“But I will give thee saddle and horse,
And golden spurs I will supply;
Thou ne’er shalt ride a path so wild
But thou shalt reach a hostelry.
“And I will garments give to thee,
With gold adorned at the seam;
And I will give thee a ruddy shield,
Wherein the richest diamonds gleam.
“And I will give thee a silken band,
With roses ’tis embroider’d all;
Whilst thou dost bear that girdle fair
No word thou say’st shall vainly fall.”
Forth stepped the Daughter of the Dwarf,
For, ah! she loved the knight so dear:
“And I will give thee a faulchion good,
And I will give thee a polished spear.
“Thou ne’er shalt ride through wood so wide
But thou shalt surely find the way;
And ne’er, Sir Knight, engage in fight
But victory thou shalt bear away.
“Thou never, never shalt sail the sea
But in safety thou shalt come to land;
Thou never, never shalt wounded be,
I ween, by any human hand.”
It was the proud Dame Thorelile,
The clear wine into the cup she pour’d:
“Now haste thee from the elfin hill,
Ere home arrive the elfin Lord.”
Sir Thunye rides in the good green wood,
His spear it gleams so wide, so wide;
And soon he meets the Dwarf himself,
To his mountain home as the Dwarf would ride.
“Well met, well met, Sir Thunye the Knight,
Thy horse he speeds right gallantly;
Say whither, whither dost thou ride?
On journey bound thou seemst to be.”
“Riding to woo, Sir Dwarf, I am,
Riding to wed a beauteous lady;
To break a spear I do not fear,
For weal or woe alike I’m ready.”