Fast by the Tree of Knowledge he fell, and it hangs its crown o'er the Fall to this day; in the Thought is the Fall; in the Heart the Atonement. Infinite is the fall, - the Atonement infinite likewise. 300 See! behind me, as far as the old man remembers, and forward, 310 Bright as the vault of the sky, and battles with Sin and o'ercomes her. gold flows 320 Purified forth from the flames; in a word, mankind by Atonement Read the Form of Communion, and in chimed the organ and anthem: 340 But in the children (I noted it well; I knew it) there ran a Heaven opened itself, as of old before Stephen; they saw there Radiant in glory the Father, and on his right hand the Redeemer. Under them hear they the clang of harpstrings, and angels from gold clouds Beckon to them like brothers, and fan with their pinions of purple. Closed was the Teacher's task, and with heaven in their hearts and their faces, Up rose the children all, and each bowed him, weeping full sorely, Downward to kiss that reverend hand, but all of them pressed he Moved to his bosom, and laid, with a prayer, his hands full of blessings, Now on the holy breast, and now on the innocent tresses. KING CHRISTIAN (KONG CHRISTIAN STOD VED HØIEN MAST) 351 Terror and Death glared where he went; A NATIONAL SONG OF DENMARK From the waves was heard a wail, KING CHRISTIAN stood by the lofty mast In mist and smoke; that rent skiol', From Denmark thunders Torden His sword was hammering so fast, Let each to Heaven commend his Through Gothic helm and brain it soul, And fly! Path of the Dane to fame and might! Dark-rolling wave! Receive thy friend, who, scorning flight, Goes to meet danger with despite, Proudly as thou the tempest's might, Dark-rolling wave! And amid pleasures and alarms, arms My grave! THE ELECTED KNIGHT (DEN UDKAARNE RIDDER) This strange and somewhat mystical ballad is from Nyerup and Rahbek's Danske Viser fra Middelalderen. It seems to refer to the first preaching of North Sea! a glimpse of Wessel Christianity in the North, and to the rent Thy murky sky! institution of Knight-Errantry. The three maidens I suppose to be Faith, Hope, and Charity. The irregularities of the original have been carefully preserved in the translation. H. W. L. SIR OLUF he rideth over the plain, Full seven miles broad and seven miles wide, I am an Unknown Knight, Three modest Maidens have me bedight.' Art thou a Knight elected, And have three maidens thee bedight; But never, ah never can meet with So shalt thou ride a tilt this day, the man A tilt with him dare ride. He saw under the hillside A Knight full well equipped; His steed was black, his helm was barred; He was riding at full speed. He wore upon his spurs Twelve little golden birds; Anon he spurred his steed with a clang, And there sat all the birds and sang. He wore upon his mail Twelve little golden wheels; Anon in eddies the wild wind blew, And round and round the wheels they flew. He wore before his breast A lance that was poised in rest; And it was sharper than diamondstone, It made Sir Oluf's heart to groan. He wore upon his helm A wreath of ruddy gold; And that gave him the Maidens Three, The youngest was fair to behold. Sir Oluf questioned the Knight eftsoon For all the Maidens' honor!' The first tilt they together rode They put their steeds to the test; The second tilt they together rode They proved their manhood best The third tilt they together rode Neither of them would yield; The fourth tilt they together rode They both fell on the field. Now lie the lords upon the plain, And their blood runs unto death; Now sit the Maidens in the high tower, The youngest sorrows till death. CHILDHOOD (DA JEG VAR LILLE) BY JENS IMMANUEL BAGGESEN THERE was a time when I was very small, When my whole frame was but an ell in height; Sweetly, as I recall it, tears do fall, And therefore I recall it with de. light. If he were come from heaven I sported in my tender mother's Then seemed to me this world far They perished, the blithe days of less in size, Likewise it seemed to me less wicked far; boyhood perished, And all the gladness, all the peace I knew! Like points in heaven, I saw the Now have I but their memory, THERE sat one day in quiet, Find out how large it is, how Four hale and hearty fellows, round, how fair!' Wondering, I saw God's sun, And yet upon the morrow early rise, And thought of God, the gracious Who made me, and that lovely And all those pearls of heaven thick-strung together, And drank the precious wine. The landlord's daughter filled Around the rustic board: But when the maid departed, 'Long live the Swabian land! The greatest kingdom upon earth Dropped, clustering, from his With all the stout and hardy men hand o'er all the sky. With childish reverence, my young lips did say The prayer my pious mother taught to me: And the nut-brown maidens there.' 'Ha!' cried a Saxon, laughing, And dashed his beard with wine; 'O gentle God! oh, let me strive 'I had rather live in Lapland, alway Still to be wise, and good, and follow thee!' So prayed I for my father and my mother, And for my sister, and for all the There have I as many maidens |