de,
In the bride-bed her they set;
And there sat she for hours three,
There came no bridegroom yet.

The priests before the bride-bed stood,
And sang with all their might:
"Who in the bed in the bridegroom's stead
Shall sleep with the bride tonight?"

Then forth stepp'd Nilaus Benditson,
His lac'd shoe off flung he:
"With the bride so bright I'll sleep tonight,
And give her my troth with glee."

So they the bridal solemnized,
And glad themselves they made;
At home was then Tygge Hermandsen,
To cross the brooks afraid.

It chanc'd upon a Wednesday,
The waters began to fall;
Across came then Tygge Hermandsen
With his gay bridesmen all.

And he came to the bridal house
Where the feast was spread in state,
Then up and cried the youthful bride:
"Ride back, you come too late."

"Now hear, thou beauteous Sidselil,
I've this to complain of thee,
That thou hast ta'en another swain
And broke thy troth with me."

"Now hear, thou Tygge Hermandsen,
Thou might'st have been aware,
I would disdain to wed the swain
To wet his feet had fear.

"If thou hadst been a Lady's swain,
And hadst thou lov'd me true,
With thy sword's stroke thou wouldst have broke
Thy way through the billows blue."

"To the cloyster I'll myself betake,
And the monkish vow I'll swear;
For good or ill, proud Sidselil,
I'll never more come here."

"But if hereby thy way shall lie
When the brooks shall calmly run,
If cheeses two in my store I view
In thy sack I'll drop thee one." {13}

THE WICKED STEPMOTHER

Sir Ove he has no daughter but one,
_All underneath a green hill's side_,
He bestow'd her the Lord of Elling upon.
_In such peril through the forest they ride_.

He bestow'd her upon a gallant knight,
_All underneath a green hill's side_,
Sir Stig Cob was the gallant hight.
_In such peril through the forest they ride_.

When a year to end had well nigh come,
_All underneath a green hill's side_.
Two sons had Thorelil in her womb.
_In such peril through the forest they ride_.

Hither and thither they carry the dame,
_All underneath a green hill's side_,
But worse and worse her plight became.
_In such peril through the forest they ride_.

Sir Stig his bonnet he has put on,
_All underneath a green hill's side_,
And into the hall to his mother is gone.
_In such peril through the forest they ride_.

"Hear me, dear mother,