The Raven into the chamber sped, Where Hildebrand drank the wine so red. “Hear thou, Hildebrand the young, Thy sister’s into durance flung. “Here art thou sitting and drinking wine, To-morrow they’ll burn sweet sister thine.” Hildebrand sprang the table o’er, Dashing the wine on the marble floor. Hildebrand hies him into the stall, There he beholds the coursers all. He viewed the brown, and the gray as well, On the black he laid the gilded selle. “Blacklille, Blacklille, if me thou’lt bear, Thou on winnowed wheat all thy days shalt fare.” “Then willingly, willingly, thee I’ll bear, But to breathe my name thou must not dare.” He placed himself Blacklille’s back upon, And across the sea then away he ran. And when to the midst of the Sound they came, He in evil hour uttered Blacklille’s name. Blacklille quickly swam to the land, But down to the bottom sank Hildebrand. On the Ting stood the damsel at break of day, Then heard she afar off Blacklille neigh. Blacklille ran towards the Ting in wrath, Back scattered both women and men from his path. Blacklille he kicked, the Raven he hewed, With the blood of men was his beak embrued. Black took on his back the fair young dame, He went from the Ting and with her was tame. And when they reached the yellow sand, Upon it was standing Hildebrand. “Welcome, sweet Kirsten, dear sister mine, Why is so pallid that cheek of thine?” “The reason my cheek so pale is seen, Is because I’ve far from my dear home been.” “Now let no honest man,” she said, “Into foreign lands his daughter wed. “Of gold perhaps he may get a store, But her happiness goeth for evermore.” Hildebrand kissed her o’er and o’er: “My darling sister, pray sorrow no more. “Kirsten, I pray thee, pardon me For bringing thee into this misery.” Then spake Blacklille as he stood: “I’ve saved thee by shedding human blood. “Give me, Kirsten, one little kiss, And the Raven one on that beak of his.” On their mouths she kissed them both with glee— From hideous thrall were they both set free. She kissed them both with good will, I ween, They changed to her brothers who lost had been. They all pressed her fondly to their breast, From sorrow and woe she is now at rest. THE WRESTLING-MATCH As one day I wandered lonely, in extreme distress of mind, I a pleasant garden entered, hoping comfort there to find. Up and down I paced the garden till an open space I spied, There I saw a crowd of people, and I heard a voice that cried: “Come and see what Love is doing, here is Love performing more Wondrous feats than e’er were witnessed at Olympian games of yore: This he conquers, that he conquers, young and old before him lie, Great and small alike he conquers, none with him a fall must try.