“Dear Foster dame, give me some counsel, I pray,
How I may escape from this palace away.
“To cast the Rune letters at Kirstin I meant,
But under the dress of Rigissa they went.
“I will mount my good courser so true and so tried,
And away to the ends of the earth I will ride.”
Said she: “Shouldst thou travel all Finland around,
This night at thy couch will Rigissa be found.
“And e’en shouldst thou ride to the earth’s farthest land,
This night by thy couch she will certainly stand.
“But, Child Stig, I advise thee, call up a good heart,
And home to thy bed and thy slumbers depart.
“She’ll tap on the door of thy chamber, I ween,
But still do thou keep, let her in by no mean.
“But ten fingers has she, so tiny and small,
And with them from the door she will pick the nails all.
“She will set herself down on the side of thy bed,
And play with the long yellow locks of thy head.
“So fondly she’ll stroke thy fair cheek in the dark,
But do thou remain as thou wert stiff and stark.