THE KING’S DAUGHTER

As once our fingers met, O love,
So shall our lips be fain thereof.

THE RAVEN

He sang:  Come wrack and iron and flame,
For what shall breach the wall but fame?

THE KING’S DAUGHTER

Be swift to rise and set, O Sun,
Lest life ’twixt hope and death be done.

THE RAVEN

King’s daughter sitting in tower so high,
A gift for my tale ere forth I fly,
The gold from thy finger fair and fine,
Thou hadst it from no love of thine.

THE KING’S DAUGHTER

By my father’s ring another there is,
I had it with my mother’s kiss. 
Fly forth, O fowl, across the sea
To win another gift of me. 
Fly south to bring me tidings true,
Fair summer is on many a shield.
Of the eve grown red with the battle-dew,
Fair sing the swans ’twixt firth and field.

THE RAVEN

King’s daughter sitting in tower so high, Fair summer is on many a shield. Tidings to hearken ere thou die, Fair sing the swans ’twixt firth and field. In the Frankish land the spear points met, And wide about the field was wet.  And high ere the cold moon quenched the sun, Blew Steingrim’s horn for battle won.

THE KING’S DAUGHTER

Fair fall thee, fowl!  Tell tidings true Of deeds that men that day did do.

THE RAVEN

Steingrim before his banner went,
And helms were broke and byrnies rent.

THE KING’S DAUGHTER

A doughty man and good at need;
Tell men of any other’s deed?

THE RAVEN

Where Steingrim through the battle bore
Still Olaf went a foot before.

THE KING’S DAUGHTER

O fair with deeds the world doth grow! 
Where is my true-love gotten now?

THE RAVEN

Upon the deck beside the mast
He lieth now, and sleepeth fast.

THE KING’S DAUGHTER

Heard’st thou before his sleep began
That he spake word of any man?

THE RAVEN

Methought of thee he sang a song,
But nothing now he saith for long.

THE KING’S DAUGHTER

And wottest thou where he will wend
With the world before him from end to end?