Marsk Stig, by George Borrow

﻿The Project Gutenberg eBook, Marsk Stig, by George Borrow, Edited by
Thomas J. Wise

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: Marsk Stig
a ballad

Translator: George Borrow

Editor: Thomas J. Wise

Release Date: October 7, 2008 [eBook #26831]

Language: English

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARSK STIG***

Transcribed from the 1913 Thomas J. Wise pamphlet by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

MARSK STIG

A BALLAD

by
GEORGE BORROW

London:
printed for private circulation

1913

MARSK STIG
a ballad

PART I.

Marsk Stig he out of the country rode
   To win him fame with his good bright sword;
At home meantide the King will bide
   In hope to lure his heart’s ador’d.

The King sends word to the Marshal Stig
   That he to the fields of war should fare;
Himself will deign at home to remain
   And take the charge of his Lady fair.

In came the Marshal’s serving man,
   And a kirtle of green that man he wore:
“Of our good liege the little foot-page
   Is standing out the gate before.”

Up stood the young Sir Marshal Stig,
   By the side of his bed his clothes put on;
And to speak the boy, the King’s envoy,
   Down to the gate is the Marshal gone.

“Now hear thou, Marsk Stig Andersen,
   ’Tis truth and sooth what I say to thee;
Thou must away to the King’s palay,
   Then mount thy horse and follow with me.

“Oh, I know nought of my Lord King’s thought
   That I to thee can now declare,
Except that thou to the war must go
   And there thy sovereign’s banner bear.”

Then in at the door Sir Marsk Stig trode,
   And a wrathful man I trow was he:
“By the Saints I swear, my Lady dear,
   Fulfill’d my dreary dream will be.

“For of late I dream’d that my noble horse
   To chase the wild mare ran away;
And that must mean that I shall be slain,
   And that my steed will tramp on my life-less clay.”

“Now hold thy tongue, my noble Lord,
   And do not talk thus foolishly,
For Christ can protect thy life, reflect,
   The blessed Christ who dwells on high.”

It was the young and bold Marsk Stig
   Came riding into the Castle yard,
Abroad did stand the King of the land
   So fair array’d in sable and mard.

“Now lend an ear, young Marshal Stig,
   I have for thee a fair emprise,
Ride thou this year to the war, and bear
   My flag amongst my enemies.”

“And if I shall fare to the war this year,
   And risk my life among thy foes,
Do thou take care of my Lady dear,
   Of Ingeborg that beauteous rose.”

Then answer’d Erik, the youthful King,
   With a laugh in his sleeve thus answer’d he:
“No more I swear has thy lady to fear
   Than if my sister dear were she.

“Full well I’ll watch Dame Ingeborg,
   And guard and cherish her night and day;
As little I swear has thy Lady to fear
   As if thou, dear Marshal, at home didst stay.”

It was then the bold Sir Marshal Stig,
   From out of the country he did depart.
In her castle sate his lonely mate,
   Fair Ingeborg, with grief at heart.

“Now saddle my steed,” cried Eric the King,
   “Now saddle my steed,” King Eric cried,
“To visit the Dame of beauteous fame
   Your King will into the country ride.”

“Hail, hail to thee, Dame Ingeborg,
   If thou wilt not be coy and cold,
A shirt, I trow, for me thou’lt sew,
   And array that shirt so fair with gold.”

“Sew’d I for thee a shirt, Sir King,
   And worked that shirt, Sir King, with gold,
Should Marsk Stig hear of that he’d ne’er
   With favour again his wife behold.”

“Now list, now list, Dame Ingeborg,
   Thou art, I swear, a beauteous star,
Live thou with me in love and glee,
   Whilst Marshal Stig is engag’d in war.”

Then up and spake Dame Ingeborg,
   For nought was she but a virtuous wife:
“Rather, I say, than Stig betray,
   Sir King, I’d gladly lose my life.”

“Give ear, thou proud Dame Ingeborg,
   If thou my leman and love will be,
Each finger fair of thy hand shall bear
   A ring of gold so red of blee.”

“Marsk Stig has given gold rings to me,
   And pearls around my neck to string;
By the Saints above I never will prove
   Untrue to the Marshal’s couch, Sir King.

“And when Sir Marsk Stig left the land
   Thou unto him, Sir King, didst swear
Thou wouldst tend me and defend me
   E’en as if I your sister were.”

It was the fair Dame Ingeborg,
   So great, so great was her vexation;
Early and late, sunshine and wet,
   The King he sought her habitation.

