The Tournament (from The Old Danish) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAABCDEEF CDGHA HIHJJCJHK CELMCCNNA HAKK OAPA AAQA AHFH RNQN AKAK AAHA AAHA AAHA ASAS AHHH ANCN AAHA AKHK ATAK ANHN AAHA AHHH AUKU ACCC AKAK AVHV ANKN AAAA AKNK AAHA AKHK AAHA ANHN AFSF AVHV NAAA HAKA HNKN AANA AKHK HHKH AAAA NNKN AHKH HANA AWXW KAYA AHKH HAAA AAHA AHHH NNHN FHNH NNHN KANA FNAN NHAH ANKN AHHH NAAA AKNK AANA HHNH ZKNK AANA HVA2K AAAA AHAH AHAH KAHAThis is one of those Ballads which from the days of Arild | A |
have been much sung in Denmark we find in it the names and | A |
bearings of most of those renowned heroes who are mentioned | A |
separately in other poems It divides itself into two | B |
parts the first which treats of the warrior's | C |
bearings has a great resemblance to the th chapter of | D |
the Vilkina Saga as likewise has the last part wherein the | E |
Duel is described to the th and st chapters of the | E |
same | F |
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I cannot here forbear quoting and translating what Anders | C |
Sorensen Vedel the good old Editor of the first Edition of | D |
the Kiaempe Viser which appeared in says concerning | G |
the apparently superhuman performances of the heroes therein | H |
celebrated | A |
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Hvad ellers Kiaempernes Storlemhed Styrke og anden | H |
Vilkaar berorer som overgaaer de Menneskers der nu leve | I |
deres Vaext og Kraft det Stykke kan ikke her noksom nu | H |
forhandles men skal i den Danske Kronikes tredie Bog | J |
videligere omtales Thi det jo i Sandhed befindes og | J |
bevises af adskillige Documenter og Kundskab at disse | C |
gamle Hellede som de kaldes have levet fast laenger og | J |
vaeret mandeligere storre staerkere og hoiere end den | H |
gemene Mand er som nu lever paa denne Dag | K |
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That part which relates to these Warriors' size | C |
strength or other qualities so far surpassing the | E |
stature and powers of the men who now exist cannot be | L |
here sufficiently treated upon but shall be further | M |
discussed in the third Book of the Danish Chronicles | C |
for in truth it is discovered and proved from various | C |
documents and sources that these old heroes as they are | N |
called lived much longer and were manlier stouter | N |
stronger and taller than man at the present day | A |
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Six score there were six score and ten | H |
From Hald that rode that day | A |
And when they came to Brattingsborg | K |
They pitch'd their pavilion gay | K |
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King Nilaus stood on the turret's top | O |
Had all around in sight | A |
Why hold those heroes their lives so cheap | P |
That it lists them here to fight | A |
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Now hear me Sivard Snaresvend | A |
Far hast thou rov'd and wide | A |
Those warriors' weapons thou shalt prove | Q |
To their tent thou must straightway ride | A |
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It was Sivard Snaresvend | A |
To the broad tent speeded he then | H |
I greet ye fair in my master's name | F |
All all ye Dane king's men | H |
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Now be not wroth that here I come | R |
I come as a warrior free | N |
The battle together we soon will prove | Q |
Let me your bearings see | N |
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There stands upon the first good shield | A |
A lion so fierce and stark | K |
With a crown on his head of the ruddy gold | A |
That is King Diderik's mark | K |
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There shine upon the second shield | A |
A hammer and pincers bright | A |
Them carries Vidrik Verlandson | H |
Ne'er gives he quarter in fight | A |
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There shines upon the third good shield | A |
A falcon blazing with gold | A |
And that by Helled Hogan is borne | H |
No knight than he more bold | A |
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There shines upon the fourth good shield | A |
An eagle and that is red | A |
Is borne by none but Olger the Dane | H |
He strikes his foemen dead | A |
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There shines upon the fifth good shield | A |
A couchant hawk on a wall | S |
That's borne by Master Hildebrand | A |
He tries with heroes a fall | S |
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And now comes forth the sixth good shield | A |
A linden is thereupon | H |
And that by young Sir Humble is borne | H |
King Abelon's eldest son | H |
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There shines upon the seventh good shield | A |
A spur of a fashion so free | N |
And that is borne by Hogan the less | C |
Because he will foremost be | N |
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There shines upon the eighth good shield | A |
A gray wolf meagre and gaunt | A |
Is borne by youthful Ulf van Jern | H |
Beware how him you taunt | A |
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There shine upon the ninth good shield | A |
Three arrows and white are they | K |
Are borne by Vidrik Stageson | H |
And trust that gallant you may | K |
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There shines upon the tenth good shield | A |
