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KORMAK, 
 
 AN ICELANDIC ROMANCE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 TENTH CENTURY 
 
 IN SIX CANTOS 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 WALKER, WISE, AND COMPANY, 
 
 245 Washington Street. 
 
 I 86 I. 
 

 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by 
 
 WALKER, WISE, AND COMPANY, 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts 
 
 University Press, Cambridge : 
 Stereotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. 
 
PRE FACE 
 
 During the eighth, ninth, and tenth 
 centuries, and later, the Scandinavians — 
 rude, barbarous, and uncultivated, ftill ad- 
 hering to their old religion of wild, ro- 
 mantic, and legendary fuperftition, or rude 
 converts of Chriftianity, relinquifliing old 
 rites to grafp, with barbarian energy, the 
 fuperficial principles of a new faith, that 
 at firft foftened not their fiercenefs — 
 were the active ruling-fpirits of the world. 
 From their homes in the primeval forefts 
 of the North, this nomadic people overran 
 the lands of the more civilized but weaker 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 nations, then funk in enervating luxury 
 from that ancient vigor, that made the 
 matchlefs force of Roman arms, the gUt- 
 tering fplendor of Grecian enhghtenment. 
 They defcended in countlefs hordes 
 from their wild faftnefles of the North, 
 bringing difmay and deftrudlion upon 
 populous cities and wealthy, luxuriant 
 lands. With a clafh like the rufh of a 
 mountain torrent, the bands of the " yel- 
 low-haired Northmen " — the ftrong of 
 limb, the dauntlefs and ruthlefs of heart 
 — fwept all before them in their refiftlefs 
 march, and returned to their homes laden 
 with a wealth they knew not how to ufe, 
 and clothed with favage terrors, more 
 potent than even their favage arms, to 
 break down the feeble refiftance of their 
 weaker, though more civilized, fouthern 
 neighbors. Over all the feas fwept the 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 armed fhips of the Northmen, bound on 
 miffions of piracy and rapine ; no fhore, 
 however remote, was fafe from their at- 
 tacks, that had aught to tempt their cu- 
 pidity or love of martial deeds. Even 
 into the wild Northern Ocean they pufhed 
 their adventurous voyages, — difcovered and 
 colonized the far-away ifland of Iceland; 
 and here, with charadieriftic energy, in 
 a climate that had fo little to recommend 
 it as the habitation of man, they eftab- 
 lifhed a republic, that for more than four 
 hundred years flourifhed in its ifolated 
 liberty, and effedlually refilled the many 
 efforts of Norwegian princes to bring the 
 ifland under their defpotic rule. 
 
 The hiftory of this little Northern re- 
 public is full of wild and ftrange romance, 
 and from its Sagas, wonderfully preferved, 
 might be found material fufficient to em- 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 ploy even the myriad romance-writers of 
 this nineteenth century, v^ithout the fear 
 of foon exhaufting the fupply. 
 
 From fome of thefe old ftories has been 
 haftily and crudely conftru6ted the fol- 
 lowing tale, that, aiming not at literary 
 excellence, only propofes to intereft, per- 
 haps, a leifure hour, and call attention to 
 this much-negled:ed field of romance. If 
 this fhall be accomplifhed, the author will 
 be repaid for thus venturing unannounced 
 before the public. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CANTO I. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 OGMUND '9 
 
 CANTO II. 
 
 THE MINSTREL 27 
 
 CANTO III. 
 
 THE ESCAPE ^^ 
 
 BATTLE ISLE 
 
 CANTO IV. 
 65 
 
 CANTO V. 
 THE SORCERESS .....•• ^5 
 
 CANTO VI. 
 
 THE MARRIAGE '°7 
 
%tixm!Al. 
 
 CANTO I. 
 
 OGMUND. 
 
CAN T O I 
 
 OGMUND. 
 
 NORTHMEN of old! 't was ye awoke the 
 world 
 From its lethargic {lumber, — broke the reft 
 Of {lumbering centuries, — when from forth 
 Your own rough Northern home ye poured the 
 
 flood 
 Of a wild enterprife, — an energy, 
 A will to do, — a wild and recklefs will. 
 That fwept like ftorm-wind o'er the ftartled world. 
 
 Northmen of old ! 't was ye awoke the world 
 With your Ihrill trumpet-notes ; and where ye 
 
 came. 
 Your own ftrong fpirit filled the hearts of men : 
 They faw you landing, armed, upon their fhores, 
 From your light barges, with their brazen beaks : 
 Wild warriors of the North, they knew your fame, 
 
lO KORMAK. 
 
 And, leaping up from velvet couches, fled 
 From the wild torrent of your mountain fpears. 
 The element of adion, kindling up 
 The heart, firing the brain, and making life 
 Leap, with the life-blood, through the boiling 
 
 veins : 
 This wild, undaunted energy of foul 
 Bade ye, barbarian dwellers of the North ! 
 Go forth, the pioneers whofe work fhould be 
 To kindle up, regenerate the world. 
 Your fluggifh neighbors of the lazy South 
 Caught infpiration from ye, as the garb 
 Of wealth and luxury, that made them weak. 
 Was rudely torn from off their trembling forms 
 By thofe who knew nor luxury nor fear. 
 
 Northmen of old ! though wild and rude ye 
 were. 
 Ye taught the feeble learning of the South 
 A ufeful leflbn, that their wifeft fage. 
 Poring o'er volumes, wondrous-written tomes. 
 Had never dreamed of in his wifeft hour : 
 Your clafh of fteel proclaimed a mighty truth ; 
 And Northern {words fpoke wifer than the pen. 
 
 A cloud of romance hangs around old names. 
 The hero decks the favage of the North : 
 There is a charm in wild and recklefs deeds, 
 
OGMUND. II 
 
 A thrilling fympathy with dauntlefs hearts ; 
 And gentle minds, while dwelling on the theme 
 Of the wild deeds of rapine and of war, 
 Still feel a kindly intereft in thofe 
 Old hero-pirates of the early North. 
 
 Alone, in icy feas that gird it round, 
 A wintry belt, o'er which down from the pole 
 The frozen blaft comes, clafhing like a knight 
 Clad in a cryftal armor, war waging 
 'Gainst its lone, defencelefs fhore, is Iceland. 
 Here, in old time, the rovers of the North 
 Planted their dwellings ; here, of old, they built 
 A rude republic : crude and rough indeed 
 As the wild beings, tribute of the fea. 
 Thrown like the fea-foam, gathered from afar. 
 Roughly upon the fhore. The wild fea-king. 
 Steered by his raven compafs to the ifle. 
 Soon learned to call it home ; ariH from that home. 
 His ice-bound fortrefs, fhadowed by the North, 
 He turned adventurous beaks ; home again. 
 Wearied in conteft both with man and fea. 
 Sailed his ftorm-beaten barks ; when the white 
 
 peaks 
 Of Iceland's mountains glittered o'er the fea. 
 Their frozen lilence fpoke to him of home : 
 And fmiled pale welcome to their daring fon, — 
 Their warlike fon, born of an ocean fire. 
 
12 KORMAK. 
 
 Flying from the oppreffion of his king, 
 From the fierce and iron rule of Harald, 
 The ftern tyrant of old warlike Norway, 
 Ogmund embarked his fortunes on the fea, — 
 His children and polTeflions, — and failed forth 
 To feek thofe lands that in the far Northweft 
 Had been discovered, that haply he might live 
 Free from the yoke that galled his lion fpirit ; 
 Willing to brave the dangers of new lands, — 
 Thofe vague, myllerious dangers, that hung 
 Like demon fpirits round the realms afar. 
 Frighting the fouls of fuch as knew of fear. 
 But not the foul of Ogmund : a brave heart 
 Was his inheritance from warlike fires ; 
 And not the perils of a flormy fea. 
 Nor the rough wildnefs of a northern clime. 
 Where Ice and Winter rule the realm fupreme. 
 And fcarcely yield to Summer's milder fway, — 
 Could daunt the Northman's heart, — a heart 
 
 inured 
 To war and danger from his days of youth. 
 
 Ogmund embarked for Iceland ; and at length. 
 After much danger on the flormy fea, 
 He reached that ifland ; landed there his freight, 
 Himfelf, his children, and his houfehold goods ; 
 Pitched on a fpot where he might build his houfe. 
 And took pofTefTion of the lands around, 
 
OGMUND. 13 
 
 Somewhat regardlefs of the prior claims 
 Of thofe firft fettlers, who fuppofed that they 
 Had better rights than the laft comer had. 
 But when the warHke Ogmund fought, and flew 
 A half a fcore of them, with a great fword, 
 An heirloom of his race, tall as himfelf, 
 And quite as little poliflied as its owner. 
 The firft pofTeftbrs found that he had rights 
 They had not at the firft perceived, and fo 
 Left him to the enjoyment of their lands. 
 Rather than meet his heavy argument. 
 Which always filenced them. 
 
 But reftlefs ftill, 
 Ogmund would fometimes take a cruife at fea. 
 And meeting other roving, warlike fliips. 
 Would ftill indulge an old propenfity, — 
 And failing out with one ftiip, would return 
 Sometimes with two. And thus his name be- 
 came 
 Well known and famous. He grew in riches, — 
 A wealth of Iceland fields and herds and flocks. 
 And when at laft he died, advanced in years, — 
 Died quietly in his manfion, by the fea. 
 On which fo oft he perilled his wild life, — 
 He left behind a heritage of fame; 
 And, what perhaps they valued more, riches 
 And fliips and large eftates, to his two fons. 
 
14 KORMAK. 
 
 Kormak and Thorgils were the Tons of Og- 
 mund ; 
 Kormak the elder, and inherited 
 The larger part of all the large eftates 
 Their warlike father had bequeathed to them, 
 With all that father's foul of recklefs daring, 
 And reflleffnefs, though foftened and adorned 
 By many graces, both of mind and perfon. 
 He was a fkilful fcald, framing his verfes 
 Sometimes relation of his father's deeds. 
 Though oftener telling of the beauty. 
 The countlefs charms, of fome Icelandic fair; 
 And often, too, the youthful fcald would wage 
 A war of ftrophes with his poet friends : 
 His father vanquished neighbors with the fword ; 
 Kormak o'ercame them in the war of words. 
 Yet was he not unmindful of the gift, — 
 The lafl great gift his dying father gave, — 
 The huge two-handed fword, with this advice : 
 '' If you would win refpect from men, my fon. 
 Learn to ufe this ; 'twill settle all debate. 
 Will make you honored, famous, wealthy, great ; 
 And be thy mark of rightful lineage too 
 From me, who in my youth received this blade 
 From my brave lire, my only heritage." 
 And Kormak learned to ufe the famous fword : 
 And there were none, of all the youths around. 
 Who could compete with him and his great fword. 
 
OGMUND. 15 
 
 A handfome youth was Kormak, tall and ftrong, 
 As ftraight and firm as ftands the Norway pine 
 In the old land from which his father came. 
 His raven hair hung round a dauntlefs brow, 
 And eyes that challenged all who met their gaze ; 
 Yet had their kindling glances generous warmth 
 When fofter feelings moved him. He was loved 
 Of many friends, and firll of thefe was Thorgils, 
 His younger brother ; for between the two. 
 Although diffimilar, was a ftrong love, 
 So great that their two hearts feemed only one ; 
 And it became a faying in the land. 
 When they would pidture friendftiip ftrongly : 
 *' Closely knit in kindred love as Kormak 
 And his brother Thorgils." Yet all unlike 
 Were they in mind and perfon ; for Thorgils 
 Was as gentle as his brother fiery : 
 A flender boy, with golden hair, and eyes 
 Of feminine foftnefs ; a voice as fweet 
 As a young girl's ; a winning gentlenefs 
 Had he, that feized upon the heart, and there 
 Enfhrined itfelf, as though there was its home. 
 Yet did he not lack manhood, for he was 
 Born of a race that knew not how to fear. 
 Companion with his brother at all times. 
 In all adventures, both by land and fea ; 
 For they inherited their father's love 
 Of feamanftiip, and were as much at home 
 2 
 
1 6 KORMAK. 
 
 Upon the deck of their fwift-failing bark 
 
 As when they rode or clambered o'er the hills 
 
 Of their wild, icy, northern mountain home. 
 
 "Brother," faid Kormak, as one eve they fat 
 Together near the fire in the great hall, 
 " I have a tale to tell you : Thou dofl know 
 Three days ago I galloped o'er the hills. 
 To fee how fared our herdsmen in the west. 
 The fky was clear ; but ere the clofe of day 
 The fky was blackened with the heavy clouds. 
 That flill grew darker, and obfcured the fun. 
 I knew a florm was hanging in thofe clouds : 
 The air was ftill and heavy, and no breath 
 Of wind was ftirring, as I crofTed the hills 
 On my way homeward. Raven flew along, 
 And promifed with his fpeed to bring me home 
 Ere the wild war of elements began. 
 As I came near to Gnupsdale, dafhing on 
 With recklefs fpeed, quick came a flafh of light. 
 That almofl blinded me, and with that flafh 
 Came the loud crafh of thunder, its wild roar 
 Burfhing low down, almofl upon my head. 
 Raven fprung wildly, madly, in the air, 
 And then, bewildered, stopped, and, fnorting, 
 
 reared. 
 As though he battled with the ftorm above ; 
 Another inflant, and a fecond crafh 
 
OGMUND. 17 
 
 Burfl on our ears ; the glaring flieet of flame, 
 The deaf 'ning roar that mingled with the glare, 
 Maddened the frighted flieed, and blinded him ; 
 Backward he fell, as though the bolt had fliruck, 
 And horfe and rider rolled upon the ground. 
 And now the wind came roaring, fweeping paft. 
 As though that crafh had loofed its brazen gates ; 
 And floods of rain came, like a deluge, down, 
 Daflied in wild torrents on the trembling earth. 
 I gained my feet, and raifed my frightened fteed, 
 Whofe quivering limbs, and drooping neck, and 
 
 eye 
 With fear dilated, told his foul was tamed 
 By the wild terrors of the elements, 
 Loofed from the laws that bind their fearful 
 
 fl:rength. 
 
 "I fought the flielter of the nearefl: roof 
 Gnupsdale was near ; I could not choofe but feek 
 E'en that protection from the raging fl:orm. 
 I knew its owner was our father's foe. 
 But deemed him kinder than the foe without. 
 My horfe was houfed, and I befide the fire 
 Sat down, to dry my garments foaked with rain. 
 The fire burned brightly and my hofl:s were kind. 
 And foon I thought not of the fliorm without. 
 Gnupsdale, you know, is an eftate of Thorkell, 
 But he refides at Tunga : this I knew, 
 
KORMAK. 
 
 And, knowing it, I thought to meet alone 
 Dependents, or perchance his kinfmen, there. 
 But while I fat befide the blazing fire 
 There came a fair-haired lady to my fide, 
 And bade me welcome to her father's hall, — 
 Bade me forget the ftorm that drove me there. 
 And gently offered reft and kindly cheer. 
 I ftammered thanks, — I knew not what I faid ; 
 So fair a maiden I had never feen : 
 Her eyes were gentle, and her golden hair 
 Shone like a halo round her beauteous face. 
 She afked me if my fall had done me harm : 
 As in a dream, I vaguely anfwered. No ; — 
 And other things fhe kindly, gently faid ; 
 And bidding me once more a welcome kind. 
 Withdrew, and left me flill as in a dream. 
 