It was Erik the Danish King,
   A damnable deed the King he wrought;
He forc’d with might that Lady bright,
   Whilst her good Lord his battles fought.

It was the young Sir Marshal Stig
   Came home again from the battle field.
To him then sped such tidings dread,
   His very blood those tidings chill’d.

And when he came to his country home,
   Away to his castle Sir Stig he rode;
Then Ingeborg Dame for very shame
   No word of welcome on him bestow’d.

It was the young and bold Marsk Stig,
   So swiftly in at the door he hies;
His beauteous dame for very shame
   To welcome the Marshal could not rise.

And long stood he, the young Marsk Stig,
   And thus within himself thought he;
“Now wherefore shows my beauteous spouse
   No more respect or love for me?”

Then answer’d fair Dame Ingeborg,
   Whilst tears adown her features pour’d:
“Welcome, I say, from the battle fray,
   Marsk Stig my bosom’s dearest lord.

“Now do thou hear, young Marshal Stig,
   Of a dreadful wrong I must complain,
The King accurst has my body forc’d
   And my matron honour from me has ta’en.

“When thou didst leave the land, I was
   The honour’d Dame of a simple knight;
Now am I Queen in Denmark green,
   With a stain that makes me hate the light.

“The time that thou from the land didst go,
   I was but the wife of a Noble brave;
Now am I Queen in Denmark green,
   Longing to hide me in the grave.”

It was then the young Marsk Stig
   He grasp’d amain his dagger knife:
“If truth it be that thou tellest me,
   ’Twill cost the traitor King his life.

“Never will I sweet sleep enjoy,
   Lock’d in thy snowy arms, my fair,
Till ruin I bring on the traitor King
   Who laid for us this deadly snare.

“And never, never, O Ingeborg,
   By thy snowy side again I’ll lie,
Till I out-pour the reeking gore
   Of him who has wrought this injury.”

Long, long stood the bold Marsk Stig,
   Musing with look so stern and grave:
“If on the King I’d avenge this thing,
   Notice from me he must quickly have.”

Marsk Stig he arms his courtiers good,
   Arms them in hauberks glittering,
And he rides on the morrow to Skanderborough
   To summon King Erik to the Ting.

It was the Danish Queen so fine
   From the window high a glance she cast:
“Across the wold comes Marsk Stig bold,
   Why rides the Marshal Stig so fast?

“And yonder prances the Marshal Stig,
   And hither from Sonderbrook rides he;
Each plumy swain in his galloping train
   Is like a bonny grey dow to see.”

It was the young and bold Marsk Stig,
   So stately stepped the threshold o’er;
The Danish Queen so sharp and keen
   She straight began to scoff him sore.

“Thrice welcome, thrice welcome, Dus Van Hus,
   Welcome, thrice welcome again, I cry;
Thou bear’st the brow like a King, I trow,
   Yet little good thou wilt gain thereby.”

“Madam! my name is not Dus Van Hus,
   How dar’st thou beard me in this strain,
When I know one, Black Haddingson,
   Who oft, full oft, on thy breast has lain?

“Gain I no other recompense here
   Than scoff and scorn from a thing like thee,
Before the crowd I’ll complain aloud
   Of the wrong and injury done to me.

“First I will state my injuries great,
   Which man nor woman cannot deny;
And unless I’m given amends, by heaven
   Another game will the Marshal try.”

PART II.

Marsk Stig he woke at black midnight,
   And loudly cried to his Lady dear:
“O dreamed have I so wondrously,
   God read what I’ve been dreaming here!

“I dream’d my ship, my tall, tall ship,
   To a boat did dwindle suddenly;
Its mast was gone, it helm had none,
   Full soon it sank in the briny sea.

“I dream’d that each of my little pups
   Was become at once a savage boar;
Through my garden wall they broke, and all
   My pleasant herbs and roots uptore.

“And I dream’d as I and my courtiers good
   Were riding over the bridge so wide,
My trusty horse with sudden force
   Flung me, and into the forest hied.”

Then answer’d proud Dame Ingeborg,
   Straight answer’d she her dear lord thus:
“To God alone in heaven is known,
   My Lord, how it will fare with us.

“Lie thou and rest, my noble Lord,
   And from thy thought the vision fling;
It means no doubt our vassals stout
   Their rent and tribute soon will bring.”

“Not so, not so, it means, I trow,
   Although thou tell’st me that, my love,
It means the King at our country’s Ting,
   Too much for me and my cause will prove.”

