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.