登陆注册
5419700000121

第121章

Though the flying sea-spray drenches Fore and aft the rowers' benches, Not a single heart is craven Of the champions there on board.

All without the Fiord was quiet But within it storm and riot, Such as on his Viking cruises Raud the Strong was wont to ride.

And the sea through all its tide-ways Swept the reeling vessels sideways, As the leaves are swept through sluices, When the flood-gates open wide.

"'T is the warlock! 't is the demon Raud!" cried Sigurd to the seamen;"But the Lord is not affrighted By the witchcraft of his foes."To the ship's bow he ascended, By his choristers attended, Round him were the tapers lighted, And the sacred incense rose.

On the bow stood Bishop Sigurd, In his robes, as one transfigured, And the Crucifix he planted High amid the rain and mist.

Then with holy water sprinkled All the ship; the mass-bells tinkled;Loud the monks around him chanted, Loud he read the Evangelist.

As into the Fiord they darted, On each side the water parted;Down a path like silver molten Steadily rowed King Olaf's ships;Steadily burned all night the tapers, And the White Christ through the vapors Gleamed across the Fiord of Salten, As through John's Apocalypse,--Till at last they reached Raud's dwelling On the little isle of Gelling;Not a guard was at the doorway, Not a glimmer of light was seen.

But at anchor, carved and gilded, Lay the dragon-ship he builded;'T was the grandest ship in Norway, With its crest and scales of green.

Up the stairway, softly creeping, To the loft where Raud was sleeping, With their fists they burst asunder Bolt and bar that held the door.

Drunken with sleep and ale they found him, Dragged him from his bed and bound him, While he stared with stupid wonder, At the look and garb they wore.

Then King Olaf said: "O Sea-King!

Little time have we for speaking, Choose between the good and evil;Be baptized, or thou shalt die!

But in scorn the heathen scoffer Answered: "I disdain thine offer;Neither fear I God nor Devil;

Thee and thy Gospel I defy!"

Then between his jaws distended, When his frantic struggles ended, Through King Olaf's horn an adder, Touched by fire, they forced to glide.

Sharp his tooth was as an arrow, As he gnawed through bone and marrow;But without a groan or shudder, Raud the Strong blaspheming died.

Then baptized they all that region, Swarthy Lap and fair Norwegian, Far as swims the salmon, leaping, Up the streams of Salten Fiord.

In their temples Thor and Odin Lay in dust and ashes trodden, As King Olaf, onward sweeping, Preached the Gospel with his sword.

Then he took the carved and gilded Dragon-ship that Raud had builded, And the tiller single-handed, Grasping, steered into the main.

Southward sailed the sea-gulls o'er him, Southward sailed the ship that bore him, Till at Drontheim haven landed Olaf and his crew again.

XII

KING OLAF'S CHRISTMAS

At Drontheim, Olaf the King Heard the bells of Yule-tide ring, As he sat in his banquet-hall, Drinking the nut-brown ale, With his bearded Berserks hale And tall.

Three days his Yule-tide feasts He held with Bishops and Priests, And his horn filled up to the brim;But the ale was never too strong, Nor the Saga-man's tale too long, For him.

O'er his drinking-horn, the sign He made of the cross divine, As he drank, and muttered his prayers;But the Berserks evermore Made the sign of the Hammer of Thor Over theirs.

The gleams of the fire-light dance Upon helmet and hauberk and lance, And laugh in the eyes of the King;And he cries to Halfred the Scald, Gray-bearded, wrinkled, and bald, "Sing!""Sing me a song divine, With a sword in every line, And this shall be thy reward."And he loosened the belt at his waist, And in front of the singer placed His sword.

"Quern-biter of Hakon the Good, Wherewith at a stroke he hewed The millstone through and through, And Foot-breadth of Thoralf the Strong, Were neither so broad nor so long, Nor so true."Then the Scald took his harp and sang, And loud though the music rang The sound of that shining word;And the harp-strings a clangor made, As if they were struck with the blade Of a sword.

And the Berserks round about Broke forth into a shout That made the rafters ring:

They smote with their fists on the board, And shouted, "Long live the Sword, And the King!"But the King said, "O my son, I miss the bright word in one Of thy measures and thy rhymes."And Halfred the Scald replied, "In another 't was multiplied Three times."Then King Olaf raised the hilt Of iron, cross-shaped and gilt, And said, "Do not refuse;Count well the gain and the loss, Thor's hammer or Christ's cross:

Choose!"

And Halfred the Scald said, "This In the name of the Lord I kiss, Who on it was crucified!"And a shout went round the board, "In the name of Christ the Lord, Who died!"Then over the waste of snows The noonday sun uprose, Through the driving mists revealed, Like the lifting of the Host, By incense-clouds almost Concealed.

On the shining wall a vast And shadowy cross was cast From the hilt of the lifted sword, And in foaming cups of ale The Berserks drank "Was-hael!

To the Lord!"

XIII

THE BUILDING OF THE LONG SERPENT

Thorberg Skafting, master-builder, In his ship-yard by the sea, Whistling, said, "It would bewilder Any man but Thorberg Skafting, Any man but me!"Near him lay the Dragon stranded, Built of old by Raud the Strong, And King Olaf had commanded He should build another Dragon, Twice as large and long.

Therefore whistled Thorberg Skafting, As he sat with half-closed eyes, And his head turned sideways, drafting That new vessel for King Olaf Twice the Dragon's size.

Round him busily hewed and hammered Mallet huge and heavy axe;Workmen laughed and sang and clamored;

Whirred the wheels, that into rigging Spun the shining flax!

