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Anonymous translation
’FORE Fredereksteen King Carl he lay | |
| With mighty host; | |
| But Frederekshal, from day to day, | |
| Much trouble cost. | |
| To seize the sword each citizen | 5 |
| His tools let fall, | |
| And valiant Peter Colbiornsen | |
| Was first of all. | |
| Thus for Norroway fight the Norsemen. | |
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| ’Gainst Frederekshal so fierce and grim | 10 |
| Turned Carl his might, | |
| The citizens encountered him | |
| In numbers slight; | |
| But, ah! they fought like Northern men | |
| For much-loved land, | 15 |
| And it was Peter Colbiornsen | |
| That led the band. | |
| Thus for Norroway fight the Norsemen. | |
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| Such heavy blows the Norsemen deal | |
| Amid the foe, | 20 |
| Like ripe corn ’fore the reaper’s steel | |
| The Swedes sink low. | |
| But sturdiest reaper weary will; | |
| So happed it here: | |
| Though many the Norwegians kill, | 25 |
| More, more appear. | |
| Thus for Norroway fight the Norsemen. | |
| |
| Before superior force they flew, | |
| As Norsemen fly, | |
| They but retired, the fight anew | 30 |
| Unawed to ply. | |
| Now o’er the bodies of his slain | |
| His way Carl makes; | |
| He thinks he has the city ta’en, | |
| But he mistakes. | 35 |
| Thus for Norroway fight the Norsemen. | |
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| A speedy death his soldiers found | |
| Where’er they came; | |
| For Norse were posted all around, | |
| And greeted them. | 40 |
| Then Carl he sent, but sorely vexed, | |
| To Fredereksteen, | |
| And begged that he might bury next | |
| His slaughtered men. | |
| Thus for Norroway fight the Norsemen. | 45 |
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| “No time, no time to squander e’er | |
| Have Norsemen bold, | |
| He came self-bidden ’mongst us here,” | |
| Thus Carl was told; | |
| “If we can drive him back again, | 50 |
| We now must try,” | |
| And it was Peter Colbiornsen | |
| Made that reply. | |
| Thus for Norroway fight the Norsemen. | |
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| Lo! from the town the flames outburst, | 55 |
| High-minded men! | |
| And he who fired his house the first | |
| Was Colbiornsen. | |
| Eager to quench the fire, the foes | |
| Make quick resort, | 60 |
| But bullets fell as fast as snows | |
| Down from the fort. | |
| Thus for Norroway fight the Norsemen. | |
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| Now rose the flames toward the sky, | |
| Red, terrible; | 65 |
| His heroes’ death the king thereby | |
| Could see right well. | |
| Sir Peter’s word he then made good, | |
| His host retires; | |
| But in his path the steen it stood, | 70 |
| And on him fires. | |
| Thus for Norroway fight the Norsemen. | |
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| Magnificent midst corse and blood | |
| Glowed Frederekshal; | |
| Illumed its own men’s courage proud, | 75 |
| And Swedesmen fall. | |
| Whoe’er saw pile funereal flame | |
| So bright as then? | |
| Sure never shall expire thy name, | |
| O Colbiornsen! | 80 |
| Thus for Norroway fight the Norsemen. | |
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