Viking Tales of the North
Fridthjof's Saga
Page 2
and fresh fame to strange coast-lands he brought;
And his like found he none on the blue-rolling sea, and
his champions right willing they fought.
look’d down on the slow-rocking spray: —
“Deep thou art! Peace perchance in those depths still
may bloom, but above here all peace dies away.
I will fall should it so be decreed;
But he sits in you sky, gloomy thoughts sending down, —
ne’er my soul from their sadness is freed.”
his spirit fierce sours with delight;
Loadly thunders his voice, and with clear brow he stands,
like the light’ner still foremost in fight.
that wide foaming grave all secure;
And fresh islands he saw, and fresh bays in the South,
till fair winds on to Greekland allure.
its temples in ruin bent low,
Freyja knows what he thought, and the skald, and if e’er
thou has known how to love, thou wilt know!
land; of this temple my sire oft would tell;
Hither ‘twas, hither ‘twas I invited my maid; — ah! she
cruel the North lov’d too well!
remembrance, ah! haunts she not columns so fair?
Like the whisp’rings of lovers soft murmur those springs,
and with bridal-songs birds fill the air.
chief wither’d, gray-hair’d, and old?
I, I cannot forget! Gladly gave I my life yet once more
that dear form to behold!
kingly hall of fair Saga the queen!
Rise there yet so majestic those mountains to heav’n,
keeps my forefather’s dale its bright green.
planted, — ah! blooms it there now!
Who its tender shoot guards? Give thy moisture, O
earth! and thy dews, O thou heaven, give thou!
is tribute, is blood, then, my goal?
I have glory sufficient, and beggarly gold, and its bright-
ness deep scorneth my soul.
and the North holds the country I love;
Back to northward I’ll steer, and will follow the course
of the breezes fresh-blowing above.”
<< Previous Page Next Page >>
© 2004-2007 Northvegr.
Most of the material on this site is in the public domain. However, many people have worked very hard to bring these texts to you so if you do use the work, we would appreciate it if you could give credit to both the Northvegr site and to the individuals who worked to bring you these texts. A small number of texts are copyrighted and cannot be used without the author's permission. Any text that is copyrighted will have a clear notation of such on the main index page for that text. Inquiries can be sent to info@northvegr.org. Northvegr™ and the Northvegr symbol are trademarks and service marks of the Northvegr Foundation.
|