“Now, hear me, Sivard Snaresvend;
Far hast thou rov’d, and wide,
Those warriors’ weapons thou shalt prove,
To their tent thou must straightway ride.”
It was Sivard Snaresvend,
To the broad tent speeded he then:
“I greet ye fair, in my master’s name,
All, all, ye Dane king’s men.
“Now, be not wroth that here I come;
I come as a warrior, free:
The battle together we soon will prove;
Let me your bearings see.”
There stands upon the first good shield
A lion, so fierce and stark,
With a crown on his head, of the ruddy gold,
That is King Diderik’s mark.
There shine upon the second shield
A hammer and pincers bright;
Them carries Vidrik Verlandson,
Ne’er gives he quarter in fight.
There shines upon the third good shield
A falcon, blazing with gold;
And that by Helled Hogan is borne;
No knight, than he, more bold.
There shines upon the fourth good shield
An eagle, and that is red;
Is borne by none but Olger, the Dane;
He strikes his foemen dead.
There shines upon the fifth good shield
A couchant hawk, on a wall;
That’s borne by Master Hildebrand;
He tries, with heroes, a fall.
And now comes forth the sixth good shield
A linden is thereupon;
And that by young Sir Humble is borne,
King Abelon’s eldest son.
There shines upon the seventh good shield
A spur, of a fashion so free;
And that is borne by Hogan, the less,
Because he will foremost be.