Take heed that in thy verse Thou dost the tale rehearse, Else dread a dead man's curse; For this I sought thee.

"Far in the Northern Land,
By the wild Baltic's strand,
I, with my childish hand,
Tamed the gerfalcon ;

And, with my skates fast bound,
Skimmed the half-frozen Sound,

That the poor whimpering hound Trembled to walk on.

"Oft to his frozen lair
Tracked I the grizzly bear,

While from my path the hare
Fled like a shadow;

Oft through the forest dark
Followed the werewolf's bark,

Until the soaring lark

Sang from the meadow.

"But when I older grew, Joining a corsair's crew,

O'er the dark sea I flew
With the marauders.

Wild was the life we led;
Many the souls that sped,
Many the hearts that bled,
By our stern orders.

"Many a wassail bout
Wore the long winter out;
Often our midnight shout
Set the cocks crowing,
As we the Berserk's tale
Measured in cups of ale,
Draining the oaken pail
Filled to o'erflowing.

"Once as I told in glee
Tales of the stormy sea,

Soft eyes did gaze on me,
Burning yet tender;

And as the white stars shine
On the dark Norway pine,

On that dark heart of mine Fell their soft splendor.

"I wooed the blue-eyed maid,
Yielding, yet half afraid,
And in the forest's shade

Our vows were plighted.
Under its loosened vest
Fluttered her little breast,

Like birds within their nest
By the hawk frighted.

"Bright in her father's hall
Shields gleamed upon the wall,
Loud sang the minstrels all,
Chanting his glory;

When of old Hildebrand

I asked his daughter's hand,

Mute did the minstrels stand
To hear my story.

"While the brown ale he quaffed, Loud then the champion laughed,

And as the wind gusts waft
The sea foam brightly,
So the loud laugh of scorn,
Out of those lips unshorn,

From the deep drinking horn

Blew the foam lightly.

"She was a Prince's child,

I was a Viking wild,

And though she blushed and smiled,

I was discarded!

Should not the dove so white
Follow the sea mew's flight?

Why did they leave that night
Her nest unguarded?

"Scarce had I put to sea, Bearing the maid with me,

Fairest of all was she

Among the Norsemen !

When on the white sea strand,

Waving his armèd hand,

Saw we old Hildebrand,

With twenty horsemen.

"Then launched they to the blast,

Bent like a reed each mast,

Yet we were gaining fast,

When the wind failed us;

And with a sudden flaw
Came round the gusty Skaw,
So that our foe we saw

Laugh as he hailed us.

"And as to catch the gale Round veered the flapping sail,

'Death!' was the helmsman's hail,

'Death without quarter!'

Midships with iron keel

Struck we her ribs of steel;

Down her black hulk did reel
Through the black water!

"As with his wings aslant,
Sails the fierce cormorant,
Seeking some rocky haunt,
With his prey laden,
So toward the open main,

Beating to sea again,

Through the wild hurricane,

Bore I the maiden.

"Three weeks we westward bore,

And when the storm was o'er,