er hast thou come?
What message hast thou brought to me?
Thou'dst better far have staid at home.

"Now hie thee to the chamber in,
So frozen and so wet withal;
But cometh Rosmer Giant home
He'll tear thee into pieces small.

"Now sit thee down, thou wretched lad,
And at the fire thy body cheer;
If Rosmer Giant come striding in
He'll stick thee on this spit, I fear."

Then home came Rosmer Shank-stretcher,
And thus in anger he began:
"Full certainly there's hither come
Some Christian woman, child, or man."

Then forward stepped she, Ellenlile,
And swore so high and solemnly:
"A crow which bore a dead man's leg
E'en now across the house did fly.

"A crow which bore a dead man's leg
Just now across our house did fly;
He cast it in, I cast it out,
And that I trow full speedily."

But Rosmer shrieked and sprang about:
"Some Christian wight thon dost conceal,
And I will spit and burn thee, Dame,
Unless the truth thou dost reveal."

Then Ellenlile her mantle donned,
And went and stood by Rosmer's knee:
"O here's a swain from Iceland come,
And he's of nearest kin to me."

"If there's a swain from Iceland come,
And if he be thy kinsman near,
Then I to him will safety pledge,
No harm from me he need to fear."

When he two years in the sea had been,
Young Roland he would fain be gone;
For Ellenlile was now with child,
A deed of folly had been done.

When that perceived proud Ellenlile,
Near Rosmer King she took her stand:
"Now wilt thou give the stranger lad
Leave to return to his own land?"

"And if the swain for home doth long,
Then I will take him to the shore;
And I will give him silver and gold,
And in a coffer it will store.

And so he took the ruddy gold,
And in a coffer it he laid;
Unknown to him proud Ellenlile
So sly therein herself convey'd.

He takes the man beneath his arm,
The coffer on his back he throws;
Then away, away beneath the salt spray
Striding the Giant Rosmer goes.

"Now have I brought thee to the land,
And moon and sun thou canst behold;
And now to use as thou shalt chuse
I give this coffer filled with gold."

"I thank thee, Rosmer, honest man,
Thou'st brought me out of the ocean wild;
And now I'll tell thee a piece of news,
The proud Dame Ellen is with child."

Then ran the tears down Rosmer's cheeks,
As falls the dew on hill and plain:
"If thou hadst not my troth an