Home then went maiden Else, Mid sorrow manifold, And ere that night's moon came again She lay alow in the mould. HAFBUR AND SIGNY TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH. King Hafbur and King Siward They needs must stir up strife, All about the sweetling Signy Who was so fair a wife. _O wilt thou win me then, or as fair a maid as I be?_ It was the King's son Hafbur Woke up amid the night, And 'gan to tell of a wondrous dream In swift words nowise light. "Me-dreamed I was in heaven Amid that fair abode, And my true-love lay upon mine arm And we fell from cloud to cloud." As there they sat, the dames and maids Of his words they took no keep, Only his mother well-beloved Heeded his dreamful sleep. "Go get thee gone to the mountain, And make no long delay; To the elve's eldest daughter For thy dream's areding pray." So the King's son, even Hafbur, Took his sword in his left hand, And he's away to the mountain To get speech of that Lily-wand. He beat thereon with hand all bare, With fingers small and fine, And there she lay, the elve's daughter, And well wotted of that sign. "Bide hail, Elve's sweetest daughter, As on skins thou liest fair, I pray thee by the God of Heaven My dream arede thou clear. "Me-dreamed I was in heaven, Yea amid that fair abode, And my true-love lay upon mine arm And we fell from cloud to cloud." "Whereas thou dreamed'st thou wert in heaven, So shalt thou win that may; Dreamed'st thou of falling through the clouds, So falls for her thy life away." "And if it lieth in my luck To win to me that may, In no sorrow's stead it standeth me For her to cast my life away." Lord Hafbur lets his hair wax long, And will have the gear of mays, And he rideth to King Siward's house And will well learn weaving ways. Lord Hafbur all his clothes let shape In such wise as maidens do, And thus he rideth over the land King Siward's daughter to woo. Now out amid the castle-garth He cast his cloak aside, And goeth forth to the high-bower Where the dames and damsels abide. Hail, sit ye there, dames and damsels, Maids and queens kind and fair, And chiefest of all to the Dane-King's daughter If she abideth here! "Hail, sittest thou, sweet King's daughter, A-spinning the silken twine, It is King Hafbur sends me hither To learn the sewing fine." Hath Hafbur sent thee here to me? Then art thou a welcome guest, And all the sewing that I can Shall I learn thee at my best. "And all the sewing that I can I shall learn thee lovingly, Out of one bowl shalt thou eat with me, And by my nurse shalt thou lie." "King's children have I eaten with, And lain down by their side: Must I lie abed now with a very nurse? Then woe is me this tide!" "Nay, let it pass, fair maiden! Of me gettest thou no harm, Out of one bowl shalt thou eat with me And sleep soft upon mine arm." There sat they, all the damsels, And sewed full craftily; But ever the King's son Hafbur With nail in mouth sat he.