“Vouchsafe me a smile,” said the youth, “I entreat,
I know thy course lightning-fleet.
Thy light pinions ever
Thou pliest, sweet giver
Of palms, verdant palms, to the stripling so clever,
Who caught thee, though lightning fleet.”
Again to his eye a fair vision was given,
A being angelical stood in the heaven.
In morn’s fresh rose-hues drest
Stood the spirit blest.
As shines from above
The starlet of love
So kindled his glance toward earth’s gentle child.
As the maid to her beckons the youth she loves dearly,
When vespers are chiming and Luna shines clearly,
So toward him beckoned the Angel, and smil’d.
With rapture the songster took thither his way,
Where the winged one of heaven stood beauteous and gay.
But, just as he hoped that the height was surmounted,
Far distant again they each other confronted.
And still the Angel beckoned there,
But—never, never near.
“My seraph! wilt ever avoid my embrace?”
—Said the songster with mortified mien—
“But though I’m unable to climb to thy place,
My eye thou hast blest from the mansions of grace,
And thy heaven, thou distant, I’ve seen.”
His slumber departed, his visions they fled,
But oft when he harped they came into his head.
“Blest, trebly blest, may our life be regarded,
Far unto me hear threefold life is awarded.
“See the roselet departed,
A smile from its tomb has darted.
And the rose, which yet lives in blushes and bloom,
Breathes o’er me perfume.
Yes, from its concealment, the unborn rose
Before me seems to unclose.”
KING OLUF THE SAINT
King Oluf and his brother bold,
’Bout Norroway’s rocks a parley hold.
(So sweet in Drontheim ’tis to dwell!)
“The one of us two who best can sail,
Shall rule o’er Norroway’s hill and dale.
“Who first of us reaches our native ground,
O’er all the region shall King be crown’d.”
Then Harald Haardrode answer made:
“Aye, let it be even as thou hast said.