Andreas: The Legend of St. Andrew

by Unknown

[Footnote 1: Lit. "fish's bath.">[

Then straightway Andrew spake to him in words,
That friendless saint:—"I have no beaten gold, 300
No treasures, neither wealth nor sustenance,
No golden clasps, no land, nor bracelets woven,
That thy desire I now may satisfy,
Thy worldly wishes, as thou sayst in words."
The Prince of Men gave answer where He sat
Upon the gangway, o'er the dashing surge:—
"How comes it thou wouldst visit, my dear friend,
The sea-hills, boundaries of the ocean-streams,
To seek a vessel by the cold sea-cliffs 310
All penniless? Hast thou no store of bread
To comfort thee upon the ocean-road,
Or pure drink for thy thirst? The life is hard
For him who journeys far upon the flood."

In answer then did Andrew, wise in wit,
Unlock to him the treasure of his words:—
"It is not seemly that with arrogance
And words of taunting thou demand reply,
When God hath given thee abundant wealth
And worldly fortune; better for each man 320
That with humility he kindly greet
A traveler bound to other lands far off,
As Christ commanded, Lord most glorious.
We are His thanes, chosen as champions;
He is the King by right, Author and Lord
Of wondrous glory, one eternal God
Of all created things; by His sole might
He comprehendeth all the heavens and earth
With holy strength, Giver of victory.
He spake the word himself, and bade us fare 330
Throughout the spacious earth, converting souls:—
'Go now to all the corners of the earth,
Far as the waters compass it about,
Far as the meadows lie along the roads,
And preach the glorious Faith throughout the towns
Upon earth's bosom; I am your defense.
No gold nor silver treasures need ye bear
Upon this journey. I will freely give
All things that ye may need.' Lo, thou thyself
Mayst hear the story of our journeying 340
With thoughtful mind. Right quickly shall I learn
What kindness thou wilt show us on our way."

The Lord eternal answered him again:—
"If ye are thanes of Him who did exalt
His glory o'er the world, as ye declare,
And ye have kept the Holy One's commands,
I'll gladly bear you o'er the ocean-streams,
As ye do beg me."

Then upon the bark
They went, bold, valiant men; the heart of each 350
Was filled with joy upon the tossing main.
Then Andrew, on the rolling of the waves,
Begged for that seaman mercy from the King
Who rules in glory; thus he spake in words:—
"May God, the Lord of men, give unto thee
Exceeding honor—happiness on earth,
Riches in glory—since thou hast made known
Thy goodness to me on my journeying!"
He sat him by the Guardian of the sea,
That noble saint beside his noble Lord.
I never heard men tell of comelier ship 360
Laden with sumptuous treasures. In it sat
Great heroes, glorious lords, and beauteous thanes.
Then spake the ever-living noble Lord,
Almighty King; he bade his angel go,
His glorious retainer, go and give
Meat to the desolate to comfort him
Upon the seething flood, that he might bear
The life upon the rushing of the waves
With greater ease. Then was the ocean[1] stirred
And deeply troubled, then the horn-fish played, 370
Shot through the raging deep; the sea-gull gray,
Greedy for slaughter, flew in circling flight.
The candle of the sky grew straightway dark,
The winds waxed strong, the waves whirled, and the surge
Leapt high, the ropes creaked, dripping with the waves;
The Terror of the waters rose, and stood
Above them with the might of multitudes.
The thanes were sore afraid, not one of them
Dared hope that he would ever reach the land,
Of those who by the sea had sought a ship
With Andrew, for as yet they did not know 380
Who pointed out the course for that sea-bark.

[Footnote 1: Lit. "whale-sea.">[

When he had eaten, then the faithful thane,
Saint Andrew, thanked the noble Counselor,
Upon the ocean, on the oar-swept sea:—
"For this repast may God, the righteous Lord,
Ruler of hosts, who sheds the light of life,
Grant thee reward, and give thee for thy food
The bread of heaven, e'en as thou hast shown
Good will and kindness to me on the deep. 390
My thanes, these warriors young, are sore afraid;
Loud roars the raging, overwhelming sea;
The ocean is all troubled, deeply moved;
And weary is my band, my company
Of valiant-hearted men, afflicted sore."
The Lord of men gave answer from the helm:—
"Our ship shall bear us back across the flood
Unto the land, and there thy men can wait
Upon the shore until thou come again." 400
Straightway those men gave answer unto him,
Thanes much-enduring; they would not consent
To leave alone upon the vessel's prow
Their master dear, and choose themselves the land.
"O whither shall we turn us, lordless men,
Mourning in heart, forsaken quite by God,
Wounded with sin, if we abandon thee?
We shall be odious in every land,
Hated of every folk, when sons of men,
Courageous warriors, in council sit 410
And question which of them did best stand by
His lord in battle, when the hand and shield,
Worn out by broadswords on the battle-plain,
Suffered sore danger in the sport of war."

