Fridleif And Helga (from The Danish Of Oehlenslaeger) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II JJ KK KK LL MM NN OO PP QQ AA RR SS PP LL TT MM UU VV TT PP WW XX YY II MM ZA2 FF B2B2 C2C2 C2C2 C2C2 SS C2C2 D2D2 C2C2| The woods were in leaf and they cast a sweet shade | A |
| Among them walk'd Helga the beautiful maid | A |
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| The water is dashing o'er yon little stones | B |
| She sat down beside it and rested her bones | B |
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| She sat down and soon from a bush that was near | C |
| Sir Fridleif approach'd her with sword and with spear | C |
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| Ah pity me Helga and fly me not now | D |
| I live only live on the smile of thy brow | D |
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| In thy father's whole garden is found not a rose | E |
| Which bright as thyself and as beautiful grows | E |
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| Sir Fridleif thy words are but meant to deceive | F |
| Yet tell me what brings thee so late here at eve | F |
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| I cannot find rest and I cannot find ease | G |
| Though sweet sing the linnets among the wild trees | G |
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| If thou wilt but promise one day to be mine | H |
| No more shall I sorrow no more shall I pine | H |
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| She sank in his arms and her cheeks were as red | I |
| As the sun when he sinks in his watery bed | I |
| - | |
| But soon she arose from his loving embrace | J |
| He walk'd by her side through the wood for a space | J |
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| Now listen young Fridleif the gallant and bold | K |
| Take off from my finger this ring of red gold | K |
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| Take off from my finger this ring of red gold | K |
| And part with it not till in death thou art cold | K |
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| Sir Fridleif stood there in a sorrowful plight | L |
| Salt tears wet his eyeballs and blinded his sight | L |
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| Go home and I'll come to thy father with speed | M |
| And claim thee from him on my mighty grey steed | M |
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| Sir Fridleif at night through the thick forest rode | N |
| He fain would arrive at his lov'd one's abode | N |
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| His harness was clanking his helm glitter'd sheen | O |
| His horse was so swift and himself was so keen | O |
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| He reach'd the proud castle and jump'd on the ground | P |
| His horse to the branch of a linden he bound | P |
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| He shoulder'd his mantle of grey otter skin | Q |
| And through the wide door to Sir Erik went in | Q |
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| Here sitt'st thou Sir Erik in scarlet array'd | A |
| I've wedded thy daughter the beautiful maid | A |
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| And who art thou Rider what feat hast thou done | R |
| No nidering coward shall e'er be my son | R |
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| O far have I wander'd renown'd is my name | S |
| The heroes I conquer'd wherever I came | S |
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| Han Elland 't is true long disputed the ground | P |
| But yet he receiv'd from my hand his death wound | P |
| - | |
| Sir Erik then alter'd his countenance quite | L |
| And out hurried he in the gloom of the night | L |
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| Fill high little Kirstin my best drinking cup | T |
| And be the brown liquor with poison mixt up | T |
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| She gave him the draught and returning with speed | M |
| Young gallant said he thou must taste my old mead | M |
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| Sir Fridleif unbuckled his helmet and drank | U |
| Sweat sprung from his forehead his features grew blank | U |
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| I never have drain'd since the day I was born | V |
| A bitterer draught from a costlier horn | V |
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| My course is completed my life is summ'd up | T |
| For treason I smell in the dregs of the cup | T |
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| Sir Erik then said while he stamp'd on the ground | P |
| Young knight 't is thy fortune to die like a hound | P |
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| My best belov'd friend thou didst boast to have slain | W |
| And I have aveng'd him by giving thee bane | W |
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| Not Helga but Hela shall now be thy bride | X |
| Dark blue are her cheeks and she looks stony eyed | X |
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| Sir Erik thy words are both witty and wise | Y |
| And hell when it has thee will have a rich prize | Y |
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| Convey unto Helga her gold ring so red | I |
| Be sure to inform her when Fridleif is dead | I |
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| But flame shall give water and marble shall bleed | M |
| Before thou shalt win by this treacherous deed | M |
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| And I will not die like a hound in the straw | Z |
| But go like a hero to Odin and Thor | A2 |
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| He cut himself thrice with his keen cutting glaive | F |
| And went to Valhalla the way of the brave | F |
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| The knight bade his daughter come into the room | B2 |
| Look here my sweet child on thy merry bridegroom | B2 |
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| She look'd on the body and gave a wild start | C2 |
| O father why hadst thou so cruel a heart | C2 |
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| She moan'd and lamented she rav'd and she curst | C2 |
| She look'd on her love till her very eyes burst | C2 |
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| At midnight Sir Erik was standing there mute | C2 |
| With two pallid corses beside his cold foot | C2 |
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| He stood stiff and still and when morning light came | S |
| He stood like a post without life in his frame | S |
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| The youth and the maid were together interr'd | C2 |
| Sir Erik could not from his posture be stirr'd | C2 |
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| He stood there as stiffly for thirty long days | D2 |
| And look'd on the earth with a petrified gaze | D2 |
| - | |
| 'T is said on the night of the thirtieth long day | C2 |
| To dust and to ashes he moulder'd away | C2 |
George Borrow
(1)
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