VALDEMAR AND HIS SISTER***


Transcribed from the 1913 Thomas J. Wise pamphlet by David Price, email
ccx074@pglaf.org.  Many thanks to Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library,
UK, for kindly supplying the images from which this transcription was
made.





                           THE TALE OF BRYNILD
                                   AND
                       KING VALDEMAR AND HIS SISTER
                               TWO BALLADS


                                    BY
                              GEORGE BORROW

                                 LONDON:
                     PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION
                                   1913

               _Copyright in the United States of America_
           _by Houghton_, _Mifflin & Co. for Clement Shorter_.




THE TALE OF BRYNILD


Sivard he a colt has got,
   The swiftest 'neath the sun;
Proud Brynild from the Hill of Glass
   In open day he won.

Unto her did of knights and swains
   The very flower ride;
Not one of them the maid to win
   Could climb the mountain's side.

The hill it was both steep and smooth;
   Upon its lofty head
Her sire had set her, knight nor swain
   He swore with her should wed.

Soon to the Danish monarch's court
   A messenger repaired,
To know if there was any one
   To try the adventure dared.

'Twas talked about, and Sivard then
   His purpose soon made known;
Said he: "I'll try upon my colt
   To bring Brynilda down."

He rode away, the way was far,
   The path was of the worst;
He saw the shining Glass Hill, where
   The maid her durance curs'd.

And he away proud Brynild bore,
   Nor deemed the adventure hard;
To bold Sir Nielus her he gave
   To show him his regard.

Proud Brynild and proud Signelil
   Those maids of beauteous mien,
Down to the river's side they went
   Their silken robes to clean.

"Now do thou hear, thou proud Brynild,
   What now I say to thee,
Where didst thou get the bright gold ring
   I on thy finger see?"

"How did I get the bright gold ring
   Which on my hand you see?
That gave me Sivard Snareswayne,
   When he betrothed me."

"And though young Sivard gave thee that
   When he his love declar'd,
He gives thee to Sir Nielus now
   In proof of his regard."

No sooner than did Brynild hear,
   The haughty hearted may,
Than to the chamber high she went,
   Where sick of rage she lay.

It was the proud Brynild there
   Fell sick, and moaning lay;
And her the proud Sir Nielus then
   Attended every day.

"Now hark to me, thou Brynild fair,
   My mind is ill at ease;
Know'st thou of any medicine
   Can cure thy sad disease?

"If there be aught this world within
   Can make thee cease to moan,
That thou shalt have, e'en if it cost
   All, all the gold I own."

"I know of nought within this world
   Can do my sickness good,
Except of Sivard Snareswayne
   It be the hated blood.

"And there is nothing in this world
   Which can assuage my pain,
Except of Sivard Snareswayne
   The head I do obtain."

"To draw of Sivard Snareswayne
   The blood I have no might;
His neck is hard as burnished steel,
   No sword thereon will bite."

"O hark, Sir Nielus, hark to me,
   My well beloved lord,
Borrow of him his Adelring,
   His famous trusty sword.

"Tell him thou needest it so oft
   When thou dost wage a fight,
But soon as 'tis within thy hand
   Hew off his head outright."

It was the bold Sir Nielus then
   His mantle puts he on;
To Sivard, his companion true,
   To the high hall he's gone.

"Now hear, O Sivard Snareswayne,
   Thy sword unto me lend,
For I unto the field of fight
   Full soon my course must bend."

"My trusty faulchion Adelring
   I'll freely lend to thee;
No man be sure shall thee o'ercome,
   However strong he be.

"My trusty faulchion Adelring
   To thee I'll freely yield,
But, oh! beware thee of the tears
   Beneath the hilt conceal'd.

"Beware thee of those frightful tears,
   They all are bloody red;
If down thy fingers they should run
   Thou wert that moment dead."

Upstood the bold Sir Nielus then,
   Drew out the sword amain;
One blow and off the head is hewn
   Of Sivard Snareswayne.

Beneath his mantle then he takes
   The head, distilling blood,
And hurrying to the chamber high
   Before Brynilda stood.

"Behold the head, the bloody head,
   Thou didst so crave to gain;
For thee I've done a felon deed
   Which gives my heart such pain."

"O lay aside the bloody head,
   It fills my heart with fright;
And come to me, my dearest lord,
   Beneath the linen white."

"I crave thee, woman, not to think
   I came for sport and play;
Thou wast the wicked cause that I
   From honour went astray."

It was the bold Sir Nielus then
   His faulchion he drew out;
It was the beauteous Brynild whom
   He all to pieces smote.

"Now have I slain my comrade dear,
   And eke my lovely may,
Yet still I am resolved in mind
   A third, a third to slay."

So then against the hard stone floor
   He placed the trusty glaive;
To his heart's root the point in went,
   And him his death wound gave.

'Twere better that this maid had died
   Within her mother's womb,
Than that these princely men through her
   To such an end should come.

Now will I rede, each honest man
   Well to deliberate ever;
Unequalled woman's cunning is,
   Though guiles of men be clever.

She laughs when '