King Hacon's Death and Bran and the Black Dog, by George Borrow

Transcribed from the 1913 Thomas J. Wise pamphlet by David Price, email [email protected]

KING HACON’S DEATH
and
BRAN AND THE BLACK DOG

TWO BALLADS

by
GEORGE BORROW

London:
printed for private circulation
1913

KING HACON’S DEATH

And now has happened in our day
   What was in ancient time foretold:
Beneath his hand all Norroway’s land
   Has Hacon brought, the wise and bold.

Full many a warrior summons he
   From all the country far and near;
To Scotland’s realm, with shield and helm,
   Across the sea the King will steer.

As many as sword and helm can bear
   With him must sail across the foam;
All of fit age must follow their liege,
   Those who are not may tarry at home.

It was Hacon, Norroway’s King,
   Survey’d the gallant band with pride:
“I’m missing one—my Andfindson,
   O where does Olaf the stripling bide?”

Then answer’d him the little footboy,
   Not far that stood from the Monarch’s knee:
“Olaf, my Lord, will come on board
   As soon as weigh’d the anchors be.”

Then out they stood from Bergen town,
   And out from Bergen’s mole, I trow;
Silk is the sail they spread in the gale,
   Painted with blue is the deck below.

“Now Magnus hear, my son so dear,
   At home I tell thee thou must stay:
Aarhus to ward and Bergen to guard,
   For the keys of Norroway’s land are they.”

“Listen all dearest father mine,
   Recall thy word I entreat of thee;
To rule rough earls and Norroway churls
   Too ignorant far and too young I be.”

“Then clothe thee straight and clothe thee well,
   Since thou wilt follow me, my child:
But much I fear thou can’st not bear
   The toss of the sea and its billows wild.”

So out they stood from Bergen town,
   And ’twas at fall of evening grey;
The folk on the shore they griev’d full sore
   As that brave armament sail’d away.

And when they came to Lindeness,
   And the mounting billow the sail bespray’d,
In the breeze so fair the ship stood there
   As though to the bottom it fast were made.

Then said the King as he lean’d upon
   His trusty faulchion’s hilt of gold:
“I’m here in the dark, is there any clerk
   Or layman here can this thing unfold?”

Then out spoke Nilaus Noderness,
   As a glance he flung upon the deep:
“Doom’d men on board, have we my Lord,
   The truth from thee I cannot keep.”

It was our Norroway Hacon then
   Thereat so sorely troubled grew:
“I’m missing one, my Andfindson,
   Why meets not Olaf his father’s view?”

Then answer’d him the little footboy,
   As apart he stood from the Norway King:
“Beneath the deck lies Olaf sick,
   And much I fear he’s suffering.”

It was Hacon the Norway King
   To visit Olaf with speed he goes:
“What cheer, what cheer, my Olaf dear?
   Thy state to thy father