"Goddess Lada—Queen of Love!
"Here stand I and quaff to thee—
"Deck for thee with buds my spear—
"Give a comely wife to me!
"Blow not to my arms a flake
"Of crisp snow in maiden guise;
"Mists of pallid hair and tips
"Of long ice-spears in her eyes!
"When my death-sail skims the foam—
"Strain my oars on Death's black sea—
"When my foot the "Glass-Hill" seeks—
"Such a maid may do for me!
"Now, O Lada, mate the flesh!
"Mate the fire and flame of life,
"Tho' the soul go still unwed,
"Give the flesh its fitting wife!
"As the galley runs between,
"Skies with billows closely spun:
"Feeling but the wave that leaps
"Closest to it in the sun."
"Throbs but to the present kiss
"Of the wild lips of the sea;
"Thus a man joys in his life—
"Nought of the Beyond knows he!
"Goddess! here I cast bright buds,
"Spicy pine boughs at thy feet;
"Give the flesh its fitting mate
"Life is strong and life is sweet!"
To the Love-queen Gisli pray'd—
Weft and woof of flame she wove:
Lada, Goddess of the Spring—
Lada, Goddess strong of Love!
* * * * *
PART II.