 " The ftorm was o'er. I fought my horfe again, 
 And galloped homeward, through the dark'ning 
 
 night ; 
 But ftill before me was that lovely face : 
 I faw naught elfe, and fmce that hour have 
 
 known 
 No thought but of her beauty and her grace. 
 I could not reft, and fo again to-day 
 To Gnupsdale went, to proffer her my thanks 
 For the fafe fhelter, and her greeting kind. 
 They coldly faid, at morn that fhe had gone 
 
OGMUND. 19 
 
 With her fire, Thorkell, and a numerous train, 
 Her brothers and her kinfmen, back to Tunga. 
 
 '' Brother, it may be weaknefs, but I feel 
 A new emotion kindling in my heart : 
 I feel a reftleffnefs, a ftrange defire 
 To look again upon that beauteous face, 
 To hear that gentle voice, and meet again 
 The kindly glances of her heavenly eyes. 
 Is this not love ? You oft have heard me fay 
 How vain and foolilh are a lover's fighs, — 
 That my free heart fhould never bend, and fue 
 For love or favors at a woman's feet. 
 Nay, do not fmile : my heart is furely won ; 
 And man muft yield to the decrees of fate." 
 
 And Thorgils, muling iilently awhile. 
 Thus anfwered him: ''Kormak, liften to me; 
 And though the tale I tell be one 
 That you have often heard, yet it is one 
 That it is well you now fhould think upon. 
 When firft our father fought this ifland fhore, 
 Thorkell dwelt here, upon the very fpot 
 Where now we dwell ; our father fettled near. 
 But foon difputes arofe between the two. 
 Our father, Kormak, was a daring man. 
 Taught in the fchool of a6lion and of war : 
 He ever held the rule, that 'might is right,' 
 
20 KORMAK. 
 
 And made men yield before his iron will. 
 Thorkell was proud, and would not yield his 
 
 lands. 
 His place, his power, unto a ftranger's hand; 
 And fo a mutual feud arofe, and oft 
 From angry words they came to angry blows. 
 
 *' Our father made a voyage to Norway once. 
 And, driven by a wild and fearful ftorm. 
 His fhip was wrecked amid the Orkney Ifles. 
 The news came home to Iceland that his fhip 
 Was wrecked at fea, and all on board were loft. 
 Then Thorkell, thinking that his ftubborn foe 
 Could never come to trouble him again. 
 Summoned his friends around him, and rode 
 
 forth 
 To wreak his vengeance on our father's friends. 
 They burned our houfe ; they flew our faithful 
 
 friends ; 
 They feized our goods ; drove off our flocks 
 
 and herds. 
 A trufty fervant fled with you and me. 
 And placed us fafe beyond fierce Thorkell's rage. 
 He thought we died within our blazing houfe. 
 And, grimly muttering, ' Thus my foes I crufli,' 
 Turned joyful homeward, thinking Ogmund's 
 
 race 
 Could never ftand before his path again. 
 
OGMUND. 21 
 
 "A year pafTed on : one morning in the bay- 
 Anchored two fhips. Our father had returned. 
 What words can paint the rage that filled his 
 
 breaft. 
 When he beheld the ruins of his home ! 
 Quickly he landed with his armed force, 
 And, learning who had dared to do this deed. 
 He led his followers fwiftly here to Mel. 
 
 " Thorkell, when he beheld our father's flag 
 Floating upon the mafts of either fhip, 
 Summoned his friends and fervants all in hafte ; 
 For now he faw the dead returned to life, — 
 The fea had yielded up her daring fon : 
 His ancient foe had come in arms and ftrength 
 To pay his vengeance for a deadly wrong. 
 
 " Here, on the flope before this houfe of Mel, 
 They met and fought. It was a deadly ftrife : 
 Our father fought, avenging his deep wrongs ; 
 And Thorkell fought for fafety, for his life. 
 The chieftains met ; and each defiance hurled 
 Back on the other, as they madly rufhed. 
 And clafhed their blades together. Our father 
 Was famed the boldeft foldier of his time ; 
 And Thorkell, too, was known for ftrength and 
 
 Ikill, 
 And a bold heart, that never quailed to fear. 
 
22 KORMAK. 
 
 Our father, though his fhield was cleft in twain, 
 And his proud creft was fhorn of floating plume, 
 Cut Thorkell downward, with a fweeping blow 
 That fl:retched the warrior, bleeding, on the earth. 
 His friends were fcattered, flain, or wounded fore; 
 But one true friend his maflier's body begged. 
 And, Ogmund granting, bore it from the field. 
 
 '' Then Ogmund took pofl^eflion of the lands 
 And the efl:ates of Thorkell, save Gnupsdale, 
 Which he gave to Thorkell's fons. Here they 
 
 bore 
 Their wounded father, as they thought, to die ; 
 But Thorkell's wound at length in time was cured: 
 He journeyed northward, and foon gained new 
 
 lands, — 
 Larger efl:ates than thofe that he had loft, — 
 By a rich marriage with the only child 
 Of old Bajarni, famed for wealth and lands, — 
 The richeft man who dwelt upon our ifland. 
 
 " This is the feud between our houfe and hers : 
 She you have feen at Gnupsdale is daughter 
 To Thorkell, whom of old our father fought. 
 Steingerda may be gentle, but her friends. 
 Her father, brothers, kinfmen, all her houfe, 
 Still hate our father, even in his grave : 
 They ftill hate us, his fons, heirs of that wealth 
 
OGMUND. 23 
 
 Which once was theirs, but which our father 
 
 took, — 
 A rightful vengeance for the wrongs he bore. 
 You muft indeed pofTefs a valiant heart 
 (As well I know you do) even to hope 
 For love or favor from this hoftile race. 
 Sprung from our father's ancient deadly foe. 
 Steingerda knew you not for Ogmund's fon, 
 Or elfe, perchance, her greeting then had lacked 
 The cordial welcome that fhe gave to you : 
 When fhe fhall know you as your father's fon, 
 Her eyes will lofe their gentle, kindly glance, 
 And in its place will come the ftony look 
 We faw in Thorkell, when we met at End, 
 And when that chieftain knew us at a glance 
 For fons of Ogmund, and looked death at us. 
 Banilh the thought, my brother, from your breaft 
 Of loving her, from whom but hate is due ; 
 So fhall you win repofe of mind and heart ; 
 So fhall you fhun regrets that come too late." 
 
 "All this, dear Thorgils, has my own mind faid: 
 Thus has it counselled ; yet, in fpite of all 
 That reafon, judgment, or your love advife, 
 I feel a reftlefs, wild defire to feek 
 This maiden, even in her father's hall, — 
 To dafh afide obftru6lions that arife. 
 And prove a love that nothing can withftand, — 
 
24 
 
 KORMAK. 
 
 A courage that fhall bend e'en fate itfelf, 
 
 Compelling defliny to yield to me. 
 
 Say not that this is madnefs : there's a charm 
 
 In very reckleirnefs that ftill allures, 
 
 And conquers judgment in the daring heart. 
 
 Do not advife me more : to-morrow morn 
 
 Alone I go, difguifed as wandering minftrel. 
 
 To feek Steingerda, — to brave her father, — 
 
 And follow this adventure to the end." 
 
 " That fhall you not ! " Thorgils in hafte re- 
 plied ; 
 " Think you fo meanly of my father's fon. 
 That he will lazily repofe him here ^ 
 Think you fo poorly, brother, of my love ? 
 I go with you ! come weal, come woe, come death. 
 There is my place, brother, befide you ftill." 
 
 " Nay, Thorgils, I would rather go alone; 
 But if you muft, I will not fay you nay : 
 We'll Ihow old Thorkell that a favage look 
 Has not the power to awe brave Ogmund's fons ; 
 We'll fhow that chief that enterprife ftill lives. 
 And courage died not in our father's ftock 
 When Ogmund died. We owe it to our name 
 To ftiow the world our father's fons are we. 
 Yet I am plunging you in dangers, Thorgils, 
 Fooliftily, vainly, — you I ftiould proted : 
 
OGMUND. 
 
 25 
 
 My younger brother, whom our father gave 
 Into my charge when his protedion failed, 
 And bade me keep you with my ftronger arm 
 From every danger. No ! you must not go ; 
 Alone, I fhall not know what 'tis to fear, 
 But you with me, my heart would fear for you. 
 And coward palenefs blanch my manly cheek." 
 
 But Thorgils, too, could be refolved and firm, 
 For no perfuafion could induce him ftay ; 
 And fo it was refolved that they fhould go 
 Difguifed to Tunga, there to a6l as chance 
 And time fhould offer, or events compel. 
 
E0ntt^li, 
 
 CANTO II 
 
 THE MINSTREL. 
 
CANTO II. 
 
 THE MINSTREL 
 
 CIRCLES the year ! and when the finking 
 fun 
 Shines cold and diftant on the freezing earth : 
 When Winter comes, clad in an icy garb, 
 Still hurried on by winds that wildly roar : 
 When the broad fields, fo lately green and glad, 
 Blighted beneath the feafon's frofty touch. 
 Wrap filent round them their white robe of fnow. 
 And, defolate and dreary, wait for Spring ; 
 When the dark forefl fheds its leafy coat. 
 And the ftript branches, dreary fkeletons. 
 Stand fpe6lre-like, or wave in difmal gloom. 
 Creaking and moaning in the icy wind ; 
 When the houfed produds of the fruitful year 
 Promife fecurity from cold and want. 
 And crackling fires blaze brightly on the hearth. 
 And kindly friends are cluftered round the board ; 
 
30 
 
 KORMAK. 
 
 We welcome Chriflmas ! as an old, dear friend, 
 We give it fmiling welcome. What though Time 
 Has fwept away another year of life ! 
 How many bleffmgs with the days have come ! 
 How many mercies, comforts, joys, and hopes ! 
 A year has pafTed fince Chriflmas laft was here : 
 A year full crowded with events and a6ls. 
 With thoughts and memories, once awakened. 
 That never more can fleep. The thoughtful mind 
 Finds food for contemplation, as arife 
 The varied pidures of the clofing year ; 
 Unwritten hiftories come crowding faft. 
 And forms and faces that have pafled away 
 Are mingled with them in the dreamy thought. 
 The facred influence of the holy birth 
 Awakes the reverent feelings of the heart ; 
 But Memory, fliartled in the dreaming brain 
 By merry laugh and fmiling friends around. 
 Forgets to think upon the filent pafl:. 
 Under the noify influence of the hour. 
 
 Back from the prefent to the days of old ! 
 From our blithe Chriflimas to the feafl: of Jul ! 
 From the religion of the lowly born 
 To the dark age when Odin's worfliip was ! 
 In Tunga's halls, upon the Mother-night, 
 They feafted joyous, and the ample board 
 Groaned 'neath the weight of rich and generous 
 cheer. 
 
THE MINSTREL. 
 
 31 
 
 AfTcmbled here were friends and kinfmen ; all 
 Who claimed relation with old Thorkell's houfe 
 Came here this night to hold the annual feaft, 
 And wafle the hours until the morning's dawn 
 With feftal revelry, with waiTail, fong and wine. 
 
 The banquet-hall, though rough and rudely 
 
 built, 
 Was large and lofty, and the arching roof 
 Of rough-hewn timber fpanned full forty feet, 
 While twice that fpace meafured its utmofl: length. 
 In brazen fockets fixed along the wall 
 On either fide a fcore of torches blazed. 
 Throwing a bright but flickering light around. 
 While gleamed their light on fiiield and fword 
 
 and fpear. 
 Hung in profufion on the lofty wall. 
 Beneath, along an oaken table ranged. 
 Sat the wild feafi:ers of this night of Jul : 
 The drinking-horns from hand to hand pafi^ed 
 
 round. 
 Oft filled from the huge flagons on the board. 
 
 A platform, raifed two fl:eps above the floor. 
 Stretched from one end a fpace of thirty feet, 
 And here with tapefliry the walls were hung. 
 And richer garniflied with their warlike gear : 
 Rich fuits of mail, and fwords inlaid with gold, 
 3 
 
32 KORMAK. 
 
 And axes, on whofe polifhed helves fhowed white 
 The luftrous gleaming of bright filver rings ; 
 Banners, the trophies of the well-fought field ; 
 And in the centre, from a brazen beak. 
 Captured in fome wild battle on the fea. 
 Hung a rich canopy, beneath which sat 
 In regal ftate the mafter of the feaft. 
 A tall old man was Thorkell, filver-haired. 
 And bent with age ; but ftill within his eye 
 Shone the proud glance that age can never tame. 
 He wore a robe of velvet, richly wrought; 
 And, fpite of age, the chieftain's look was bold. 
 As well befeemed his ftate, — a feudal prince. 
 On Thorkell's left hand fat his youthful dame. 
 Through whom his rich eflates had come to him. 
 And Steingerda, his daughter, famed for beauty. 
 The faireft maiden of that northern ifland ; 
 And other ladies, friends and kindred, graced 
 With their fair prefence and bright fmiles the 
 
 board. 
 Upon the right the fons of Thorkell fat, 
 Loptur and Alf ; the kinfmen of the houfe 
 Were ranged beyond, while on the lower floor 
 Sat the retainers, the well-tried foldiers. 
 Captains of vefTels, petty officers, 
 Clofe feated all around the fefl:al board. 
 In rich, half-warlike, holiday attire. 
 They came to revel at their chieftain's feafl:. 
 
THE MINSTREL. ^3 
 
 The Saxon face, the flafhing Norman eye, 
 Spoke the wild, daring heart that filled each 
 breaft. 
 
 Behind the chair of Thorkell Narfi ftood. 
 His chiefeft councillor, though ftill a youth. 
 Full of quips and witty fayings was he, 
 Yet fhrewd withal, advifing prudently 
 To his too fiery and impetuous mafter, 
 Who gave to him alone the liberty 
 To curb his anger, or reftrain his rage ; — 
 A flender youth, with fmall and fparkling eyes, 
 A keen, quick look of fatire and of craft, 
 Mafked with a fmile, — an ever-ready fmile. 
 That lighted up his pale, but handfome face ; 
 So gayly dreft, he blazed with gold and gems. 
 Ever befide his mafter was he found. 
 Filling the golden cup that Thorkell held. 
 But feldom drinking of the wine he poured ; 
 With eafy grace on Thorkell's fhoulder leaned, 
 Whifpered and chatted gayly in his ear. 
 Launching fome bolt of wit, that hit the mark. 
 And won the applaufe of merriment around. 
 
 Now from the outer door a butler came, 
 To aik his mafter if an aged minftrel. 
 Who craved admittance there, might be allowed 
 To fing a ballad of a former age. 
 
