he then,
   And got his mortal wound.

But still three warriors slaughtered he,
   They were not of the least,
Towards Hammeren went he then to find
   His father’s treasure-chest.

Fortune was yet to him so kind,
   The damsel proud he won;
And she was haughty Hvenild,
   He begot with her a son.

That gallant son, hight Ranke,
   Avenged his father well;
Grimhild entombed by Niflung’s gold
   Of hunger-pain did yell.

Then soon from out the land to Bern
   In Lombardy he strayed;
And there ’mongst Danish men he was,
   And prowess high displayed.

His mother she remained at home,
   From her got Hveen its name
’Mongst knights and warriors through the world,
   So widely goes its fame.

GRIMHILD’S VENGEANCE
Song the Second

It was the proud Dame Grimhild
   The wine with spices blends;
And unto many a hero free
   She messengers outsends.

“Go bid them come to battle,
   Go bid them come to strife;
I reckon many a hero free
   Shall lose his youthful life.”

’Twas Hero Hogen’s mother
   She has dreamt a wondrous dream,
That the stately courser tumbled
   As they rode him o’er the stream.

“That dream, dear son, a meaning has,
   I rede thee cautious be;
Beware thee of thy sister,
   She deals in treachery.”

It was the Hero Hogen
   He rode along the strand:
The mermaid there he found at play
   Upon the yellow sand.

“Now tell me, pretty mermaid,
   The future thou dost know,
Shall I the prize in Hvenland win,
   And warriors overthrow?”

“Now listen, Hero Hogen,
   Thou art of kemps the flower,
Enough of land thou dost possess,
   Enough of fame and power.

“And thou both gold and silver hast,
   And castles fair to see,
If thou dost go to Hvenland,
   For thy best it will not be.

“Goods and dominion hast thou, knight,
   And store of gold so red,
If thou dost go to Hven this year
   Thou wilt be smitten dead.”

It was the Hero Hogen, he
   Grew wrathful at her speech;
He strook the wretched mermaid
   That she fell dead on the beach.

“There do thou lie and rest thee now,
   Thou foul and wicked fay;
I know well how to guard me
   And my enemies to slay.”

There rode up to the portal
   Of Dame Grimhilda’s home,
Two men of noble bearing,
   Their steeds were all in foam.

The blow they gave the portal
   Rang all the castle through:
“O where art thou the porter,
   Why dost thou not undo?”

Then up and spoke the porter,
   So ready to deceive:
“I dare admit no stranger, Sirs,
   Without my Lady’s leave.”

He hied him to Dame Grimhild,
   To her he said in haste:
“Two knights before our castle wait,
   Admittance they request.”

“O that is Folker Spillemand,”
   Dame Grimhild she did say;
“And that is Hero Hogen,
   My brothers both are they.”

Down went dames and maidens then
   To see the twain alight;
They all were slender in the waist,
   And just of proper height.

It was the proud Dame Grimhild
   Herself in scarlet clad;
Then out she hastened to the court,
   The