On the cairn are fixed her eyes What a bridal night is this? Like the drifting snow she sweeps "What is that," King Olaf said, ""Tis the bodkin that I wear When at night I bind my hair; It woke me falling on the floor; "Tis nothing more." "Forests have ears, and fields have eyes; Often treachery lurking lies Underneath the fairest hair! Gudrun beware!" Ere the earliest peep of morn Bridegroom and bride! IX. THANGBRAND THE PRIEST. SHORT of stature, large of limb, With nodding head, "There goes Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest." All the prayers he knew by rote, He could preach like Chrysostome, From the Fathers he could quote, A man of mark, Was this Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. He was quarrelsome and loud, Would drink and swear, Swaggering Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. In his house this malecontent Could the King no longer bear, To convert the heathen there, One summer day Sailed this Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. There in Iceland, o'er their books Is waste of time!" Grumbled Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. To the alehouse, where he sat, Is it to be wondered at, That they quarrelled now and then, Drunken Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest? All the folk in Alftafiord Boasted of their island grand; Saying in a single word, "Iceland is the finest land That the sun Doth shine upon!" Loud laughed Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. And he answered: "What's the use Of this bragging up and down, Satires scrawled On poor Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. Something worse they did than that; Was a figure in shovel hat, Drawn in charcoal on the wall; "This is Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest." Hardly knowing what he did, Then he smote them might and main, Thorvald Veile and Veterlid Lay there in the alehouse slain. To-morrow mould!" Muttered Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. Much in fear of axe and rope, Back to Norway sailed he then. "O, King Olaf! little hope Is there of these Iceland men!" With bending head, Pious Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. Longfellow. III, 5 X. RAUD THE STRONG. "ALL the old gods are dead, All the wild warlocks fled; But the White Christ lives and reigns, And throughout my wide domains His Gospel shall be spread!" On the Evangelists Thus swore King Olaf. But still in dreams of the night And challenged him to the fight. And Sigurd the Bishop said, Said Sigurd the Bishop. |