A fiddle and 'neath it a bow | T |
That's borne by Folker Spillemand | A |
For drink he will sleep forego | K |
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There shines upon the eleventh shield | A |
A dragon that looks so dire | N |
Is carried by Orm the youthful swain | H |
He trembles at no man's ire | N |
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And now behold the twelfth good shield | A |
And upon it a burning brand | A |
Is borne by stout Sir Vifferlin | H |
Through many a prince's land | A |
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There stands upon the thirteenth shield | A |
A sprig of the mournful yew | H |
That's borne by Harrald Griskeson | H |
And he's a comrade true | H |
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There stand upon the fourteenth shield | A |
A cloak and a mighty staff | U |
And them bore Alsing the stalwart monk | K |
When he beat his foes to chaff | U |
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And now comes forth the fifteenth shield | A |
And upon it three naked blades | C |
Are borne by good King Esmer's sons | C |
In their wars and furious raids | C |
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There stands upon the sixteenth shield | A |
With coal black pinion a crow | K |
That's borne by rich Count Raadengaard | A |
The dark Runes well can he throw | K |
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There shines upon the seventeenth shield | A |
A horse so stately and high | V |
Is borne by Count Sir Guncelin | H |
Slay slay bide not is his cry | V |
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There shine upon the eighteenth shield | A |
A man and a fierce wild boar | N |
Are borne by the Count of Lidebierg | K |
His blows fall heavy and sore | N |
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There shines upon the nineteenth shield | A |
A hound at the stretch of his speed | A |
Is borne by Oisten Kiaempe bold | A |
He risks his neck without heed | A |
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There shines upon the twentieth shield | A |
Among branches a rose so gay | K |
Wherever Sir Nordman comes in war | N |
He bears bright honour away | K |
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There shines on the one and twentieth shield | A |
A vase and of copper 't is made | A |
That's borne by Mogan Sir Olgerson | H |
He wins broad lands with his blade | A |
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And now comes forth the next good shield | A |
With a sun dispelling the mirk | K |
And that by Asbiorn Milde is borne | H |
He sets the knights' backs at work | K |
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There shines on the three and twentieth shield | A |
An arm in a manacle bound | A |
And that by Alvor Sir Lange is borne | H |
To the heroes he hands mead round | A |
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Now comes the four and twentieth shield | A |
And a bright sword there you see | N |
And that by Humble Sir Jerfing is borne | H |
Full worthy of that is he | N |
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There shines upon the next good shield | A |
A goss hawk striking his game | F |
That's borne by a knight the best of all | S |
Sir Iver Blaa is his name | F |
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Now comes the six and twentieth shield | A |
A jav'lin there you spy | V |
Is borne by little Mimring Tan | H |
From no one will he fly | V |
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Such knights and bearings as were there | N |
And who can them all relate | A |
It was Sivard the Snaresvend | A |
No longer he deign'd to wait | A |
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If there be one of the Dane king's men | H |
Who at Dyst is willing to ride | A |
Let him I pray without pause or delay | K |
Meet me by the wild wood's side | A |
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The man among you ye Danish court men | H |
Who at Dyst has won most meeds | N |
Him I am ready to fight this day | K |
For both of our noble steeds | N |
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The heroes cast the die on the board | A |
The die it roll'd so wide | A |
Since young Sir Humble it stops by thee | N |
'Gainst Sivard thou must ride | A |
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Sir Humble struck his hand on the board | A |
No longer he lists to play | K |
I tell you forsooth that the rosy hue | H |
From his cheek fast faded away | K |
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Now hear me Vidrik Verlandson | H |
Thou art so free a man | H |
Do lend me Skimming thy horse this day | K |
I'll pledge for him what I can | H |
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Eight good castles in Birting's land | A |
As pledges for him I'll set | A |
My sister too the lily cheek'd maid | A |
A fairer thou ne'er hast met | A |
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Eight good castles and eight good knights | N |
I'd scorn to offer thee less | N |
If Skimming should meet any hurt this day | K |
My sister thou shalt caress | N |
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If yonder mountains all were gold | A |
And yonder streams were wine | H |
The whole for Skimming I would not take | K |
I bless God he is mine | H |
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Sivard is a purblind swain | H |
