Saint Oluf (from The Old Danish) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DEFE GHIH JKLK MNON PQRQ JESE TPUP VWXW JBYB BQZQ A2B2C2B2 B2D2E2D2 BF2EF2 G2H2I2H2 IG2J2G2 BK2L2K2 M2F2G2F2 N2QRQ BA2O2A2St Oluf was a mighty king | A |
Who rul'd the Northern land | B |
The holy Christian faith he preach'd | C |
And taught it sword in hand | B |
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St Oluf built a lofty ship | D |
With sails of silk so fair | E |
To Hornelummer I must go | F |
And see what's passing there | E |
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O do not go the seamen said | G |
To yonder fatal ground | H |
Where savage Jutts and wicked elves | I |
And demon sprites abound | H |
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St Oluf climb'd the vessel's side | J |
His courage nought could tame | K |
Heave up heave up the anchor straight | L |
Let's go in Jesu's name | K |
- | |
The cross shall be my faulchion now | M |
The book of God my shield | N |
And arm'd with them I hope and trust | O |
To make the demons yield | N |
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And swift as eagle cleaves the sky | P |
The gallant vessel flew | Q |
Direct for Hornelummer's rock | R |
Through ocean's wavy blue | Q |
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'T was early in the morning tide | J |
When she cast anchor there | E |
And lo the Jutt stood on the cliff | S |
To breathe the morning air | E |
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His eyes were like the burning beal | T |
His mouth was all awry | P |
The truth I tell and say he stood | U |
Full twenty cubits high | P |
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His beard was like a horse's mane | V |
And down his bosom roll'd | W |
The claws that fenc'd his finger ends | X |
Were frightful to behold | W |
- | |
I never yet have seen he cried | J |
A ship come near my strand | B |
That here to shore I could not drag | Y |
By putting out my hand | B |
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The good St Oluf smil'd thereat | B |
And thus address'd his crew | Q |
Now hold your tongues and well observe | Z |
What I'm about to do | Q |
- | |
The giant stretch'd his mighty arm | A2 |
The ship was nigh his own | B2 |
But when St Oluf rais'd the cross | C2 |
He sank knee deep in stone | B2 |
- | |
Here am I sunk knee deep in stone | B2 |
My legs I cannot move | D2 |
But since my back and fists are free | E2 |
My might thou yet shalt prove | D2 |
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Be still be still thou noisy guest | B |
Be still for evermore | F2 |
Become a rock and beetle there | E |
Above the billows hoar | F2 |
- | |
Up started then from out the hill | G2 |
The demon's hoary wife | H2 |
She curs'd the king a thousand times | I2 |
And brandish'd high her knife | H2 |
- | |
Sore wonder'd then the little elves | I |
Who sat within the hill | G2 |
To see their mother all at once | J2 |
Stand likewise stiff and still | G2 |
- | |
'T is done they cried by yonder wight | B |
Who rides upon the waves | K2 |
Let's wade out to him through the surf | L2 |
And beat him with our staves | K2 |
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At Hornelummer happen'd then | M2 |
What happen'd ne'er before | F2 |
The elfins wish'd to leave the hill | G2 |
And could not find a door | F2 |
- | |
They ran their heads against the wall | N2 |
And tried to break it through | Q |
They could not break the solid rock | R |
But broke their necks in lieu | Q |
- | |
Now thanks to God and Jesus Christ | B |
And good St Oluf's arm | A2 |
To Hornelummer we can sail | O2 |
Without mishap or harm | A2 |
George Borrow
(1)
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