The Songs of Ranild

by George Borrow

“But for my cheeks so rosy red,
The Castle’s won, the Castle’s won!
The foremost in that dance I’d tread,”
For young King Erik Erikson.

Then Ranild Lang to dance began,
The Castle’s won, the Castle’s won!
And a ditty sang as he led the van,
For young King Erik Erikson.

Sweet he warbled, light he sprang,
The Castle’s won, the Castle’s won!
After him every warrior sang,
For young King Erik Erikson.

Then up the Spendel Sko arose,
The Castle’s won, the Castle’s won!
And on Ranild Lang her troth bestows,
For young King Erik Erikson.

With silk was snooded her hair of gold,
The Castle’s won, the Castle’s won!
She danced before them free and bold,
For young King Erik Erikson.

And into the Castle they dance their way,
The Castle’s won, the Castle’s won!
With drawn swords ’neath their scarlet array.
For young King Erik Erikson.

Never, I ween, was a braver dance,
The Castle’s won, the Castle’s won!
It wins the Castle of Rosenkrands,
For young King Erik Erikson.

SONG THE SECOND.

To saddle his courser Ranild cried:
For thus the tale was told to me—
“To visit the rich Greve I will ride,
Though banish’d from the land we be.”

To the house came Ranild spurring hard,
For thus the tale was told to me—
There stood the Greve arrayed in mard,
Though banish’d from the land we be.