,
To set Laimdota free.
But battered by the force
Of wind and storm that blew,
And lost, far from the course,
The way no more they knew.
It seemed that evil powers,
Sea ghosts, were ever near,
In day and night-time hours,
They filled the crew with fear.
Dank mists and deepest gloom
The light blocked as they swirled;
While hail and snow-filled spume
Were by the North Wind hurled.
Then, where the sky's edge gleamed,
A brilliant glow forth surged,
And, from the glow, what seemed
To be a sail emerged.
Across the dark sea wave,
Its course approached them near,
Close up assurance gave:
It was a ship was clear.
And at the helmsman's side,
A woman they could view,
Who, nearing, sweetly cried
In greeting to the crew:
"Your song to my ears came,
Called me across the sea.
You called aloud my name;
Say what you want from me!"
The sailors were amazed,
And stood as turned to stone.
In wonder they all gazed,
The North Wind's Daughter shown.
Her face was peach and cream;
Reflected in the glare,
Eyes blue as Heaven's gleam
Shone in the north's pure air.
Her hair was long and gold,
And to her shoulders hung.
She wore, they could behold,
A rainbow robe that clung.
And on her form flowed down
A snow-white woollen shawl.-
Upon her head no crown,
Instead, a helmet tall.
And weapons she had too,
Within the ship there seen:
Bow, spear, and shield on view,
Stout forged from copper green.
Thus was the Daughter's form,
About which legends tell.-
That she provokes the storm,
All sailors know full well.
With terrors she can soar
Into the northern height,
Lead souls of men to war,
All formed up for the fight.
And when each lets his spear
In warlike manner fly,
On earth the people fear,
Say: "War and plague are nigh!"
In the domain of the North Wind's Daughter
As first, Bearslayer stirred,
The North Wind's Daughter told,
That, lost, they were interred
Within the northern cold.
But their desire was clear,
The homeward course to find:
The North Wind's Daughter here,
To help might be inclined.
The Maiden now explained
That this was hard to do:
Few crews the course obtained-
A very seldom few.
To trap them in this deep,
Great storms the North Wind sent,
Her father, who his sleep
In ice-bound caverns spent.
Yet longer he would rest,
Perhaps a month in all;
For them to stay were best,
Safe in her island hall.
Then later, firm she swore,
To strive hard for their sake.-
No course Bearslayer saw,
But her advice to take.
The North Wind's Daughter steered,
Her ship sailed further on,
To where bright had appeared
The glow that earlier shone.
And at an island's shore,
Its hills in icy grip,
Her craft she docked once more,
Here led Bearslayer's ship.
She took him with his crew
Far inland from the shore;
Where they, with wondering view,
A splendid castle saw.
Its towers, roof and walls
Of ice were frozen hard.-
They stayed outside its halls,
The North Wind's sleep to guard.
Across broad fields of snow,
Rose smoke clouds from the land.
Her guests she told to go,
And gestured with her hand.-
Some way they went apace;
The air soon ceased to freeze,
And snow drifts now gave place
To fields and groves of trees.
Within a garden fair,
Was, deep as Hell, a pit,
Whence flames shot in the air,
From fires eternal lit.
As they at Earth's core burned,
Their endless flames rose hot,
This icy island turned
Into a verdant plot.
Dense foliage, full of fruit,
Hung there upon each tree,
With babbling brooks to suit-
All creatures lived carefree.
Wild birds and beasts of prey,
But farmyard creatures too,
Could flourish here and play,
In meadows sweet with dew.
The North Wind's Daughter's spear
Upon her shield struck thrice-
This made small folk appear
From all sides in a trice.
At Earth's far edge they dwelled,
And served the Maid's behest;
These folk she now compelled
To welcome every guest.
A pavilion they observed
Where tables full were laid,
Delicious food was served,
And all was ready made.
The North Wind's Daughter bade,
Her guests should there appear;
And while they ate was glad,
To serve to each sweet beer.
Another tent again
Had beds all warm prepared,
That rest might dull the pain
Of hardships they had shared.-
No sun could come or go,
They knew not day or night,
Yet still the pit's bright glow
Gave forth sufficient light.
The time passed full of ease,
Of pleasures they were sure;
Each day as much could please,
As had the one before.
They stayed a goodly spell,
Could all their needs fulfil,
It pleased them there so well,
To leave none had the will.