“And if it is prince Hafbur young
Whom them dost hold at heart so dear,
Straight turn your face and on him gaze,
For he does lie to thee so near.”
“If thou art he, why dost thou seek
A princely maiden to inveigle?
In manly sort to Siward’s court
Why cam’st thou not with hawk and beagle?”
“O maiden, to your father’s house
Long since I came with hawk and hound;
But my desire he met with ire,
Still in my ear his scoffs resound.”
All, all the time that they did talk
They thought that quite alone were they;
But one stood near, and lent an ear
To every word that they did say.
Shame, shame befall the wicked maid,
’Twas she brought much mishap to pass;
She sly removed the sword approved
Of Hafbur, and the new cuirass.
When she had removed the sword approved,
And Hafbur’s good cuirass beside;
To the hall away where Sivard lay
The wicked maiden swiftly hied.
“Awake, awake, good Sivard King,
Too much of sleep is in thy head!
Prince Hafbur know is lying now
With Signild fair in silken bed.”
“O young Prince Hafbur is not here,
And it is false what thou hast told;
To the Eastern main his way he’s ta’en,
With Russ and Finman fight to hold.
“So hold thy peace, thou wicked wench,
Nor lying tongue ’gainst Signe turn;
Ere morn shall dye the Eastern sky
For thy foul slander thou shalt burn.”
“Now do thou hear, my noble Lord,
Believe me all my words are true!
For see, I have his polished glaive,
And his cuirass of beaming blue.”