34 KORMAK. 
 
 And, with his little ikill, do all the grace 
 Within his art to the high teltival. 
 An old man, \s4th long locks ot lilver hair 
 His tall form bent, a trembling Itep of age. 
 His right hand leaning on a foir-haired boy. 
 The other refrinw on an oaken ftaff, 
 The minftrel entered. But ere yet he reached 
 One half the diftance to the upper hall, 
 Two vilitors arrived, who came in hal'te. 
 And, prelTing palt the old man, quickly ftood 
 By Thorkell's lide, who greeted them \^4th joy. 
 And eagerly received the news they bore. 
 Thefe were two brothers, Oddur and Gudmund, 
 Sons of Thorveiga, whofe wild forceries 
 And oracles had given to her the fame 
 Of mind familiar with the ez^I goJ, 
 And power, through him, to prophelv what time 
 Had fhrouded darkly in a future a^ ; 
 And thefe, reputed as her fons, who dwelt 
 With her in her fecluded hut, — her ftrange. 
 Wild fervitors, — were men of giant forms. 
 Rude in their manners, dumly in their gait. 
 Ill-looking fices, where deceit and fraud 
 Mingled with coarfeneis and ftupiditv ; 
 Great brutes they were, fo huge and ftrong. 
 And fullen in their looks, that a ihudder — 
 Not fear, but loathing — pafled around the hall. 
 Thorkell bade Narfi find them each a place ; 
 
THE MINSTREL. 
 
 35 
 
 Then, rifing, thus addrefled his guefts, who ceafed 
 Awhile their revehy, and liftened as 
 The old man fpoke, with earneft voice, and eye 
 That flaihed in fiercenefs when his paflions woke. 
 
 *' I need not tell to you, my' friends, the wrongs 
 I bore from Ogmund ; thefe you know too well. 
 The robber now is dead, and unavenged 
 Are all the injuries he did to me. 
 The wealth he took his fons inherited. 
 And now enjoy. I fwore a facred oath 
 To wreak my vengeance dearly on the fire ; 
 He has efcaped me, but the fons remain. 
 And now I fwear, by Thor, and Odin too. 
 Here, on this facred, honored Mother-night, 
 To fweep the race of Ogmund from the earth, — 
 To fhed each drop of blood that now doth flow. 
 Kindred to him, in any heart that beats 
 On this our ifland. You, my friends, I truft 
 To give me aid of arms and valiant hearts. 
 The fons of Ogmund boast of many friends, 
 And Kormak feeks to win a fame for arms 
 And daring deeds ; but you fhall fcatter them 
 Like driving foam before the ocean wind, 
 And boaftful Kormak fhall go feek his fire, — 
 Shall bear my vengeance paft the filent gate 
 To that dead foe ; not even death fliall fave 
 From my fierce vengeance, nurfed through many 
 years. 
 
^6 KORMAK. 
 
 That thus at laft in blood it may be drowned. 
 Thorveiga, who did never fpeak in vain, 
 Communing with the gods, bids me go on. 
 And vidory fhall crown our undertaking. 
 Give me your anfwer ! fhall I have your aid. 
 Freely and boldly, in this juft emprife ? 
 Or do you fear young Kormak's boafted fword? " 
 
 And now arofe a wild, tumultuous din ; 
 Swords were clafhed, and cries of '' Death to 
 
 Kormak ! " 
 Shook e'en the maffive timbers of the hall, — 
 Made the red torches flicker their wild light. 
 And ruftled fwords and axes on the wall. 
 A wild, fierce joy fprung up in ThorkelFs eye; 
 Already he beheld his proftrate foes. 
 And drank the deep, the long-delayed revenge. 
 When now the filence was at length reftored. 
 He thanked his wild retainers for their zeal, 
 And promifed foon to bring them to the deed. 
 
 Meantime the aged minftrel and the boy. 
 His harp-bearer, had refted on the bench 
 That ftood againft the wall ; filent they fat. 
 Yet once their eyes had met, and then there 
 
 glanced 
 A look of quick intelligence between. 
 Though none had marked it 'mid the ftirring 
 
 fcene 
 
THE MINSTREL. 37 
 
 And the wild tumult that fo fhook the hall. 
 But now, rememberedjThorkell bade them come 
 Still nearer, and that Narfi bear a bowl 
 Of wine to the old man, which was declined ; 
 Then, bending o'er his harp, the minftrel fung. 
 With faltering hand at firfh the chords he prefled, 
 In trembling tones at firfh his voice was heard. 
 But, fired at length by the wild foul of fong. 
 In fi:rength and richnefs grew the fwelling tones. 
 
 '* When Harald Harfagra was king. 
 And fat on Norway's throne 
 ('Twas Harald made the kingdom his. 
 And all the power his own), 
 
 "There dwelt at the court of Harald, 
 An Earl, who claimed that he 
 From the ancient kings of Norway 
 Could trace his pedigree. 
 
 "He won the favor of Harald 
 By bending to his will. 
 And the king endowed him richly 
 With lands and wealth, until 
 
 " His caftles he counted by fcores. 
 And ihips like flocks that fly 
 Of the white-winged, failing fea-birds 
 Amid the ocean fky. 
 
38 KORMAK. 
 
 '' But dearer than caftles on land, 
 Ships upon the water, 
 A richer boon than e*en Harald's love 
 Was his only daughter. 
 
 " Fair as the gleam of the funfhine 
 When morning greets the light. 
 As the golden fun, uprifmg, 
 
 Rolls round *mid crimfon light. 
 
 *' Fairer than words can pidure her, 
 Fairer than tongue can tell. 
 As fair as the dead we cherifh. 
 Within our hearts that dwell. 
 
 '' While war was raging around her 
 (The life of man was war), 
 The heart of the maid was gentle 
 As light of evening ftar. 
 
 " She fhuddered to think of battle. 
 Yet felt her pulfes ftart 
 When they told fome deed of daring. 
 Some deed of dauntlefs heart. 
 
 *' And the maid had many fuitors ; 
 Her beauty and her grace 
 Won the hearts of thofe old warriors, 
 A rude and favage race. 
 
THE MINSTREL. 39 
 
 '' And many a recklefs foldier 
 Within his mailed breaft 
 Had often breathed a flifled figh 
 His lips had ne'er confefled ; 
 
 " And many who went to battle, 
 As their wild war-cries rofe, 
 Breathed foft the name of the maiden, 
 And dafhed againft their foes. 
 
 " They recked not of death or danger. 
 For a wilder ftrife by far 
 Had raged in their fteel-clad bofoms, 
 Than ever raged in war. 
 
 " But Skeggi, a famous warrior, 
 And rich in fhips and land, 
 Was ftill a conftant wooer 
 For gentle Unna's hand. 
 
 "And he won her father's favor, 
 Who bade his daughter fee 
 In Skeggi a fitting huiband, 
 For fhe his wife muft be. 
 
 " But the maiden mourned in fecret. 
 Mourned with a grieving heart. 
 For fhe could not love the warrior, 
 And oft her tears would ftart, — 
 
40 KORMAK. 
 
 ''Would ftart as fhe thought of another, 
 A gentle, gallant youth. 
 To whom {he had pledged in fecret 
 Her heart in maiden truth. 
 
 " But her lover was poor, and yet 
 He had not won a fame. 
 And her father laughed at the ftripling, 
 A youth without a name. 
 
 " But the heart of a dauntlefs race 
 Beat in his youthful breaft. 
 And he vowed to win the maiden, 
 Or death fhould be his reft. 
 
 *' And Unna told her father 
 
 How he had won her heart. 
 But the Earl was proud, and bade her 
 From this weak love to part. 
 
 " With her tears fhe fought to move him. 
 But he coldly turned away. 
 And, true to his word with Skeggi, 
 He fixed her wedding-day. 
 
 " At length the fatal day arrived. 
 The day when fhe muft wed 
 The hufband her fire had chofen, — 
 She wifhed that fhe was dead. 
 
THE MINSTREL. 4I 
 
 " In the hall were hung the banners, 
 A rich and gallant Ihow, 
 And Skeggi was flufhed and joyous. 
 But Unna white as fnow. 
 
 " The Earl had filled up a goblet 
 
 Of rich and fparkling wine : 
 * I drink,' cried he, ' to thee, Skeggi ! 
 Now thou art fon of mine/ 
 
 '' But ere he had drained the goblet. 
 There came a rufhing found. 
 That ftartled the guefts affembled. 
 And fhook the flags around. 
 
 *'That ruihing found came fweeping on 
 Like fwell of ocean wave, 
 And Skeggi felt his ftrong heart tremble. 
 That heart he thought fo brave. 
 
 " Through opening doors a tide rufhed in. 
 Of men and fteel that tide ; 
 Fair Unna's heart leaped up how wildly, — 
 Her lover, by her fide, 
 
 " Led on that band to win the maid. 
 Or, true to plighted word. 
 Lay down his life before the hazard. 
 The hazard of the fword. 
 
42 KORMAK. 
 
 '' The clafh of fleel rung wild and high, 
 And poured a crimfon flow, — 
 Libations of the heart's red wine 
 Fell on the floor below. 
 
 ** Through blood and flirife the maid was borne 
 From that wild fcene away, 
 Fainting, within her lover's arms 
 A helplefs burden lay. 
 
 *' They gained the fhore, the bark was launched. 
 Quickly they fpread the fail. 
 The fleeteft fhip of all the North 
 Was foon before the gale. 
 
 *' Behind them came a thoufand foes. 
 The fea with fails was white. 
 Like the fwift fea-bird on they flew. 
 And vaniflied in the night. 
 
 " Thus Skeggi lofl: his lovely bride. 
 And yet, throughout the night. 
 He fliill failed on ; at morning's dawn 
 There was no fail in fight. 
 
 ''Weary and fad, he turned his bark. 
 Homeward he flieered his way. 
 And often curfed in bitternefs 
 That darkly-ending day. 
 
THE MINSTREL. 43 
 
 "And thus the youth the maiden won ; 
 He bore her fouthward far, 
 And in new lands he gained a name 
 By valiant deeds in war. 
 
 " But dearer than the name he gained, 
 Dearer than all befide, — 
 Than wealth and honors, that were his, — 
 Was his fair Norfeman bride. 
 
 " And many fons were born to him. 
 Inheriting his fame : 
 Befl known of thefe throughout the North 
 Was Ogmund's famous name.'* 
 
 Thus far the minftrel fung ; but with the name. 
 The hated name of Ogmund, there arofe 
 A found of tumult wild throughout the hall. 
 And darkening brows and angry eyes were bent 
 On the old harper, while his voice was drowned 
 In their loud, angry murmurs : for Skeggi 
 Was Thorkell's fire, and fuch a tale as this 
 Was all unfuited to the time and place. 
 
 On Thorkell's brow was leen tne flufh of rage; 
 He bade his fervants break the minftrel's harp. 
 And bear the old man and the boy away. 
 And lock them in the vaults beneath the hall. 
 
4-4 KORMAK. 
 
 Till he might judge what punifhment was due 
 For their rafh deed. The old man's harp was 
 
 feized, 
 And dafhed in pieces at his very feet. 
 His tall form fhraightened, and his eye flafhed 
 
 fire, — 
 One ftep he took, as though his age was loft 
 In the fierce infult, but the boy advanced, 
 And, with a whifpered word, reftrained him ; 
 Then, with downcaft eyes and trembling ftep. 
 They led him from the hall. But once he turned. 
 And caft a glance of hate and menace round. 
 At which they only fcofFed ; and Narfi cried : 
 '' The old man 's angry that we did not choofe 
 To praife his finging ; or he fears the cold. 
 Damp vault may fpoil the fweetnefs of his voice." 
 But Thorkell bade him hold his peace, for much 
 It chafed him that the praife of Ogmund's race 
 Should thus have founded in his banquet-hall. 
 
§0nu»li. 
 
 CANTO III 
 
 THE ESCAPE. 
 
CANTO III 
 
 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 GUDRIDA, Thorkell's dame, had left the 
 feaft, 
 And Steingerda and all the lady guefts 
 Attended her ; as wilder grew the fcene 
 Each moment, for the red, bright, fparkling wine 
 Ufurped fair Reafon's throne within each brain. 
 Thorkell withdrew, for age, with iron hand. 
 Had crufhed in him the power, that once was his, 
 To revel with the wildeft, and prolong 
 Through midnight to the dawn the mad caroufe. 
 The revel ftill grew wilder ; all reftraint 
 Was now caft off, and each abandoned him 
 To the wild genius of the feftal night. 
 The mingling voices of an hundred guefts 
 Were raifed together, and in difcord oft ; 
 And then again thofe maftive caftle-walls 
 Seemed reeling inward with the wild refrain, 
 4 
 
48 KORMAK. 
 
 As fome old fong or feftal glee was fung, 
 
 And each one joined with fierce and frantic zeal. 
 
 Narfi was feated in the chair of ftate. 
 Where Thorkell late had fat ; and he alone 
 Of all the feaflers in that banquet-hall 
 Was not bewildered or o'erpowered with wine. 
 With meditative face, fhading his eyes 
 With his white hand, he fat, observing all 
 That chanced around, but quite unmoved and 
 
 calm 
 Amid a tumult might have waked the dead. 
 And thus, thought he, men feek for happinefs : 
 "O weak and brainlefs fools ! what joy is there 
 In thus degrading man below the brutes ! 
 Taking away from him the only thing, 
 His reafon, that makes him better than the herds 
 Of grazing cattle, wand'ring o'er our hills ! - — 
 But foft ! I fee before me many men 
 Of wifdom greater than I dare to claim : 
 Men of found minds, of flrong and earneft 
 
 thought — 
 And am I better than all thefe I fee 
 Thus drowned and flupefied in this red wine? 
 Or is there magic in your ruby ftream. 
 Enchanting, with a deadly ferpent power. 
 Your trembling captives, while you drink their 
 
 blood, 
 
THE ESCAPE. 
 
 49 
 
 Changing the godlike mind to worthlefs drofs ! " 
 As thus he thought, and from a flagon poured 
 Its fparkling contents on the oaken floor. 
 His mind reverted to the minftrel's fong; 
 And long he pondered, till a fudden thought 
 Flaflied on his brain : rifing, he feized a torch, 
 And bent his fteps toward the vaults that lay. 
 Dreary and dark, beneath the banquet-hall. 
 
 A narrow room — eight paces in its length 
 By four in breadth, the walls and floor of fl:one. 
 The ceiling timber, and the door of oak — 
 Confined the minftrel who had dared to fing 
 The praife of Thorkell's foe before that chief. 
 And the fair boy, his harp-bearer, who fliared 
 His fortunes in the cold and dreary cell. 
 Againfl: the wall, upon the other fide 
 Of the long corridor, from which the vaults 
 Had entrance, thofe who brought the captives 
 
 here 
 Had placed a torch, whofe flickering light 
 Shone faintly through the narrow open fpace 
 Above the door, and traced againfl: the wall 
 And on the floor the croflings of the bars 
 That fpread their iron netv/ork over it. 
 Admitting air and the faint, ftruggling light. 
 No bed, no fl:raw, nothing but naked walls 
 And damp, cold floor ! It was a dreary place 
 
50 KORMAK. 
 
 To pafs a night ; and the uncertainty 
 
 Of how much longer time their fate to ftay 
 
 Within its walls made it feem ilill more drear. 
 
