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 ’tis her wish to laugh,
And weeps when she will weep;
Whene’er she wants thy heart to move
Fair words on thee she’ll heap.

Be she sick, or be she well,
In woman ne’er confide;
In murder red, by woman led,
His hands Sir Nielus dyed.

KING VALDEMAR AND HIS SISTER

See, see, with Queen Sophy sits Valdemar bold.
About little Kirsten much parlance they hold.

“Now hark, my good Lord! I have this to propose,
That thou shalt give Kirsten to Buris for spouse.

A sister thou hast, I a brave brother own,
A wedding we’ll have ere this good year be flown.”

“It never shall happen, as long as I live,
That I to a horse-thief my sister will give.

My sister’s a princess so fair and so bright,
But Buris is liker a groom than a knight.”

Then pale as a corpse grew Sophia to see;
“My noble lord, wherefore despisest thou me?”

The Queen struck with fury her hand on the board:
“Be sure that I vengeance will have for that word.”

King Valdemar now to the war-field should wend,
Behind stays Sir Buris the land to defend.

Forth, forth from the land the bold King his course bent,
So many a beautiful knight with him went.

Him followed so many a chivalrous band;
He disposed of his sister, the fair mirror’s hand.

To a prince rich and fine and of valour approved,
He gave little Kirsten, his sister beloved.

With Buris Sophia sits over the board,
And much brooded she on King Valdemar’s word.

“Sir Buris, my brother, list thou to my say:
Beguile the King’s sister whilst he is away.”

Sir Buris he cast on his sister his eyes:
“O why my dear sister dost talk in this guise?

To do such an act I will never consent,
To make her my wife is my wish and intent.”

The Queen with her hand struck the table with force:
“Just, just as I bid thee direct thou thy course.”

His mantle of azure Sir Buris puts on,
And unto the princess Sir Buris is gone.

With prayers late and early the maiden he tired,
But could not obtain from her what he desired.

“Sir Buris, why seekest thou me to betray?
To my brother for this thou must answer some day.”

With ghastly white cheek did Sir Buris depart,
The maiden he loved from the depths of his heart.

Sir Buris flung on him his scarlet array,
And unto Sophia with speed took his way:

“The princess so firm and determined I find,
No knight in this world can e’er conquer her mind.”

“A pretty man, thou, to take love-work in hand,
If the powerful Runes thou dost not understand.”

“To the paths of fidelity I will return,
No wish do I feel your Rune-magic to learn.

King Valdemar left his domain to my care,
Shall I in return his dear sister ensnare?”

“O I will for thee the Rune-characters trace,
And thou them shalt cast in convenient place.”

“Sir Buris has cast the Rune-letters, alas,
On the bridge over which little Kirsten should pass.

Little Kirsten with anguish was filled, and with care,
Must spite of herself to Sir Buris repair.

She knocked with her hand on the thick oaken door:
“Sir Buris, arise, let me into thy bower.”

Upstood then Sir Buris, in scarlet array’d,
And straight he admitted the beautiful maid.

The whole night she lay in Sir Buris’ embrace,
All to her own sorrow and daily distress.

Now on towards summer and autumn it drew,