l go as guests,
With him to drink and eat.

The hound is yelling in the yard,
The herdsman blows his horn;
Crows the cock and clucks the hen
As the yeoman throws them corn.

Of Villenskov the yeoman saw
The Trolds the window through:
"Now help me Jesu, Mary's son,
Those trolds have me in view."

He sign'd the cross in every nook,
But mostly in his room;
Some of the Trolds in fright thereat
Flew to the forest's gloom.

Some flew east, and some flew west,
And some flew north away;
And others flew to the valleys deep,
Where still, I trow, they stay.

But ah! the smallest of the Trolds
Bold enter'd at the door;
For crossing he refus'd to flee,
Was bent on mischief sore.

The housewife thought of a good device,
She plac'd him at the board,
And before him set both ale and meat,
With many a courteous word.

"Hear, husbandman of Villenskov,
Attend to what I say;
Who has to thee permission given
To build where I have sway?

"Since thou to build within my bounds
Hast ta'en the liberty,
Thou shalt to me thy housewife give,
For I with her will lie."

Then answer made the hapless man,
As God gave him the thought:
"Thou shalt not Ellen get from me,
Like her I value nought."

He answer made unto the Trold:
"Let but my wife alone,
And do thou take my money and goods,
And keep them for thy own."

"Then I will Ellen take, and thee,
And tread ye both to gore;
And I will take thy silver and gold
And hide it 'neath my floor."

The yeoman and his household all
Were seized with mighty fright:
"Better that one of us be lost
Than all destroy'd outright."

Then up and stood the desp'rate man,
With sore affliction rife;
And he has given his Ellen dear
To the young Trold for wife.

Then wax'd he glad, and sprang about,
So fondly her he pressed;
O then how pale her cheeks became,
She was so sore distrest!

Then out and spake the afflicted Dame
Whilst shedding many a tear:
"O God in mercy look on me,
My fate is hard to bear.

"I did possess as fair a man
As ever walk'd-on mead,
But now perforce with laidly Trold
Must do adulterous deed."

He kiss'd her once, he kiss'd her twice,
Her heart yet sadder grew;
The laidliest Devil he became
That man did ever view.

When the third time he her would kiss
She call'd on Mary's son;
Then he became a lovely knight,
His elfin shape was gone.

It ha