Then spake the noble Lord, the faithful King;
Straightway He lifted up His voice and said:—
"If, as thou sayst, thou art indeed a thane
Of Him who sits enthroned in majesty,
All-glorious King, expound His mysteries,
How 'neath the sky He taught speech-uttering men. 420
Long is this journey o'er the fallow flood;
Comfort the hearts of thy disciples; great
Is yet our way across the ocean-stream,
And land is far to seek; the sea is stirred,
The waves beat on the shore. Yet easily
Can God give aid to men who sail the deep."

Then Andrew wisely stablished by his words
His followers, those heroes glorious:—
"Ye did consider when ye put to sea
That ye would bear your life unto a folk 430
Of foemen; ye would suffer death for love
Of God, would give your life within the realm
Of dark-skinned Ethiopians. I know
Myself that there is One who shieldeth us,
The Maker of the angels, Lord of hosts.
Rebuked and bridled by the King of might,
The Terror of the waters shall grow calm,
The leaping sea. So once in days of yore
Within a bark upon the struggling waves
We tried the waters, riding on the surge,
And very fearful seemed the sad sea-roads. 440
The ocean-floods beat fierce against the shores;
Oft wave would answer wave; and whiles upstood
From out the ocean's bosom, o'er our ship,
A Terror on the breast of our sea-boat.
There on that ocean-courser bode His time
The glorious God, Creator of mankind,
Almighty One. The men were filled with fear,
They sought protection, mercy from the Lord.
And when that company began to call,
The King straightway arose, and stilled the waves, 450
The seething of the waters—He who gives
Bliss to the angels; He rebuked the winds;
The sea subsided, and the boundaries
Of ocean-stream grew calm. Then laughed our soul,
When under heaven's course our eyes beheld
The winds and waves and Terror of the deep
Affrighted by the Terror of the Lord.
Therefore I say to you in very sooth,
The ever-living God does not forsake
A man on earth, if courage fail him not." 460

Thus spake the holy champion, wise of heart,
He taught his thanes, that blessed warrior;
He stablishèd his men, till suddenly
Sleep came upon them weary by the mast.
The sea grew still, the onset of the waves
Turned back again, rough tumult of the flood.
Then was the soul of that brave saint rejoiced,
After that time of terror; wise in wit,
In counsel prudent, he began to speak
And thus unlocked the treasure of his words:— 470
"I never found a better mariner,
More skilled than thou in sea-craft, as I think,
A stouter oarsman, one more wise in words,
Sager in counsel. I will beg of thee
Yet one more boon, hero most excellent;
Though little treasure I can give to thee,
Jewels or beaten gold, I fain would win
Thy friendship, if I might, most glorious lord.
So shalt thou gain good gifts, and blessed joy 480
In heavenly glory, if of thy great lore
Thou'rt bountiful to weary voyagers.
One art I fain would learn of thee, brave sir;
That since the Lord, the Maker of mankind,
Hath given might and honor unto thee,
Thou shouldst instruct me how thou pointest out
The course of this thy billow-riding ship,
Thy sea-horse wet with spray. Though sixteen times,
In former days and late, I've been to sea, 490
And rowed with freezing hands upon the deep,
The ocean-streams—this makes one voyage more—
Yet even so mine eyes have ne'er beheld
A mighty captain steering at the stern
Like unto thee. Loud roars the surging flood,
Beats on the shore; this sea-boat is full fleet;
It fareth foamy-necked most like a bird,
And glides upon the deep. I surely know,
I never saw upon the ocean-road
Such wondrous skill in any seafarer. 500
It is as though the ship were on the land,
Where neither storm nor wind can make it move,
Nor water-floods can break it, lofty-prowed;
Yet on the sea it hasteth under sail.
And thou art young, defense of warriors,
Not old in winters, rider of the surge;
Yet in thy heart thou hast the noble speech
Of princes, and dost wisely understand
All words employed by men upon the earth."