Sees not to his faulchion's end | A |
If Skimming were hurt thou couldst not pay me | N |
With the help of thy every friend | A |
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The sword it whirls in Sivard's hand | A |
As whirl the sails of the mill | W |
If thou take Skimming 'gainst that wild fool | X |
'T is sorely against my will | W |
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Humble he sat him on Skimming's back | K |
So gallantly can he ride | A |
But Skimming thought it passing strange | Y |
That a spur was clapt to his side | A |
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The first course that together they rode | A |
So strong were the knightly two | H |
Asunder went Humble's saddle ring | K |
And a furlong his good shield flew | H |
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Methinks thou art a fair young swain | H |
And well thy horse canst ride | A |
Dismount thee straight and gird up thy steed | A |
I am willing for thee to bide | A |
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The second course that together they rode | A |
Was worthy of knights renown'd | A |
Then both their saddles burst in two | H |
And Humble was sent to the ground | A |
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Now have I cast thee from thy steed | A |
Thy courser by right is mine | H |
But tell me youthful and gallant swain | H |
Who art thou and of what line | H |
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Now have I won from thee the prize | N |
And Skimming belongs to me | N |
But tell me youthful and gallant swain | H |
What parents gave birth to thee | N |
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Abelon is my father's name | F |
He sits upon Birting's throne | H |
Queen Ellina my mother is | N |
And that for truth is known | H |
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Queen Ellina my mother is | N |
A Queen whom all admire | N |
Good King Abelon Haardestaal | H |
So call they my hoary sire | N |
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And who am I but Humble the young | K |
A knight of Birting's land | A |
Of hero race whose fame extends | N |
To the wide earth's farthest strand | A |
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If Abelon be thy father's name | F |
The courser I straight restore | N |
Thou art I find my very good friend | A |
I knew thee not youth before | N |
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If Queen Ellina thy mother is | N |
Then Skimming thou hast rewon | H |
Thou art indeed my very good friend | A |
Thou art my sister's son | H |
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Take both the shield ropes take them straight | A |
And bind me to yon oak tree | N |
Then hie thee back to King Diderik | K |
And say thou hast conquer'd me | N |
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In came Humble the youthful knight | A |
Was clad in a kirtle green | H |
O I have got my courser again | H |
And have bound the warrior keen | H |
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In came Humble with boot and spur | N |
He cast on the table his sword | A |
Sivard stands in the green wood bound | A |
He speaks not a single word | A |
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O I have been to the wild forest | A |
And have seiz'd the warrior stark | K |
Sivard there was taken by me | N |
And tied to the oak's rough bark | K |
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Now hear me young Sir Humble the knight | A |
'T is plain a jest is meant | A |
Whenever Sivard was bound by thee | N |
'T was done with his own consent | A |
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It was Vidrik Verlandson | H |
And he would fain know all | H |
O I will ride to the wood and see | N |
How Sivard endures his thrall | H |
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Vidrik spoke to his burly groom | Z |
Go saddle me Skimming gray | K |
For I will ride to the wood and hear | N |
What Sivard himself will say | K |
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Sivard stands in the good green wood | A |
There sees he Vidrik ride | A |
If Vidrik finds me bounden here | N |
He'll hew my rib bones from my side | A |
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Then loud laugh'd Vidrik Verlandson | H |
And Skimming began to neigh | V |
For Sivard rooted the oak tree up | A2 |
He dar'd no longer stay | K |
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The queen she sat in the high high loft | A |
And thence look'd far and wide | A |
O there comes Sivard Snaresvend | A |
With a stately oak at his side | A |
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Then loud laugh'd fair Queen Gloriant | A |
As she look'd on Sivard full | H |
Thou wert no doubt in great great need | A |
When thou such flowers didst pull | H |
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The King he stood at the castle gate | A |
In his robes and kingly crown | H |
O there comes Sivard Snaresvend | A |
And he brings us Summer to town | H |
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Now dance the heroes by Brattingsborg | K |
They dance in their coats of felt | A |
There dances Sivard the purblind swain | H |
With an oak tree under his belt | A |
George Borrow
(1)
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