III. THORA OF RIMOL. "THORA Of Rimol! hide me! hide me! Danger and shame and death betide me! For Olaf the King is hunting me down Through field and forest, through thorp and town!" Thus cried Jarl Hakon To Thora, the fairest of women. "Hakon Jarl! for the love I bear thee Neither shall shame nor death come near thee! But the hiding-place wherein thou must lie Said Thora, the fairest of women. So Hakon Jarl and his base thrall Karker Of Thora, the fairest of women, "Rich and honored shall be whoever The head of Hakon Jarl shall dissever!" Hakon heard him, and Karker the slave, Through the breathing-holes of the darksome cave. Alone in her chamber Wept Thora, the fairest of women. Said Karker, the crafty, "I will not slay thee! For all the king's gold I will never betray thee!" "Then why dost thou turn so pale, O churl, And then again black as the earth?" said the Earl. More pale and more faithful Was Thora, the fairest of women. From a dream in the night the thrall started, saying, "Round my neck a gold ring King Olaf was laying!" And Hakon answered, "Beware of the king! He will lay round thy neck a blood-red ring." Gazed Thora, the fairest of women. At daybreak slept Hakon, with sorrows encumbered, Sat Thora, the fairest of women. At Nidarholm the priests are all singing, Two ghastly heads on the gibbet are swinging; And the people are shouting from windows and walls; Swoons Thora, the fairest of women. Longfellow. III. IV. QUEEN SIGRID THE HAUGHTY. QUEEN Sigrid the Haughty sat proud and aloft Why dost thou sorrow so? The floor with tassels of fir was besprent, She heard the birds sing, she saw the sun shine, Like a sword without scabbard the bright river lay Between her own kingdom and Norroway. But Olaf the King had sued for her hand, Her maidens were seated around her knee, And one was singing the ancient rune And through it, and round it, and over it all The Queen in her hand held a ring of gold, King Olaf had sent her this wedding gift, She had given the ring to her goldsmiths twain, And Sigrid the Queen, in her haughty way, And they answered: "O Queen! if the truth must be told, The lightning flashed o'er her forehead and cheek, "If in his gifts he can faithless be, There will be no gold in his love to me." A footstep was heard on the outer stair, He kissed the Queen's hand, and he whispered of love, And swore to be true as the stars are above. But she smiled with contempt as she answered: "O King, Will you swear it, as Odin once swore, on the ring?” And the King: "O speak not of Odin to me, Looking straight at the King, with her level brows, Then the face of King Olaf was darkened with gloom, "Why, then, should I care to have thee?" he said,"A faded old woman, a heathenish jade!" His zeal was stronger than fear or love, And he struck the Queen in the face with his glove. Then forth from the chamber in anger he fled, Queen Sigrid the Haughty said under her breath, Why dost thou sorrow so? V. THE SKERRY OF SHRIEKS. Now from all King Olaf's farms Gathered on the Eve of Easter; Drinking with the royal feaster. Loudly through the wide-flung door Of the sea upon the Skerry; And it's thunder loud and near Reached the ear, Mingling with their voices merry. |