Marsk Stig he arms seven hundred men,
   Each one in iron panoply;
And away he scowers to Viborg’s towers
   The traitor monarch to defy.

And at their head young Marsk Stig sped,
   And in his heart he felt so bold;
Behind him rode his courtiers proud,
   Their breast-plates beaming bright with gold.

It was the young Sir Marshal Stig
   Stepp’d proudly in at the lofty door;
And bold knights then, and bold knights’ men,
   Stood up the Marshal Stig before.

So up to the Ting of the land he goes,
   And straight to make his plaint began;
Then murmured loud the assembled crowd,
   And clench’d his fist each honest man.

“Ye good men hear a tale of fear,
   A tale of horror, a tale of hell;
A rape upon my wife’s been done,
   With frantic grief the tale I tell.”

Then up did spring the Danish King,
   And proffer’d to Stig his fair white hand:
“I joy thou art come, Sir Marsk Stig, home
   Safe from the fray in the foreign land.”

Then answer’d him the Marshal Stig,
   His heart was fill’d with grief and rage:
“And trouble and cost I more than lost
   When forth I went the fight to wage.

“To the field of war I went afar,
   And for thy realm I risk’d my life;
But thou didst stay and, welladay,
   Didst foully force my virtuous wife.”

Then answer’d him the youthful King,
   As sly he laughed his cap below:
“The Lady’s yes and willingness
   Were ready as mine own I trow.”

Then answer made the young Marsk Stig,
   With a darkling brow and kindling eye:
“’Tis a saying true and an old one too
   That insult follows injury.

“Thou’st forc’d my housewife, and hast brought
   Distress and shame upon our head;
But know one thing, my gracious King,
   Thy life to Stig is forfeited.”

Then as he turn’d him from the Ting
   He doff’d his hat with knightly pride;
“Ye good men here in memory bear
   I have the traitor King defied.”

“Now do thou hear, Sir Marsk Stig dear,
   Cease, cease such frantic talk to hold;
And I’ll bestow on thee enow
   Of castles, land, and ruddy gold.

“Eight castles fair, the best that are
   In all the land where dwells the Dane,
May well atone for what is done,
   Receive them and my friend remain.”

“I do not care for your castles fair,
   Castles enow I have already,
I wish undone the deed upon
   The body of my virtuous Lady.”

“Marsk Stig! Marsk Stig! ride not so high,
   I hope to guard myself, proud Earl!
Although thou be my enemy,
   I trust I run no mighty peril.”

“However high, Sir King, I ride,
   Thou lov’st to play a higher part;
Hast thou ne’er heard the olden word
   That power must often yield to art?

“I’m not so mighty nor so strong
   That I can hope to bar thy way,
But oft I’ve seen a greyhound keen
   Alone the antler’d monarch slay.

“I’m not at the head of so many swords,
   That I can check thee when thou wouldst pass;
But a little lever, if us’d but clever,
   Can overturn a weighty mass.”

Then away rode he the young Marsk Stig,
   To Ingeborga’s bower repairing:
“Now welcome thrice, Marsk Stig,” she cries,
   “I’ve heard of Marsk Stig’s manly bearing.

“Fear not the King nor all his might,
   Of courage high he has no spark;
Throughout the state he’s won the hate
   Of every layman, priest, and clerk.

“I have a loving nephew got
   Who waits the traitor King upon;
He’ll be our spy, and privily
   Will send us word when the King’s alone.

“And when ye’ve slain the brutal pard
   Who in drink and slumber finds delight,
By ye will stand of Norway land
   The King so bold with his men of might.

“If thou on Helm a fortress build
   It ne’er can be won by human hands,
From its brow so high you may Sealand spy,
   Jutland, and other lesser lands.

“Whilst thou dost live thou a knight shalt be,
   But my grief for me is far too strong;
So blythe my breath I’ll yield to death
   When Marshal Stig has aveng’d my wrong.

“I ne’er have peace nor gladness known
   Since tyrant Glepping’s deed of force;
May Jesus bless with good success
   My gallant Stig in his gallant course.

“And bless our daughters’ youthful blood,
   Oft, full oft on their fate I ponder;
Much I fear when I’m gone from here,
   Far and wide they’ll have to wander.

“An action high shall never die,
   Whatever dastard lips may say;
’Twill wake up bold from out the mould
   And boldly speak on the judgment day.

