"Svend Vonved, wilt thou bide with me here? Honour awaits thee, and costly cheer; Whenever it lists thee abroad to wend, Upon thee shall knights and swains attend. Look out, look out, Svend Vonved. "Silver and gold thou never shalt lack, Or helm to thy head, or mail to thy back;" But to this and the like he would lend no ear, And home to his mother he now will steer. Look out, look out, Svend Vonved. Svend Vonved gallop'd along the way; To fancies dark was his mind a prey: Riding he enter'd the castle yard Where stood twelve witches wrinkled and scarr'd: Look out, look out, Svend Vonved. There stood they all, with spindle and rok, {f:18}-- Each over the shinbone gave him a knock: Svend turn'd his steed, in fury, round; The witches he there has hew'd to the ground. Look out, look out, Svend Vonved. He hew'd the witches limb from limb, So little mercy they got from him; His mother came out, and was serv'd the same, Into fifteen pieces he hackt her frame. Look out, look out, Svend Vonved. Then in he went to his lonely bower, There drank he the wine, the wine of power: His much-lov'd harp he play'd upon Till the strings were broken, every one. Look out, look out, Svend Vonved. THE TOURNAMENT. FROM THE OLD DANISH. This is one of those Ballads which, from the days of Arild, have been much sung in Denmark: we find in it the names and bearings of most of those renowned heroes, who are mentioned separately in other poems. It divides itself into two parts;--the first, which treats of the warrior's bearings, has a great resemblance to the 178th chapter of the Vilkina Saga, as likewise has the last part, wherein the Duel is described, to the 180th and 181st chapters of the same. I cannot here forbear quoting and translating what Anders Sorensen Vedel, the good old Editor of the first Edition of the Kiaempe Viser, which appeared in 1591, says concerning the apparently superhuman performances of the heroes therein celebrated. "Hvad ellers Kiaempernes Storlemhed Styrke og anden Vilkaar berorer, som overgaaer de Menneskers der nu leve deres Vaext og Kraft, det Stykke kan ikke her noksom nu forhandles, men skal i den Danske Kronikes tredie Bog videligere omtales. Thi det jo i Sandhed befindes og bevises af adskillige Documenter og Kundskab, at disse gamle Hellede, som de kaldes, have levet fast laenger, og vaeret mandeligere storre staerkere og hoiere end den gemene Mand er, som nu lever paa denne Dag." "That part which relates to these Warriors' size, strength, or other qualities, so far surpassing the stature and powers of the men who now exist, cannot be here sufficiently treated upon, but shall be further discussed in the third Book of the Danish Chronicles: for, in truth, it is discovered and proved from various documents and sources, that these old heroes, as they are called, lived much longer, and were manlier, stouter, stronger, and taller, than man at the present day."