And he spake to the noble heathen, and gentle his speech and mild-- 'If thy soul thou wouldst wrest from the Devil, thou shalt serve Him who reigns on high, And Threefold is He, yet but One God for aye is the Trinity. 500 God is Man, and the Word of His Father, God is Father at once and Son, And alike shall the twain be honoured, and the Spirit with them is One! In the Threefold Name shall it cleanse thee, this water, with Threefold might, And from shadow of heathen darkness shalt thou pass into Christian light. In water was He baptizèd, in Whose likeness was Adam made, 505 And each tree from the water draweth its sap, and its leafy shade. By water all flesh is nourished, and all that on earth doth live, And the eyes of man are quickened, such virtue doth water give; And many a soul it cleanseth, till it shineth so pure and white That the angels themselves in heaven methinks shall be scarce so bright!' 510 To the priest then he spake, the heathen, 'If it bringeth me ease for woe I will swear whatsoe'er thou biddest--If reward in her love I know, Then gladly I'll do His bidding--Yea, brother, I here believe In the God of my love, and for her sake all other gods I'll leave, (For such sorrow as she hath brought me I never have known before,) 515 And it profiteth naught Sekundillé the love that to me she bore, And the honour that she hath done me--All that shall have passed away-- In the Name of the God of my father would I fain be baptized to-day!' Then the priest laid his hands upon him, and the blessing baptismal gave, And he did on the chrisom vesture, and he won what his soul did crave, 520 For e'en as he was baptizèd they made ready the maiden mild, And for christening gift they gave him King Frimutel's lovely child.