Christ bless every gallant man,
Who shall both with mouth and hand,
In the time of its distress,
Seek to serve his fatherland!
GERMAND GLADENSWAYNE
Our King and Queen sat o’er the board
In high festivity;
Between them there was much discourse
About the briny sea.
Our gallant King and youthful Queen
They sailed across the foam;
Much better had it been for both
That they had stayed at home.
But barely they a mile had gone
When still the vessel stood,
There came a raven wild, who strove,
To sink them in the flood.
“If any thing the ship doth hold
Concealed beneath the main,
I’ll give thee, bird, a lump of gold
To set it free again.
“O do not sink us in the sea,
Swart bird,” exclaimed the Queen,
“And I’ll give thee a lump of gold
Weighs Bismer pounds fifteen.”
“Gold and silver I heed them not,
I crave another fee,
The treasure neath thy girdle fair
Thou now must promise me.
“Plenty of gold I have myself,
From gold no help you’ll find,
On what beneath your girdle’s hid
I’ve firmly set my mind.”
“I give what neath my girdle’s hid,
My bunch of keys—what more?
I’ll speedily have others forged
If I but win to shore.”