 Their jailers gone, the minflrel with a flart 
 Sprung up ered, and paced with rapid ftrides 
 The narrow room. His hands were clenched 
 
 in rage, 
 And all the paflions he had fmothered down 
 Now woke to fury in his heaving breaft. 
 Calm and ferene the boy looked on, unmoved 
 By all the tempeft of his rage, until, 
 Its wild burfl: o'er, the minftrel grew more calm ; 
 And then the boy advanced toward him. 
 And, placing one hand on his fhoulder, faid : 
 " PafTion is idle ; for the fong you fung 
 Was fung in daring, to awake their rage, — 
 You knew the vengeance of an angry foe 
 Would fall on you, and recklefs braved that rage. 
 Now, Kormak, do not wafle your energy 
 In hurling curfes, which can do no harm 
 To thofe at whom you aim ; but let us fee 
 How bell we can difpofe to pafs the night 
 In thefe poor lodgings ; for fome fleep we '11 need. 
 And with to-morrow may come ftirring fcenes." 
 
 Kormak put one arm round his brother's neck, 
 Looking in his calm, gentle eyes, he faid 
 
THE ESCAPE. 5T 
 
 "Your brave, ftrong heart, dear brother, tells 
 
 to me 
 How much more manly you are than I am ; 
 While I in paffion rage and fret myfelf. 
 Wafting my energy and ftrength and time. 
 You calmly think, — are always ftill unmoved : 
 But when the time for ftirring action comes, — 
 When danger threatens, — then a lion heart 
 Speaks out in daring from thofe gentle eyes. 
 In time of danger I am fearlefs too. 
 But cannot curb my paflion, nor reftrain 
 Impatience or defire, as you, dear brother, can." 
 
 And now they talked of all had chanced that 
 
 night, — 
 Of Thorkell's enmity ; how their mad freak 
 Had placed them in his power; and what their 
 
 fate. 
 If he ftiould learn who they, his captives, were. 
 But no figh or vain regret they uttered : 
 Spoke in all calmnefs of the coming morn. 
 And meafured all their chances for efcape. 
 And Kormak, too, found time to fpeak again 
 Of fair Steingerda, — her grace, her beauty : 
 Not e'en reflecting that her luftrous eyes 
 Had been the lure to this their ftrange mifhap; 
 Or, if the thought occurred, his heart leaped up, 
 And welcomed everv danger for her fake. 
 
52 KORMAK. 
 
 Now, in one corner of their dreary cell, 
 Upon their cloaks the brothers laid them down, 
 And foon, in fpite of danger, cold, or e'en 
 Of anxious thoughts, they lofh themfelves in 
 
 fleep. 
 At times the muffled founds above their heads 
 Waked them a moment, and they fell afleep 
 Again, with faint confcioufnefs of waking. 
 
 When Steingerda had left the banquet-hall. 
 She fought her chamber ; but the founds that 
 
 came 
 Wild from below forbade the thought of fleep. 
 Seated befide the fire, unconfciously 
 Her thoughts turned to the minftrel and his 
 
 fong; 
 And much ihe dwelt upon the fearful hate 
 That urged her father to a fierce revenge 
 On Ogmund's fons, for wrongs done by their 
 
 fire ; 
 And then the form of Kormak came before 
 Her meditative mind, — and well fiie knew 
 There was no hatred in her heart toward him ; 
 For file had learned at length, when he was gone. 
 That it was Kormak who had been her guefl: 
 That eve at Gnupsdale ; and fince then her 
 
 thoughts 
 She often found returning to the youth. 
 
THE ESCAPE. 53 
 
 Recalling thofe few words he faid to her. 
 And now the minftrel and her evening gueft, 
 In fpite of her^ engrofled her thoughts, and 
 
 came 
 Always together, mingling in her mind. 
 At length the thought occurred to her to feek 
 The vault where Thorkell had imprifoned him, 
 And queftion the old bard, why he had fung 
 The fong that fo excited Thorkell's rage. 
 She called her maid ; the girl, quite overcome 
 With wearinefs, in. fpite of all the founds 
 That thundered ftill below, had fallen afleep : 
 So, taking up her lamp, and throwing on 
 A heavy cloak, — for the night air was cold, — 
 She went alone toward the dungeon vaults. 
 
 He who had feen her as fhe paffed along. 
 So filent and fo fair, through thofe rude halls. 
 Her beauty half unfeen, and yet augmented. 
 By the faint glimmer of her fluttering light, 
 Might well have thought fome Peri of the air 
 Had left her home amid the realms of light. 
 To do a good deed for weak, erring man. — 
 Yet oft within the fairefl: forms are found 
 The fouls leaft beauteous; — for curiofity. 
 Or woman's light caprice, Steingerda fought 
 Her father's captives at this lonely hour; 
 Or perchance the adventure of the adl 
 
54 
 
 KORMAK. 
 
 Had lured her to it ; but not that holy thought 
 
 That bids the gentle heart to thofe that mourn 
 
 Go offer confolation, urged her on. 
 
 She had a foft and kindly woman's heart, 
 
 That would not do a cruel ad ; but yet 
 
 By her fair prefence in his lonely cell 
 
 She might inflicfl on that poor captive youth 
 
 A deeper wound than e'en her father's hate, 
 
 In all its fiercenefs, had the power to give. 
 
 The bolts were drawn, the heavy key was 
 turned, 
 And Narfi entered at the opening door ; 
 His glittering drefs contrafted with the walls. 
 Like diamonds flafhing in a leaden ring. 
 Still on the floor the minftrel and the boy 
 Were lying. Narfi held his torch above 
 Their heads, and with a fcrutinizing eye 
 Examined the appointments of their drefs. 
 And laft their faces ; Thorgils' gentle eye 
 Was bent, with look of childifh wonderment. 
 Upon his rich-apparelled vifitor. 
 And Narfi turned from him, well fatiffied 
 That he, at leaft, was only what he feemed, — 
 A very fimple boy, the harp-bearer. 
 But when he met the minftrel's eye, its flafh 
 Had more of youth than trembling age in it : 
 And his firm limbs, not wholly hid from view 
 
THE ESCAPE. 55 
 
 Within his ample cloak, fhowed full and round, 
 And lacked the weak and fhrunken form of age. 
 A smile arofe on Narfi's fcornful lip, 
 As thus he found his firfl fufpicion true. 
 Still as a ftatue, with his blazing torch 
 Throwing its full, red light on them, he flood. 
 At length he fpoke : — 
 
 " Minflrel, in vain you feek 
 To cover youth with age. Old you are not ; 
 Nor are you wandering minftrel, as you feem. 
 Though fomething of the minflrel's art is yours, 
 And you can fmg a very ftirring fong. 
 And did you think to fmg your father's praife 
 Here in thefe walls, the dwelling of his foe. 
 And pafs unharmed away ? Kormak, your fate 
 Is fealed ; and you will pay the penalty 
 Of death for this, your lateft, maddeft ad:. 
 And your young brother, in his home at Mel, 
 Shall foon be wakened with a ftorm of fteel ; 
 And all the wrongs done to our noble houfe. 
 By your bafe robber fire, in blood avenged." 
 Kormak fprung up, and dropped the fhrouding 
 
 cloak 
 From off his agile limbs ; with flafhing eye 
 He anfwered him : "He was no robber, (lave ! 
 Back to your mafter ! tell him, that his foe 
 Hurls a defiance in his very teeth. 
 
56 KORMAK. 
 
 Think you my foul is tamed, becaufe my limbs 
 Are bound within this dungeon ? Think it not : 
 No more I fear your mafter, Thorkell, now. 
 Than when he threatened what he could not do." 
 Narfi had drawn his fword when Kormak rofe, 
 But never moved a foot. "Wear out/' he faid, 
 ''Your few brief hours in curfing : thus alone 
 Have you the power to vent your rage on us ; 
 For you are harmlefs as a hiffmg fnake 
 Whofe fangs have been extracted. Now to fleep. 
 If fleep you can : to-morrow you mufl die." 
 
 Narfi was gone ; his footfteps died away 
 In the long corridor, on the ftairway. 
 Once more the brothers laid them down to fleep 
 The few fliort hours till morn ; but once again 
 There came the found of footfleps, till at length 
 It flopped before their door : the key was turned ; 
 Again the heavy door fwung grating back : 
 Ofwald, the jailer, entered, raifed his torch. 
 And looked around, and then pafTed out again, 
 And Steingerda advanced. Kormak beheld, 
 But fcarce could deem the vifion real, fo fair 
 So dreamlike in her beauty the young girl 
 Stood, trying to pierce the gloom ; for her lamp. 
 Flickering in the doorway, gave faint light, 
 And Ofwald's torch was fliaded by the wall. 
 "Minftrel," fhe faid, "you braved my father's 
 rage; 
 
THE ESCAPE. 57 
 
 Yet ftill, in pity for your age and art, 
 I fain would know why thus you dared to fing; 
 I fain would fhield you from the fate you 
 fought." 
 
 " Fair lady," fpoke the minflrel, "you alone 
 Are caufe of this adventure ; for your love 
 The youth you fheltered from the raging ftorm 
 One eve at Gnupsdale, though your father's foe, 
 Has come to feek you in your father's hall ; 
 And, though death meet him, feel his heart 
 
 repaid 
 By one bright fmile, one gentle look from thee." 
 And Kormak threw afide the filver hair. 
 His badge of age, and, kneeling at her feet, 
 Poured out his wild, pafTionate heart of love. 
 With the rich eloquence that lovers have. 
 And Steingerda, amazed, bewildered, liftened. 
 While Kormak kifTed her hand, and uttered vows 
 That fcarce fhe heard in her bewilderment. 
 " But why awake my father's rage ? " fhe faid ; 
 " Wherefore your fong ? " 
 
 " I heard them bafely fpeak 
 Of my brave father: they called him robber; 
 My foul chafed at it ; but I could not fpeak 
 While my full heart was hiffing hot to tell. 
 That, when he lived, he taught them fairer 
 
 fpeech. 
 
58 KORMAK. 
 
 But now, being dead, their coward lips were 
 
 loofed 
 To {lander him. I could not tell them this, 
 For my difguife ; but when they bade me fmg, 
 The thought came to me, that, in Thorkell's hall, 
 'Twere fome revenge to fmg my grandfire's 
 
 praife ; 
 And hence my fong.'' 
 
 '' Your life is forfeited 
 The inftant that my father knows your name." 
 
 ''That gay-drefled youth who flood by 
 
 Thorkell's chair 
 Has lately left us, threatening me with death. 
 He knows of my difguife ; though how he 
 
 gueffed 
 My name I cannot tell." 
 
 Steingerda mufed, 
 But quickly faid : " If you to-morrow morn 
 Are found within thefe walls, no power can fave 
 You from my father's long-delayed revenge. 
 If that I dare releafe my father's foe. 
 Will you, for love of me, appeafe his wrath 
 By fuch concefTions, in your power to make. 
 As may at length extinguifh this fierce feud. 
 And in its place build up a friendihip ftrong?" 
 
 "For love of thee," Kormak replied to her. 
 
THE ESCAPE. 59 
 
 "There's naught I will not do, fo honor 
 And my dead father's name, that now I bear 
 Proudly and bravely, fhall receive no ftain. 
 I were fo much lefs worthy of thy love, 
 If I could fhoop to aught unworthily : 
 I muft not tamper with my father's fame, 
 A heritage of honor or of fhame, — 
 Honor, if I keep it ftill unblemifhed. 
 But fKame, if I fhould fully his brave fhield 
 By act unworthy of my father's fon. 
 But that which one ftrong, earnefl heart may do, 
 With aid of friends and youth and enterprife. 
 That will I do, to win a boon fo dear 
 As thy rich heart, fair lady. But perchance 
 All this I fpeak in vain ; yet in my heart 
 There is a fanguine voice, and it tells me 
 I jfhall not die to-morrow, — fhall efcape ; 
 If through thy kindly aid, then doubly dear 
 Will be thy image, fhrined within my heart." 
 Then Kormak took his brother by the hand. 
 And told the lady what a daring heart 
 Beat>in that gentle, fair-haired, blue-eyed boy. 
 
 Ofwald ftood by, with wonder in his eyes. 
 To fee the aged minflrel thus transformed. 
 Fofler-brother to his gentle lady. 
 He held the true devotion of his life 
 Due to her fervice. Now ihe turned to him : 
 
6o KORMAK. 
 
 " Ofwald," flie faid, " my dear fofter-br other, 
 This captive minftrel is a youth I love, 
 And Thorkell has refolved upon his death. 
 Dare you condud; him from thefe walls to-night. 
 And fly with him, and this brave boy, ere dawn 
 Beyond my father's anger and his power ? " 
 '' For thee I '11 dare whatever man may dare. 
 My lady," Ofwald anfwered. 
 
 " Then away ! 
 Make all arrangements for their inftant flight ; 
 Saddle the horfes : flieeds of fwiftefl: foot 
 Seled from all that fl:able here to-night ; 
 And fhould you borrow of my father's gueflis. 
 The purpofe mufl: excufe for once the breach 
 Of hofpitality. Ufe urgent hafl:e. 
 For one hour later underneath this roof. 
 And there would be no hope for your efcape. 
 My father wakes at dawn ; and well I know 
 That Narfi will not fleep till he has poured 
 The night's difcovery in his maflier's ear." 
 Ofwald was gone. '' No longer mufl: I fl:ay," 
 Steingerda faid ; "wrong have I done to come 
 Here in the night, in fecret, to your cell ; 
 Nor had I come, perhaps, if I had known 
 It was no aged minflirel whom I fought. 
 Wrong have I done to hear the words of love 
 Spoken by one my father hates the moft ; 
 But my weak woman's heart is moved for you, 
 
THE ESCAPE. 6l 
 
 And thus I fhield you from my father's hate. 
 But hear me, Kormak : do not feek again 
 To flir my father's rage againft yourfelf 
 By fuch wild deed as this ; for were I not 
 A renegade from him whom I fhould ferve. 
 Your fates were fealed : before to-morrow's fun 
 Sunk in the weft your fouls were with the dead." 
 And Kormak kiffed her hand again, while ftie 
 Threw o'er his neck the filken fcarf she wore. 
 And hurried from the cell ; but at the door 
 Half turned, to give a laft and farewell glance 
 To Kormak, kneeling ftill, as at the ftirine 
 Kneels Odin's rapt, adoring worfhipper. 
 
 When Narfi left the captives in their cell, 
 Dwelling on what had chanced, he firft returned 
 Unto the revellers ; but they were few 
 Who now remained awake. Upon the floor, 
 'Mid fcattered goblets, and feats overturned. 
 And pools of wine, in ftupid fleep were feen 
 The mad caroufers of an hour ago. 
 Sleep had o'erwhelmed their wine-encumbered 
 
 minds. 
 And in the midft of fong and fpeech they fell. 
 And as they fell they flept. Narfi beheld 
 The changed appearance of the hall, and fmiled. 
 But ftayed not long ; the heated, o'er-breathed 
 
 air. 
 
Si KORMAK. 
 