“Then speed thee, knight, with thee is right,
   Avenge the heart which loves thee dear;
On earthly shore though we meet no more,
   We shall meet again in the sky so clear.”

PART III.

There’s many I ween in Denmark green
   Who all to be masters now desire;
To Ribe old their course they hold,
   And there they buy them strange attire.

There they prepare such clothes as wear
   The holy Monks of orders grey,
And this they’ve done in the hope alone
   Their liege and sovereign to betray.

They watch’d him sly, they watch’d him nigh,
   Whether the King went down or up;
But best they sped, in the hour so dread,
   When the King would ride to Tinderup.

The cause of the same was an injur’d Dame,
   Bold Stig the Marshal’s lovely wife;
With Ranild a plot she up has got
   Which cost King Erik his youthful life.

Ranild the loon, her sister’s son,
   Ranild who serv’d King Erik near,
Tells him with art of hind and hart,
   And of silvan game to the hunter dear.

“To thee I can show both buck and doe
   Within the bonny green wood that play;
With greyhounds tried we forth will ride,
   Sir King, not distant is the way.”

Then Erik he bade his serving lad
   To saddle him straight his good grey steed;
“To Jutland’s Ting will ride your King,
   And see how things in Jutland speed.”

And he order gave to his courtiers brave
   That they should before to Viborg hie;
No thought he had that Ranild the lad
   Was brooding a subtle treachery.

But Ranild rode by a secret road,
   And he bade the Monks themselves prepare;
I tell to ye for a verity
   That Ranild practis’d cunning rare.

Now after the hart and hind they start,
   And after the nimble roe as well;
The long day’s space endur’d the chase,
   Till murky night upon them fell.

Then in faultering guise the King he cries,
   For his heart I ween was full of dread:
“God help us now, and Saint Gertrude thou,
   We fairly out of the path have sped.”

Then about he spied and about he pried,
   Amid the bushes so dark and drear,
Till sight he got of a little cot
   Where fire and light were burning clear.

And into that house King Erik goes,
   His luck the Monarch there will try;
And he was aware of a damsel fair,
   No fairer ever had met his eye.

And her to his breast the King he press’d,
   And kiss’d her oft with fond delight:
“My lovely may, I beg and pray
   That thou wilt sleep with me this night.”

Then answer’d and said the woodland maid,
   With a burst of laughter wild and loud:
“In mind I keep how thou didst sleep
   With Ingeborga fair and proud.

“Answer, I pray, and fairly say,
   How many maids hast thou, Sir King,
Deserted and left of fame bereft?
   For that will death upon thee bring.”

“If that thou know, fair maid, I trow
   That thou canst tell much more to me;
Now tiding give how long I shall live,
   And say how many my foemen be.”

With solemn air said the maiden fair,
   “Hark thou to me and believe my word;
For life thou must look to the little crook,
   Whereon doth hang thy trusty sword.

“The knobs on thy belt of tough, tough felt,
   The foeman’s number will tell I ween;
Beware, I say, of Monk hoods grey
   Concealing warriors stern and keen.”

To catch the maid the King essay’d,
   His heart was bent yet more on learning;
Then slipped away the woodland fay,
   Suddenly into vapour turning.

As long as stay’d with him the maid
   Both light and fire his sight did cheer,
But as soon, as soon as she was gone
   With Ranild he stood in the bush so drear.

Then the King for advice to Ranild cries,
   And Ranild the traitor answer’d thus:
“From out this place our way we’ll trace,
   For here no moon can shine on us.

“If I be right, a hamlet hight
   Grey Tinderup not far doth lie;
This night we’d best in Tinderup rest,
   My liege, I think for a certainty.

“And thither we’ll ride, and there we’ll bide,
   Until the moon has risen on high;
By Mary’s might no mortal wight
   Will do thee any injury.”

So they ride away to Tinderup grey,
   And loud for lodging, lodging shout;
But they came so late that every gate
   Was lock’d, and fires and lights put out.

Then their steeds they turn to Tinderup barn,
   No mortal knew that they were there;
To the King I wot the thought came not
   That he was now to his end so near.

But Erik’s breast was not at rest,
   And thus to Ranild the lad he cried:
“O make the door both fast and sure,
   I fast and sure in thee confide.

“Do thou the door with a stake secure,
   I’ve ever found thee faithful yet;
In mind I hold that Stig is bold,
   And oft I think upon his threat.”

“I’ve driven a pin the floor within,
   And plac’d a balk against the door;
By Mary bright no mortal wight
   To move that mighty balk has power.

