iron bar stout,
   The castle was rent and parted;
’Neath that blow’s power nod wall and tower,
   From their place the windows started.

“You see I broke in,” bold Ramund he said,
   “Now at stake is thy skin,” said Ramund the young.

“Dear Ramund, dear Ramund, my life now spare,
   And with benefits thee I’ll cover;
I’ll give thee my youngest daughter fair,
   And the half of the land I rule over.”
“Can take all any tide,” bold Ramund he said,
   “And thy daughter beside,” said Ramund the young.

Ramund then drew out Dymling his blade,
   Of his valour the trusty assistant;
And he hewed at the Emperor so that his head
   Flew fifteen furlongs distant.
“I thought ’twould not sever,” bold Ramund he said,
   “But the blood runs however,” said Ramund the young.

ALF OF ODDERSKIER

Alf he dwells at Odderskier,
   Is rich and bold withal;
Two stout and stalwart sons has he
   Whom men do kempions call.

Yes, two stout sons of mighty fame
   Has Alf of Odderskier;
Of the king who dwells on Upsal fells
   They love the daughter fair.

It was youthful Helmer Kamp,
   From stall his courser led;
“O I will hie me up the land
   And the king’s fair daughter wed.”

It was youthful Angelfyr
   He sprang on his courser’s back:
“And I will ride to Upsal too,
   Though the earth beneath me crack.”

And when they entered the castle yard
   They doffed their cloaks of skin;
Then straight they strode to the high, high hall,
   To the monarch of Upsal in.

In came youthful Helmer Kamp,
   With grace and beauty rife:
“O King, thy daughter dear I love,
   Wilt give her me for wife?”

In came youthful Angelfyr,
   His steely helmet shone:
“O King, give up thy daughter to me,
   And straight from the land begone.”

Then answered soon the Upsal-King,
   And a brave reply he gave:
“On my daughter I’ll no husband force,
   She’ll choose whom she will have.”

“Now many thanks, dear father, that
   Thou leav’st the choice to me;
I’ll plight me to young Helmer Kamp,
   He’s like a man to see.

“But I’ll not have young Angelfyr,
   He’s an ugly Trold to view;
His father so is, his mother so is,
   So are all his kindred too.”

Then answered the young Angelfyr,
   So sorely wroth he grew:
“Come, brother, come to the court-yard down,
   For her we will battle do.”

Then up and spake the Upsal King,
   And the Upsal King did say:
“The swords are sharp, the swains are stark,
   There’ll be, I trow, good play.”

Alf he stands at Odderskier,
   And he listens the mountains tow’rds;
Then must he hear so far, far off
   The clash of his children’s swords.

And that heard Alf of Odderskier,
   So far across the down:
“What have my sons now got in hand?
   Why so wrathful are they grown?”

He tarried then so short a space,
   He sprang on his courser red;
And he arrived at Upsala
   Before his sons lay dead.

“Now tell me, youthful Helmer Kamp,
   Tell me my dearest son,
Wherefore so free from thy flesh and bone
   Those bloody rivers run?”

Then answered the