Though sword or bow
Or shield held strong
Against my hand
Shallst keep me long
I willst cometh at last
To write this song
And with these words
Thus win renown.
For where I stray
And pass my day
Upon my threshold
I willst not stay.
For time is ripe
To go out and up
Thus cometh at last
To rest in a maiden's lap.
But do not weep
Thou, who stayed at my keep,
For I so chose
To die although
Life seemth young
Under the sun
And although I hate
To leave my mate
I willst not try to escape my fate.
So I shallst go
And meet my foe
On a green field
Or a mountain covered with snow.
And there I willst fight
And with all my might
I willst hear my foe's plight.
"I surrender", he said.
And so I stayed my hand.
And thus he rose
Shivering in the cold
And to me he proposed
An oath to hold.
"I willst serve thee now"
He said. "I bow."
So with me he went
And in his tent
He said to me
That he is in my debt.
"For so", he said,
"Is the manner of my land."
And then I thought
I heard from far
A mystic song,
A maiden's chant.
"Where hast thee gone,
To win renown?
I beg thee in love
To cometh home!"
And suddenly I felt
Coldness so great
And with it an emotion
Of sorrow and faith.
Now to rest at home in peace
Was the gist of my last wish.
And thus we rose
On a morning cold
And in the air
I heard thy call.
"Where hast thee gone
Beyond the sun?
Come back to me,
The time has come!"
And so I left my men to rest
And gone at last
To my keep,
Gone west.
And there I found
The grass has grown
In my long forgotten lawn.
But I could not stray long
For I did wish to write my song
And to see my mate
And learn her fate.
And there she stood
Her face covered by a hood.
"Why hast thee gone hither?"
She said with a quiver.
"For I love thee still
Though my heart is chilled.
And though I must away
Ere break of day
I beg thee now
To forgive my stray."
She took up her hood
And looked into my eyes
And then she said
In a cold rhyme:
"Thou cometh too late
For my back is bent
From waiting in cold nights
For thy return.
And still thee expect me
To go through days hot
As always was thy wont.
But not anymore,
My Lord, no more,
For thee always looked at me
As though I was a whore.
So I must away
Ere break of day
And for taking my dignity
Thou shall pay."
And so she went away
Ere break of day
And I went back
To my men far away.
And back to battle and to war
I still waited for her at my door.
But she did not come
Though long years hast gone.
And still I wait
Though my back is bent
Through nights so cold
I took no mate.
And in days hot I lay at my cot
And wait for her to come hither.
And though she will stray
From this day
I willst wait for her
As long as I may.