“I never should seek the town but I
Should therefore sure be chidden;
I shall not bear thee o’er to-day,
My Lady’s me forbidden.”
And Hero Hogen grew so wroth,
So wroth grew he in mood;
The ferryman’s head hewed he off,
So widely reeked the blood.
Then straight the bloody head he cast
Mid Öresund’s swift water;
And, bidding them meet in the deep,
He cast the body after.
Sir Gunter and Sir Gernot, they
Their vessel steered from land;
But when they reached the middle Sound
The tempest was at hand.
O then the oars asunder snapped
In Folker’s hardy hand;
Here Hogen guided with his shield
The ship with toil to land.
Then cast they out their anchors,
All on the yellow sand;
It was the Hero Hogen,
He stepped the first to land.
The others they did not delay,
But each as he could best
Arrayed himself right manfully,
And Folker ’bove the rest.
Abroad the warden standing was,
He on the rampart strode:
“O, there are come our country to,
Two Athelings so proud.
“O kemps are come our country to,
And men so bold to see;
They all yclad in iron are,
Their steeds come springing free.
“The one he bears a hawk in flight,
Gold on his buckler gleams;
The other bears a fiddle, and
A prince’s son he seems.”