The Knickerbocker Gallery/The Wedding-Trip of Jarl Alvar Rafn
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Yours truly
Charles G. Leland
The Wedding-Trip of Jarl Alvar Rafn.
ᚦᚱᛂᚴᚢᛘ ᛒᛁᚮᚱ ᛆᚦ ᛒᚱᛆᚵᚦᛂ
ᚢᚱ ᛒᛁᚢᚴᚢᛁᚦᚢᛘ ᚼᛆᚢᛋᛆ
The lightning grew pale,And the thunder was dumb,As if the old devilIn person had come,When in vengeance and furyThe Death-raven black,The Vikingir AlvarCame sweeping the track."Great Odin, thou storm-god!Crack on with our ship!We are off on a batter,Hurrah! let her rip!"So the wild pirate shoutedIn madness and scorn,While down went the liquorAnd round went the horn. So all hands, as you see, kept a good head of steam on!
By the sea, by the mountain,On Norway's strand, Brenhilda, the peerless,Sat high on the sand;When, smack! o'er the waterIn time double quick,Great Alvar came down,Like a thousand of brick.Splash! into the oceanThe Vikingir sprung,And pick-back the princessO'er shoulders he flung:Like an arrow he dartedThe wild billows through,And into the "Dragon,"Brenhilda he threw, While all hands gave a yell and took drinks on the strength of it!
By the Gods of Valhalla!I'm done for!" she cried."By Thor and by thunder!You are!" he replied.No more spake the maiden,No more spake her lord,But he stamped on the short deckAnd brandished his sword."There's a sail to the leeward!A sail in our path!Do you hear! blood and brimstone!Lok! blazes! and wrath!The bier-sucker madnessIs boiling me through!"Then he took a "long drink."And right into it flew, While the Ravens all round took a horn and went at it.
Oh! then on the helmetsThe death-biters rang,While Alvar, the Raven,Swore, murdered, and sang:
"The deck is blood-painted—A wound, all the bay—While round rage the sea-wolvesAnd fight for their prey.Brenhilda! land-maiden!Look up, and you'll findHow the Raven can 'go it,'When once he's inclined.See these skulls! how I split 'em!These throats how I slice;And all for thy sake, love!Thou pearl beyond price!" So the fight being over they all went and liquored.
"The Valkyries screamFor the souls of the dead,While Balder, the Sun-God,Shines down on our head!"So, like good, pious fellows.They knelt on the deck,And thanked the great godsThat their foe was a wreck.For on points of religionGreat Alvar was "strict,"And always "held prayers"When a ship had been licked.On a prisoner they found,By unanimous vote,They first carved the eagle,And then cut his throat; Then, church being over, adjourned for refreshment.
And over the oceanAnd over the foam,Like a shot from a shovelThe Vikingirs come.Loud roared the wild tempest,Loud roared the mad sea, But louder great AlvarSang forth in his glee:"Grim spectres sweep o'er usIn lightning or gloom,I see their eyes gleamingLike fire round a tomb:The Runes of the valiantDead heroes obey,Let 's pitch into NaplesAnd plunder and prey!" So they gave him three cheers, and then emptied a barrel.
"Set fire to the churches!Set fire to the town!Grab, murder, and plunder,Drag out and knock down!Go it strong, ye brave Northmen,Crush, tumble, and slash!"Roared the Jarl, as with each handHe held a mustache,And glared on the town.Like a wild devil grim:An Aesir in fury,A Jotun in limb.Now the blue shields are crimson,The spires are in flame,But on pitch the Ravens,All grit and all game: Only stopping to bolt down the wine on the altar.
Like fiends winged for murderThe arrows flew forth,While red swords were ringingThe knell from the North,And maces, deep mashing,Laid saints in the mud;While the black crow and eagleWent wading in blood. But where flames were loud roaringWith Death by his side,Rose the giant Jarl Alvar,In glory and pride."We have thrashed them to flinders And knocked 'em from time!Brenhilda, thou white oneSay—isn't it prime?" While the Northmen all round took a drink from their helmets.
"The men are all murdered,The town all aflame;And we've bagged all the pewter;Let's slope whence we came!And under a full headOf glory we go:No scald now, thank Braga!Can chalk us as 'slow.'To our Death Dragon hasten:How stately and lightShe rides the bright BeltOf the Daughter of Night!And be glad! for our voyageFull plainly hath shownThat the gods, when we 're pious,Look after their own." So they took one good horn, and went off in the Dragon