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(A.D. 980–1016)
IT is always a temptation to an armed and agile nation, | |
| To call upon a neighbour and to say:— | |
| “We invaded you last night—we are quite prepared to fight, | |
| Unless you pay us cash to go away.” | |
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| And that is called asking for Dane-geld, | 5 |
| And the people who ask it explain | |
| That you’ve only to pay ’em the Dane-geld | |
| And then you’ll get rid of the Dane! | |
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| It is always a temptation to a rich and lazy nation, | |
| To puff and look important and to say:— | 10 |
| “Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you. | |
| We will therefore pay you cash to go away.” | |
| |
| And that is called paying the Dane-geld; | |
| But we’ve proved it again and again, | |
| That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld | 15 |
| You never get rid of the Dane. | |
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| It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation, | |
| For fear they should succumb and go astray, | |
| So when you are requested to pay up or be molested, | |
| You will find it better policy to say:— | 20 |
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| “We never pay any one Dane-geld, | |
| No matter how trifling the cost, | |
| For the end of that game is oppression and shame, | |
| And the nation that plays it is lost!” | |
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