“Marsk Stig is hot, I deny it not,
   And wondrous words he thunders out;
But be of good cheer my master dear,
   He o’er his table sits no doubt.

“The lapwing bird each spot can guard
   Upon the face of the verdant field,
Except alone the knoll whereon
   Its nest the bird is wont to build.”

No pin or stake did Ranild take,
   He was I wean a lying cheat;
I tell to ye, for a verity,
   He only took two straws of wheat.

And for all his talk ’twas no thick balk
   He plac’d for the door’s security,
But a wheat-sheaf light which the gust of night
   From the door removed instantly.

Scarce on the groun’ had they laid them down,
   On the groun’ of the barn so cold and hard,
When of Ingeborg Dame the avengers came,
   Spurring amain to the peasant’s gard.

Into the yard came riding hard
   The fatal monks of orders grey;
No pause they made, to the place they sped
   Where well they knew that the Monarch lay.

Upon the door their blows they shower,
   With faulchion struck they and with spear;
“Come out, come out, Sir King,” they shout,
   “The Dame has sent to greet thee here.”

To them in reply did Ranild cry,
   And thus the Ranild youth began:
“No King is here, no King is near,
   No King nor any such a man.”

Then swift and fast Sir Ranild cast
   Over his Lord both straw and hay,
But points with his hand to the in-rushing band
   The spot where the hapless Monarch lay.

They extinguish’d straight the wax light great
   That burn’d the head of the Monarch o’er;
Then round the King they stood in a ring,
   With blades athirst for his dearest gore.

“O Ranild hear, my servant dear,
   If thou wilt only fight for me,
My sister bright to thee I’ll plight,
   And she thy wedded wife shall be.”

Then he hew’d for his Lord on the broad, broad board,
   And on the balk he hew’d so brave;
He hew’d hither, and he hew’d thither—
   He fought for his master like a knave.

Full in the breast their stabs they address’d,
   As near to the heart as well might be;
With wounds so sore, forty and more,
   Miserably murder’d the King was he.

At him they bored with spear and sword,
   No rest to him the Monks allow’d;
When done was the deed each took his steed,
   And away with frantic fury rode.

This happ’d on the night of Cecily bright,
   The season it was so bright and holy.
The King is dead, his blood is shed,
   But Ingeborg still is melancholy.

“Now who will bear to Viborg fair
   The corpse of the King across the green?
And who will go with the tale of woe
   To Skanderborough where sits the Queen?”

Then ride would none to Viborg town,
   And attend the corse across the green;
But rose up amain a little swain,
   And he would ride to the Danish Queen.

Uprose amain the little swain,
   And not long idle I ween he stay’d;
He tore from the grey the saddle away,
   And that on the back of the white he laid.

“Hail gracious Queen so fair of mien,
   Who sittest clad in scarlet red;
A traitorous train the King have slain,
   In Tinderup barn he lieth dead.

“They stabbed him with might in his bosom white,
   Their points came out of his royal side;
Take thou good care of the youthful heir,
   Who Denmark’s realm is doomed to guide.

“Take heed, take heed of the land I rede,
   And of this royal Castelaye;
’Bove every thing of the youthful King,
   Who in after time shall Denmark sway.”

“Thou little lad thy tale is sad,
   And it fills my heart with grief and pain;
But thee I’ll prize for thy advice,
   And clothe and feed thee whilst I reign.”

It happ’d on the night of Cecily bright,
   In that sweet season blest and holy,
Vengeance has sped, the King is dead—
   But Ingeborg still is melancholy.

PART IV.

There were seven and seven times twenty
   That met upon the verdant wold:
“Say, what emprise shall we devise
   Now Denmark’s Lord is stark and cold?

“Our Lord we’ve slain, a corse he lies,
   The band of peace we thus have riven;
Within the land we can make no stand,
   From land and friends we now are driven.

“But we will ride to Skanderborg,
   And a visit to the Queen will pay,
We’ll see how fares amid her cares
   The Dame ere we depart for aye.

“It was her wont to jeer and scoff,
   But now therewith she must have done;
The fire is come to the scorner’s home,
   And pity her I ween can none.”

Marsk Stig he into the saddle sprang,
   For his daring deed he felt no sorrow;
He spurr’d his horse and bent his course,
   With his armed host to Skanderborough.

It was the Danish Queen so fine,
   She look’d from out the window high:
“O there doth ride Marsk Stig,” she cried,
   “With his knight in iron panoply.

