The daughter heard that with compassionate thought,
Quick, quick to the feet of the monarch she flew:
“O father, desist from this horrible sport,
He has done what no other would venture to do,
If the life of a creature thou fain must destroy,
Let a noble take place of this generous boy.”
The monarch has taken the cup in his hand,
And tumbled it down in the bellowing sea:
“And if thou canst bring it again to the strand,
The first, and the best of my knights thou shalt be;
If that will not tempt thee, this maid thou shalt wed,
And share as a husband the joys of her bed.”
Then the pride of old Eirin arose in his look,
And it flash’d from his eye-balls courageously keen,
One glance on the beautiful vision he took,
And he saw her change colour, and sink on the green.
“By the stool of Saint Peter the prize I’ll obtain;”
He shouted, and instantly dived in the main.
The waters sunk down, and a thundering peal
Announced that the time of their sojourn was o’er;
Each eye is cast downward in terrified zeal,
As forth from the tunnel the cataracts pour.
The waters rush up, and the waters subside;
But ah! the bold diver remains in the tide.
KING BYRGE AND HIS BROTHERS
Dame Ingeborg three brave brothers could boast,
For the crown of Sweden their lives they lost.
The nobles to Sweden would fain away,
Dame Ingeborg bade them at home to stay.
Dame Ingeborg stood at Helsingborg’s gate,
“Dear brothers, go not, I beg and entreat!”
Then with one voice the brothers cried:
“We’ve long for our realms paternal sighed.
“And we have too long with thee remained,
Our hearts within us are sorely pained.”