the warrior Hjalmar,
He drew his sword amain;
He has cleft his brother Angantyr
And cut him in pieces twain.

101. Odd came home at eventide
A-riding on the strand,
And saw where Hjalmar had sat him there,
Marred by the poisoned brand.

102. Odd came home at eventide,
Where Hjalmar leant his back on a stone;
"O why art thou so wondrous pale,
And what has brought thee to make such moan?"

103. "My corslet he has pierced,
He has scathed my skin so white;
The poison smeared upon the blade
My heart will surely smite."

104. "Thou didst put thy faith in thy corslet,
All made of shining steel;
But here stand I in my shirt only,
And yet no wound I feel.

105. "Thou didst put thy trust in thy corslet,
All made of silver bright;
But here stand I in my shirt only,
And got no wound in the fight.

106. "Thou did'st put thy trust in thy corslet,
All made of silver white;
But here stand I in my shirt only
Which sword could never bite."

107. Then up and spake the Warrior Hjalmar.
The first word he did say
Was "Hearken and hearken now Young Odd,
And bear me hence away."

108. Then up and answered the Young Odd,
He gazed on the rocky ravine:
"This fight, O Hjalmar, if thou list to hear
Has gone as I had foreseen."

109. He drew the gold ring from his arm;
Speech could he utter still;
Bade carry it to the lady Ingibjoerg,
And bade him fare him well

110. He drew the gold ring from his arm;
All floating was he in blood.
He sent it to the lady Ingibjoerg,
That maid so fair and good.

111. She died of grief for Hjalmar--
She the noble maid;
I swear an oath upon my honour
There lives none of whom the like can be said.

Refrain: _Noble men are sailing now from Norway,
And a fair breeze bears them o'er the wave._

INTRODUCTION TO THE FAROESE RIDDLE BALLAD (GATU RIMA)

The _Gatu Rima_ was first taken down in Sudero by a clergyman,
Schroeter, early in the nineteenth century, and is preserved in the
archives of the Early Text Society in Copenhagen. Unfortunately
Schroeter was only able to obtain the Ballad in a fragmentary form,
and