All this tumult heard the master,--

It was music to his ear;

Fancy whispered all the faster, "Men shall hear of Thorberg Skafting For a hundred year!"Workmen sweating at the forges Fashioned iron bolt and bar, Like a warlock's midnight orgies Smoked and bubbled the black caldron With the boiling tar.

同类推荐
  • 佛祖宗派世谱

    佛祖宗派世谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Henry VIII

    Henry VIII

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Sarrasine

    Sarrasine

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上玉晨郁仪结璘奔日月图

    太上玉晨郁仪结璘奔日月图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 土司灯仪

    土司灯仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 斗气魔妃你别逃

    斗气魔妃你别逃

    他红发飘扬,桀骜不驯!“菲儿——,你跟我走,我不会让你再受到一丁点的是伤害,文酷根本就不能保护你!”他高贵优雅,浅笑从容!“菲儿——,你别到他那里去,他会伤害你的!”这两个斗气大陆最优秀的男人为了她,正在以命相搏——,”文酷哥——,寒啸弟——,你们都给我住手!你们两个都是爱我疼我——是我最亲的亲人!你们为什么要这样——,你们想过我的感受吗!”怎么办——,难道必须有一个人要倒下嘛?莫菲你该如何抉择——?
  • 上神不知意

    上神不知意

    流云战神司容止养了只九尾红狐,听说那只狐狸可得上神意,不管走哪儿都带着这只小狐狸,小狐狸得意的连天君都赶戏弄……某仙问:“流云战神,你可知你这小狐狸戏弄了天帝?”“我自然是知道,我惯的,你有意见?”某战神傲娇的抱着狐狸走开。
  • 续红楼浮生梦

    续红楼浮生梦

    她,本是遗落世间一株孤傲的羸弱小草,因他的怜惜眷顾一朝飞上九重天。他,本是九天之上的王者,一次回眸,便换来与她永世无法割舍的羁绊。他,本是神瑛侍者只负责对她的灌溉,却因她的回眸一笑,从此将心失落。他,本是冰冷桀骜公子,只因一曲琴萧合鸣,便再也剪不断与她的丝丝相连。他,本是游戏人间的修行者,肩负神秘使命,只因一次意外,便写下这与她纠缠不清的缘。--------------本文慢热,是续写在宝玉成婚之后发生的故事,所以故事基本脱离了原著的框架,纯属YY之作。请亲耐心看下去,一定会发现这是个不错的故事!喜欢的多多支持~~谢谢!推荐:好友的新文::《红楼之黛心玉情》步行街
  • 太上洞玄灵宝消禳火灾经

    太上洞玄灵宝消禳火灾经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 快穿之迷妖记

    快穿之迷妖记

    “说出来你可能不相信,我可能是这世上最独一无二的妖怪了。”某土豆精眨着圆滚滚的眼睛看着眼前这个把她从天道底下救出来的美男子小心的道。美男子笑的如沐春风的瞧着她不说话。“真的!你别看我这样,四方神兽里的朱雀是我干娘!”这一天,渡劫失败,衣衫褴褛,顶着一头被雷劈的炸裂的发型的土崽,遇到了这个自称起源的美男子,从此走上了奔波于各个世界的不归路。 【作者君建了群,那什么,有兴趣的话可以加一下哦~有问题尽管问,有毛病尽管提≡﹏≡ 群号604530173群名这里是路又】
  • 金光明经文句记

    金光明经文句记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 足球大作战

    足球大作战

    天赋?努力?知名度?到底什么才是一个足球运动员的最该有的?我希望,对于你,依然是那颗纯粹无畏的心。未来的路,我们一起走完。
  • 医往情深,季先生宠妻为上

    医往情深,季先生宠妻为上

    先是被男朋友背叛。后又失身于自己的主治医生。然后发现连自己的家人都是假的。受了巨大打击的佟羽失去记忆,醒来时看到的第一个人是季乔。佟羽:“您是?”季乔面无表情地搂住佟羽的腰:“我是你老公。”……数月后佟羽终于恢复记忆。她看着眼前这个再熟悉不过的男人,笑着问:“听说你是我老公?”季乔微微一笑,直接将佟羽抱了起来。佟羽尖叫一声:“季医生,请自重!”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 医统天下

    医统天下

    体弱多病的“军中智脑”穿越了,成为了一个饱受嘲笑、牛犊子一样壮硕的草包大小姐?一场意外,她不幸杠上了冷漠无情、杀人如麻的大魔尊。从此以后你追我躲,你进我退,你骂我忍,你打我扛,热火朝天……待大魔尊被驯化成为大忠犬,随她斩魑魅、灭魍魉、帮她翻手云、覆手雨,一步步踏上天下至尊之位。功成名就之时,众属下问:“尊主,您为何愿意屈居人下?”他笑得一脸得意:“尔等如何能懂本尊生活的甜蜜?”众人:……是个什么鬼,夫人!把他们优雅的尊主大人还回来啊啊啊!
  • 最受欢迎的哈佛心理课

    最受欢迎的哈佛心理课

    哈佛大学汇聚世界上最优秀的心理学家,让哈佛学子的心灵得到了丰富的滋养,并孕育出一批又一批享誉全球的精英人才。《最受欢迎的哈佛心理课》由牧之编著,集众家之长,将哈佛心理课的教育理念渗透到个人素质、生活心态、职场心理、社交心理等方方面面,让读者能够全方位地领悟哈佛心理学的智慧和魅力。《最受欢迎的哈佛心理课》汇聚心理学经典理论,浓缩哈佛人智慧精华,有效地激发心灵能量,帮助我们提升心理认知境界,提升心智水平,提高生活品位。通过心理素质锻炼等十多堂心理课,让我们学会重塑自我,掌控情绪,提高情商,平衡心态,从而在未来的道路上无往不胜,百毒不侵,做最强大、最幸福快乐的人。