,
As fair as any oak that grows.

_The King's Daughter_.

O sweet bird, what did he then
Among the spears of my father's men?

_The Raven_.

'Twixt ashen plank and dark blue sea,
He sang: My true love waiteth me.

_The King's Daughter_.

As well as this dull floor knows my feet,
I am not weary yet, my sweet.

_The Raven_.

He sang: As once her hand I had,
Her lips at last shall make me glad.

_The King's Daughter_.

As once our fingers met, O love,
So shall our lips be fain thereof.

_The Raven_.

He sang: Come wrack and iron and flame,
For what shall breach the wall but fame?

_The King's Daughter_.

Be swift to rise and set, O Sun,
Lest life 'twixt hope and death be done.

_The Raven_.

King's daughter sitting in tower so high,
A gift for my tale ere forth I fly,
The gold from thy finger fair and fine,
Thou hadst it from no love of thine.

_The King's Daughter_.

By my father's ring another there is,
I had it with my mother's kiss.
Fly forth, O fowl, across the sea
To win another gift of me.
Fly south to bring me tidings true,
_Fair summer is on many a shield_.
Of the eve grown red with the battle-dew,
_Fair sing the swans 'twixt firth and field_.

_The Raven_.

King's daughter sitting in tower so high,
_Fair summer is on many a shield_.
Tidings to hearken ere thou die,
_Fair sing the swans 'twixt firth and field_.
In the Frankish land the spear points met,
And wide about the field was wet.
And high ere the cold moon quenched the sun,
Blew Steingrim's horn for battle won.

_The King's Daughter_.

Fair fall thee fowl! Tell tidings true
Of deeds that men that day did do.

_The Raven_.

Steingrim before his banner went,
And helms were broke and byrnies rent.

_The King's Daughter_.

A doughty man and good at need;
Tell men of any other's deed?

_The Raven_.

Where Steingrim through the battle bore
Still Olaf went a foot before.

_The King's Daughter_.

O fair with deeds the world doth grow!
Where is my true-love gotten now?

_The Raven_.

Upon the deck beside the mast
He lieth now, and sleepeth fast.

_The King's Daughter_.

Heard'st thou before his sleep began
That he spake word of any man?

_The Raven_.

Methought of thee he sang a song,
But nothing now he saith for long.

_The King's Daughter_.

And wottest thou where he will wend
With the world before him from end to end?

_The Raven_.

Before the battle joined that day
Steingrim a word to