He kiss’d her thrice, with his lips of fire:
“Appease, O mother, appease thine ire;
Ne’er wish me any mischance to know,
For thou canst not tell how far I may go.”
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.
“Then I will bless thee, this very day;
Thou never shalt perish in any fray;
Success shall be in thy courser tall;
Success in thyself, which is best of all.
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.
“Success in thy hand, success in thy foot,
In struggle with man, in battle with brute;
The holy God and Saint Drotten [11] dear
Shall guide and watch thee through thy career.
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.
“They both shall take thee beneath their care,
Then surely thou never shalt evily fare:
See yonder sword of steel so white,
No helm nor shield shall resist its bite.”
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.
Svend Vonved took up the word again—
“I’ll range the mountain, and rove the plain,
Peasant and noble I’ll wound and slay;
All, all, for my father’s wrong shall pay.”
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.
Svend Vonved bound his sword to his side,
He fain will battle with knights of pride;
So fierce and strange was his whole array,
No mortal ventur’d to cross his way.
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.
His helm was blinking against the sun,
His spurs were clinking his heels upon, . . .
His horse was springing, with bridle ringing,
While sat the warrior wildly singing.
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.
He rode a day, he rode for three,
No town nor city he yet could see;
“Ha!” said the youth, “by my father’s hand,
There is no city in all this land.”
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.
He rode and lilted, he rode and sang,
Then met he by chance Sir Thulé Vang;
Sir Thulé Vang, with his twelve sons bold,
All cas’d in iron, the bright and cold.
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.
Svend Vonved took his sword from his side,
He fain would battle with knights so tried;
The proud Sir Thulé he first ran through,
And then, in succession, his sons he slew.
Look out, look out, Svend Vonved.