Ah! when thy Balder comes back, and bears from the heart of the Sun Peace and the healing of pain, and the wisdom that waiteth no more; And the lilies are laid on thy brow 'mid the crown of the deeds thou hast done; And the roses spring up by thy feet that the rocks of the wilderness wore. Ah! when thy Balder comes back and we gather the gains he hath won, Shall we not linger a little to talk of thy sweetness of old, Yea, turn back awhile to thy travail whence the Gods stood aloof to behold? THE RAVEN AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER THE RAVEN King's daughter sitting in tower so high, _Fair summer is on many a shield._ Why weepest thou as the clouds go by? _Fair sing the swans 'twixt firth and field._ Why weepest thou in the window-seat Till the tears run through thy fingers sweet? THE KING'S DAUGHTER I weep because I sit alone Betwixt these walls of lime and stone. Fair folk are in my father's hall, But for me he built this guarded wall. And here the gold on the green I sew Nor tidings of my true-love know. THE RAVEN King's daughter, sitting above the sea, I shall tell thee a tale shall gladden thee. Yestreen I saw a ship go forth When the wind blew merry from the north. And by the tiller Steingrim sat, And O, but my heart was glad thereat! For 'twixt ashen plank and dark blue sea His sword sang sweet of deeds to be. THE KING'S DAUGHTER O barren sea, thou bitter bird, And a barren tale my ears have heard. THE RAVEN Thy father's men were hard thereby In byrny bright and helmet high. THE KING'S DAUGHTER O worser waxeth thy story far, For these drew upon me bolt and bar. Fly south, O fowl, to the field of death For nothing sweet thy grey neb saith. THE RAVEN O, there was Olaf the lily-rose, As fair as any oak that grows. THE KING'S DAUGHTER O sweet bird, what did he then Among the spears of my father's men? THE RAVEN 'Twixt ashen plank and dark blue sea, He sang: My true love waiteth me. THE KING'S DAUGHTER As well as this dull floor knows my feet, I am not weary yet, my sweet. THE RAVEN He sang: As once her hand I had, Her lips at last shall make me glad. THE KING'S DAUGHTER As once our fingers met, O love, So shall our lips be fain thereof. THE RAVEN He sang: Come wrack and iron and flame, For what shall breach the wall but fame? THE KING'S DAUGHTER Be swift to rise and set, O Sun, Lest life 'twixt hope and death be done. THE RAVEN King's daughter sitting in tower so high, A gift for my tale ere forth I fly, The gold from thy finger fair and fine, Thou hadst it from no love of thine. THE KING'S DAUGHTER By my father's ring another there is, I had it with my mother's kiss. Fly forth, O fowl, across the sea To win another gift of me. Fly south to bring me tidings true, _Fair summer is on many a shield._ Of the eve grown red with the battle-dew, _Fair sing the swans 'twixt firth and field._ THE RAVEN