 The fumes of wine and ale, the long-drawn 
 
 breaths 
 Of the deep, heavy fleepers, troubled him, 
 And he went forth, ftill thinking, as he pafTed 
 Into the night-air, of his difcovery 
 Of Kormak, and ftill feeking for the clew 
 To his ftrange vifit there : nor could he frame 
 Another purpofe than his earlieft thought. 
 He knew that Kormak had met Steingerda 
 At Gnupsdale, and much he feared more than 
 
 once 
 Had been her vifitor. Why came he here ? 
 And why had he excited Thorkell's ire 
 By his mad fong ? This would not further love. 
 Himfelf lefs carelefs, he knew not what deeds 
 Might be performed for very reckleflhefs. 
 And fought a reafon for a recklefs aft. 
 
 Befides the hate he bore the captive youth. 
 In common with the wronged houfe of Thorkell, 
 There was another reafon for his joy 
 In finding Kormak in the aged bard : 
 He loved Steingerda, though that love unknown 
 To all but his own heart ; and ambition 
 Joined with love had been the leading motives 
 Guiding his action, ruling all his thoughts. 
 For many, many months ; he knew himfelf 
 Full of flratagems, and had dared to hope 
 
THE ESCAPE. 6^ 
 
 He might by thefe achieve the purpofed ends 
 Of both his paffions, — marry his miftrefs, 
 And win through her pofition. Now, thought 
 
 he, 
 I can gain more of Thorkell's confidence 
 By this difclofure, at the fame time ftrike 
 A dangerous rival from my path of love : 
 Thus I advance ftill nearer to my ends. 
 The found of horfes' feet aroufed his thoughts ; 
 Three horfemen came dim through the fhades 
 
 of night, 
 A.nd almoft rode on him. As he drew back. 
 The foremoft hailed him: "Ho, Sir Boafter ! 
 
 ftay, 
 And bear a meflage from me to your lord : 
 Tell him the minftrel could not wait for him, 
 But fends, inftead, his greeting. For yourfelf. 
 Learn not to threat ; for boafting words are weak. 
 And often are as unfulfilled as thofe 
 You gave to me to-night. I may not flay : 
 The lines of day are lighting up the eafl. 
 And time is precious ; for you prophefied 
 This day fhould be my lafl : and fo adieu ! " 
 And Narfi faw the three dafh on again. 
 He flood transfixed, gazing on vacancy 
 Where they had vanifhed ; then, as the founding 
 Of their quick gallop died away, at length 
 The power of utterance came back to his tongue, 
 5 
 
64 KORMAK. 
 
 And through his clofe-fet lips he hifled his curfe, 
 Its burning heat quenched by the cold night-air, 
 Upon their flight; in frenzy fliamped his foot 
 Upon the frozen earth, that took the blow 
 As little harmed by it as thofe he curfed 
 Were by the maledi6lions heaped on them. 
 His anger fpent, he turned toward the gate, 
 Quefliioning in his mind by what flirange means 
 The captives had efcaped. Railing his eyes, 
 He faw the gleaming of the light come down 
 From a high cafement in the lofty wall 
 Of the fquare tower upon the weftern side. 
 " My lady's lamp is burning late," he faid. 
 " Who was their jailer ? Ofwald ! All is clear ! 
 Her fofl:er-brother fet her lover free ! 
 That love is hopelefs, lady ! If not I, 
 At leafl: not he fliall ever be thy lord ! " 
 With upturned face and burning eyes he fpoke. 
 But the cold walls heard not his threatening 
 
 words. 
 Confcious of weaknefs, confcious too of flirength, 
 He fummoned all his art to guide his way. 
 Dark and obfcure, toward his defliined end. 
 
Ol'ttUfe- 
 
 CANTO IV 
 
 BATTLE ISLE. 
 
CANTO IV. 
 
 BATTLE ISLE. 
 
 THE winter months were paft, — thofe 
 cold, long months 
 Through which the funfhine fleeps, forgetting 
 
 earth. 
 Or looking coldly and obliquely down ; 
 No loving warmth in even noontide beams. 
 No friendfhip in his rays. But awaking 
 From his long lethargy, at laft the fun 
 Began to climb the arch, and lift the veil 
 That hid his kindnefs from the eyes of men, 
 And fhow himfelf again the genial god 
 Before whofe face the tributary world 
 Arrays itfelf in verdure. The white robe 
 Of frigid Winter melted in his light ; 
 The faft-bound ftreams refumed their rapid flow ; 
 Through the warm earth the little blades of grafs 
 Came forth fo cautioufly, as if in fear 
 
68 KORMAK. 
 
 The icy blafts of winter might return 
 To kill their tender life ; the naked trees 
 Arrayed their hundred arms in leafy garb. 
 And drank the funbeams up. From milder 
 
 climes 
 Came back the migratory flocks, that learn 
 By Nature's telegrams when the young Spring 
 Leaps to his feat, the ruler of the world. 
 And Winter melts in his cold fnows away. 
 And in this northern clime a wondrous change 
 Came in a few bright days : the dreary world 
 Lay one day like the lifelefs cryfalis. 
 The next arrayed itfelf in fummer's hues, — 
 A butterfly, and like the butterfly, 
 Flaflied gayly, brightly, through as brief a life. 
 
 There was an ifland with a rocky fliore 
 Upon its northern fide, where the high crags 
 Climbed up above the fea a thoufand feet ; 
 Many an iceberg, floating from the north. 
 Had wrecked itfelf upon thofe movelefs rocks. 
 And fliivered peak by peak, until the fea 
 Was covered with a floating wreck of ice, — 
 The crumbled fragments of the frozen berg. 
 That once was vafter than the ifland crags 
 On which its voyage was wrecked. A mile away 
 From the main fliore of Iceland was the ifle ; 
 Though the wild, rocky fliore was ftrewn with ice 
 
BATTLE ISLE. 69 
 
 Through the whole year, yet, Hoping from the 
 
 crags 
 Toward the fouth and weft, the other fhore 
 Caught the firft funfhine of the early Spring, 
 Put the firft verdure of the feafon on, 
 And fmiled fecure beneath the rocky wall. 
 It was a funny fpot, as fair and bright 
 As though it lay within a milder zone : 
 Here the huge pines rofe towering to the fky. 
 Clothed in their garb of an eternal green ; 
 While groves of birch-trees bent their graceful 
 
 boughs 
 To the light airs breathed gently from the fouth ; 
 And the green grafs grew greener, frefher here 
 Than on the mainland ftiore. No one dwelt here : 
 But oft in fummer parties came, and pitched 
 In this fweet fpot their tents, and whiled away 
 The days, forgetful that they lived fo near 
 The frozen regions of perpetual cold, — 
 The home of glaciers, and thofe northern feas. 
 Fixed, filent, motionlefs, congealed forever. 
 
 No one dwelt here ; yet *mid the lofty pines 
 I fee white tents, and many moving forms : 
 Perchance fome idlers come to greet the Spring 
 In this fair fpot where firft ftie greets the earth. 
 Upon an open fpace, a grafly lawn. 
 Smooth as a carpet, floping to the weft. 
 
70 
 
 KORMAK. 
 
 And foft with verdure, the encampment ftood. 
 The pine-trees formed the back ; advanced from 
 
 thefe, 
 Yet fcarce beyond their fhade, a group of tents, 
 With ftreamers gayly floating from their peaks. 
 Were cluftered. On the right and on the left. 
 Two arrow-flights apart, were alfo fet 
 Two other groups of tents : feparate both. 
 Like little villages ; in each a tent 
 Higher than thofe around, in front of which 
 From a tall fl:andard hung a blazoned flag : 
 The tallefl: ftandard ftood before the group 
 Of tents that formed.- the centre. Armed men 
 •Were moving to and fro, and lances, fwords, 
 And fuits of mail flaflied brightly in the rays 
 Of the now fetting fun ; yet mixed with thefe 
 Were other forms, that wore no warlike mien : 
 For there were groups of ladies, gayly dreft. 
 Straying from tent to tent, watching the fun. 
 As in a crimfon glow his bright orb funk 
 Beneath the mainland's white-topped mountain 
 
 heights. 
 Kindling their cold fnows with his lurid fire, 
 As he withdrew behind their ridgy wall ; 
 Or chatting gayly of the coming morn. 
 Or flirting, 'mid the birch-groves, with the 
 
 youths 
 Who bore them company. Thus evening pafl^ed, 
 
BATTLE ISLE. 7I 
 
 And night came down amid the dark-leaved 
 
 pineSj 
 And hufhed them all to filence and repofe. 
 
 When Thorkell learned that his mofl hated foe 
 Had been within his power, and yet efcaped, 
 His rage overleaped all bounds : fiercely he hurled 
 On Narfi the torrent of his curfes ; 
 That artful youth in filence bent his head 
 Until the fi:orm was paft ; nor did he fpeak 
 The thought within his heart, that Steingerda 
 Had given the means to fet the captives free : 
 He locked this fecret fail within his breaft. 
 Hoping to find a time when it might ferve 
 Some better fervice than it now could ferve ; 
 Nor did he deem it wife to bring the rage 
 Of Thorkell on the lady ; for he knew 
 That file would trace the thought back to its 
 
 fource, 
 And he fiiould bear the blame ; and then, befide, 
 He could not prove his fiirewd fufpicion true. 
 And now the long-nurfed plan in Thorkell's 
 
 heart, 
 Of an armed vengeance, grew dearer to him ; 
 And all the preparation, muftering men, 
 Colledting arms, to make that vengeance fure. 
 Went briflcly on ; but fcarce a week had pafi^ed. 
 When came a mefi^enger from Olaf Pa, 
 
72 KORMAK. 
 
 Whofe Thingfman Thorkell was, forbidding him 
 
 To march againft his neighbor with armed men, 
 
 To plunge in war and blood the peaceful land 
 
 O'er which he claimed to rule. Thorkell at firft 
 
 Bade Olaf's meflenger return to him 
 
 Who fent him, with the anfwer, that he chofe 
 
 To bear no queftion of his purpofed a(5l, — 
 
 That he denied the right to interfere 
 
 To Olaf Pa, or any living man. 
 
 But Narfi calmed his mafter's boiling rage. 
 
 Showing him thus that he would bring himfelf 
 
 To certain ruin ; and counfelled him to lay 
 
 His wrongs before the chief, and claim from him 
 
 That the eftates the father took by force 
 
 The fons fhould now return : "And weakened 
 
 thus, 
 'T will then be eafy," cunning Narfi faid, 
 " To wreak more vengeance on their beggared 
 
 heads ; 
 But 't is deftrud:ion to oppofe your chief: 
 Yield to his will ; you but delay the hour 
 Of vengeance; and that hour will furely come.'* 
 Then Thorkell, moft reludantly, at lafl 
 Agreed to fend a gentler anfwer back ; 
 And Narfi was defpatched to lay the claims 
 Before the chief. 
 
 When Olaf heard the caufe 
 That Narfi brought to him, he fent at once 
 
BATTLE ISLE. 73 
 
 For Kormak and his brother : heard the whole. 
 On either fide, and, after much debate. 
 Decreed a fingle combat fhould decide 
 The weighty difference that was between them : 
 Bade them each fend a champion to the lifts ; 
 Appointed time and place ; and having learned 
 From Kormak of his love for Steingerda, 
 Made the conditions of the battle thefe, — 
 If ThorkelFs champion fhould be overcome, 
 Thorkell fhould give his daughter to the youth ; 
 But if Kormak fhould fail, the large eftates 
 That Ogmund took from Thorkell fhould return 
 Unto their firfh poffeffor. The appointed time 
 Had come ; and hence on Battle Ifle were feen 
 The tents, the buftle, and the armed men ; 
 For here had Olaf fummoned them to meet. 
 And for the morrow was the combat fet. 
 
 While yet alone a few gray lines of light. 
 And fading flars, told that the morning hour 
 Was near at hand, Kormak had left his tent. 
 And with his brother fought the rocky heights 
 To catch the early funlight. From his feet, 
 Far down the precipitous crag, the waves 
 Came fwelling inward from the open fea, 
 Dafhing the floating ice upon the fhore. 
 Grinding to fragments maffes huge as fhips. 
 And piling mafs on mafs, only to crufh 
 
74 
 
 KORMAK. 
 
 The whole, as fome great wave came in. 
 Hurling the weight of many thoufand tons 
 Light as a bubble on its foaming crefts. 
 Kormak flood gazing far away to fea, 
 Where the dark line of waters met the fky, 
 On which had now appeared the blufh of dawn, 
 Faintly refleded in a rofeate tint. 
 That glimmered on the fea ; — but not of dawn. 
 Nor of the fea, nor of the ocean airs. 
 That fwept their cooling frefhnefs o'er his brow, 
 Nbr of the combat that a few hours more 
 Would bring to him, did Kormak think that 
 
 morn. 
 'Twas no armed brow that rofe above the fea. 
 And fixed his eye, till faded fea and Iky, 
 And lived alone the vifion, — a fair face. 
 With curls of golden hair, and deep blue eyes. 
 In which her gentle heart feemed floating up 
 To give his own her greeting, met his eye. 
 And fixed him there enchanted. A long figh 
 Swelled in his bofom as the vifion pafTed, 
 Melting again in wave from whence it rofe. 
 "Awoful figh," quoth Thorgils ; "I am glad 
 That 't was I alone, my lovefick brother. 
 Who heard that figh ; an enemy might fay 
 You fighed to think of Narfi's ftrength of arm ; 
 But I do think the figh was due to one 
 Whofe flrength lies not in arms ; no ! I am 
 
 wrong ; 
 
BATTLE ISLE. 75 
 
 Two fnowy arms will often move a heart 
 That hundred-armed Briareus might aflail, 
 And feek to bend in vain. Liften, brother. 
 And I will fmg a fong will pleafe you now, 
 Or I will ne'er attempt to fmg again. 
 
 " I flood on the rocky ocean-ihore, 
 
 As the waves came wildly rolling in ; 
 And deep on my ear came the waters* roar. 
 And all around me the ocean's din ; 
 
 "And my heart fprung out to meet each wave, 
 To roll and tofs on its foamy creft ; 
 For I loved the mufic ocean gave. 
 
 And I longed to plunge on her heaving breaft. 
 
 "I lay at night 'mid the pine-trees' fhade. 
 
 And heard them figh as the wind fwept paft; 
 
 I loved the fighs that their branches made, — 
 
 The fong they fung with the wind's wild blaft. 
 
 '' I heard the yelp of the ftraining pack 
 
 When firft to view came the hunted game, 
 Wildly I echoed the glad founds back. 
 And my hunter's heart was all aflame. 
 
 " I flood by the facred Druid-flone, 
 
 And heard the chant, and the myflic flrain ; 
 And I felt a might, beyond my own 
 
 Sweep o'er my foul with the deep refrain. 
 
76 KORMAK. 
 
 " I heard the youth with his biithefome Tong, 
 And the infant lifp his artlefs lay ; 
 My heart has fwept with the ftrains along, 
 And bowed itfelf to their fimple fway. 
 
 *' Lafl night we wandered from all apart, 
 
 i\.nd, down on the ocean's marge of fand, 
 I aiked the gift of her maiden heart. 
 
 And clafped in my own her trembling hand. 
 
 "The dearefl found that was ever heard 
 
 Was the whifpered word fhe fpoke to me ; 
 And my own rough heart was as madly ftirred 
 By that foft word as man's heart could be. 
 
