Читать книгу: «The Dalby Bear, and Other Ballads», страница 2

 
The hand of the Monarch’s sister bright.
 
 
They liv’d together in honor and joy,
To the cruel Stepdame’s great annoy.
 
 
A hard flint rock she soon became,
For herself she earn’d both woe and shame.
 

TYGGE HERMANDSEN

 
Down o’er the isle in torrents fell
   On a Thursday morn the rain;
To fetch his bride now forth shall ride
   Sir Tygge Hermandsen.
 
 
Sir Tygge out of the window look’d,
   The brooks ran boisterously;
“To ride out now would bring me woe,
   So dear no bride I’ll buy.
 
 
“But hear thou, Nilaus Benditson,
   Long shanks has thy good steed;
I beg for the love of the God above
   You’ll fetch my bride with speed.”
 
 
Then answer’d Nilaus Benditson,
   In his sleeve thus answer’d he:
“If me thou dispatch thy bride to fetch
   I’ll trick thee certainly.”
 
 
It was Nilaus Benditson,
   He rode the bride to meet;
There hung silk sheen and sendal green
   Before his courser’s feet.
 
 
They clad themselves in silken cloth,
   And in cloth of gold beside;
In long array to the Kirk their way
   They took with the youthful bride.
 
 
The bride before the holy Kirk door
   Like a blooming rose did stand;
Oft did she turn to the water, to learn
   If the bridegroom was at hand.
 
 
Then answer’d Nilaus Benditson,
   He stood by the bride so close:
“The brooks so roar’d that to cross the ford
   He fear’d would wet his hose.”
 
 
They plac’d the bride on the bridal bench
   With pomp and honor high;
Oft would they turn to the water to learn
   If the bridegroom bold drew nigh.
 
 
In the silver cup they skink the ale,
   And the nut-brown mead they pour;
Thus things they sped till day was fled,
   And until of bed the hour.
 
 
They lifted up the youthful bride,
   In the bride-bed her they set;
And there sat she for hours three,
   There came no bridegroom yet.
 
 
The priests before the bride-bed stood,
   And sang with all their might:
“Who in the bed in the bridegroom’s stead
   Shall sleep with the bride tonight?”
 
 
Then forth stepp’d Nilaus Benditson,
   His lac’d shoe off flung he: