Mave.[40]

A rich reward of golden rings
  I’ll give to thee, Ferdiah fair,
The forest, where the wild bird sings,
  the broad green plain, with me thou’lt share;
Thy children and thy children’s seed,
  for ever, until time is o’er,
Shall be from every service freed
  within the sea-surrounding shore. 
Oh, Daman’s son, Ferdiah fair,
  oh, champion of the wounds renowned,
For thou a charm`ed life dost bear,
  since ever by the victories crowned,
Oh! why the proffered gifts decline,
  oh! why reject the nobler fame,
Which many an arm less brave than thine,
  which many a heart less bold, would claim?

Ferdiah.

Without a guarantee, O queen!
  without assurance made most sure,
Thy grassy plains, thy woodlands green,
  thy golden rings are but a lure. 
The champion’s place is not for me
  until thou art most firmly bound,
For dreadful will the battle be
  between me and Emania’s Hound. 
For such is Chuland’s name,
  O queen, and such is Chuland’s nature, too,
The noble Hound, the Hound of fame,
  the noble heart to dare and do,
The fearful fangs that never yield,
  the agile spring so swift and light: 
Ah! dread the fortune of the field!
  ah! fierce will be the impending fight!

Mave.

I’ll give a champion’s guarantee,
  and with thee here a compact make,
That in the assemblies thou shalt be
  no longer bound thy place to take;
Rich silver-bitted bridles fair—­
  for such each noble neck demands—­
And gallant steeds that paw the air,
  shall all be given into thy hands. 
For thou, Ferdiah, art indeed
  a truly brave and valorous man,
The first of all the chiefs I lead,
  the foremost hero in the van;
My chosen champion now thou art,
  my dearest friend henceforth thou’lt be,
The very closest to my heart,
  from every toll and tribute free.

Ferdiah.

Without securities, I say,
  united with thy royal word,
I will not go, when breaks the day,
  to seek the combat at the Ford. 
That contest, while time runs its course,
  and fame records what ne’er should die,
Shall live for ever in full force,
  until the judgment day draws nigh. 
I will not go, though death ensue,
  though thou through some demoniac rite,
Even as thy druid sorcerers do,
  canst kill me with thy words of might: 
I will not go the Ford to free,
  until, O queen! thou here dost swear
By sun and moon,[41] by land and sea,
  by all the powers of earth and air.

Mave.