GOLDTHRED'S SONG FROM KENILWORTH Published in 1821 From Chapter II. 'After some brief interval, Master Goldthred, at the earnest instigation of mine host, and the joyous concurrence of his guests, indulged the company with the following morsel of melody:' Of all the birds on bush or tree, Commend me to the owl, Since he may best ensample be To those the cup that trowl. For when the sun hath left the west, He chooses the tree that he loves the best, And he whoops out his song, and he laughs at his jest; Then though hours be late, and weather foul, The lark is but a bumpkin fowl, He sleeps in his nest till morn; But my blessing upon the jolly owl, That all night blows his horn. Then up with your cup till you stagger in speech, And match me this catch though you swagger and screech, And drink till you wink, my merry men each; For though hours be late, and weather be foul, We'll drink to the health of the bonny, bonny owl. VERSES FROM THE PIRATE Published in 1821 I THE SONG OF THE TEMPEST From Chapter vi. 'A Norwegian invocation, still preserved in the island of Uist, under the name of the Song of the Reim-kennar, though some call it the Song of the Tempest. The following is a free translation, it being impossible to render literally many of the elliptical and metaphorical terms of expression peculiar to the ancient Northern poetry': — I STERN eagle of the far northwest, Thou that bearest in thy grasp the thunderbolt, Thou whose rushing pinions stir ocean to madness, Thou the destroyer of herds, thou the scatterer of navies, Thou the breaker down of towers, Amidst the scream of thy rage, Amidst the rushing of thy onward wings, Though thy scream be loud as the cry of a perishing nation, Though the rushing of thy wings be like the roar of ten thousand waves, Yet hear, in thine ire and thy haste, Hear thou the voice of the Reim-kennar. 2 Thou hast met the pine-trees of Drontheim, Their dark-green heads lie prostrate beside their up rooted stems; Thou hast met the rider of the ocean, The tall, the strong bark of the fearless rover, And she has struck to thee the topsail That she had not veiled to a royal armada; Thou hast met the tower that bears its crest among the clouds, The battled massive tower of the Jarl of former days, And the cope-stone of the turret Is lying upon its hospitable hearth; But thou too shalt stoop, proud compeller of clouds, 3 There are verses that can stop the stag in the forest, Ay, and when the dark-coloured dog is opening on his track; There are verses can make the wild hawk pause on his wing, Like the falcon that wears the hood and the jesses, And who knows the shrill whistle of the fowler. Thou who canst mock at the scream of the drowning mariner, And the crash of the ravaged forest, And the groan of the overwhelmed crowds, When the church hath fallen in the moment of prayer. There are sounds which thou also must list, When they are chanted by the voice of the Reim-kennar. 4 Enough of woe hast thou wrought on the ocean, Let the ocean repose in her dark strength; Let the thunderbolt sleep in the armoury of Odin; Be thou still at my bidding, viewless racer of the north western heaven, Sleep thou at the voice of Norna the Reim-kennar. 5 Eagle of the far northwestern waters, Thou hast heard the voice of the Reim-kennar, And folded them in peace by thy side. My blessing be on thy retiring path; When thou stoopest from thy place on high, |