| |
| “BUILD at Kallundborg by the sea | |
| A church as stately as church may be, | |
| And there shalt thou wed my daughter fair,” | |
| Said the Lord of Nesvek to Esbern Snare. | |
| |
| And the Baron laughed. But Esbern said, | 5 |
| “Though I lose my soul, I will Helva wed!” | |
| And off he strode, in his pride of will, | |
| To the Troll who dwelt in Ulshoi hill. | |
| |
| “Build, O Troll, a church for me | |
| At Kallundborg by the mighty sea; | 10 |
| Build it stately, and build it fair, | |
| Build it quickly,” said Esbern Snare. | |
| |
| But the sly Dwarf said, “No work is wrought | |
| By Trolls of the Hills, O man, for naught. | |
| What wilt thou give for thy church so fair?” | 15 |
| “Set thy own price,” quoth Esbern Snare. | |
| |
| “When Kallundborg church is builded well, | |
| Thou must the name of its builder tell, | |
| Or thy heart and thy eyes must be my boon.” | |
| “Build,” said Esbern, “and build it soon.” | 20 |
| |
| By night and by day the Troll wrought on; | |
| He hewed the timbers, he piled the stone; | |
| But day by day, as the walls rose fair, | |
| Darker and sadder grew Esbern Snare. | |
| |
| He listened by night, he watched by day, | 25 |
| He sought and thought, but he dared not pray; | |
| In vain he called on the Elle-maids shy, | |
| And the Neck and the Nis gave no reply. | |
| |
| Of his evil bargain far and wide | |
| A rumor ran through the country-side; | 30 |
| And Helva of Nesvek, young and fair, | |
| Prayed for the soul of Esbern Snare. | |
| |
| And now the church was wellnigh done; | |
| One pillar it lacked, and one alone; | |
| And the grim Troll muttered, “Fool thou art! | 35 |
| To-morrow gives me thy eyes and heart!” | |
| |
| By Kallundborg in black despair, | |
| Through wood and meadow, walked Esbern Snare, | |
| Till, worn and weary, the strong man sank | |
| Under the birches on Ulshoi bank. | 40 |
| |
| At his last day’s work he heard the Troll | |
| Hammer and delve in the quarry’s hole; | |
| Before him the church stood large and fair: | |
| “I have builded my tomb,” said Esbern Snare. | |
| |
| And he closed his eyes the sight to hide, | 45 |
| When he heard a light step at his side: | |
| “O Esbern Snare!” a sweet voice said, | |
| “Would I might die now in thy stead!” | |
| |
| With a grasp by love and by fear made strong, | |
| He held her fast, and he held her long; | 50 |
| With the beating heart of a bird afeard, | |
| She hid her face in his flame-red beard. | |
| |
| “O love!” he cried, “let me look to-day | |
| In thine eyes ere mine are plucked away; | |
| Let me hold thee close, let me feel thy heart | 55 |
| Ere mine by the Troll is torn apart! | |
| |
| “I sinned, O Helva, for love of thee! | |
| Pray that the Lord Christ pardon me!” | |
| But fast as she prayed, and faster still, | |
| Hammered the Troll in Ulshoi hill. | 60 |
| |
| He knew, as he wrought, that a loving heart | |
| Was somehow baffling his evil art; | |
| For more than spell of Elf or Troll | |
| Is a maiden’s prayer for her lover’s soul. | |
| |
| And Esbern listened, and caught the sound | 65 |
| Of a Troll-wife singing underground: | |
| “To-morrow comes Fine, father thine: | |
| Lie still and hush thee, baby mine! | |
| |
| “Lie still, my darling! next sunrise | |
| Thou ’lt play with Esbern Snare’s heart and eyes!” | 70 |
| “Ho! ho!” quoth Esbern, “is that your game? | |
| Thanks to the Troll-wife, I know his name!” | |
| |
| The Troll he heard him, and hurried on | |
| To Kallundborg church with the lacking stone. | |
| “Too late, Gaffer Fine!” cried Esbern Snare; | 75 |
| And Troll and pillar vanished in air! | |
| |
| That night the harvesters heard the sound | |
| Of a woman sobbing underground, | |
| And the voice of the Hill-Troll loud with blame | |
| Of the careless singer who told his name. | 80 |
| |
| Of the Troll of the Church they sing the rune | |
| By the Northern Sea in the harvest moon; | |
| And the fishers of Zealand hear him still | |
| Scolding his wife in Ulshoi hill. | |
| |
| And seaward over its groves of birch | 85 |
| Still looks the tower of Kallundborg church, | |
| Where, first at its altar, a wedded pair, | |
| Stood Helva of Nesvek and Esbern Snare! | |
| |
