ALFHILD.
Nej, vent med at svare!
Ser du det hus med spir og fløj?
did gik jeg mig imorges at spille;
herude var leg, her var gammen og støj;
men derinde, o, der var det så stille.
Jeg tren gennem døren, jeg så en sal,
så mild en fred var derinde;
der dæmred en dagning, liflig og sval,
der knæled både mand og kvinde.
Men højt, højt oppe en jomfru stod,
hun sejled på hvide skyer,
hendes hoved skinned som rosenblod,
det skinned som himlen, når dagen gryr.
Hendes ansigt var klart, hendes kjortel var blå,
en fager alf hun bar på sine arme,
og rundt om hende legte de engle små,
de lo tilhobe, der de ned på mig så
oppe fra skyernes karme!
ALFHILD.
Your answer delay!
You see yon house with its spire and wing?
There went I this morning to play;
Without there was joy, there was laughter and mirth;
Within it was still as nowhere on earth.
I stepped through the door, I saw a great hall,
Within was a peace that was fair;
A dawn softly breaking pervaded it all,
And people were kneeling in prayer.
But high from above them a virgin looked down,
She sailed upon clouds of white,
Her head shone forth like a crimson crown,
Like heaven when dawns the light.
Calm was her face, a blue dress she wore,
A beautiful elf in her arms she bore,
And round about her played angels of love,
That laughed when they saw me below in the door
From their place in the heavens above!