 "O, tell me not of the fongs they fing 
 
 In Odin's palace, above the fkies ! 
 
 Valhalla ! thy halls may wildly ring ! 
 
 The fong of the fpheres may round me rife ! 
 
 "It never can drown that low, fweet tone 
 She fpoke lafl night on the fandy fhore : 
 That tone will live in my heart alone. 
 When Odin's palace fhall be no more." 
 
 As Thorgils ceafed his fong, he turned his eyes 
 Toward the fpot where Kormak late had been : 
 The place was vacant ; but on looking round. 
 He faw his brother {landing on the verge 
 
BATTLE ISLE. 77 
 
 Of a high cliff that overhung the fea, 
 Where a ravine cleft the great wall in twain, 
 And formed a narrow channel, into which 
 The green waves plunged, but quick were dafhed 
 
 to foam. 
 And rofe, as white as milk, along the walls. 
 And then fell back again to join the fwell 
 Of the next wave advancing ; — there he flood, 
 A flone's-throw off, his plumed cap in his hand; 
 And on the other fide of the huge rift 
 Thorgils beheld the fluttering of a drefs. 
 And, drawing nearer, recognized the face 
 And the light form of her who fet them free 
 From Thorkell's power. They may not need 
 
 me there. 
 The young man thought, and climbed again the 
 
 rocks 
 Down to the vale below. But Kormak flayed 
 To hear the lady bid him win her hand. 
 And take the heart he had already won. 
 "Dear lady ! this would nerve a feeble hand, 
 Fill up with daring e'en a coward's heart: 
 I feel within my heart a power fpring up 
 I never knew before; — thy love would lift 
 A peafant to a king ! Doubt not the end : 
 If thy fair lips put up their prayer for me, 
 If thy foft heart appeal unto the gods. 
 They never can deny you ; — and the charm 
 
78 KORMAK. 
 
 Of thy dear love will be a coat of mail 
 
 To fence me round about ; and Narfi's fword, 
 
 Though dug from out the ancient fea-king's 
 
 grave. 
 And charmed by blood-rites at the midnight 
 
 hour, 
 In Druid-ring, told by the lips infpired 
 Of the all-facred priefts, will harmlefs fall 
 On my broad fhield, thy love." 
 
 '' I do truft you. 
 And yet, with woman's weaknefs, ftill I fear," 
 Steingerda faid ; ''though born and bred 'mid 
 
 wars, 
 I love not war nor battle ; ftill I feel 
 Proud, my brave foldier, of your ftrength and 
 
 Ikill, 
 And I would have you win an added fame 
 By your brave deeds to-day. Adieu," ftie faid, 
 " The fun's bright edge is gleaming o'er the fea : 
 'T was a ftrange chance by which we met this 
 
 morn ; 
 But many feet will foon be climbing here, 
 And curious eyes may mark us." 
 
 " Dearest maid ! " 
 Said Kormak, " I will win the right to-day 
 To claim your hand, or Battle lile ftiall be 
 Wedded to me by death ; this filken fcarf 
 You gave me once ftiall be my talifman. 
 
, BATTLE ISLE. 7^ 
 
 Your fign of favor, twined around my breaft, 
 While all is yours within." And fhe was gone — 
 The waves came dafliing through the narrow way, 
 And then fwept out again : he marked them not ; 
 A moment flood, gazing where fhe had been. 
 Then turned to feek the uneven pathway down ; 
 His mind flill dreamily away from him. 
 And flill her image rofe amid the crags, — 
 A rugged framing for fo fair a face. 
 
 The fun had rifen, but his rays were hid 
 From the encampment by the rocky wall 
 That fhut the ocean airs out from the vale. 
 And cafl huge fhadows darkly o'er the pines. 
 And on the verdant flope. Againfl the fky. 
 So brightly gleaming with the crimfon light 
 And golden radiance of the morning fun. 
 The wild and craggy battlemented rocks 
 Stood black and frowning, till the rifing fun 
 At length looked o'er their tops, and brightly 
 
 flung 
 Long golden lines upon the highefl pines ; 
 Danced o'er the groves of birch, juft touched 
 
 with light 
 The highefl hillocks, calling into life 
 From every dew-drop richly tinted gems. 
 That far outfhone the cryflals that they mocked 
 In their mad blaze of funlight. Now awoke 
 6 
 
8o KORMAK. 
 
 To adive life the ifland vifitors ; 
 
 From the white tents poured forth the bufy 
 
 forms ; 
 From tent to tent run breathlefs mefTengers ; 
 Around the ftandard of their chief were met 
 The men of note, and Olaf, in their midft. 
 Received their counfels, as each plan was weighed 
 And all the laws difcufled by which they ufed 
 In thofe old times to fettle every cafe 
 Wherein a doubt of right and juftice lay. 
 
 The flag of Olaf was an azure field. 
 Bearing on its centre an ice ifland 
 Floating upon the fea ; beneath this flag 
 The chieftain flood, amid a brilliant throng, 
 His Thingfmen, powerful chiefs, who only payed 
 A flight allegiance to their ifland lord, 
 Acknowledging his power, but fuffered each 
 To be the fupreme ruler over all 
 Who dwelt upon his lands ; though once a year 
 Olaf convened a council of them all, 
 In which they framed fome necefl^ary laws. 
 And made decifion, when the law of arms 
 Was not appealed to, of each feveral caufe 
 Of difference that arofe, by any chance. 
 Within the province. Higher up the mound 
 O'er which the banner flew had afl^embled 
 Many groups of ladies, for now drew near 
 
BATTLE ISLE. 8 1 
 
 The appointed hour of battle ; and below, 
 An arrow's flight beyond the chieftain's flag, 
 Gathered retainers, foldiers, ferfs, and all 
 Whofe lower rank would not entitle them 
 To gain a place above ; and here a rope, 
 Fafliened to flakes around a half-circle. 
 Kept the fpace clear within, — an ample field, 
 In which the combatants were now to meet, 
 To meafure ftrength and flcill, and life 'gainft life. 
 
 The trumpets founded forth their martial 
 
 notes ; 
 The people fliouted ; every eye was turned 
 Toward the centre. From the throng of chiefs 
 That flood round Olaf, Kormak now advanced. 
 And, kneeling, fwore to abide the judgment. 
 As battle fliould decide ; then took his place 
 Upon the field, and by his fide, Thorgils, 
 His fliield-bearer. And Thorkell then flood 
 
 forth, 
 Raifed up his aged hands, and took the oath : 
 Named Narfi as his champion, who at once. 
 In front of Kormak, took the place afligned 
 To him ; and Thorkell's fon, young Loptur, 
 
 came 
 To be his fliield-bearer. As they flood there. 
 And while the Holmgang laws were read aloud. 
 All eyes were bent on them ; and all was huflied 
 
82 KORMAK. 
 
 Into deep filence, as the herald read. 
 Each combatant was clad in mail, and held 
 Upright before him his two-handed fword: 
 He had no other arms ; helmets of fteel, 
 But viforlefs, — on Kormak's a white plume, 
 While Narfi's plume was red ; iron gantlets 
 They wore, and over his clofe mail was drawn. 
 On Kormak's breaft, a lilken fcarf of green. 
 When Narfi firft beheld this fcarf, his eyes 
 Kindled with rage ; for he recognized it 
 As one his miftrefs had been ufed to wear ; 
 And half he muttered, "That fair filk fhall bear 
 A deeper ftain, if envy, jealoufy. 
 And a deep hatred lend me any ftrength." 
 The fhield-bearers held, each on his right arm 
 An oval fhield, covered with knobs of brafs ; 
 They wore no mail, nor carried any arm. 
 Were lightly drefled ; Thorgils had bound his 
 
 brow 
 With a gold band, wearing nor cap nor plume. 
 But Loptur's cap was gayly plumed with red. 
 
 Again the trumpet notes rung out, — a fign 
 The combat was begun : lightly they fwung 
 The heavy fwords above their heads, and moved 
 Toward each other ; eye fixed upon eye. 
 And every nerve braced up. Kormak ftruck firft, 
 And Loptur caught the blow upon his fhield. 
 
BATTLE ISLE. 83 
 
 But reeled and fell beneath the heavy ftroke ; 
 And Narjfi's fword cut Thorgils' fhield in two 
 With its keen edge ; then came quick ringing 
 
 blows 
 As their fwords met ; but the trumpets founded, 
 And called them back. Thorgils' fhield replaced, 
 
 again 
 They came together ; feints and ftratagems. 
 And heavy blows, and quickly changing place. 
 Followed each other ; their long fwords would 
 
 gleam 
 Swift through the air ; and when you thought the 
 
 blow 
 Almoft upon the crefl, a fhield would flaih 
 Between. Advancing, Kormak ftumbled, fell. 
 And Narfi's fword came ftraight above his head. 
 But Thorgils' fhield caught the defcending blow ; 
 Again his fhield was cleft ; and from the helm 
 Of Kormakj rifing, glanced afide the fword ; 
 Again they clofed, and fword was dafhed on 
 
 fword, — 
 One blow cut Narfi's fcarlet plume away. 
 The next glanced downward from his polifhed 
 
 helm, 
 And broke the mail on his left arm, ilaining 
 With blood the armor and the fword. Again 
 The trumpets warned them back ; Narfi bound up 
 His wounded arm with Loptur's fcarf, and when 
 
84 KORMAK. 
 
 The trumpets founded, rufhed upon Kormak 
 More madly than before, fearing his ftrength 
 Would foon be fapped by the faft flowing blood 
 That moiftened all his arm ; and Thorgils' fhield 
 Was for the third time cleft ; Narfi prefled on. 
 Struck Kormak on the creil, but his fword broke 
 With the fl:rong blow, and Kormak, reeling 
 
 back. 
 At the fame moment fl:ruck at Narfi^s helm. 
 And daflied him to the earth — they raifed him 
 
 up. 
 But he was ftunned, and lay a helplefs weight 
 In Loptur's arms. A moment, all was ftill ; 
 Then Kormak, as, bewildered ftill, he leaned 
 On his two-handed fword, his father's gift. 
 Heard a long fhout, and then the herald's voice 
 Proclaiming fomething, — what, he knew not 
 
 then, 
 For that laft blow, refounding on his helm. 
 Drowned every found befide ; and now he flood 
 Beneath the flandard. Olaf grafped his hand. 
 And he awaked from his bewilderment 
 To hear the greeting of his friends around. 
 To catch one glance of fair Steingerda's eye. 
 As from the throng fhe pafl^ed ; yet that one 
 
 glance 
 Was dearer to him than the thoufand words 
 Of others' praifes, — than his triumph even. 
 
EOKttt^fe* 
 
 CANTO V. 
 
 THE SORCERESS. 
 
CAN T O V. 
 
 THE SORCERESS. 
 
 KORMAK and Thorgils, with a gallant 
 band 
 Of friends, arrived at Tunga, to demand 
 The forfeit loft and won at Battle I fie, — 
 The hand of fair Steingerda. And Thorkell- — 
 Though rage and paffion warred within his 
 
 breaft, — 
 Though a hot fire blazed fiercely in his heart, 
 And in each vein the fcanty blood of age 
 Thickened and tingled with a youthful force. 
 Born of his angry pafTion — received them 
 Moft gracioufly ; and taking Kormak^s hand. 
 Thus anfwered him : — 
 
 " Your father did me wrong. 
 And I have fworn revenge ; but that fierce 
 
 oath 
 The gods who fway this lower realm of man. 
 
88 KORMAK. 
 
 And break and mar each plan that he may make, 
 To fuit their higher purpofe, have cancelled. 
 To their power I fain muft yield : 't were 
 
 madnefs 
 For me, a man, to combat with the gods. 
 I fwore by Odin's facred ruling arm. 
 That his arbitrament, by battle fhown. 
 Should govern me. He has ruled againft me : 
 My daughter's hand is yours, — one condition 
 Alone I afk of you. At Spakonfell 
 Lives one who has a power myfherious 
 And wonderful over all the fortunes 
 Of our houfe, — the famous witch Thorveiga. 
 Perhaps it is the whim of an old man. 
 To whose weak age a fecond childhood comes, — 
 I would afk her favorable aflent 
 Unto this marriage ; thus would be removed 
 A ihapelefs dread that lives within my heart 
 Of fome impending ill about to fall 
 Upon the union of your father's fon 
 With thofe who were your father's bitter foes. 
 To-night I feaft you as my future fon, — 
 You and your friends ; the hofpitality 
 Of my poor houfe is yours ; to-morrow morn 
 Seek you alone the witch's mountain hut. 
 And gain her favor ; bring an oracle 
 Propitious from the gods, breathed through her 
 
 lips. 
 
THE SORCERESS. 09 
 
 And the third day I hail you as my Ton ; 
 The marriage rites fhall then be duly faid, 
 And fhe you feek fhall be your wedded wife. 
 Grant this, — my fuperftition or my whim. 
 As you may judge it ; — it is all I alk." 
 
 Once more in Tunga's ancient banquet-hall 
 Was revelry and feafling ; and old foes 
 Pledged cup to cup as flowed the ruddy wine. 
 And hand met hand that never met before 
 Save in the grafp of battle ; tales of old 
 Were told to ears that never heard thofe lips 
 Speak aught but challenge or a battle-cry ; 
 The clafh of cups outrung the clafh of fwords, 
 As each fwore friendfhip to his ancient foe. 
 And Kormak, to his harp, fung in thofe halls, 
 That heard him once before, — not new dif- 
 
 guifed 
 By aged garb, but with his youthful limbs 
 In filken garments clad, and his dark hair 
 Thrown carelefs backward from his handfome 
 
 face, 
 Steingerda's fcarf flill twined about his breaft ; 
 And all were filent when his fong begun. 
 
 '^ Came Thorbiorn and all his band 
 To Mahfahlida's outer wall. 
 And loudly beat, with fword in hand ; 
 But no one anfwered to his call. 
 
^O KORMAK. 
 
 "'Thou thief, Thorarin !' then he cried, 
 
 'Where are the fteeds you ftole from me? 
 Give up your fpoil, or worfe betide : 
 My vengeance now fhall fall on thee ! ' 
 
 " And Black Thorarin flood within. 
 
 And laughed to hear the chieftain fret ; 
 He faid, ' You curfed me once before. 
 But, braggart ! I am living yet.' 
 
 " Then fpoke Geirrida to her fon, — 
 She, the enchantrefs, famed for fkill 
 In magic art, — ' Well haft thou won 
 The name you merit. Sluggard ftill ! 
 
 '' 'O flow Thorarin ! 'tis not mine, 
 The fluggifti current of your life ; 
 Nor did thy lire bequeath it thee : 
 
 He bore no taunt, he fhunned no ftrife.' 
 
 ''Thorarin heard her taunt, and cried, 
 ' No more, my mother, peace ! I go 
 To drive the boafter from our gate : 
 Think you I fear to meet my foe ? ' 
 
 " Then backward fwung the heavy gate. 
 And Black Thorarin ftood befide 
 His angry foe, and lightly faid, 
 
 ' I come to meet the "worfe betide; " ' 
 
THE SORCERESS. 9I 
 
 " And by his fide his fervants all, 
 
 With fword and buckler, faced the foe ; 
 To tumult wild the flrife arofe : 
 
 Sword clafiied on fword, blow followed blow. 
 