“Ha, welcome, Stig, thou self-made King,
   May’st quickly meet the guerdon due;
If God doth spare the youthful heir,
   Full bitter fruit he’ll make thee chew.”

“Lady, I am no self-made King,
   Although it please thee so to say;
But I can name the knight of fame
   Who last with thee, fair lady, lay.

“Little thou mind’st King Erik’s death,
   But briny tears thou soon wouldst shed,
If thou hadst lost the gallant Drost,
   Who’s wont at night to share thy bed.”

“O shame upon the murderers foul
   Who basely slew my lord and joy;
And shame befall both thee and all
   My Queenly honour would destroy.”

Then up spoke Erik Erikson,
   The little King who was standing by:
“When I’m up-grown and bear the crown
   Full quickly thou shalt Denmark fly.”

Then up stood little Christopher,
   And courage sparkled in his eye:
“To hang them all were vengeance small
   For my dear father’s injury.”

“And if the land I’m forc’d to quit,
   And upon the chilly billows lie,
I’ll work revenge and havoc strange,
   And mostly ’mong the great and high.

“And if from hence I’m forc’d to go,
   And outlaw’d live in cave and wood,
From Denmark’s land with spear and brand
   Summer and Yule I’ll fetch me food.”

Then away from Skanderborg he rode,
   And his fist he shook against the towers;
And with his troop to Molderup,
   To seek his Ingeborg, he scours.

It was the young Sir Marshal Stig,
   He took his wife in his embrace;
“Now lieth slain the cursed bane
   Of all our love and happiness.

“Now wilt thou brave stern poverty,
   And follow bold a man exil’d?
Or wilt thou stay, and every day
   Be harlot, Erik’s harlot, styl’d?”

“O could I even Queen become
   The hated name I would not bear;
My thanks, the best of this poor breast,
   For slaying him the ravisher.

“But we are allied to Counts and Knights,
   And mighty men of high degree,
So do not fear the little heir,
   Nor for a child the country flee.

“Count Jacob of Halland, and Peter Pors,
   Bluefod and Kagg, at any hour
Will back our cause, and sturdy Claus,
   The Halland’sfar, and many more.

“There’s Erik King of Norroway,
   To him your knightly hand extend,
For he a host and fleet can boast,
   And host and fleet he’ll gladly lend.

“If thou upon the peak of Helm
   But build a castle strong and fast,
Thou need’st not quail for arrowy hail,
   Nor dread the engine’s deadly cast.

“And now for long, long winters nine
   I’ve hid my care within my breast;
A worm gnaws sore my bosom’s core,
   Good night, my Lord! I sink to rest.”

Marsk Stig he took her in his arm,
   “The high God lengthen yet thy day!
Our best advice is now to prize
   The hoary rocks of Norroway.”

Marsk Stig he speeds, to Helm proceeds,
   And soon inclos’d a fitting space;
I tell to ye for verity,
   Before him palen’d many a face.

Marsk Stig he builds on Helm a keep,
   With massive walls and towers high;
His raging foes besiege it close,
   Germans and Danes, but vainly try.

Out into the field the peasant goes,
   And there the peasant sows his corn:
“O God of might, what wondrous sight
   The Helm, the Helm has got a horn!

“O welladay on the poor boors grey,
   When Stig the Marshal’s bed was stain’d;
For us I ween it had better been
   If Glepping had unborn remain’d.

“Whene’er within the good green wood
   The oaks so mighty chance to fall,
They crush to the ground the hazels round,
   And all the other trees so small.

“The sins of Kings and noblemen
   Upon the poor fall heavily;
God look with grace on the peasant’s case,
   And relieve him from his misery!”

* * * * *

London:
Printed for THOMAS J. WISE, Hampstead, N.W.

Edition limited to Thirty Copies.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARSK STIG***

***** This file should be named 26831-h.htm or 26831-h.zip******

This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/6/8/3/26831

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.

*** START: FULL LICENSE ***

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
http://www.gutenberg.org/license).

Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works

1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works. See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the
collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning
the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
that

- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is
owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments
must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."

- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License. You must require such a user to return or
destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
Project Gutenberg-tm works.

- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
of receipt of the work.

- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the
Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm

Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf.

Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.

The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at
809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact

For additional contact information:
Dr. Gregory B. Newby
Chief Executive and Director
gbnewby@pglaf.org

Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To
SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations.
To donate, please visit:
http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate

Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.

Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily
keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.

Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:

http://www.gutenberg.org

This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.