“From what far-off land hast thou taken flight?”
“From the land of the North, a weary way.” 
“What stayed thy feet at our gate this night?”
“The chant of the nuns, for I heard them pray,
And the song gave peace
To my soul, and blessed me;
It offered release
From the grief that oppressed me. 
Let me in, so if peace to give be thine,
I may make it mine.”

“Name me the grief that thy life hath crossed.” 
“Rest may I never, never know.” 
“Thy father, thy lover, thou hast then lost?”
“I lost them both at a single blow,
And all I held dear
In my deepest affection,
Ay, all that was near
To my heart’s recollection. 
Let me in, I am failing, I beg, I implore,
I can bear no more.”

“How was it that thou thy father lost?”
“He was slain, and I saw the deed.” 
“How was it that thou thy lover lost?”
“My father he slew, and I saw the deed. 
I wept so bitterly
When he roughly would woo me,
He at last set me free,
And forbore to pursue me. 
Let me in, for the horror my soul doth fill
That I love him still.”

CHORUS OF NUNS WITHIN THE CHURCH

Come child, come bride,
To God’s own side. 
From grief find rest
On Jesus’ breast. 
Rest thy burden of sorrow
On Horeb’s height;
Like the lark, with to-morrow
Shall thy soul take flight.

     Here stilled is all yearning,
     No passion returning,
     No terror come near thee
     Where the Saviour can hear thee! 
     For He, if in need be
       Thy storm-beaten soul,
     Though it bruised as a reed be,
       Shall raise it up whole.

THE PLEA OF KING MAGNUS

From ‘Sigurd Slembe’

“But once more let me the heavens see,
When the stars their watch are keeping,”
Young Magnus begged, and fell on his knee;
It was sad to see,
And the women away turned weeping.

“Let me once more the mountains see,
And the blue of the ocean far-reaching,
Only once more, and then let it be!”
And he fell on his knee,
While his friends were for pity beseeching.

“Let me go to the church, that the sacred sight
Of the blood of God may avail me;
That my eyes may bathe in its holy light,
Ere the day take flight,
And my vision forever shall fail me!”

But the sharp steel sped, and the shadows fell,
As the darkness the day o’erpowers. 
“Magnus our king, farewell, farewell!”
“So farewell, farewell,
All my friends of so many glad hours.”

Copyrighted by Houghton, Mifflin and Company, Boston.

SIN AND DEATH

From ‘Sigurd Slembe’

Sin and Death, at break of day,
Day, day,
Spoke together with bated breath;
Marry thee, sister, that I may stay,
Stay, stay,
In thy house, quoth Death.

Death laughed aloud when Sin was wed,
Wed, wed,
And danced on the bridal day;
But bore that night from the bridal bed,
Bed, bed,
The groom in a shroud away.