 " But Ada, Black Thorarin's wife. 
 
 Looked from a cafement in the wall 
 Down on the court, and 'mid the flrife. 
 She faw her hufband, ftruggling, fall. 
 
 " She ftayed no more, but rufhed below. 
 Out 'mid the noify, wild warfare. 
 And caft herfelf before the fword 
 Of Thorbiorn, who flew her there. 
 
 " But Black Thorarin was not flain ; 
 He fell, yet gained again his feet. 
 To fee his bride rufli wildly forth, 
 
 On Thorbiorn's fword, her death to meet. 
 
 " The world fpun round him as he gazed ; 
 A fearful cry burft from his lip ; 
 On Thorbiorn he madly rufhed. 
 
 And cut him down from helm to hip ; 
 
 " Then knelt befide his flaughtered wife. 
 And took her head upon his breafl: ; 
 ' O, fpeak to me again ! ' he faid, 
 ' My darling bride ! my deareft ! beft ! 
 
92 KORMAK. 
 
 ''^Thy lips are warm, though pale each cheek, 
 Thy pure, dear heart's-blood ftains thy fide ; 
 Speak but one word, ere it be gone ! 
 
 Speak but one word ! my wife ! my bride ! 
 
 " 'Alas ! alas ! fhe will not fpeak ; 
 
 Mother, bring here your magic art : 
 
 Summon each fpell, and flay the blood 
 
 That ebbs fo fwiftly from her heart. 
 
 " 'Your fpells are vain ! in vain your power ! 
 You cannot rule the florm you woke ! ' 
 His head funk down upon his breafl ; 
 With a deep figh, his fad heart broke. 
 
 ''He never fpoke, nor raifed his head; 
 
 For Thorbiorn's fword, when Ada fell, 
 And flained its blade with her pure blood. 
 Had flain with her's his life as well. 
 
 " And Geirrida, who faw him die, 
 
 Curfed the dread god that gave her power : 
 'An idle gift you gave to me. 
 
 That ferves not in the needful hour ! 
 
 " ' Thus they who trufl thee are betrayed : 
 A bauble buys a foul fo fair ; 
 The bauble pleafes for an hour ; 
 
 The hour is pafh, — then comes defpair!* 
 
THE SORCERESS. 93 
 
 ^^ That god — dread Loki — heard her curfe, 
 And crufhed her in his angry might ; 
 One frenzied fhriek rung wildly forth, 
 As plunged her foul in endlefs night." 
 
 The fong was ended, and a wild applaufe 
 Greeted the youthful bard ; for every heart. 
 Fraught with the fuperftition of the age. 
 Felt the ftrange thrill that fuperftition lends 
 To tales of wild adventure ; every heart. 
 Though feldom tutored to a gentle thought, 
 Turned from the din of battle to lament 
 With Black Thorarin for his flaughtered wife. 
 And thus the feaft went on ; and midnight came 
 And pafTed, and left them at their revels ftill. 
 
 At midnight, to the chamber of their chief 
 Oddur and Gudmund came ; and Narfi led 
 Them there, where, while the feaft and fong 
 
 went on 
 And revelry below, a plan was made. 
 Oddur and Gudmund took their chief's 
 
 commands. 
 And, ftlently as they had come, retired. 
 Narfi difmifled them from the weftern gate. 
 Watching them till the dufk of Night had clofed 
 Around her children ; then he pafled within. 
 And muttered, " Now at laft it will be done : 
 
94 KORMAK. 
 
 The brothers will not fail ; the brutes would 
 
 ftrike 
 At fleeping Odin, if their fwords were paid 
 To fhed his blood. Yes : the fudden onilaught 
 And their great flrength muft give them vidory, 
 If they obey directions. To make fure. 
 Before 't is daylight I will go myfelf 
 To fee the work performed ; I have defigned 
 To afk Thorveiga what the future has 
 In ftore for me. I have, in truth, no faith 
 That fhe can tell me more than I could tell 
 Of what muft come with time ; but I would fee 
 Her whom the people fear ; would try my heart. 
 I never feared a mortal being yet. 
 So, dread Thorveiga, drop your Gorgon fhield. 
 For fuperftition has no power o'er me." 
 
 Up, amid rocks and crags, at Spakonfell 
 Thorveiga dwelt, a forcerefs renowned 
 Through all the ifland ; a rude ftone-built hut, 
 Raifed 'gainft a caverned cleft in the huge rock 
 That frowned precipitous above, was her home. 
 Here, with her fons, fhe lived, apart from all. 
 In this wild, defolate, and lone ravine. 
 Her name was fpoken with a trembling dread. 
 And none had feen her fave the daring few 
 Who fought her hut to learn from her what fates 
 Lay darkly in the future, or to feek 
 
THE SORCERESS. 
 
 95 
 
 A talifman wrought by her magic fpells 
 
 And myftic power, — invulnerable mail, 
 
 A fhield no fword could cleave, a thrice-charmed 
 
 fword, 
 Obtained by midnight fpell from fome old ghoft. 
 Conjured to earth again by her dread power, — 
 A fword now gifted with ftrange ftrength to kill. 
 None ventured near the rocks where fhe abode, 
 And feldom was her dreaded name pronounced. 
 For all remembered Ulfar, and his death. 
 He was a hunter, who, delayed by night. 
 Waited until the moon arofe, for light 
 To find his way down the rough mountain-fide. 
 On the high rock that overhung the hut 
 Where dwelt Thorveiga and her brutifii fons 
 He paufed a moment in his fi:eep defcent ; 
 And there he faw fiirange fights. A hundred 
 
 ghofl:s 
 Were dancing round a fpectral wizard fire ; 
 The dread forcerefs, Oddur, and Gudmund 
 Were mingling gayly with their midnight guefl:s. 
 And dancing wildly to a difmal tune, 
 Beat on phantom drums by ficeleton arms ; 
 And all the rocky dell was filled with forms 
 Strange and uncouth. And Ulfar, trembling, faw 
 The moonbeams fiiining through tranfparent 
 
 fhapes 
 From which no Shadows fell ; he faw, and fwooned 
 7 
 
96 KORMAK. 
 
 On the cold rock, nor waked until the fun 
 With morning beams fhone on his frozen limbs. 
 And warmed them into life. Then with flow fl:eps 
 He left the fpot, but cafl: one frightened glance 
 Into the dell below. All now was ftill 
 And lifelefsj and no fign remained of thofe 
 That he had feen dancing beneath the moon. 
 He told his friends, with trembling tongue, the 
 
 tale ; 
 But from that hour his fl:rength ebbed flow away, 
 And ere the feafon pafl^ed away he died ; 
 And it was whifpered that he went to join 
 The ghofl;s that danced before Thorveiga's hut. 
 
 Within her hut the Sorcerefs now fat. 
 And twirled her flying wheel, from which the yarn 
 Spun rapidly. No light of day was there : 
 The hut was windowlefs, and from the cleft 
 And ragged cavern in the rock beyond 
 All light was clofe fliut out, fave what was flied 
 O'er all around from a huge fllver lamp. 
 Hung from the ceiling by a chain of bronze. 
 Upon the walls were ftrangely mingled fliield 
 And fword, with the fliuffed flcins of fnake and 
 
 toad. 
 Lizard and tortoife ; whitened bones, that feemed 
 As if of human kind. But flie who fat. 
 Her muttering mingling with the noify wheel, 
 
THE SORCERESS. 
 
 97 
 
 The living inmate of this ftrange abode, 
 Herfelf was ilranger than all elfe around : 
 A ftately woman, with a pale, wild face. 
 O'er which fell ftraggling locks of raven hair. 
 Laced here and there with threads of filver hue. 
 A gown of black was robed around her form, 
 From which contrafted, deathly pale, her face 
 And her half-naked breaft. She raifed her head, 
 Threw back her hair with thin and trembling 
 
 hands. 
 And flopped her rapid wheel, that fhe might hear 
 With more diftindlnefs the faint founds without 
 That came to her quick ear ; for now the found 
 Of footfteps came along the rocky path 
 Up to the doorway. " It is a ftranger," 
 Thorveiga muttered, as fhe raifed the latch 
 In anfwer to his knocking. The daylight 
 Came flooding inward through the opening door. 
 Struggling a moment in the darkened hut 
 With the pale lamplight ; and with the daylight 
 Narfi ftepped o'er the threfhold. The door clofed. 
 And, ere the youth could bear the change of light 
 Upon his eyes, Thorveiga once more fat 
 Beflde her wheel, and plied the bufy thread 
 Then Narfi doffed his cap to her, and faid : 
 " I come, good mother, by your aid, to look 
 Beyond the prefent to the time to come. 
 Love and ambition, tell me of their fate. 
 
98 KORMAK. 
 
 And how to guide my fteps in the dark way 
 Through which I pafs ! " 
 
 When Narfi firfh appeared, 
 The Sorcerefs had caft a quick, keen glance 
 On him, ere fhe refumed her feat. That glance 
 Narfi had loft. When now fhe heard him fpeak. 
 Her hands fell idly by her fide, her breath 
 Came gafpingly ; but ftill the wheel fped on. 
 Nor did fiie raife her eyes. The youth drew forth 
 A purfe of gold, and dropped it at her feet. 
 Thorveiga raifed her eyes : "Your name," fiie 
 
 faid, 
 " Is Narfi ; your father's name you know not ; 
 Why afk you not that, by my magic art, 
 I fhould reveal your birth and parentage P " 
 
 The ruby color fled from Narfi's lip : 
 *'Ifyou have power," he faid, "I bid you fpeak!" 
 
 " If I have power ! " the Sorcerefs replied ; 
 " Liften and judge : you feek from me to know 
 The end of your ambition and your love ? 
 You love Steingerda, daughter to Thorkell, 
 And your ambition is to gain the place 
 That Thorkell's death will vacate. Yours by 
 
 right 
 That place fliould be, for you are ThorkelF s fon ! 
 Well may you ftart ; but liften to me ftill. 
 
THE SORCERESS. 99 
 
 " Many years ago, near Tajaldnes dwelt 
 Leidolf Kappa. His dwelling was a tower, 
 Rough-built of fhone, that flood by the fea-fhore. 
 The coaft was wild and rocky ; but, beneath 
 The mafTive rocks on which the tower was built, 
 A narrow beach came up againfl the wall, 
 And every tide fwept fmooth the fnow-white fand 
 As it rolled out to Tea. One ftormy night. 
 When the wild waves came plunging up the fands 
 To daih upon the rocks, Thorunna fat. 
 And, from a window in the lofty tower 
 Gazed o'er the troubled fea ; fhe watched each 
 
 wave. 
 As, capped with foam, it dafhed refiftlefs on. 
 And broke to atoms in a tumult wild 
 Of mingled foam and fpray ; when on the fea, 
 Red, 'mid the lines of white, fhe faw a light 
 Come moving in from the wild wafle without. 
 As though fome barque was fleered toward the 
 
 light 
 That glimmered from their walls. Swift it 
 
 came on. 
 And fcarce the maid could warn her fire and 
 
 friends 
 To haflen to the fpot, when the barque, borne 
 On the high top of a huge furging wave, 
 Dafhed on the founding rock. One man alone 
 Of all her crew was faved from death that night. 
 
lOO KORMAK. 
 
 That man was your fire, Thorkell ; wounded, 
 
 ftunned, 
 And helplefsj he was thrown within the reach 
 Of Leidolf and his friends, who refcued him 
 From the fierce wave, that would have drawn 
 
 him back 
 Into the angry fea. They took him up, 
 Conveyed him to the tower, brought back the life 
 To his dead limbs, to his cold heart again. 
 And many anxious hours befide his couch 
 Thorunna fat, and watched him as he flept. 
 Or as he fiiruggled feebly for his life 
 In fever's burning grafp. But youth at lafl: 
 Gained triumph o'er difeafe ; his fi:rength came 
 
 back, 
 And fl:ill his gentle nurfe fat by his fide. 
 And cheered his weary hours. He did her wrong : 
 Won her young heart, deceived her, and then fled. 
 You are his fon and hers. Her father died. 
 Uni, a wild fea-rover, one dark night 
 Landed his crew upon the fands, and took 
 From weak Thorunna her lone tower. Thy youth 
 Was pafi^ed upon the deck of his light barque. 
 When you grew older you rebelled 'gainfi: him. 
 Seduced his failors from allegiance to him, 
 Slew him at night amid his helplefs fleep, 
 And brought your fervice here unto Thorkell, 
 Although you knew not that he was your fire." 
 
THE SORCERESS. lOI 
 
 While Thorveiga told this ftrange hiftory, 
 Narfi had ftood with pallid cheeks, his hands 
 Clenched in his ilrong emotion. " Is this true ? " 
 He cried ; " or have you conjured up the tale 
 But to deceive me ? True, I flew Uni. 
 He ftruck me on my cheek, called me baftard ; 
 I waited till the night, and then he died. 
 Thorkell my fire ! Ambition ! now I fee 
 The road by which to mount. 
 
 Thorveiga faid : 
 " Have you no thought of her who gave you 
 
 birth .? 
 Whether alive or dead ? " 
 
 '' Speak on ! " he faid, 
 "And tell me all. Mother ! the very word 
 Sounds ilrangely to my ear ; yet in my mind, 
 Dim, like' a dream, comes back a gentle face 
 That fmiled upon me once." 
 
 " That face was mine ! " 
 The Sorcerefs exclaimed. "Yes, I am fhe, 
 Thorunna, who once dwelt in that lone tower 
 Upon the fea-fhore ; fhe whomThorkell wronged. 
 Who nurfed thy youth till madnefs drove her 
 
 forth ; 
 She who by madnefs gained the myflic gift 
 Of prophecy. I have watched over you. 
 Known of each chance that time has ever brought, 
 But found, alas ! that I was powerlefs 
 
I02 KORMAK. 
 
 To aid you, — fome flronger force controlled you. 
 Nor can I read your future. All is hid 
 From me beyond the prefent of your fate." 
 She held her thin, white hands outftretched to 
 
 him. 
 And Narfi trembled when thofe hands touched 
 
 his. 
 
 " Mother," he faid, " thy gift of prophecy 
 Defcends to me. Thorkell has lived too long ; 
 'T is time we were avenged — " 
 
 "'Tis not by thee. 
 My fon, ihall Thorkell die. I know his fate ; 
 The ftars have told me how his end Ihall be. 
 The time approaches, but 't is not thy hand 
 Mufl cut his thread of life." But while Ihe fpoke 
 The found of ftruggling feet, the clafK of fwords. 
 Was heard without the hut. Narfi ftarted. 
 And raifed the latch. Thorveiga called aloud : 
 '' Stay, ftay, my fon ; the future comes to me, 
 And dangers clufter now around your head ! " 
 But he ftayed not, — fprung through the open- 
 ing door. 
 And left her. For a moment fhe flood flill. 
 With eyes bent down, as though upon the earth 
 She read, in her own myflic charadlers. 
 What time now wrote in the material type 
 Of a6t and deed without. Then to the door. 
 
