Long parted from the quay, Thus sang the sailor folk, Upon the Northern Sea, Good fortune to invoke: "Oh father, build a ship, Oh mother, weave the sail, We seek straight from the slip, The North Wind's Daughter pale."- "We travel night and day, No North Wind's Daughter find, And reach a northern bay, Where snow three giants grind." "'Our greetings, grinders three, Comes North Wind's Daughter forth?'- 'Thanks travellers on the sea, No, sail on further north!'" "We travel night and day, The Daughter seeking twice- And reach a northern bay, Where giants forge pure ice." "'Our greeting icesmiths three, Comes North Wind's Daughter forth?'- 'Thanks travellers on the sea. No, sail on further north!'" Thus sang the sailor folk Upon the Northern Sea, Until the helmsman spoke: Their way no more was free! Bearslayer in this boat, Sailed on the Northern Sea, To Germany afloat, To set Laimdota free. But battered by the force Of wind and storm that blew, And lost, far from the course, The way no more they knew. It seemed that evil powers, Sea ghosts, were ever near, In day and night-time hours, They filled the crew with fear. Dank mists and deepest gloom The light blocked as they swirled; While hail and snow-filled spume Were by the North Wind hurled. Then, where the sky's edge gleamed, A brilliant glow forth surged, And, from the glow, what seemed To be a sail emerged. Across the dark sea wave, Its course approached them near, Close up assurance gave: It was a ship was clear. And at the helmsman's side, A woman they could view, Who, nearing, sweetly cried In greeting to the crew: "Your song to my ears came, Called me across the sea. You called aloud my name; Say what you want from me!" The sailors were amazed, And stood as turned to stone. In wonder they all gazed, The North Wind's Daughter shown. Her face was peach and cream; Reflected in the glare, Eyes blue as Heaven's gleam Shone in the north's pure air. Her hair was long and gold, And to her shoulders hung. She wore, they could behold, A rainbow robe that clung. And on her form flowed down A snow-white woollen shawl.- Upon her head no crown, Instead, a helmet tall. And weapons she had too, Within the ship there seen: Bow, spear, and shield on view, Stout forged from copper green. Thus was the Daughter's form, About which legends tell.- That she provokes the storm, All sailors know full well. With terrors she can soar Into the northern height, Lead souls of men to war, All formed up for the fight. And when each lets his spear In warlike manner fly, On earth the people fear, Say: "War and plague are nigh!" In the domain of the North Wind's Daughter As first, Bearslayer stirred, The North Wind's Daughter told, That, lost, they were interred Within the northern cold. But their desire was clear, The homeward course to find: The North Wind's Daughter here, To help might be inclined.