THE SORCERESS. IO3 
 
 With a wild and pitiful cry, fhe fprung, 
 
 And daggered o'er the threfhold, — the firfl time 
 
 In twenty years the funlight fell on her. 
 
 Kormak and Thorgils with the dawn fet forth 
 To pay the promifed vifit to the hut 
 Of the witch Thorveiga. The hills were pafled ; 
 They clambered up the deep ravine, and now 
 Drew near her defolate and lone abode, 
 When Thorgils, who went iirft, felt a Iharp wound 
 Piercing his fide, and heard the bowftring's 
 
 twang, — 
 Saw two huge figures leap adown the rock 
 Before him : drew his fword, and flew Oddur 
 With his firft blow. But now the heavens 
 
 whirled round. 
 And in a dream he fell. With a wild cry 
 Kormak rufhed on, as the giant Gudmund 
 Raifed his right arm to flay the proftrate youth, 
 And dafhed his fword afide. Now, o'er the form 
 Of Thorgils their fwords met and rung again 
 In defperate battle. As Gudmund fell 
 Never to rife, down from Thorveiga's hut. 
 With defperate purpofe gleaming in his eyes. 
 His face ftill pale, rufhed Narfi, with fword 
 
 drawn. 
 And took the giant's place. " Now you or I," 
 He faid, " fight our laft fight ! " 
 
I04 KORMAK. 
 
 " Not all the lives 
 Of all the houfe of Thorkell will repay 
 My brother's death ! " Kormak replied to him. 
 '' You fhall go firft ; the reft fhall follow you, 
 If that dear life be flain. You fhall go firft ! 
 I feel the ftrength of all my warrior fires 
 Come to me now. Back, back to death you go ! " 
 And Narfi's blood was flowing faft ; forced back. 
 He fell upon his knee, beheld the fword 
 Of Kormak blazing in the air above. 
 Then faw no more of earth. Forth from her hut. 
 Her hair diftievelled and her eyes on fire, 
 Thorveiga came, and raifed her fallen fon. 
 Tore off her robes to ftanch his flowing blood. 
 But came too late to fave ; his head fell back 
 Upon her arm, and Narfi's foul had fled. 
 The Sorcerefs arofe, ftretched her thin hand 
 Toward the flcy, and called upon the gods 
 To fmite his flayer. "Wherefore ftrike ye not ? 
 Odin, great Thor, Thorveiga calls on ye ! 
 They heed me not. Then let him live ! " flie cried ; 
 '' My curfe fliall follow him : his life be fliort. 
 But filled with pains and anguifli ; difappoint 
 His deareft hopes ; crufli every joy of life. 
 And make his path as defolate and drear 
 As mine hath been ; let his death be cruel. 
 Bloody, terrible. By every fpell 
 Of magic art I call deftrudion down 
 
THE SORCERESS. IO5 
 
 On his doomed head ! And in his lateft hour 
 May I be there to curfe his paffing foul, 
 As from the earth it flies ! " 
 
 But Kormak kneeled 
 Befide his brother, drew the arrow forth. 
 And ftanched his blood ; called back the life again 
 To his white lips and to his half-clofed eyes. 
 Nor heard, nor heeded then, her fearful curfe. 
 
0«ttt»K» 
 
 CANTO VI 
 
 THE MARRIAGE. 
 
CAN T O VI. 
 
 THE MARRIAGE 
 
 WHILE by his brother's fick-couch Kor- 
 mak fat. 
 And tended him gently as a fifter. 
 Forgetting other love, and e'en revenge, 
 Remembering only that deep, ftrong love 
 That bound him to his brother ; while his hand 
 Held to his fevered lips the cooling draught. 
 And fmoothed his weary pillow, as he bent 
 O'er him while fleeping, held in his the hand 
 That burned with pain and fever, — at Tunga, 
 Thorkell was brooding over what had chanced. 
 And dwelling on the future ; and alone 
 He fat, gloomy, within the deepening gloom 
 Of his own chamber, when Steingerda came 
 And knelt befide his knee, and took his hand. 
 In filence watched his clofe-contrafted brow 
 And firm-fet lips. At laft fhe fpoke to him : — 
 
no KORMAK. 
 
 " Father," flie faid, " give up your fiercer 
 thought, 
 I pray of you ; the anger that you nurfe 
 Gnaws, like a vulture, deeply in your heart, 
 Writes fufFering on your brow, helps the years 
 To bow your frame, works more than even time 
 On you. Forgive the wrong you bore of old ; 
 Forgive his fon of old who injured you. 
 'Tis noble to forgive, — a braver part 
 Than, by oppofing gods and men, to bring 
 Defl:ru6tion on us all. Father, I love 
 Him whom you feek to kill, — deftroying him, 
 You fhrike my heart as well : his heart is mine, 
 As mine is his, — my life with his is joined. 
 I pray you foften down your ancient hate. 
 Pardon the paft, remember not old wrongs ! " 
 
 While thus fhe pleaded,Thorkeirs firm-fet face 
 Relaxed not line nor mufcle, and his eye 
 Turned on her face its unrelenting glance. 
 '' Thou art no daughter of my blood," he faid, 
 '' If thou dofl love my hated enemy. 
 The fon of him who wronged both me and mine. 
 Thee, being mine, and all our kindred houfe. 
 And now himfelf hath flain my fervants true, 
 And braved my anger with an idle boaft, 
 And armed my prince in wrath againft our houfe : 
 Is this the wav to quench the old-time feud ? 
 
THE MARRIAGE. Ill 
 
 A fitting marriage this would be indeed ! 
 Blood lies between you, a red, warning flream, 
 And you would dip your garments in the ftain. 
 Would hold the hand whofe kindred ihed my 
 
 blood, 
 Would fwear to love where you fhould give 
 
 but hate ! 
 Shame on you, daughter ! you are none of mine ; 
 Your mother mufl have wronged me. Say no 
 
 more ! 
 When you can ftay the waves that wafh our fhores, 
 And heap their mafles up againfl the fky ; 
 When you can change the froft to fummer's heat. 
 Melt the vaft iceberg with befeeching eye ; 
 When you can call the fun down from above, 
 Blot out the moon, and dim the fhining ftars, — 
 Then may you hope to move me. Tears are vain ; 
 Their feeble drops hifs on my burning heart. 
 And feed its blazing fires. Away ! away. 
 Before I curfe the child that loves my foes 
 Better than me or mine ! " He fhook her off. 
 And, trembling both with rage and paffion, flood 
 A fearful image of unbridled rage. 
 Then with quick footfleps, nervous and infirm, 
 He paced the room. 
 
 And Steingerda replied : 
 " Curfe me not, father ; do not curfe the child 
 Who loves thee now and ever. None the lefs 
 
112 KORMAK. 
 
 My love for thee, — who gave my life its life. 
 To whom my heart now clings as firm as clings 
 The ivy to the ftrong, fuftaining oak, 
 Neftling round its great trunk, — becaufe, alas ! 
 Another love than thine muft fhare with thine. 
 I gave not love, but loved unwillingly. 
 Knowing thou call'fl him foe : could not but love, 
 Defpite myfelf and thee, and every thought 
 That bade my heart beat coldly ; and my heart 
 Grew with my love, nor gave thee fmaller place 
 Becaufe his place was there. Forgive, forget. 
 And curfe me not becaufe my heart fpeaks out. 
 Confiding all to thee." 
 
 When the funfhine 
 Falls on the high ice-plain, cold and frigid 
 It cafls the bright reflection off, — melts not. 
 Yields not ; as flony-hearted as that plain. 
 As coldly unrelenting, Thorkell heard. 
 But gave no word of anfwer, fave to bid 
 Her leave him ; and fadly fhe obeyed him. 
 
 Alone again with thought, he nurfed revenge, 
 Repeating to himfelf : " I will not change. 
 And bafely give my hand where I have fworn 
 To give the fword's edge; not though Odin fend, 
 In his great thunder tones, divine commands. 
 And light his meffenger with all the glare 
 Of the keen lightning ! His power may crufh me. 
 
THE SORCERESS. I I3 
 
 But it can never change : my foul at leafl 
 Is all my own, nor gods nor men shall bend 
 Its earneft purpofe ! " 
 
 'Mid his reverie 
 Came one to fpeak with him ; and there entered 
 A woman, drefled in black, with a mafked face 
 And ftately air. The thin, pale hand, half hid 
 Amid the folds of her dark robe, was that 
 Which held the head of Narfi when the life 
 Flowed from his bread with the dark crimfon 
 
 ftream 
 That Kormak's fword had freed. Long they 
 
 fat there 
 In confultation, and when they parted 
 Thorkell faid : " Thou wilt not fail ! Remember 
 His, the Venetian cup, and he muft drink 
 Oblivion to the paft." 
 
 She anfwered : 
 '' He fhall drink oblivion, and the wrongs 
 That time has gathered, unavenged, fhall then 
 Find retribution. Doubt it not ; bring thou 
 The nuptials fpeedily, — I will not fail.'* 
 
 For the third time we vifit Tunga's halls 
 Amid feftivity ; for on this night 
 The daughter of the houfe fhall wed its foe. 
 And bridge by her alliance the deep gulf 
 That long has yawned between. When Steingerda 
 
114 KORMAK. 
 
 Heard Thorkell bid to deck herfelf in robes 
 Meet for her wedding with the man fhe loved, 
 While yet his bitter and paflionate words 
 Of enmity were ringing in her ears, 
 She feared that rage had overprefled his brain, 
 And made him mad. 
 
 " My father, late you faid 
 I muft not love him, for he was thy foe ; 
 And now you bid mewed him ! you are changed P 
 
 Thorkell replied: "I looked behind the veil, 
 And found thy marriage was a thing decreed. 
 I may not war with fate, for deftiny 
 Laughs at man's feeble efforts, and fweeps on 
 Its full, ftrong tide, regardlefs of us all. 
 To-night you wed ; to-night ihall Kormak ceafe 
 To bear my hate ; too long, by far too long. 
 Has he been hated." 
 
 While fhe heard his words. 
 She looked in vain for kindnefs in his eye 
 To match the gentler fpeech, and to her heart 
 There came a fad diftruft, a boding fenfe 
 Of fome calamity. More in forrow 
 Than in joy fhe clad herfelf in gay robes. 
 And waited for her bridegroom ; and at eve 
 He came, and Thorgils, with a cheek flill pale. 
 But with recovery beaming in his eye. 
 And many friends were with him. As fhe faw 
 
THE MARRIAGE. II5 
 
 Her lover, felt the thrill when their hands met, 
 Read his love in every paffionate glance 
 That pafTed between them, her fad foreboding 
 Vanifhed as night at funrife, and dear thoughts, 
 Fair anticipations for the future, 
 Came to her heart, and banifhed every fear. 
 
 And Thorkell gave them welcome in few words ; 
 His mind feemed abfent, brooding on fome 
 
 thought ; 
 And oft he fharted, and looked wildly round. 
 Then funk again in moodinefs ; but when. 
 Each in his place in the great banquet-hall. 
 The hour had come to pledge his ancient foe 
 And call him fon, the old man roufed himfelf. 
 And bade the wine be poured; each cup was 
 
 filled 
 With dancing, fparkling drops. " My fon," he 
 
 faid. 
 And raifed his cup, '' the wrongs are now atoned 
 That long have warred between thy houfe and 
 
 mine, — 
 I drink with thee — Oblivion to the p aft! ^ 
 
 And Kormak gazed on the fair face of her 
 Whom now he wedded, raifed the cryftal bowl, 
 And drank the fparkling wine ; each cup was 
 drained. 
 
Il6 KORMAK. 
 
 While empty goblets clattered on the board, 
 Rofe the long fhout of '' Kormak and his bride ! " 
 " Live, Kormak and his bride ! " Thorkell fpoke 
 
 not, 
 But gazed, like one entranced, on him who now 
 Claimed kindred with his houfe. 
 
 As the cry ceafed, 
 A dark-robed form, that ftood within a niche 
 Concealed by drooping foldings of a flag 
 That fwept from ceiling to the oaken floor, — 
 The tattered banner of an old fea-king, — 
 Came wildly through their midfl:, threw back 
 
 her hood. 
 And bared her pallid face, o'er which there fell. 
 In tangled mafl^es and in elfin locks, 
 Her long gray hair ; and every breath was huflied. 
 And every heart beat flower, as fhe poured 
 A cup of wine, and raifed it to her lips. 
 
 " Thorveiga drinks your pledge," flie cried 
 aloud ; 
 "Thorkell, rememberefl: thou the wronged maid 
 Of the lone tower upon the ocean cliff ? 
 Thorunna comes again to drink with thee 
 Thy latefl: pledge, ' Oblivion to the paft.' 
 Kormak, I drink to thee ; my fon you flew, 
 But here I pledge ' Oblivion to the paft.' 
 Why ftand ye awed ? I drink to all of ye. 
 
THE MARRIAGE. II7 
 
 What ! feel ye yet the poifon in your veins ? 
 Works the drugged wine on ye fo foon, fo foon ? " 
 
 And every face grew pale, the blood froze chill 
 In each cold heart, as, with her arms upraifed 
 And burning eyes, the Sorcerefs fpoke on : 
 ''Thorkell, you bade me poifon but one cup : 
 Lo, I have poifoned all ! Ye all have drunk. 
 And I with you, the fatal pledge of death ! 
 Now pales the blood in warrior cheeks, and now 
 Chills round your boaftful hearts the ice of death ! 
 Your keen-edged fwords, your fhining fuits of 
 
 mail. 
 Avail not now, — the foe has pafled within. 
 No power can fave ye ; with a gallant train 
 Thorveiga marches to the world beyond. 
 And wronged Thorunna takes at laft revenge." 
 
 Thorkell had ftarted when Thorunna's name 
 Firfl: pafled her lips ; for with that name there 
 
 ruihed 
 A flood of recolledtion back to him. 
 And in her fearful, pallid face he traced 
 The wreck of beauty that was hers of old ; 
 Her fair young face came back before his eye, 
 The while its ghoflily, dread reality 
 Mocked at his recolledtion, with the change 
 That years and wrongs had written on her brow; 
 
Il8 KORMAK. 
 
 And the old wrong rofe up before his mind, 
 And, while the poifon thickened in his veins 
 And froze his heart, his confcience froze his foul. 
 
 The deadly poifon mingled with the wine 
 Preyed inftant on each life. Scarce time had they 
 To bid a lafh farewell to friends around, 
 Ere the fell ficknefs crufhed the germ of life. 
 And Death transfixed them with his fatal fpear. 
 One kifs, one laft embrace, and, hand in hand. 
 The wedded lovers fought their bridal bed 
 In the cold halls of death; andThorgils kneeled, 
 Kiffing his brother's lips, and kiffing died ; 
 And many fled from out the fatal hall. 
 But in their flight they died. Not one of thofe 
 Who drank that pledge, but drank the draught 
 of death. 
 
 And years rolled on : in Tunga's ancient hall 
 There dwelt no inmate; for the walls were curfed. 
 And gliding ghofl:s were feen at midnight hour; 
 And, as the wind a moment hufhed its fweep 
 Round thofe dread walls, within the goblins 
 
 flirieked. 
 And drank again — '' Oblivion to the pafl: ! " 
 
 THE END. 
 
 

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